ᴇsᴛɪɴɪᴇɴ ᴠᴀʀʟɪɴᴇᴀᴜ. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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synthneon2022-02-11 05:36 pm
dragonssung) wrote in synthneon2022-02-11 05:36 pm
Entry tags:
echoes of truth | ❝ tales of loss and fire and flame. ❞
Every word on our hearts engraved
In the dark you will not stray
Forge ahead, till the end, we pray
no subject
Her head tucks down to hide her expression. Although she doubts he would even notice the hurt in her eyes or how her hands gently shake. Instead, she turns her focus to his wrists. Her fingers brush along the wounds until they have sealed entirely.
Next, she moves her fingers along his forearm to try and stimulate his aether. If anything she might be able to convince his body to let her healing energies flow through him so she might know where to heal next. She can tell it has stagnated once again and she desperately tries to encourage it to move once more. ]
I'm sorry they took me away. [ Her voice is soft and part of her wonders why she must try to continue to reach out when he will not respond. ] I've told them that my place is here with you: my betrothed. They were far from keen on the idea, but...
[ What sort of wife would she be if she simply let King Thordan fully take him? ]
I saw you ate. I'm glad--it will help more than you think. [ She's certain Estinien will bring more food and water in a few hours. ] Did you wish to sleep again? I will be here while you do.
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Still, he continues to sit there motionless once more, the only sign of movement being the slight twitch of his fingers that could simply be an involuntary reaction rather than having any particular significance.
Somehow, however, even though Aymeric remains in an inert state, barely aware of his surroundings, when Alkaid turns her attention to trying to awaken his aether again, it stirs but only briefly. It is as if his body wants to respond to her efforts so that he can finally begin to heal, but the stagnated aether is still refusing to shift.
His head dips lower then, as if indicating that he wishes only to sleep, but in the next second, it raises again, and he fixes his eyes upon hers. Even in his depleted state, one thing is clear: he still has a care for others. As Estinien had previously noted, the remnant of Aymeric that remains is still concerned with the welfare of his people, and even though Alkaid is only an honorary citizen of Ishgard by his own declaration, that concern seems to extend to her as well, at least as much as he is able. It does not seem to matter that he cannot bring to mind a recollection of who she is, either as herself or a Warrior of Light, but there is no dislodging the worry that has formed.
He cannot cause the words to come, but if she is looking, she might notice a certain expression in his eyes that is only partially obscured by the ever-present glowing: concern, of course, but also a wordless request for her to see to her own needs as well. ]
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Her head tilts as she desperately tries to listen to the smallest hint of his aether. Estinien has certainly injured him, but, she can tell the dragoon held back. A frown forms on her face with the realization she will simply need to pick an injury and move from there. Perhaps the one that hinders his breathing? He then at least would be able to breathe and that alone would help him physically. Her hands come to a stop at his elbows as her shoulders sink further.
Alkaid finally forces her eyes upwards at him again to find him attempting to nod off once more. Her fingers gently brush along his skin to help encourage the notion if he so needs it. Then, his eyes meet hers, and the breath in her throat catches. There is no sign of recognition but instead concern, a trait as true to Aymeric as any of his bravery.
A smile is forced for his sake despite the tears threatening to form in her eyes once more. ]
I'll sleep when you do. That way, if you need me, you can find me.
[ She pulls away from him long enough to sit a little away to his side. A she places the pillow in his lap and then gently guides him to rest his head on the pillow. Once done, she once again drapes the blanket over his body. One hand rests in his hair while the other at his back. ]
When you've woken up I'll see to asking Estinien to bring us breakfast.
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Still, even in the midst of the pain that still swirls around him, something else begins to move once more, pushing against the unwanted influence that has largely kept Aymeric a captive, unable to move or speak as he wills. And beyond that, his own aether has been held hostage and subjected to the will of another. Now, though, as Alkaid attempts to read what she can from his aether, it begins to move: slowly, but gradually increasing and responding to her efforts.
Even when she moves away from him, arranging the pillow on the floor and guiding him to lie down, the currents inside him shift and move, but still not yet flowing freely.
Once she drapes the blanket over him, he shifts again, as if wishing to draw what warmth he can from the covering. The cell is not too cold, at least, but the blanket is comforting, and that seems to be what he is seeking most in this moment.
And when she rests a hand in his hair and the other at his back, he moves yet again, this time responding to her touch and pressing into it as much as he is able. He is still tempered, of course, because his aether beginning to move is not enough to sever the primal's influence, but at least it is a hopeful sign. ]
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Once he is settled on the pillow in her lap? She drapes more of the blanket over him. He quite obviously is in need of it more than her. Instead, she turns her attention to his back and gently rubs up and down. She can tell it is tender and bruised from the sheer force Estinien pushed into him. Aiding his back will also help his breathing. She pauses only once he presses into her hands. Then, after a moment, she returns to gently running her fingers down his back.
It is easy enough to tell when he finally drifts back to sleep. Her hand slows it's movements until she stops all together. Exhaustion is weighing down on her and her own aether runs low. All dhe can do is hope his aether will continue to try and move until she can attempt it once more.
Despite her own will, her eyes fall shut and sleep claims her. At some point she even leans forward with her head resting on the arm facing her. The Ala Mhigan weave is thick, but it will be obvious to anyone in the morning how cold the cell had become. The blankets have namely gone to the cause most wroth it in her mind: one over her legs and the other gently tucked around him.
Despite her own wishes, she feels the tears she has tried to contain slowly begin to fall. The cracks in her demeanor finally begin to show. The hand at his back raises to cover her mouth to make certain she stifles any sounds wishing to come forth. She would not disturb the rest he finally has found simply because she is breaking. Alkaid tilts her head back against the wall behind her and shuts her eyes tightly. She scolds herself inwardly again and again for breaking when he needs her to be the impenetrable Warrior of Light.
Eventually, exhaustion claims her as she silently cries herself to sleep.
Her sleep is far from comfortable, happy, or inspiring. The cold from the cell only feeds into the lonely dreams of fearful outcomes of the events. Dreams in which she has had to part from her beloved. Dreams where even after the trial had passed he was sent back to the aetheric sea, leaving her behind. Tears manage to run down her face even she sleeps as her heart feels slowly chipped away.
What pulls her from bleak dreams is not the man in her lap but the sound of armor shifting. Her ear twitches and raises towards the sound. Alkaid raises her head and gaze to the front of the cell where Estinien has entered. She blinks a few times at the light, forcing her now stiff body to sit up.
How long has it been? ]
I would wish you a well morning, but I see the night was not kind to you. [ Estinien speaks gently - for himself as it is - before turning his gaze down to Aymeric. ] He has slept through the night?
If morning is here, than yes, he has. [ Alkaid looks up tiredly at Estinien before gently rubbing Aymeric's arm. ] He'll need breakfast...
And so will you, given your unseemly state. Call for me when he wakes. I have spoken with the Chief Admiral and secured better accommodations for the pair of you.
[ Her eyes narrow in thought, but Estinien waves her questions away and returns to the hallway attached to the door. He has had to do something in which he believes under his station. That much is obvious to her. Regardless, Alkaid shakes her head and looks back down to the man in her lap. She makes sure to keep her cold hands from touching his skin as she continues to gently rub his arm before he wakes.]
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At first, none of the turmoil that is playing itself out in his dreams shows on his face, but as his mind tries to respond to the outside stimuli going on around him, his expression shifts from one to relative calm to another suggesting some small amount of distress. His mind seems to be determined to conjure up rapid flashes of distressing images, rather than one long nightmare, but regardless, what is flashing before his mind's eye is enough to cause outward signs of trouble.
The images come in succession, each growing more distressing the longer they go on. First, he sees Ishgard in flames, the city burning to the ground. Next, he sees a a tall dragoon fighting a losing battle before he is finally cut down. And finally, he beholds a terrifying set of images of two sisters also locked in a battle they can't win that ends with them lying far too still on the ground, hands reaching out to each other in a last goodbye.
His brow creases once more, only to smooth out again once Alkaid begins to gently rub at his arm. That action interrupts the troubling images his mind has conjured up, and instead of death and loss, he just sees someone faceless and clothed in white reaching out to him. Even as he sleeps, he reaches out with one hand, as if hoping to take hold of the person in white. But try as he might, she always remains out of his reach.
But as he stirs, awareness slowly settling back in, Alkaid's touch (the real Alkaid, not the one from his dreams) brings comfort that counters the distressing things he was forced to see. Still, even with her gentle touch on his arm, he curls in on himself once again, and one single low moan escapes him even as his eyelids flicker and slowly open.
For just a moment until his mind catches up with him, he is hovering somewhere between those terrifying scenes of death and loss and those other images that made him feel completely at peace.
But as he comes back to a state of wakefulness and awareness, that feeling of being at peace fades, and he is thrust back into a state where a primal continues to claw at him on one side and on the other, a far gentler hand tries to keep him from being pulled away.
Nevertheless, it should be quite clear just who Aymeric is trying to reach for, and it is not the primal that continues to hurt him, but the people who are there with him, watching over him. It takes no small amount of effort, but he nestles himself deeper into Alkaid's lap, and one hand reaches out in the direction Estinien's voice had come from, not realizing that the dragoon has already departed for the moment. ]
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His arm moves once again and she looks to see where he might be reaching out towards as he nestles further in her lap. She looks to the bars and the realizations settles in. Estinien. While part of her is glad that he does not seem to fear the m an he would call his best friend? Part of her cannot help but wonder if it would be better if Estinien sat with him instead of her ever increasing amounts of failures.
Alkaid swallows the lump of emotions in her throat and forces her voice to sound normal. ]
Good morning. [ She can't bring herself to attach a term of endearment. Not when she feels unworthy to give them as she does. Her fingers gently move up and down in one spot on his arm where she can feel a slight tension of the muscles. ] Estinien was here not too long ago... he said he's found a better place for you to stay. Perhaps it has a real bed you might sleep in.
[ Alkaid turns her head to the door and moves her hand away from Aymeric's arm. ] Estinien!
[ A moment later the dragoon re-emerges and enters the cell. He takes in the sight of the Warrior of Light before his gaze falls back down to Aymeric. He kneels then, Nidhogg at his back, and arm draped over his knee. It is easy to see the Lord Speaker needs food and water, and a better environment. H ad he not been sure Aymeric was incapable of harming another? He would not have insisted on a room for him. ]
Well, tis plain to see the sleeping beauty finally joins us. [ An interjection of humor to help raise the spirits of the two sunken moods in the cell. He shakes his head. ] I hope you have the strength to at least partially walk, Aymeric. I will not degrade you allowing the whole of Limsa to see me carry you through the streets like a doll.
The room isn't far, is it? [ Alkaid's tone has dropped considerably to almost a whisper, lacking in its normal convictions and confidence. ] I'm not certain he can walk very far.
All he need be able to do is move his legs. I will sport the rest of his weight. [ He looks back down to Aymeric and waits for the man to look back to him. ] Come then, Aymeric. Push yourself up the most you are able.
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He still does not have the strength to move as freely as he wishes, but at least he can move a little, and of his own accord. With his eyes now open and him trying his best to shake off the last remnants of sleep, his gaze shifts towards hers, and the hand that reached for Estinien now reaches for her.
Although the woman in white that he beheld in his dreams had her face obscured, something in his mind is completing the details of that picture. It happens slowly, of course, but gradually, her features come into sharper view, and one of the first things that registers with him is the ribbon at the end of her braid. The ribbon itself is, of course, only a ribbon, but it is the color that draws his attention. It is a similar color as the one used on Ishgard's flag, and that she wears that color to decorate her hair is something that sparks something in his mind.
Thus far, his mind has been clouded and dormant, thanks largely to the primal's influence, but something about the sight of that ribbon has caused the fog swirling in his mind to roll back just a fraction.
His arm moves, shaking just slightly from the strain needed to lift it, but he manages to move it just enough to reach for her hand before she pulls it away to call for Estinien.
The shaking in his arm travels to the rest of his frame, as if his actions are requiring no small amount of effort to complete, and even though the brief healing applied to his injuries has helped ease his breathing, he still has to fight for enough breath to say what he wishes to. And, naturally, the primal is blocking his efforts, but he is doing his best to push back against that as well. ]
L- [ A cough interrupts him, but he tries again. Something about this seems important, that it is an action that he must complete, no matter what tries to stop him amd to stifle his words. Even if doing this means he is short of breath once again, something inside him is telling him it's worth it. ]
Lantaa. [ He only has enough breath to say her name, her true one this time, and once he does, his arm falls again and he has to lie still, that small exertion having taken a lot from him once more.
But, strangely enough, even though the primal roars and clamors in his mind, and he flinches as it crashes down upon him, he does not bend as thoroughly beneath it as he had previously.
He still is not very strong, of course, and although he does not catch every word that Estinien says to him, the overall message sinks in.
There is an order in Estinien's words, and Aymeric feels compelled to obey, at least as best as he can. So, with that in mind, he places a hand down upon the ground, pushing against it so that he might push himself up as well.
He nearly falls back down, muscles still clearly lacking their usual strength, but he catches himself before that can happen. And unlike the last time he stumbled and fell, he does not injure himself again. It seems to take an eternity, as he can only move one small ilm at a time, but he finally manages to reach a sitting position.
Standing seems like a daunting task, if he can achieve it at all, but at least sitting up on his own is a start. ]
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Instead, the one thing she had not expected comes from his lips and her entire person freezes. If she was to be honest and true? Somewhere, deep down, she had never expected to hear her name from him again. She thought it buried and locked away underneath too much for him to remember, let alone say. Alkaid stays frozen, watching as Aymeric pushes himself up. She only moves to help steady him once more so he might eventually sit up. The whole while she remains unusually silent and staring at him. Almost if she were afraid that speaking or moving more would send him back to the state he had been in.
Estinien nods to the progress Aymeric has made. Then, his steel-ice eyes move to Alkaid. His eyebrows raised beneath his white locks. ] 'Lantaa' is not a name I am familiar with. By chance...
[ The dragoon trails off the moment Alkaid moves. Her shaking hands rest on either side of Aymeric's face before she guides him to meet her in a kiss. His eyebrows raise as it takes a moment to settle in that the person Aymeric had called out to is the Warrior of Light herself.
While he may not understand even if she spoke the words? She hopes that her betrothed may receive what it is she says. Lantaa has heard him clearly and remains at his side as she promised. There is no expectation that he might kiss back or even acknowledge the motion. Even then, her tail slightly moves side-to-side in hopes that he might be able to respond regardless. Lantaa is desperately reaching out to him, but oh, so very terrified she might harm him when she means only to save him.
Then, she gently rests her forehead to his as her bottom lip trembles. Despite all her might and will, she cannot help the fact her emotions seem ready to burst out of her. While it has only been a few days for her, she misses her knight more than she ever as. She misses his smile, his touch, and his voice. Her thumb brushes across his cheek and she wonders if he might be able to see the longing in her eyes. ]
Aymeric... [ Alkaid's voice fails her again as her emotions solidify in her throat. I'm here, just as I swore; at your side where you've asked me to stay.
Another kiss is pressed to the edge of his mouth in another silent plea he remain with her.
Estinien remains quiet long enough to allow them a moment. Then, he stands, and offers his hand to the man he calls brother. He intends full well to pull Aymeric up to his feet and half-carry him. It is done at the pace of the man now sitting up and even Estinien is surprised at his own level of patience for the moment. Once he has a hold of the man, Estinien gently help him up and slings one of his arms over his shoulders. Alkaid sets to gathering the blankets and pillow, folding them up together and pushing herself up as well.
Her gaze moves to the dragoon as she can feel a question forming in his gaze. ]
Lantaa, is it? I had always thought 'Alkaid' a strange name for a Miqo'te. [ He gives a small smirk and slowly turns to the front of the cell. ] I would go at your pace but it would take us years to reach our destination. Move your legs see fit and walk as you might, Aymeric. Even if that means I must drag you to your room.
[ Alkaid moves but a half-step forward before she finds herself stopping. The dragoon moves forward, but she finds herself rooted in place. Her hand lifts enough to reach out to Aymeric's, only to stop short of touching him. This time she does not pull away or lower her hand. Would he even wish to hold her hand, or had she missed the opportunity?
What if it had been the last chance to hold onto his hand and she had missed it? ]
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It is a barely formed thought, and it pulls at his heart the moment it springs to mind, but the part of him that is still capable of rational thought wonders if she will still be able to love him, given how hard he has fallen and how much of his strength has been lost. If he could, he would stand on his own and take her hands in his, but at the moment, it is all he can do to sit up.
But then, she slips her hands around his face and presses her lips against his, and his body reacts almost automatically, rising to lean into the kiss as if all of his weakness has momentarily fallen away. The primal does not take this well, of course, and for a moment, there is a flash of pain in Aymeric's eyes, but it fades from view as quickly as it came.
When Estinien finally takes hold of Aymeric and pulls him to his feet, he stills, becoming compliant and letting his friend do with him as he will. Of course, he requires assistance to stand, but at least he is finally upright once more.
And then, in response to Estinien's directive, Aymeric takes a hesitant step forward, legs seeming to wobble with the effort, and when he takes a second step, his knees bend as if threatening to give way. If not for Estinien holding him up, he might have fallen to the ground once more.
But in spite of Aymeric's struggle to walk, or perhaps because of it, the fingers of his free hand move slowly, as if wanting to bridge the distance and reach for Alkaid's again. ]
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There is no part of his current state she blames on him or even allows to cloud her vision of him. He is still Aymeric de Borel, even if he is under attack, injured, and past a point of exhaustion.
Her eyebrows knit together as she sees the pain in his eyes. In an instant there is an apology in her own eyes. She feels as if all she does is cause him more pain and strife. Alkaid brushes her fingers across his cheeks once more. She would kiss him more, longer, deeper. Yet, the pain he is in makes her curl up inside herself.
Alkaid reaches out to brush her fingers along his before sliding into his hand to hold it. her hand is still cold, showing that she had not taken much of the blankets for herself the night before. Her other arm holds onto the blankets and pillow. She nods to Estinien and stays by Aymeric's side as they begin to walk. It is only a few steps at a time, and she notes how Estinien pauses to readjust to make it easier for his friend to walk. ]
It is still early in the morning--the sun has yet to peek. Limsa still sleeps, thus we should be able to get there unhindered or with little attraction pulled to us.
[ Alkaid nods to Estinien's statement and continues to walk beside them. It takes time, but they eventually find their way from the cells and the hallway attached to it. They come to the stairs and Alkaid moves to the front, gently guiding Aymeric upwards with her hand still clasped his. It is only once they have reached the lift that her ears raise and she tilts her head to look up at the dragoon. ]
What room have you managed to get...?
I only pointed out that it may harm relations if they kept the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords of Ishgard in the cells. No inn would take him in his state, thus, the idea was settled for a room given to the diplomatic visitors. [ Estinien shrugs as if it is of little importance. ] I will be on watch outside the door and, in order to calm the hesitant hearts, a member of the Storms as well. Although it is hardly needed.
[ She gives a short nod. It means there will be a comfortable bed and a bath to take care of him for. Of course, her own state is far from her mind. She will eat whenever she will eat, and she will sleep whenever Aymeric himself drifts off to slumber. His state of being is the most important thing in her world right now, regardless of the cost it will bring to herself. Part of her cannot let go of the feeling that so much of the light and life of the star would fade away for her if Aymeric or her sister had to leave. That, in her mind, makes any sacrifice of her person worth it.
Estinien opens the door to the room when they arrive. Without direction, he instantly takes Aymeric to the nearest couch so he might sit down. Alkaid stands at his side in an instant. Her hand is still firmly in his as the other guides his face so he might look up at her.
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It sounds distressed, but not because of his present injured state, but because he is responding to her own distress and his fingers move to close lightly around her hand. The gesture may not be comforting to her, because the still-vacant look in his eyes is surely bound to be distressing as well, but he does not remove his hand from hers, even as the three of them make their way along.
As Alkaid and Estinien exchange words, Aymeric's focus moves to taking one step at a time until they reach the stairs and Alkaid continues guiding him until they have reached the top.
When she stops, he stops as well as the discussion about the room Estinien managed to obtain continues. Aymeric glances between Estinien and Alkaid, looking from one to the other as if waiting for some further direction.
Eventually, they reach the room and when Estinien guides him over to the couch, Aymeric settles into it, gaze moving to stare vacantly at the nearest wall, until Alkaid reaches for him, tilting his face up to look at her. ]
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Her cold hand squeezes his then. All she wishes for is that once this ordeal is finished that he does not leave her. Mayhap due to him feeling as if she is better off without him or the notion that she had failed him one too many times.
She bites back the words that almost spring from her: Don't leave me, please. Don't go to places I can't follow. They were words she has said before and words she feels she has no place to ask. She is the on who leaves for places he cannot go. How could she ask him not to do the same? ]
I will see to bringing the pair of you something to eat. [ Estinien only speaks up to announce his leave. Emotional scenes are far from his place. That, and he would not have it said he could not help a Warrior of Light if she broke. ] You may need to tell him to eat. Otherwise he might insist you do instead.
[ Alkaid nods as Estinein leaves and her gaze drops to Aymeric once more. She forces another smile for him. ]
I know it was quite the long walk. You must be tired after it. [ Her free hand raises to gently brush his bangs to the side. A small tremor is there, worried that any touch from her may cause King Thordan to strike and weaken Aymeric further. ] Once you've eaten, I'll help you with a bath, and then you can rest all you need.
[ She leans forward to slightly brush her lips to his forehead once more. There, she remains for a moment, for her heart gives a painful beat. For all the comfort she gives? She cannot help but miss the comfort he gave her. Curling up into his arms and listening to his breathing or as he spoke of things to calm her. Alkaid gives a sharp inhale and presses it down.
Now is not the time. He needs her to guide him, not to weep. ]
It is a foggy and cold morning, isn't it? Let me fetch a blanket. One that isn't covered with dirt.
[ She squeezes his hand again before pulling away. A smile is on her face for him, and she moves slower than she might so he can see where she goes. First, she closes the curtains on the windows, knowing that once it gets brighter his eyes have to adjust go it. Then, she opens a door and then two to note where the bath is. Once she is satisfied with those, she enters the bedroom.
It most certainly is a display of craftsmanship. The best, she supposes, for the diplomatic relations.
She takes a spare blanket from the edge of the bed and quickly returns to Aymeric's side. Then, she moves in front of him, and drapes it over his shoulders so it might cascade around him. It is only after then does she kneel in front of him with her hands resting in her lap. ]
Is there anything you need that I might be able to help with until Estinien arrives? ...anything you might need me to do for you?
[ There must be something other than healing his wounds she can do for him. Even if all she has done had never truly lived up to the standards of being his betrothed or future wife. Being here for him now surely does not count in making up for all the times she was not there.
Her hand hesitantly raises to rest on his knee as she waits for any sort of an answer. ]
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This long fight with Thordan has left him weakened and even the smallest of movements is enough to take what little energy he still has. The walk from the cells to this room required no small amount of effort, even with the support from his friends, and even as he sits on the couch, his posture slips as if the effort to remain there is taxing him even now.
He can only watch as Estinien takes his leave, but his gaze only shifts away from hers briefly, and once the dragoon has gone on his way, it turns back to meet her eyes.
As she brushes his bangs to one side, his eyes slide closed for a moment, responding to her touch and a shaky exhale of breath leaves him. Fortunately for them both, Thordan remains quiet, not striking out at Aymeric once more, and when Alkaid's lips brush against his forehead, his eyes reopen, and as if something in him is drawn to her feelings of missing his touch and his comfort, his arm moves, shakily at first, but as steadily as can be expected until his fingers brush against her face.
Then, his hand seems to freeze in place as if suddenly confused to find itself there, but he still does not pull away. She continues speaking, and how she squeezes his hand elicits another quiet sigh from him. Even when she pulls away, he remains still, eyes watching her progress as she moves about, even as she briefly ventures to survey the bath and the bedroom both.
Once she returns with the blanket and places it on him, and puts forward her question, his response is not quite immediate, but certainly faster than anything he has done previously.
His gaze turns briefly to where her hand is resting upon his knee, and somehow, that is encouragement enough for him. Once again, his arm moves, and even though the effort behind it causes it to shake, there is something akin to resolve in his posture as he struggles to complete the gesture.
It is not so much anything that he needs from her, but something he wishes to do for her, even if his sluggish mind has not entirely registered it in those exact words.
With how she is kneeling in front of him, it is not as simple as reaching out to her, so he pushes himself forward from the couch just enough to close the small distance between them. Once that has been achieved, his hand closes lightly over her shoulder, and only then do his movements come to a stop. But all the while, his eyes have been locked on hers. ]
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Settled in front of him, Alkaid watches as he begins to move. Her ears lift off her head in worry that he might strain himself more than he should. She moves closer to him in order to try and make whatever motion he moves to do easier. Her eyes are locked onto his all the while, never looking away. She wishes she could see what it is he is thinking beyond the glowing blue-and-white that's enveloped his normally sky-blue color. Although, she believes she does know what it is he is attempting to do.
Gently, as she has this entire ordeal, Alkaid slips between his legs. If he was not so injured she would sit on his lap as she might usually. There is only a moment of hesitation before she leans only a fraction of her weight against him if he so wishes to wrap his arms around her underneath the blanket. Her arms raise slowly to move around his waist, letting her head rest against his chest. Alkaid tilts her head up to look at him to make sure that she has not agitated any of the wounds she has unable to heal just yet. ]
... like this? [ She wants to make certain that she understands what he has tried to do. ]
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His shoulders dip and the blanket that she placed around him begins to slide off, and he catches it with one hand. It takes some maneuvering, and it is hardly a graceful attempt, but he tries to position the blanket around her shoulders instead. Although he is in a diminished state of awareness, he has felt how cold her hands are, and that part of him that still places the needs of others above his own has decided she needs the blanket more than he does.
Still, his effort to put it on her has placed it somewhat lopsidedly, a detail his clumsy efforts are doing little to alter. Finally, he is forced to give up the notion, as the effort has made his arms grow tired and he can no longer hold them up. Instead, they fall to rest against her lower back as he cannot manage to entirely wrap them around her.
Although he does not answer her question with words, he has done his best to convey that this is what he wants, and that he wishes to be sure that she is comfortable as well. ]
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There, now it fits the both of us.
[ Her hands return to his sides. One rests gently over the scar from the long healed stab wound. Her fingers gently brush along the scar through the fabric of the tunic that is usually underneath is armor that has been taken. ]
If you need to sleep, Aymeric, please do. We can eat once you've rested. [ Her head tilts back further as a sad smile touches the corners of her lips. One of her fingers gently presses against the scar. ] Has this been bothering you since they've brought you here? Or is it only the injuries from Estinien that pain you?
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The way she insists on re-draping the blanket so that they are both covered eases some of the concern and worry he holds inside, but the sad look in his eyes remains and the glow that returns does not entirely obscure it.
As her fingers lightly ghost alongside the healed wound, he leans forward once more so that he might rest his head against her shoulder, exhaustion seeming to pull him down even though he does not truly wish to sleep, not yet.
It isn't that his pain has lessened, although she saw to the wounds on his wrists and tended to the bruised areas on his back which has helped him breathe easier, but it has all settled into a constant state of discomfort, only occasionally spiking when the primal feels especially enraged. It isn't particularly comfortable, but it has reached a plateau of sorts.
The old wound has not responded well to the cold of the cell that he was held in, but it has become just another part of the ongoing struggle he has been locked in. Even so, his fingers curl and his lips press together into a thin line as if trying to hold back the ache that has spread out everywhere, not just from the place where he was stabbed. ]
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I see. [ She takes it to mean yes, but then everything must be hurting still. ] I'll do what I can to ease it.
[ Alkaid tilts her head so she can kiss the top of his. A shiver comes from where he presses. He always finds a way to make her react even now. She nuzzles her nose into his hair and simply sits as she is for a moment, eyes closed, trying to absorb everything she can in this moment. She believes they will find a cure and he will be free of enthrallment; that everyone will be. Yet, the realist in her cannot help but consider the idea that they may not have much time left together. ]
I love you. [ Her lips press another kiss to his head. ] I have never been good enough at expressing it to you. Just know, that no matter what happens, and where fate may take us, that I love you.
I'm not certain I would have survived what happened in Norvrandt if I didn't have the knowledge we'd be married. No matter how dark things were, how hopeless it was, I knew I had to come home to you. M-maybe that will not help you now... m-maybe I cling to it too much... but I still hold onto that. Even now.
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Although he cannot put it into words, just her presence by his side eases his discomfort. Somehow, she calms him, but she also gives him something else to focus on aside from the internal struggle that still has a hold on him.
But as she plainly states her feelings and her love for him, he still cannot give voice to a response, but his eyes still remain fixed on her.
His hands move then to latch onto hers, and although he still lacks the strength to put much into the gesture, he squeezes them as hard as he can to show that he is listening and that her words have not fallen on deaf ears.
If only he could bring to mind the depths of the love he had for her, it would reflect in his eyes, but at the most, they just shine a little bit brighter, a different sort of brightness that cannot be attributed to the primal's influence. ]
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The part that is a realist is ever present, but even then, Alkaid still hopes against hope. She knows that if they are to be separated by him returning to the star, that she will quite never be the same. Part of her will go with him. She feels as if they are tied together at their souls. Or, perhaps, that is her simply projecting.
Still, she smiles at him again for the look in his eyes.
Her ears twitch once the door opens. Alkaid peeks from the blanket wrapped around them as Estinien enters the room once more, this time with a tray filled with food. She gives him a tired smile as well as the dragoon places the food down on the table behind them. ]
It would seem the two of you have much to catch up on. I will leave you to it, and check in a few hours.
[ Before she can even thank him, Estinien leaves. However, he casts a glance towards Aymeric on his way out. One that says that he ought to not only care for Alkaid but himself. The door closes gently leaving the two alone once more.
Alkaid looks back to Aymeric with a gentle look. She squeezes his hands before standing up. ]
Let's have breakfast.
[ With one final kiss to their joined hands given, she turns to gather their meal. It's a simple soup and rice which is perhaps best given his lack of strength. She takes her seat beside him with the bowl between her hands and raised slightly up for him. ]
Do you need me to hold it for you?
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But as before, how she presses kisses into his hands stills some of the distress that is building up inside him, and although he is unable to move to respond to her efforts, his eyes remain focused on hers and he shifts position just enough to lean in closer to her. They are already very close to each other, but what little distance between them remains disappears when he moves forward.
And when Estinien enters the room carrying the tray of food, Aymeric still does not move away from her; his glance turns to look at the dragoon, and as before, that look of sadness forms itself once again in his eyes. In his present state, he is unable to reach out to anyone, and just as he misses holding Alkaid and speaking with her, he misses the camaraderie and brotherly bond he shares with Estinien.
But there is nothing to be done about that at present, only biding his time until either the primal's influence once again drags him away or something happens to free him from this imprisonment.
Estinien departs as quickly as he came, and in his absence, Aymeric's eyes slide back to meet Alkaid's. Strangely enough, rather than expend the effort to take hold of the offered food, he raises his hands to gently push it towards her. Clearly Estinien's words from before were correct; Aymeric still desires to see her needs met before his own. It might only be soup and rice, and certainly she might find other things more appetizing, but still: he is not the only one who needs to eat. ]
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What lover, even wife-to-be, does that to the person they love?
A tremor begins in her hands again as he gently pushes the food to her. A sign of the emotions she desperately tries to keep hold of to herself as to not burden him further. She understands the meaning of his action clearly: he would have her care for herself first. Two-toned eyes slowly fall to the food between them as her tail stills. If anything is certainly quite obvious of Aymeric still present? His care for others and his stubbornness seems to be unable to be rewritten by King Thordan.
She bites back a plea for Aymeric not to argue with her and to do this for her. The plea would ring hollow as he is most certainly right. She is in need of food and proper rest just as him. Instead, she lets out a sigh that shakes on the verge of tears once more. Then, she raises her gaze to look up at him. She moves her hands forward once more, but this time, she stops between them. ]
We can share it. [ Her braid shifts over her shoulder again once she tilts her head. ] You take a bite and then I will. Then, once we're done, we'll move to the bath.
[ Alkaid then holds the bowl up enough so he might take the spoon for himself. ]
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As for what she has done to help him, she has not abandoned him to his fate, remaining by his side, and that is help enough.
So, he is forced to settle for what he can do, which is try his best to make sure that her needs are met, even if he cannot do very much to insist that she sleeps and eats. Pushing the food towards her is the most he can manage, but true to form, she also declines, suggesting a compromise instead.
He wishes only to please her, to bring a real smile back to her face, but even as he reaches for the spoon, his hand and arm both begin to shake almost uncontrollably and his shoulders sag as if he has only disappointed himself once more. ]
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Oh, Aymeric, don't be upset. I shouldn't have asked you to do more than you're ready to do. The walk here was hard enough... I didn't think .... I should have. [ She squeezes his hand again before guiding it to rest inside the blankets. Then, she moves to pick up their breakfast once more into her hands. The bowl is settled in her lap and she fills the spoon full before raising it to his mouth for him to eat. ] You first, then I'll follow.
Then, after you've slept and woken up, I'll be certain to ask for two meals.
[ As she is certain he will not stand for sharing a meal with her again. ]
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/rolls this up