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                Aryun took Erdric from Lethe’s arms, wrapping her own securely around his thin waist. She fussed gently over him, brushing his hair from his face before slowly walking with him down the hallway.

Erdric for his part was dizzy, swaying slightly as Aryun held on to him, gently urging him to put one foot in front of the other.

Lethe stood to Erdric’s left; holding a hand upon his shoulder, offering the support should he need it.

Tyral had Ashitare within his arms, carrying him like a babe down the hall way as the all walked together, side by side.

Aryun looked intently at Erdric’s worn face, at the tiredness etched within it. He seemed to have gotten tired quite quickly. Her hand gently touched his cheek as they walked, making Erdric smile softly, and close his eyes, leaning into the touch.

                “We’re almost there, Erdric,” Aryun murmured against his face, and felt a small smile pull at her lips when he nodded, his hand squeezing hers.

                After a few more moments, they came to the healing wing, and all four breathed a relative sigh of relief.

                The halls here were a soft white marble that seemed to glow gently in the sunset. Each door was opened to allow the gentle zephyrs access to help ease a patient’s mind.

                With slow steps, Aryun led Erdric to one of the furthest doors, and freed a hand to gently rap upon the golden wood.

                They waited a few more moments, and the door silently swung inward.

                Tyral walked in first, carrying the sleeping Parrde within his arms, and Lethe followed, scanning the room until they caught on the lone, huddled figure on the furthest bed.

                Lethe’s heart tugged at seeing him so despondent, but at the moment, her children were her prime concern. She turned to face Aryun with a soft smile, her hands beckoning them inside.

                Aryun didn’t hesitate, nor did she scan the room. She calmly walked into the room, easing Erdric down upon on of the sick beds, her hands gently holding his face between them. Her fingers gently caressed the skin of his temple before she looked up, searching for Iraina’s dark brown hair.

                Her eyes flicked over the huddled form of her father and her gaze grew hard. She deliberately turned away, her right hand staying upon Erdric’s cut cheek as she waved the healer over.

                “Iraina! Come see to Erdric please? His face is cut pretty badly.”

                Iraina blinked her pale green eyes, and came over after making sure Ashitare lay comfortably. Her long ice blue robes curled about her frame, tightly cinched beneath her breasts and at her shoulders. A silver bracelet clung to her wrist, and a slender silver chain encircled her throat. She smiled gently at Aryun, gently brushing back a strand of red-gold hair.

                “Who, may I ask is this?” She directed another gentle smile at Erdric’s tired visage before she replaced Aryun’s hand with her own. “His face is badly off. What happened?”

                Aryun looked at Iraina strangely. “You must know as KimVay is here.”

                Iraina looked at Aryun with those luminous eyes that gave nothing away. “Perhaps I wish to hear your side, young one.”

                “We… do not agree.”

                Iraina’s lips quirked upward. “I can accept that.”

                Aryun sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as Iraina pushed her aside so she could tend Erdric.

                Iraina called over her shoulder to her. “There is someone who wishes to speak with you, Lady Aryun. This person… feels badly… I only hope you will not make it worse.” With that, she turned her full attention to Erdric’s cut face, her hands soothing the pain that he had kept at bay.

                Aryun’s gaze took in the huddled form of her father, and she hesitantly took a step towards him. Instantly she stopped, shaking her head as if to clear it. With a plaintive look, she turned towards Tyral, and with gestures, ushered her to go to him.

                Her eyes showed her indecision, and finally, she turned, starting for the door.

                Instantly, Lethe had caught her arm, Aryun whirling around to face her.

                Anger was plain within Aryun’s eyes, and Lethe placed one hand upon her cheek. “Please, go to him and see his reasons. I know you loathe him, but give him a chance to speak.”

                Aryun shook her head, trying to pull her arm away.

                “Please, karee, for Tyral and I, if not for yourself.”

                Aryun sighed, hanging her head in defeat. She gently pulled her arm out of her foster mother’s grasp, and turned the opposite way, walking towards her father’s bedside. She hesitated, her hand nearly touching his shoulder as she looked at his face.

His eyes were closed peacefully, the red-gold lashes gently sweeping against the golden hued cheek. The gash on his face was an angry red, purple around the edge of the cut. His blood-stained robe had fallen open, showing the bandaging underneath from the sword wound. His hands were curled across his stomach as he lay upon his right side, trembling slightly. The long red gold hair was pulled up on the bed, spreading out behind him on the sheets.

Aryun felt loath to wake him, hesitating before gently touching one of his hands that he curled around himself. She watched as his eyelashes fluttered and his hand curling tighter into his robe before a blurry golden eye opened to regard her.

He sighed, curling tighter into a ball. His golden eye closed as he took a breath through his nose. “What words can I say, Aryun, which you want to hear?” His voice was tired, laced with pain as he spoke. He seemed defeated, and Aryun did not know what to make of it.

                “I don’t know…”

                A smile ghosted across KimVay’s lips. “Of course you do not know. The person you hate most has confessed that he never hated you. Your entire existence revolved around your hatred of me… a hatred I caused.” He laughed and ended up coughing. “I… am honestly sorry, Aryun.” He shook his head, his eyes closing tightly to try and prevent the spill of tears that stung his eyes. “I am sorry I ruined your life.”

                Aryun was at a loss, not knowing how to deal with a contrite and forlorn KimVay. Against her better judgment, she sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers stroking through the hair at his temple. She was amazed at how soft it was, more so than Erdric’s. Where his had felt like the soft fur of a mouse, KimVay’s felt like silk.

                He opened one eye to watch her, half expecting her to throw a punch in his face. “Aryun, what are -?”

                Aryun laid one of her fingers against his lips. “Hush, please. Let me look at you… I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this… placid.”

                “There is no point when your kin dislike you. I have no anger, only remorse and regret.”

                Aryun watched him, and shook her head as a stark truth entered her mind. “Elysian still cares for you, despite you being tyrannical when it comes to me most of the time. I’ll admit that you never gave anything that I never specifically asked for.”

                KimVay slid his eye open, watching her. “I do not follow.”

                She shook her head again. “What did I ask when I walked into your temple?”

                KimVay’s eyes snapped open and widened in realization as her words reached his mind. “You asked if I had never known your mother.”

                “You never responded… I took it for denial, when the silence was acceptance…”

                He turned to face her, his golden eyes still swimming in tears. “When did you realize?” His hands curled around him tighter, hugging himself as if he were ice cold.

                “Just now I realized it. You said before that you tried to help without my knowledge… I wondered why you would do such a thing, and I realized that you did love my mother, that you had to have loved her quite deeply for you to hide, to see her in me and in everything I did…”

                KimVay closed his eyes, feeling the tears slip down his face as he tried to curl even tighter, shielding himself from her words, but he knew he would find no comfort.

                “Stop,” his voice choked.

                “No, I can’t stop knowing that you did so truly out of love, if not misguided love.” Aryun gently placed her hand against his cheek, making him flinch. “I know that you cared, KimVay, and my actions as well as yours were atrociously in the wrong.” Aryun shook her head. “I am… confused about how to proceed. Tyral and Lethe, as well as Iraina wish for us to reconcile, however I am unsure if we truly can settle our differences.”

                She ran her fingers through a long strand of his hair, pulling some over to look at it as intently as she looked at his face. “I can truly see how mother loved you if what the others say is true… You two were… one.”

                KimVay trembled under her hand, his hands convulsing because he held his robe so tightly. “Aryun… please do not open old wounds…”

                Aryun rose, gently laying back his hair. “How can I reopen wounds that have never closed?”

                With that, she turned and walked away, settling in a bed beside Erdric’s to watch Iraina heal him.