Sygnet didn't know what to say either. She respected her decision but didn't know if she should protest or not. She looked at Micha as well. Poor Eshlyn. The two seemed to be great friends and she knew that they shouldn't be separated.

"Nessia..." Micha started.

Nessia insisted, however. Eshlyn, at long last gave in. "In that case I will be stating as well," he announced. He looked to the other three. "Be sure to relay what we have learned to Lord Elrond."

Micha hesitated. "There is a chance the elves wount send an army... Even if they do it could be a verry lomg time. You guys may be stuck here a very long time."

"I understand that," Nessia replies. Eshlyn sticking to his decesion as well.

Micha took a deep breath and then turned towards Sygnet.

"Even if I go... There is a chance I will never recover."

At this the ice queen stepped forward. "Every time someone goes through this process ot leaves ice crystals inside their blood. Most thaw... But some never do. Each time you undergo the process more and more remain in your blood. That is how my people came ti be. We were once Elder Elves... When we saw the evil the rest of our people were performing as they mutated and became wicked we sought a way out. Since we could not go out the valley without being captured we retreated to the cave. Some got out.... Some, for an unknown reason, were sent right back to the entrance of the cave. Those of us that were sent back to the entrance tried the process time and time again bit to no avail. Now our blood is nothing but ice. As elves we can survive this, but a human would be killed... I am unsure how many times a human might srvive the process."

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Sygnet nodded, "One more time. I'll be waiting on the other side," she said, taking his hand and looking at him fondly with a small smile, "Together," she looked at the Queen.

Micha could feel his heart beat speed, memories of the pain flashing in his mind. He could feel the ice in his veins, however and he knew that if he stayed his blood would slowly freeze anyways.

When Sygnet took his hand he relaxed and calmed his breathing. He looked at her for a moment and then said, "Before we go... I need to speak with you privately."

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Sygnet nodded and walked with him to the side, leaving Valadhiel alone with her dragon. She looked at him, waiting for him to begin.

"Sygnet..." he started with a stumble in his voice. "If I don't make it through this..." he paused again. He never was much good with words. "I want you to know that I care a great deal about you."

He sighed and looked down at his feet. He wasn't quite sure how to put things.

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Sygnet smiled, allowing him to go on. She was there to listen, then she would iffe him her advice, she pushed a stray hair behind her head and tilted her head.

"I guess what I am trying to say is... if I die, I don't want to die without telling you... I love you."

Micha hesitated, he was never sure of himself... he had never said those words to anyone in his entire life and even though Sygnet seemed to return concern for him he still told himself in the back of his mind that she probably didn't feel the same.

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Sygnet smiled at him, looking down then back up and taking his hands in hers, "I love you too," she said, leaning down to kiss his cheek, "When you get across, hold on and wait for me. I'll take care of you," she said, her eyes sparkled with warmth and she pulled him into a hug.

Micha sighed and closed his eyes as Sygnet kissed his cheek, hiding a tear that sought escape.

He leaned into her embrace with a serene peace. His restlessness always seemed to vanish at her touch. He hugged her tightly with a hidden fear that it might be the last time but he said nothing of the sort.

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Sygnet let him go, "Are you ready?" She asked him. She was confident that he wouldn't pull through. She didn't know what she would do if he died but she couldn't think about that. Instead she looked to the fact that they would be getting out of here.

Micha nodded, took her hand and walked back to the group.

Once they arrived back the Ice Queen was waiting with the small curls of ice. She handed one to Sygnet, one to Micha with a knowing glance, and one to Valadhiel. She stopped there and looked up at Valadiel.

"One remains," she glanced over to the small dragon.

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Valadhiel's eyes brightened as the tiny creature scrambled over, thingy lolling out and beating it's spiked tail. She reached up and gently took the curl between her teeth and waited.

Sygnet squeezed Micha's hand and looked at him, she mouthed the words, "I love you," once more, just so he knew how much she did.

The ice Queen smiled ever so slightly at the young dragon's reaction. It was about as much emotion as she had shown towards happiness since the group had arrived.

Micha took a deep breath and stuck the ice in his mouth. He glanced over at Sygnet with just enough time to read her lips and that was the last thing he remembered as the feeling of her hand went went limp in his own mind. He tried to mouth the words back, but the effects were far to quick.

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Sygnet and Valadhiel both placed the ice in their mouths. Sygnet shivered as all feeling left her and she was weightless. She didn't even feel Micha's hand in hers. It was almost as if she was falling.

The small group, unbeknownst to them, froze solid into blocks of ice. Sygnet and Valadhiel slower than Micha. The dragon took the longest, but sure as snow is white he eventually stood as a single block of ice.

Once this was done they simply dissipated before Nessia and Eshlyn.

"How does it work?" Nessia asked, stepping forward.

"We never figured that out," the Ice Queen admitted.

The small group of frozen comrades soon found themselves, still frozen, and sitting just outside Rivendel in the woods. Micha might have frozen quicker but he would thaw slower. They would thaw at the same rate as a chunk of ice their size. The painful process was once the head thawed and the individual was conscious. As the rest thawed it was a stinging pain like no other.

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