Sept 2002
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them. The
story, however, is mine.
A New Beginning
Chapter 8
Gilthanas moaned in his fevered sleep, "Silvara," he called, his
voice was horse from the pain in his soul and the longing for her,
"Silvara, come back, please. Silvara!"
Leth winced and left the room as the Prince ranted and raved about
his lost love. The lady Arlena was waiting for him outside the door as
he shut it behind him. To Leth she appeared as serene as usual but he
noticed new strain lines around her mouth, "Has he improved, young
Leth?"
Leth shook his head sadly. "The fever has him in its grip now. We
can only wait and watch."
"Who... Who is it that he is crying out for?" to Leth she sounded
hesitant, as if she didn't want to know the answer... or already knew
them and wanted them confirmed.
"His lady, lady Arlena. He's been searching the whole of Ansalon
for her for the better part of three decades now." His sad eyes went to
the closed door. Gilthanas' pleas to his love were muffled by the thick
wood, but not drowned out completely.
The Lady Arlena shuddered as his please became more frenzied. "I
was taught something of the healing arts when I spent a summer with the
Kagonesti. With your permission, Leth, I would see if I can help."
Leth motioned for her to do as she pleased. With a sigh, and a sad
shake of his head he walked away from Gilthanas' chamber and returned to
his own to fall exhausted beside the bed.
***
Arlena quickly gathered what she would need and then entered
Gilthanas' chamber, bolting the door behind her. She had no wish to be
disturbed. She placed the small lamp she carried on the bedside table
and then sat next to him. She had not been this close to him in years.
Her heart sang with being so close and she quickly squelched it.
Through the link she had with him she could feel his despair, his
longing and his love, which seemed to have entered a new stage, for her.
She placed her callused hands on his forehead and felt his fever. She
quickly mashed together the poultice. "Silvara," he called, feeling her
touch. One of his hands shot out, grasping her hand and he brought it
to his heart, "My love, I have found you."
She winced. She pulled her hand away from him and quickly spread
what she'd brought onto his forehead. She made to move away but his
hands shot out again, keeping her by his side. "Don't leave," he begged
in his fevered state. Tears coursed down his cheeks from under his
closed eyelids, "I couldn't bear if you were to leave me again."
Arlena felt her own eyes pool with tears as she shifted form
without thinking. She became smaller, re-taking the form of Silvara,
the wilder elf whom he had first loved. "I'm here, Gilthanas," she told
him, a tear slipping down her cheek as she leaned close to his face,
"I'm here."
His hold tightened slightly and then released as the fever cast him
into oblivion.
Silvara gently brushed his hair away from his face and then placed
a soft kiss on his lips. He sighed in his sleep, the fever breaking at
her touch, and fell into a deep healing slumber.
Silvara pulled away from him and slowly shifted back to the Lady
Arlena. Silvara was dead, no matter what Gilthanas thought. Tomorrow,
if he was up and about, he would meet the Lady Arlena, the Knight who
had saved his life, and she would see if he knew her. She prayed he
would and yet feared he wouldn't. Then went to the door, unbolted it,
and slipped back to her chambers.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them. The
story, however, is mine.
A New Beginning
Chapter 8
Gilthanas moaned in his fevered sleep, "Silvara," he called, his
voice was horse from the pain in his soul and the longing for her,
"Silvara, come back, please. Silvara!"
Leth winced and left the room as the Prince ranted and raved about
his lost love. The lady Arlena was waiting for him outside the door as
he shut it behind him. To Leth she appeared as serene as usual but he
noticed new strain lines around her mouth, "Has he improved, young
Leth?"
Leth shook his head sadly. "The fever has him in its grip now. We
can only wait and watch."
"Who... Who is it that he is crying out for?" to Leth she sounded
hesitant, as if she didn't want to know the answer... or already knew
them and wanted them confirmed.
"His lady, lady Arlena. He's been searching the whole of Ansalon
for her for the better part of three decades now." His sad eyes went to
the closed door. Gilthanas' pleas to his love were muffled by the thick
wood, but not drowned out completely.
The Lady Arlena shuddered as his please became more frenzied. "I
was taught something of the healing arts when I spent a summer with the
Kagonesti. With your permission, Leth, I would see if I can help."
Leth motioned for her to do as she pleased. With a sigh, and a sad
shake of his head he walked away from Gilthanas' chamber and returned to
his own to fall exhausted beside the bed.
***
Arlena quickly gathered what she would need and then entered
Gilthanas' chamber, bolting the door behind her. She had no wish to be
disturbed. She placed the small lamp she carried on the bedside table
and then sat next to him. She had not been this close to him in years.
Her heart sang with being so close and she quickly squelched it.
Through the link she had with him she could feel his despair, his
longing and his love, which seemed to have entered a new stage, for her.
She placed her callused hands on his forehead and felt his fever. She
quickly mashed together the poultice. "Silvara," he called, feeling her
touch. One of his hands shot out, grasping her hand and he brought it
to his heart, "My love, I have found you."
She winced. She pulled her hand away from him and quickly spread
what she'd brought onto his forehead. She made to move away but his
hands shot out again, keeping her by his side. "Don't leave," he begged
in his fevered state. Tears coursed down his cheeks from under his
closed eyelids, "I couldn't bear if you were to leave me again."
Arlena felt her own eyes pool with tears as she shifted form
without thinking. She became smaller, re-taking the form of Silvara,
the wilder elf whom he had first loved. "I'm here, Gilthanas," she told
him, a tear slipping down her cheek as she leaned close to his face,
"I'm here."
His hold tightened slightly and then released as the fever cast him
into oblivion.
Silvara gently brushed his hair away from his face and then placed
a soft kiss on his lips. He sighed in his sleep, the fever breaking at
her touch, and fell into a deep healing slumber.
Silvara pulled away from him and slowly shifted back to the Lady
Arlena. Silvara was dead, no matter what Gilthanas thought. Tomorrow,
if he was up and about, he would meet the Lady Arlena, the Knight who
had saved his life, and she would see if he knew her. She prayed he
would and yet feared he wouldn't. Then went to the door, unbolted it,
and slipped back to her chambers.