Sacrificing Your Heart For Love Part II
Meggie sat and watched with a sad smile on her face as Dustfinger danced with Brianna, it was her wedding reception. The large smile that covered his face, made her at least happy that she was not giving up her life for nothing and it made her forget about her heart, which was beating slower as time went on and would stop beating by midnight. She was a little scared and she did fear not being able to see her parents again, but her love for Dustfinger made it all worth it. Even if she had not hope in having that love returned.
"Hello Meggie," Dustfinger said as he sat down next to Meggie, causing her to snap out of her reverie and turn to look at him with a furrowed brow, she'd just seen him dancing with Brianna and wondered how he'd gotten to her so fast. "Why are you sitting by yourself all the way over here?" Dustfinger asked with a smile on his face. Despite all the changes in the Inkworld he still loved it and was very happy that he was back and everyone was so thrilled to have him back.
"I'm a little tired," she responded as she looked into his eyes, and it was kind of the truth. Her heart was beating slowly, so it got the blood around slower then it usually would, and at the moment it made her feel like she was very tired. She stared at him and tucked strands of blonde hair behind her ear. She'd put on a white shirt with a very bright red skirt that sort of looked like a strange flame whenever she danced.
"Tired? You're eighteen, it's only ten! What one earth, have you to be tired of?" Dustfinger said with a smile on his face as he stared at her. She merely smiled and looked at the dance floor, where she spotted Farid and Brianna dancing. Despite the fact that she was over Farid, there was still a very special place in her heart for him, and to see him dancing with his bride filled her with something bittersweet. "Come on, dance with me," he said as he stood up from the chair that he'd sat in.
Meggie looked up at him from the chair that she was sitting in and looked for a moment at the hand that he was holding out to her and tried to smile as she took his hand and walked over to dancing space with him and just as they did so they started to play a very slow song. "Midnight is in a few hours, have you thought of a reason to continue to live?" Meggie asked as he lightly placed one of his hands on her waist and as she took his other hand in her own and placed her loose hand on his shoulder.
Dustfinger stared at her for a moment, it had take him the whole morning to understand all the changes of the Inkworld, but what was really important to him about it had not changed at all. At first, he thought that was his reason for living, but something inside him told him that it wasn't the reason that he wanted to continue to live. And despite the fact that he loved Brianna with all his heart, he knew that she wasn't the reason that he wanted to continue to live. It wasn't until he saw Meggie just before lunch that he knew the reason why.
He'd walked into her room to fetch her for lunch, it was after the wedding Ceremony were she'd seemed to be very serene, yet that wasn't the Meggie he saw behind her closed door. On her bed, was a new and very decorative box that Mo had made her to put her favorite books in, it was open and there were a few books open on the bed. Over at her desk there was a journal open, a quill lying over it and an open ink well; all evidence that she'd previously been writing. All evidence that the Meggie that he'd loved so much was still the eighteen year old Meggie around.
However, there was a sound coming from the rafters, like there were fairies up there and they were all banging on the wood, causing a very rhythmic sound. At first Dustfinger thought that the fairies were trying to annoy Meggie by not letting her word by causing noise, but he soon found Meggie and realized that they weren't trying to make noise and vex her. No, what they were doing was, they were playing music for Meggie to dance to. And with good reason, for Meggie danced beautifully, more so then Roxane ever did and with more freedom.
He'd always known that he'd loved Meggie, but he'd never truly known to what extent. He knew himself to be very selfish, and when he gave up his life to bring Farid back to her, he'd told himself that he was doing it because he loved the boy like a son. But the truth was, it was always for her. And after seeing her dance, he could no longer deny that he truly did love her, but of course, he couldn't tell her that. "Yes, I have. I want to thank you Meggie, for bringing me back. I couldn't find one myself and I'm very happy that you did."
"Please don't thank me. I failed you. I brought you back to late, Roxane didn't get to see you again," Meggie said as she looked dejectedly and rested her head on his chest and continued to dance slowly to the song. Songs in the Inkworld were nothing like the slow songs form her world. These took a long time, probably over ten minutes when most slow songs of her world were only four minutes.
Dustfinger grabbed the hand that he was holding in his own and placed it over his heart, placing his own hand over hers. "It was never your responsibility to bring me back. I promised Roxane to come back to her, I broke that promise to her, but you never failed me," Dustfinger said gently as he rested his head atop hers. "You gave me this heartbeat Meggie."
Meggie felt her eyes well up with tears as she felt his hear beating beneath her palm and thought about his words. She felt her throat tighten as she tried to push away the sadness that was springing up in her heart. She'd spent the day, doing everything and feeling everything, for the last time and taking it all in. The smell of Resa's hair, Farid's smile, Mo's laugh, the way it felt to hug Mo, to write her last few words, to read her favorite books one last time, to dance for the fairies one last time, and yet none of them filled her with so much foreboding as to never being able to hold Dustfinger like this again.
"What did you give up Meggie? It was more then just reading the right words. What did you give the White Women in exchange for me?" Dustfinger asked as he lifted his head from atop of Meggie's. Meggie merely though about what he said and wondered what to response, but she feared looking up at him, for fear that he would see that the tears that were building up in her eyes that were threatening to spill over.
"It doesn't matter what I exchanged," Meggie said as she continued to rest on her chest, but her voice shook with anguish and she cursed herself for it, for she knew that it would not slip by unnoticed by Dustfinger.
"Meggie," he said as he removed the hand he had over hers and grabbed her chin, gently making her look up at him. Meggie felt her heart slowing down considerably and start to hurt as she started to feel dizzy. She guessed that she would loose consciousness before even dying and looked up at Dustfinger and stared into his eyes as a couple of tears got loose. "What is it?" Dustfinger asked as he started to worry. He felt his heart feel jolts of pain as he watched tears sliding down her beautiful face.
"In exchange for you… I gave them…you," Meggie said as she looked into his eyes, causing him to furrow his brow. He didn't understand what she meant by that. Meggie closed her eyes, she felt like everything was starting to spin, her heartbeat was getting slowed. She felt so lightheaded. "My heart," Meggie said as she reached up and placed a hand over her heart. "Dustfinger…you…"
"Meggie!" Dustfinger said as he held Meggie in his arms as she went limp in them. He slowly came down on his knees, holding her unconscious figure in his arms and stared into her face, starting to feel panic in his heart. He shook her lightly and stared at her. "Meggie!" he said as everyone started to run over.
"What happened," Mo asked as he dropped to his knees in front of Dustfinger and took his daughter into his own arms.
"I don't know, we were just dancing and she fainted," Dustfinger said rapidly as Resa fell on her knees next to Mo. She immediately put her index finger and middle finger to Meggie's throat to feel her pulse.
"Her pulse is incredibly week, but how can that be?" Resa said as her eyes filled with Terror. By then Farid and Brianna and many strolling players were gathering around them. Dustfinger sat there, feeling useless and tried to regain his calm and thought about every word that was exchanged between Meggie and him. He didn't understand what she was trying to say to him and he feared that she'd fainted before she even got what she wanted to say out, but he knew that this had to have something to do with his return.
"Farid, got find Nettle and bring her to our house," Mo said as he stood up with Meggie in his arms, Farid merely nodded before disappearing. She still wouldn't wake, even after they'd shook her and sprinkled her with a little bit of water on her face. At that moment one of the strolling players walked up and Mo handed Meggie over to him as he mounted and then took his daughter back into his arm. "We should take her home Resa, to see to her better then out here."
"I'll be by, I have to go look for something," Dustfinger said as he stood up. He had to know what it was that Meggie had read him back from. He knew that it was the only way that he could save her, but he still didn't know where to look for that piece of paper. He guessed that it still shoul've been where he woke from, for that was the last place that he'd seen it.
Mo stared down at Dustfinger and knew that his daughter's sudden illness had something to do with him, but he did not know how. He stared at Dustfinger for a long moment, he didn't want Dustfinger to leave, in case they needed him to save his daughter, but at long last he merely nodded, hoping that he could trust Dustfinger to come back. Dustfinger merely nodded and left.
Dustfinger sat and looked at the paper in his hands; he could hear Meggie's beautiful voice in his ears as he'd read through it. It was now clear to him what she'd been saying to him. Her last words before she passed out. In exchange for you… I gave them…you. He hadn't understood what she meant by that, and what she said next was supposed to make it clear. He still didn't understand it, but he knew now that she'd given them her heart.
Her heart was failing her, that was the reason that she passed out, and he knew that his twenty-four hours would be up, but as he had a reason to live, it meant that Meggie's time was running out. He knew that there was one to save her, but he couldn't think of what it was. He wished that he'd have Meggie around to explain it to him, for he could not think of the answer to the riddle that Meggie had written.
He sat there and thought, what was there to cure a weakened heart? He couldn't think of any answer to that question. Why was her heart weakened? He couldn't find an answer to that question. Was it weakened solely because she couldn't bring him back? He thought that it couldn't be the reason for it, for he was now back. If it had been the only reason, then wouldn't it have been reasonable to believe that her heart would have regained its strength by having it back? NO, he knew that there was another reason why her heart was week.
He thought about the events of the day and knew that love had a tendency to weaken people hearts, thought usually it was metaphorically and not literally. However, it was the case in this situation. Therefore he wondered if Meggie were suffering love for Farid. After all, he'd gotten married with Brianna. He was her first love, and though Meggie tried her best to make it seem like she was truly happy for them, Dustfinger knew that there is always a place in your heart for your first love. He wondered if perhaps that was the reason that she was dying, for her love of Farid.
It made sense to him if she were which made his heartache as he knew that he could do nothing about that. Dustfigner thought back to dance that they shared. The way his heart beat wildly to have her dance close to him, to be able to hold her. He was scared to put her hand over his heart, for the way that it was beating, and it beat even more excitedly when she rested her head on his chest. He'd give anything to have that moment back.
I gave them… you. My heart. Dustfinger…you… he remembered what she said and wondered if perhaps she meant that he was her heart. He shook his head of the thought, telling himself that it couldn't be so, for it he were her heart, it would mean that she loved him and he thought that simply impossible. But then he thought back to when he'd seen her dancing, earlier in the day. She'd turned around and when she saw him, she turned a very light shade of pink, but she didn't stop dancing. She merely smiled at him and continued to dance and as she danced, she never took her eyes of him. It almost felt like she'd stopped dancing for the fairies and for herself and felt like she was dancing for him.
Once more he shook his head of the thought, but there was another instance in the day which had given him hope. After spending the rest of her night, telling him about every change in the Inkworld, they'd both gotten off the floor and went out. It was sunrise and Meggie seemed slightly tired and when they stepped out of the cave and stared at the morning sun, she'd rested her head on his shoulder. "I wish we had more mornings like this," she'd whispered, as if scared to mutter the words. At first he'd thought that she meant that there should be more mornings like that in the Inkworld, but there had to be more to that we.
Dustfinger stood up and tucked the paper in his pocket and made his way back. He thought about his heart, it ached for her. He hoped that she were in love with him, for a heart that was sick with love could easily be cured if you were the reason that it was sick with love in the first place. However, he didn't know what he would do if he was wrong in thinking that she was in love with him. However, he dearly wished that she would return his sentiments.
"How is she?" Dustfinger asked as he stepped into the room. Mo and Resa were sitting on each side of Meggie, Farid was standing over by a wall, leaning against it and Brianna was sitting in the chair of Meggie's desk. Mo and Resa both looked over at Dustfinger, the same expression on their faces, an expression of worry, anguish and helplessness. Resa's eyes were even red rimed.
"The same, Nettle couldn't find anything wrong with her other then her weak pulse and there is no cure for that," Resa said as he voice shook with anguish and stared at her daughter. MO turned his gaze over to Dustfinger.
"Where have you been?" Mo asked as he looked over at him. Dustfinger looked over at Silvertongue, but did not know how to answer his question. He'd taken about an hour doing all his thinking and midnight was a mere hour away. He just hoped that he was right in thinking that he could save her, for his sake and more so for Meggie's.
"I'd like to talk to her, alone for a moment. If that would be all right," Dustfinger said after much thought as he looked over at them. Mo and Resa both stared at him as if they simply couldn't leave their daughter alone, not even for a second. "Please, I promise she won't fade in your absence," Dustfigner said as he looked at them. Resa nodded and stood up, causing both Brianna and Farid to exit the room. However, Mo would not move from beside his daughter. "Silvertongue, please."
"It's all right Mo," Resa said as she turned to look at her husband. He reluctantly stood up and followed his wife out of the room, but nor before looking at Dustfigner for a long moment, as if trying to figure out what he was up to. However, Dustfinger merely walked over to Meggie's side and grabbed her hand, feeling her wrist for her pulse, which was beating slowly.
"Meggie, can you hear me?" Dustfigner asked as soon as Mo walked out and closed the door behind him. Meggie slowly turned her head at the sound of his voice, however she did not awaken. "Meggie, it's me Dustfinger," he said as he stared at her, but she remained unconscious. Dustfigner stared at her for a long moment and held her hand in his, wondering how he could possibly save her if she were asleep. He sighed and was about to take away his hand to run it through his hair, when he felt her hand hold onto his.
"Dustfigner," she said as she slowly turned her head away, but she could not awaken. She remained unconscious, yet Dustfinger knew that she would listen to him. That perhaps she might not be aware of what he was saying, but one some level she would hear and understand him.
"Meggie… I don't know how to say this, but I'm scared of losing you. I've never been this frightened of anything before. It surpasses the far I had for Capricorn, Basta, loosing my family, loosing Farid and even my fear of death," he said as he stared at her. Her brow furrowed, the way people do sometimes in their sleep when they are having a nightmare. "My reason for living, Meggie… you are my whole reason for wanting to continue to live. I don't know if I'm using the right words, I've never used the right words, but you Meggie, you always know the perfect thing to say. If I could I'd have you say everything that's in my heart. I'd have you read my heart like an open book, aloud so that I could heart your beautiful voice.
"Meggie, the simplest way to say this is that I love you. I've loved you for a long time. It took me a long time to realize, but I now it to be true. When I was with the White Women, all I could ever think about it your shining gaze, the way you loved to read books and your love of the Inkworld. When I promised Roxane that I would come back to her, I really wanted to say that I would come back to you. You are the whole reason that I gave up my life. I wish that it were at least a little true that saving Farid had something to do with it, but the truth is, it was all for you. Just to see you happy, so that you would never stop smiling.
"It hurt, at first, when I realized that you'd fallen in love with Farid, but I never understood the pain until I realized what I felt for you. They say when you are truly in love that you don't care about yourself. That all you care about is the person you love, it is the only reason that you could be unselfish. You know Meggie, you've seen, that I can be very selfish, but every unselfish act that you saw me do when you were thirteen, it was always for you.
"It was your life that made me keep the fire going, event though the rain made it impossible. It was my love for you that made it possible. I know that I have made my mistakes and that your love will always be too good for someone like me, but I just want you to stay. I want you to stay here with me, for I have no reason to live if you slip away," Dustfinger said as he stared at her. Meggie was starting to sweat on her forehead as she furrowed her brow, like she was in pain that she could not wake from. Her grasp on his hand was getting slightly stronger as he went on. "Meggie ... you are my heart," Dustfinger said as he stared at her.
At that moment Meggie sat bolt upright and looked her eyes burst open as a few tears slipped down her face and she through her arms around his neck as she started to cry. Her heart was beating so fast and hard in her chest that it hurt and felt like it was going to pop out. She could hear every word that he said, but she couldn't awake. The White Women were calling her name and refusing to let her go, but as his speech went on, her heart was starting to beat more and get stronger until at last it was too strong for the White Women to hold onto her. "I love you so much," Meggie cried as she buried her face in his shoulder.
"I love you too," Dustfigner said as he held onto her tight and could feel tears welling up in his eyes as relief washed over him that she was still alive. Meggie cried with relief and joy. Relief that she had not lost her life and joy to know that he loved her as well. She pulled away and looked at him through her teary gazed and started to laugh as she looked into his face.
"I didn't think you would…" she started to say as she stared into his eyes; however, he grabbed her face lightly and planted a kiss on her lips.
"You know all the right words to say, but sometimes you say things when nothing needs to be said," Dustfinger said with a smile as he stared into her eyes, causing her to laugh as she wiped away the tears in her eyes. At that moment the door burst open and Mo and Resa walked into the room causing her to look over at them. There was a look of such happiness and relief as they stared at her and started to hold her tight.
"Thank you Dustfigner, for whatever you did," Resa said as she started to cry and held Meggie tight, planting kisses on the top of her head. Dustfigner merely looked away in slight embarrassment. Mo turned from hugging his daughter to look over at Dustfinger.
"You know, I'm getting tired of everyone loving you," he said as he looked at him. Dustfinger paled visibly, Mo scared him. Especially after he'd actually become the Blue Jay of Fenoglio's songs. But Mo merely started to laugh and patted Dustfinger on the back, which still left Dustfinger feeling slightly uncomfortable, but he smiled at him anyway. "But you know that if you do anything to hurt Meggie at all, I will be coming after you." Dustfigner merely nodded wondering how it was that Silvertongue knew. "I know my daughter very well. I've known for a long time that she loved you and I figure only love could have saved her weakened heart."
"Could've said something earlier. Would have saved me all the time it took me to figure it out," Dustfinger said as he looked at Mo. Mo merely smiled as he looked at him and shook his head.
"You had to figure it out by yourself, and I hoped you would, though you were starting to worry me when it took you so long," Mo said.
"How did you know I would feel the same way?" Dustfigner asked.
"It's Meggie," Mo responded.
"It's been a very long couple days," Meggie said as she sat down next to Dustfinger and laid her head to rest on him as he wrapped his arms around her and they turned their gaze towards the rising sun. "I'm so tired, I haven't slept in like two days."
"Go to sleep then, I'll be here when you wake up," he said as he held her and they stared at the rising sun. She closed her eyes.
"I hope so. I keep thinking that this is all I dream that I will wake from soon," Meggie said as she rested her head on his chest.
"Me too. But this isn't a dream, and I'm really here and I will still be here when you wake up. I don't want to miss a minute with you," he said as he held her in his arms. Meggie merely smiled as she slowly drifted to sleep, wishing to never miss a minute with him either.
THE END
A/N: All right, please Review. Say anything at all, just say something. And like I said, I love Farid/Meggie, but there simply aren't enough Dustfinger/Meggie stories, so please don't flame about the pairing. You cant flame about anything else if you want though. But I hope you all liked it.