He smiled at her,
''In your own time, love. Your well being is my only concern.''
Niko put his arm around her, pulling them closer together.
''promise me that you will not leave my side while I sleep.I know I sound as an overbearing husband, but it would give me peace of mind, knowing that you are safe by my side''
He didn't like to give her orders but too much had happened, he was going to look after her.

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She caressed his cheek "I promise." she let out a sudden yawn "I don't think I could even if I wanted to, which I don't." she pulled the blanket over them both. "Sleep, dear husband." her arm draped across his chest and her head laid on his shoulder. She loved him dearly, she would never leave him.

''Le hannon, angel. No need for the rope then'' he added with a laugh.
As she lay against him, he began to grow tired. As his eyes slowly closed his hand found hers and gave it a gentle squeeze before he dropped off to sleep.

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She watched him sleep for a bit, then gave in toher own exhaustion. She laughed slightly before totally passing out. It seemed they both needed a lot of sleep. She cuddled closer as she heard a wolf howl nearby, and pulled the blanket over her head. She was deathly afraid of wolves, yet somehow sleep took her despite her nervousness.

Niko slept deeply, and began to have a nightmare.He found himself once again in the clearing of mist and once again saw the figure. They simply stared at each other, each time Niko walked forward he found that he was getting no closer.
He woke, trembling slightly, he looked to Nienna who was still fast asleep.
Niko put his arm over her, comforting himself knowing she was there with him. He felt safer with her nearby.

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She was coming out of her sleep pleasantly, until she heard another wolf howl. She jumped and gripped Niko even tighter. She opened one of her eyes, of which she had squeezed tightly shut at the howl, And peered at him, he was awake. "Hello." she opened both eyes and smiled sleepily at him, until she heard another howl. Her eyes squeezed back shut and her arms tightened around him again.

Grimacing slightly at how tightly she held him, ''Good morning, dearest''
He began to gently rub her back as she heard the wolf howl.
''You needn't worry, love. They are not close by'' He pulled the blanket closer over them both before rolling Nienna so she lay on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her waist protectively.
''There. Now we can both take comfort from the fact that we are close to one another. ''
He kissed her before his eyes closed and he fell into another deep sleep.

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She clung to him, and closed her eyes tightly again. She concentrated on his arms around her, and the beating of his heart next to her ear. She began to relax, and the steady rhythm of his heart seemed to be a lullaby. It sang her to sleep. She began dreaming of the slaves at the desert city, and she was witnessing a horror. All the babies and children of the slaves were being taken away, and slaughtered. She tried running after the people killing them, but to no avail. Child after child was being killed, and she couldn't save them. "No!" she cried out, waking herself in a cold sweat. She instantly knew it hadn't been a dream. She rolled off Niko and laid on her belly beside him and began to weep. Thousands of children had just been killed.

Niko woke, feeling something wasn't right. He heard sobbing, and turned to see Nienna crying.
''Love, whats the matter?''
He reached out and lay his hand on her back, trying to reassure her with his touch.

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She grabbed his hand and showed him what happened through her mind. She couldn't form words, she couldn't even think. What could lead to such brutality? How could someone be so cruel? And what was the purpose of her seeing it?

As he saw what he saw he began to feel light headed. How could one do such things to children? It was inhumane.
Nienna must have felt worse, as she had been woken in her dreams by it.
''Angel'' he pulled her to him and held her, willing her to let out her emotions.

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"Niko..." she sobbed against him "I have to help them! I have to free them...I have to..." she couldn't go on. She clung to him. She could not believe that someone could do that.

He held her gently rocking her, unsure of what to say. He was worried that all the emotions due to the previous few days were mounting up.
''Try not to think about it, love.'' Niko began to stroke her hair, at a loss for words.

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She cried still, until exhaustion took over and she again fell into a fitfull sleep. She tried to keep her dreams off that subject, and found herself dreaming of Niko, on their wedding day. She fell at peace into this dream. Her fears easing up as she remembered the beautiful day, the sun shining, and her wonderful Niko standing before her.

Niko held her for a while until she slept. He himself was also tired and it did not take long before he fell asleep, still holding her close for comfort.

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She continued to sleep for some hours. She woke up and she had no idea how long they had been sleeping or what day it was. Niko still held her in his sleep, and she didn't move. Then her blood nearly boiled when she heard a familiar voice talking to Raven. It was Elanor. How in the world had she managed to come here? Nienna was grateful the cave was hidden by vines, she didn't want Elanor to walk in. Although she didn't like the idea of that woman near her horse either. She groaned and set her head against Niko's chest, resisting the urge to knock herself silly against the cave wall.