Ciarra could feel her heart beating against her chest, so hard that it somewhat altered her breathing that was already quickened as a result of the frightening scene before her. She knelt down beside Matiyan just in time to hear his mumbled yet desperate request. His request need not even have been spoken, though, for it was already much too obvious that he needed a doctor quite badly. And soon.
Just the fact that he wasn't getting up was enough to hint that he needed medical attention, but the deep cuts from Haksa's sword on his face and nearly everywhere else and his limp, obviously broken arm almost drove Ciarra to tears. He didn't deserve this. He didn't have the amethyst, she did. Why could Haksa just leave him alone?
Ci-Ci heard soft footsteps and a small gasp that she instantly recognized as Lan's. Other times, she would've found something to scold her for, as she'd never been quite fond of her, but right then such matters seemed just as they were and always had been-ridiculous.
"Lan," she said, struggling to keep her voice strong and steady but aware that it would break soon enough," go get help. A doctor, someone to get him to a doctor. I don't care. Just please get help.."
Ciarra hadn't taken her eyes off of Matiyan's battered form, but when she did she saw Lan, slowly retreated backwards and gawking in wonder and worry at Matiyan. She was most likely wondering what on earth had happened to him, but this was not the time to wonder. This was a time to act.
"Run!" Ci-Ci nearly screamed at the girl, not out of anger, but out of urgency. She would've gone herself, but Lan, a Kokiri, was much smaller than her and therefore faster. And besides that, she wanted to be with Matiyan. She wanted to comfort him. She would've moved him onto his back, but it didn't seem the most intelligent thing to do considering his injuries. There was nothing she could do. Only wait.
Before she could think much more about this unfortunate situation, Matiyan was being carefully placed on a stretcher. Ciarra was quickly moved onto her feet from her kneeling position next to Matiyan by the people come to possibly save his life, and she rushed back over to him but was once again shoed away as he was carried off. Looking away sadly she noticed Lan, and walked over, touching her shoulder.
"Thank you, Lan. I-"
The Kokiri shook her head, cutting Ci-Ci off. "I'll show you where they're taking him," she said kindly."
Ciarra was relieved to her this. She hadn't been sure of how Lan would react to her thanking her.
Nothing made sense anymore. Haksa wasn't able to beat him, and supposedly it was foolish to fight him. He wondered why. Why had he joined Ciarra three years ago? Why had Gregorio really joined them? Was that even his name? He had plenty of time to think, since he wasn't sure if he'd live to see tomorrow.
Matiyan reached the hospital about as hopeless as anyone could possibly be. Ciarra almost got there before the doctor did. The doctor was of small stature and hated to have to work on the night of the festival. It was his job no matter what though, and he enjoyed it, nevertheless.
" Well, you don't look good," the doctor started, sounding worried " but I'll see what I can do."
He took a look at Matiyan's arm and his other injuries, mumbling to himself in a concerned tone as he did so.
"Your arm's broken, but I trust you knew that already," he reported. "Everything else will heal here in time. I'd say…6 months or so."
"6 MONTHS?" Matiyan replied, shocked. "You can't speed it up or anything?"
"I'm sorry," the doctor apologized, and I think your right arm might need a week longer than that."
"Perfect," Matiyan said sarcastically under his breath. "Just perfect."
Matiyan hated going to the doctor and hated bad news even more. He had gotten both in less than an hour. It happened so fast. He couldn't remember much of why he was even in the hospital.. Then Ciarra came in.
Ciarra's hurry to get to Matiyan was in vain, for the nurse wouldn't let her enter Matiyan's room. This came as a huge disappointment, leaving her nearly in tears, but the nurse tried her best to comfort her and promised that she'd see him as soon as the doctor was finished. Until then she'd have to wait patiently outside in the waiting area.
As soon as the nurse came out to speak to Ci-Ci, she hurried back towards the room, not even bothering to let the woman finish. Not once did she think of her hesitance to trust. That seemed so petty, so immature now.
Upon entering the room where Matiyan was being kept, she stopped abruptly for a moment and put a gentle hand to her mouth. This all seemed so unreal. Things had seemed bad when he had been lying face down, but now, with the bandages and cast, he seemed in even worse shape. She almost had to look away.
Ciarra rushed over to him and sat next to the bed, shaking her head in pity and disbelief. She had heard Haksa when he'd said that all he wanted was her amethyst, and she couldn't imagine why, but she assumed that it had to be for evil purposes. Because of that, she wasn't about to give it up without a fight, and if she were to fight Haksa he would no doubt kill her. And so Matiyan had fought for her…
Not able to contain herself any longer, she looked away has a few tears fell down her face. Turning back to Matiyan she put a hand to his shoulder and, not really knowing what to do, let it drop down and drew it back towards herself.
"Matiyan, look at you.." she said softly, then added, raising her voice slightly, " You could've been killed..and if you died protecting me, I'd-"
Realizing what she had said, she quickly stopped herself. Maybe he hadn't been protecting her. Maybe he just knew that Haksa couldn't get her pendant. And perhaps the fact that he had been fighting to protect her was just her own wishful thinking.
"What I meant was…I…I feel since the pendant is mine, I should be responsible for it and for keeping it away from Haksa, and if something were to happen to you while you were fighting to keep it away from him…well...I...don't know what I'd do…" Ciarra finished quickly, her voice growing quieter as she did so. She was aware that she had been rambling on, something she only did when she was nervous. Yet stills he felt the need to add one more thing.
"That…is…why you were fighting, right…?" She added in subconscious hope that someone had been fighting to protect her. Looking down at her feet, she held tightly to the pendant that seemed to have caused all this.
" I fight so you can live," Matiyan replied, " you mustn't blame your self. I will stay with you until the end of my days. And that won't be today. "
Matiyan grasped Ciarra's hand and put his other hand in it.
" If you keep your hope, you become more powerful than Haksa will ever be."
Matiyan rested his head.
Ciarra looked down at her own hand, grasped in Matiyan's. She was no doubt surprised at his sudden gesture, but she wasn't about to complain. It was comforting to her, and although it seemed that Matiyan needed the comforting right then, she needed it as well. Her worry for him was to blame.
Not only could she not believe what he had just done, even though for some it wouldn't have been anything to think about, but she couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was basically pledging his life to her, and she couldn't see why.
"You fight so I can live...why?" she said, her curiosity driving her to look up at Matiyan's face. "Why would you fight for me? What did I do to deserve that?"
Ci-Ci suddenly second guessed herself, wondering if what she had said was rude. But she was determined to speak her mind, and to express her sincerity, she squeezed Matiyan's hand gently, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his.
"Ciarra," Matiyan started, "you mean everything to me. I've never had a friend as good as you. If you died… I'd never forgive myself. If anyone is to die first, it's me. That's why I fight. That's why I devoted myself for your safety."
He heard himself answering his own question. He loved Ciarra deep down and knew that if Haksa killed her before he did him he wouldn't rest until Haksa was equalized. He was starting to feel his scrapes and bruises healing. He could move a little bit better and he lifted his broken arm. The cast was helping but he knew it would be awhile.
Matiyan's words took Ciarra by surprise yet left her hopeful but confused. Were there hidden meanings to what he was saying, or was it all meant to be taken the way it was being said?
"….you mean everything to me…"
Hearing these words sent her stomach doing back flips. She'd never really heard anyone say that she meant everything to them. It seemed ridiculous. Why care that much for someone when they haven't ever done anything for you?
"I've never had a friend as good as you.."
These words had a slightly different affect. Ci-Ci took this sentence and broke it down, analyzing every word. One word, however, she paid more attention to than the rest. "Friend." That word echoed inside her mind, reminding her why she had always been so unwilling trust. She knew, deep down, that she couldn't let herself get close to people. It just set her up for disappointment. She was only being let down.
Since she had first realized how she felt about Matiyan she had hoped that he felt that way too. Maybe a little more than just a friend. But it wasn't looking like she Ciarra was going to get her wish…
"I've never had a friend as good as you.."
These words had a slightly different affect. Ci-Ci took this sentence and broke it down, analyzing every word. One word, however, she paid more attention to than the rest. "Friend." That word echoed inside her mind, reminding her why she had always been so unwilling trust. She knew, deep down, that she couldn't let herself get close to people. It just set her up for disappointment. She was only being let down.