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"If you are at risk without her attention on me, I'm going to risk myself as long as I can. You are too precious to me for risks, darling" He said softly, wrapping his arms around her with pain streaking along his back. He stifled a wince but his face twisted in agony |
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Adele stiffened when he spoke, then said, in an angry whisper, "I can't let you risk yourself for me. If you're there, I'm there. It's that simple." Her anger turned to pleading. "Please, let me help you." She pushed out of Caelan's embrace, tears forming in her eyes. "If I can't help you with this I might as well go home now. Since you want me to be safe." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood to leave the room. |
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Caelan launched up and grabbed her wrist. "No, please, I'm begging you. Don't leave. I need you here or else I might not be here when you come back. What you saw was nothing compared to the past, really, it wasn't. Please, just stay...We'll figure something out, I swear." He pleaded |
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Adele looked at Caelan through her tears, shaking off his hold on her wrist. "Let me help you." She said in a stone-hard voice, tears still streaming down her face. She knew Caelan wanted to do this alone, but just thinking of his mother lashing out at him made Adele want to scream at her and run to protect him. 'If Caelan says no to this I'll have to leave,' she thought, tears slowing slightly as she gazed at the king, awaiting his response with dread and fear. |
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Caelan hesitated and it was obvious on his voice. He sighed and dropped her wrist. "Fine" He agreed quietly, not meeting her eyes |
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Adele immediatly felt bad for basically forcing Caelan to say yes. She wiped her eyes and grabbed his hand, making him look at her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking to you like that. It's just that... You don't want me to face your mother, and I don't want you to face her. There's no good answer. If you really don't want me to help, that's all right. I won't. But I need to know if you actually are going to try to deal with her." Her voice was gentle and kind, yet persistant. |
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Caelan's shoulders shook gently as tears began to fall from his eyes. "She's....terrifying, Adele....I don't know if I can keep going...I can't live like this..." He breathed, silently sobbing. He didn't know what to do. It was all getting to him--the pressure, his mother's words, the Day Kingdom's stressful truce, his father's death, the pain in his wounds that are both mental and physical. Everything. |
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'Great job, Adele. Now you've got him crying,' she thought to herself sarcastically. Adele gently brough Caelan to sit on the bed and joined him, embracing him in a hug. She murmered soothing words, the best she could think of. "It's okay. We'll get though this. Together. I promise I'll never leave when you need me. What can I do to help?" Adele hated seeing Caelan like this; broken, sorrowful, and hopeless. She had to fix it. |
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Caelan silently buried his face in her neck, trying to find comfort in her embrace and just sinking into her touch. "I love you" He said quietly, the tears slowing but not yet stopping. "I don't know what to do..." |
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Adele felt tears in her own eyes as Caelan leaned into her. "I love you, too." Her voice was hoarse, and she tried not to let the tears come out. The truth was, she didn't know what to do either. She had no ideas, no plan, and no way to fix any of their problems. Adele mustered all her courage, sat taller, and said, "Right now, let's eat some dinner and then get some rest. Maybe the answer will come while we're sleeping." But she wasn't very hopeful. |
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Afternoon Storms, then Clearing
