A few moments later, the wardroom door opened carefully, and Doña Catalina entered first, followed closely by the others. The moment her eyes fell on Daniella sitting upright against the pillows, relief immediately softened her worried expression.
She crossed the room quickly but quietly, mindful of the peaceful atmosphere, while Santiago remained seated beside the bed with the bowl of warm porridge in one hand and the spoon in the other.
Daniella had only managed a few more spoonfuls when Catalina reached the bedside and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"My dear, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "Are you in any pain? Do you have a headache? Any fever?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Daniella whispered, giving her a small smile.
Catalina's eyes moved carefully over her face, as though she wanted to reassure herself that Daniella truly was all right. Seeing her awake and responsive brought visible relief to everyone who had spent the night waiting for news.
