Rosalina nodded. she was still a bit shakey but not as much. and looked towards him and stopped. "Darius . . . is something moving from the wind?" She asked. she saw darkness, but it was as if she some something a shade darker had moved. she saw something move, at least she thought she did.

_________________
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)

Frowning a bit, Darius turned to look outside. "I haven't seen anything, Ro," he remarked softly. "Nor I have smelled the presence of a stranger. But I will go and check. Wait here," he commanded her before walking out of the room.
------------------------------------------------------------
Laying Calista down on the bed, Gareth gently brushed a strand of blonde hair away from her face before sitting at the edge of her bed, not wanting to go far in case she needed him. "Sleep well, dear one," he whispered, praying that her rest would be a peaceful one.
------------------------------------------------------------
Seeing Darius walk outside, Daniel moved to the guestroom to confront Rosalina, his anger mounting with each step he took. "How could you?!" he yelled at the woman as soon as he stepped into the room, not giving her a greeting or time to react. "My daughter pleaded to me to grant you shelter! And how do you repay her? By sending her into emotional turmoil?" he shouted, his rage boiling over.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina turned quickly. She knew that voice, it was Calista's father. "I'm sorry." she said, fear filling her. If it had been any other time she would have been thrilled. She could see a mass moving in the dark. and it was around him that was getting lighter, not the moving shape darker. "I'm sorry. I never meant for it all to happen."

_________________
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)

"You're sorry?" Daniel growled in a mocking tone. "Sorrow doesn't heal her, girl. Nor does it erase the memories. Did you even stop to consider my daughter's feelings or were you too embroiled in your own affairs to care for another?" he added, his voice growing louder. "I know my daughter. She is trying to be strong because she doesn't want anyone to worry about her, but as she does so, she is slowly falling apart. And only Heaven knows if she will ever be whole again," Daniel added his voice breaking in his sorrow. "And it is all your fault, you ungrateful woman!" he snarled as moved to the bed. When she was within striking distance he reached out and cuffed her on the side of the head. "I knew you were trouble from the moment I laid eyes on you!" he growled.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Moaning in her sleep, Calista turned her head to the side as a frown passed over her fair face. Knowing that she couldn't have been asleep for more than five minutes before the nightmares began, Gareth only sighed sadly. Leaning forward, he gently shook the sleeping woman awake.
"Gareth...?" she whispered as she slowly opened her eyes.
"I'm here, sweet maiden," he told her softly as he leaned over to kiss her forehead.
"What's wrong with me?" she whispered. "Why am I like this?" she added her voice shaking in her misery.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina cried out. She did not have time to move. She tried to get away, falling off the bed and twisting her ankle as she did. "Please, when I saw what was happening I tried talking to her. Please I feel horrible." she begged, looke where she thougt he was. But her head was swimming. Daniel had hit her where her head had landed from the fall.

_________________
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)

"You tried talking to her? As if that will ease the damage that you already have done," Daniel remarked in scorn, not even caring about the woman's entreaties. "Feeling horrible does not erase any of emotional scars, woman!" Daniel thundered as he moved to strike her again.
------------------------------------------------------------
Hearing the noise coming from Rosalina's room, Calista turned fearful eyes up at Gareth. "Something is happening to her," she whispered, horror in her voice, not even giving the mage a chance to answer her previous question. Pushing herself up from the bed, she swung her legs over and tried to stand, feeling a pain coming from her ankle as she did so.
"Calista! You need to rest!" Gareth told her, but she shook her head adamantly and limped forward. "I must check on her. She is a friend and my guest," she added. Sighing to himself, Gareth decided to go with her, knowing that she was going to investigate with or without his blessing and that she would be safer if he went with her. Gripping her arm so that she could lean against him while they walked, the twosome headed over to the guestroom.
Upon arriving on the scene, all color drained from Calista's face as she saw her father standing over Rosalina who was on the ground and pleading for her father to stop. "Abba, don't hurt her!" Calista yelled and breaking free from Gareth, rushed forward despite the pain shooting up from her left ankle. Grabbing her father then, she tried to pull him back, though he struggled in her hold.
"She is responsible for this mess! She needs to be punished!" Daniel cried.
"No she isn't Abba! Please stop!" Calista begged, her voice rising in her hysteria.
Feeling his heart break at his lady's entreaties, Gareth swiftly intervened and pulled Daniel away from Calista and Rosalina. "Sir, your daughter asked you to stop," he remarked softly, his voice stern.
------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Darius returned from surveying the perimeter but found nothing out of the ordinary. As he made his way back to the guestroom, Rosalina's cries caused him to quicken his pace to her.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina had seen the movement and fearing he would strike again she cowered, begging him to stop. She heard Calista come, but she didn't move from her spot on the floor. It was Fredrick all over. The way Daniel stood over her, ready to hit her despite the rules so to speak.

_________________
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)

"How can you take her side?" Daniel yelled at Gareth as he struggled in his grip. "You traitor! I thought you loved my daughter," he cursed.
"Calista wants you to stop, sir," he remarked. "Do not make me hurt you," he added, still restraining the old man. Just then Darius rushed into the room and saw Rosalina cowering on the floor, Gareth trying to restrain Daniel as the man sought to hit the woman again and Calista screaming for her father to stop. Growling in rage, Darius morphed into his true form and let out a tremendous roar. Turning at the sound, Calista paled in fright as she beheld the dragon-lion hybrid, nearly swooning in fright as she quaked in the presence of the mythical creature.
"Darius, I have it under control! Go before you make it worse!" Gareth shouted, noticing as Calista trembled in fear.
"Silence mage! I take no orders from you!" Darius thundered, his booming voice echoing throughout the small room. Turning his hate filled eyes upon Daniel, he let out another roar. "You dare to harm my lady, pathetic mortal?" he growled as Daniel shook in fear before him. "Now be prepare yourself for your judgment," Darius roared as he lunged forward, claws glimmering in the fading light.
"No, please don't! He's still my father! And you can't hurt Gareth after everything he did for you," Calista screamed as she rushed forward in front of Gareth and Daniel just as Darius' blow struck and his sharp claws tore through her flesh just above her chest.
"Calista!" Gareth screamed in horror as a sharp gasp escaped from the woman's lips and she crumpled to the ground at the mythical creature's feet, blood pouring from her wound.
"Daughter!" Daniel cried as he raced forward as fast as possible and gently placed the young woman's head in his lap.
"A-are you and Gareth all right, Abba?" Calista asked weakly as she tried to keep her hand pressed to her wound to staunch the bleeding, but as her strength waned her grip lessened.
"Why?" Daniel asked her, tears in his eyes.
"Because I love you both," she whispered.
Stepping in front of Daniel and Calista then, Gareth raised his head as unshed tears of sorrow, anger and hate glimmered in hazel-green eyes. "You animal..." Gareth hissed. "I'll never forgive you for what you have done," the mage added, his voice shaking with rage. Summoning a bolt of lightning to his hand, Gareth sent it at Darius, causing the great beast to howl in pain. "I should have let Drake kill you when I had the chance..." he snarled as he took to the wind and hovered in the air, preparing to end his life.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina couldn't see, but the screams she heard, and the sound of Darius growling, it was like her dream. "Darius!" she reached out, crawling she had one hand on the floor, the other streched out. "Darius? Whats happened?" 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)

"Ro, get back!" Darius shouted a warning as he winced in pain from being hit hard with Gareth's lightning. Summoning a massive ball of fire, Gareth was about to envelope him with it when Rosalina appeared in his line of fire.
"Make Gareth stop, Abba," Calista begged faintly. "Please...no more bloodshed," she whispered, her voice barely audible as her grip on her wound slackened and her blue eyes glazed over. Placing his hands, on the deep gash on her body, Daniel applied pressure to the wound as the warm sticky liquid seeped through his fingers. "Stay with me, Calista..." Daniel entreated as her lashes started to flutter.
"I'm so tired. Please, father. Just let me sleep..." she whispered, as her lashes fluttered one last time before closing.
"Gareth!" Daniel shouted as his daughter passed out from the blood loss. "It's Calista!" Hearing the cry, Gareth turned sharply to see that the woman had gone limp in her father's arms. Darius forgotten for the moment, Gareth quickly landed beside father and daughter. Kneeling by Daniel's side, he gently placed his fingers by Calista's neck to check for her pulse, tears filling his eyes as he gazed upon her chalky white face.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I clawed her, Ro." Darius whispered as Gareth went to tend to Calista. "And the wound is deep," he added, regret in his voice.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina had finally felt Darius and had hugged his body, but at his confession she paled. "Oh, my love. Surely you had not mean too." she said and wrapped her arms around him. "Will she live?" she asked, unsure who she was asking. "I still have herbs." 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)

"Whether I meant to hurt her or not makes little difference," Darius remarked sadly. "There will be retribution for this deed, and I could not hold it against Gareth for it---for I would do the same in his situation," he remarked. "I-I do not know if she will live," Darius added. "And Heaven help us if she does not."
------------------------------------------------------------
"Tell me she is still alive, Gareth." Daniel remarked.
Gareth simply nodded. "But barely. She has already lost a good deal of blood, and I do not have time to go out to search for herbs. She will be dead before I return," he remarked. Taking Calista from her father, he gently lay her on the bed and lightly touched her pale face with his fingers, feeling her body temperature slowly start to drop.
"Let me find the herbs," Daniel suggested.
"No, Darius will be the swifter. Tell that beast that if he does not aide her now, I will tear him limb from limb and feed his carcass to the birds of the air and beasts of the earth," Gareth growled. "I will try to sustain her for as long as possible with my spells," he remarked quietly.
Hobbling over to Darius and Rosalina then, Daniel looked at the couple. "I need you to find herbs for Calista," the old man told the mythical creature as Gareth began his healing spell.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina saw more movment. "There are herbs still. they would not let me use the rest before, they are in my bag." Rosalina said, she wasn't sure where her bag was. "Take them." She said as she stroked Darius.

_________________
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)

This time Darius didn't argue with Rosalina as he morphed back into his human form and finding the bag, he grabbed it and brought it over to Gareth.
"Now go and fetch water from the well," Gareth remarked to Darius, not too kindly, still blaming him for Calista being badly hurt. Not protesting as he usually would, Darius did as he was told and brought in a bucket of water. "Watch her, please" Gareth told Daniel as her father came to her bedside as Gareth rose to prepare herbs, planning to create a paste to seal the wound.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina got up and felt her way to the bed with Calista. "Hold on Calista." she said. "Remeber what you promised."

_________________
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 did not respond as Rosalina spoke to her, her mind trapped in what seemed to be a comforting yet eternal darkness. "Her breathing is growing shallow!" Daniel shouted to Gareth as he turned to face the mage with sorrowful eyes. Not wanting to look her father in the eyes, Gareth continued to work on the paste, knowing that if he looked the old man in the eyes he would lose his composure. Once finished with the paste, Gareth quickly made his way over to the bedside and gently applied the medicine to the deep gash on her skin. "Hold on, my love," Gareth whispered in her ear. "Don't leave me now, dearest. Not before our life together could truly begin," he added feeling tears sting his eyes.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!