Closure

Despite the restlessness of Islana's sleep, it had been the most she had gotten in a long time. When the young woman awoke; she assumed it was morning by what awaited her.

A servant carrying simple but pleasant looking breakfast of fruit, some of which was familiar by this point, but others which Islana hadn't had the pleasure of tasting, yet. The aroma of the still warm loaf pleased her nostrils and left her mouth watering.

However, what was even a better sight to Islana, than the meal was the clean white robe and tub which was filled with water, hot water by some men.

This wasn't much of a decision; the food could wait a while longer. Finally, getting to remove the clothing she had survived everything in.

Her gaze fixated on the now dilapidated garments. Each tear, every spot of blood, even the grime it was covered in all told her story. She was glad to be getting rid of them.

The leather half sleeves, on her arms, had managed to somehow still be with her. They were really all she had left from Ostiarium; those were staying, as they were useful when Kaithak landed on her arm.

The sling was put with the sleeves, the rest was piled on to the floor, off to one side. Easy enough for the servant to grab but out of the way.

The steam from the water hit Islana's every sense, it seemed, as she carefully stepped in. Worth the brief pain it caused her injured ankle, to have most of her weight on it for a moment.

Islana was glad she was short, because the tub was on the smaller side. She gathered her knees to her chest and relaxed as much as was possible in that position.

Letting the injured arm linger awhile in the hot water, the other arm moved upward, her hand reaching the silver bird around her neck. Finally, understanding how much that necklace had tied her to the grief of what she never had and what could never be again. Her mother and family.

The young witch no longer felt that way; it now felt more like a symbol of everything she had endured and overcome.

Meeting her mother might have been brief, Islana might not have gotten a chance to say anything to the woman but it oddly felt like enough. Like it was what the redhead had truly longed for all this time, just to be held by her mother for a brief moment.

Reflecting on it, there was finally a sense of closure. A single tear fell down from her green eyes, but it wasn't over sadness so much as the finality of it.

"I love you, Mother. Maybe, we'll see each other again but hopefully not for a long time. Goodbye."

By that point, the water was starting to turn cooler. It was time to get out. The heat of the day had started to infect the room and drying off took no time.

All that really mattered, by this point, about the robe was that it was clean. She put her sling back on and sat down, ready for breakfast.

Breakfast was taken in a slower fashion than Islana had devoured last night's meal. She really didn't want to upset her stomach, again. The fruit and bread tasted good, though, so, all of it was consumed.

Back to bed it was; to put her ankle back up. The swelling had gone down a bit. The hot water had been good on aching joints. Now, there seemed like there was nothing to do but wait.