* 24 * 7/12/12

Once Lily had shut the door, she started running. She didn't know why she felt so desperate to right whatever she'd done, but the motivation was overwhelming. She couldn't leave Casavir of all people upset with her even a little, despite what he had told her.

She checked near the inn and up by the entrance to the Keep. She went inside and searched every room, even the basement, where Kistrel twittered confusedly at her distraught demeanor.

"Have you seen Casavir?" she asked the gigantic, luminescent spider. Kistrel chittered while shaking his head, so Lily went back upstairs to search the dining room, which, of course, was empty. Even the food was gone, though that was no surprise.

Beginning to panic, Lily rushed out of the Keep and down the hill so fast that she lost her footing and rolled down a good two meters before colliding side-first against a tree. "Egh!" she shouted, holding herself still for a moment before launching to her feet again. Her coordination was really shot now.

Why am I so frantic? Why is this sudden drive to make things right so intense? she thought while running. She fled to the west of the courtyard, with only two buildings left to search. She came to the door to the Temple of Tyr and opened it, albeit slowly despite her rush, for this was still a holy temple.

The temple seemed to be completely vacant due to the festivities. Lily walked all the way to the other side of the building and peeked in two rooms before finally spotting shining silver armor on a man facing away from her.

"Casavir!" she shouted, running toward him.

He turned abruptly, not having expected anyone to come find him, especially not her. She stopped before reaching him, and he gasped when he got a good look at the quantity of dirt and twigs sticking to the side of her dress.

"My lady, what happened?!" Casavir asked frantically, alarmed.

Lily burst into tears, taking the paladin aback. It seemed heartless for her to be left panting and crying so far away, but he had no idea what he should do. Each teardrop was like a 5-ton weight on his heart.

"I just...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, and I didn't mean it, and I don't want you to walk out, and I don't want you to be upset!" she cried, tears falling with each word.

Casavir was shocked. "My lady, I... I didn't..." She turned her face up more to see him better when he was talking, which also gave the paladin a better view of the wet trails forming down her face. He was at a loss for words. He resigned to pleading, "Please don't..."

"Casavir!" she shouted once more. Lily ran toward him and threw her arms around him, giving him barely enough time to react and maintain his balance.

His heart seemed to stop entirely. Lily cried with her head laid against his chest, shaking uncontrollably. "Don't be mad, don't be mad, don't be mad..." she quietly begged.

Casavir's whole countenance seemed to tremble, but he didn't want to leave her crying and thinking all the wrong things. He racked his brain for what to do. He wanted to show her that he didn't leave the inn because he was mad... He wanted to show her that...

That he...

Casavir stilled his breath, then relaxed his muscles. He slowly, very slowly, brought his arms around her waist, and pulled her close to comfort her.

Lily's crying began easing up. She moved her head to nestle it in his shoulder and slowly closed her eyes, becoming more peaceful by the second.

Casavir's breathing slowed tremendously, becoming very deep and thorough. There was silence in the room save for Lily's soft sobbing, and he wanted to close his eyes, too.

No one barged in. No one came in with loud conversation to distract them. Casavir held Lily in his arms, and all was quiet.

The paladin didn't dare speak. Locked in a moment, it would never end if the world just stayed very still. So he did. He hoped he didn't have to explain further right now that he wasn't upset, hoped that Lily would understand through body language alone that he was far from mad at her.

Lily's sobbing slowed to every few seconds, and her breathing regained a more natural pattern. Through his armor, Casavir could not feel her chest cavity expand and contract against his, and he longed to take the million-kilo plating off this very second. But he didn't dare move, either.

How can I...be doing this? In Tyr's own temple, even... No... I...

He looked down gently at the nearly silent, beautiful elven maiden resting against him.

Surely there's something wrong with this... I feel...

Much to Casavir's delight, Lily didn't break away, even despite the fact that time is supposed to slip from between your fingers.

Happy. The most peaceful that I have in years.

But here – right now – it seemed eternal.

If only I hadn't so much armor on...

But Casavir stopped himself, smiling as he remembered Lily's words once more.

No. This is more than enough.