Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

Only that it's really out of her control, but that I am fighting for her life. The threat shan't last long, though. After a few quiet moments, the voice added, Déithe cabhrú leat...You may wish to tell her that I apologize for the incidents with the visions. I am not supposed to speak with mortals in the way we are speaking now, but I am unpracticed with the visions. I wished to communicate with her, but her fear, lingering alienation toward her magic, and the power struggle tore the control from my grasp."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn didn't really know how to give a response, so he huffed once and wagged his tail and hoped for the best. <What can I do to help?>

 

[Dragongal]

Keep her warm, keep her close. Try to keep her calm. And until I tell you it is safe, you must not allow her to go outdoors during the night. I leave it up to you whether or not she should be told. Also... I do believe I owe you an apology for the scarring on your back and shoulders.

 

[BookWyrm]

<Apologies don't take away the pain, or the memories, or even make the scars fade away. In truth apologizing might as well be the same as reopening them and pouring vinegar into the wound before rubbing it all down with salt.> Dayn wanted to growl and snarl and rip out a throat, but all that he ended up doing was sighing heavily. <An apology, though, means that you seem to have not done this by your own will. For whatever it is worth....I accept it.>

 

[Dragongal]

It wasn't exactly me. I wasn't actually present at the event either time, though I did influence it in ways. I must go now. Take care of her. Remember, keep her warm, close, and do not let her outside after dark. Keep the fire going so that she is not in the dark. The presence was gone. Arryn shifted a bit and nuzzled against Dayn's neck some as she got comfortable again.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn relaxed under Arryn's touch and closed his eyes. Whatever the presence had tried to convey through the apology had been lost in some way. Now that Dayn knew she had some part to play in his mutilation he felt perhaps a bit more resistant to her aid than he did before, but...


He couldn't deny that she was giving solid advice. The only problem in all of this was himself, or something about him. He seemed to draw away the light whenever he used magic, and the presence had clearly instructed him to keep fire going and to have Arryn near light. That was crucial, and for certain it seemed like it would be. But was he a risk to her now? A few stray tears slid down his cheeks as sleep claimed him.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn stirred a bit a few hours later and opened her eyes. She pulled away a bit so she could look up at Dayn. Big wolf. She snuggled close again and stayed awake while she thought over everything. There were still gaps. She remembered passing out on the cushion, and everything after waking up, but she felt like she was still missing pieces. Had something happened that Dayn hadn't known of? She felt like she should have been able to remember something.... But that could be thought over later.


So, the woman had tried to help her? She was a banshee, she was one of the creatures that had harmed her and Dayn. That woman had hurt her Dayn. Arryn reached out and wrapped her arms around Dayn's neck as best she could, both looking for comfort and to be possessive. She shivered a bit and looked at the fire, noting that it was a bit low. Oddly enough, though, she wasn't shivering from cold....

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn stirred and took a deep breath before yawning and stretching his paws out. He opened his eyes and looked around until he found Arryn, which caused his tail to wag in response as he curled around her.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and nuzzled against Dayn some more. "Dia duit, mo chroi." My big wolf. She felt slightly off and didn't understand why, but she wasn't going to tell Dayn that. He had enough issues as it was.

 

[BookWyrm]

<Good morning beautiful.> Dayn shifted and pulled the blankets up around Arryn, making sure to keep the magic blanket on her at all times. <How are you feeling?>

 

[Dragongal]

Don't tell him. "As well as can be expected. Is it really morning...?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn raised his head to look at the windows. He couldn't tell whether it was early morning or late night. Probably a bit of both. <Early morning. Dawn is still hours away.> Dayn turned to look at the fire and felt a shudder roll over his body. <I need to get the fires going again.> He shifted back, thankfully without issue, and didn't even bother to put on his clothes before tending to all of the fires in the house. He stoked them all well and packed them in so that they would burn for the remaining dark hours. After the fires were roaring and bright Dayn lit several candles and placed them strategically throughout the house. He even went so far as to hang the Sam Hein lanterns in the windows and started incense to burning before returning to the great room with more cushions, pillows, and anything he could find to improvise a comfortable sleeping arrangement. Only after everything was tended to did Dayn finally return to Arryn's side and pull her close against him. He refused to draw on any of his magic for fear that he would snuff the lights out and welcome something into the darkness.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked at Dayn curiously. "Why the lanterns and incense? And all the candles?" Did something happen while I slept...?

 

[BookWyrm]

How can I explain this? "I'm not in the mood to take risks." In truth Dayn held Arryn in a very protective manner. He was gentle and loving, his fingers absentmindedly playing in Arryn's hair or over her skin, but his muscles were ready under his own skin.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn nodded a bit and he nestled her head under his chin. She loved it when he held her so protectively, especially when she was upset, but all of the candles and lanterns...? After a few quiet moments she said, "If it's because of the shadow thing... I'm not scared of you, Dayn, or anything all of that might bring."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn pulled back just enough to look at Arryn for a few moments. He hadn't expected her to mention all of that about him, but his heart was moved nonetheless. He leaned forward and kissed her lips before laying down again. "It's not that, though that does bother me. The candles, the lanterns, incense, it's for something else. Just....precautions."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn searched his face for some emotion he may have been hiding before nodding and burying her head against him again. It felt good to feel so... protected. Especially with all the confusion at the moment. "Okay. I trust you."

 

[BookWyrm]

Those words meant a lot to Dayn, more than Arryn could ever know. In a way just that statement alone let him rest, all of his worries laid away for the time being.

 

[Dragongal]

As Arryn laid against Dayn she realized something. She was fully open and emotionally vulnerable. She had been scared but now he was protecting her, so her walls had completely fallen. Sure there were still moments where she was a bit nervous, but that made her that much more dependent on Dayn. She felt a bit guilty because of what he was going through too, but she knew that she just had to trust him and let him protect her.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn rubbed Arryn's back lightly as he laid there with her, though mentally he was running a checklist of everything he had just gone through. Lanterns, incense, candles, fires, all of it is set. Okay Dayn, breath. You've got everything taken care of.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn had started to doze off a bit. The moment she noticed, though, she shook her head and hugged Dayn tighter. The risk of the nightmares was just... something she didn't want to deal with. And she wanted to be with Dayn, not in a nightmare.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn frowned as Arryn struggled to stay awake. He wanted to help her in some way, but he knew using any magic could be dangerous until he figured out what was happening. "What can I do to help you relax?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn pulled back for a few moments to look at him before snuggling close again. "Hold me." Unless they found a sure way for him to keep her from having nightmares, or else some way he could interfere for certain, he couldn't do much.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn adjusted his position and pulled Arryn close against him, letting her rest her head over his heart as he wrapped an arm around her waist while the other embraced the back of her neck so he could rub it gently. He wasn't just going to hold her, he was going to protect and love her.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn closed her eyes and relaxed against Dayn. She didn't want to sleep now because she didn't want to miss any of this. Unfortunately, though, she soon fell asleep.


Arryn was in the crowded ballroom again. Knowing what had happened last time, she tried to head for the exit, but was cut off when the woman suddenly appeared in front of her. "Go away!" Aryn yelled at the woman and tried to step away. The woman honestly looked a little disappointed. "I don't want to hurt you, what will it take to get you to listen to me?" Arryn nearly growled at the woman. This bitch scars her and her husband forever, was part of the reason Arryn went insane, and has been torturing her in her dreams again, and she wants to talk? Arryn was equally scared as she was angry. "Nothing. I want you dead." "This is a misunderstanding, I'm trying to - " "Go away! And leave my husband alone!" The woman paused. "Your husband...? Well... that's an idea...."


Arryn struggled to find her connection to Dayn and forced herself awake. She hugged him tighter for a few seconds before whispering, "I hate her so much...."