• Closed • Crash

[Elyna]

13th Ymiden 716

“Ben, I’m fine – I just want to go!”

But the Knight didn’t release his grip on his shoulder and kept her firmly in place. He’d carried her, with Kathryn’s help into the infirmary, found an empty room and deposited the lady gentle on the bed. Kathryn had fled in search of a Doctor to assist them but it hadn’t been long until Elyna had come around once more. Covered in dust, sweat and grime she struggled, heart racing to sit up. Malcolm, they’d dragged him away across the sand. The trail of crimson blood stark and bright on the pale surface. He was dying. She couldn’t sit around in the infirmary she had to get back to the arena, and Ben wasn’t letting her go.

Growling with frustration, Elyna only relented when the wave of dizziness threatened to pull her under again. Sparks danced in front of her vision, clouding it. Sickness made her stomach clench and she groaned, pressing her hands over her eyes and waiting for the sensation to pass. If she fainted again, she doubted they would release her to the arena. Footsteps echoed on the corridor, as they had in Ashan. Kathryn returned.

“Ben, a doctor is on the way….we should…”

“Lady Elyna we’ll check on the Captain, you should rest.”

“Maybe it’s the poison Elyna,” Kathryn tapped her on the hand before the two made a quick exit.

She needed to leave, she needed to see Malcolm and make sure he was okay. Would they arena surgeon stitch his wounds? Would they just leave him to die? Hot tears built at the back of her eyes again. There were few times in her life that the Noble had felt helpless, and this was one of those times.

The Skyrider let out a slow uneven breath, pale and thinner than she’d been the previous season she pulled her hands back from chocolate eyes and turned to look at the Doctor who entered the room.

[Levinia]

Levinia was glad that she was back to work. To her own work, although she had been busy with her family’s practice, it wasn’t the same. When the call came in for a doctor, Levinia rushed to see. She used her diminutive size to sneak through. It was always a rush with doctors like herself. She was establishing a patient roster but that took time and in the meantime it was a dog eat dog world for her.

As the others scrambled, she managed to get into the room and was shocked to see who the patient was. “Elyna!” Levinia breathed and rushed to her friend’s side. She had not been able to get in touch with her friend, being that she wasn’t the ‘right’ sort. Friend or not, Levinia wasn’t necessarily upper class. Her looks got her only so much and so far and visits with a lady unannounced was not allowed. She had been planning on writing Elyna but time had slipped away. Still, there she was, in bed and looking rather green, “What’s wrong?”

The white haired woman made her way over to Ely and immediately took her face in her hands then pursed her lips. “I should have known I’d find you here, you’re always getting into things, aren’t you?” She wasn’t angry, not really, she couldn’t get too angry at Elyna. After all, Levinia lived vicariously through her beautiful friend and her adventures filled her evenings better than the best Bard.

Levinia smiled warmly, “Now tell me, what’s wrong? What are your symptoms? What have you gotten yourself into now?” She chuckled slightly then sighed, “I’ve missed you, my friend, and I’m glad to see you again, even if it is in these circumstances.”

[Elyna]

“Nothing is wrong!” The Skyrider protested, and yet she remained where Ben had dropped her on the bed. Savoring the slowly returning strength so that in a few short trills she could remove herself from the bed and the infirmary in one go. Of all the Doctors that could have attended, Levinia was possibly the only one she would have remained therefore and she was grateful to see her fair haired friend. The smile she gave was genuine, despite the nagging exhaustion that tried to keep her down.

“It’s the poisoning from Ashan,” Elyna explained with as much patience as she could muster, “I don’t…Lev I don’t know if I’m going to recover from it,” her voice dropped low. It was a real fear, a genuine worry that had been circling for the past few trials. If she kept being made so weak, then how could she carry on her life as a Skyrider? It was no place for weakness.

She risked a look at the door, every breath wasted here was another before she could try and find Malcolm. Despite her anger at the man, and her frustration with their curtailed relationship, she wanted him to live. Needed him to pull through the mortal wound. If he was dying and trapped behind bars, she could maybe convince him to transfer the injury – she would be free to find a doctor…or maybe she had one already…Her gaze returned to Levinia and she sat up, forming a plan. But the rapid movement sent her head spinning and she groaned.

“I just get…dizzy when I move to fast and I can’t eat because I feel sick and it comes in waves…Lev, I’m so sick of feeling sick!” Tears of frustration pricked at the back of her eyes, this had been building for far too long, “but more important…I have to get back to the Arena. Mal-” the young woman bit the tip of her tongue. From what she remembered of Levinia and Malcolm meeting in Ashan, they hadn’t gotten along. How much did her friend suspect in their involvement together? Malcolm had not exactly been careful when he’d attended her bedside. She swallowed, it didn’t matter anymore did it? There was nothing to suspect, because they were through. She was due to marry his son, Marcus – and she’d already made that bed.

[Levinia]

Levinia crinkled her forehead in thought. The poisoning during Ashan should not still be affecting her. Elyna was strong and Levinia was certain the potions the healers gave her were more than enough to wash out all the toxins. Still, it sounded like she had a problem. Schooling her features in order not to worry her friend, Levinia smiled and rubbed Ely’s upper arm warmly. “Okay, Ely, let's see what’s going on. You say you feel sick?” She confirmed then gently ordered. “Please lay down so I can check.”

She did not know the latest from Elyna, so in order to distract her, Levinia asked, “So what’s new, my dear? I hear you’re getting married?” She lifted an eyebrow and helped Elyna to lay down, “What happened to that crush you had, what’s his name.” She pretended not to remember Malcolm’s name, but she did remember him. Arrogant with a narrowed viewed of the world, mainly, unless it consisted of himself. At least that was her assessment of him. Then again they did not get along well the last time. Make a few suggestions to a man and you get snooty attitude right back. It just went to show, no good deed goes unpunished.

Once Elyna was settled down flat, Levinia warmed her hands and then lifted her top to expose her belly. She then pressed warmed hands down and pressed. “Hmmmm??” The noise came out as she pondered on something strange. Her small hands moved to another spot and pressed down again. “Elyna?” Levinia felt as much as she needed for the moment, she had an important question for her the skyrider. “When was the last time you had your lunar?”

As she waited for that response, Levinia went to her bag where she carried her potions and took out a couple of vials. She might be wrong, but just incase she wasn’t she wanted to make certain she was ready to test out her theory. Remembering her bedside manner she patted Elyna’s arm, “It’ll be okay, Ely, I’ll take care of you.”

[Elyna]

Elyna kept a watchful eye on her friend, shuffling over the bed till she lay almost flat. Gaze moving over the wooden ceiling. Outside the streets were still busy with folk piling out from the arena, voices raised in panic and excitement. The match had been excellent spectator sport, and those blue cloaks…what did it all mean? She clenched her hands into fists, trying to quell the urge to leap up and run away, a tremor moved down her spine as Lev made her examination. Tension pulled muscles taught, and sprung, ready for action. Heart raced with fractured anxiety. Married?

The Skyrider blinked and nodded, silent for a moment, “my Mother has arranged a match for me,” she explained. Married sounded so romantic. But this was a business arrangement, one that left her feeling cold now that she knew the identity of her intended groom; Malcolms son. The young woman tilted her head to the side, brow raised. The crush? Malcolm? She closed her teeth over the tip of her tongue and bit down gently. It had been too long since she’d seen her friend.

“I think you mean the Captain who brought me in?” she tried to distance herself. She trusted Levinia not to tell the world of a torrid affair, but there was nothing left to protect. “He just…got dragged out of the arena with his belly cut,” the words were soft spoken and heavy her lips, “Levy…can you just sign me out? I…I want to make sure he’s alright,” her back teeth clenched together, “I need to make sure…”

Somehow, Levinia’s question trickled into her consciousness and she sank back again, thinking “it must have been-” In Burhan? No…that wasn’t right. Before Burhan then…before the poisoning? That seemed like a long time. But the sickness had thrown her off count of her usual cycles. Her gaze narrowed as she tried to remember, and when she did, heat raced down her spine and she sat up, staring at the door. No. No…It couldn’t be…

Her breath came in a gasp, “Ashan…I was sent on a mission to Krome…it was a couple trials before then…the….the…66th? 67th?”

[Levinia]

“I think you mean the Captain who brought me in?” she tried to distance herself. She trusted Levinia not to tell the world of a torrid affair, but there was nothing left to protect. “He just…got dragged out of the arena with his belly cut,” the words were soft spoken and heavy her lips, “Levy…can you just sign me out? I…I want to make sure he’s alright,” her back teeth clenched together, “I need to make sure…”

Levinia’s eyes went wide at the news, having not kept up with whatever was going on in certain levels of Andarian government. She patted her friend's hand, “Sshhh, a belly wound is not fatal, I’m sure the doctors will treat him. I promise to find out what’s going on with him. In the meantime, think….”

It was obvious by Elyna’s worry that the crush was still there, perhaps there was even more. The Captain, Malcolm, was married which was a pity because she believed he and her friend would make a nice couple. At least that’s the last she knew of him. He was definitely trouble, however, whatever he did to be thrown in the arena can’t be good. Still, she had no time to ponder on the workings of the nobility and their guard.

As Elyna fought to remember her last menstrual cycle, Levinia wanted to laugh. Not a laugher of malice or to hurt her friend’s feelings but one of frustration. What had Elyna gotten herself into now? Instead she sighed hoping she was wrong but still, there could be only one answer.

Her breath came in a gasp, “Ashan…I was sent on a mission to Krome…it was a couple trials before then…the….the…66th? 67th?”

“Oh, Ely.” Levinia began to prepare a solution that may just give her a definite answer, but first she would give her theory. “With your symptoms and what I feel going on inside you, I think you may be pregnant.” She smiled, pregnancy was a wonderful blessing and she was happy for her friend. “Still, we’ll double check, I'll prepare a potion that will give me a definite answer. But I don’t think I’m wrong...it's a good thing you’re getting married.” Levinia smiled her ignorance of her friend’s love matter was obvious. “I hope the father will be happy about it.”

[Elyna]

Elyna could sense the silent judgement and she executed it upon herself. A foolish girl, somehow despite all of her attention and care to not become pregnant…somehow it had happened. How? Even before Levinia gave her verdict, Elyna had a good idea of what her friend was about to say. Although she wasn’t book-smart or academic in any sense of the word, the Skyrider wasn’t stupid. Well, she hadn’t thought so, until right now. How? How had it happened? Her reaction was a tangled not of emotion. Joy warred with despair, hope, elation and terror.

Levinia produced a vial and Elyna say, numb, mute and blinking at the bottle. The father? She was getting married? The woman pulled in a sharp breath and seemed to wake up, eyes widening with panic, “oh…oh no…no I won’t…I won’t be getting married to Marcus,” dizziness or not the woman swung her legs over her bed and dropped back to her feet. She couldn’t be still, not at a moment like this. Hands were put together and pulled apart again, wrung “oh…” she cursed and clenched her fists.

“M-my parents…if I don’t marry Malcolm’s son then…then I’m…” she couldn’t finish her sentence. She loved her family. Though she didn’t flaunt or carry the title of Lady for all the world to cower at her feet, she loved her parents and wanted what any noble daughter strived to achieve, to make her parents proud; to be worthy of their devotion and respect. Fingers shook as they were pushed through dark hair and finally she spun, taking hold of Levinia’s hand, “Lev…Levina,” she swallowed her pride, “If I am - it’s…it’s Malcolms,” she whispered, “the baby would be his…h-he just got thrown into the arena for killing his wife and…” hot tears built quickly behind her eyes and she dropped the pale hands to try and dash them away before they could fall, “damn it Lev…I’d be down there with him if I could be. I don’t care what they arrested him for – it’s not true!”