[Taralphiel]

The floorboards were cold and damp, and Lys shivered. It was not with discomfort that he looked at his feet pressed to the floor, but joy. Lys had made almost a full recovery since being brought into the Meal Hall. The gash on his head had healed, and only a small scar near on eyebrow remained. He had recovered enough to sit up in bed without his ribs giving out jutting pains, and all that was left for him to discover was the healing of his ankle.

Hrethel stood nearby, gently patting his hips. He smiled over at the boy, watching his nervous expression. He chuckled and cocked out his knobbly elbows, wriggling them and saying with a wink “I may not look strong, but I’ll give my best should ye fall! Now don’t be nervous, young Lys! Your ankle is strong and healed well! All that should remain is a limp and a pain, and I’m afraid both will linger given how poorly ye came to us…”

Lys took a last look up at Hrethel, before placing his hands firmly on the small mattress and pushing off. Pressing and straightening his knees, he felt a momentary panic before he found he was standing quite prefectly on his own. Hrethel had not moved to catch him, but stood and clapped, nodding and bending to peer at how Lys stood on his poor foot. Lys smiled, and began to take a few more steps, before his legs began to shudder, and he let out an involuntary wince. This would be the lingering pain, Lys thought quietly. It was manageable, and Lys was grateful for that. Turning carefully on that foot, he faced Hrethel and beamed.

“Thank you Hrethel! I have no means to repay you, save a deep wish in my heart to help you in any way I can. I hope I can be of service to you in some way…”

Hrethel gave Lys a gentle pat on the shoulder and and pointed to the door, holding out his arm for Lys to take. “For now, young man, you can walk with me and help me find Master Thornden! I am sure he will be happy to see you up and about. And as ye’ve told me no fewer than a handful of times, he owes you for a missed dinner outing!”

Lys bit his lip as Hrethel mentioned this ‘dinner outing’. True enough, Thornden had been unavoidably taken from his promise. That evening was hard on Thornden, and after all the nightmarish weeks Lady Linduial was captured, Lys could not hold blame to him very long. Still, his disappointment could not be contained. He had told Hrethel about how much he had wanted to be seen out of his room. Out and about with people that had only known him as the ‘sickly boy in Thornden’s care’…

This thought lead Lys into a cascade of others about the kind man that had rescued him. Thornden had sat along with him and cared for him quietly. Always listening when needed, always keeping Lys informed of all the events of outside. Rarely did Thornden asked questions that were hard for the boy, and this relieved him greatly. Since Thornden had found him broken and bundled in his fine quilt, Lys had not remembered any of his past, nor any more of the events that left him in that state. And now, a month or more later, Lys had now resigned himself to gladness. Whatever his mind hid from him, must be hidden for a reason.

The door creaked open, and Lys noticed the bustling of the regular worker’s about the Mead Hall. Lys smiled as the young lady that brought his meals briskly walked past. She slowed and grinned widely, nodding respectfully to Hrethel. Lys couldn’t help an overjoyed laugh as he turned from her, and headed in the direction of the hearth.

“All the Hall will marvel to see the young lad we’ve kept hidden up in his room. I say you looked like a broken boy’s toy when I first set my healing eye on you. Now, it does this old heart good to see such happiness on your face…”

Lys slowly pressed foot to floor, as he began to learn the sensation of walking again. But it took only a small time for him to get weary. Taking the young boy to sit on a small bench enough for them both, Herethel sat by Lys and patted his knees contentedly. “Aye, a fine day! We shall make a small trip of it, you and I. I cannot see Master Thornden about, but he shall return yet! For now, let us enjoy the sun!”

With that Hrethel began to give Lys a small tour of the Mead Hall, complete with an ending in the courtyard in the sun. This seemingly small trip took the two a fair while, and not for that reason of Lys alone. There were more complaints from the healer about sore bones than from his patient.

Lys sat in the sun and breathed in deep. It felt wonderful to have the full sun on his face and the smell of baked bread wafting into his senses. He felt freedom like he had never remembered it before. And for some reason, that did not lead him to despair. Strange comfort was all he could feel.