K, so for all you Alfeegi-san fans. Don't kill me, k? That's my job! I love Alfeegi-san! Trust me; look at the walls of my room if you want proof. Either way, the only reason for me torturing Alfeegi-san the way I am is because I'm angry with my angel right now. In one of my other fics, he said something that I didn't like, and even though I erased it, I still can't believe that he said something like that. K, so you don't think that I'm insane or anything, the way that I write my fics is this: I watch the story like a movie in my imagination, then I plan it out comma-by-comma. I don't always have complete control over my imagination when it starts to get going, so if something gets added, and I don't like it, the character that did the thing that I don't like, I hate that character for a short period of time. Even if I'm the character… it's hard to explain here. If you fear for my sanity, ask me about it, and I'll be glad to explain it better for you. So, onto the third chapter of "The Sadness Within My Heart." I don't own dragon knights, but my wall would say different… sigh

you have no idea how long she pestered me while she wrote this, asking me to proof read over and over. there were four difftrent endings to this one, and at one point, she was going to have this chapter be the last one... but you'll see that it's not... oops... spoiler!

3

Stairs

Alfeegi walked down to dinner. He had been feeling great! He no longer skipped meals, he could keep all food down, his work load was lighter than it had been in years, he managed to get seven hours of sleep last night, he had put on weight, and it's been three months since he last collapsed; four since his suicide attempt. Life, was, PERFECT! The scent wafting through the corridor was delicious. Alfeegi was starving, breakfast seemed to have been days ago, and he had two helpings of pie promised to him from Cernozura. It was apple tonight, his favorite. 'If only they could make mango into a pie.' Alfeegi wondered aimlessly as he strolled down the corridor. 'I hope that I can persuade Cernozura to try it someday. I'd wait forever for one slice of that.' He grabbed the handrail with one bony hand as he started down the shortest staircase in the castle. It was the stairs that led down from the second floor to the main entrance hall. That was the way that he took for every meal, every day. He always took the long way, with plenty of stairs; it was harder, but Alfeegi was still trying to work the creaking out of his joints. Taking the last few steps in pairs, Alfeegi came to the marble floor, and found Thatz waiting there for him.

"Hello Thatz, had a good day?" Alfeegi asked politely.

"Sure, I guess. Hungry?" The Earth Knight asked.

"Very. But you didn't wait for me to see if I was hungry or not, did you?"

Thatz looked around, and shrugged. "No, actually, I wanted to know why Rath was in such a bad mood. He didn't even want to go demon slaying today when Kai-Stern offered it." Alfeegi thought for a moment, then remembered.

"It's a long story. Walk with me to dinner, and I'll explain it to you."

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Earlier that day

Alfeegi sat at his desk, a small pile of papers that required his signing. He was in a good mood: breakfast had been waffles, sausage, and mango juice. The sun was warm, and the sky clear, it didn't feel like autumn at all; it wasn't hot like the summer was, but it wasn't cold like autumn normally could be around this part of the country. Alfeegi took advantage of that, and had his window open. Glancing at the white rose that was in the vase at the desk, he sighed, and wanted to be outside rather than at his desk. Ever since Ruwalk showed him the garden the first month of summer - after Alfeegi tried to kill himself- he had kept a rose on his desk to remind him what he was living for. This rose had lasted since Alfeegi started the reminder four months ago, he hoped that it'd last throughout the winter as well.

He quickly raced through the papers, not even reading them, and just as he finished the last paper when Rath knocked at the door.

"It's open." Called Alfeegi and Rath came in, and sat in the chair that was in front of Alfeegi's desk. Alfeegi smiled. "How can I help you Rath?"

Rath stared coldly at him. "You can leave for a little, just until everyone stops worrying about you. Thatz isn't interested in hanging out anymore, Crewger and fire talk of nothing but the 'insane Dragon Officer', and Kai-Stern comes to see you before seeing me when he gets back. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you, so you should just stop doing what ever it is that you're doing that makes every one on edge when you enter the room. I'm just lucky that Rune isn't here, or he'd be a basket case too!"

Alfeegi leaned back in the chair. "I didn't know that the others were on 'hyper-alert' for me, I thought that they were over that. I'm sorry Rath, I didn't know that you were hurting so much. I'll talk to them. Is there anything else you need me to do for you?"

"Yeah. Disappear, for good."

Alfeegi was stunned at this. "Why?"

"All that you do is get on my nerves. You won't let me get the swords I want to use. You yell at Kai-Stern all the time, and you're always so angry. If you just went away, forever, then nothing would ever happen to the castle. You're the problem."

"I don't think that I'm the problem Rath."

"What, you think that I'm the problem now!"

"No, I'm merely saying that there might be another problem; besides me."

"so you do think I'm a problem!"

"No, I didn't say that. Hold on fo-"

"NO, YOU LISTEN! I'M TIRED OF YOU, AND YOUR CONSTANT CONTROL OVER EVERYONE'S LIFE! GET AWAY FROM US, OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

Alfeegi sat, stunned. Rath stormed out of the room, nearly running into Tetheus on his way out. As Tetheus stepped into the office, he saw just how frightened Alfeegi was. His knuckles were white from gripping the handles of the chair, and he was pale as the last time he passed out from the extra work he had been getting.

"I think that you should stay away from Rath for a while, at least until he calms down a bit. Until then, don't trust him." Tetheus muttered, collecting the pile from Alfeegi's desk, and walking out.

Although the advice was sound, Alfeegi found it hard to fallow as throughout the day, Rath had constantly turned up around almost every corner. First Rath had served Alfeegi lunch: not trusting it as Tetheus had suggested, Alfeegi tossed it to the trash. He found out later that there was enough poison in the food to kill a ridding dragon. The lizards in the dumpsters out the backside of the kitchen had eaten the food, and were found dead. Next, while Alfeegi was talking with Lord Lykouleon out in the garden about wages, a sudden branch fell almost on top of Alfeegi. The end was burnt, and the tree was singed with fire magic. To top it all off, Rath had come into Alfeegi's office while Alfeegi was trying to find Kai-Stern, and had burned the white rose that was quickly becoming Alfeegi's trade mark.

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Back to Alfeegi and Thatz

"So you see, that's why he's been in a huff today, he hasn't killed me yet, nor has he scared me off." Thatz stared at the White Officer for a moment in disbelief.

"And all that you can do is let it happen! If Rath were out to kill me, I'd run like there would be no tomorrow. If Rath was after me, there would be no tomorrow." Thatz gasped. Alfeegi shrugged.

"He thinks that he is a little child, and children that throw tantrums soon learn that tantrums get ignored, and they will not get their way. That is the lesson that I'm trying to teach Rath now. He will not win."

Thatz was about to add more, but found that hard as they walked through the doors, and found Rath standing in front of them, blocking their way. His green eyes sparkled mischievously, a wicked grin that couldn't mean anything good, and his hands behind his back.

"Get in Thatz, I don't want you to miss your food." Said Rath, the grin never leaving his face, his eyes locked on Alfeegi's cold copper orbs. Thatz glanced at Alfeegi, who was starring unemotionally in return.

"Go in Thatz, I'll be fine. See you in a moment, then we can finish our discussion." Alfeegi said simply. Shrugging, Thatz moved around Rath. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that this would turn out badly.

"Well?" offered Alfeegi. "Are you going to let me in, or are you going to say something?" Rath let a low chuckle sending shivers down Alfeegi's frail spine.

"Yes," started Rath. Oh, how he would love to shove that turquoise head into something hard. "I think that you and I are going to have a nice, little… chat. How about we walk this way." Rath took Alfeegi's elbow in his powerful grip, and hurried away.

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Rath's fingers hurt Alfeegi, but he stayed silent, and tried to ignore it as best he could. Rath continued to lead Alfeegi down the halls for well over an hour. Dinner was served, and many were wondering just where the two of them were. In the furthest corner of the castle, Rath flung Alfeegi onto the cold dusty wall, and pinned his shoulders to the unfeeling marble. To Alfeegi's left was a stairwell. It spiraled haphazardly, and led down to the basements. It was at least three hundred stairs, and plunged down into pitch-blackness. Alfeegi looked at Rath, then at the stairs, then at Rath again. He knew what Rath was planing.

"You won't get away with it you know. My desk will be empty for a day, and they'd come looking for me. Some of the others know that you've been after me all day, and they'll come at you first. If you don't tell them where I am, they'll still find me, sooner or later. Then you'll be in more trouble than I could ever come up with for you. You'll pay for it in the end, I swear it." It took everything Alfeegi had from spiting in Rath's face. Rath, on the other hand, merely chuckled.

"And you'll be dead, so no matter what they do to me, I'll be happy. Not to mention, I've always wanted to die anyway. From what I understand, you do too. So I don't really see a down side to this." Rath's dangerous voice sent a chill through Alfeegi, and he knew that he couldn't counter it.

"You hear that?" Rath continued, voice so low that Alfeegi had to strain to hear it. "That's the sound of silence… that's the only thing you'll hear as you die, and die painfully. I do hope that you'll live to the bottom, then not only will you die in pain, and silence; but in darkness too. No one's going to find you 'til they come into the cellars, and by the time they do that, you'll only be a pile of withered bones. They'll give up looking for you, and maybe even forget who you are. I won't be touched. And, I'll get all the pleasure from it. Good-bye Alfeegi, have a good trip." With that, Rath grabbed Alfeegi's shirt collar, dragged him to the stairs, and threw him head first down into the dark hole.

Alfeegi's head found the stairs, and he tumbled backwards. Flipping over and over, his head, shoulders, chest, back, and legs got the worst of the damage. He hit the floor like a sack of potatoes; laying on his right, with his back to the stairs. His legs were at a strange angle, his back twisted; his hips, waist, and shoulders had collapsed in on each other. His ribs were shattered, his neck snapped in two. Arm bones were disintegrated, and the entire right side of Alfeegi's skull was crushed.

He lay there – conscious – in the dark. He felt the pain as he tried to raise himself, he gasped for breath, and found that his lungs didn't want to work properly. The remains of his shattered body heaved in a bloody cough, and his vision slid a little out of focus. Although there was very little light, he could just make out the puddle of warm red liquid spreading around him. It spread fast, and Alfeegi wished dearly that if it did have to end this way, that it would end quickly. The pain was annoying, like a fly that wouldn't leave you alone. The pain slowly dulled, and Alfeegi slipped from reality.

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Rath laughed as he heard the wet thud echo from the depths below. He had succeeded. With that, he turned, and went to his room. As he opened the door, he stepped in, turned to close it, and saw a beaded wall hanging on the back of the door. The picture – intricately woven from the tiny beads – was of a small boy; Rath; siting in the garden. Around him were the four dragon officers, Lord Lykouleon, Lady Roselyn, Fire, and Crewger. On Rath's shoulder was Alfeegi's hand.

Rath had received this wall hanging from Alfeegi for Rath's eighth birthday. Alfeegi had woven it himself, and was very proud of it. All those years ago, Rath would have protected Alfeegi from just about anything. Now, he had just shoved him down a set of stairs. Rath sat, and stared at the beads, at his face, at Alfeegi's. Tears streamed down his cheeks. 'What have I done!' he though, as he covered his eyes with his hands, and sobbed.

vxr

Ruwalk strode back to his room. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Dinner had started two hours ago, and both Alfeegi and Rath hadn't shown up. Thatz had said that Rath wanted to talk to Alfeegi, but it was well spread through-out the castle that Rath was angry, even homicidal towards Alfeegi right now, so Ruwalk wasn't at ease knowing that Alfeegi was alone with the demon slayer at the moment.

Ruwalk had always been close to Alfeegi, even though the smaller, younger man was always yelling at him, and was always calling him a spy, Ruwalk had been the one to bring Alfeegi to the castle in the first place. He had always been close to Alfeegi; something about the teal headed man appealed to the hardest of the castle dwellers. They always looked after the hot-tempered man, and were more than willing to come to his aid if he ever needed it. Tetheus was always ratting out Kai-Stern to Alfeegi, and Ruwalk always helped the Chief Secretary with paperwork. Always making it look like he would rather be doing anything else, of course. But little did Alfeegi know that whenever he was gone; escorting his Lord to a meeting, or was out with a fever; Ruwalk was the one that made the piles of paper smaller. Of course, it was Ruwalk and Kai-Stern that had made the stacks that large in the first place, with all the traveling that Kai-Stern did, and all the extra money that Ruwalk lent him, it was easy to see the White Officer slowly slip into insanity.

Ruwalk was most definitely the close one to Alfeegi though, Ruwalk always thought of the over-worked man as a little brother. A little brother that you wanted to protect with all your might, but still annoy just for laughs. Though, most the time, if Alfeegi was ticked, you didn't laugh, you ran and hid under the bed. He stayed with Alfeegi whenever he could, just to be sure that no harm befell him. One of his biggest shocks came when he found out that there was a huge vault under the castle, full of weapons and dangerous objects, and Alfeegi was always down there; where Ruwalk couldn't protect him because Alfeegi always went down alone. But at this moment, his mind was not on the vault below, but where his "adopted younger brother" was.

Ruwalk passed the stairs down to the cellar on his way to his room like he always did. As he passed it, he couldn't help but notice that the dust was disturbed around the steps. Curious, he took one of the candles from the wall sconces, and started down the steps. On the fourth step down, he started to find blood splatters, and teal strands of hair. Running down the stairs now, he found that the amount of blood increased, and was all over. Ruwalk came to the foot of the stairs, and found the crumpled form of Alfeegi; broken, and in a widespread puddle of blood. He quickly lit more of the candles that lined the walls, and knelt in the pool in front of Alfeegi. Ruwalk's breath caught in his chest as he leaned forward, and lifted the officer's head off the floor. The red-stained hair was soaked, and Ruwalk could feel the shattered skull bones shift beneath his strong fingers. Alfeegi's eyes slowly opened, and looked at Ruwalk in the dimly lit room.

Alfeegi's lips twitched into a small smile, and his still tense body relaxed slightly in the hands of his best friend. Ruwalk sat cross-legged, and laid Alfeegi's head in his lap. Surveying the damage to the fragile officer in his hands, Ruwalk was surprised that Alfeegi was still alive. A small shutter coursed through the limp body as Alfeegi drew a shattered breath into his blood filled lungs.

"Ru… walk, I'm…glad that… someone found… me." He gasped.

"Shhhh, now. Try not to push it Alfeegi, I'll get help."

"N-NO! Stay with… me. I might… not have… all the time… you think I… d-do."

He sighed a little, and Ruwalk felt a weak shiver in Alfeegi's broken neck. Suddenly, a fit of spasms took Alfeegi as the crumpled officer fell to red hacking coughs, and Ruwalk's firm hands tried to still him by griping what was left of Alfeegi's shoulders and his cracked hips. When the fits had passed, Ruwalk stroked the blood-soaked hair. He remembered that Tetheus had done this when Alfeegi had fallen ill, and felt that it should work now.

He was right, as he stroked, Alfeegi's body seemed soothed, and Ruwalk knew that he had to find some type of help: and soon, or Alfeegi would die in his arms. Still keeping Alfeegi as calm as possible, and still keeping Alfeegi on his side, Ruwalk yelled up the shaft for help. It just happened that Cernozura was walking past, and heard him. She ran down the stairs, and the sight of Alfeegi's broken body huddled on the floor, with his head in Ruwalk's lap stunned her silent for a moment. Ruwalk managed to jar her out of it by telling her that if she didn't run for help, Alfeegi would die. With a silent nod, she ran up the stairs, and searched desperately for anyone that still lingered after dinner.

Alfeegi looked up at Ruwalk, and started to plead to him. He knew that his time was limited.

"Ru…walk. P-Please… don't… l-leave me… I… don't want… t-to be… alone."

"You won't be, I promise. I'll be right here."

"R-Ru-walk… please, d-don't leave me. I n-n-need… you, here. It hurts, Ru-w-walk it h-hurts…so b-badly." He swallowed hard, and his breathing now became faint, and took all the energy from him in that small, seemingly simple task. What else could Ruwalk do?

"Hold on Alfeegi, Cernozura should be here soon. I know she will be!"

"I… hope s-so… Ru… w-walk."

Once, when Rath was young and had been ill, Alfeegi was looking over him. Ruwalk had just happened to be walking by, and wanted to look in on the ailing infant. He had seen Alfeegi lift Rath from his crib, and cradled him in his thin arms. Rath was having trouble falling asleep, so Alfeegi had tried to ease him into slumber with a song he had made up on the spot. Alfeegi had forgotten the song long ago, but Ruwalk found it hard to forget. Alfeegi had a wondrous voice: it was a sweat tenor that fell upon the ears like silk, and had soothed the young Rath beyond all spells and variety of scents. This is the slow song that Ruwalk whispered softly in Alfeegi's ear now. He was well out of tune, and his voice would have most people beg for it to end; but at the moment, Alfeegi enjoyed it as though it were a choir that sang to him.

"On dragon wings and golden sun beams you will fly;

Sleep, now, and your dreams will take you into the sky;

Over the mountains and clear blue streams you will go by.

Rest now my little one, tomorrow still will come,

And on dragon wings and golden sun beams you will fly."

Ruwalk repeated the last line of the song, and Alfeegi relaxed further into Ruwalk's blood stained lap, and smiled faintly. He had forgotten that song. He wondered where Ruwalk had learned it, and wished that he would sing it again. It was wonderful, with the echoes around the room, and the pain numbing in his legs, it did him a world of good.

"P-Please… Ru… walk… m-make the… swallow pain… s-stop. I c-can't… cough stand it…a-any… gasp m-m-more."

Ruwalk shuddered at the broken voice of his friend, adopted brother, and co-worker. Something just had to be done! If only Rune wasn't off on a search-and-rescue mission right now! Then at least Alfeegi stood a chance! But the elf - and his healing powers - were far off, and weren't expected back for another month or two! 'There has to be something I can do!' Ruwalk pleaded silently, looking desperately around the basement, but to no avail. Cernozura had been gone ten minutes already, and Ruwalk was starting to panic. Alfeegi shivered faintly, and looked up into the fudge-brown eyes of the Yellow Dragon Officer. Ruwalk grabbed Alfeegi's hand, but continued to pet the broken head that relied on his lap for support. Alfeegi's dull penny eyes slid closed slowly, and he sighed, smiling just slightly.

"Th-Thank… you… R-Ru… walk. You've d-done… so much… f-for… me. I'm… s-sorry. For… e-every… thing." His voice was faint, and Ruwalk gripped Alfeegi's hand harder. Alfeegi gave it a faint squeeze, then his hand went limp, and Ruwalk's panic came full circle.

Sitting stunned, the nerveless hand slid from Ruwalk's fingers, and splashed in the lake of red. Ruwalk shook Alfeegi lightly, begging him to wake up. When Alfeegi didn't respond, Ruwalk bent his face close to Alfeegi's and whispered his name, tears rolling down the tan cheeks, landing softly in the blue/green hair, and Ruwalk; bent over; hugged Alfeegi's cheek to his chest.

"Alfeegi, please, wake up! Open your eyes Alfeegi, open your eyes!" Alfeegi didn't respond.

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Three minutes later, Lykouleon, Kai-Stern, Tetheus, and Cernozura found Ruwalk, still sobbing over the form of Alfeegi. Lykouleon and Kai-Stern tread over to the pair on the floor. Kai-Stern carefully inspected Alfeegi, while Lykouleon tried to calm Ruwalk. After a moment, Kai-Stern signaled for Cernozura to bring over the wooden boards and the strips of cloth that they had brought with them. Seeing this, Ruwalk choked on a sob confused.

"Cernozura told us that Alfeegi was alive when she first came down here, and how bad his injuries were." Tetheus explained, placing one of the boards on Alfeegi's back, while Kai-Stern strapped him tightly to it with the strips of cloth. They were binding his broken back in trying to prevent him from become paralyzed from his injuries. "She downplayed them, but we thought that this might come in useful. He's alive Ruwalk, but barely. It's a good thing that you found him when you did. We'll take him to the infirmary, and see what we can do for him. Don't worry, we can always find an elf around here somewhere. You just have to let go of him Ruwalk."

"I can't." Ruwalk sobbed. "I promised him that I wouldn't leave him, that I wouldn't let him go. Please, don't make me break that promise. Please!" Lykouleon, Tetheus, and Kai-Stern exchanged looks, and Cernozura bit her lip. They all knew that an oath given by a dragon officer couldn't be broken. So, carefully, Tetheus and Kai-Stern picked up the shattered form of Alfeegi, Ruwalk kept his hand intertwined with Alfeegi's, and Lykouleon let Cernozura clutch his arm as they all started up the stairs, and down the hall to the sick-bay.

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Three weeks later, Rath opened the door to the infirmary, and looked around at the way-too-clean room. Alfeegi laid there, four beds down, covered in bandages, wooden boards, and stacks of sheets. Approaching slowly, Rath realized just how much pain Alfeegi was really in. Although he had definitely improved since they first brought him to the sick bay, he was still worse for where, and he showed it well. His back was kept in place with a 2X4- that, and a lot of bandages. His neck was forced strait and immovable with a brace made of whalebone and silk. Both of his arms and legs were drowning in plaster, and his chest looked flat, like a deflated football. His head was bound tightly with white cloth, though blood stained, and being the only thing that kept his demolished skull in what could pass for one piece.

Although Alfeegi hadn't woken from the time that he had passed out in Ruwalk's arm, Rath had come in every day to check on him. The others knew that Rath had done the terrible deed, but when Tetheus had found Rath in so much distress that he had asked for the others to not do anything to him until Alfeegi could add his judgement into the punishment. So, nothing had been done. It had taken Kai-Stern three days to convince Ruwalk that Alfeegi'd be fine, and that Ruwalk needed to get some rest, or he'll be joining Alfeegi in the hospital. But Ruwalk still sat for hours determined that if Alfeegi should wake up, he would be there.

As of the last week, Alfeegi had come down with a strange fever, and still wouldn't open his eyes. His wounds - which had been healing so well - had stopped in their progress, and had become slightly infected. Rath took the damp cloth off of Alfeegi's forehead, dabbed it in the water bowl on the bedside table, and replaced it on the ailing man's flesh. Then he pulled a chair up beside the bed, and stared at the person that he had tried to kill.

Alfeegi was perspiring in buckets, and his pale face was wreathed in a look of suffering. His eyelids twitched, and he tried to cry out for something, but the broken ribs, the tight bandages, and the shortness of breath prevented it. Rath didn't know what was happening in Alfeegi's dreams, (which he had been in for three weeks already) but Rath didn't like it one bit. He also didn't know how he could help. So, turning away from the officer, he placed an old parchment card on the table, next to the bowl of cool water.

"I'm sorry Alfeegi. You're probably tired of hearing me say that, but I really mean it. I found this. It's an apology card I made when I was small, but I never gave it to you. I guess I was embarrassed, but I was young then. So I gave it to you now. It's still embarrassing, but, I guess that you need it more than anything else I can give you. Please, don't be mad at me. I didn't think before I did this. I won't do it again, unless a demon possesses me or something, but we all know that'll never happen. So I won't hurt you ever again. I swear."

Rath looked back at Alfeegi, and found that he had stopped writhing in his bandages. Kneeling beside the bed, Rath was relived to find that Alfeegi had calmed down, and slipped back into the peacefulness of slumber. Ruwalk came in just then, and saw Rath bent over Alfeegi. In a panic, he threw himself across the room, and tackled Rath away from the prone form of his friend. Rath struggled upright, dusted himself off, and left the room huffily without a word. Ruwalk walked over to the bed, and saw that Alfeegi had passed out again, just when it looked like he would wake up; Rath came in and sent him too sleep again. Ruwalk had been in there just before Rath had entered, but had to leave to answer a summons from the Dragon Lord, but he had been trying to get Alfeegi awake and had almost succeeded. Now he had to start over. Grabbing up the cloth that was on Alfeegi's forehead, he dunked it into the water, angry and determined. He wasn't thinking that if Alfeegi woke up, that he'd be in pain, he wasn't thinking that if Alfeegi woke up, he could die from shock. The only thing that he was thinking of was seeing Alfeegi's crystalline copper eyes open once again, and hearing his voice. Suddenly, Ruwalk saw the hand-made card on the table.

The old crayon was fading, was badly drawn, and spelled wrong as well, but the intent was clear. He picked it up, and looked inside.

Deer Alfaagy Akeegi wite ofacer,

Plese fagiv me, I didnt mene to brke the sord sawd sorrd agen, it was a assident. Plese dont bee mad at me annymor. I am vere sorre.

Wrath.

Ruwalk stared at the card, feeling very disgusted at himself. Carefully replacing the wet cloth on Alfeegi's forehead, Ruwalk sat in the chair, and buried his face in his hands.

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Alfeegi woke up in his own bed some nine and a half months after Rath gave him the card. Opening his eyes slowly, Alfeegi found that the light off the white ceiling hurt his eyes, which had been in perpetual darkness for a over half a year. He remembered all of the one-sided conversations that other's had had with him. Most prominent in his mind were the ones that Rath had had with him. Now, he just looked at the ceiling, and wondered why he was so stiff, thirsty, and hungry. Sighing, he shifted his shoulders a bit, and stretching his arms and legs to get some feeling back into them, he noticed that; apart from the shock the muscles received from suddenly being used, there was no real pain. In all truth, a week after Ruwalk had tackled Rath, Rune had returned, and had healed Alfeegi completely, even the fever that he had: but no matter how much healing energy the elf used, Alfeegi didn't wake up. That started to send the other officers in the castle into a panic, but, in all actuality, they had a feeling that it was Alfeegi himself that kept him from wakening up, and not the injuries. So they had let him deal on his own, so long as he was no longer in danger of dying from a fall down a stairwell.

As Alfeegi stirred, Ruwalk snapped awake from the sofa in the corner, and walked over to stand beside him. Alfeegi stared at him, and chewed his tongue to try to say something. The only problem was that he was ten months out of practice, and that he was a little dehydrated. Stiffly, he sat upright, and gazed blearily at Ruwalk, who handed him a cup of water.

"Thirsty?" He asked without necessity. Alfeegi tried to grab the cup from him, but found his limbs heavy, and all but unresponsive. Leaning back onto the headrest of the bed, he nodded, and Ruwalk sat on the edge of the bed, pressing the cup to the dry lips of his friend. As slowly as he could, Ruwalk let Alfeegi down the water, and shift a little more again. Alfeegi's bare chest was bathed in sweat and water from the sudden movement, and heaved as he gasped for breath between the next three cups. After the fourth cup, Ruwalk pushed Alfeegi back into the bed. He had reacted so strongly to the taste of water that he had pulled himself onto his knees, and grappled for it. With a few minutes of wheezing and hard swallowing, Alfeegi had gained enough sense about that he composed himself, and lean against the headboard. Ruwalk smiled, and reached over to the steel tray on the bedside table.

"I suppose that you're hungry too, right?" he said, a broad grin on his face told Alfeegi that he already knew that answer too. After a few hand fed mouthfuls that Ruwalk gave to Alfeegi, there was enough strength in the unused mouth to feed its self. When the light salad and the bread had disappeared, Alfeegi stared at Ruwalk, raising an eyebrow expecting to find out just why he was so thirsty and hungry. Ruwalk seemed to know just what Alfeegi was looking for.

"Do you know how long you've been unconscious?" Alfeegi shook his head. "Ten months! We've taken care of you for all that time, do you know just how hard it is to force water and soup down a throat of a man that is so tied up in wood , plaster, and cloth that he doesn't even look human anymore? Then there were the last few months, you could have woken up at any time, and you couldn't even lift a finger! You were out in a coma for so long, we thought that you were going to live that way for the rest of your long life! But then, about three days ago, we couldn't get you to take the water, let alone the soup! You don't know what a relief it is to see you awake!" Ruwalk was pacing now, and Alfeegi was struggling to keep down a laugh. He lost with a voice that steadily grew in strength, and did what any normal person would do.

"Hahahaha! Ruwalk! You should see your self! You look like Cernozura! I can't believe that you, of all people, would be worried about something besides me finding out that you had helped Lord Lykouleon sneak out again!"

Ruwalk stared at him. Then he smiled, and silently straitened up the last white rose of the summer, which was coming to a close. It was in the blue powder vase on Alfeegi's nightstand. Then he looked over to the stunned Alfeegi, and sighed, handing him a quill pen and a couple bottles of ink.

"Sorry Alfeegi, but now that you seem to be in perfect working order, there's ten months of work waiting for you in the office."

vxr

a piece of wood that is 2 inches thick, and 4 inches wide. Length is however long you think Alfeegi's back is… ?