Rosalina nodded and stepped back, fear for her sisters life mounting. Biting her lip and swallowing she made a vow. "If She dies, I am going to kill Julius." she vowed.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Moving to Calista's bedside, Gareth gently lifted the convulsing woman on to her side as he just held her in place with one hand. The move dislodged a small amount of vomit from her throat and caused splotches of bile to sputter from her lips and on to the floor. However, more bile continued to build itself up into her throat as she continued to convulse and her face started to turn blue.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina watched horrified. "DO something, she is turning color." She said starting to panic.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Gareth was about to respond to Rosalina's command when Calista's convulsions slowly began to fade. Immediately Gareth lifted the woman from the bed and after laying her on the ground, turned her head toward the side and pushed down on her stomach to force the bile and vomit from her lips. Once he cleared her airway, Calista started to wheeze again as she drew in weak breaths. Gently picking the woman up, he carried her back to the bed and tenderly laid her down before pulling out a handkerchief and dipped it in the cool water. Shaking his head, he gently wiped the bile from her lips before cleaning out the woman's mouth.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina bit her lip. Looking at the door she frowned. "Where is Darius?" she wondered.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Hearing the name that fell from Rosalina's lips, Gareth stiffened for a moment, praying that this was not the same man that he had betrayed years before. A friend but one that he had made into an enemy. Saying nothing, he just turned his attention back to Calista and inadvertently caressed her cheek lightly before quickly withdrawing his hand as he caught himself. Pulling out a small vial from a dark colored pouch, he gently tilted Calista's head back and poured a small drop of the berry juice in her mouth to help her breathe.
------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Darius finally found the herbs that could help Calista's fever and quickly made his way back to his home.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

rosalina turned and saw the vial. "Whats that for." she asked.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

"A serum that will help to ease her breathing," Gareth remarked as he capped the vial and put it away. After about ten minutes had passed, Calista's wheezing faded away as she was able to draw in deeper breaths. "I don't use it that often because the properties of the berries have a higher probability of making an individual dependent upon them, but under dire circumstances their juice can be lifesaving," he added as he re-wet the cloth and dabbed Calista's face lightly with it.
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Arriving back at his home, Darius quickly made his way to the guestroom and froze at the entrance when he saw Gareth. "You!" he hissed, his voice filled with his rage. "It wasn't enough that you betrayed me? You have to murder my woman's sister too?"

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina was about to thank the man, but after Darius entered she looked at both men. "You know each other?" she asked.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Darius did not look at Rosalina but kept his glare upon Gareth. "My dear, meet the man who was once my friend but sold me to my enemies."
"Friend?" Gareth scoffed. "Some friend you were when Catalina needed you. You knew I needed the job to save her."
"I would have given you the money."
"When? After her bones turned to dust? She died because of you!" Gareth hissed.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina frowned. "Darius, He, he helped Calista." She looked at him. "She almost died if not for him."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Darius turned and glanced at Rosalina briefly and scoffed at her words. "Gareth willingly helping another out of the goodness of his heart?" he mocked. "Be warned, my love, but the mage only looks out for himself. Do not fall for his show of gallantry for it is nothing but an act. And once he has earned your friendship he will just as quickly betray you if the purpose suits him."
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Moaning at the shouting, Calista frowned slightly as if the noise was more than her delicate senses could take. Still feverish she groaned once more before she finally managed to open her eyes slightly and nearly screamed to find herself in a room with two strange men. I must be going mad she thought to herself as she raised a hand to her forehead. Suddenly embarrassed that she was only dressed in her nightgown, Calista weakly tried to wrap the blanket around her all the tighter, hoping that whomever was in the room would just ignore her.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina heard her sister gasp and went to her side. "Cali."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mean while, Gareth glared at Darius. "I did help with good intention. Unlike some men, or rather, some creatures." he sneered.

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Hearing Rosalina's soft voice, Calista weakly turned her head and glanced over at her younger sister. "Ro...what...what is going on?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Who-who are these men and...and where am I?" she whispered before coughing again, not realizing that her fever was still high.
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Glaring at Gareth, a low growl came from deep within his throat at the man's barb. "Better to be a creature than a man who robes himself in the guise of honor only to stab those he cares for in the back!" Darius thundered and would have attacked Gareth had the women not been in the room.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina stroked her sisters hair. "Your in Darius's home. He and I are together." Rosalina confessed with a blush. "But the other man, he is a stranger to me, but he helped you."

_________________________________________________

Gareth snorted. "May I remind you, it was you who back stabbed first."

_________________
Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

"Why didn't you tell me you were in love, dearest sister?" Calista whispered weakly. "I am happy for you," she remarked, pleased that if she should die from her illness at least Rosalina had someone to love and love her in return. "At least I know you will be taken care of..." she whispered faintly before coughing again. "Does he treat you well?" she asked. "Heaven help me but if he does not then I will kill him weak though I am," she added before grimacing again as a wave of pain from her stomach hit. Hearing Rosalina's words about the other man, Calista turned her attention to him, wondering at his actions. "Why would he help a worthless creature like myself?" she murmured as she stared at him with dull blue eyes.
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Darius chuckled bitterly at Gareth's words. "Really and how was that, old friend," Darius hissed. "I earned that job and would have given you the money that you needed!"

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!