Out

Luna's Pov

I had been here for so long that I had lost all track of time. In between the endless torture that the guards now seemed to do as a pastime and the rats that seemed to enjoy the taste of the dried blood that had crusted on the ground beneath me, I was surely having the time of my life. At this point, I didn't even know when I was awake and when I was dreaming anymore. I had grown lightheaded from dehydration and loss of blood.

Which was why I couldn't figure out if I was daydreaming or really seeing Indrik walking in on spindly feet. Or if his call really was happening or it was my delirious mind working overtime.

"Luna!" A warm arm wrapped around my shriveled one and started to untie the ropes around it. Okay, that was surely not a figment of my imagination. No imagination could be that vivid, or tangible.

I tried to open my mouth but my days in the darkness without food or water had gotten to me. To even keep my eyes open was proving to be an herculean task.

"Are you okay?" He asked, tapping my cheeks. I didn't realize I had drifted off again until I opened my eyes and saw his dark eyes staring into mine. They were still as dark as they always were, maybe weaker even but in their depths, straining to leap at me, I could feel a newfound energy, a new found strength, the strength of a wolf.

"It worked." My voice sounded like rock being ground against rock but the fact that I was even able to talk was a big enough comfort.

"Yes, master. Your game played out perfectly. It was painful, so painful, I wanted to give up and just die, maybe I even cursed you a little but yes, it did work." He smiled as he continued to loose the ropes.

"Good!" I muttered as my eyes shut again.

"Hey, master. Don't you dare give up on me. You had better stay awake or I am going to have you get me some wolf spurt." He muttered, his worry evident in his words.

I smiled as I realized that I never got him the wolf spurt. After I had found him being pummeled by his brother, I had been so shaken by it as I cared for him that I totally forgot about that plant. And then, there had been the poison.

"Come on!" Indrik whispered as he helped me out of the ropes.

My legs turned to jelly and collapsed under me the moment they touched the ground. I couldn't blame them really. Having been suspended mid-air for days on end, it was a miracle that I could feel them at all.

"Are you okay?" Indrik's voice came from behind me. My joints creaked in protest as I slowly turned around and placed my arms on his chest. Feeling his chest pulsing under my arms, I could feel strength slowly beginning to sip into my bones again. A weak smile escaped.

"My student!" It might have been day or night with how dark the room always was but even in the gloom, I could see his eyes water as he drew closer to me. "Oh, come on, don't be such a baby." I muttered dismissively, but the croak that my voice was could easily be dismissed as a joke.

"I...I am.." He faltered as he wiped his eyes with his sleeves. "It is just that, I have spent all my life looking for a teacher only to be turned down by everyone. Now, hearing you address me by that name." He sniffled, daubing at his eyes again. "It is so much of a dream come true that it feels unreal. Thank you." He picked up my hand, dirt, grime and all and kissed it.

"Your wolf is free. I can feel it." I whispered. "You are going to be the best student any master has ever had. I know that for a fact." I flashed a smile as big as my stiff cheeks would allow before giving in to my muscles and falling back into his waiting arms.

"Thank you, master." He whimpered. "Now, let's get you out of here."

If anyone had seen the two of us as we came out of the dungeon, I had no doubt that they would burst into laughter at how ridiculous we looked. There I was, bruised beyond recognition, caked with lumps of blood and dirt, limping on unsteady feet and swaying so badly, I would have collapsed like a pack of cards if not for the support. Beside me, stumbled Indrik, tired and wobbly as well, his body still recovering from the near death trauma of was it a day ago? Two? A week? I had no way of knowing.

My fainting spells were becoming few and far between as I took in the scent of fresh air. Having been locked away for what seemed like an eternity in a stale environment, with nothing to breath except air that had been mixed with my own sweat and filth along with the ones that had been left by former captives, this air that smelled like cinnamon, and apples, and lemon, and honey, and fresh bread, and everything else that was good was little less than paradise. I took in the sight of the not so tall trees that lined either side of the path that led away from the palace and marveled at the fact that their leaves seemed to have become greener. Even the paved ground seemed to have been retouched. The little birds melancholic twitters sounded like a chorus of joy to my ears. Only now was I starting to appreciate the saying that you don't know what you have until you loose it.

My few days in the dungeon had made me so amenable that even the smallest things seemed like the most pleasant offerings. My body though did not seem to share in my excitement as my legs started to tremble even more making me more than grateful when we finally arrived in our quarters. That was until a familiar voice that I did not fancy broke me out of my paradise.