Aftermath

You regained your consciousness after what felt like the longest sleep you've had in ages. Your surroundings radiated with soft warmth, the sign that you were probably in bed, surrounded by blankets and pillows. Opening your eyes confirmed that. You were in a small room, with just a single person bed and a cabinet on the side of it. White walls and overall cleanliness gave you the vibes similar to the hospitals back home. Only closed wooden doors and the fact that there were no lamps or devices monitoring your health reminded you where you really were.

You tried to move and felt a sharp pain in your left arm. As you looked at it you saw it was covered in clean white bandages, which meant that whoever took care of you managed to stop the bleeding, possibly closing the wound. You also felt bruised in several other places, but it was understandable considering everything you've done and what was done to you on that night. You noticed a little bell on the cobinet on your right. While cursing in pain you managed to reach it and ring it.

Doors opened shortly and through them walked in a completely green person with a hair combined into dreadlocks. For your own, human standards, she looked gorgeous. Her one piece outfit was a simple robe, and the only thing that didn't match the ensemble of the beautiful dryad you saw were a pair of rounded glasses and a glass of water she carried. She closed it in to your mouth and allowed you to drink a little. You felt like your sore throat is getting right what it needs.

"Good morning, mister Trent, how are you feeling today?"

She asked with a friendly voice.

"In pain." You were speaking with some difficulties. "But I'll be fine."

"Good. Optimism is recommended when healing." She flashed a smile at you. "My name is Ghea, one of the doctors that treat in here."

"Where am I? And how long has passed?"

"You are in a border fortress of Stillspire. You were brought in here nine days ago." She answered your questions while taking a sit on the side of a bed.

"My companions? The girls?"

She worked her way towards your bandages and was taking off some of them with great care. You didn't even feel her doing that.

"Goliath one brought you here after, what she said, was a day of running with you. From how you and she looked when I saw you, I was inclined to believe. More of them arrived the day after. Don't worry, David. You saved them."

She went on to explain how fortress commander spoke with the girls, each giving him a matching relation. How they couldn't account to only one monster girl trapped by Ronald, the water nymph he sent somewhere few hours before you saved everyone else. How most of the girls were sent home already, except for the four that insisted to stay and wait till you wake up. How one of them, the incredibly annoying spider kept sneaking into your room, and tried to get into your bed, but got chased away every time by other dryads. How your wounds were incredibly difficult for them to heal because of your passive talent, and only because Ghea spent a lot of times with humans before, she knew your anatomy, and was able to make a natural treatment plan.

You thanked her with all the possible sincerity you could muster in your current position.

She left a few minutes later. You thought you could go to sleep, but you heard some sort of commotion outside, and then the doors opened with great ****. You saw her. The girl who almost mortally hurt you. The girl that saved you.

"David! My mate! I'm so glad you are awake, finally, I was so worried when I stabbed you, but I knew you would survive, you are my David after all. You can't just die on me, what would I do if you died? I think I'd die, or worse, get heart broken! You are..."

She went on to rant while walking around your bed. Through the doors you also saw a smile full of relief from Kelara and the uncertain one from Doris. They didn't enter, just waved at you, allowing Layla to speak her heart out to you. When she was done, spider girl curled her head below your healthy arm so you could hug her. She stayed like that for hours, until she got hungry.

In the evening you could stand already and you even were taking small walks around your room. Arm still hurt like hell whenever you were moving it. When you were pacing slowly remembering how to use the leg muscles, you heard a knock at the doors.

"Enter." You said, your words loud enough to be heard on the other side.