Rosalina didn't respond, she jjust moved further away, terrified.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Gareth came across the place he looked at Darius, not seeing Rosalina in the bushes. "What happened, where is Rosalina?" He asked as he held Calista.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Trembling slightly, Calista just remained close to Gareth as she awaited Darius' reply. If something happened to her sister, she knew that she may just die right there out of grief.
------------------------------------------------------------
Sighing softly as Gareth questioned him, Darius turned to glance over at the mage and the woman that clung on to him. Eyes narrowing at the sight of the elder sister, Darius just growled at her.
"Where is my sister?!" Calista cried out, her anguish palpable in her voice.
"In the bushes there," Darius told her coldly. "Scared, bruised, beaten and ravished all because of YOU," he hissed at her.
Tears pricking her eyes at Darius' words, Calista tentatively stepped forward toward Rosalina. Her first instinct was to rush over to the younger woman and throw her arms around her in a hug, but the way that Darius was looking at her almost made her afraid that her presence was going to send the woman into even greater turmoil. "Dearest Ro," Calista said softly as she continued to move closer to her. "May I see you? Can I sit by you?" she asked gently, trying to keep her voice free from the fear and worry that was threatening to strangle her.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina stayed where she had moved to, but when she heard her sister she spoke, her voice tiny and scared. Like a lost scared child. "Cali . . . ?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gareth watched Calista before he looked over at Darius. "Why won't she come out? what happened when you arrived."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

"Oh Ro!" Calista exclaimed as she broke into as much of a run as she could manage. Hearing her sister sound so terrified was breaking her heart. Finally coming to her sister's side, Calista panted slightly and had to take a moment to catch her breath. Yet, as quickly as she could manage, she gently smoothed out Rosalina's dark locks and planted a light kiss on her forehead before drawing her into a hug. "Dearest sister, I am so sorry..." she whispered, feeling tears of regret stain her eyes.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Men were pawing her and treating her as if she were a piece of meat," Darius responded, bitterness evident in his voice. "And only heaven knows what they did to her before then," he growled. "This is all Calista's fault," he spat. "Rosalina is hurt because of her. And I will never forgive her for it."

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina broke down crying in her sisters arms.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How can you blame the elder sister for her sisters choices?" Gareth asked.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Feeling her heart shatter at her sister's tears, Calista just held Rosalina against her as her sister wept in her arms. "I'm so sorry, Ro," she whispered again, tears falling from her own eyes. "I should have protected you..." she whispered as she gently rubbed the younger woman's back.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Simple," Darius remarked. "If she was not with us, we would not have to be running for our lives because of her maniacal, vindictive husband. And if we were not running, we would not have been in these campgrounds and Rosalina would not have been ravished! All of our problems began with that woman!" he shouted as he pointed at Calista. "Face it, Gareth, that wench is nothing but trouble," he hissed.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina stayed huddled in her sisters arms. She kept crying, scared and ashamed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Was it not Rosalina's idea to take her sister away from the husband?" Gareth reasoned. "And wasn't it you who took them to your home, and I suggest we leave it."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Holding Rosalina close, Calista just continued to rub her back gently. "I'm here for you sister, dearest," she whispered. "I just wish I could have protected you. I would have switched places with you in an instant if I could," she murmured softly.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Your point, mage?" Darius asked Gareth as he folded his arms over his chest, a hard look in his eyes.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"THe point," Gareth said. "Is that if you really want to press blame, blame everyone else but her. Better yet, blame Julius for Beating her, or even better, blame the father for marrying her off."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Holding Rosalina close, Calista did not move an inch, wishing she could have saved her sister from all of this. She should have been taken instead. After all, how much worse could these bandits be from Julius? She was used by a man in a loveless relationship, but she wanted better for Rosalina. As the elder, it was her job to look out for her and provide for her...and as of late, she was failing miserably. "Ro, did you pack herbs when we left?" she asked her softly. "If so I can use them to treat your wounds, if not, after we get safely back I will see if any grow in this area," she whispered.
------------------------------------------------------------
Darius just stared at Gareth a bit incredulously. "What's gotten into you? Why are you so adamant about defending Calista? That woman has done nothing for us except bring a company of knights upon us!"

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded, she had packed herbs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Obviously you don't see what I see. A broken woman who deserves more then she had." Gareth told Darius. 'Besides, there is something familiar about her." He added quietly.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

"All right," Calista told Rosalina softly. "Then I will treat your injuries as best as I can," she whispered as she lightly brushed back some strands of dark hair from Rosalina's damp cheeks. "I just want you to rest, sister dearest," she added soothingly. "You have been through much---more than any woman should have to endure and none of which you deserved."
------------------------------------------------------------
Darius nearly snorted at Gareth's first comment, wondering if the mage was starting to slowly fall for this woman. He frowned slightly at his second comment. "Familiar, how?" he questioned as he turned his attention to Calista as she tried to comfort her sister, wondering just what Gareth was seeing.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina didn't know what to say. She could only look at her sister.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't put a finger on it." Gareth said.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Giving Rosalina a weak smile, Calista just kissed her younger sister's forehead. "Let me take care of you, Ro," she whispered. "I have much to make up to you for."
------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't know," Darius remarked with a shake of his head as he had not really given the woman another thought. "She remind you of an old love perhaps?" he asked Gareth after a moment.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina still didn't say anything but look at her sister. "Cali . . . " she said after a moment, her voice still small.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why do you care all of a sudden." Gareth asked.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

"Yes, Ro?" Calista asked softly as she took out a dainty handkerchief and gently dabbed at her damp cheeks before gently trying to wipe away some of the dirt smeared on her face.
------------------------------------------------------------
Darius shrugged at Gareth's question. "No reason," he replied. "If you want to dance with the she-devil, I'm not going to stop you," he added. "Let's just hope she doesn't bring us all to ruin," he muttered, hate for Calista lacing his voice.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!