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...

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

Later, in moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question, but her hoarse throat didn't let out words - only pain. Her recollection of the day came slowly, and it wasn't until she had wrestled her head out of her sheets and into the open air that she remembered how the day began.

Her hands flew up to her eyes.

Carefully, she pressed against her cheeks, moving closer and closer to the sockets with each prodding touch. Her hand froze, and a cold breeze from the open window washed over it. What if - what if her eyes weren't there? Her lids clamped tight in reflex. She hissed at the sharp sting that erupted from it.

"My lady," came the voice of Natsu. She came to a halt, clinking together cups and bowls. "You're awake! Just ah, just wait there a moment."

Hikou continued to poke parts of her face as Natsu dragged a table across the floor and set things down on it. She heard utensils clink against a tray, cups and bowls full of liquid sloshing around as they were arranged on the table. She swallowed down, aggravating the soreness in her throat. She tried to make a response, but her throat felt full of phlegm and medical dreck. She could only cough instead.

"Oh no!" Natsu shoved a warm cup into her hands. "Here, let me help you." She pulled at Hikou's fingers, manipulating them into place around the vessel as she brought it up to the girl's lips. "There you go, nice and easy. That's it."

The aroma of the tea wafted up to her nose like a gentle flower, and she could already feel the vapors soothing her aching throat. Reflexively, she started to swallow again, but she stretched out her neck to stop it in time. Taking hold of the cup, she opened her mouth took it with one gulp, not minding the heat as it scoured its way down.

Natsu took a napkin to Hikou's mouth. "Careful! Don't try to drink it all at once."

"Na-" Hikou began. She hacked out something dislodged by the hot tea. "Na-natsu. Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Oh my lady, congratulations."

Hikou let out another cough. This didn't feel like a celebration.

"You must be confused, of course. I was too, when it happened to me. Don't worry, recovery shouldn't take very long. You may even be out of bed by tomorrow. The master has already been informed, everything is being prepared for you. Just get your rest. Your big day will be soon!"

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

Later, in moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question, but her hoarse throat didn't let out words - only pain. Her recollection of the day came slowly, and it wasn't until she had wrestled her head out of her sheets and into the open air that she remembered how the day began.

Her hands flew up to her eyes.

Carefully, she pressed against her cheeks, moving closer and closer to the sockets with each prodding touch. Her hand froze, and a cold breeze from the open window washed over it. What if - what if her eyes weren't there? Her lids clamped tight in reflex. She hissed at the sharp sting that erupted from it.

"My lady," came the voice of Natsu. She came to a halt, clinking together cups and bowls. "You're awake! Just ah, just wait there a moment."

Hikou continued to poke parts of her face as Natsu dragged a table across the floor and set things down on it. She heard utensils clink against a tray, cups and bowls full of liquid sloshing around as they were arranged on the table. She swallowed down, aggravating the soreness in her throat. She tried to make a response, but her throat felt full of phlegm and medical dreck. She could only cough instead.

"Oh no!" Natsu shoved a warm cup into her hands. "Here, let me help you." She pulled at Hikou's fingers, manipulating them into place around the vessel as she brought it up to the girl's lips. "There you go, nice and easy. That's it."

The aroma of the tea wafted up to her nose like a gentle flower, and she could already feel the vapors soothing her aching throat. Reflexively, she started to swallow again, but she stretched out her neck to stop it in time. Taking hold of the cup, she opened her mouth took it with one gulp, not minding the heat as it scoured its way down.

Natsu took a napkin to Hikou's mouth. "Careful! Don't try to drink it all at once."

"Na-" Hikou began. She hacked out something dislodged by the hot tea. "Na-natsu. Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Oh my lady, congratulations."

Hikou let out another cough. This didn't feel like a celebration.

"You must be confused, of course. I was too, when it happened to me. Don't worry, this part will be over quickly. The master has already been informed, don't worry about anything other than recovering. "

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

Later, in moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question, but her hoarse throat didn't let out words - only pain. Her recollection of the day came slowly, and it wasn't until she had wrestled her head out of her sheets and into the open air that she remembered how the day began.

Her hands flew up to her eyes.

Carefully, she pressed against her cheeks, moving closer and closer to the sockets with each prodding touch. Her hand froze, and a cold breeze from the open window washed over it. What if - what if her eyes weren't there? Her lids clamped tight in reflex. She hissed at the sharp sting that erupted from it.

"My lady," came the voice of Natsu. She came to a halt, clinking together cups and bowls. "You're awake! Just ah, just wait there a moment."

Hikou continued to poke parts of her face as Natsu dragged a table across the floor and set things down on it. She heard utensils clink against a tray, cups and bowls full of liquid sloshing around as they were arranged on the table. She swallowed down, aggravating the soreness in her throat. She tried to make a response, but her throat felt full of phlegm and medical dreck. She could only cough instead.

"Oh no!" Natsu shoved a warm cup into her hands. "Here, let me help you." She pulled at Hikou's fingers, manipulating them into place around the vessel as she brought it up to the girl's lips. "There you go, nice and easy. That's it."

The aroma of the tea wafted up to her nose like a gentle flower, and she could already feel the vapors soothing her aching throat. Reflexively, she started to swallow again, but she stretched out her neck to stop it in time. Taking hold of the cup, she opened her mouth took it with one gulp, not minding the heat as it scoured its way down.

Natsu took a napkin to Hikou's mouth. "Careful! Don't try to drink it all at once."

"Na-" Hikou began. She hacked out something dislodged by the hot tea. "Na-natsu. Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. Oh my lady, congratulations."

Hikou let out another cough. This didn't feel like a celebration.

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

In some strange moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question, but her scratchy throat didn't let out words - only pain. Her recollection of the day came slowly, and it wasn't until she had wrestled her head out of her sheets and into the open air that her hands flew up to her eyes.

Carefully, she pressed against her cheeks, moving closer and closer to the sockets with each prodding touch. Her hand froze, and a cold breeze from the open window washed over it. What if - what if her eyes weren't there? Her lids clamped tight in reflex. She hissed at the sharp sting that erupted from it.

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

In some strange moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question, but her scratchy throat didn't let out words - only pain.

Hikou awoke in agony.

Sweat gushed out from her skin as blood poured from her eyes, pooling together on her bed and clothing in a syrupy mess. The rest of the day was a blur - healers came and went, bringing concoctions she could barely force herself to choke down before another replaced it. She was pulled out of bed, given new sheets and clothing, pushed here and prodded there in a flurry of activity by the family caretakers. Well-wishers came and went, and at one point she imagined the presence of her father, simply standing over her.

In some strange moment of clarity, she found herself tangled in sheets, the cry of the cicadas heralding the coming evening outside. She croaked out a question.

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[roll]1d6z[/roll]