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Erionda had been nervous something she never felt comfortable with. She hated the feeling's that washed over her whenever Kilian left. Like a rock that sat at the bottom of her heart, constantly nagging that he was gone for good. Recently she had been doing a better job at shutting it up. If he was going to leave her, he would have left her to drown, not pulled her from the water. He wouldn't have protected her until they were home.

Her lungs no longer burned with each breath she took but that didn't stop the ache in her heart. Turning over another vegetable onto the counter Erionda slowly worked at chopping it into cubes. The smell of a deep broth filled her nose, a little Alkara meat from the kill she had made with Junjie not long ago was simmering with other vegetables. Her stomach rumbled it's protest at her patient cooking.

The hybrid was aware of a strange tug on her bond from Lanzecki. Amadia? Something's different about Amadia.

Erionda blinked as she glanced towards the stairs. Her knife stopping against the board after cutting through the vegetable under her fingers. Her brows furrowed curiously. Confused at the younger Ayrala's meaning. Letting go of the knife in her hand Erionda turned to the door her heart skipping a beat as she waited for the door to open. If Lanzecki had made a visual contact of Amadia that meant Kilian was with her, and he was alive.

Her jaw hung as she took in the sight of her mate. Eyes rolling over his tattered clothing to rest on Amadia. Lanzecki was right, something was different about her! She had been injured. The hybrid flushed at the breathy whisper of her name. Unable to tell what it meant.

Abandoning her current job she rushed to Amadia's side. Shifting the makeshift bandages to get a better look at the wounds. Wincing as she looked at the torn skin and severed scales. Mentally calling for Uassae to join her. Stepping away from the Drakein Erionda's gaze instantly turned towards Kilian. Worried as she cautiously stepped towards him, her eyes taking in the way his cloak was torn. Suspicious of the way he held it tight against his body. "Kilian, if she's injured at least let me look you over?"

Shredding the distance between them Erionda's fingers made quick work of the strings holding Kilian's cloak against his body. Gasping as the fabric fell away from his shoulders. Her eyes searched Kilian's face, as her fingers gently peeled back the crude bandages covering his wound. Calling across the bond again for her Aeduan companion.

Pulling back from the bandages she had only started to remove Erionda blinked but said nothing. She was just happy to have him home. Even if he wasn't in the best state physically, he was still alive and that meant the most. Closing her eyes longingly when he placed a kiss on her forehead. He felt hotter to her than usual, nervous of a fever Erionda's right hand flicked up to test the temperature. He was hotter than normal, part could be blamed on the sun of Eowyn but she had become accustomed to the warmth in his skin after being out in the sun. This was a different kind of heat.

Worried Erionda pouted at his obvious lie. No one would be ok suffering any kind of injury like that. Not even herself. There was no point in chastising him for lying, in her mind, he probably already knew she could tell it was a lie. Stepping out of the way so he could find a place to sit, Erionda lingered by the door calling again to Uassae through the bond. Where was that silly Drakein when she needed him so badly.

Kilian's words brought her attention snapping back around. And Aeduan? What was he doing on Serenia? Had he suspected something had happened between Junjie and herself? Biting the inside of her lower lip Erionda moved to kneel before Kilian's legs. Delicate fingers worked the rest of the bandages off grimacing as she finally understood the length of the strike. He was lucky he could even move his arm, she couldn't begin to imagine the pain he was going through.

A darker color around the edges of the wound drew more concern from her. Opening her mouth to say something Erionda was interrupted by Uassae's entrance into the house. Whatever it had been Uassae needed instructions and her words would have to wait. "Heal Amadia first. I think she's in more danger than Kilian is. I don't want him to loose her." The worry was evident in her tone. She didn't want to loose Kilian.

Uassae nodded as he swiftly gathered up beside the injured Drakein. Nuzzling the bandages tentatively he rumbled to calm the injured party. Gathering up his magic he set to work trying to heal Amadia.

Licking her lips Erionda sighed and turned back to look over Kilian's injuries. Her heart ached painfully seeing him like this. Standing up she wandered back into the kitchen. Making sure to remove the pot from where it was simmering before reaching for a pail to gather water from the barrel. Her shoulders slumped as she returned to her mates side.

Dipping a cloth into the water Erionda winced as she slowly wrung it out. Turning to her Oblivionite's arm she started working on cleaning the wound as tenderly as she could. Deliberately slow so she wouldn't cause him any unnecessary pain. Glancing back every once in a while to check on Amadia and Uassae's progress. It was just as painfully slow as her own.

Returning her hands to the water Erionda washed everything the best she could. Looking back at the clean wounds and torn skin, her eyes gliding over his shirt. Was he hiding more injuries under his armor? Taking in a deep breath prepared for Kilian to object to her next move Erionda moved to straddle Kilian's hips. Brushing the dreads from his face she kissed his forehead, his nose, his lips. She planned to distract him as she slowly worked at the bindings on his shirt. She wanted to remove his armor to make sure there weren't anymore hidden injuries below. She knew if there were he wouldn't tell her, so the only way she was going to find out soon enough is if she removed his shirt herself.

Strained gentleness in subdued touches, trembling fingers trailing up his sides, as she removed his shirt. Eye's skittered about his chest with growing ease. No injuries lay hidden from her. She could feel the tightening strain in his muscles. They undulated under her fingertips, pitched beneath her hands. "I have to know you're not hiding anymore injuries Kilian. You feel like you have a fever. And I can't tell if it's because of an infection, because of hidden injuries, or something else." Her voice was calm and subtle as she spoke, turning her eyes back to Uassae and she moved back away from Amadia.

"How is she?"

"Alive. I don't have energy to keep healing."

Erionda nodded her understanding. Uassae was still a young Drakein, and she hadn't had time to train him with his magic as much as she had wanted too. At least Amadia's injuries were far less now than when she had arrived. "Thank you Uassae."

The Aeduan grumbled moving to sit near a shaded part of the room. Quickly lapsing into fits of snores the moment he stopped fidgeting.

"Hmm?" Erionda blinked, "Aisko? What would an Aeduan be doing in Aisko? Those dragons only live on Serenia don't they?" She mused over the rest of his words for a while. Oblivionite's had been stupid enough to wander into Serenia to find an Aeduan and take it to Aisko. And what was he doing on Aisko in the first place. Hadn't she told him they would go together? Aisko is a dangerous place, she had learned that during the times she had been moving their belongings there.

Distracted by the arm moving about her hips Erionda's eyes switched down to her mate. She allowed him to pull her closer, thoughts fell from her mind like water. Try as she might to regain her grasp on them, the faster they slipped away from her mind.

The hybrid let Kilian move carefully watching his arm to make sure it wasn't straining to much. The place of his arm on the small of her back, mixed with the pressure of his lips against the pulse in her neck was enough to drive her mad. Her arms reached around him, circling his neck entangling in his hair, and she instantly relaxed against him. His skin burned her, scalded her as as his lips scorched her, branded her forever.

His touch had a way of breaking through her defenses. Her battle was lost before it ever began as his will became hers. And her will reeled in the knowledge that she didn't ever want to be free of him. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she pressed against him. "I know you hate the Diabi and Aeduan... I wont leave you to them ever again. I can't fathom loosing you."

At the moment, she couiln't quite remember what it was about the Diabi fights that made her so nervous. She was having marked difficulty remember much of anything, to tell the truth. The touch of his mouth was a balm to her soul, a soothing show of the giving in his heart. Kilian loved her without reservation, and she gave without expecting anything in return.

She shook her head slowly, forcing a smile that was more for Kilian's benefit. "I love being with you. You're like a dream come true to me, the answer to wishes I've always had. Would you believe me if I said this was enough for me?"

"I feel so selfish," She admitted at last. "I feel like I'm being selfish... and I can't help but be angry because it isn't fair... the one thing you deserve is to be happy and I feel like I'm taking that away from you by forcing you to move to Aisko with me."

As though someone had wrapped their hand around her heart and was squeezing the very life out of her. Erionda's chest constricted, knotted, how could he always manage to remain so wonderful? Her hands still tangled in the dreads of his hair, Erionda carefully pulled his head back. Her lips covering his for a brief moment. She shifted away from the kiss, her position changing so her lips were near Kilian's ear.

"Don't change who you are. I'll be your shield, as long as you never leave me."

Sliding her hand over his wound Erionda tried to ease the pain with a thin layer of ice. Just enough so it would instantly melt and sooth the fire and ache she assumed he felt. Despite the anxiety knotting in her stomach, Erionda wanted to distract her mate from the pain he was in. She didn't have healing powers of her own and with Uassae deep in sleep after helping Amadia, there were few things left in her mind that would work. Fever or not, she loved him and she was going to show it every minute she could.

Strong hands gripped Kilian with some difficulty as she tried to help him to stand. "Stay with me Kilian. I've got to get you to bed at least. Before this fever even dares to get worse." Slipping her small frame under his good arm Erionda tried to guide him up the stairs towards the bedroom. Her feet stumbling every once in a while as she proceeded up the stairs.

Erionda wasn't satisfied until Kilian was laying on the bed. Chilling her hand with her ice magic she fell to her knees beside the bed. Her cold hand placed on his head as she moved Kilian's dreads from his face with a tenderness she didn't know she possessed. Brushing along his jaw she smiled. Laying her head on the bed beside him.

"Hmm..." Erionda stirred quietly her mismatched eyes slowly blinked open. Realizing she had fallen asleep she burst to her feet. "Ah! Kilian, you're awake. Do you need something. Water? Food? How's your head?" Shifting into a better kneeling position by the bed, she reached up to place her palm on his forehead. With a tilt of her head she moved the same hand to test her own temperature. Placing her hands on the ground Erionda shifted off the floor. Sitting on the bed beside her mate she wrapped her arms around him. Careful not to apply to much pressure in case he was still feeling the pain through his body.

"Honestly," she sighed and let her shoulders sag. "I was really worried about you. You had a horrible fever. I was wondering if I had been causing to much stress. If that was why you had a harder time against the Diabi and the Aeduan. Because you can't relax."

Erionda lifted her head up, hope shone in her eyes. "M-maybe we could-" Suddenly finding herself nervous Erionda blushed and pulled back shoving the palm of her hands against her knees. "Maybe we could go to the market together sometime. Just the two of us. And take some time to relax."

Shoving her legs over the edge of the bed Erionda tried to hide the ever growing blush on her face. "W-we don't have too though. If you think it will be too much. I don't want you hurting your arm."

"You.. You mean that?" Erionda's face lit up with a smile as she turned to look at Kilian. A faint hint of the blush dusted her cheeks. Tilting her head to the side, Erionda brushed away the hair in her face. Pushing behind her ear as the smile faded at the mention of the Aeduan. Her eyes followed Kilian's fingers as he touched the fresh bandages she had applied the night before.

Eye's followed his movement until he was right against her. Shoulder to shoulder, a rush of comfort fled through her body. Igniting her entire being on fire, closing her eyes against the assault to her senses. Erionda leaned her head against his shoulder and let one arm slip around his elbow. "Why's that?" Erionda questioned absentmindedly, she realizing too late that it might have been too personal a question. That he might not want to respond, or would want to keep the secret to himself. Guilt wracked her mind, shaking her head slowly she took in a deep breath. Letting Kilian's earthy scent fill her nose.

"It's ok, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Erionda's fingers slipped forward weaving themselves into Kilians hand beside her. Giving him a soft squeeze she kept silent beside him. She remembered the feeling of loss as plain as if she had lost her parents just yesterday. So she understood the pain he was feeling. She closed her eyes as the knowledge sunk in. So that's why Kilian had problems against the diabi. "I've gone up against the Diabi on my own. I wont be killed by them at least." Erionda muttered trying to alleviate some of Kilians concern. She wasn't going to tell him that's why she had been horribly injured. That would only add to his concern.

Pushing up away from the bed Erionda kept her hand tightly holding onto her mates. "I'm your mate aren't I? I'm glad you told me. You don't have to keep your distance about anything anymore. Cause for the first time in forever I finally understand. And the first time in forever we can fix this hand in hand. We can head into battle together. You don't have to live in fear, cause for the first time in forever I will be right here."

Erionda smiled as she fell to her knees, resting her head on Kilian's knee. She loved her mate.