a long-awaited miracle

*Laeta* · 01-01-2022, 01:12 PM

Every day that Laeta woke up for the past season - regardless of whether the haunting moonlight shone its way through her window or the welcoming sunlight that replaced it at last - she had grown accustomed to being unable to move. Her eyes would peel open, revealing the same beige walls and dull stone floor. Mel managed to bring in a few rugs and extra blankets to prop her up and create a more interesting atmosphere, but the collection soon lost its luster. Her gaze would trace the same cracks on the peeling paint of the ancient room, she swore she could memorize each individual flaw. The ruby-clawed badger that had become her friend, caretaker, and sworn lifeline had essentially done, well, everything for her, assisting her in the most basic of tasks. When she was forst paralyzed, the woman felt it to be a degrading, embarrassing, and shameful burden. She felt like a burden for some time after, tousling with the spiralling thoughts as the ooze had taken over her as well. Even in moments when she felt she was going to leave this realm, she often wondered if it was best for the pack to leave her be. It was a terrifying grapple with the sheer death grip of these thoughts that Laeta’s strength and willingness, along with the support of her packmates, allowed her to pull through. Sheer luck, fortune, miracles? Perhaps all three. But along with Mel, her companion, the physicians Syanna, Gwynevere, and Deion, and support from friends like Sota with whom she enjoyed his company often, she felt the courage and tenacity to help her find some silver lining. Her pack gave her faith. Her packmates gave her hope. Most of all, despite her paralysis, her pack gave her purpose.

Purpose.

It was all she had ever desired in this world - to be useful. She wanted a place to provide for others as they provided for her. She’d longed for the familial love of a pack that she’d missed in her birth one. A place without judgement or worry about if she’d starve or freeze to death in the harshest weather of northern Boreas. The welcoming lush of life and warmth in Auster and the Hallows had given her a complete rejuvenation of her character, and a place to heal. What a wonderful place. Artorias had accepted her without any discrimination when she was at her lowest, upon that she had to thank him as well. He was an impeccable leader and a strong example for his pack. She had so many others to thank and to give back as well. And she would..

The summer sun shone a little brighter and a little hotter this morning. Before her eyes even fluttered open from the depths of her slumber, Laeta heard her badger companion scuttling about the floor. His clawed nails clicking about gave him away, every time. A soft smile graced her lips as she tilted her chin towards the sun, knowing she’d need to ask Mel for a pillow to sit up. She suddenly felt the urge to stretch her splayed out legs, an urge she’d felt before which brought nothing in terms of movement. She then proceeded to stretch, her atrophied but still functional limbs responding as if her ailment had just..disappeared. Her ruby eyes flew open, her expression in utter shock. "W-What?" She whispered. No way her legs just fucking moved. She thought to lift one forepaw in the air and then drop it. It did, perfectly, although a tad difficult. Her breath hitched in her throat. This was a dream, right? The physicians said it was a broken neck..her paralysis was permanent..

"Lady Laeta? A-Are you alright?" Mel inquired. He hadn’t seen her new discovery, having been busy dusting the rugs. He adjusted his monocle and glanced up at her, brow furrowed.

"Mel.." she croaked. "I can..I can move. Watch." Her gaze welled up with tears. Tears? Why was she crying? Because she could move again? Because she was defying every natural law of this sort of injury? Because she had bested that bastard firefly entity by reversing his spell? Or perhaps it was all of it.

The badger’s beady eyes widened with his own shock, feet shuffling back as the emaciated woman forced all her energy into lifting her head off the bed. Her soft smile widened into a grin of determination and happiness, a true happiness she hadn’t felt in ages. What an amazing feeling to control her body again. "Heavens, Lady Laeta! The forces above h-have given you the mercy you deserve!" Mel exclaimed, his voice quivering.

She rose from the pillows, her neck sore and hard to keep up but otherwise functioning. She had her work cut out for her, with her muscles nearly wasted away from her inability to move for months. Lae finally reached her head over to sweep her gaze over her shrunken form. She was almost shocked to see it, as if she hadn’t been aware of its decline. No matter. She’d get back to being fit in no time, and contributing to the pack as she should. Steadily, the woman began getting off the bed, ignoring Mel’s frantic pleas to allow him to assist her. No. This was her moment. She needed it.

Each scrawny paw touched the floor, and all she had to do was put weight on them. With a grunt, she heaved herself off the bedframe, and suddenly, and ungracefully, found her legs unable to carry her just yet. And like a newborn foal just beginning to walk, the woman crumpled to the floor in a sore, joint-cracking heap. No injuries, no nothing. Just a frustrated sigh from a woman who just wanted to test her legs again. Still, with Mel anxiously trotting beside her, she asked him to nudge her back to her feet again. With another heave of energy, Laeta groaned as she finally wobbled to her four legs, standing rather like said newborn foal. With a deep breath - gods it was so hard, so achy and so strange - and with Mel acting as a crutch for support next to her, the woman walked yes, walked, on wobbly, unsteady legs out of her room to the third-floor corridor. Yeah, she looked like a drunk baby puppy, and Mel squeaked in surprise when she almost lost her balance every other step, but she was moving.

What a sight.

"Speech"

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a long-awaited miracle

laeta walks!

Laeta