Elise's surroundings come into focus … as do the acute pains all over her body. Only after that does it register that she's not sprawled out on the staircase, but rather lying in a bed, her arm in a cast, and bandages around various other tender areas that got banged up, and bad.

She's in a penthouse room with a wide window that runs the length of one wall, and from floor to ceiling, offering a view of the wilderness outside, where it peeks between gauzy curtains in at the antique-filled chamber.

The floor is of blood-red marble, and an open door offers a view of Sanguine Hall – that is, the main hall of the building – outside. This room is on the upper level, at one end of the building.

The aroma of hot broth reaches Elise's nose, from a bowl at a table just beside the bed. There's also the smell of medicine, and there are a few odd herbs and candles lying about … hallmarks of a visit from a life mage, no doubt. Oh yes … and there is an exquisite sword – the Sword of the First Ones – sheathed and on a rack over the mantle across the room.

The poodle takes some time to inspect her surroundings more than once, still groggy from being unconscious for period she cannot recall. "Oww," she whines a little as the pain registers in her mind. The smell of soup too registers, and she turns her head and unbound hand to reach for the bowl.

The end-table is not immediately within easy reach, but the top of the table is on a swivel, such that it is easily moved into position for "breakfast in bed", and is sturdily anchored to the bed frame. This is no ordinary Academy dorm room – even by Academy standards. The broth smells wonderful, all the more so since Elise's stomach reports that it would like to be fed now. The spoon is set on a carefully folded cloth napkin, and there's also a glass of water and another of juice beside the bowl.

Soft footsteps sound just outside the room, approaching the door.

Elise sighs softly as the end-table proves to be a problem – a problem her pained body simply isn't in any condition to stretch for. Thus, she simply stares at the food and inhales, as if somehow that might fill her empty stomach. But the sounds of footsteps get her attention and her head turns towards the door. "Hello?"

It appears that Elise is currently wearing a nicely pressed gown, covered with a thick blanket and comforter against the chill. (Not that it gets terribly cold in Rephidim, but it seems to be one of those days.) Her armor is neatly arranged on a holding model, and her uniform has been freshly cleaned and pressed – and mended, apparently, too.

A collie girl pokes her muzzle around the door frame. "Oh! Hello there. So, you're finally awake. The healer said you were doing fine, though you should be a bit more careful, so you don't have any more accidents falling down stairs. That's the story. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you were involved in a duel."

"Sabel," says the bedridden poodle with a beginning smile, "how are you? And, I do believe I should apologize for the way I acted … but … did you not need my help?" She lowers her head a little and begins to inspect her bed.

Sabel bows her head. "That is of no concern. I am the Servant of the Sword. And now that you have won the Sword of the First Ones, it is my duty to serve you. Is everything to your liking? Is the broth warm enough? Do you need another blanket?"

Elise studies the blanket for a moment, taking a moment to think before she lifts her head to speak. "Does it not bother you to be treated like a slave? I think you already know this, but, I opposed Jiraud because I could not let him treat you like he did." The poodle shakes her head a bit and reaches over to tap her cast with a finger. "I tend to be over zealous in these matters. I suppose when I realized I could change my world, or maintain it, with my own hand, I began acting against what bothered me. I am certain it sounds selfish, but I thought you might wish to know."

Sabel smiles. "I am no slave. I am the Servant of the Sword. And now you have an extra pair of hands to aid you, Mistress."

Elise's smile fades for a moment, but then brightens. "You … oh … you are as stubborn as I am. Very well, I will not argue with you. Not as if that would be the greatest of plans, given that alas, I cannot reach my soup. And you could easily keep it from me until I conceded."

"Oh!" exclaims the collie, and then she swivels the top of the table in front of Elise. "I'm terribly sorry. I thought I had put it within reach. My mistake. I shall take greater care next time, I assure you, Mistress."

A spoon is taken up, and Elise begins to take careful sips from the bowl. "You need not call me 'Mistress'. I would much prefer if you would just refer to me by my first name. That is within your bounds, yes?" asks Elise between sips.

The collie bows her head. "As you wish. Elise, then, is what you wish to be called?"

"Yes, that would be just fine. I have no wish to repeat how Jiraud treated you, and I believe that is the best start I could come up with." More soup is sipped by the poodle, followed by a drink of water. As the glass is about to be set down, the poodle tilts her head a little and glances around the room. "I, do not suppose there is a … singing fox, somewhere around here?"

The collie shakes her head. "No, Elise. Why, has someone been disturbing your sleep? I shall check the grounds immediately, with your leave."

The collie is waved off with the spoon. "Oh, no, do not bother," says the poodle, "I have simply been having a bit of trouble recalling what has exactly happened in the last few days. I seem to remember a fox, as well as an Exile I had met recently. Likely just figments of my imagination drummed up by my fall." More soup is sipped, the spoon being brought down for what it was intended, rather than being further used as a directing wand. "Oh, yes, do you know what has happened in the last few days? Or however long it has been?"

Sabel says, "You've been bedridden for nearly two weeks, m'lady. I am sorry to say that you have missed Landing Day entirely. Your time asleep has been a side effect of the ministrations applied to you to speed the healing of your body after your fall."

"Two weeks? My, that is a considerable amount of time. My sister should be worried sick by now. Oh and the Officers' Academy cannot be pleased, nor can the Temple," says Elise with a growing frown. "I do not usually celebrate holidays, except for those of the Temple. Well, there is always next Landing Day, I suppose. Have there been any complaints about my injuries? My sister does know, yes?"

Elise takes a few more sips of soup before she puts her spoon down and reaches for her face. With her hand she runs her fingers along her cheek, as if checking for something.

No, there are no rakes across Elise's face. And her nose is perfectly fine.

A soft sigh of relief escapes the poodle and she retakes her spoon to begin eating again.

"No, there have been no complaints. There have been many well wishes for your speedy recovery," the collie says. "There is no indication that you might be in any sort of trouble as a result of this. Jiraud testified that there was an accident, and nothing more."

The bowl nearly drained and the mentions of many a well wisher make for a much happier poodle. She smiles again, and reaches for the juice glass. "Well, then it all did not turn out so horribly after all. Oh, I could definitely do without having ended up like this. But, I suppose that is what I get for being so nosy." Elise laughs a little before sipping her juice and putting the glass down again. "My sister would think this all foolish. Do you?"

"Should I?" asks the collie.

Elise pauses from her meal and meets the collie's gaze with her eyes, curious. "I want your opinion."

"You would have to explain the question, Elise," says the collie, looking directly back. "I do not understand what you are asking."

The poodle nods a little before sitting up. She pulls out a pillow and holds it to her chest, laying her head on the top of it. "The duel I fought because I could not stand what Jiraud was doing to you, or not so importantly, this tradition. I did not challenge him for much more a reason than to keep him away from you. In fact, winning complicates my life more than I would have liked. Still, I could not just stand by and let him do that to you. But, you never did ask my help. So I ask, was what I did foolish? Did it help you?"

"You have shown yourself a superior duelist. The Sword of the First Ones is now in your capable hands, and now I serve you," the collie says, smiling. "Therefore, I cannot see anything foolish in that … unless you see things otherwise, Elise."

Poodle ears flick, and a lopsided grin cross Elise's face. "Oh, you are impossible. But perhaps you are right. I doubt we see the situation quite the same way, but to be honest, I am pleased with the outcome." She flattens the pillow in front of her and takes up the juice glass again. "Anyway, has anything happened while I was away? Important news, or such?"

The collie pauses a moment, considering, then says, "Well, the forces of the Temple captured Fetiss Sky Island, and recovered the Boomer from the Nagai and their coalition."

"Oh! That is great! I certainly will sleep better knowing that the Nagai Empire is without that weapon to rattle about," says Elise. "Is there anything else of note?"

The collie nods. "Several dream mages have been lapsing into comas in the middle of rituals. No one is claiming responsibility, and the Collegia Esoterica is making quite a fuss about it, since they declared neutrality in the war, in hopes of avoiding being targeted by enemy attacks. And there was a riot in Parthos – that's the capitol of Olympia – on Landing Eve. There were several Rephidimite tourists injured in the chaos, and no one is quite sure just what sparked it."

Elise flicks an ear at being told just what Parthos happens to be, but makes no more fuss about that. She instead quirks her head and turns to stare at the wall for a long moment before speaking. "This may sound utterly bizarre, but, did one of those dream mages happen to be … a … oh yes, a Lapi?"

The collie ponders, then nods. "Why, yes. That's the latest development. A petty dream mage from the Bazaar lapsed into a coma, after coming back from a journey to Half Valley, I believe. But now he's suddenly snapped out of it."

"Oh yes," adds the collie, "you had a visitor while you were asleep. Do you know the Duchess Kurai? She came by to check on you."

"And his name would not happen to be Mystico the Marvelous, would it not?" asks the poodle as her ears flatten against her head. She then nods a little and smirks again. "Oh yes, Duchess Kurai. We had met in Sylvania at the Harvest Tide party held there. She seems to have some potential if only she were raised correctly. It is unfortunate she had to see me like that, though."

"Oh, she didn't seem to mind," the collie says. "You looked very peaceful in your sleep. She left you a little bauble. It's on your bedstand. And, yes, I think that may have been the mage's name. Do you know him?"

Elise lifts up the pillow again and puts her head to rest on it, before twisting her head to look for the bauble. "To be honest, I am not exactly sure. You see, while I was unconscious, I was met with a most strange dream. It was there I encountered Victor Reynard, Mage Envoy who was not quite herself, some undead abominations, and Mystico. Despite my confusion throughout the dream, we apparently seemed to have rescued him. I wonder now if there is a connection, or if it is just an immense coincidence."

"Oh," ponders the collie. "Well, perhaps you overheard Eve talking about things while you were asleep. Even though you were quite obviously unconscious, she held quite a long one-sided conversation. Perhaps you subconsciously heard her mention a few names."

On the bedstand is a most curious bauble, looking like a lumpy piece of glass or maybe crystal. Perhaps it is Sifran crystal? In any case, it's a very small piece, held to a chain by a chitin loop.

"Oh, yes perhaps you are right. That is quite a relief really," replies the poodle. She lifts her head again and leans over to peer at the crystal thoughtfully. "And what do you make of this, Sabel? It seems familiar, of similar make to those crystals I have seen under the College Esoterica."

"Oh," says the collie. "It looks like a piece of jewelry. I wouldn't know much about that, Elise."

Elise reaches over for it but pauses midway. She glances towards Sabel and smiles sheepishly. "Would … you get that for me?" she asks before leaning back. As she settles into the bed again she asks another question. "Do you recall much of what the Duchess was speaking of?"

The collie looks hesitant … then, she picks up a cloth and picks up the necklace with it. "I do not wish to sully it with my fingerprints," she explains. "And, no, I am afraid I do not recall what Eve spoke of, Elise. I did not wish to eavesdrop. But her voice carries, so I could not help but to be aware that she was speaking to you, at length."

"Oh you will not ruin it simply by touching it," mentions the poodle as she lifts a hand to receive the trinket. "I do appreciate the privacy you have afforded me, however," she tilts her head a little, "at the risk of potentially upsetting your privacy I would like to know about you. Your family, the history of your uniform. Anything really, if you would?"

The collie sets the necklace down on the table-tray in front of Elise. "Oh … please, Elise, there is not much to say." Her ears blush.

Meanwhile, the fatigue of moving around after so much activity seems to be laying heavily on Elise. She's feeling somewhat drowsy.

Elise reaches over to pick up the necklace which she holds in her hand for the moment. "Oh come now. Here I am, pained because I had to do something silly like duel Jiraud and … " She pauses to yawn and lay her head back down on the pillow, this time the one still on the bed. " … Mmm, well, I would like to know about you. But I suppose that can come later. My body seems to be conspiring to drag me off to sleep."

The collie smiles softly. "There, there. You must regain your strength. You never know when someone will be challenging you to another duel, Elise… " She gently draws the covers up to Elise's neck.

"Oh, that, yes," groans Elise as she twists her body around so she is partially laying on the pillow she was holding. "Hopefully they will have the decency to wait until I can stand, lest I duel from my bed." A soft, tired laugh escapes the poodle followed by mumbled words along the lines of "good night", and the poodle drifts off to sleep quite quickly.