Rested and recovered

The rest of the…evening? Night? Whatever it is, passes in a haze of half-remembered pleasures. Lux is aware of contentedly lying in Willow’s arms for a time; of half-asleep disappointment at Willow eventually getting up, stroking her hair, leaving her alone in the clearing. She has no way of knowing how long she sleeps for after that, but when she finally wakes, the burning pain of her injuries has faded to a mere memory. Perhaps there really is something to this dryad healing.

The clearing is as quiet and empty as she found it before. Still, it takes her a little while to work up enough courage to come out from under the blanket and furtively venture forth from the bed, covering up her abundant nakedness with her hands as best she can. Although nobody else is to be seen, she feels very exposed here in the clearing. After all, the dryads can simply blend into their environment when they want to. Maybe that explains this odd feeling she has that someone is watching her. Maybe...

Searching around, she finds her clothes neatly folded on a tree stump nearby, looking to be in considerably better shape then when she was last wearing them. Sure enough, as she picks them up, she finds that the many rips and tears have been meticulously patched back together, with some kind of diaphanous white fabric filling in the gaps in the original black. The bodice, most damaged of all, has been reconstructed in particularly loving detail.

The new material feels feather-light, like gossamer, as if it would tear at the slightest touch; but, as Lux begins to ease herself into it, she finds that everything holds out, stretching just as needed. The white cloth slides silky-smooth against her bare skin, sending a frisson through her. Lacing up her remade top confirms that it fits suspiciously well, cupping and lifting her breasts with its deceptive sturdiness. There’s a conspicuous sway and jiggle when she moves, but it’s oddly comfortable.

Well. She’s up and dressed, at least, but now what? As she paces around the clearing to stretch her legs, Lux tries to clear her mind and consider what she’s found out. It seems quite likely that Athisz is trying to get into this world – to claim it for her own. And with the King and Queen of the Valley at odds, that might just be a real possibility. Lux would much rather this wasn’t her fight, but she has a sneaking suspicion that if she is to have any hope of getting out of this place and back to the world where she belongs, she’s going to have to get involved one way or another.

As she’s pondering her options, there’s a movement at the edge of her vision, and Willow emerges from the trunk of one of the surrounding trees. Lux’s pulse quickens a little at the sight of her – she’s clear-headed enough now to again wonder if this is residual excitement, or the dryad’s glamour working literal magic on her. Once again, though, she can read nothing but sincere kindness in Willow’s smile of greeting.

“I brought you something to eat,” Willow says. She holds up a woven basket brimming with an assortment of rather enticing fresh fruit. “How are you feeling?”