Chapter twenty is up, yay. But alas...No reviews on the cutest chapter of all time? How sad...
Raine: Here's hoping no one wants to read it anymore.
Sorry, Raine. Eleven people have read the last chapter I put up. So hah.
Raine: ...Perhaps the lack of feedback suggests that you should stop.
...Perhaps. But then again, perhaps they're just being "lazy" again :P. Any-who, let's go. New cute chapter for y'all.
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"...Welcome back, Raine...welcome back."
Held tightly in his arms, having him cling to her like the world was about to end. With what strength she had, she returned the embrace on a resultingly much smaller scale, her arms wrapped around the back of his neck. Here she remained, his grasp a comforting thing as the reality of the past few moments sunk in completely. She...wasn't dead. She had lived through the Aelaes Maer. But she had been so certain in those final moments. Her conciousness, her body. Almost as though being torn in half, she had felt like life itself was simply letting her go. Was that what a near death experience was all about?
"Raine?"
It was a new voice...Genis'. She felt Regal loosen his relentless hold a little so she could pull back enough to look toward her brother's voice. Even this effort took a considerable portion of her almost depleted energy, and her vision was a bit hazy, she did her best to focus and even give him the smallest of ghostly smiles. Regal supported her still, but moved to allow the young half-elven boy to take his place in his sister's arms. "You're okay," he said in wonder and relief. "You're really okay."
"Yes," she whispered. This was mostly because nothing stronger than such would come out. "...Yes...I really am." The words were as much to assure her as to assure him. She was alive. She was still with those she cared about. She wasn't dead...I'm alive...
"She is cured, yes. But I do believe the excitement of a crowded room may put further stress on both mind and body," piped in the Doctor, who had supposedly been standing to the side since Regal had arrived...whenever that was. "Perhaps a bit of peace and quiet, to allow for some much needed recovery."
Raine felt Genis release her, and was glad when Regal moved closer again to lend full support while laying her back down. As the boy left, Regal looked at the Doctor. "I want to stay with her," he said. Her gaze was directed at the ceiling, her eyes half-closed, but she didn't really see it. She allowed them to slip closed, but remained awake with her hand in Regal's. The hazy, fuzzy state everything was in gave her a headache whenever she tried to look or focus upon it. "I will not...excite her."
;There was a pause, a moment of silence in which she listened for an answer from the Doctor. She did hope, though perhaps she wouldn't admit it, that Regal would stay with her. "Very well, Master Bryant. But please, do allow her to rest. I don't know what the after effects of such an experience may be." From what she could tell, the man bowed his way out of the room before the Duke turned back to sit on the edge of her bed.
Without opening her eyes, she quirked another half of a smile as she felt him pull loose, perhaps even imaginary, strands of hair from her face. Weakly, she forced her eyes open and tried to sit up of her own free will. Though, as she should have suspected, Regal laid a hand against her shoulder to put an end to her struggle. She blinked as he lifted her upper body a bit to reposition her pillow so it was upright. He then assisted her in leaning back against it, now in a sitting position. "Thank you," she murmerred, her voice still a bit broken.
Regal nodded with a tame, neutral smile. Raine pulled her knees up closer to her chest, allowing him to shift into what she thought must be a more comfortable position. A silence extended between them in which she closed her eyes and leaned her head back again, and he simply kept holding her hand. "I am glad you're alright," he said, at last.
Raine opened her eyes just halfway to meet his eyes. "As am I," she returned, truthfully. "Thank you...Regal." She was assuming it had been he that had found the antidote.
He looked up from her hand quizically. "Why?" asked the noble.
"For saving...my life." She caught and held his gaze. "It is very likely that I would not be alive right now...if it hadn't been for you...And the others?"
Regal nodded again. "Lloyd and the others were, indeed, very helpful when I ran into Karla."
"...Speaking of which...what happened to them? Do we know...where they are?"
"I have not asked yet. The others offered to keep them busy to allow me to proceed here, to you. I was very worried I would not get the chance to speak with you again. You did not appear to react to the counter-agent at all."
"I'm sorry that I worried you. The truth is, I was a bit..." Raine looked at their joined hands in thought. "Frightened," was probably the best word for it. But somehow, that seemed a little unlike her. "Worried, as well," she said instead. "It felt as though...as though I was conciously aware of the seperation between body and soul. I felt as though I were just drifting away...from everything. From you, and Genis." She shook her head feebly. The thought of death was not appealing in the least.
While she was speaking, he had evidently shifted so he sat beside her rather than at her feet, looking partly over his shoulder to be able to meet her gaze steadily. Raine straightened her legs most of the way, shifting as best she could with next to no energy to give him room. "Does that mean you were aware of our presence here with you?"
"Not entirely, no. There was a point in which...I heard your voices distantly, like a dream. But I don't really remember...much of anything before or after that, until my...near-death."
"Understandable. Your fever was running at a dangerous level, it sounded like you couldn't get anough oxygen. I'm surprised you noticed even what you did." He was still holding her hand up to this point, but now released it to instead lay the back of his own against her forehead. "Though I am pleased now to say that your temperature has reduced considerably."
"Good to know," she said, that shadowed smile resurfacing.
"Indeed it is." Regal cupped her chin in his strong hand, relief evident in his eyes. "But I have one request."
"Oh?" Raine blinked at him somewhat groggily.
"Yes. Please, don't ever do that to me again, Raine. I couldn't take it again."
The smile widened just a fraction of a centimeter as she took up his unoccupied hand with her own, weakly. "I'll give you my word...as best I can. I did not wish this to happen, but I can, however, promise that I will try notto fall ill again."
"That's all I ask." Still holding her more delicate chin, and still gently clasping her hand with the other, Regal leaned in. Raine allowed her eyes to slip closed again as he kissed her. The hand not holding hers slid around to the back of her neck instead, supporting her head instead of having her try to lift it to accomodate this show of affection. Likewise, she snaked her empty hand up to rest it on his shoulder.
Once more, the half-elf was reminded that both life and love were hers.
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-Squeal- I love you two as a couple. You're so adorable!
Raine: ... ...
-.- Say something, or your groom will think you don't love him anymore.
Raine: I refuse to dignify this mockery of a relationship with an answer.
Tch. Half-elves. Staaaay tune.
