"CADVAN!" Maerad yelled, her eyes wide with fear as she raced down the stairs, taking them two at a time. She jumped the last three and knelt next to him. "Are you alright?" she asked quickly.

"Ow," he said simply, pushing himself into a sitting position with great difficulty. Silvia rushed in, having heard Maerad's exclamation. She saw he was okay and went up the stairs - Maerad guessed that she was going to get Cadvan some blankets. He was still shaking with cold, and now Maerad was shaking with relief. She practically dragged him into the kitchen and lay with him close to the fire. They lay silently in each other's arms, his cold cheek against her warm one.

Silvia came into the room and laid a blanket over the two of them. She bit her lip as she saw how cold Cadvan was - it was actually quite warm - but as she left the room, she paused in the doorway and smiled slightly at them.

It was almost an hour, and nearly dark outside, before Cadvan stopped shivering.

"Light, I'm useless," he said bitterly.

"Of course you're not," Maerad soothed, pulling back so she could look at him.

"I am. Freezing, depressed, weak. Can't even walk down the stairs without falling over. Light, my back hurts. I think I pulled it when I fell down the stairs." He scowled briefly. "I can't even stop complaining."

Maerad slipped a hand behind his back and began to rub it gently.

"What are you doing?" Cadvan asked.

"You said your back hurts. Sit up."

Cadvan did as he was bidden, and Maerad sat behind him and gently rubbed his back. When his shirt began to make her fingers tingle uncomfortably, she stopped and scooted around to sit next to him again. She was about to put her arms around him when he pulled her onto his lap, her legs stretching out at a right angle to his. She tried to remember to breathe as he held her close to him.

"I, uh…I should…I should get your tablets…" she stuttered, awkwardly shuffling out of his lap and getting up. She went into his room and paused an instant before her hand touched the tablets. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Why did she feel like this? Opening her eyes again, she picked up the tablets and returned to the kitchen. She got Cadvan a drink of water and handed it and the tablets to him. She did not sit back down.

Maerad and Cadvan stood and sat respectively, in total silence, for around ten minutes, neither acknowledging the other's presence. After this time, Cadvan sighed.

"These tablets are very good," he said, before glancing up at Maerad. "You can go to bed now, if you want. I shall be going myself, shortly."

Maerad nodded, and approached him for a hug, before heading to her room for some much-needed sleep.

There was a very large part of her that wished she had stayed downstairs.

--

Cadvan awoke feeling more cheerful than he had in many days. He was warm, fairly alert, and when he held up his hand, it didn't shake. He sat up without feeling dizzy, and looked out of his window to see that it was only just getting light. Obviously he was on the mend. He nearly bounced out of bed, dressed quickly, and immediately went to see Maerad.

"Good morning, Maerad," he said with a smile as she opened the door. "I trust you slept well?"

"Fine, but really I should be asking you that!" she replied with an answering grin.

"I think those tablets have done the trick," he told her cheerfully. "I feel much better." His voice became more serious. "I think we should leave very soon."

Maerad's heart sank, but she knew he was right, and nodded. She glanced behind her at Lara, still sound asleep, and her heart sank further.

Cadvan, guessing her feelings correctly as usual, held her cheek in his hand. "We'll come back," he told her seriously.

"I hope so," she replied. "But I'll miss her all the same."

"As will I," he agreed with a nod. "Though I think we should leave tomorrow."

"So soon? Do we not have a little time?"

"Alas, I wish we could tarry longer in this beautiful place, but we cannot. Such is our fate."

Both sobered by his words, they traipsed down for breakfast, finding Silvia already up and baking cakes in the kitchen.

"We are to leave tomorrow," Cadvan told her after they had greeted her.

Silvia nodded. "I feared you would say this. I wish you could stay longer, though I know you cannot. Go into the music room now, and we will eat in there. I shall take care of Lara today. You two should relax."

Cadvan and Maerad made their way into the beautiful room, and sat down next to each other on the sofa.

"Maerad," Cadvan said tentatively after just a second. "Would you mind…if I kissed you?"

Maerad looked at him quickly. The word "why?" was out of her mouth before she could think.

Cadvan considered the question for a moment, then replied, "Because I would like to," with characteristic frankness and honesty.

Maerad regarded him for a moment. She could trust him, that she was sure of. "No," she said. "That is; no, I don't mind."

"Thank you," Cadvan replied seriously, and Maerad knew he was thanking her for her trust. A moment later she knew nothing as Cadvan cupped her cheek, and gently brushed his lips against hers. He drew away and avoided her eyes, suddenly embarrassed. Maerad couldn't look away from him. A hundred emotions were racing through her head, and as many thoughts, but even though there was fear in her heart, it was nothing compared to the other emotions. Excitement wrestled with anxiety and happiness with apprehension.

"You can…If you want…you can kiss me again sometime." Cadvan's eyes flickered up to meet hers, and they smiled at one another.

"I would like that very much," he told her truthfully.

woo! I won't die anymore!

anyway, please review. Just one more chapter! :D