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 Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:30 am
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Everything seemed to come in blurbs of memory, instances of such raw emotion and feeling that could only be strung together by assumptions. It came in between longer moments of darkness, making it difficult to discern memory from dream. That was if anything was even a memory at all, for all she was able of understanding at the moment, it could have been a figment of her imagination. It wouldn't have been the first time such tricks had been played. With the way it all moved, she could have been asleep?
Was she asleep? Were these dreams, or were they reality?
Light seemed to come to her consciousness for moments, but the pain in her head had her seeking for the dark soon thereafter. It seemed so long ago that she and her niece had been gone, yet for small glimpses it seemed only seconds ago. Moony... that was right, Moony was hurt! She had to wake up! She had to go to her and protect her. Now!
Eyelids flickered open, halfway, blankly looking away as the reality seemed to spin back to the princess. A wave of nausea hit her, causing her body to shudder slightly and her voice to groan as her eyes closed again. Everything was so sore, her head throbbed and even the darkness seemed to spin and threaten her stability.
Could this really be reality?
Maybe she was better off asleep...
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 11:50 am
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Though the healers had assured him that there didn't seem to be any permanent damage, Faroth wasn't going to be able to rest easy until he knew for sure. He'd accepted the offer of a chair after refusing to leave until the Princess woke up. It wasn't the most comfortable chair he'd ever had, but that wasn't even registering in his mind at the moment. Celestia's odd behavior in the moments before her blackout remained his primary concern. With all of her other injuries, he'd never considered that she might have also had a head wound going unchecked.
Still, the healers knew what they were doing...right? Of course they did. It was, you know...what they did, right? Of course.
His thoughts continued spiraling in similar fashion and in such a manner that he'd completely lost track of time until a soft groan shattered the whirling silence. Faroth started, realizing he'd started fallen into a daze, not noticing the first signs of Celestia wakening. He was quick to react now though, reaching to the bedside stand where a bowl of water and some other items lay.
In just a moment, a cold compress was gently laid over Celestia's brow. "Hey now...take it easy," he crooned softly, trying to use soothing tones despite his own worry. "Don't try to get up yet, 'k? Everything's alright, 'Tia..." He brushed back some of her hair, subtly looking for any sign in her expression or actions of whether or not she was really okay, or if he needed to call the healers back.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 12:27 pm
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Everything just continued to spin in the darkness, heat growing from the back of her neck, her mind trying to return to her dreams. The princess almost did return to her unconsciousness; she would have if not for the feeling of a cool surface placed across her forehead and the mixed feeling of hair tickling and rough skin brushing against her cheek.
Then there was the voice. Someone... was talking to her? Who would...? Who was...? Slowly, recognition returned to her, the presence of another making himself clear. Faroth was here? He had stayed?
The thought filled her with great happiness.
It would have been more if not for the spinning and painful throbbing in her head. When he called out to her, she slowly opened her eyes, looking up to him. They were clearly tired and not entirely focused, but her recognition of him would have been clear as the soft smile that came on her lips. "Far--" her reply was cut short as a different sort of rush came upon her, causing her to keel her upper body to the side of her bed in sickness. Ugh... She felt absolutely terrible and her body covered itself in a cold sweat as she emptied what remained in her stomach beside her. A groan escaped between ragged breaths when she finished and she fell back onto where she had rested.
What was wrong with her? She had just had a hurt wing and some cuts, right? And then... she couldn't even hardly remember what had happened to bring her to the infirmary in the first place.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:08 pm
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"Hey," he started to smile at the recognition in her eyes, relieved that aside from the obvious, Celestia seemed to be oka--
If the healers hadn't warned him it might happen, he probably wouldn't have reacted as quickly as he had. Still, Celestia's shift was sudden enough to take him by surprise. Having to make a split-second decision, he wasted no more time than to kick the wooden bucket left by the healers close to where Celestia was doubled over the side of the bed. His primary concern had been to reach for her hair, catching it as it started to sweep forward and pulling it back over her shoulders with a sigh. Try not to be too alarmed, he reminded himself. They said she might be sick when she woke up.
He continued to hold her hair back as she emptied her stomach more or less into the bucket beside the bed. Okay...mostly 'less'. Eugh...not that it could be helped, he supposed. Poor thing. Still, he pointedly averted his gaze from the sight to resist the urge to follow suit. He'd never really dealt well with sickness, either his own or others'.
"Shhh....It's alright," he said softly, offering a hand of support in helping her lay back again. "Just try to take it easy...they said this might happen. Just...try to give me some warning if you need to be sick again, okay?" he attempted to chuckle to lighten the mood. He rinsed out the cloth he'd tossed on the table before in the bowl of water, wrung it out, then started gently wiping her face.
The immediate situation reminded him of an incident in his childhood, when he'd discovered what he'd thought was a gooseberry bush while exploring outside the Tree...and after a handful of berries, had later come back to the Tree, sweating and feeling chilled. He'd spent the night being sick, one of the healers in the infirmary hovering over him, wiping his brow and telling him stories, singing quiet songs to try to ease him to sleep. He supposed it was his turn to try and take something from that experience.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 11:57 am
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"It's fine," he fibbed lightly. Okay, it wasn't fine...but...he'd get some help from one of the healers to get that cleaned up later. If he wasn't sick first. No, no, focus on Celestia. "Try not to worry about that, 'k? You just worry about feeling better." He'd thought his gesture might help with that, but she seemed to have something else in mind. Not complaining, he shifted the cloth to his other hand in order to hold hers. If that was what she needed...
His hand resting on her side, he watched her looking around the infirmary. Were there any signs to cause him worry? She seemed to remember him well enough, which was a good sign...right? That her memory was okay? Then, her question caused his chest to tighten in worry. Had she forgotten how she'd gotten here? What had happened to her and her niece earlier? Concerned, Faroth shifted to sit beside her on the bed, trying to keep the worry from his voice. "Do you...not know how you got here? What's the last thing...what do you remember, 'Tia?"
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 7:25 pm
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If it had been with any other person, Faroth would have likely been able to hide his anxiety perfectly from them. Even Celestia didn't notice immediately, not until he continued with his hesitant questions. Had she said something bad; was there something wrong with her after all? Or perhaps it was simply paranoia...?
Yeah, probably that.
Shifting slightly, her eyes averted from his as she thought to herself. "You and I were beside the fountain... Moony and I had been attacked, and everything was fa--" her voice caught in her throat as something crossed her mind, her pulse beginning to quicken and her tone increasing slightly in pitch. "Moony! Where is my niece?! I must see her; attend to her!" the princess struggled to set herself up as she spoke, her hair falling across her shoulders as she doubled over herself and forced it up. She looked directly to Faroth, her eyes meeting his. "You must take me to her at once; you must..." her tone was pained as she pleaded to him. "Please, Faroth."
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 8:26 am
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Faroth's relief was evident as Celestia related what she remembered, up until the point she'd passed out. It made sense then for her to have asked how she got here; she meant here immediately, in the infirmary, after blacking out down in the central hall.
"Woah! 'Tia, wait!" He reached out as she struggled to raise herself, frowning when her eyes met his. "It's okay. Moony's okay," he said quickly, one hand on her back for support, as well as what he hoped was soothing contact. "The healers are taking good care of her." He seated himself on the edge of the bed, silently offering support to lean on if she insisted on sitting up at the moment.
"I know you're worried...just try not to hurt yourself further," he fussed lightly, taking one of her hands in his. "Ranuin stopped by earlier with an update. The healers have her stabilized and she's resting. Your sister is up there, and Moony's dad, and her brother and sister," he recited in a calming tone. "She just needs rest to recover now...like someone else I know." He frowned, taking another look at her and seeming to study her expression.
"Apparently, you hit your head," he explained. "You had me worried," he admitted, glancing aside. "I mean...you started acting strange downstairs before you blacked out...then, when they said you'd hit your head, and that there might be other effects when you woke up, and I thought...you didn't remember..." He swallowed hard, still looking away. "I thought...maybe...."
Faroth trailed off into silence, letting that hang between them for a moment, then stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, quietly continuing, "Just...try not to push yourself, okay? If you want to go see her, we can go. Just let me help you. You both still need lots of rest to recover."
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 5:10 pm
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The princess's body remained tense as he spoke, and it noticeably relaxed only after she felt his hand on her skin and he finished telling her that her niece was in better health. Eyes closing, she raised a hand to her chest and sighed. "Thank the spirits..." could barely be caught on her breath before she grew quiet. A minute passed in silence before she shook her head and reopened her eyes to look back at Faroth, her emotions calmed once more. "No, I believe that would be unnecessary. I trust in the healers of Laisidhiel. They are far more competent than I; my presence would only be burdensome."
Dropping her hand to rest again on his, she rested more of her weight on his hand until she was again on her back. "You are correct in your thinking; you always are." Looking up at the ceiling, she refused to meet his eyes as she continued. "Forgive me for troubling you and your son so. I haven't a power capable of offense, nor defense, nor healing. Honestly, I have yet to fully understand it... Perhaps I never will." Her eyes closed. "After all this, I remain quite fatigued. Faroth... Would you answer to another selfish request of mine?" Her hand squeezed his lightly as she brought it to her face again.
"Would you remain her until I... again... awake?" At this, the princess grew quiet and her breathing gradually slowed until it was at a peaceful pace.
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Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:59 pm
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Relieved that she seemed to be relaxing once more, and less likely to hurt herself further, Faroth allowed himself to relax as well. "They'll take good care of her," he assured. "And when you're feeling better, we can go see her together, okay?"
Helping her get settled, he had to laugh again. Part of it was relief that nothing worse seemed to be wrong with her than what the healers had warned him of: exhaustion, dizziness, even stomach sickness, but that it would pass in time. Part of it was actually amusement at the absurdity of the statement. "My thinking? Bah, I don't do the thinking around here; I leave that to others," he smiled. "Besides, I can't do any of those things either. I just carry heavy stuff," he teased, returning the gentle squeeze of her hand.
"Of course," he answered kindly, smoothing her hair, leaving it spread over the pillow, away from her face. "Rest, 'Tia. I'll be here when you wake up. Promise." He remained where he was, stroking her hand rhythmically until her breathing slowed and evened out, her expression at peace in sleep. Then, he slipped away, just for a moment, of course. Waving at one of the attending healers from the door, he explained the situation and asked for some help in getting everything cleaned up.
"Also, do you maybe have an extra cot to spare?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:31 pm
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Suitably reassured by her previous waking, Faroth had finally allowed himself to try to relax and get some rest as well. After getting the room cleaned up, one of the healers had said they had an extra cot available and Faroth had eagerly gone to help move it into the room, setting up beside Celestia's.
He'd laid down finally a few hours before, dozing lightly, but waking from time to time to gaze over and check on her. A couple hours in, the Chieftain had poked his head in on the way back from Moonlight's room, apparently. Though Celestia hadn't been awake, Faroth had passed along what information she had related to him about the attack, apparently corroborating Moonlight's story. After some brief well-wishes, the Chieftain had then hurried off to find and update the hunters on the situation.
Faroth had returned to his own post. He was lying on his side, half-dozing, half-awake when Celestia began to stir again. Yawning briefly, he sat up to greet the princess with a smile. "Hello, you," he chuckled, moving from sitting on the edge of his cot to hers, reaching for her hand. "Moonlight's resting well, they said. The Chieftain himself went to check on her. He stopped by here too while you were asleep." He paused, then related, "Moonlight told him what happened. I passed along what you told me as well. I think he's got the rangers out in numbers by now."
Smoothing some stray hairs from her face, he continued. "How is your head? Feeling any better after some rest?" He frowned, then shook his head. "The rest isn't as bad as I worried, though...no flying for you, missy, for a while." He managed to hide just how worried he'd been over her condition at first, until the healers had given him the general summary...as well as some instructions for her to follow while healing. "You took some bumps and scrapes...those are all cleaned and bandaged. Nothing too bad, fortunately. They think though," he paused, eyes flicking towards one of her tucked wings. "You may have torn some of the muscles in your wing. Hard to say right now, but...best not push it for a while and give it time to heal. So absolutely no flying, you hear me?" He waved a finger teasingly at her, relieved it had been no worse than that.
Glancing towards a vial on the table, he added, "If anything hurts too badly, the healers left something you could take for the pain. Might make you sleepy again though, they said."
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:33 pm
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The princess' body visibly relaxed as the information regarding Moony was relayed, a significant amount of stress released in an instant. Thank the spirits her niece was going to be okay. Add to it that the chieftain had personally ensured her safety and was reacting to try and find the damned angel responsible, and you could almost say she was in relative bliss.
Her eye squinted as he hand came closer to her face to brush her hair, cheeks warming up in an involuntary response. Even with how long, or had it even been so long, since they had become close these little gestures still set butterflies loose in her stomach. Half-nodding, half-nuzzling into his hand, she replied softly. "Yes, the difference a bit of rest can make is immense." Her own smile faded as she saw his frown, her hand gripping tighter onto his as he relayed the damages. Her eyes averted to look down at her arms and legs, both bandaged, then to her wing tucked against her body, then back to him.
A single nod she gave before Celestia's smile returned, softer still. "I suppose I could be worse off." She stroked the top of Faroth's hand with her thumb before continuing. "The spirits surely looked after Moony and I..." ...and, if her suspicions were correct, perhaps more than just that. "Forgive me for have troubling you so, Faroth."
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:13 pm
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Giving Faroth's hand a squeeze and almost moving to shake her head, the princess conceded the effort as she felt his lips on her skin. He was correct, as he often was; with her worst fears calmed, rest now was far more important than anything else she might do. If she fretted and lengthened the recovery process with needless concerns, she would only trouble him further.
No purpose or desire to do such a thing, not with someone so dear worrying on her behalf.
"I shall do my part as well to heal quickly..." a look to him "...and with you so close, I am surely to succeed."
When he left her to fetch food or to move elsewhere, as he surely had to do at some point, the healers would come in to speak with the princess alone on some suspicions on a more private level. A few suggestions that she may have not been imagining things after all. Despite that, it was still too soon to say anything with certainty, right? Right?
Only time would tell.
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