The Chaos of Healing

[»Míríel«]

Tarians fingers pushed a large amber vial aside and there before him was just the thing he was looking for. "There you are." He whispered as his fingers enclosed on the light blue bottle. Taking a small blade he headed for Neron.

Neron's mind was in delirious confusion. There was more pain as he was lowered down. His body felt hot and cold at the same time due to his body being in overdrive. To many things had happened and now his body was just doing everything at once. He needed sleep, his body needed time to have rest. There was no way for him to achieve this at the present moment, rest seemed an impossible luxury.
Even in this state of mind, he still thought of Jaedon, he couldn't figure out what was going on with her, why was she upset? Then he felt her tear on his face. Jaedon was crying? How? Why? What had he done now. "I'm a bloody fool." His mind repeated this over and over. It was hopeless, this thing between him and her. Would they ever understand each other? Neron sided on the negative. This wouldn't keep him from trying, now that he realized that he loved this girl, he was going to do his best for her, even if she didn't return the feelings.

Tarian was now at Nerons side. Gently he dipped the blade in the solution. Then with surgical like precision he nicked Neron on the shoulder. "Delightful stuff you know." His kind eyes gazed down at Neron, "'It'll get you to sleep in a jiffy."

Neron coughed and sighed in pain, yet his eyes never left Jaedon. She had turned away from him and now was reaching through everyone thoughts, he could sense her. "Jaedon...why" His eyes blinked a couple times and his hand reached for her, but it slumped down and hung limp off the table. Peace slid over him, different from the last peace. The pain was dull, but still there. Darkness over took him and he slid off into a deep sleep.

"Sorry bout that chap. But you needed your rest." He turned to CEcily, "I'm sure you won't mind me using this."

Cecily Raised an eyebrow, "You found it already? I thought I had found a good hiding place for you. Tarian, you know I make that just for you."

Miriel heard Jaedon's accusation and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. "What? What are you talking about? I did nothing? ? I just came in here to see Neron, he didn't want to come though." Her gaze turned to Neron for a moment. He looked peaceful enough, though there was still a look of pain on his forehead. When her gaze make its way back to Jaedon she tilted her head slightly, "Why?"

Tarian hearing the accusation turned to the two girls. "Is Damion the ol' boy outside? He seemed quite under the weather, if you get my drift."

[saerwen]

Jaedon could hear Neron calling himself a fool and everything in her thought, Why yes, Neron, you are. He would have been able to hear her seeing as how she was openly broadcasting everything to him by focusing on his own thoughts. She was coming to terms with the thoughts that she had heard from Neron, but she was not so trusting as to believe him yet. She would give it a chance for redemption though, and if he really loved her, he would take it. When he was better at least...Right now, he was starting to slip away thanks to the potion that Tarian had used. She left him with a final thought to continue where the previous one had left off. But I'll forgive you. I have to. He probably didn't understand quite what that meant, but for Jaedon, that was a promise that she wouldn't break. She was sure now...After almost losing him, Jaedon now knew that she would forgive Neron for anything that he did to her, simply because she couldn't bear to live without him. He was the life raft that she was holding onto, the only thing keeping her afloat.

Jaedon was glad that Neron was now asleep, because she had something else to worry about. It was becoming apparent to her that the temperature outside had dropped a few degrees in only a few minutes. It wasn't sudden enough to draw a lot of attention, but Jaedon knew that the weatherman had called for sunny and warm, not sunny and cold. Jaedon leaned her head back a little bit to pear through the door and almost let her jaw drop when she saw the ground completely covered in a sheet of ice. She then looked at Miriel with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think you need to be worrying about Neron right now. Damion has breaking points as well you know. He's not perfect, even though he gives that appearance quite often," Jaedon turned to look at the other two for a moment, and she soon found it impossible to believe that he held anything against either of them, "I don't know what his problem is,but even someone as warm-natured as you must be able to feel that the air is getting colder and we all see there aren't any clouds." Jaedon wasn't going to tell Miriel what she had seen in Damion's mind, knowing that Miriel was worried enough as things were. Besides, it would only take a matter of time before Miriel figured it out for herself. Something like that didn't just blow over.

[»Míríel«]

Miriel looked at Jaedon with a surprised expression. The eyes of her friends were narrowed and threatening. "I noticed the change, but I didn't connect a to B I suppose." She really was having trouble keeping track of things. There was so much going on at once it felt like she was caught up in a whirlwind. "I don't know what his problem is either. He's been acting so strange." She looked down and clasped her hands together, wringing her hands. "I guess I'll go talk to him." When her eyes gazed back at her friends she attempted a smile, "Or perhaps I'll just listen." One hand had moved and began twirling a lock on hair around her finger. She focused on it for a moment before letting it drop and she started to move towards the entrance. Every step she took the colder it grew. Anxiety started gnawing at her stomach, what was going on? Once she stood at the entrance, nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.
In just a couple of moments the whole world had turned to ice. It was as if the streams of time had stopped for a moment. Flowers, encased in ice, were bent slightly, as if wind was blowing them. The sands and dirt around the ruins also glittered in the sunlight like some rare stone, instead of the weather worn look they had once held. At first glance it looked like some sort of wonderland, yet the longer you stood the more eerie it became. Everything was quiet, the birds and the crickets which had been chirping and filling the air with their peeps, were missing. It was then she realized that the rivers of time hadn't stopped, they had been frozen.
Miriel stood, hair blowing about her in the indecisive wind. The black strands seemed nervous as they landed against her pale skin then leaped off into the air. She leaned slightly on the doorway, her nails picking at the side. Those green eyes of hers were confused as they traced the ice pattern to the feet of the one she loved. "Damion." The words escaped her lips without her will. They were laden with disbelief and concern. What could she do? Should she go down to him or should she stay where she was and leave him be? The one before her looked like Damion, but he didn't act like the Damion she knew. Was this a side of Damion that she should know about? Rage, horror, sadness hung on the air, chilling it even further. No, Miriel didn't know this Damion and for once she was scared in his presence.
Her fingers picked at the door frame once more, yet it was no use dwelling in indecision. She had made up her mind. She loved Damion and whatever happened she would be there for him, she would let him know that she was there.
"Damion?" The words were a bit louder than the first and as she spoke her face melted into a calm caring look, though her eyes revealed the confusion and worry. Her foot reached off the edge and landed on the ice, the sound split the air with a crisp crunch.

Tarian had been observing the two women thoughtfully. His face remained the serene image it was before. "Is everything alright Jaedon?" He picked the potion he had used on Neron and slipped a cork into the mouth of it. A slight smile came to his lips, "A silly question, forgive me. Obviously something is wrong. I hope it has nothing to do with me." His eyes studied her face for a moment. Then his caring eyes dropped to the blade he had used on Neron, he cleaned the blood off with a swift swipe to a rag. There was something about the air of Tarian, it was a calm and sweet energy almost, it was almost relaxing to the nerves. Some found it exasperating though, his calmness to many situations could be trying.

Cecily busied herself around the room for a moment, picking up random pieces of broken ceramics or scattered herbs. She made sure to make a bit of a racket for the inside of the room. Enough to tell Jaedon that she wasn't listening. Even still her eyes would glance at the two with hints of jealousy and curiosity within them. "Hopefully Neron will heal quicker than expected, then these people can leave me and Tarian alone." She sighed as she picked up a silver fragment. "Oh dear, my favorite pot. What a shame." She looked at her reflection for a moment. It was blurry and undefined, but cast an interesting perspective on the facial figure, distorting it in an amusing way. Her eyes tore away from it a moment to look at the two. "Though you would never force them out until he was ready. Though I would never let them know it." She smirked as she tossed the shard into a bag and reached for another.

[saerwen]

"Damion has no reason to be angry with you that I know of, so you have no reason to worry. Damion doesn't get angry at people for no reason. He isn't really angry though, that is the problem. He isn't this out of sorts unless he is angry,or at least that is how it usually is, but this time, he isn't angry. I don't know what got him like this, but I am guessing he will be fine in a little while," Jaedon spoke thoughtfully as she looked not at the door or Miriel but Neron. He was couldn't feel the pain anymore, of that she was very glad, but she wanted to talk to him. She would just have to be patient.

Damion had been brooding. He just kept imaging that that person was everywhere. He knew that she wasn't, but he found it almost impossible to get her image out of his head. The last time that he had seen her had easily been the worst day of his life. All of his beliefs had been destroyed in one fell swoop. He had allowed himself to fall into a pit of snakes unawares. He would never forgive her. He had almost lost his own soul that day, not to mention the soul of a friend.

He didn't hear Miriel until his ice was cracked by her footstep. Even though it wasn't thick enough to hold against her weight, it was still slick. His head jerked up at the sound as it rung in his ears like bells. When he looked up he thought that it was the person that he was now haunted by, but he was soon filled with relief when he recognized Miriel's face. She was such a sweet sight for a mind so bitterly enraptured.

His normally sparkling and bright blue eyes were bright from glowing a snowy blue, "Miriel..." his voice faded out before he could say anything else. He wanted to run up to her and fall into her arms. He was tired and confused and he felt like crying. However, he wasn't going to do that, she already had enough to worry about with Neron. There was no hiding what was on his heart from her, she could tell already that there was something wrong with him, but he wasn't going to tell her what it was. He couldn't.

He let out a sigh and tried to make sure that the subject didn't get on what was wrong with him, "Miriel-" he paused and looked as though he were choking something back, "how is Neron?" He couldn't look at her any longer so he stared at the ground, only now realizing that it was frozen. His eyes got a little wider as he stared at it for a moment. I did this? He then let out another sigh and he shook his head, holding it with his hands. The ice began to melt rapidly as Damion practically collapsed on the ground. He sat with his arms resting across his knees, head resting on them.

[»Míríel«]

Miriel looked upon Damion with tender eyes. HE looked like a lost child, or one who was having nightmares. His eyes were haunted, his voice was weak. As the ice melted around her and he collapsed on the ground she rushed down to him. Collapsing on her knees at his side she wrapped her arms around him and drew him close to her. Resting her chin on the top of his head she cradled him as a mother a child. "Neron's fine Damion, Neron's fine. Luckily Tarian brought him back just in time. Without him Neron probably wouldn't have made it. Without Cecily as well, she used a potion and it seems to be working. You don't have to worry though, Tarian and Cecily have it under control. Tarian seems like a nice guy, I believe you two will become friends." She rested her head on his for a moment before continuing, "You don't have to worry about Neron any more, is that what made you like this? What is bothering you?" She released her hold and her embrace and looked at Damion. When she had been talking about Tarian her voice had gotten soft, not because she liked him but because she was very grateful to him.

Tarian looked at Neron for a moment and then turned to Jaedon. " You know, he really loves you. He doesn't seem one to give out his love easily. You are one lucky girl." Tarian smiled gently at her and then made his way toward the door to see how Miriel was fairing. His quiet footsteps carried him quickly and seeing the two on their knees clasping each other. "Hello, Is everything alright down there?" His voice carried on the wind smoothly about a minute or two after Miriel had asked Damion the question.

CEcily waltzed over to NEron for a moment and bent down to examine the bandages. "Hmmm... Seems like those scratches are allowing the poison to drain out of his body." The bandages were a red laced with black. "Though we will probably have to change them soon. " Her eyes drifted up toward Jaedon for a moment and her eyes narrowed slightly. Setting down the bag carrying the shards of pottery she placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward, "By we I mean I. As soon as Tarian returns and your friends I must ask you and them to leave. This one." She pointed at Neron, "Is going to need my expertise and I don't want you people, "She waved a finger at her, "Worrying him about questions and agitating him with the chaos of love. So. This potion that Tarian gave him should make him sleep all day. You won't be able to say goodbye, but perhaps that's better. You understand?" Her gaze dared Jaedon to contradict her.

[saerwen]

Jaedon didn't really know what to say to Tarian. She was sure that she loved Neron and that she would love him to the end, but she was having trouble swallowing the thought of what would happen if Neron changed his mind. Sure he said that he loved her now, and it was pretty hard to earn Neron's love, but did that also mean that it was easy to lose. Or even if it wasn't, what if Neron found someone else...Someone better than Jaedon, someone prettier than Jaedon, someone smarter of kinder than Jaedon. What if? It plagued her mind. She knew that if she fell for Neron completely, surrendering to his attentions, then she would never be able to climb back out. If she let herself love him then if he ever decided to change his mind, she really would lose herself. There would be nothing to stop her from killing herself. She wouldn't have anything else to live for. She was no longer scared of Neron not loving her, she was scared of Neron loving her and then leaving. She stared at his now calm face, knowing that she had two choices. She could walk away and then stay away, or she could walk away and return.

Hearing Cecily's comments about her and Miriel and Damion leaving she knew that she had to go. She ripped her eyes away from the face of the man she knew she would always adore, whether from a distance or not, "Yeah, I understand. We'll leave." With that she turned around to leave.

Damion was so glad to have Miriel. If something like this had happened and she had not been there, he hated the thought of what he would have done. Her arms around him were like a protecting wall, keeping all of the anger, bitterness, and hatred out. However, her tender speech about the man that had kept her from falling struck a chord in him that he couldn't put a name to. It wasn't anything that he was feeling, but more like growing worry that Tarian would become some sort of problem. He wanted to believe Miriel when she said that they would become good friends, but all that he could muster was a hollow, "I am sure that we will."

Then she had to ask what was bothering him...Why did she have to care so much? Couldn't she just holding him and comfort him without asking that question. He was unable to answer it. Like he was turned to stone, Damion's body stiffened. His mouth tightened into a firm line, "It's nothing. I'm just tired." His words weren't soft like usual, but rather harsh and quick. He wanted to shut the subject down immediately.

Then Tarian came into the situation and Damion's already harsh voice served to addressed him with what might have seemed anger, "Everything is fine, thank you."

"No, it's not," Jaedon's voice rose through the air. She had come out just in time to hear Damion. His unforgiving demeanor betrayed that something was very, very wrong, "Miriel, I think that you should take Damion and get away from here. If it really is nothing more than exhaustion then we all know the fix for that." She wasn't about to let Damion get away with ruining his reputation as a kind and gentle person.

It took a lot for Damion to hold his tongue. His fists clenched into balls and ice began to seep out around him like the rings rippling in a pool of water. It slowly began to cover the ground. If he couldn't vent verbally, he was going to vent magically. His skin was starting to slowly fade away, little white flakes of snow began to flow around his form and also on Miriel.

[»Míríel«]

Cecily felt herself smile in a crafty manner, "Good. Very good." Leaning back she picked up her bag and drug it along the floor to another corner. Turning around JAedon was no longer there. "Peace...finally." She sighed and let her gaze drift back to Neron. It was going to be a hard couple weeks for this man. No doubt he would be kicking and screaming to leave but his body would be begging him to be still. Cecily wouldn't keep him past what he wanted, it wasn't her style. If he wanted the pain and the problems, that's his choice and she isn't going to force him to stay. Putting her hands on her hips she frowned at him, "You better be good to me."

Miriel was a little shocked by his cold words. They weren't bad in themselves, but the way he said them made chills run up and down her spine. As soon as he put it off as being tired she blinked and moved her head back to look at him closer. He was lying to her, he was lying. She looked at him with a confused look, she doubt he would have seen it though, he was so distant. She decided not to press it though, for fear that it would grow only worse. When Jaedon said that she needed to take him home she knew that she must, yet all she wanted to do was hold Damion close, he needed her. That she could feel.

As Damion began to react to Jaedon she could feel the negative and cold seeping from him. HIs skin was fading, fast. "No Damion, no!" She felt her body start to grow warm in contrast to the cold, it was a natural reaction,. She wanted to grab him tighter, but she knew that would only hurt him. So she released her grip and backed away. IT was the hardest thing she had done in her entire life. As she moved back the snow on her began to melt and drip down her hair, down her face like tears. How could snow, something that had been so beautiful once before, be so terrible. She took a step back, her eyes never leaving DAmion. She felt so lost and confused, and so hurt at the same time. How could she feel so much love for a man and want to be around him so much, yet also feel hurt and almost a loss of trust. What was he not telling her? Had she done something, had someone else done something? What if he was doubting her or what if he was having different feelings about her? She doubted the latter but the way he was acting was frightening. "Please."

Tarian was watching the scene with a stoic manner. This was a pickle.

[saerwen]

Damion was fading away, or at least his human appearance was. Whiter and whiter, brighter and brighter. There was no stopping it this time. He was lost. By the time that he wanted to stop the transformation he knew that it was too late. Miriel's plea's hadn't fallen on deaf ears. However, he knew that he needed to run, and he could run fastest when he was in his true form. The sky was calling him away. It was calling him to a session of thought.

It wasn't long before his dragon form was revealed. Icy scales shone in the sun and his cold breath looked like puffs of smoke as it collided with the hot air. His eyes were sorrowful as he turned to look at Miriel. His voice was now deep, and it sounded like the voice of a depressed old man, recalling days of higher glory, "I am sorry my dear, but Jaedon is right. I do need to leave before I do anything more. It's obvious that I can't keep my emotions in tact." He then turned to fly away, but before he did he realized he had forgotten to say something very important. He turned his head back and whispered to Miriel, "I love you." With that he turned and flew away. As he left, he felt a piece of his heart stay behind, wishing that he could stay. He wanted to stay with Miriel so badly. He wanted her comforting arms. He wanted to tell her everything. But he couldn't. If he did he knew that he would end up hurting her or someone else with either his words or actions. He was loosing himself inside this memory, just like he had last time, but this time, the cure wasn't tangible, or at least, that is what he thought.

Jaedon watched as Damion left. She was smiling, which might have seemed rather cold to everyone else. But she wasn't glad that he had to leave, she was glad that he made the right choice. Damion was a wise person and he knew when he was beaten. He made the right choice to leave in order to prevent further harm. Jaedon knew that everything within Damion would rather have stayed with Miriel and not left Neron, but he had to. She was very proud of to know someone like him, someone who would always put the safety and well-being of others first.

She walked up to Miriel and put a gentle hand on her friends shoulder, "You know it was really hard for him to do that, don't you? He really adores you, Miriel." then gently squeezing her shoulder she delivered her message from Cecily, "We need to go. Cecily needs to finish with Neron, and I am thinking that you need a break from this place. Let's go."

[»Míríel«]

Icy scales emerged from the snowy frost that circulated around Damion. It was his other form, something beautiful and observe with wonder, like an ice sculpture, yet it was fearsome to behold. Miriel's eyes stayed focused on his face. His voice was deep and tinged with age. When his words muttered the words "I love you" She looked at him as her eyes grew glassy with tears. "I love you too." These words came out of her mouth when he was already in the sky. There was no way he could have heard her small voice over the beating of wings. Unconsciously she took a step toward his fading figure. It felt like her heart was breaking. Damion was hurting and she couldn't help, Neron was hurt and she couldn't help. Instead she had helped Ares, someone who caused all the problems and was now dead. A waste of her power. "You didn't know that he was evil at the time, don't be hard on yourself." She shook her head and let it bow in distress. Those delicate features of hers were darkened by shadows.

A hand on her shoulder, it was warm and familiar. Jaedon. She turned, blinking back tears and nodded. "Yes...he does. He's a great guy." A tear escaped from her eye and she wiped it away before it reached her cheek. "I suppose we should...Thank you Jaedon." A cheerful expression came to her face, though it lacked energy.

Tarian looked at the two females with pity in his eyes. They both were going through a lot. Their lovers were both hurt, one emotionally, the other physical. Walking to them he greeted them. "I hope you don't mind me joining you ladies. This weather is spifing and I will make sure you make it home safely. Though I know it may seem a bit dodgy because we have just be acquainted, but I can assure you an am the best sort of chap." He winked, "Who as a very humble attitude I'm sure you two can see." His face lighted up with a smile, he was trying his best to lighten the mood. "And I'd be pleased as punch to get to know you too." He sighed and looked at the two. "Oh, excuse the phrase, I riddle my speech with those blasted phrases and I completely forget others may not understand. How rude of me. " He smiled at them again, "Though I'm sure you got the drift if I may say."

[saerwen]

Jaedon found that this Tarian guy was much like Damion. It was kind of scary. He was just a lot more English than Damion. Sure Damion used the whole "my dear" thing, but he wasn't heavily British. He just adopted that kind of speech slightly enough because his best friend was English. You hang out with the right crowd long enough and you get more and more like them. If Tarian and Damion ever did find that they had enough in common to become friends, which Jaedon was almost positive that they would, then she knew that Damion's British roots would never die away. All hope was lost for him returning to his original roots.

"You aren't going to stay with Cecily? I suppose that is rather wise of you though..." Jaedon was thinking out loud more than anything. When he talked about seeming dodgey, Jaedon let out the first smile of the day, "Honey, you haven't begun to see dodgy. You have joined just about the worst crowd in town. You're a saint when you are around people like us," she was talking mostly about herself and Neron, although she gave Miriel a knowing look. That innocent little phoenix had a hidden mischief, and Jaedon knew it. Jaedon almost rolled her eyes at his over the top apology...English. "Yes, we got your drift. You aren't the only guy we know that uses riddled speech." She hoped that her open hint of Damion wouldn't dampen Miriel's day...

[»Míríel«]

Tarian turned back toward Cecily's house and saw a white fox watching him. The fox flickered for a moment before disappearing. " No, She won't mind to much....hopefully." He ran his hand through his hair. "If not I don't want to come back."

Miriel was distracted. Her mind was off thinking about another someone and Jaedon's little comment went unnoticed. Even though she seemed to be in a light mood, JAedon would probably be able to tell she wasn't herself.

CEcily watched the trio walk off. She was alone, well almost alone. Considering tat NEron was out like a light. She sighed and leaped up the rocks back to her place. It was nice to be in her true form again. Sometimes she wished she had someone to stay around, someone to lean on. But then again she valued her silence. She turned once more to cast a look at the three once more, they were merely dots now. Another ishg passed her lips and she passed through her doorway. She had a lot to do.

THE END