'Don't leave me." Rosalina begged in her small voice.

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"Don't call her that. None of this is her fault."

_________________
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)

"I won't leave you, my dearest sister. I am going to take care of you. I promise," Calista whispered as she just continued to wipe the dirt from her sister's face. She knew that she needed to get Rosalina back to the wagon where she could tend to her sister's injuries and then prepare a meal for everyone.
From where she sat, she could still hear everything that Darius was saying about her and while each remark cut her deeply, she did her best to ignore his comments and just focus on taking care of Rosalina who was hurt because of her. She appreciated Gareth defending her, but she could not help but think that Darius was right---that she was nothing but a she-devil who should have been taken by the bandits instead.
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Darius merely scoffed at Gareth's words. "All of this is her fault, and as long as Calista is here, Rosalina will have nothing but trouble," he spat. "She should have been taken by the bandits instead," he growled, wishing the situation could be different.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina looked at her sister, she wasn't listeneing to the men. "Cali?" she watched her sister, her voice quiet still. "Why did it happen?"

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Gareth wanted to beat Darius. "What about the younger, how would she feel? from what I have seen she would do anything, take anything, to keep her sister alive and safe. After all she is the one, of her own accord who saved her sister and made me look after 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)

"I-I don't know," Calista stammered, wishing that she had a better answer. "Some men are terrible and sometimes terrible things happen, Ro. Things we do not plan for or intend to happen," she whispered as she continued to wipe the dirt and grime from her sister. "If I had one wish, I would undo this Ro so you would not have to suffer so," she added. I should have been taken, Calista thought to herself bitterly.
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Hearing that Rosalina saved Calista only made him love the younger woman more and intensify his hatred for her older sister. Not even bothering to answer Gareth he stormed over to where the women were and growled at Calista, startling the woman so that she dropped her handkerchief. "I knew you were nothing but trouble from the moment I laid eyes on you!" he snarled at the elder sister. "Rosalina is hurt because of you! She was ravished because of you! As the elder it is your job to protect her and it seems you can't even do that!" he sneered at her.
Feeling tears fill her eyes as Darius' words hit their mark, Calista slowly rose from her sister's side and had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. "You're right, I should have protected Rosalina. Treat me as you see fit. Whip me, beat me, kick me, burn me, spit on me. I don't care. Just let me tend to Rosalina's injuries first. After that, I will submit willingly to your punishment. Just promise me you will love her," she begged.
"I think I have done better at loving her than you..." Darius hissed at her, wanting to whip the woman for impudence.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded numbly. But the moment Darius came and started shouting, Rosalina shook and scrambled to get away as he and Calista fought. She eventually found a fallen tree and hid in the hole where the roots had been torn from. Covering her ears and shaking.

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Hearing the mans anger Gareth went and grabbed him. "Enough. Have you thought what your anger could be doing." He asked as he did not see Rosalina.

_________________
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)

"Ro?" Calista called out as Gareth pulled Darius away before the man could act on his anger. "Ro?!" she called out again as she began to look for her sister, panic filling her voice. When she finally found the woman trembling in a hole with her ears covered, Calista felt her heart sink as a gnawing guilt began to eat at her gut. "Oh, Rosalina!" she cried as she knelt beside the shaking woman and pulled her into her arms again. "I am so sorry," she whispered as she started to rub the woman's back.
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"What the heck do you think you are doing?!" Darius growled as he finally broke free from Gareth's grip. "Quit meddling in my business. If you wanted to meddle you should have done so with the bandits!" he snarled.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina shook, not reacting to her sister, She stayed curled uo whimpering.

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"Then tell me, where did Rosalina go, for I do not see her, and I suspect her sister left to find her."

_________________
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 gently rocked her back and forth, hoping to soothe the frightened woman. "Shh, Ro, it's okay. Darius loves you and is only worried for your safety. He won't hurt you," she told her softly. "And I am sorry. I did not mean to upset you."
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Looking around as Gareth spoke, he found that Rosalina was nowhere in sight. "Ro?" he called out and immediately started to look for her, hating the fact that the mage was right and he had no answer for him.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina didn't respond. she didn't know how to respond.

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"I think we should leave the women. Obviously you are scareing Rosalina."

_________________
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 rocked her sister gently and whispered comforting words to her.
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Sighing, Darius could only nod numbly at Gareth's words as he slowly stepped away, vowing to punish Calista for everything that happened to Rosalina as soon as he had the chance.
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"Ro, it's just you and me right now," Calista whispered finally after she noticed that Gareth and Darius had left them alone.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

'Cali?" Rosalina said after a while. "I want home." she said meaning the home of their father, their real home.

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Gareth went back to the wagon, knowing Calista would want the herbs for her sister.

_________________
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)

Nodding as Rosalina spoke, Calista gently brushed back some of her dark locks and gave her a gentle smile. "Let me ask Darius if he will take us there," she said softly. At least their home was far enough away from Julius' castle to offer them some protection for a time. "But first I will need to tend to your injuries," she said softly before pressing a light kiss to her sister's forehead.
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Darius stood some distance away from the girls, though he remained near them in case the few bandits dared to return. Nevertheless, he stood in a sullen silence, his hate for the Calista growing with each passing moment.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded at calista.

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Gareth brought the bag to the area and set it down in a spot Rosalina wouldn't see him. But calista did. He indicated the bag and back 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)

Giving Rosalina a soft smile she looked up in time to see Gareth set the bag of herbs down. As they locked eyes, Calista gave him a smile of thanks before he backed away and she slowly rose to her feet. "I will be right back Ro. I am just going to get some herbs in that corner there," she whispered, thankful for Gareth's aid. How kind of him to get these for Rosalina, she thought to herself with a slight smile. Walking as quickly as she could to the corner where Gareth dropped off the herbs, she picked them up and made her way back to her sister as fast as she could manage.
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Meanwhile, Darius just waited a short distance away, making no other sound so he would not frighten Rosalina.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

When Calista moved from her, Rosalina started to whimper. "Cali . . ." she cried.

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Gareth sighed as he waited by the wagon for the women.

_________________
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)

Hearing Rosalina start to whimper and then cry out her name, only hastened Calista' step back to her. After walking a bit too quickly, Calista had to take a moment to catch her breath before she was able to speak. "Shh. It's all right, dearest sister," she whispered. "I'm here," she told her softly as she drew in her into a hug. Pulling back after a minute she turned slightly and showed Rosalina the bag as if to reassure the woman that she had only left to go and get the herbs. "Now, I am going to treat your wounds," she told her softly as she began to rummage through the bag to find the plant whose healing sap she could use to mix with some berries to create a potent healing paste. Finding both items, she first crushed the plant so that the sticky sap was lathered over the palm of her hand before squeezing the juice into the sap and mixing the two together. When finished, she turned back to Rosalina and quickly yet gently began to apply the new salve to her wounds. "Ro," she whispered after a moment. "If I help you back to the wagon, are you strong enough to walk?" she asked her softly. "Then I can ask Darius and Gareth if they can take us home," she added gently as she continued to apply the balm to Rosalina's wounds.
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Meanwhile, Darius took to pacing, his anger at Calista growing with each passing minute.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!