Two paths stretched before me, both laced with thorns. One led back to my original life, a life I barely remembered, yet one that perhaps held the key to reclaiming my own body. The other path, the one I currently walked, was fraught with difficulties. A noblewoman without recognition, my disability a constant barrier in a world that valued strength and propriety.
Yet, there was a glimmer of hope, a sliver of pragmatism that cut through the despair. A life as a nameless outcast was unthinkable. If I was forced to remain in this stolen body, then I wouldn’t face it alone. Matthias.
He wasn’t just muscle, a savage warrior to be unleashed. He was a resource, a strategic pawn in the game I was forced to play. Back in my past life, wherever that was, he had been invaluable. Here, in this strange new world, he could be the foundation upon which I would build a new existence.
Memories, hazy and fragmented, flickered at the edges of my mind. The village of Köbeck, nestled within the borders of Anatolia. That was where I had first encountered Matthias, a boy honed by hardship, his loyalty unwavering. Thankfully, this new land wasn’t far from her point of origin. Köbeck was within reach, and with it, perhaps, the chance to reclaim a semblance of control over my stolen life.
Since Blair would be back soon enough from the nearby town, now was the perfect time. By next autumn, the brutal Tribal Suppression War in Anatolia, destined to reshape Reveln’s history, would erupt. Time was running out. There was also the boy, barely sixteen, whom she’d first encountered amidst the war’s chaos. Before someone else recognized his potential and claimed him, she had to bring him here, to this ramshackle haven.
But first, she had to deal with her own body. A nagging illness had left her weak, reliant on a wheelchair. If she couldn’t secure help, she’d at least strengthen herself enough to walk with a cane, just to reach him. Every passing day fueled her determination.
Until Blair left, Odelliana pushed herself to the limit, preparing for their arrival. Lost in thought, she didn’t hear Blair approach.
“Call a doctor,” Blair said, his voice laced with concern. “We’ll get you the help you need for rehabilitation.”
***
Desperation had dulled the fear of death, making it seem a mere inconvenience. Odelliana, determined to walk again, threw herself into grueling rehabilitation. From sunrise to sunset, she worked relentlessly. Splints braced her uncooperative legs as she practiced standing on one foot, then taking halting steps with a cane – a process as arduous as training a disobedient dog.
The first week was a torment. Agonizing pain, like cracks in her soles and swollen, throbbing legs, kept sleep at bay without painkillers. But slowly, with each passing day, the relentless ache began to wane, replaced by a growing sense of accomplishment as she managed to walk a little further each time.
Effort, she discovered, didn’t betray. There was a perverse satisfaction in enduring this daily ordeal, a self-imposed boot camp pushing her body to its limits. By the fourth week, the pain had subsided, replaced by a dull ache. She could walk for thirty minutes on her own, though sweat poured from her like rain, punctuated by bouts of breathlessness and a constant undercurrent of fatigue. Stamina, she understood, was a slow burn that wouldn’t be conquered in a sprint. But compared to the utter helplessness that had consumed her, this was a monumental leap.
So, under the hopeful light of a new month, with Blair’s return on the horizon, Odelliana surprised him with a question.
“What if we went on a trip?” she asked, her voice husky with determination. “…Just the two of us.”
Blair’s brow furrowed. “You’re not thinking of pushing yourself like you did with rehab, are you?”
A stubborn glint lit her eyes. “I want to go on a trip. A trip where I walk beside you, on my own two feet.”
A silent struggle played out on Blair’s face.
“You have to leave soon, don’t you?” she pressed. “I want to make some memories before you go. I’ve been stifled here for too long.”
Blair’s gaze softened. “Do you have a place in mind?”
“Something close,” she replied. “Anatolia seems manageable.”
The trip offered a perfect excuse for Odelliana. Blair, perhaps swayed by her unspoken plea for companionship, readily agreed. Preparations began, a shared activity that brought a flicker of warmth to their interactions. Thankfully, Anatolia wasn’t far. If her search for Matthias stretched beyond its borders, the journey could become significantly harder.
A year can feel like an eternity during adolescence. Imagine how much Matthias must have changed.
“Wait for me, Matthias. I’ll come to take you with you now.”
