iLya Cera

*You wake up in the uncharted woods of Juviare. This area is known as Snow Dragon Forest. You've no idea why you're here, nor where you are. You look around frantically, and all you see, although blury, is woods for miles. You're thirsty and tired, your head pounding like someone had beatten it with a baseball bat, you stumble awkwardly through the woods to a small cottage with chickens pecking away in the front yard. You smell nothing but you own body sweat, and taste coppery blood in your mouth. As you head towards the front gate, your knees collapse under you...*

*You wake up in a warm, soft bed in a room with cherry-wood paneled walls and the scent of warm chicken broth and hot apple cider wafting into your mouth and nose. All of the furniture seems quite crude, yet humble in a homey sort of way, and in front of a stove to your far left is a woman with fair hair and complexion. She wore a simple sleeve-less green dress; peasent clothing. She was bare-foot. Turning to you, you saw she was a young, handsome woman who could pass for a lady of noble birth if her clothes were of a richer quality. She held a tray bearing a bowl of broth and a mug of cider. She walked to you, smiling, setting the tray upon your lap.*

G'day to ya, gentle folk. *She whispered lightly. She helped you to sit up better, and you noticed your head wasn't pounding anywhere near as much as it was.* You've been down fer quite some time, child. *You squint your eyes. Your vision was still slightly blurred.* Wh-wh-who are y-you? *You asked, your voice cracking a little on the word "you". *She sat down lightly at the foot of the bed.* The name's Ilya Cera Soon-Yi Katina, but to keep it simple, call me Ilya (Ill-yah). *She tilted her head to the side, her long fair hair falling in that direction.* So, what brings ya t' this neck o' th' woods? *You shook you head a little, remembering nothing before waking in the woods.* I... I-I don't know, really. I just...don't.

*A faint frown had shadowed her lips for but a second as you tried to see what exactly the room looked like.* 'Tis alrigh', mate. I'll get ya up and abou' in no time. *She stood up and began to grab a broom of straw and oak.* You can eat yer broth on yer own, can you? I've little t' say, and many a chore to do. *Nodding, you began to eat it. So many questions began to float through your head. It frightened you to not know who you were or where you came from. Then, as if she knew, she spoke.* Well, child, this much I'll tell ya, but ask a question and I will answer it to the best of me ability. *You sighed, placing your mug of cider down.* Well, where are we? *Sweeping up a pile of dirt with her broom into a makeshift dust-pan, she spoke again.* Why, the Snow Dragon Forest of Juviare, mate. 'Tis the best place fer privacy. I know several other people which chose to live within it.

*Pausing, you spoke again.* Well... Do you know me? *She stopped what she was doing.* Alas, mate, I know not who you are. I saw you at me front gate all bloodied and wounded, and decided to help ya. Oh! And I took yer clothes and threw them away; they were to damaged to mend, much less wash, so currently, I am tailoring new ones for you. *You frowned, then decided to look down. Seeing you weren't wearing anything, you blushed profusely, pulling the blanket closer, trying to feel more secure.* No worries, mate; I've already seen ya naked in yer full glory. I had t', 'course, so I could clean yer body. *You stared fixatedly into what was left of your broth. "Naked?" You thought. "Full glory?" You turned redder.*

*The days passed on, and you began to heal quickly because of her medicinal broths. You remembered naught, and kept on this way, getting into the life of gardening, herding what few sheep she had, and sometimes milking the cow. You two became close, like siblings even.*

*One day, while carrying a pail of water to the cottage, you collapsed, and your head began to pound. You saw it then, a face. One, then two, then several. You knew these people before the cottage, but you could place a name with none of them, no matter how hard you tried. It was always just on the tip of your tongue. Ilya found you there, and walked you inside.*

W-w-well, wha-what will I... will I do w-when I leave? How will, er, will we k-keep in touch? I-I do... do not want to... to go. *You spoke painfully. You'd taken to a horrible migrane, almost passing out everytime you stood. She smiled woefully.* You must go sometime. You've people somewhere that care. I wish we were not so far into the wood... You need a doctor, but I've no horse or mule to carry you. *She paused thoughtfully.* Well, you could write to me, mate. Send it to an address I'll give to you later. The people there will send it to me here. Once I get a question er two, I'll write back. I'll post yer letters here on the wall or somethin', 'lright? *She pointed to the wall above the bed.* (Include a note @ the bottom of the letter sayin' if you don't want it to be here. I'll respect it, unless I find it funny er somethin'. You better have a bad sense of humor... ^_^)

*Later, she gave you the address on a scroll with a letter from her written in it. The address was to an older couple in the capital city. Pondering this odd address, you noticed the link on the bottom of this page leading there.*