Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze [2]

Val-

I heard movements, and a breathing that was no longer calm. I inhaled -- Riley's scent had gotten stronger, his heart beat just a bit faster. I sat straight up, looking over at him.

Max turned his head, staring at me. Riley did the same.

"I can see!" he said quietly, as to not wake the others. I grinned.

"That's great!"

Riley-

I grinned again. I knew i sounded like a little five year old newly rewarded a toy, but hell, i had my vision back. I had the right to act immature.

Soon Ariana began to stir. I sat next to her on the bed as Val sat next to Natan. Her eyes stared far away and i wondered what she was seeing.

After a moment Ariana opened her eyes and blinked. Then she yawned and looked up at me.

"Good morning," she said quietly.

I looked down at her and smiled. "Morning. You look beautiful."

She smiled at my words. I waited. Then her eyes grew wide and she sat up. "Wait, you can see again?"

I nodded and grinned. "Yup."

The rest of the morning proceeded quickly. Isabella and the others began to wake up slowly until only Natan and Nathaniel still slept, oblivious to the world around them.

"How long will they sleep?" i asked.

Ariana

"If they put as much effort as you guys say they did while I was helping Ariana, they'll be out for another 12 hours."

I whistled, "wow, I missed a lot didn't I?"

"Quite a bit," Riley teased.

I smiled, "at least that's all over...right?" They nodded, "good, somebody else can be the center of attention for once."

Isabella--

I yawned, leaning against Max again.

"Still tired, love?" he chuckled.

"You try healing a wound that will not close, and tell me how you feel," I replied sarcastically.
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Val--

I did not move from Natan's side as he slept, his arms around me tightly.

Max

"It is tiring," I said knowingly.

"You've never done it," she accused.

"What makes you say that? Actually, before I was a vampire, I was a mage."

Isabella--

I blinked, staring at Max.

He grinned at me.

"You're kidding?" I guessed, raising my eyebrows critically.

MAx

I shook my head, "fraid not. But my powers have kinda dissappeared since I was turned. The only thing I retained was the mind control thing."

*eep! mental block!*

Isabella--

"Um...wow?" I said questioningly, unsure of what else to say. He nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Val--

I felt Natan move, just slightly, and I looked up at him. He blinked once, then closed his eyes again.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, touching his face with my hand.

"I'm fine. A little sore, not quite ready to be awake, but fine," he answered.

Max

"But I wasn't as great a mage as you," I said kissing the top of her head, "in either ways."

She looked up at me questioningly, "which ways?"

"Skill and morals, I told you that I wasn't proud of my past."

"Are you proud of your present?"

"Not quite...I'd be proud if your father didn't want me dead for loving you."

When I looked down at her I knew that my life would never be the same, I had known that, but the full impact of it didn't sink in until now. I would never let her go.

**Ok, I'm back **


Velna slowly climbed out of bed and get dressed, the fight from the day before had taken a lot out of everyone else. Trent had helped as much as he could, but Velna was asleep through the whole thing her head pounding. It was gone now and she could talk to Crest again. She walked out onto the blacony and looked out around the towers. She wanted to get down to the woods and run in them, to not be trapped by the towers. Trent told her not to go, unless someone was with her, and Crest didn't count. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Everyone is so happy now, she sighed to Crest, They have all paired up,

So who is Trent paired up with? Crest laughed,

Everyone else is, we stick together, always have, in the end we'll probably move on again. She sighed,

We shall see, I need to go hunt. He flew out of the madalion and flew off. Velna watched him until he was out of site.

Isabella-

I grinned at Max.

"He'll get over it eventually," I assured him. I didn't point out that my father disowned his brother when Uncle Gerard was changed -- that would just bring down the moral.

Suddenly pain shot through me, and I winced, curling up with my arms around my abdomen.

"Are you okay?" Max asked, looking at me worriedly. I shook off the pain, not wanting to worry him.

"Fine," I lied, trying to ignore the next bout of pain.

Max

I could tell she was lying, I could smell her pain.

"you're lying," I said wrapping my arms around him holding her tight, hoping to erease her pain.

Riley-

I held Ariana close to me, my wings wrapped around both our bodies. I laid my head on top of hers and sighed.

"I'm glad he's dead," Ariana murmurs softly.

It takes me a moment to grasp her words. "Me too. Now i don't have to worry about losing you to him."

She snuggled closer to my chest. I kissed the top of her head lightly, but she tilts her head back so that our lips meet.

Natan

I yawned and continued to slip from consciousness to unconsciousness again and again, though most of the time was spent in oblivion. This didn't bother me at all for two reasons. 1: The rest was welcome and refreshing. It had been too long now i had gone without a decent nights sleep.

And 2: Because this way i didn't have to worry myself over the affairs of others. This, too, was welcoming.

When i did wake up enough to open my eyes briefly i always saw Val's face near mine, or felt her presence near me. Each time she would ask me if I was alright, and each time i would reply that i was, but still needed rest, which was true.

And, according to Val, my father slept on. He had not woken or stirred at all, which didn't surprise me. My father had well exceeded his mental and physical limits. Even before the battle with the demon and Zalia, he was already past his mark. All that energy that went into the fight...I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest if he slept for a month.

I woke again, this time the sun low in the horizon. I tried to recall the height of the sun last time i was awake and dimly remembered it to have been just beginning its descent. At least three hours ago. Val was nearby, of course, and when she saw that i was awake, she touched my shoulder lightly.

"How are you?" she asked, for at least the fifth time today.

Again, i answered: "I'm fine, but still not ready to get up." I paused, then added sleepily, "You don't have to stay by me. I can sleep by myself, don't worry. It'll still be a few hours yet. You won't miss anything."

Ariana

I liked that he didn't pull away when he realized I had moved so he kissed my lips instead of my head. I'd wanted to feel his against mine for so long.

When we parted I smiled up at him.

"Does it hurt to become an avian?"

He shrugged, "not really, just a discomfort to live with for a little while."

I think I'd like to become one," I said, "maybe it'll get over my fear of hights."

Isabella--

I gasped. Max still held me close, and I began pushing for him to release me.

"What?" he asked worriedly, loosening his grip slightly. I wriggled out of his arms, still clutching my stomach.

"That's not helping," I replied, my words catching in my throat, causing me to go into a fit of coughs. After a few moments, Riley looked down at me.

"She coughed up blood!" he exclaimed, staring.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Val--

I curled up closer to Natan, chuckling.

"I'm comfortable here," I replied. "I don't want to leave your side." Suddenly I heard Isabella coughing, and crying in pain. I sat up, and saw the blood on the floor in front of her.