Three days have passed since the mysterious guest arrived in Leona’s home. But he hasn’t opened his eyes still. Only his slow and steady breathing reminded them that he was still alive. His wounds we’re healing fast, though, to the family’s relief. They need not change his bandages every so often.

All Leona and the elderly couple could do was to watch him as he lay motionless on the bed. Still, his presence caused a deep unrest especially for Yolance.

Leona’s grandfather paced the kitchen for hours on end, stopping occasionally to speak either to Selia or to Leona. Other than that, he paced the room muttering to himself and looking out the window as if he was expecting someone to arrive.

On the night of the third day, Selia had had enough.

“Yolance, dear, please stop pacing. You’re making us dizzy,” she said.

Yolance stopped and turned to face her, an incredulous look apparent on his lined face.

“Rest?” Yolance repeated, “And sleep? I couldn’t even think straight with that man here in our home,” he hissed angrily.

Selia furrowed her brow. “What?” she said, “Why? The young lad is out cold as a rock!”

“It’s not that,” Yolance replied impatiently, “I’m just worried about our family. About you and Leona. It worries me that this man might be the one the authorities are after. The fugitive they’ve been telling us to watch out for and avoid!”

“Just because he had a dozen or so arrows sticking out of him doesn’t mean he is an outlaw or a fugitive or whatever you want to call him,” Selia said hotly, “Leona and Tavus did the right thing. They wouldn’t let a man die out in the middle of the woods. It’s good that they gave him the chance to heal and recover.”

“At least they know how to show mercy,” Selia added.

“Things will be fine, dear,” Selia said, quietly. Yolance nodded contritely.

Leona heard all of this as she sat by her room’s doorframe, stroking the cat’s head. She couldn’t help feeling a little guilty towards her grandfather. He had a point which she can’t ignore. The man could be a dangerous escapee, though nobody couldn’t be entirely sure.

Yet, she was still grateful to her grandmother for backing her up.

The candle in the couple’s room went out. Leona put the cat down and turned around to go to bed as well.

Just then she gasped as the man’s jaw twitched, followed by a jerking of one his knees. Soon, his entire body was moving as he tried to prop himself up on his elbow.

Leona’s mind raced frantically as she struggled to say something – anything.

Selia and Yolance have gone to sleep, Tavus was home in Glavonica. She only had herself to meet this man for the first time.

The man groaned and held his aching side as he tried to sit up. He was about to fall back into the pillows when Leona caught him and helped him up.

Leona’s heart continued to hammer against her chest.

“A- are you feeling better now?” she stuttered, as the signs of pain disappeared on the man’s face.

In the moonlight streaming into her room, the man looked at her with sharp, clear blue eyes like azure. He moved his mouth into what was meant to be a smile.

Leona couldn’t help staring. There was something that felt so hypnotic in that gaze. She shook her head.

“We found you on the forest floor and you were unconscious and you were severely wounded, so we brought you here to recover,” Leona said. She said all this very fast and she doubted if their guest understood what she had just said.

The man placed a hand on his chest, bowed his head and said in a low voice, “Mu ba vroten tu me howit h’wi pa’de.”

Leona blanked. He doesn’t speak a word of the King’s tongue! She thought. She leaned closer cautiously.

Seeing her puzzled expression, the man touched his throat then extended his hand towards her. “Jarael,” he said.

Panicking inside her head, all Leona managed to utter was, “Pardon?”

“Jarael,” the man said, impatience threatening to break in his voice, “My name is Jarael. I am sorry. I was speaking in my indigenous tongue.”

Leona nodded with her mouth slightly dropped open, and feeling completely embarrassed and foolish.

She extended her hand towards his intending to shake it. Instead, Jarael took her hand and kissed it. Leona blushed.

“Speaking of coincidence, we meet again, Shaeryva. You have grown so much from last I have laid my eyes on you,” he paused. His eyes had a grave expression about them, “Ever since that fateful day…”

Leona tensed, and then smiled as she took her hand back from Jarael.

“I’m sorry, but you’re quite mistaken. My name is Leona, not Shaeryva.”

“Leona,” he repeated, as if tasting her name, “I was almost certain your name was Shaeryva. Nevertheless, I am thankful for your hospitality. I very much appreciate it. I shall repay your benevolence in any way I can.” He smiled at her.

Out of curiosity, and partly out of pity, Leona had to ask, “Who’s Shaeryva?”

Jarael grimaced as he stretched out and sat on the edge of the bed.

“She was,” he paused and thought. When he continued, there was the faintest hint of longing in his voice, “My protégé, and a dear friend of mine. We got separated some years ago and I came here searching for her when some, men, began to pursue me.”

He laughed a little after he said that. “It is a tale too lengthy to tell. As my host, I have no right to occupy you with my tribulations.”

A frown creased Leona’s brow. He was being chased by some men…

“Do you have any idea,” she asked, trying to hide the panic that was building up within her, “Who the men chasing you were?”

Jarael looked out the window, anger seared through the azure-blue eyes.

They were silent for some time and Leona couldn’t contain her uneasiness any longer. She stood up and prepared to leave.

“Well, I must leave you now. It’s a bit late so,” she paused in the doorway, “See you in the morning.”

The bed creaked behind her and Jarael said something in a different language again quietly as he stood up.

He started to limp towards her. Leona felt a hard lump in her throat.

“The bed told me that this room belongs to you,” he said.

Leona spun around. Frowning as she thought that she had not heard right. The bed told him that the room was mine?

Long, ash-brown hair that fell a little past his shoulders framed Jarael’s near-to-perfect features. He looked almost inhuman. He had a well-built body and was probably taller than either Yolance, or Tavus.

She forced herself to focus on his statement. “My bed told you?”

“I can vaguely recall someone’s memories from random things. Your memories are quite interesting, I should say. They forced their way into my mind, not that I took in more than I should. You can stay in your room, now. I’d like to stretch my limbs.”

Jarael limped past her, found his cloak in the coat-hanger by the front door, and strode outside. Leona called out to him from the window.

Jarael turned to her, brown-hair bathed in moonlight, “I’ll be fine.”

Leona tucked her knees to her chin as she sat on the bed, Jarael’s words reverberating through her mind remaining too profound to make sense of. Questions she wished to be answered were set aside as more questions formed within her.

And if he is the fugitive, she thought tensely. Our lives could be all put in jeopardy. And he shows some unusual traits. Could he be a conjurer or something? I am sure he knows how to use magic…

She slipped between the sheets. Confusion and exhaustion washed over her like a thick blanket. Leona drifted off into a troubled sleep.

Outside, Jarael stood in the empty and quiet dirt road that stretched from Haikhan to Glavonica far away.

Closing his eyes, two massive, silvery-white wings erupted noiselessly from his back suddenly.

Jarael tested his restored strength. Opening his wings to their fullest extent, he sent two powerful gusts of wind as he tried beating them and attempted take-off.

Distressed, he folded his wings and dropped to his knees as his efforts took a good deal of energy from him.

Not enough strength to take flight, he thought, shaking. Couldn’t transform, either.

Jarael frowned as he though grimly, I’d have to walk over to the next town. Or at least until I’ve got my strength back.

He willed his wings to disappear and looked over to Leona’s open window.

“You may not remember anything now, Shaeryva,” he said somberly,” But at least I’ve found you at last, even if you deny any of it.”

He opened his palm and a small orb of light appeared on it. He clenched his fist lightly and whispered into it. He opened his hand and the tiny orb of light flew away.

Exhausted of his labors, Jarael wearily returned inside.