The light pulled her closer to it. So close was she to touching its cold beauty. Slowly, Maerad stretched her hand forward, ready to grasp its golden hand, only to feel reluctance pull her back.

A strangely inhuman voice rose, blocking off Maerad's thoughts. The song was not exactly alluring, but hypnotic, putting her into a trance that she could not escape.

Come to me

And you shall see

What my arms can offer

I will keep your soul sealed safe inside an iron coffer.

Relax into my bronze embrace

Forget the distant space

You are mine

And mine alone

Our body's will entwine

True hearts shown

Will love be known?

Come to me…

The simple, rhyming ballad carried a perplexing grey fog into her mind. All she could hear was that song, even as she willed herself to walk away, her feet took her before the hand.

Destined to remain in my domain

Tears fall like spring rain

You shall not leave again

My little wren

I told you not to wonder away

Yet you refused to stay

Instead you returned to your mortal friend

His neck is one I shall joyfully bend

He called you to him

And you went

Leaving my halls all the more dim

My mind now bares a bloody rent

Come stand by me…

Maerad's mind was spinning wildly, would this song ever end? With every verse, she was brought closer to the outstretched palm, it seamed to be beckoning to her.

Then something interrupted the retched singing.

"Elednor,"

The voice was one she recognized, and she turned toward it, she did not wish for Cadvan's great presence to grace these darkened halls. His soul was too pure, too kind, and too full of love, to come here. But at the same time she willed him to walk out of the cloaking shadows and take her hand. Cadvan's comfort was always soothing, he knew how to quell her overwhelming fears.

No one else had ever cared enough do so.

"Cadvan?" she questioned out loud, the spellbinding song was fading, its voice only an echo. It also seamed as if the light was growing farther and farther away.

"Come back to me," Maerad was trying to go back to him, but she couldn't. Yet, he kept up his persistent calls, and she found herself retracing earlier, more disturbing steps. It was as if time was moving backwards, and Cadvan's words were growing more powerful.

She could see now, where the tunnel began, and where it ended.

Two different paths, two highly altered endings.

Which would she choose to follow?

She knew very well which was right for her.

But would she actually follow it?

`O-x-O-x-O-x-O

Cadvan called to Maerad, but he did not know if she heard him or not. Several times he had felt something stir within her, but he couldn't help wondering if it was the soulless being who was responding to his call. One of the first things he had noticed as he inspected Maerad, was her eyes were back to their gorgeous shade of blue, yet at the same time they were empty of all feeling.

The eyes were the looking glasses into the soul. So if hers were empty, did that mean that the very essence that made Maerad, Maerad, was gone?

Ruthlessly, he shook away such melodramatic thoughts.

She would be fine.

Cadvan called out to her again, as he sent his healing prowess's into her battered body. He began stitching up all the lacerations covering her pale skin. Though he could heal the physical wounds, he was more worried about just what Maerad had suffered mentally.

Would she be the Maerad I know and love? Alas, Cadvan knew not.

This time Maerad's small, limber hand moved, she was coming back into consciousness.

"Maerad?" this time he spoke aloud, instead of calling out to her silently. Hoping desperately that it would some how pull her in the right direction.

Eyelids fluttering, Maerad of Pellinor opened her eyes for what seemed like the first time in weeks. They were not the disturbing black. They were not empty either, they held confusion and drowsiness, as if she had not had enough sleep.

"Maerad," Cadvan whispered roughly, he then pulled her into his arms.

"Cadvan?" Maerad felt highly disoriented, then she felt tears that were not her own, fall onto her face, their coolness washed away some of her dreariness.

"Cadvan? What's wrong?" She hadn't seen Cadvan cry, not since Dernhil was murdered.

Cadvan just held her all the tighter. Lost for words.

The horses kept their distance, too private was the intense moment between the Bards, that they dared not interfere. But both Imi and Darsor, were filled with passionate relief to see Maerad breathing.

Maerad tried to pull away, so as to look into Cadvan's dark, sapphire eyes and confront him directly.

Cadvan let her pull away, even as the thought that she did not wish to be near him, cut him deeply.

"What is wrong Cadvan? Why are you crying like the world is about to end?" Maeread's voice was soft and airy. Weakened by her ordeal, no doubt.

Considering how to best answer her question, Cadvan remembered how he had sworn to tell her of his love if he found her. Now was as good of time as any.

"I cry because as far as I am concerned Maerad, the world did end. It was gone as soon as you disappeared from my life. Never have I cared for someone as much as I care for you. And when you jumped from that cliff, and were, as far as I knew, gone, my heart went with you," gently he stroked her smooth, satiny cheek. As she opened her mouth to speak, he gently hushed her by placing his finger upon her lips.

"I know you most likely do not love me, but I love you, and if you wish for me to leave, then I will," Cadvan's heart constricted at the thought, but she needed to realize that he would never force himself upon her, or make her uncomfortable. "But I do love you, Maerad, both as a friend….and more. And I am oh so very sorry for treating you the way I did, I know that it may seam as if I didn't care then, but I did, I,"

Cadvan stopped his rambling as Maerad closed her eyes. She was stunned by Cadvan's admission.

And even more shocked by the way her heart had reacted, for she did love Cadvan of Lirigon, more than she knew, her soul flew at his deep words.

Slowly she opened her eyes and placed her palm against his face, much the same as he had placed his upon hers.

"Never will I tell you to leave Cadvan. I wouldn't be able to take it. And it is not you who should be apologizing, but me. I treated you horribly, the way I acted…" Maerad couldn't say a word about what she had done, instead she settled for, "I never meant to fall into such evil. I can only pray for your forgiveness. For all that it matters, I love you too, both as a friend and more," both Maerad and Cadvan smiled as she repeated his words, but Maerad's grin quickly faded, "But Cadvan…I do not deserve your love, you are too kind, too full of the Light. Look at me, I am not pure, my actions have proved that."

"No." Cadvan's voice had darkened and became earnest, "Do not say that. You are a being of the Light, you have proved that time and time again. Besides everyone makes mistakes, I know that I have," here Cadvan looked intently into her eyes, "All that matters, Maerad, is that you know right from wrong, and you try your best to follow the right. Do not tell me that you are evil and unworthy of my love, for it is not true." his eyes and voice had softened, Maerad still looked at him doubtfully, but it had all hit Cadvan, she said she loves me. Soon, Cadvan was smiling widely, his grin was infectious, and Maerad's eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Just what are you grinning about?" Maerad asked in mock sternness, a smile dancing at the edges of her mouth..

"You. Everything about you makes me smile, for everything about you bring joy to my mind, just seeing your beautiful face is enough to brighten any mans day. And I am proud that I am that man. Your mind, you quick intellect, your singing, with suck clarity does you voice paint a landscape for a story. The little things that make you, you. Gazing up at the star, Ilion, at the start of every morning, and when your thick hair flies into your face, you try stubbornly to blow it away, before actually reaching up and knocking it away in agitation. Ah, the list goes on forever….I do believe that you have made me the happiest man on this earth," slowly, as if asking for her permission, or waiting for her to pull away, he took her into his arms and he never wanted to let her go.

Cadvan sighed deeply into her hair, "To think that I almost lost you before I ever even had you….the past few days have been the most torturous I have ever lived through," his voice was deep and soft….throbbing with sorrow over what he had almost lost.

Love.

"Cadvan, please don't cry," Maerad pleaded softly, she saw light reflect dimly off of his wet cheeks, "I'm still here, I'm here for you and for as long as I shall breathe, I always will be." Maerad whispered heartfelt nothings, murmuring of her love for the man whose heart was so deeply entwined with hers.

He gazed into her eyes, his midnight blue meeting her sky blue in complete understanding.

Slowly Cadvan lowered his head and gently kissed her temple, her cheeks, her nose, her chin, the tops of her fluttering eyelids, lastly he lowered his mouth to hers, gently kissing her with as much passion as he could without scaring her. To his surprise she responded, mouth moving against his.

One of the horses pawed the ground restlessly, they were very glad about Maerad being alive and her and Cadvan finally admitting their feeling to each other, but they were both thirsty and hungry. Reunions could wait.

Reluctantly, Cadvan and Maerad broke their kiss. Maerad rested her head shyly against Cadvan's shoulder, and softly told him, "I love you," Cadvan wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head lovingly against his shoulder.

"I love you too, with all my heart and soul."

Soon they stood, Maerad leaning tiredly against Cadvan, trying not to fall. He halted after she tripped, and with care, lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing. He planted a soothing kiss upon her forehead, and Maerad smiled drowsily, mouthing the words that she hadn't dared utter to anyone who wasn't related to her by blood, I love you.

Cadvan replied like wise, but Maerad didn't hear, she had fallen into a deep sleep. Even though he knew it most likely impossible, he hoped that her dreams and her life held no more sorrow. Carefully he settled Maerad upon Darsor's back, and he settled behind her sleeping form, they would look for a more suitable camp site.

Off into the darkening light they rode, two silhouettes that fit perfectly. Two souls forever meant to be side by side, two hearts tied together to make one.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Okay, what did yah think? I know it's not a fantastic beginning, I was sorta-kinda in a bad mood when I wrote it. I ended up killing my knee at my last track meet and had to be pulled out of the 4x2 relay and the throwers relay. No fun for me, I only got to do two of my events. And my favorite was the one I didn't get to do. Oh, well it's getting better now and I have gotten over it, I just felt bad for leaving my team hanging, and I should still be able to compete…so I'm all good. Hmmm. I have no clue what I'm going to write now, I have some ideas…but who knows? I just reread my story, and am I paranoid, or did hands seem to be a theme this time around? Ugh, I don't know, if I try to change it, I'll end up writing an entirely new story. Grrrr. I hate it when I start getting paranoid, that song, ummmm, Somebody's Watching Me, starts running through my head. So not cool people! Oh well. La-da-dee-la-da-day! Bye-bye!