Right now I was having a dream, maybe even a flashback to Bianca's life. Once again I found myself standing inside her room and for a moment I worried about what I might witness though she seemed alone and I sighed, grateful. Then I walked over as she sat at her desk and as I watched she took out a small silver book, about the size of my hand and set it down on the desk. Curious I stood beside her and after a long moment I realized that she was writing about her life.
I need to tell him. The Shadow Booster...no, Xander needs to know. I still can't believe that... Pausing in her writing, Bianca places an open palm against her stomach and lets out a sigh, making my eyes go wide before I took a step back, shocked as she begins to write again.
Now I have two to protect...
"Wait so you were...oh Bianca. I'm so sorry." I whispered as I felt my eyes begin to well and as I sniffed, Moordryd stirred awake. With his arms wrapped around me, he'd eventually dozed off and it was only when he heard a noise coming from me that he blinked.
"Rayne...you awake?" He whispered, shifting and as he watched his eyes went wide as tears began to run down my cheeks. "Hey Rayne." He muttered reaching up and giving my shoulder a shake, afraid that I was having another nightmare and when I sighed he frowned.
"Bianca...I'm...sorry." I whimpered and just then I heard a voice, close to my ear and as I struggled awake I found Moordryd looking down at me. "Hmm...what's wrong?"
"I thought you were...never mind. How are you feeling?" Moordryd answered and as I sat up, rubbing at my eyes he gave me a slight smile, only to hear me sniff.
"I had a dream and I found something out...its about Bianca, the original Light Booster." I told him as I rested my head against his shoulder and after a pause I looked up at him. "She was writing in her journal and I read that...she was pregnant with the Shadow Booster's baby."
"Say again?" Moordryd asked, not sure he heard me right, and when I repeated myself his eyes went wide. "Wait so that means that...Armeggaddon killed not just Bianca and Hurricaynn but...her unborn baby too." He whispered and that even shocked Moordryd, not even noticing as I buried my face in his chest. Though he did hug me only moments later as I started to cry, mourning not just Bianca and her dragon but the child who never even had a chance at life. Knowing that words wouldn't help, Moordryd held me against him as his mind tried to make sense of everything he'd just learned.
So the one who trained me was a murder three times over, he thought as I kept my face hidden. I looked up when I heard him sigh, somehow knowing that he was feeling the same pain. When Moordryd noticed me looking at him he tried to give me a reassuring smile that failed when I hugged him suddenly.
"I wish I could have helped her." I whispered as Moordryd rested his head against mine and he gave a sudden snort, making me raise an eyebrow at him.
"Maybe if you'd existed three thousand years ago. Though if you had I wouldn't have met you." Moordryd explained and for some reason that made me laugh and he joined me, letting out a chuckle. "Are you feeling any better? I know that's probably a dumb question and all..."
"Its not dumb. I feel a little better I guess. Thanks for caring about me." I replied as I snuggled into his chest and he chuckled again. "Oh and sorry about the weird mood swings." I added and he raised his eyebrow at me, giving me a slight grin. "Okay what is that look for?"
"Are you sure you're not...you know?" Moordryd asked and in seconds he found himself sprawled on the ground with me glaring at him, hands on my hips. "I was just joking!" He quickly grumbled and I rolled my eyes, pretty ticked that he'd even suggest something like that. I turned my back then, arms now crossed against my chest as I silently seethed not even noticing as he climbed to his feet. Not too mad with me, Moordryd dusted off his knees as he walked closer and closer, giving me a cheeky grin before he lunged. I hate to admit that I gave a girlish shriek that rapidly changed to a purr when Moordryd, who now had his arms wrapped tightly around my waist, nibbled my earlobe.
"That wasn't nice. Are you saying I'm fat, Paynn in the rear?" I muttered as Moordryd rested his head against my back. "If you are...well I might have to rethink our relationship." I growled, trying to be as convincing as possible. Which failed miserably as Moordryd's lips found my neck.
"Uh huh." Moordryd said as he kissed his way down to the base of my neck, letting out a brief chuckle as I growled at him. "Ohh very scary. I'm shaking in my boots."
"You should be." I shot back pretending I didn't enjoy his kisses though when one of his arms slipped off my waist and began to make its way very slowly towards my stomach I froze, before I gave him a slight frown. "Excuse me but what exactly are you doing?"
"Well I was thinking that..." Moordryd began just as his hand slipped under the hem of my shirt and it finally clicked. "Or not." He sighed as I glared at him, green eyes narrowed.
"Seriously? After everything I've been through, you think you can just...just...ah...ah." I tried to yell at him just as my nose started to tickle and before I could prevent it I gave a massive sneeze, almost causing me to fall forward. "Achoooo!"
"Rayne?" Moordryd muttered as I reached up and wiped my nose with the back of my hand. Giving up on making out with me, at least for the time being anyway, Moordryd took his hand from underneath my shirt and placed it, open palmed against my forehead.
He almost instantly frowned, feeling the heat of a fever and as he stared at me I coughed. Rolling his eyes at me, which made me giggle for reasons I didn't know, he tugged me towards the house. Not sure why he wanted me to go there I still allowed him to lead me there, giving Quiksilva a silly grin as I wandered past. Finding the vacant room, well vacant, he opened the door and gently tugged me inside closing the door quietly behind him. By the time I was sitting on the bed I had my arms around my middle, trying to stop the shivers racking my body.
"You're sick. How did you manage...oh yeah." Moordryd muttered having remembered that when I'd been found in the stables my hair was soaking wet.
"Cold...ca...can't...stop...sha...shaking." I whimpered and Moordryd sighed as he walked over, sitting on the bed. When he didn't move to hug me I stared at him, rubbing my nose with the back of my hand.
"Why aren't you...oh." I sighed, my head drooping as I figured it out. "You might catch my cold." But Moordryd shook his head at me, not actually meaning to upset me.
"That's not it. Actually I was wondering if Mr Penn had anything that might help." He quickly spoke, mentally scolding himself for not sitting next to me. Truthfully he really hadn't wanted my cold since he had several important races to compete in though after seeing the way my eyes were downcast and the sigh that escaped my lips...
"Are you always that formal?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I shivered. "Why not just call Connor...Connor?"
"Heh that's just the way I was brought up." Moordryd replied as he shifted a inch closer and I sighed again, reaching up and rubbing at my eyes. Right now my throat burned and my nose wouldn't stop itching, making me growl and he chuckle as he reached over and squeezed my hand. "I'll see what I can find. Wait here." He told me and I gave him a nod before Moordryd climbed off the bed and disappeared through the doorway. Once he was out of sight I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling hot tears running down my cheeks. Tears that I'd been holding in for some time.
Searching high and low for some medicine that might held me proved a problem since Moordryd had only ever been in the stables or the vacant room and he gritted his teeth after a while, getting more lost and more frustrated by the second. So focused on helping me he didn't even notice thta someone was watching him from a distance and it wasn't until they cleared their throat that Moordryd finally noticed, almost jumping out of his skin in the process.
"Heh now that was funny." Artha commented as Moordryd narrowed his eyes at his rival, clearly not happy at being startled. "Relax I'm not here to start a fight. What are you doing wandering around here anyway?"
"None of your business, stable brat." Moordryd growled, tempted to just brush past him and conitnue on his way but then he stopped, realizing that he still needed something for me. "Fine do you have any cold medicine?" He asked and that made Artha raise an eyebrow, confusion on his face. "Look just forget it, I'll find it myself."
"Hang on is this for Rayne?" Artha asked and Moordryd hesitated for a long moment before he gave Artha the slightest nod. "Okay follow me." He added, turning and walking towards one of the only room Moordryd hadn't managed to check. As he followed, Moordryd wondered if he wasn't being led into a trap then he shook his head.
Now standing in what he assumed was the kitchen, judging from the sink, fridge and oven nearby Moordryd watched on as Artha reached towards a cubboard and after a few seconds produced a small bottle.
"Here give this to Rayne. Oh and she hasn't eaten in a while has she?" Artha asked and Moordryd's cheeks went slightly red as it just hit him that I was probably starving right now. "Don't worry about it. You bring her the medicine and I'll bring her something to eat and drink." Artha said, almost pushing the bottle into Moordryd's hands.
As he set about making me something, Artha noticed that Moordryd walked away without making some smart comment or calling him a 'stable brat'. "He must really care about you, Rayne." Artha whispered before he shrugged and headed for the fridge. At the same time I was now lying on my side, tears running freely from my eyes when I heard a knock at the door. Hurriedly I sat up and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.
"Come in." I called out and Moordryd slowly opened the door, now holding a bottle in his hand. Giving me a grin he walked over and sat beside me, ignoring the fact he might catch my cold.
"Here I brought you this." Moordryd said, holding out the bottle for me and I giggled as I reached over and took it from him. Of course then I spent the next minute, maybe minute and a half trying to open it. Rolling his eyes towards the ceiling, Moordryd took it back and opened it in about two seconds before he pour a small amount into the cup attached to the bottle's lid. Giving me a slight grin Moordryd handed it back and I shrugged, embarassed at my failure before I swallowed the medicine. "Oh and the stable brat's bringing you food. Though that might make you sicker so at least you've been warned."
"Moordryd, be nice." I muttered as I handed the bottle back and as he reached to take it, Moordryd frowned slightly. "Hmm something wrong?" I asked and after staring at my face, mostly my eyes, he sighed.
"Why were you crying?" Moordryd asked as he reached over, gently taking my hand in his and I found myself unsure about what to say. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He added when I hesitated and I shook my head.
"I'm scared." I replied and he tilted his head slightly to one side, not sure what I was talking about. "About what happened in my dream and losing...everything and everyone."
"Hey that's not going to happen." Artha answered as he pushed open the door, holding a tray in his hands and I sighed as Moordryd glared at him. "Oops am I interrupting something?"
"Never mind. Look its probably because I'm feeling pretty lousy and I just stressing myself out for no good reason. Sorry guys." I muttered, looking down at the blanket and Moordryd squeezed my hand trying his hardest to cheer me up.
"We're all beside you, no matter what." Artha said as he walked over and set the tray down on the bed, just to my left.
"Yeah...what he said. I suppose." Moordryd grumbled and I let out a giggle, feeling a little better. Once I worked out what Artha had made, after a few seconds of staring at it and trying to ignore Moordryd's barely stiffled laughter I picked up the bowl and began to eat. Of course I didn't get to eat in complete silence because when you put Moordryd and Artha in the same room a fight usually breaks out.
"At least when I cook you know what it is." Moordryd commented when Artha gave him a frown, arms crossed against his chest.
"What cooking? I'm pretty sure Cain's the only one who actually cooks in the Dragon Eyes crew." Artha shot back, causing Moordryd to raise an eye at him in surprise. "Rayne told me."
"Just what have you been telling him?" Moordryd asked me and I swallowed the mouthful of food, I hoped that's what it was anyway, before I answered my boyfriend.
"What I said was I think Cain's the one who does the cooking. I never said he was the only one." I said before I returned to my meal, hoping that they would stop fighting and give me some peace. Not such look as, less than a minute later, Moordryd snorted.
"At the very least Rayne won't end up with food posioning if I cooked for her." Moordryd replied, loud enough for all three of us to hear and I burst out laughing. Which had the unfortunate side effect of me almost choking on the mouthful of food I'd just spooned into my mouth. Moordryd instantly forgot about his verbal sparring with Artha and had to whack me on my back, making me cough before I gasped taking in a few mouthfuls of air. Seeing the look Artha was giving Moordryd I gave them a glare, eyes a little waterly before I spoke.
"Guys...no fighting. Can I eat in peace...without choking?" I coughed and they both frowned at each other before giving me a nod. "Thank...you."
Once I finished my meal I returned the bowl to the tray and reached for the bottle of water, taking a few sips and clearing my throat. Offering to take back the tray, Artha stepped forward and I handed it to him giving him a quiet thanks as I rubbed my sore throat. By the time he walked through the doorway and headed for the kitchen, I began to feel the effects of the medicine. I could breathe without my throat hurting as much and the food helped a lot because Moordryd had to repeat himself, making me blink rapidly.
"I'm guessing you're feeling a little better." Moordryd repeated and I gave him a slight grin, making him mirror my grin. "Though I still think you should be resting."
I gave him a slight nod, almost toppling forward on my face and he let out a laugh, lifting up the blanket and I lay on my side. As he covered me with the blanket I sighed, my eyelids drooping and he leant over running his hand running through my hair. But before Moordryd could leave me my eyes shot open just as he reached the door and he turned as I spoke.
"You're leaving me? What if I have that nightmare again?" I asked, struggling to sit up.
"I can't stay here. I need to get back to the compound and..." Moordryd sighed then as my eyes began to tear up and he turned his head slightly. "That isn't going to work this time."
Then I sniffed and he turned his head back as I trembled, fighting the urge to cry. I wasn't faking the act; I was terrified that I would wake up histerical like before and I needed someone near me to fight that fear. For the longest time Moordryd stared at me, his eyes searching my face as he tried to figure out if I was telling the truth about being scared or just lying to get him to stay.
"I'm not lying." I whispered as fresh tears fell down my cheeks and Moordryd rubbed the bridge of his nose, wondering just how I'd figured out what he was thinking. Giving up he walked back and stood beside the bed, raising an eye at me. Without speaking I shifted over and he sat on the bed, removing his boots and setting them beside the bed. Lying down in front of me he let out a breath, still not convinced and I buried my face into his back. "I promise you I'm...not lying." I mumbled as my eyes slowly closed and very soon Moordryd could hear my breathing slow as I started to doze.
Moordryd's original plan had been to leave the room as soon as he could be sure I was fast asleep but when I snuggled against his back, he sighed. And after a while he found himself begining to nod off, despite his best efforts to stay awake as he was warm and comfortable. When Artha returned, curious as to why it was so quiet he grinned the moment he opened the door and found me with my arms drapped loosely over Moordryd's back, Moordryd just as sound asleep as me. Not having the heart to wake either of us, Artha left the room closing the door as quietly as possible.