The Beginning Of A Five Year Agony-Chapter 40: Use my lap… like last time.

Samuel simply walked behind the maidens. His mind, still in a jumble of recent events that had happened... He offered no words, only the steady rhythm of his footsteps. They led him to a wide, calm river, its surface was glowing. There, the maidens motioned for him to enter the water to wash up. It was cool and refreshing, washing away the dust, blood and lingering tension of his journeys. They gave him a fresh new set of clothes afterward...

Once he was clean and dressed, they guided him onwards, deeper into a hidden path... In the distance, a structure began to emerge into view, nestled amongst the trees. Its walls seemed to breathe, its very material shifting in color, a slow, deliberate mix. One moment, it shimmered with the color white. The next, it pulsed with the vibrant life of an emerald green. Then, it would soften to a delicate, lady-like pink...always in motion, a strange yet undeniable beauty that held Samuel’s gaze.

They stopped directly in front of it. There was no grand entrance, no visible door, yet as they approached, the house itself seemed to stir. A section of it rippled, then slowly and silently, opened inwards. It felt less like a door opening and more like the house itself was inhaling, inviting them in...

Inside, the light was soft, and diffused, creating a serene atmosphere. The first thing Samuel saw was Lira and Yvaine, along with Yvaine’s older sister, comfortably settled and eating... Their mouths were fully filled, a sight that instantly brought a jolt of warmth to Samuel’s chest, cutting through the lingering chill of his fear...

"Samuel!" Lira shouted, a mouthful of food making her greeting a joyful gobble...

A wave of relief, so potent it almost buckled his knees and washed over him. He stepped fully inside and walked to embrace her, burying his face into her hair, simply holding her close. All the terror of the previous days, the gnawing anxiety about her safety, poured out into that embrace...

Lira caught off guard, blushed, her cheeks turning a delicate rose red. "Samuel, hey, I’m fine, really. It’s okay..." Her voice was soft and reassuring, yet a little embarrassed by his public display of affection towards her...

He slowly let her go, pulling back just enough to look at her, then turned to face the others.

Yvaine’s older sister offered Samuel a wide, genuine smile, her eyes holding in a deep understanding...

"been a while, hasn’t it? It’s really Good to see you, Samuel." Her voice was calm, steady and welcoming

Samuel, still grappling with the lingering awkwardness of the moment and the sheer exhaustion that had been his constant companion, bows down, "Thank you. For helping me back then, I mean. I really appreciate it." He paused, glancing briefly at everyone else, then brought his gaze back to her. "How are your injuries?" The question felt clumsy and inadequate, but it was all he could think of... fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

"Oh, I’m all healed up," she chirped, her tone light and reassuring. "No need to worry. Just a little more sleep and I’ll be good to go." She gestured vaguely to herself, trying to dismiss any lingering concerns.

"Alright..." Samuel mumbled, feeling the weight of the past few days settle back onto his shoulders. He slowly walked over to the nearest wall, which seemed to ripple slightly as he approached it, and slumped down, his head bowed, the fight draining out of him in a loud sigh.

In a Moment...

Lira noticed how utterly wiped out and tired he looked, his usual intense gaze was dulled by fatigue. "Samuel," she called out to him softly, her voice carrying a gentle tone...

"You really should get some proper rest. Come here... she looked around nervously... use my lap... like last time." There was a tenderness in her offer and a quiet understanding of his needs.

He hesitated for a second, a silent battle playing out within his mind, before letting out a soft exhale. "Fine." He then shuffled over to her bed, which was surprisingly soft and seemed to conform to her personal shape... collapsing, resting his head in her lap. The comfort felt immediate, a deep sigh escaping him as the tension within his shoulders finally released.

She smiled down at him, a warm, protective expression on her face.

Suddenly, Yvaine’s voice cut through their quiet and peaceful moment. "Lira, you absolutely should not be doing that! Samuel, get up right now!" She looked frantically at her older sister. "Sister Veora... say something!" Her voice held a mix of shock and childish indignation...

Samuel, jolted up by the sudden name Yvaine uttered, lifted his head slightly. "Your name’s Veora?" he asked, with a faint of curiosity...

"Yes." Veora, Yvaine’s older sister...looked away, a faint blush spreading across her tanned skin, It was a rare display of shyness from the usually composed older sister.

Lira, with a possessive little tug on his hair, gently pulled Samuel’s head back onto her lap. Her voice dropped, to a low and firm murmur.

"Don’t move too much," she responded, and Samuel could definitely hear the hint of jealousy, a subtle warning directed at both Yvaine and perhaps even Veora...

"I’m sorry," Samuel mumbled again, the apology automatic and instinctive...

Lira tilted her head, her gaze soft as she looked down at him.

"I put you in danger and dragged you into a fight that was mine, not yours," Samuel explained, his voice low and filled with self-reproach. The weight of his actions, of the potential harm that could have come to her, pressed down on himself.

"Oh...Shhhh, Samuel, it’s okay..." Lira’s fingers gently brushed his hair from his forehead, a comforting gesture. "I have to admit, it was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through, but it’s not... your fault..." Her words were soft, soothing his guilt. The warmth of her lap, the gentle rhythm of her breathing, worked on him like a powerful sleeping med...

Before Samuel could even realize what was happening, the gentle pull of sleep, an insistent tide, began to claim him. His eyelids grew heavy and then it drifted shut...

"Lira... nnenrj," he mumbled, his words slurring into nonsense, the last of his conscious thoughts dissolving into darkness. Moments later, a soft and even snore escaped from his lips...

Lira looked down at him, genuinely surprised. Her eyes widened slightly and then softened. It was the first time she’d ever seen him truly, deeply asleep, his face relaxed and peaceful, stripped of the usual tension that often shadowed his facial features. He looked younger and more vulnerable...

Yvaine started to say something...but Lira quickly shushed her with a firm look and a finger to her lips, making it clear she wouldn’t tolerate any unnecessary noise...

Keeping Samuel from waking up was her top priority. Seeing him so completely at peace was something entirely new for her, a precious moment she didn’t want to be disturbed.

The silence in the room stretched, only by Samuel’s soft breathing. Lira continued to stroke his hair, her gaze never leaving his sleeping face, The others in the room seemed to understand, their conversations hushed, their movements minimal. This rare quiet moment, with Samuel truly at rest, held a profound significance for them all. It felt like a small victory...

After what felt like hours... time here clearly didn’t work the same way it did in the normal world.

Samuel stirred around. The warmth feeling beneath his head was still there, it was familiar and comforting. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the dim lights. He found himself and Lira in the same bed, her arms still wrapped gently around his neck, her head resting close to his.

A flush warmed his cheeks, but he quickly and quietly peeled her hands away, careful not to disturb her peaceful sleep. As he carefully shifted, he took a moment to look at her sleeping face. She looked truly beautiful, peaceful and unburdened by the worries... Then he glanced up and saw Yvaine sleeping soundly in the other bed, curled up and breathing lowly...

His mind suddenly clicked back to something... How had he fallen asleep? He couldn’t fall asleep before. Because of Arithmos’s powers. He sat there for a while, puzzling it over, the memory of his drowsiness and the feeling of Lira’s lap still fresh in his mind. He couldn’t quite grasp it, as if a veil had been gently drawn over the moment he got into the place...

After a few more minutes of quiet contemplation, he got out of bed, moving in silence.

He walked outside, needing fresh air, needing to clear his head. Then he ran into Veora, Yvaine’s older sister.

She was standing a little ways off, gazing into the distance, her shoulders slumped slightly. She looked weary, a different kind of exhaustion than his own, one etched by deep worriers...

"Couldn’t fall asleep?" he asked her, his voice low...not wanting to startle her.

She turned with a faint and almost brittle smile on her face...

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