Xena, I know you can hear me wherever you are. I know you always told me to be strong. But I can't be, not now. You can't leave me. I know it's not your time. I can feel it in my heart. I feel this emptiness that I have never felt before and it scares me. Above all, just remember to fight. Fight to come back. This world needs you. I need you. -Gabrielle
Inconsolable.
That was the word that Lillian used to describe Arielle when someone asked about her. The bard wouldn't eat, drink, sleep, or speak and sometimes Lillian was afraid she would just stop breathing altogether. She withered away faster than water loving plants under the unforgiving, summer, desert sun and it took just a day for the bard to now look like Death itself.
Any suggestion to move Eden anywhere was met with either a cold shoulder or an angry glare. The Grand Scribe had confirmed that those who weren't part of the Order of the Lily of the Valley couldn't be buried within the Order's walls. The fact that Eden was Arielle's champion didn't make a difference; Eden had never been initiated and accepted. One woman suggested to bury the warrior right outside the walls to which Arielle demanded to leave her sight before she buried her outside the walls herself. In an angry haze, the bard stomped back to the room were Eden lay and locked herself in there, repeatedly asking the angels questions that they stubbornly wouldn't answer.
The Fiori's council which comprised of the Grand Master, Weapons Master, Ingrith the Land Master, Ryia the Sergeant, and Muriel the Grand Scribe gathered in one of the war rooms to discuss what to do with Eden. They needed their commander to help return order and prosperity after the battle with Jonas. The siege had already taken its toll on the young commander, whose ribs were beginning to show from underneath her pale skin; Eden's death only made it all that much worse, taking the bard's heart and mind with it. The council hoped that maybe once Eden was laid to rest, the bard would continue to grieve but perhaps also start to heal and return to her responsibilities as Lady Commander.
"We need to move Eden." Innogen started matter-of-factly, "She made everyone uncomfortable when she was alive. Her being dead just adds a whole mess of superstitions among other things."
Lillian cringed slightly and at the blatant way Innogen sometimes put things, but nodded nonetheless. There were already whispers in the halls that all the evil Eden carried within would now spread through the Order and that her spirit needed to be put to rest before she began to haunt them for eternity.
"Well she can be buried anywhere in the world except for within these walls." Muriel declared in her even, drawn out manner of speaking as if she was talking and thinking at precisely the same time, "I don't really understand what the problem is."
"We can't just toss Eden outsides the gates like some dog!" Ingrith chastised loudly and everyone looked at her, surprised to hear the loud tone she so rarely used, "I'm sorry, but it's true."
"Don't you think I know that?!" Innogen shot back and then took a deep breath to calm herself a little, "But she can't be buried with the Fiori."
"Innogen's right... but then again, I don't want to face Arielle's temper." Ryia remarked, cracking a pistachio between her teeth.
Unbeknownst to her, Arielle had already gained a bit of a reputation among the Fiori for having a fiery, though short, temper. And nothing flared that temper more than wrongdoing towards Eden.
"Are you that heartless? Can't you see our Lady Commander's pain?" the Land Master finally asked with some disdain.
Innogen's eyes flashed in anger, but she held her tongue. She folded her arms over her chest and refused to say any more. Lillian sighed and saw that the conversation was steering more toward a fight than a solution.
"Let me talk to Arielle again." she said tiredly to all of them, "We'll continue this discussion later."
Ingrith, Muriel, and Ryia nodded and promptly left, leaving Lillian and Innogen alone.
"Don't try to lecture me." Innogen said as soon as Ryia closed the door behind her.
"I wasn't going to." Lillian remarked, dropping into the chair beside Innogen and resting her head against the palm of her hand.
Innogen sighed loudly, just as tired of all the fighting as Lillian was. Individually, Innogen had to admit that the council members did their jobs well. It was when they all had to work together that their differences magnified. Ingrith was very emotional and felt uncomfortable with the thought of hurting anything at all, Muriel sometimes saw nothing beyond scrolls full of words and numbers, and Ryia usually didn't care for the reasons if it meant there would be a good fight. It was times like these when Innogen felt that the sanity of the entire Order rested on her shoulders.
"I'm not being stubborn..." the Weapons Master started, "Do you know how foolish I feel? Eden... She saved me during the battle..."
The Grand Master silently watched her closely as the admission that must have been both difficult and shocking passed through the Weapons Master's lips. Innogen scuffed her boot against the stone floor a few times before turning to look at Lillian.
"She wants to keep Eden close to her... She can't cope with the fact that they've been separated... She'll never move on and instead will just fade away by her tomb."
"Can you blame her?"
"It's not my part to blame, but it is to protect this Order. And our commander is quickly falling apart and we just might go with her."
Lillian watched the Weapons Master lean against the table and knot her brows in thought and worry. It was a rare sight that she usually didn't show in front of others. That's why everyone respected her with a very healthy dose of fear.
"How long have we known each other?"
"What?"
"How long have we known each other?" Lillian repeated, "Five years? Six?"
"Seven, I think..." Innogen replied after giving it some thought.
"Yes, seven... Seven years and I'm still struck by how insightful and caring you can be."
"Do I really make that bad of an impression?" Innogen asked with a half grin.
"No..." Lillian immediately answered, shaking her head slowly, "I'm just too caught up in myself sometimes to remember that. I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about." Innogen replied, shrugging it off like Lillian knew she would.
"You know that there's no solution to this." Lillian observed worryingly.
"And that's the problem."
"Eden..." Arielle said quietly, looking down at the warrior, "I have to bury you... I'm going to let you rest not far from here... I know... I know you wanted to lie beneath your favorite tree... and I promise you will... But for now just stay beside me, alright?... Just stay a little while more..."
Arielle's mind then began to play its favorite game of thinking that Eden was simply asleep. The warrior looked so peaceful, so calm that it almost made up for everything in a strange way. Eden had found the solace she had always been looking for. But that same thought struck a chord in Arielle since she had always wanted to be that solace here on earth. Arielle sniffed and reached for the warrior's hand, gently taking it into her own.
"I thought your hands would be colder..." Arielle whispered, fresh tears emerging from her red rimmed eyes that hurt from all her crying.
Later that day, Arielle announced that the next morning she would go bury Eden in a small, Christian village not far away. She then went to her room, asking to not be disturbed. The bard didn't know how much time had passed as she stared at the wall; the only thing she kept seeing was herself putting Eden in the ground. She didn't hear Lillian knock on her door to bring the food she wouldn't eat again, just like the day before.
"What are you doing?" Lillian asked.
"Cutting my hair." the blond answered without emotion.
The Grand Master approached the bard slowly and turned to stand in front of her. She had no mirror and her hair was cut unevenly. She saw the streaks her silent tears left on her pale cheeks and neck. Lillian's heart clenched at the sight of such helplessness, despair, and loneliness, Arielle's blank stare turned towards the wall as if she was waiting for something to walk right out of it.
"Eden said she'd cut it... She didn't..." Arielle quietly added and kept snipping away.
"Here..." Lillian quietly intervened and gently stilled the hand that held the scissors, "Maybe I can finish this for you?"
"Oh... okay..." Arielle said with some surprise as if the thought had never entered her mind and dropped her hand, letting Lillian try to fix the mess on her head.
"It can't be..." Arielle whispered as she entered the small church in the tiny village close to the Fiori.
The elderly priest looked up upon the mention of his name. His eyes settled on Arielle and after a few moments widened in recognition. He grabbed the staff that was leaning against the table and pulled himself up.
"Arielle, my dear child! What is it that brings you here?" he greeted her cheerfully as he slowly shuffled towards her and then slowed to a stop when he looked at her face, "My God, child, what's wrong?"
"How much would it cost, Father Albert... for a casket?" Arielle asked, trying to keep her shaking voice under control, "Or anything more than just cloth... She deserves more than just cloth."
Somehow Albert didn't need to ask who Arielle was talking about. He had mixed feelings about the warrior, unable to understand what drove her to commit the heinous acts that she did. However, his love of fairness and his compassion for the bard were stronger and no matter what Eden might have done, Arielle was now suffering for the both of them.
"Of course." he said quickly and disappeared into the side door.
He returned carrying a simple casket with the aid of a silent monk, who promptly left after placing it on the ground.
"It is a little plain, but it's made of cedar... It is all that I have here now." he explained apologetically.
"Eden would like it." Arielle whispered, untying a sack of money from her belt and handing it over to him.
"There is no need for that." he refused gently, pushing the money back into Arielle's hands, "Death is enough of a burden."
He helped Arielle and Lillian carry Eden's body out of the cart and into the casket. Arielle walked over, kissed her own fingers, and then touched Eden's forehead, lingering there for a few moments. Albert turned to pick up the lid but the bard stopped him.
"But it will most likely rain." he mentioned.
"That's alright, she liked the rain." Arielle said softly, a faint, sad smile coming to her lips for a moment only to disappear again, "And please don't nail it later... She hated confined spaces."
Albert only nodded in understanding.
After placing the casket on a smaller cart, the women took one handle each and pulled it along the stony ground as Albert led them over to the corner of the churchyard where two monks were already digging the grave.
"This is my fault..." Arielle murmured, leaning heavily against the Grand Master, who embraced her with one arm while using the other to pull the cart.
"That's not true." Lillian countered.
"I wanted her to come back. I wanted her to return so badly... And she came back for me..."
"She would have returned anyway."
"She came back, but no one came for her..." Arielle continued in her near half daze, "Gabriel left her, Michael left her, Uriel left her."
"Uriel?" Lillian repeated, wondering what their patron archangel had to do with Eden's death.
"He showed me once... a vision of things to come... but she was happy there... This isn't the way it was supposed to be... He lied to me..."
"You... You've spoken to the archangels?" Lillian asked in amazement, hardly able to wrap her mind around it.
Uriel had been the Fiori's patron from the beginning, but no one had ever heard of any of them actually seeing him. And now, this young woman from far away claimed that she had even spoken to him.
Lillian's thoughts were interrupted when Albert suddenly stopped and she looked up. A small band of men stood across from them, blocking their way. Both their attire and stance told them that they weren't there to visit long gone relatives and the women let the cart down slowly, feeling an uneasiness cover them. One of the men took a step forwards. He was the tallest and the youngest of the band. His dark eyes sparkled from underneath his brows. His black, slightly wavy hair nearly reached his armor covered shoulders. He wiped his face and neatly, closely trimmed beard with his hand and charmed everyone with a beautiful, innocent smile that didn't suit a raider.
"So the stories are true." he said quietly, a light grin replacing his wider smile.
"Who are you? What is your purpose here?" Albert demanded, using his staff to make him stand taller.
"Ah, forgive me. I am Mardig." the young man replied, bowing with a sweep of his hand, "I wanted to pay my respects to the one who killed my father... Karas."
The bard sucked in a breath at the name. An incredibly strong impulse to protect Eden rose within Arielle, driving away her haze of despair for a few moments. Almost as if against her will, she quickly counted the number of men standing against her, judged their weapons, armor, and her own chances.
"I should be grateful though," Mardig continued, "Now the band is mine and the better for it."
He turned slightly and swept his hand towards his men as if to introduce them. The men smiled, their hands resting on the pommels of their swords, patiently waiting for what they came for. The bard's eyes swept over every face until she reached the last one.
"You..." Arielle whispered, her eyes growing wide in recognition.
The young priest swallowed hard at being recognized, his gaze turning to Mardig and then back to Arielle. The bard looked at the short sword now on his hip and suddenly grew angry.
"So you've changed from swinging a crucifix to swinging a real sword." she noted though her clenched jaw.
"God's will is God's will, no matter the instrument." the priest replied with a nervous look and restless hands, "And there will be no mercy for those who defy Him."
Lillian took a step forward, her hand on her sword, about to give him a piece of her mind when Arielle gently touched her shoulder. The bard then turned to look at Mardig.
"Please..." she whispered, unashamed of the few tears flowing down her face, "Please just let me bury her in peace."
"No need for tears." Mardig said cheerfully, "Like I said, we just came to pay our respects."
At that the men chuckled and they all drew their swords with Mardig as the steady rain began to fall.
A desolate, sorrowful anger began to rise and rumble within the bard just like the storm clouds overhead. She was simply exhausted. The constant clash between what she knew in her heart to be right and what the world showed her had drained her of her patience and understanding. All she had wanted to do was bury her best friend; the last goodbye of the living to the dead. Yet even that, the simplest and most painful of all things she knew, couldn't come without a price. And Arielle simply couldn't pay anymore. Eden's death had stripped her of all she had. Arielle wanted nothing more than to lie down beside Eden and go wherever it was the warrior went; Heaven or Hell, Arielle didn't care. But something within her kept pushing her to live, to at least give Eden the last honors she deserved. After that, it no longer mattered.
"Eden is a Christian like you and me." Arielle told the armed priest in a slightly shaky, yet loud voice as he approached her, "And what you call unnatural is the very thing that probably saved your life without you even knowing it. But Eden is gone now... And she'll do no more fighting... So think what you want, but let her be laid to rest like she deserves and we'll bother you no more."
The priest eyed the bard and the casket warily, his nervousness evident. He took a deep breath, sighed, and shook his head.
"I will give her the burial she deserves." he stated in a voice that chilled the bard to her very core.
One of the raiders grabbed Arielle in his powerful arms as the priest and Mardig ran for Eden's body and crudely dragged it towards the ditch on the outside of the graveyard. The bard's stomach churned to see Eden's finally goodbye be taken from her and something cried out in her heart against the injustice of Eden not even being able to find peace after death.
"Get Albert out of here!" Arielle managed to shout to Lillian over the rain that began to fall as if it was trying to wash away the defilement that was taking place.
The bard thrashed against the man holding her as much as she could until he finally slipped, falling to one knee in the mud, cursing and loosening his grip. Without a second thought, Arielle pulled out the dagger Eden had given to her, twisted around, and slammed the handle squarely into his temple, making him slump immediately to the ground. She then bolted towards the priest, reaching him and grabbing his robes from behind and to swing him around, tearing him away from Eden's body.
"I won't let you do this, you animal!" she shouted over the rain.
The priest overcame his initial shock, wiping his face and giving the bard a look of disgust.
"Now, now there, princess. No need to be so violent." Mardig mocked as he approached her with a cocky smile and confident stride.
It turned out to be too confident as a spear sailed through the air and landed between his neck and shoulder. His smile was immediately gone as his face contorted in ugly spasms as he tried to breathe, but choked up blood instead. A few moments later, he lay dead on the ground. Arielle didn't have time to be scared or look back at Lillian and her battle.
"I won't let you take away her last rites!" the bard shouted at the priest, her body trembling in rage.
"You have no say in the matter!"
He stomped towards Eden only to have the bard pull him back again so hard that he almost tumbled over. He turned his angry gaze towards her, taking a couple steps forward until they were mere inches apart.
"God has no room for the vile," he growled slowly, his eyes darting to the warrior's body and then back to Arielle, "or the depraved."
Arielle saw him start to turn back to Eden's body and something within the usually peaceful bard revolted. She grabbed the priest's sleeve, but this time he saw her coming and punched her as hard as he could. Arielle spun to the side and tripped over a rock, landing face down in the mud with the wind knocked out of her. She tried to get up quickly, but suddenly felt her face being pressed into the mud.
"No one shall escape judgment! Do you hear me?! No one escapes God's wrath! I know what you are!" the priest yelled, holding his foot over the bard's head, pressing her face into the mud.
Arielle found it hard to move. It was getting hard to breathe as the mud and water began to cover her nose and mouth. She felt the sharp stones cutting into her face. She felt her lungs begin to burn as she thrashed around, helplessly trying to get the priest's foot off of her. It was a horrible way to die, but she began to think that maybe it didn't really matter if, after it was over, she might meet Eden again in the next world. And just as the fire of the sharp stones and lack of air in her lungs began to give way to that thought, she heard something she thought she would never hear again.
"No one escapes my judgment either." the priest heard in a low sinister growl from behind him and turned around.
His jaw dropped in disbelief and his entire body began to quake. The corpse he was dragging to the ditch now stood before him, pale and drenched, staring at him with cold, deadly rage.
"This can't be!" the priest cried, putting his hands out before him as if it would protect him, "Demon! You are the Devil himself!"
"I warned you." Eden growled, slowly walking towards him.
The priest began to hurry backwards so fast that he fell onto his back, but kept scrambling away from the approaching lethal horror he saw. Eden quickly staggered up to him, knelt down next to him, and grabbed him by the front of his robes with both hands.
"I warned you, you righteous ass." Eden growled straight into his face with heaving breaths and the priest's heart began to hammer so hard and fast, he was afraid it'd fall apart and began to pray out loud until Eden shook him hard, "It's too late for praying. You're mine now."
Eden gave him a feral grin, baring her teeth and he yelled in terror thinking the corpse would eat him alive.
"There's a special place in Hell for you." she threatened, just inches from his face.
"Please! No!"
"Now you plead? And when others pleaded with you?" Eden said angrily, pounding his head against the ground roughly, "What did you do then?"
He began to beg, yell, and sob incoherently, shaking fiercely under her grip and scared nearly out of his wits. He began to mumble his apologizes, thinking his life had met a gruesome end. He didn't stop when he saw Eden take out his own short sword and bring it to his face.
"You'll remember this day." she hissed and drew the blade along his face from his temple to his chin, making the wound just deep enough to leave a scar that he could never conceal or forget.
She then tossed the sword to the side, stood, and hoisted him back up along with her.
"Now get out of my sight, you pathetic ass," she growled through her clenched teeth, "and remember my words."
The priest only nodded feebly and it took a few moments for him to notice that Eden had let go. He took one tentative step back and then another and then finally turned and broke out into an insane run, slipping, sliding, and tripping over almost everything along the way, turning to look back every so often. And when he finally disappeared from view, Eden felt a monumental wave of exhaustion come over her, buckling her knees and she slumped to the ground.
Arielle had been watching the entire thing in complete shock. She couldn't move, she could hardly even breathe as her mind began to frantically try to understand how her dead best friend was now standing and threatening the priest. When Eden crumpled to the ground, Arielle thought for a moment that maybe it was a trick of her imagination or the workings of black magic. But looking closely, she saw the warrior's ribs expanding with her breaths.
Arielle cautiously crawled over to the warrior, ignoring the stinging cuts on her face. Eden was still deathly pale, but her lips twitched and breath left her mouth. The bard hesitated, wanting so much to believe that Eden was alive, but also so scared to learn she wasn't.
"Eden... is it really you?" Arielle asked, hovering over the warrior a little, stroking her cheek with her hand.
"It's me..." Eden whispered without opening her eyes.
"Are you... Are you alive?" Arielle asked, shifting a little closer to the prone warrior.
"Did I die?" Eden answered in obvious confusion, opening her eyes only to close them again after a moment.
The reply got an unexpected short laugh from the bard. Her heart began to beat wildly in a wave of relieved gratitude that her mind still found hard to understand. The bard pulled Eden into her lap and hugged her in gentle, yet utter abandon.
"Thank God you're so stubborn..." she whispered into Eden's ear, rocking the warrior gently, "Thank God you keep your word."
Arielle absently covered the warrior's head and neck in grateful kisses as she covered her as much as she could from the cold rain and rocked her gently in her arms. Eden was too exhausted to even move, but tried to lean into Arielle as much as she could to let her know she was there and the bard felt it. They were too relieved to be together to notice the blood Arielle was smearing on Eden, the shivers going through the bard's body, the helplessness of Eden in the bard's arms, the coldness of the warrior's skin.
"How is this possible?" Lillian asked when she finally approached the warrior and looked at her in wonder.
Neither woman answered her. Lillian had seen much in her life, but this was something she had heard of only in stories or religious tales. So she pushed the shock away for later and instead her mind mechanically moved on to getting them back home.
"Here," she said, kneeling down and reaching out to scoop up Eden, "let's get out of this rain before we all end up buried here."
"No." Arielle said quietly, gently stilling her hands and looking up at her, "I'll carry her."
"She's too heavy-" Lillian began to argue, but Arielle raised her hand to silence her.
"I couldn't protect her..." she said in a somber tone laced with much guilt and shame, "At least let me carry her away from here."
Lillian was caught in those unique green eyes that were now carrying an immense sadness that she had only once before seen in Yasmine's eyes the day she was overthrown. She nodded in silence, understanding how important it could be to her. Arielle wiped her tears away with her sleeve in reflex and then slowly gathered the warrior into her arms. She lifted her up with all her strength and for a moment, Lillian was afraid Arielle wouldn't be able to carry her. But the bard's determination added to her strength and she finally stood. Her muscles bulged under her skin as she walked towards their cart with Eden cradled limply in her arms.
"Eden?... Eden?..." the bard repeated gently, "Wake up, my warrior..."
Arielle held Eden closely, trying to cushion the warrior as much as she could from the jostling of the cart. One arm was wrapped protectively around her while her other hand ran through the warrior's raven hair gently and slowly. The bard peered down to see Eden begin to very slowly open her eyes, blink several times, and then fix her gaze on her.
"Hey..." Arielle greeted with a smile, "We're going back to the Fiori."
Eden nodded and swallowed once with difficulty.
"Do you want some water?"
Eden nodded again and Arielle propped her head up, gave her a few sips of water from the waterskin, and let Eden gently back down. They said nothing more because words suddenly seemed useless and pathetic compared to all the things they wanted to say. So instead they never broke their gaze, diving deep into each other's eyes and finding some comfort there.
"Your cheek." Eden finally whispered, raising her hand slowly and very gently tracing the dark bruise with her finger.
"It's nothing." Arielle replied, afraid she might shatter under those gentlest of touches.
"You and your nothings." Eden said and a faint smile crossed her lips.
Arielle chuckled once and then choked back a sob at all the memories that had been made together, suddenly lost, and then regained again. Eden had only wanted to bring a smile to the bard's face and now felt bad for upsetting her and decided to say nothing more as she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
Eden quickly recovered back in the Fiori's stronghold. The warrior explained that she recognized the dart's feather as belonging to Dorian and that she had been poisoned and so let herself go under with it to have a chance to survive. But she had never expected to be under for so long. Arielle finally understood why the warrior's hands weren't as cold as she had expected and why she stubbornly couldn't let herself believe that Eden was gone. What neither of them could figure out was how Dorian knew where Eden was.
Their first days were spent in very long embraces and gentle touches as Arielle fought back the fear that she was only dreaming. Yet soon, when Eden regained her strength and Arielle had to return to her duties as Lady Commander, an invisible wall went up between them. Arielle grew quieter and more distant, sometimes even pulling away from Eden in the middle of the night when she thought Eden was sleeping. The warrior decided not to pry, convinced the bard would open up when she wanted to. Yet the bard only grew more and more reserved and Eden began to grow worried.
They were walking along the narrow paths carved into the mountain side one afternoon as they often did. They passed over the herb gardens and continued until they reached a dark blue pool below them. It was rather small, but much deeper than it looked and it was held sacred by the Fiori who used its waters only for their rituals. Arielle had read that Uriel had once sought relief from the summer sun in that pool and so it was considered holy.
"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Eden finally asked, breaking through the rhythm of the sand crunching underneath their feet.
A part of Arielle naturally wanted to tell her, but another part was annoyed with the very question. It was enough that she had lived through what she had over the past couple of weeks. Having Eden pretend like nothing ever really happened was too much to bear. The bard stopped and looked at Eden with both sternness and sadness and Eden read it well.
"I'm alright. It's fine now." Eden gently said.
"It's not fine." Arielle countered and started her walk again though Eden didn't move, "It never was."
"Arielle..." Eden started in a tone that betrayed to the bard that there wasn't anything to worry about and it made Arielle stop and turn around quickly.
"You just left me here." she shot out abruptly, "From the very beginning."
Eden was a little surprised at the sudden statement, but knew it had been brewing within the bard for days. In all honesty, the warrior was torn. She knew that Arielle might want to talk about everything that had happened. But Eden also didn't want Arielle dwelling on the recent pain only to bring back the nightmares that she had fought off so diligently. It was her way of protecting her.
"I went to find help. You always think that I'll find a solution." the guardian warrior replied evenly.
"I do... But I also told everyone to stay. You of all people ignored that."
Then and there, they both knew that too much had happened and there was no turning back now. They were tired, stuck in a new place surrounded by people who all, at some level, wanted the warrior dead or at least gone, Eden had almost died, Arielle had wanted to die, and it all didn't seem to lead them anywhere. All they wanted was a few moments to themselves in peace and quiet to think, mourn, and be grateful. But there was always something that turned out to be more important.
"I didn't ignore you. I just came up with a better idea."
"A better idea? Ah, I see... the little blond girl has no idea what she's doing so you had to save the day, right?" Arielle retorted, her irritation now very clear.
"Arielle, you're not exactly an experienced warrior." Eden replied reasonably, "Meeting with Jonas proves that."
Arielle looked at her in surprise and Eden crossed her arms over her chest.
"Didn't think I'd know, hm?... And now who did the ignoring?"
"I did what I thought was right for the Fiori. I thought I could talk some sense into him." Arielle explained with annoyance.
"Jonas is cold-blooded, maniacal killer! There is no reasoning with him!" Eden exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air.
"How was I supposed to know that?!"
"By listening to me! What were you thinking putting yourself in danger with that monster?!" Eden now accused.
"And I suppose the Assassins are all kind hearted shepherds?" Arielle spat back just as loudly.
"It's not the same!"
"Why not? Because you're dark, deadly, and have some kind of hidden death wish? Is that it? Because if you die it wouldn't matter to anyone, right? Better for the world and all that?"
"I knew what I was doing! I had a plan. But you didn't listen." Eden countered, trying to ignore the bigger fight the bard was trying to pick.
"Didn't listen?! You disobeyed my order!" Arielle shouted.
There was a part of both of them that knew it had gone too far, but they were just too tired, angry, and hurt to care right then; their pain surging them onward, over the shaking cliff of their friendship.
"Disobeyed?" Eden repeated in a low tone, enunciating each syllable with anger, her eyes narrowing as she took one step forward towards the bard, "You forget I'm not one of the Fiori. I'm not your servant."
"But you're here under my protection. You're my responsibility." Arielle challenged, her anger and frustration pouring out of her, "If you'd had stayed, none of this would have ever happened!"
"I saved your life and all of theirs!"
"I lived through your death!... Why do I always have to see your death thinking that you are finally happy in it?!"
The words echoed off the mountain and rang in Eden's ears. Arielle's safety was so paramount to Eden, that she never really thought about what impact the poisoning might have had on her. The practical warrior thought Arielle might have been scared but after it turned out she was alright, they would just get on with their lives.
"Is that what you want? To die and just leave me here?"
"You know that's not true." Eden replied evenly.
"Isn't it?" Arielle challenged, "What I did, I did for an entire Order. What you did, you did for me... I thought you were dead for days! Because of me! And suddenly you're alive again and I don't know how or why and if it's maybe all just a cruel dream... But you just act like nothing happened!... But it wasn't nothing, Eden."
"You should have just trusted me." Eden said with a sharp edge to her words.
"Just like you trusted me." Arielle said, sending the edge right back, "All those words about how you supposedly believed in me..."
"I never lied to you." Eden growled, furious with the fact the bard would even suggest it.
"And how would I really know?!" Arielle cried out in frustration, growing louder with every word, "You hardly ever talk to me about anything. If there are no thoughts and feelings, then nothing happened, right? But that leaves me wondering what ever really did happen? Did you ever think well of me? Were you ever really proud of me? Was I ever truly a part of you? Was I?! Did you ever even really love me?!"
Arielle turned sharply on her heel, not realizing how close she had been standing to the soft ledge. The ground beneath her cracked and gave way sending her falling in flash before Eden's eyes. It was only Eden's quick reflexes that let her catch the bard's wrist at the very last minute. But the ledge only crumbled more underneath their combined weight and soon the both of them were falling into the deep pool below. Eden had just enough time to pull the bard's body into hers and twist slightly so that she took the full impact of hitting the water.
They fell into the pool with such force that it broke them apart and knocked them senseless for a moment. Slowly, they sank down into the calm, clear waters, ever closer to the peace they both needed.
. . . . . . . . .
"It's true, you do get into a lot of trouble."
"I guess so." Arielle replied softly, looking at the angel outlined in a soft light.
There were so many things going on in the bard's mind; they swirled around like angry tempests and whether she fought with them or just let them carry her away, the result was always the same- she felt lost. And even here, wherever here was, it was quiet and peaceful and still Arielle was troubled.
"All these things that have happened... I can't seem to make sense of them..." Arielle just began to blurt out, the words tumbling out of her mouth under the pressure of their numbers, "I don't see what it's all supposed to mean, where it's supposed to lead me... And then... Eden..."
"This time it really frightened you, didn't it?" Gabrielle stated rather than asked and Arielle nodded.
"I really thought she was dead..." the bard whispered, clenching her hands into fists at the very thought, "And I just couldn't bear it... being without her... unsure if she knows how much she really means to me... She's everything to me."
"She knows."
"How do you know that?" Arielle asked, "Eden seems to always be waiting around for me to finally leave... to run off and get married or drop everything and race off in horror...
"Mm..." Gabrielle hummed, a smile crossing her face at the memories of a certain tall, dark warrior who did exactly the same thing and drove her crazy so many times, "Eden's a warrior... They're not supposed to fall in love. Or at least most of them like to think that."
"And where does that leave me? How many times do we have to go through this for her to finally understand?" Arielle asked in frustration.
"Give her time. There's more than one reason she is the way she is. Don't be so hasty to misjudge her." Gabrielle noted and then smiled warmly, "Love is your weapon, my friend. Love and patience."
. . . . . . . . .
"She's always getting into trouble, isn't she?"
"Maybe it'd happen less often if she listened to me." Eden replied grumpily.
"Don't be so quick to condemn. She was protecting her people."
"They're not her people." Eden spat out.
"They are, whether you agree with it or not." Xena replied with a shrug, "The world doesn't revolve around you."
"Excuse me?" Eden remarked with a surprised and offended expression, "When has the world ever revolved around me?"
"Ever since Arielle entered it." Xena replied simply, "Just look at her. She follows you no matter where you'd go and would follow you to Hell if need be."
Eden blinked a couple of times, stunned at the statement.
"I've done what she asked many times." Eden said in subdued, defensive tone.
"Of course," Xena replied, "but that was usually because her safety depended on it or you knew that you didn't really need to take a life."
Eden was dumbfounded a second time and turned away from the angel.
"You're her defender. No one can protect her like you do... But that's not all she needs. She wants to be your true friend and equal and not some coveted possession you would give your life for."
"Am I supposed to just leave her in distress then?"
"No... but don't be so willing to throw your own life away."
There was something in Xena's tone that made Eden turn to look at her. She was caught by the severe gravity in those blue eyes that told her that the angel was speaking from painful experience.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Something jolted in Eden, kicking her brain out of its growing lethargic state. Her hands unconsciously reached out to grasp the bard floating close to her. Pulling the bard into an embrace, the warrior crouched against the ground she now felt beneath her feet and using the last of her strength, shot upwards towards the surface. The edges of her consciousness began to blur as she kicked her powerful legs with all her might, propelling them away from a watery grave. At what seemed to be the very last minute, Eden and Arielle broke through the surface of the pool, spluttering for air.
After their normal breathing returned, neither said a word, but somehow both knew that they had experienced the same thing. They looked at each other, their closeness driving away the last of their anger, their argument quickly slinking away into the shadows of their memory. A small smile slowly crept across Arielle's face as she cautiously brought her hand up out of the water and cupped Eden's cheek gently. She stroked it a couple of times with her thumb and sighed deeply.
"Thank you... for pulling me out of trouble... again."
Eden smiled gently and gave a single nod. Xena's words and sharp gaze were still burning in her mind. And though a part of her protested, she decided to take heed of the heartfelt words.
"I protect you not just because I want to... It's the only thing I have to give you." Eden blurted out before she lost her nerve.
"That's not true." the bard immediately replied as the sudden admission sunk in.
"It is."
"It's not." Arielle argued stubbornly, "And when we're old and gray or simply just too tired, then what?... I don't want you to protect me, I want you to love me."
The bard saw Eden's sudden confused look and realized what Gabrielle had meant. Eden had found herself in a place that she didn't know and actually felt threatened in and her only guide was the bard. So Arielle took a deep breath and decided that in this place, she would rescue Eden.
"I want you to tell me what you're thinking and let me help in all you do and go through. I want you to listen to my stories, be patient when I ramble, and care for me when I'm sick or sad. I want you to teach me all you know and I want to show you the amazing pictures I have in my head. I want to draw things with you in the sky, for you to hold my hand when I'm scared, and for you to sit still when I'm stitching your wounds." Arielle continued and Eden chuckled quietly at the last thing, "I want you to protect me because I know it's so much a part of who you are... You'll always be my champion... but I don't want you to only be my champion."
She had led armies, raided villages and cities, and battled demons, but Eden knew that this was the battle that was good to lose. For a moment, she wished with all her heart that the bard could see herself the way Eden saw her now, full of admiration, trust, ... and love. The warrior realized that her bond with Arielle was something more complex and stronger than just protection and she had gone much too far to go back to that now. And, after a moment's thought, she realized she would never want to.
"Of the two of us, you are most definitely the bard." Eden finally said, trying to relieve some of the tension that was hanging over them.
"Well, I'm glad that's finally clear." Arielle teased back and smiled warmly.
A smile crossed Eden's face and she tightened her embrace. Arielle nestled herself against the warrior as Eden leaned her head against the bard's and let out a loud sigh.
"I'm sorry..." the warrior said quietly in a slightly dejected tone, "My entire life I've been either fighting, angry, or both. Maybe love isn't one of my many skills."
"I somehow highly doubt that." the bard countered cheerily, tightening her arms around the warrior, "And I would be one to know."
Eden chuckled and shook her head.
"I'm sorry for what I said," the bard said in a strained whisper, "But things aren't the same anymore, Eden... We're not the same..."
Eden suddenly felt like an iron band was clamped around her chest and began to squeeze when she thought that Arielle had had enough. Thinking that Eden had died had scared the bard too much and now, realizing what their life might really look like together, the bard had decided it wasn't for her. She would leave, saying that she would always care for Eden and think of her fondly. Please don't leave...
"I can't explain it really..." Arielle started and then took a long pause before continuing, "Your... I can't even say the word... It scared me... so much... I felt so broken and alone... And all I could think about was all the things we didn't have a chance to say or do... Our kingdoms and lifetimes were just lost... It made me think long and hard about us... about what we do, the lives we lead... and about who I am..."
Eden's pounding heart had by this time made its way up into her throat making it hard to breathe normally. She cursed everything she could think of for bringing them so far only to tear them apart in the end. It simply wasn't fair.
"I know it was hard for you..." Eden whispered.
"I just didn't know it could hurt so much... I'm still afraid that this is just a dream and you're really... I wasn't prepared for it... I don't think I ever will be..." Arielle ended in a whisper, looking down at the water in sadness.
"I understand if you want to go home as soon as possible." Eden forced through her tight throat.
"What?" Arielle asked in surprise, her eyes darting back up to the warrior.
"I'll take you home like I promised... and then I'll go."
"What are you..." Arielle began and then the rest just died away as it dawned on her what Eden meant, "No..." she added with knotted brows, first stroking Eden's cheek with her thumb and shaking her head, but then just finally hugging the warrior tightly, "No... no... no..."
"You... You don't want to... leave?..." Eden struggled to say.
"Leave?" Arielle asked in surprise and moved to look at the warrior, "You thought that I want to leave you?"
"Well..." Eden tried to explain but failed.
There was something so beautiful and fragile in the look Eden had at that moment. Eden had seen death, demons, and all kinds of destruction that would have made any man go insane and here she was most afraid and broken by the idea that the bard would leave her. It was the most endearing thing Arielle had ever seen.
"Oh no, my dear warrior," Arielle said with a small smile, her finger idly tracing Eden's ear, "I may have have been very angry with you, but I'm afraid I'm still very much in love with you."
The heart that was in Eden's throat now threatened to explode at those words. She felt an ocean of different emotions, but most of all relief.
"I'm so unlucky." Eden tried to joke, attempting to break through the emotions before she actually began to cry.
Arielle gave out a short, quiet laugh and shook her head.
"What am I going to do with you, warrior?"
"Stay... You can always stay." Eden whispered somewhat shyly, letting her know that she could always leave if she wanted to, but that the warrior would always want her to stay.
"I will always stay..." Arielle answered, cupping Eden's face with her hands, "I realized you meant much more to me than I could have imagined... and that we're more connected... We aren't two people, Eden... We are two parts of one."
No matter how much Eden didn't want to acknowledge it, she knew that Arielle was right. She didn't know whether to be in awe that the bard also felt it and tried to understand their strange yet powerful connection or to be frightened at the prospect of the hurt that it might mean for the bard.
"So please, no more doubting... I am you and you are me and that's just the way it is for us..."
Somewhere in the darker parts of her soul, Eden wanted to argue that the bard was asking too much and that such trust and loyalty was too dangerous to give and left her completely defenseless. But then Eden acknowledged that as far as the bard was concerned, she was defenseless from the very beginning.
Things had been uneasy at best among the Fiori when Eden returned. Some were grateful she had helped them defeat Jonas, most were still suspicious of her, and all of them thought her not human if she came back from the dead. The endless tension hanging in the air drove Arielle mad and no matter how many times she calmly answered the Fiori's questions and doubts, it didn't seem to make a difference. The warrior naturally said nothing, but the bard could see her unease in the tense muscles constant pulsing at her jaw. The ridiculous irony was not lost on Arielle; the Fiori didn't want Eden there, but wouldn't dream of anyone different for their commander's champion.
A week after their return, the Fiori finally decided on a celebration in their new commander's name and an official beginning to her reign. Everyone ran around in a fuss that made Arielle a little nervous and Lillian would constantly reassure her that it was not a big event and the bard would never really believe her.
The evening before the ceremony, Eden finally decided to ask why Arielle had a blind woman cut her hair. The bard laughed and challenged the warrior to see if she could do better.
"I make you desert jewel, yes? I am queen of snippety snip!" Eden joked as she tried to imitate Samir.
Arielle burst out into giggles. For once in what seemed to be a very long, it finally felt like it was supposed to feel. It was a beautiful yet bittersweet feeling that pulled on all her heartstrings and made her hope against hope itself that it would never end like it almost had. Eden glanced at the bard's reflection in the mirror and her smile was gone at the sight of the bard's tears.
"Hey, what is it?" Eden asked, putting the scissors down as the question slowly answered itself in her mind, "Don't cry, I'm here. I'm right here. I promised, didn't I?"
Eden wrapped her strong arms around the bard and rested her cheek on her blond hair. Arielle let herself soak in the warmth and strength now surrounding her and thanked every divine creature for bringing the warrior back to her. The warmth breath she felt float down her skin seemed to filter into the cracks in her soul, filling and mending them and making her whole again. She didn't know how she could have ever lived without Eden and knew that she would never be able to live without her.
"What would the Fiori think seeing their commander crying like this?" the bard finally said in a half giggle after a few minutes, trying to dab her tears away with her sleeve.
"They'd think you have a good heart." Eden replied softly into the bard's hair.
"I don't think a good heart is what they think will save them." the bard reflected.
"Time will tell." Eden said slowly, "But your good heart saved me... You always save me..."
Arielle said nothing and instead stood up, turned in Eden's embrace, and kissed her more soundly than ever before.
The next day, everyone was dressed in the best attire they had. A special, ceremonial dress was made for Arielle, the same color as the garb she wore, but with more layers and long fringes that fluttered around her when she walked, giving her a sense of near godliness. A wide red sash symbolized her passion in battle while a hood over her head symbolized her humility and wisdom. She walked towards the gates of the Order where Eden was waiting for her to walk her through the corridors as the Order ceremoniously let her in to rule them. Arielle sucked in a breath when she saw Eden, fully armored, glistening in the afternoon sun so brightly that it almost had to make Arielle turn her eyes away. The bard rested her hand on Eden's outstretched arm and both turned towards the doors. They opened with a slow, whining creak and Eden blinked twice as she felt Arielle's thumb slip between her chainmail and thick, leather gloves and rest on the skin of her wrist. Eden didn't know whether to flinch or hug the bard so she only turned towards her to see two happy and slightly nervous green eyes looking at her with trust and a touch of wonder. The bard needed the warrior near her, to be her support when she feared that she wouldn't be able to hold up the weight of all the gazes bearing down on her. The feeling of Eden's warm skin and the steady beating of her heart that Arielle could feel through her champion's wrist calmed her. For the moment when their gazes locked, Arielle wondered if they couldn't leave the billowing dress and long corridors far behind. Yet a smile and slight nod from the warrior brought Arielle back to her responsibilities.
They walked down the long corridors, either side filled with all the Fiori who wanted to catch a glimpse of their commander in all her glory. They were met with Arielle's warm smile while Eden stared only steadily ahead. All respected the importance of the moment except for the young guard from the dungeons who reached out to kiss Arielle's hand. When they reached the throne room, their path was blocked by Arielle's council. The bard let go of Eden as she approached each of the council members and voiced her appointment of them to their positions before the entire Order. Each tried to kneel in recognition, but Arielle would quickly pull them to their feet. Only Innogen was adamant in kneeling before the Lady Commander and Arielle finally relented, understanding the importance of the gesture to her. Once each council member had been addressed, they walked towards their seats that were situated a few steps lower and to either side of the throne. Blue eyes met green when Arielle turned with a smile she couldn't wipe off her face and declared Eden her champion before everyone, something Eden almost didn't hear because she was so astonished at how beautiful the bard was at that moment. When did we change, my bard? When did my unwilling help turn into my willingness to die for you if need be?
Arielle found it a little difficult to concentrate on the rest of the ceremony with the armored champion standing beside her, intimidating the life out of the Fiori, but making the bard's heart beat a little faster and so she was glad went it was over and the festivities began. There was a large feast full of nearly every type of food and drink she could think of. There were Fiori who performed dances and magical illusions, and one woman even swallowed fire. Then there was poetry and song that honored their Lady Commander, commending her wisdom, bravery, and warmth. It gave way to music, talking, eating, and dancing among everyone throughout the rest of the evening and late into the night.
Arielle danced in a large group of happy warriors, weaving in and out of them to the rhythm of the musicians. She laughed and others laughed and she couldn't remember the last time she had simply had fun. Yet the broken whispers about the warrior and the hostile glances thrown in her direction didn't escape the Lady Commander. The blond grew angrier with each hiss she heard. She glanced over every once in a while to see Eden standing in the corner, arms folded, eyes shaded by her hair and brows. And that made Arielle only angrier; Eden was exposing herself to it all just to be there for her.
Eden paid no attention to what the Fiori might think of her now. Ever since they returned, she had kept extremely vigilant, knowing that the appearance of both Jonas and Dorian in a place that no one really knew about was just too much of a coincidence. What worried both Arielle and Eden the most was that the backstabber was somewhere among them.
The longer of the dances was finally over and everyone clapped loudly. The musicians were about to strike up a new song when Arielle suddenly turned away from the group and walked across the room. Eden followed her with her gaze as everything went strangely quiet and all the Fiori were now observing the bard's peculiar behavior.
"Dance with me, warrior." Arielle said cheerfully as she finally stood in front of Eden, fully aware of all the attention.
"There are worthier ones to choose from." Eden replied quietly, trying to save them both from unnecessary trouble.
"Dance with me, warrior." the bard repeated, her smile never leaving her face as she outstretched her hand towards Eden, "I'm the Lady Commander of this Order and I demand it."
The corner of Eden's mouth twitched as she raised an eyebrow. Arielle grinned widely, reminding Eden of a little girl and she snorted softly and shook her head. The warrior straightened and did the only thing she could do- she took the bard's hand and let herself be lead into the middle of the room. The bard could feel Eden's tension practically screaming at her as she nodded for the musicians to start. She then stepped in closer to the warrior and looked up at her.
"Like the first time." she whispered, watching a slow, timid smile cross the warrior's face, followed by a short nod.
When the music started, they completely forgot about everyone staring at them. They simply let the music drown out everything that wasn't important.
"Did anyone tell you that you look magnificent?" Arielle nearly gushed, looking up at the warrior who now looked down at her.
"Careful. Your devoted guard might die of a broken heart if she heard." Eden teased.
"I'm too busy being mesmerized by you to care." the bard replied with a smile.
"Well, I did hear that my very presence makes someone burn," Eden said in banter, "but I don't think that's the same."
"Tell me who it is." Arielle said quickly with sudden irritation, craning her head around to look at the Fiori in the room, "I'll give them a fire to worry about."
"Hush, my bard." Eden whispered and with a gentle squeeze of her arm, coaxed Arielle back to looking at her, "Enjoy this night. It belongs to you."
A smile crossed Arielle's face as Eden pushed away the hurtful words with her own and the bard quickly forgot about where they were as she let herself swim in the sharp, blue eyes she loved so much.
"You're going to step on me if you keep staring at me like that." the warrior finally noted.
"You said I never step on your toes." the bard deflected with amusement.
"Because you don't."
At that moment, Arielle accidentally stepped soundly on Eden's foot and immediately blushed.
"Speaking of the devil." she murmured, her head turned down to try to hide her flushed cheeks.
"Didn't feel a thing." Eden stated, continuing to dance as if nothing happened, "So your record is still clean."
Arielle looked up at Eden ready to protest until the warrior raised an eyebrow in a silent challenge which first got a smile and then a giggle from the bard.
"You sneak." Arielle said, giving the warrior a playful poke in the ribs.
"You don't know the half of it." came the reply as they settled into a comfortable rhythm.
Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you're all less angry at me now ;) And I hope you're still enjoying the story :)