I need someone, not just anyone

Everything still felt so raw and fresh that even just telling Ysmir that much made her feel vulnerable and uneasy. He had seen her in the worst state she had ever been in though and this almost felt like nothing in comparison. Maybe that's why she was willing to share some of the real story with him where she hadn't been able to do that with Ulric. She wasn't ready to face anyone else and she wasn't ready to talk about any of it in more detail just yet. She hoped she would never need to admit to her mother what had happened to her even though she was sure word would get back to her eventually. She didn't want to be worried over, she didn't want to be fussed over. She just wanted to live her quiet life like she always had and pretend it never happened.

She watched Ysmir dip his head to gently nudge at her paw with a whine and despite the slight panic that still gripped at her chest and made it hard to breathe, she still managed a small smile, her expression softening slightly as she watched him. Her paw turned and lifted enough to brush his cheek gratefully, feeling the soft, black fur with her paw pads. She searched his face for a moment before she lowered her head to rest near his own, her nose brushing his opposite cheek with an equally quiet whine. She understood that he couldn't speak, but the little gestures he did spoke volumes to her and she could only hope that one day she might be able to speak without words as well as he did.

Being in the infirmary still kept her too much on edge to really be able to relax. She kept worrying that her mother or one of her siblings or Ulric might walk in and she'd be forced to answer more questions about what had happened or what was wrong. She couldn't handle facing any of that right now and she wanted nothing more than to hide away from the world. She laid with him for a little while like this until the herbs she had taken began to take effect. She started to sit up, slipping off the cot and onto her feet, careful not to put much pressure on her back leg. She looked to Ysmir then, saying, "I'd like to go to my room, but it's upstairs... Could you help me? I can always stay in one of the guest rooms down here if it's too much trouble."

"Gwynevere Carpathius"