Summary: Elenya thought that defeating the Bandirat Prince had prepared her for anything. She was wrong. A Bandirat King — one who could speak, and who wanted to take revenge on her — was the last thing she expected. What followed even less so.
Word count: 4,424
Prompt: Stabbing
I'm not sure what happened, but last friday, inspiration hit me like a train and I wrote this one in almost one sitting. It’s my shortest one yet, but I think it contains everything I wanted to convey.
It’s also the story set earliest in Elenya’s time in Portia. Even earlier than the "Twisted Ankle" one, and they both aren't aware of their feelings yet.
Big thank you again to @a-writing-wren, who was once again willing to read through this beforehand and give some feedback!
Warnings: vague mention of blood, blood loss
Read on AO3: Link
Leather, Apple and Wet Forest Floor
A rat king.
That could speak.
A rat king who could speak and wanted revenge because she had killed his son.
This was definitely not how Elenya had imagined her day would go.
The plan had been to work with Sam to seal off the source that was poisoning Portia’s water. The Civil Corps had found a broken pipe in the WOW Industries building, which she was supposed to weld shut.
But the moment the pipe was repaired, a torrent of sewage burst from the pipe above them and swept them through a hole in the floor into the sewers below.
The impact knocked the wind out of them, but luckily they emerged unscathed, save for a few bruises. While Sam was still cursing, a strange voice suddenly echoed through the air.
“If thou dare, cometh at me three floors down!”
Confused, Elenya glanced over at Sam, who was just grinning.
“Oh! This sounds like a challenge. It's probably the villain, let's check it out.”
Elenya replied uncertainly, “Shouldn't we get some backup?”
“No worries, you got me!”
With a heavy sigh, Elenya resigned herself to her fate and, together with Sam, fought her way through wave after wave of rats. She probably would have had more trouble if she hadn’t already encountered them before—back when she’d repaired the battery in the cave on Amber Island.
She had only just arrived in Portia then, and her combat skills had been nothing to write home about. She had improved considerably since then, and making her way through the corridors with Sam was almost a breeze.
The smell was far more exhausting. An ancient sewer system filled with toxic wastewater was anything but pleasant to the nose. The air was heavy, damp, and smelled of rust and something rotten. She couldn’t wait to get out of there.
When they had finally managed to make their way down the three floors, an unexpected sight unfolded before them.
A giant rat stood at the end of the platform in front of them, a crown on its head and a scepter in its hand.
The Rat King.
And he spoke to them.
“Art thou the one that ended my son?!”
After a brief exchange, the king’s henchmen suddenly rushed toward them, and Sam shoved Elenya backward. Before she could even get back to her feet, Sam was suddenly slammed into by one of the rats and sent sliding off the platform with it.
“Don't worry about me! Keep your wits!” Sam's voice echoed up from below.
But that also meant she now had to fight the remaining henchmen and the King alone.
With more luck than sense, she managed to defeat the henchmen, though she lost her jacket in the process. In a brief, careless moment, she was hit by one of the flamethrowers and her jacket went up in flames.
Pure adrenaline surged through her body as she faced the Rat King alone.
~~~~~~
Breathing heavily, Elenya looked down at the defeated Rat King.
She had actually done it. She didn’t know how, but she had done it.
Sam soon climbed back onto the platform, having finally dealt with her attackers.
“Not bad! You did well!” Sam called out to her and patted her on the shoulder in appreciation.
Elenya couldn’t help but smile proudly. She had never thought she could do it, but all those late evenings training alone in her garden had finally paid off.
Still, she could feel the battle in her bones. Her arms were heavy as lead, and she was struggling to catch her breath. She wouldn’t be surprised if she woke up tomorrow with sore muscles in places she didn’t even know she had them.
Sam took a closer look at the Rat King’s body, while Elenya resisted the urge to just sit down on the ground. She couldn’t wait to finally be home and put this strange encounter behind her.
She was just about to ask if they should head back when Sam suddenly turned towards her, eyes widening in alarm.
“Elenya, watch out!” Sam’s gaze was fixed on something behind Elenya, while her feet had already started moving. Instinctively, Elenya turned to the side, but she was too slow.
Something cold and sharp pierced her right side from behind, and pain exploded through her body instantly.
With a stifled gasp, her knees buckled beneath her, causing the object to dig even deeper into her side.
Oh God…
A moment later, Sam rushed past her and the object was ripped from her side. A new wave of pain shot through her body, and with a soft cry, she fell to the side.
She curled up in agony, pressing her hand tightly against her side. It was instantly covered in hot fluid, and nausea churned in her stomach. The pain spread like fire, and she could only vaguely hear the sounds of battle behind her.
Time slowed down. The world before her blurred, her entire being focused on that one spot. Only the pain existed.
It wasn’t until a hand rested on her shoulder that everything came back to her and the ringing in her ears faded.
“Oh God, Elenya! That damn bastard! Let me see…” The hand on her shoulder moved to hers and tried to pull it away from her side, but Elenya struggled against it.
Letting go felt impossible, as though everything inside her would spill out with it. But the pain robbed her of all her strength, and Sam was able to push her hand aside without effort.
A startled gasp, followed by another “Oh God, Elenya!” echoed through the large hall, and Elenya could only respond with a whimper.
After a brief rustling behind her, two hands suddenly pressed firmly against her side, and a pain-filled cry escaped her lips.
“Sam…”
“I know, I know. I'm sorry, but we have to stop the bleeding!”
The world blurred before her eyes once more. Breathing was difficult, and black spots danced before her eyes. Her brain tried to shield her from the pain and threatened to pull her into unconsciousness, but Elenya fought against it.
The hands at her side disappeared briefly, pulling up her T-shirt instead before placing something on her wound again. A wet hand reached for hers and guided it onto something pressed against her wound. Through the haze of pain, Elenya vaguely recognised it as a bandage pad.
“Try to hold that in place. I need to bandage it.”
Elenya tried to follow Sam’s instructions, grateful to have something to focus on. It took all her strength, but she managed to hold the dressing in place while Sam wrapped a bandage around her waist as best she could. Her hands trembled violently, but she refused to let go.
As soon as that was done, Sam pressed a small vial into her hand. Elenya looked at her friend in confusion.
“Drink this. I can’t carry you, so you’ll have to walk on your own as best you can. This should help with the pain.”
Not quite understanding the words, Elenya drank the potion, the vial nearly slipping from her wet hands. Fortunately, it didn’t take long before the unbearable pain began to subside slightly. Her breathing deepened again, and a sigh of relief escaped her.
“What… what happened?”
Sam’s jaw tensed briefly before she answered. “One of those damn Backerats was still alive and hit you from behind with his spear.” A short pause. “I should have been more careful. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not… your fault…”
Sam didn’t seem convinced, but said nothing more. Instead, she placed her hand on Elenya’s shoulder. “Come on, we have to get out of here. We need to get you to the clinic.” With that, Sam helped her roll onto her back and, from there, sit up.
Every movement sent a new, dull wave of pain through her side, but Elenya gritted her teeth. She had to be strong.
Then it was time to stand up. Sam lifted Elenya’s left arm over her shoulders while wrapping her own arm around her back. “Ready? On three.”
Elenya took a deep breath.
“One, two, three.” With that, Sam hoisted her to her feet.
Immediately, a fresh wave of pain shot through her body. Her vision darkened, and her entire weight slumped against Sam.
Sam stumbled briefly but regained her balance and held Elenya upright as her senses slowly returned. Breathing heavily, Elenya hung there, unable to feel any relief even from the painkillers as flames seemed to burn across her entire back.
As soon as she could bear at least some of her own weight again, they set off on the slow journey outside. Elenya was barely aware of it.
With every step she took, her exhaustion grew, and a fog settled over her thoughts. She could barely even feel the pain in her side anymore. Her body felt as if it no longer belonged to her.
When they finally reached the exit, they were greeted by cold rain. The sudden shock managed to snap Elenya out of her daze for a moment. The sun was already setting, and the air was extremely cold for late summer.
Sam cursed beside her. “Damn it. As if things weren't bad enough already. How are you holding up?” Her worried gaze rested on Elenya, who tried to give her a confident smile.
“Couldn’t be better…”
Of course, that was a lie. An unnatural chill had settled in her body, only intensified by the rain. She could hear her heart racing in her chest, each beat a loud thud in her head.
The grass beneath her feet kept slipping in and out of focus, and she didn’t know how she was still managing to put one foot in front of the other.
Sam beside her was gasping for breath. She was now carrying almost all of Elenya’s weight, and she would have felt guilty if her brain had still had the capacity for it.
Their pace slowed more and more as they moved away from WOW Industries, and Elenya felt she couldn’t hold on much longer. Her eyes closed without her consent, and the sound of the rain no longer reached her ears.
Then Sam suddenly let out a surprised gasp, followed by an excited “Arlo! Remi!”
Confused, Elenya opened her eyes. Everything in front of her was blurry, but she was able to make out two figures rushing toward them.
“Sam! Elenya! Thank God!”
The two figures reached them, but Elenya’s eyes had already closed again. As if through a fog, she heard her friends’ voices.
“Arlo, Remi, I’m so glad to see you. What are you doing here?”
“You were gone for so long, we were worried. But what happened?”
“No time to explain! Elenya needs help; damn beast stabbed her.”
The shocked gasps that followed Sam’s words rang surprisingly clear in her ears. Then suddenly, two warm hands gently cupped her face. The warmth was a stark contrast to the cold that had taken hold of her body, and she unconsciously leaned into the touch.
“Elenya, can you hear me?” Arlo’s deep voice reached her ears.
With great effort, she managed to open her eyes. It took a moment for her vision to clear, but then she could see his deep blue eyes looking at her with concern. As soon as she understood his words, she tried to nod.
Her voice wouldn’t obey her.
“That’s good. We’re taking you to the clinic, okay? Everything will be fine.”
As if that were a signal to her body, her last ounce of strength left her and her legs gave way beneath her. Sam, who was too exhausted by now, could no longer hold her, and her arm slipped off her shoulder.
“Whoa!” The hands quickly disappeared from her face, instead two strong arms catched her under the armpits. She suddenly found herself leaning against Arlo’s chest, his wet jacket cold against her cheek.
“Remi, help me! She’s ice cold!”
Two more hands appeared, holding her steady, while Arlo’s arms and chest disappeared. She heard the sound of a zipper, then suddenly something heavy and warm was draped over her shoulders. Her arms were gently guided into the sleeves of what she assumed was a jacket, and the cold rain vanished from her skin.
The scent of leather, apples, and wet forest floor filled her nose, and something inside her calmed down. The smell promised safety.
“I’m afraid this is going to hurt a little, but I have to lift you up, okay?” There was that warm hand on her cheek again, and with a sigh she nestled into the rough palm. She no longer knew what was happening around her.
The hands supporting her shifted again. A strong arm slipped under her arm and around her back, while a second one appeared under the backs of her knees.
And suddenly she was weightless. A sharp pain in her side drew a weak moan from her, immediately followed by an apologetic murmur.
“I’m sorry, Elenya. But you’ll feel better soon. Hang in there a little longer, okay?”
The deep rumble of Arlo’s voice reached her through the haze, and she suddenly realised she was in his arms. Her head rested against his strong shoulder, which was covered in something wonderfully soft.
Unconsciously, she buried her face in it, savouring the contrast the soft fabric offered against the pain and chaos. That soothing scent clung to it as well, and a pleasant warmth drove the chill from her cheek.
All strength left her body, and she slumped in Arlo’s arms.
Instantly, his grip tightened around her, and his panicked voice reached her ears. “Elenya! Are you still with me?! Come on, you have to hang in there.”
Elenya didn’t understand why he was suddenly so panicked, but she tried to calm him down anyway. Only a soft “Arlo…” escaped her lips, but that seemed to be enough.
A sigh of relief shuddered through the shoulder beneath her. “Good. Just don't fall asleep, okay?”
Elenya tried. But every step Arlo took sent a sharp pain through her side; everything was spinning, and her head felt as if it were wrapped in soft cotton.
More than anything, she wanted to let go and drift into the darkness.
Unconsciously, a soft whimper escaped her, prompting Arlo to press his cheek soothingly against her head. “I know. I know. Please hang in there.”
The world around her faded away. Only the warm, soft fabric beneath her cheek and Arlo’s protective presence remained.
Her stomach churned slightly as Arlo stepped onto the lift that carried them down from the platform. Then she was lifted higher, and a moment later she felt a saddle beneath her.
“Can you hold on for a second?” Completely confused, but instinctively following Arlo’s words, she groped blindly for the saddle pommel. Her eyes refused to open, but she managed to muster enough strength for a moment to hold on.
Arlo helped her lift her right leg over to the other side of Spacer, then climbed up behind her. Quickly, his left arm wrapped around her waist as she threatened to tip to the side, her strength already spent again.
Gratefully, she leaned back against his strong chest, ignoring the pain in her back as her wound pressed against him. The pain was already a part of her. A constant companion. A fire that devoured her energy and whose hunger could never be sated.
With a gentle nudge to Spacer’s flank, Arlo urged his horse on, and they were on their way toward Portia.
Exhausted, Elenya slumped. Her head fell to the side, so that her face came to rest in the crook of Arlo’s neck. Once again, she was enveloped by the scent of leather, apple, and wet forest floor, and exhaustion threatened to drag her under.
“Hey, don’t fall asleep! We’re almost there.” The shoulder her head was resting on jolted slightly, and she was yanked away from the darkness.
Arlo’s panicked voice made her summon her last bit of strength and gently place her hand on his, which rested on her waist. Weakly, she squeezed his fingers, causing him to sigh in relief.
“Please hang in there.”
Elenya tried. Arlo kept talking to her, though the words no longer made sense. Yet she could feel the vibration of his words in her back. Deep and soothing, his voice filled her head, and despite the pain, she felt safer than ever before.
At first, she still managed to squeeze his fingers now and then. That way, she could show him she was still there. But shortly after the sound of hooves shifted from the soft grass to asphalt, she lost all control over her body.
Time became a distant concept
The warmth at her back vanished.
Instinctively, she reached for it.
“Arlo…” His name slipped from her lips before she even knew she was speaking.
Bright light. The smell of disinfectant.
Voices. Hands touching her.
Cold hands.
Not the warm hands that had made her feel safe.
Panic clawed at her chest.
Then a familiar voice.
Calm. Steady.
The words made no sense, but the sound of it eased something inside her. She held onto it with everything she had left.
Then warmth again. A hand clasping hers.
And at last, the darkness claimed her.
~~~~~~
Elenya was floating.
Or at least that’s how it felt.
Her body felt distant, as though it were wrapped in layers of soft cotton. Her head was resting on a soft pillow, and the mattress beneath her was softer than usual, too.
Where was she?
With a soft groan, she managed to open her eyes. A white ceiling greeted her, which only confused her even more.
Her hhouse didn’t have a white ceiling.
Searching for answers, she turned her head to the side, which required much more effort than it should have. As she did so, her eyes fell on Arlo, which didn’t exactly help clear up her confusion. He was slumped in a chair next to her, his head buried in his hands.
His red hair was even more tousled than usual, and he looked terribly exhausted.
What had happened?
She couldn’t really remember. Her thoughts were moving at a snail’s pace.
At least she now knew she was in the clinic.
"Arlo," she tried to say, but only a croak escaped her throat. Only now did she realize how dry her mouth was.
At her sound, Arlo jumped up, and his blue eyes met hers.
“Elenya, you’re awake!” He quickly sat up, his worried gaze sweeping over her face. “How are you feeling?”
Elenya tried to answer, but her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and no sound came out. Arlo seemed to quickly realize what was wrong, because he reached for the glass sitting next to the bed. Carefully, he slid his hand under her head to lift it and held the glass to her lips.
She greedily drank the cool water, relief washing through her with every sip. Once the glass was empty, her head was gently laid back on the pillows, and Arlo sat back down.
“Better?”
“Yes, thank you.” Her voice still sounded hoarse, and she could barely manage more than a whisper, but at least she could finally answer him.
“How are you? Are you in pain?” Arlo repeated his question, and Elenya had to think about it for a moment.
Should she be in pain?
She tried to focus on her body, but it still felt as if it were wrapped in soft cotton. Then she noticed a slight throbbing in her right side. It didn’t necessarily hurt, but it felt wrong.
“I…” The words wouldn't come. As soon as she found the right word, it slipped away again, and frustration welled up inside her.
Why couldn’t she think?
Arlo seemed to sense her frustration immediately. To her surprise, he placed his hand on hers, his warmth a stark contrast to her ice-cold hand. He gently squeezed it once before letting go.
“It's okay. You've lost a lot of blood. Your body is exhausted.”
“What…?” Once again, she couldn't get any further. Luckily, she didn't have to.
“Do you remember anything?”
Elenya could only shake her head. Her mind was blank.
“You were with Sam at WOW Industries. You were just supposed to fix the broken pipe, but then you were both flushed into the sewer system below.” Arlo began to recount the events, but she could barely follow his words. It wasn’t until he got to the talking Rat King that an image formed in her mind.
That part, at least, was impossible to forget.
“Neither of you noticed that one of the Backerats was still alive. He caught you from behind with his spear…” Arlo swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on her side.
“Sam got you out. Luckily, Remi and I had gone looking for you two after you’d been gone so long. You’d already lost a lot of blood, and I brought you here as fast as I could.”
A memory surfaced. Warmth. Safety. The scent of leather and apples, and something impossibly soft beneath her cheek.
Her gaze drifted to the grey sweater stretched across Arlo's chest. Was that what had felt so wonderfully soft?
Stressed, Arlo ran his fingers through his hair, and a soft, pained sound escaped his lips. “You really gave me a scare when you suddenly lost consciousness. I thought… I thought I was too late…”
Elenya’s heart sank at the look Arlo gave her. She had never seen him look so vulnerable.
“I’m… I’m sorry… I…” A frustrated sound escaped her.
Why wouldn’t her brain finally work?
“Hey, it’s okay. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. It shouldn’t be your job to deal with monsters like that.” Guiltily, his gaze fell back to her right side, but then his expression suddenly shifted to one of appreciation.
“But Sam said you did really well. You defeated the Rat King all by yourself while she was being held back. You’ve really improved.”
Warmth spread through Elenya at the compliment. The fact that Arlo, of all people, was praising her fighting skills meant a lot to her.
“Thank you…” She felt her cheeks grow warm and hoped he wouldn’t notice. But then something else occurred to her. “Sam… how is she?” Glad to have finally managed to get a whole sentence out, she turned her gaze back to Arlo, who was smiling warmly at her.
“Don’t worry, other than a few bruises, she’s fine. She’s resting at home right now.”
Elenya sighed with relief. Since she couldn’t really remember the fight, she didn’t know how her friend had fared.
Then her gaze suddenly fell on the clock on the wall. It was almost midnight.
“How… how long was I out?”
Arlo also glanced briefly at the clock, his eyes widening in surprise. “I think it’s been about four hours since we arrived at the clinic.”
Four hours?
Elenya didn’t know if that was good or bad.
How much blood had she lost?
Then a completely different thought occurred to her. “Were you here the whole time?”
“Oh… um…” To her surprise, a faint blush spread across Arlo’s cheeks. “You got really panicked when I tried to let go of you to make room for Dr. Xu. So I thought I’d stay with you.”
“Oh…” Now it was her turn to blush. She was terribly embarrassed that she seemed to have clung to him so tightly. “I’m sorry…”
“You don’t have to! I’m glad you feel safe with me. I was happy to stay here.” Arlo smiled encouragingly at her, yet an awkward silence spread between them.
Elenya’s cheeks were still burning, even as a pleasant warmth spread through her.
Arlo had stayed with her. Because he wanted her to feel safe.
Her heart gave a little joyful flutter that she couldn’t quite explain.
Unable to meet his warm gaze, her eyes drifted back to his sweater. As they did, the memories came flooding back. Suddenly, she could feel Arlo’s strong arms beneath her again, carrying her securely to safety. The soft fabric against her cheek and that scent of leather, apple, and wet forest floor.
“You smell good.” The words slipped unconsciously from her lips, and she opened her eyes in alarm.
Oh God, she didn’t mean to say that out loud!
But instead of staring at her in shock, Arlo started to laugh. A deep, wonderful laugh that made her smile too, even though her face was burning with embarrassment.
She loved Arlo’s laugh, and she wished she could hear it more often.
“Well, thanks. I'm glad my scent didn't make you feel even more dizzy.” There was still a hint of laughter in his voice, and once again Elenya's heart skipped a joyful beat.
But she didn’t have time to dwell on it, because Dr. Xu stepped out of the adjoining room.
“Oh, Elenya, you’re awake!”
Startled, Elenya flinched slightly. She had momentarily forgotten where she was.
The doctor hurried over to her and looked her over with warm concern. “How are you? You gave us quite a scare.”
Feeling guilty, Elenya lowered her gaze to the blanket. She hated it when others had to worry about her.
“Pretty good… I think…” Now that there was a second person there she had to focus on, the fog in her head returned. She suddenly felt terribly exhausted, and her eyes threatened to close.
“I’ll just quickly check your vitals, then you can go back to sleep. You need the rest.” Arlo made room for Dr. Xu, who gently took her wrist and began to count her pulse.
Subconsciously, Elenya’s gaze followed Arlo as he moved toward the foot of the bed. She barely noticed what Dr. Xu was doing, all her energy focused on Arlo.
It struck her again how tall he was — how he seemed to fill the room without trying. Not intimidating, just steady. Safe.
Somehow, as long as he was there, everything felt a little less frightening.
Her eyelids grew heavier.
Dr. Xu stepped back, and then suddenly Arlo was there beside her again. He leaned down toward her and whispered softly, “I’ll stop by again tomorrow, okay? Get some rest.” His warm hand rested on hers once more, squeezing it gently.
Then he was gone, and Elenya drifted into a restful darkness, the warmth of his touch following her into her dreams.
I found Pose Maniacs, a royalty-free pose reference site, and I knew I had to draw my favorite ragtag group from My Time at Portia 🥰 They’re such maniacs for jogging around the town in their full gear, but who am I to judge? Still have to clean up the sketch and work on the background, but I like the progress and wanted to share!
if i had a nickel each time i wanted to date a bachelorette that has a strong ship that's almost canon i would have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's funny it happened twice.
