" What?"
Lyra's expression slowly changed from unconcerned to menacing. Luc instinctively took a step back as he felt a gush of wind sweep past him.
Seeing her getting angry, for reasons best known to her, he quickly explained, " Im just asking if I could stay here for a couple of hours, at least until the blizzard passes. I mean, I'm gonna freeze to death if I go outside. The blizzard is abnormally harsh today and judging from the way it started, it's a magical blizzard. If I go into that, I'll surely die".
" No offense, but my cold and frozen blood would be on your hands" Luc concluded. Lyra's expression went back to normal as she observed the blizzard. He was right. It was a magical blizzard, but who was it's caster and why? What was their goal for creating a magical blizzard in the middle of a forest? She looked t Luc with suspicion. She really hoped it wasn't for this dimwit.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly frustrated. " Great, another problem " She thought. Sighing, she said, " Fine, you can stay here. But try anything funny and I won't hesitate to throw your butt into that blizzard. Also, I like it to be extremely quiet, so keep to yourself ".
Luc nodded as he smiled. He walked around and saw some crazy magical artifacts. There were all sorts of things like a skull, a crystal ball, a map, and...a wand. He reached out to touch it but just as he was about to do so, he heard a soft british accent echoed in his ears, " And don't touch anything".
He immediately retracted his hand. He knew that wasn't a statement, it was both a command and a warning. He would listen. It was best if he did so. He looked at Lyra and was about to ask something when his eyes went black again.
It had started, his blindness. He needed to drink the soup and fast. But he didn't have the other ingredients. He would need to go into the blizzard to get them. But he couldn't. He needed them now! What should he do?
Lyra looked up from her bookand noticed the distress on his face. Displeased, she asked, " What now?" Luc looked in her direction but he could see nothing. From her voice,he could tell she was displeased.
Bam! He suddenly had an idea. He asked, " When you....kidnapped me, did you by any chance see an ingredients list?" The girl furrowed her brows as she nodded and then pointed at the table near him.
" Yeah, I did. It's over there". Luc was in a dilemma. He couldn't see where she was pointing, even if he knew it, how was he gonna get the ingredients without his sight? Ugh, why couldn't his life ever go as planned, even if it's just for once?!
Lyra found Luc's behaviour odd. He had asked about the list and she had told him but he didn't move even the slightest to get it. What game was he playing?
Right then, she noticed his eyes. His usually dark pupils had somehiw turned grey, kind of transparent, it was as if he was blind. Then, she remembered what he had said about getting temporary blindness after the use of his... unique ability.
To test it, she asked him, " Could you hand me the wolf tears on the top shelf? It's in the blue bottle". Luc froze.
Wolf tears? Top shelf?...blue bottle?! He couldn't see!! How the hell was he supposed to give it to her? Plus she had legs, she could get it herself. And why the heck did she need wolf tears? Where did she get it from? Did wolves even cry?
But forget it. Those were worries for another time. His main worry now was how would he get the wolf tears without showing her that he was experiencing this temporary blindness thingy? If she knew, he didn't know what she would do.
He didn't exactly trust her. After all, she was a witch. But he didn't have a choice. He couldn't run off into the blizzard, he'd die. But he was also in a witch's territory, making himself vulnerable near a witch was a big no.
He had two choices, one was to run off into the blizzard and the other was to trust the witch to make the soup for him. Either way, he's gonna end up dying, so he'd choose the latter.
" Um... I'm wating", Lyra reminded.
Luc sighed. Finally, after careful deliberation, " I can't. It's happening. I'm experiencing that blindness thingy. Right now, I'm kinda useless" he told her. Now, all he had to do was wait for his deceitful demise.
Lyra gave a questioning look but nodded, " Great, now I have a useless blind person with me". Luc frowned. " Well, you can help me. Help me prepare the soup".
Lyra chuckled, " Sorry, little Charlie but I never offered to help". She then returned her attention to her book. Luc sighed clearly frustrated.
" Well, if I get my eyesight back, I can leave here sooner. If you refuse to help, then you'll have a blind person literally living with you, cuz I won't be able to move around blind. Even if I could and I made it back to Tenoria, the Council and Magistrate will definitely think it was your fault and they'd come for you. You would die".
Lyra was stunned, not because of the dying part but because the dude had thought it through in just a short time. She smirked. Crossing her legs, she said, " Fine, I'll help you".
Luc smiled but then remembered something, " Oh, right, I don't have all the ingredients yet. You really can't help me".
Lyra responded by raising a brow, questioningly. She said nothing as she stood up and picked up the list of ingredients. She read them and chuckled.
" You might've forgotten the fact that I'm a witch. These ingredients are child's play to me. I have them right here. I can spare some for your soup" Luc was relieved when he heard that. He smiled as Lyra collected the needed ingredients one by one.
Following his instructions, from boiling the Lysiums to adding the Uneras leaves, she made the soup perfectly. She gave it to him and he drank. Afterwards, she got back to reading her book.
....
After about half an hour, Luc regained his eyesight. He was very glad. He hadn't died in the hands of this witch. It was a miracle, one he would tell to his grandchildren.
He looked at the girl. Apart from her cold personality, she wasn't that bad. Her fair skin was as white as snow. It wasn't pale or dehydrated but seemed rather enchanting. Her dark, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders, some stray strands covering half her face. She seemed extremely serious as her green eyes scanned every page of the book critically with her red jelly lips muttering something that couldn't be heard.
She seemed less creepy and cold. She looked...normal, yet captivating. It was extremely hard to take your eyes off from such a beauty. Luc tried but couldn't.
Lyra seemed to have sensed someone's intense gaze and turned in Luc's direction. Luc, seeing her turn, was startled as he immediately averted his gaze. Lyra smirked.
She shook her head knowingly as she went back to reading.
Luc felt relief wash over him. He was really lucky she didn't see him. He really didn't want an awkward conversation.
Looking around, he felt bored. He reached out to pick a book from one of the shelves. It was a book of the origin of giants. He really didn't take her as one who believed in those things. Fascinating.
Lyra saw him pick up the book from her peripheral vision. She wanted to yell at him at first, but seeing the book wasn't important, she stopped.
It continued like that for the whole time. Both kept to themselves as they each read their choice of books. It was awkward yet satisfying.
....