520 DXX. A Dream Coming True

Claire continued to wriggle, but still unable to move her legs well, and having not yet fully regained her strength, after about twenty seconds she calmed down, trying to control her breath.

At last, the pupil of her eye moistened and she regained his sense of sight.

"Dag... Dag?" she asked, looking at the man in front of her as if she had seen the incarnation of a God, with a shiny eye and a slight smile printed on her face.

"Hey... hello there, troublemaker..." Dag smiled again, who in front of that scene was moved and worked to hold back tears of joy, finally realizing that he had saved Claire and brought her to safety with him.

"You came for me... I knew it... I knew you wouldn't abandon me..." the earthly girl said, continuing to smile and effortlessly raising a hand from under the blankets.

Dag kindly grabbed her wrist and put it on his cheek, allowing her to caress his face and reciprocating the gesture, moving her hair from her damaged lips. 

"I... I can't see well... Dag... I can't even move..." Claire continued, as she slowly regained control of her own body.

"It's normal, you need some time to fully heal your wounds... but we looked after you! Or rather, Freydis healed your wounds and saved your life! I did my best to help her, and now... here you are! Safe and sound!" he said, continuing to smile joyfully and watch his friend.

Claire's hand moved away from Dag's face and slowly her fingers grazed slightly the bandage she had on her eye.

"Claire... you're still beautiful... like the first time we met. Don't worry about your eye. I know it's a very bad feeling, but you're going to get used to it. You're alive and that's what matters!" Dag replied, trying to be positive and reassuring the girl while imagining how bad it would be for her to live the rest of her life with one eye only.

Claire did not lift her blindfold and put her hand back on the blanket she was lying on, closing her eye.

A tear slid on her cheek, ending up under the neck and her breathing became less heavy as if she was gradually accepting her fate, knowing she could do nothing to change things.

"What did they do to you? And how did you get there in their town? The last time I saw you you were with me in the cave where we docked the Iron Emerald..." Dag asked, trying to imagine what had happened.

"Of course, I'll get here right away" he replied, snapping up and turning to the water tank, knowing that there was a big carboy nearby containing drinking water.

But just as he got up, before he could take even a single step, In front of him appeared Freydis with a cup full of water in her hands.

"Oh, fuck! You scared the hell out of me! I didn't hear you get out of bed!" Dag gasped, while his heart was racing, not noticing her presence and almost stumbling upon her.

"Well, I didn't notice either that you came out of bed and woke up because of a woman's screams while I was still dreaming, so... I'd say we're even now" the young Shieldmaiden smiled, handing the water cup to Dag, who grabbed it and lowered himself back to Claire.

"Come on, I'll help you raise your head" he said, placing a hand under the girl's neck and slowly raising it, as she rested her lips on the clay cup and drank water in small siss.

After drinking all the contents of the cup and quenching her heart completely, Claire crossed her gaze with Freydis, who was standing behind Dag. 

The young Master sensed that the two women in the room were certainly not friends, but at the same time felt that that experience would strengthen their bond.

"Thank you, Freydis... thank you for saving my life, I will forever have a debt to you..." Claire said, resting her head again on the fur blanket, failing to hold it high without the help of Dag, who placed the empty cup on the floor.

"You don't have to. I think you would have done the same for me and then... I don't think I would have worked so hard for just… anyone. I did it especially for Dag because I know how much he cares about you, that's all" she replied coldly.

"Claire, please, finish telling what happened" he interrupted, encouraging the girl to finish narrating her memories

"I was saying... after fainting, I woke up in a kind of completely destroyed house, hearing sudden noises. When I regained my senses, I noticed that a werewolf had just killed my kidnapper, fighting with him to the last blood. The wolf warrior came up to me and I obviously tried to escape, but when I noticed that around that set of houses there was nothing but snow, for miles and miles till the horizon, I resigned myself to my destiny, surrendering to him."

"We entered the house you're referring to and found the Jotunn's body, assuming it had something to do with your kidnapping. But what about the wolf warrior? Was he alone? Did he hurt you?" Dag asked, reasoning over Claire's words.