Part 7 (Iris's POV)

I couldn’t think, couldn’t see, could only feel. Pain. Complete and utter pain. My side was on fire, it felt almost like the cuts were burning a hole through my flesh. I could tell they were deep by the way the wind seared through them, coating the bloody skin with numbing air. There were pieces of bark stuck in the gashes too. I could feel them piercing me, digging in further each time I took a breath, like little shards of glass.

My body felt weak, I couldn’t open my eyes for the amount of pain I was in, much less sit up and ask Alette why she would do this to me. Tears streamed from under my eyelids and I didn’t know if they were from the physical pain or the emotional pain. My head started to pound and I breathed in deeply, feeling the splinters of wood work themselves impossibly further inside of me, and fell into a comatose sleep.

~ ~ ~

The next few days passed in a haze of pain. I fell in and out of slumber but each time I woke, the pain was so intense I didn’t even try to stay conscious. I could hear Alette mummering to herself. I couldn’t make out any words through my grogginess but I could tell she was sorry and really worried by the tears splashing onto my face.

One day I awoke to the pain having subsided enough for me to open my eyes and stir. Alette was sitting next to me, dripping warm, bitter liquid into my mouth. When I'd gained enough consciousness to fully taste it, I realized how truly disgusting it was and spat it back in her face. She dropped the cup in surprise and then broke into the biggest grin when she realized I had opened my eyes.

“Oh my god Iris! Oh my god you’re awake!” she cried out in utter joy, reaching down to hug me. I could feel tears on my cheek, but this time they were tears of joy. I smiled at her. I couldn’t form words yet, my mind was too cloudy to think straight, but I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her shoulder.

She ran her fingers through my hair, apologizing over and over again for pushing me. She didn’t need to though. I’d seen the witch. I’d seen her hiding behind Alette, but I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know how to let Alette know I believed her without Agatha hearing. I didn’t know what she would’ve done. Honestly though, I should’ve just agreed with Alette and dragged her home. Now things were way worse, and it was all my fault. Well, all Agatha’s fault. Her evil smile was the last thing I saw before I fell.

I started to speak, grimacing in pain but managing to get out three hoarse, whispered words., “I believe you.”

Alette pulled out of the embrace and looked at me.

“Really?” she asked, eyes wet with tears. I nodded and tried to speak again.

“Saw her,” I whispered, “Agatha.”

“Iris, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you! I just got so angry and I couldn't think and I was just so fed up with everything and I don’t know what came over me, I just got so furious for no reason. I’m sorry, I really am. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“It’s okay.” I wanted to say so much more, let her know I understood, that I could never be angry at her, but my voice wouldn’t come. My head hurt and my eyelids grew too heavy to stay awake. I drifted back into unconsciousness.

~ ~ ~

The next time I awoke, my head had cleared and my side felt immensely better. I sat up and looked around. Alette had fallen asleep on the floor by the bed. I reached down and shook her shoulder.

“Hey, Alette,” I whispered, “wake up.”

She stirred and looked up at me.

“Iris!” she cried out happily, crawling up onto the bed with me. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” I smiled, then thought for a second. “Alette, what was that tree? Why did it hurt so much? I just got cut, I shouldn’t have been so sick from it.”

“I’m not sure, Iris. I wanted to check, but I didn’t want to leave you here alone. We could go look together if you feel up to it.”

“Later, I don’t want to go right now.”

“Alright, whenever you’re ready.”She pulled me into a hug. “Hey, Iris?”

“Hmm?”

“Uhm, I meant to tell you last time you were awake, but I didn’t want to worry you. After Agatha ran, well, I’m not sure what she did, but Cinnamon, she just disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

“Yeah, I looked over to her and she was just gone.”

I thought it over a second, finally coming to the conclusion that honestly, Cinnamon didn’t belong here. In our little world, she was just stumbling around the forest, no space for her between the trees. It wasn’t a good life for a horse, maybe her being gone isn’t so bad. I opened my mouth to tell Alette this but she spoke before I could.

“I’m really really sorry, Iris. All I’ve done since you got here is mess up. I messed up telling you to leave for not being able to kill a fawn’s mother, I messed up when I kissed you without consent that morning, I messed up when I lied to you about Agatha, I messed up when I shoved into the tree, and now I’ve gone and lost your horse. I don’t know why you stay Iris, when all I do is make your life difficult.” Tears started to stream down her face and I tilted her head up and used my thumb to wipe them away. I looked her in the eyes before speaking.

“Alette, I stay because I love you. I’ve loved you since I first set eyes on you. In the woods that day, remember? I didn’t say it then, but I thought you were some nature fairy, come to rescue me. And you did. You rescued me from the clutches of the castle, from the clutches of that prince. You gave me a safe haven away from it all. You took me in. You had no clue who I was, but you treated me so kindly and let me into your life. I couldn’t help falling in love with you. You’re so pretty, pretty black hair, all curly, pretty brown eyes, and a beautiful smile. But you weren’t perfect. You yelled at me, you have a short temper. I love it. You’re so close to perfect you could touch it, but you don’t, because then you wouldn’t be fit for earth, then I wouldn’t get to love you.”

She had stopped crying while I spoke, but she started all over again as I finished. And she kissed me. Kissed me perfectly on the lips. I could feel her tears, salty but sweet, streaming onto my mouth each time our lips moved. I felt her lips part wide enough for me to nudge my tongue inside. She tasted like berries, pine, and freshwater. So beautiful, like tasting the aura of a landscape painting.

I pushed my fingers into her hair, twirling them around and pulling her head impossibly closer. She slid her arms down my body, lifting the bottom of my shirt and running her fingers over my bare skin. I winced as she touched one of my cuts and she pulled away, breaking the kiss.

“Iris, we shouldn’t, it’ll hurt you too much.” she admitted, biting her lip as she looked down sadly.

“No, Alette please? I don’t know if we’ll ever get another chance.” I begged her, my hands still entwined in her hair. She pulled me close, starting to sob.

“No no no no  you’re not going to die Iris! You’re going to live, you’re going to get through this!” she cried, her body shaking against me as tears poured down her face. I wiped away my own tears and connected our lips again. I kissed her more passionately this time and she reciprocated. I felt her tongue on my lips and I opened them, letting her in.

She swirled her tongue around my mouth skillfully and I could tell this wasn’t her first time. She slipped her hands into my shirt again and began using the pad of her thumb to rub circles around my breast. I moaned into her lips as she trailed her other hand up my chest, careful to avoid the wounds on my side. She pulled away and began kissing down my neck, pushing me down onto the bed. She made a trail of kisses to my shoulder before sliding my shirt of completely and continuing downwards. I untangled my fingers from her hair and slid her own shirt off with my hands. She raised her head to look at me and sighed, "I love you too Iris. I love you so much."