The scent of something warm and buttery drifted through the room.
Liora stirred, eyes fluttering open to the gentle light of mid-morning sun. The aches in her body reminded her just how hard she'd pushed herself, but she already sensed something different, peaceful, calm… and the smell.
She sat up slowly, blinking toward the door.
It cracked open.
Aria peeked in, trying and failing to be quiet. She gasped when she saw Liora awake. "She's up!"
Quick footsteps echoed as Aria disappeared again.
Liora smiled, stretching as her joints protested softly. Her cloak had been neatly folded at the foot of the bed, and a freshwater basin sat by the door.
Everything in the room had been tidied.
Moments later, the door opened fully, and in came Aria and Tessa, carefully carrying a wooden tray between them. Marna followed with a warm grin, her hands still dusted in flour.
"We made you breakfast!" Aria beamed, cheeks flushed with pride.
The tray held a modest but lovingly prepared breakfast, fresh scrambled eggs, two thick slices of buttered bread, a little bowl of berry jam, and a warm cup of tea.
Tessa looked stronger than she had in days, her face no longer red, her smile shy but steady.
"She helped with the eggs," said Marna, motioning to Aria, "and Tessa insisted on slicing the bread herself.
Liora laughed softly, her heart full. "This is… the best wake-up I've ever had."
She sat up straighter as Tessa gently set the tray in her lap. Aria climbed up beside her to proudly point at the jam. "I even stirred that all by myself!"
"Well then," Liora said, picking up her fork. "I'm honored. Let's see how my little chefs did."
As Liora ate, the two girls sat on either side of her, watching with wide eyes.
It wasn't the richest meal she'd ever had, or the most perfectly cooked, but to her, it might as well have been a royal banquet.
After the first bite, she smiled. "Delicious."
Tessa let out a breath of relief, while Aria threw her arms around Liora in delight.
"You took care of me," Tessa said softly. "And stayed up all night… We just wanted to return the favor."
Liora reached out, pulling both girls close. "You two mean more to me than anything. I'm so proud of you both."
Marna quietly slipped out, leaving them in the warmth of their small, makeshift family.
Later that morning, after dishes were washed and beds were made, Liora sat on the front steps of the inn, sipping her second cup of tea while Aria played nearby and Tessa sat beside her in the sun.
"Feeling back to full strength?" Liora asked, nudging her gently.
"Almost," Tessa said, eyes turned skyward. "But… I think I'm more okay in here than I've ever been." She tapped her chest with a small, shy smile.
Liora nodded. "You've got a home now. That makes a big difference."
Aria ran over with a flower crown she'd made from dandelions, placing it on Liora's head.
"Now you're the breakfast queen!" she declared.
The laughter that followed was bright, full, and healing in a way that no medicine could match.