Rosalina nodded. As they flew back she couldn't help feel terrified. it was one thing to know how you were flying and able to see, it was another to not be able to see or know. As they landed Rosalina opened her eye, hoping deep in her soul she would be able to see somthing, but she couldn't.

_________________
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)

Carrying Rosalina inside, Darius gently set her down on a chair near the table and gently took her hand. "It will be all right, Ro," he whispered. "Everything will be all right," he added again as if he were trying to convince himself of his own statement.
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When they landed, Gareth carried Calista inside and set her down before walking back outside to draw water from the well. "Thank you," Calista whispered softly as he brought the water to her and she set the basket with the berries on the table and began to wash them in the water.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded. "It will be." she said trying to convince her self.

_________________
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," Darius remarked a bit absently, not knowing what else to say as he just turned his attention to Calista washing the berries. Once she was finished, Calista gingerly rose to her feet and limped toward the kitchen to grab a wooden bowl, doing her best not to look at the puddle of blood on the ground, before making her way back to the table and placing the berries in them. "How is your ankle?" Calista asked Rosalina softly. "Maybe Gareth can tend to your injury while I start our meal," she suggested.
"Calista, your ankle..." Gareth whispered in her ear.
"I'm all right," she whispered. "Just help Rosalina now," she whispered as she drew in a deep breath, not looking forward to cooking in a place that was once a scene of violence.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina bit her lip. "It does hurt, but it can wait. I tried to keep my weight of it as I was stummbling in the woods." She 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)

Calista just shook her head at Rosalina's words, forgetting that the woman could not see her. "But the last time we waited to treat your injuries, things got so much worse. Please, let Gareth treat your injuries while I work on our meal," she remarked quietly. Meanwhile, Gareth just watched Calista's expression to the thought of cooking, worried that handling a knife in her emotional state would only cause her to endure more stress.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina sighed and nodded. "alright then." she said. "Where do you want my ankle?" she 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)

Moving a chair over, Gareth gently placed Rosalina's injured foot upon it as Calista gave him a slight nod in appreciation before turning to the kitchen. Walking outside then, the mage drew two more buckets of water---one to use for treating Rosalina's injury and the other so Calista would have water to cook. Setting one bucket near where he would work, Gareth then carried the second bucket to the kitchen before heading to his room to gather the needed herbs and a bandage. Coming back into the main room, the mage knelt down as he began to crush the herbs to make a paste.
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Alone in the kitchen, Calista stood as she cleaned the vegetables and started to prepare them, doing all that she possibly could to keep pressure off of her left foot. Sighing to herself, she dreaded preparing the fish that they would have for the meal----the mere thought of holding a knife sent shivers down her spine.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina wenced as her foot was handled. "Are you almost done?" she 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)

Mixing the crushed herbs with the water to create a paste, Gareth slowly began to apply it to her ankle. "Almost finished," he remarked after he stopped applying the herbs and then wrapped her foot in the cloth bandage. “Thank you,” Darius told Gareth and the mage only nodded. “Just relax, Ro” Darius added as he turned his attention back to his love. Once finished, Gareth cleaned up the supplies before moving to the kitchen to see how the meal preparations were coming along.
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After she finished preparing the vegetables, Calista reached out with a trembling hand to take the knife. Gripping the handle tightly until her knuckles turned white, she raised the knife to cut and de-scale the fish, but her hand froze midway. In place of the fish she was seeing Rosalina stabbing herself again and again. She was back in the moment as she pulled the bloody blade from Darius' chest, could feel the sticky liquid that stained her white hand crimson. "Oh, heavens..." she murmured, her blue eyes wide with fear as she looked down at her hand only to see a redness that wasn't there. Knife slipping from her hand to table with a clatter, Calista turned to escape the bloody scene and bumped into the mage as he came in to check on her.
"Let me go!" Calista yelled, not even sure what was going on.
"Calista, it's me!" Gareth exclaimed as he gripped her shoulders and shook her gently, hoping to snap her from her madness.
Roused suddenly, Calista blinked as she stared up into the mage's worry-filled eyes. "Gareth?" she whispered, tears starting to form behind her blue orbs. "There is so much blood..." she whispered. “My hand is covered with it..." she murmured.
"Everything is all right, Rose," Gareth remarked gently. "Your hand is not covered with it," he added as he took both of her hands in his and raised them. "See?" he said softly.
Staring at her clean hands, Calista could only look on in shock. "How…am I going mad? I saw the blood!" she cried as she turned her attention back to the table to see the fish lying untouched as she left them. Cupping her face between his palms, Gareth leaned down to press a light kiss to her brow. "Shh, love. You were living in a memory jarred by handling a knife. You are not going mad," Gareth whispered, trying to keep the worry from his voice as the symptoms from her fears started getting worse. "Why don't I cut the fish, while you just relax?" he added gently, love and concern for her mirrored in his eyes.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina tried to calm. "Darius?" she asked as she held her hand out, she didn't know where he was, so she had to feel out for him.

_________________
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'm here, Ro," Darius whispered to her as he gently took her hand between his own. "Don't worry," he said softly. "I won't leave your side," he added as he kissed her lightly on the cheek.
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Slowly nodding, Calista gave Gareth a weak smile. "Thank you," she said softly to his offer. Lowering her head in embarrassment, she just let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You shouldn't have to be doing extra work," Calista added meekly. Tilting her chin up to his face, Gareth just gave her a gentle smile. "You endured a trauma, Calista. Your mind has yet to heal from it. Don't feel guilty over anything. Just take care of yourself and give yourself a chance to heal. That is all I want," he added softly as he gently caressed her face.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina smiled as he took her hand. "Darius. I'm sorry. I should have let you come with me."

_________________
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)

Sighing at her words, Darius wished that she had let him come with her, but it was too late now to change anything. They could only move on and hope for the best. "Don't worry about it," Darius replied softly as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "We can only try to move on from here and hope for a miracle," he remarked quietly.
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Standing off to the side, Calista poured some of the water into the cooking pot and then just watched as the mage prepared the fish. When he was finished, she placed the fish into the pot before Gareth lit a fire under it while she watched to make sure that it cooked properly. Coming to stand behind her, Gareth gently wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. "I know you are worried about Rosalina, my love,” he said softly. “I can feel it dearest," he whispered in her ear before placing a light kiss on her neck, wishing she could just relax.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina looked down. "is scares me I can't see whats going on. Not that I am blind." she said, although the second did scare her. "And I want to be able to see your face."

_________________
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 know, dearest. I know," Darius remarked gently. "It hurts to know that you can't see. That I wasn't there to protect you," he whispered. A sad smile crossed his lips when she remarked that she wanted to see his face. Taking her hand, he gently brought it up to his face so she could touch his skin. "You may have to learn to see differently, now Ro. And rest assured, I will do everything in power to help you," he said softly.
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"How can I not worry, my dearest Gareth?" Calista remarked as she continued to cook the fish. "I let her go out into the woods. And she was hurt while trying to gather food for our meal. I should have protested louder, or I should never have to let her go out alone at all," Calista murmured to herself.
"Dearest, you can't blame yourself for this. Darius could not stop her and he is both her guardian and her love."
"But don't you see, love? I should have tried harder," Calista remarked, her voice rising in her in distress and Gareth just wrapped his arms around her all the tighter. "If I did, she may not be blind!" she cried out, feeling tears blur her eyes and she hastily brushed them away so that she could cook properly.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!