Smiling down at Rosalina, Darius returned her kiss just as tenderly. "I will be fine, my dearest Ro. Just be sure to take care of yourself," he whispered gently. Taking her into his arms, he kissed her once more before getting the names and descriptions of the needed herbs from Gareth and departing.
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Smiling as she saw the exchange of love between Rosalina and Darius, Calista could only sigh as Darius went to look for more herbs for her in case they were needed, feeling terrible for causing so much trouble.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina sighed and looked at Calista after he left. "I know I shouldn't, but I still worry about him." she sat in a chair. "I don't know much about his past before we met." She confessed. "But I do know he saved my life, and decided to be my protecter."

_________________
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)

Giving Rosalina a weak smile a gleam of understanding flickered over her blue eyes. "I do not fault you for worrying about him," she whispered in a raspy voice. "Whenever Gareth is sent out on a mission or is summoned to defend our village I still worry about him even though I know that he can handle himself well," she replied as she gave Gareth's hand a weak squeeze. Giving Calista a small smile, Gareth gently squeezed her hand back before pulling her into his arms and pressing a light kiss on to her brow. In truth, she did not know much of Gareth's past either, and when she did ask him about his life before he came to live with them, a sadness passed over his eyes and she had dropped the subject entirely. "I don't know much about Gareth's past either. But I've witnessed his sacrificial deeds numerous times and that it is good enough for me. I feel as if I do not need to know about his past to know who is he...that he is a man with a good heart," she added as turned her head to give Gareth a loving smile. Returning her loving smile with one of his own, Gareth just pulled her all the closer, feeling as if he was not worthy of her affection---that the only reason he became a semi-decent man was because he had met her and she dispelled the darkness and sorrow in his soul. Turning back to Rosalina then, Calista gave the woman a gentle smile. "Then if he saved you without any thought of himself, he must be a good person, one worthy of your love."
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Grabbing the final herb Gareth needed, a sharp pain travelled up Darius' arm as a brown snake sunk its fangs into his flesh. Wincing in pain as he dropped the herbs, Darius quickly grabbed the snake by its neck before flinging it away. Picking up the spilled herbs again, he slowly got to his feet and made his way back to the home, thinking nothing of the bite.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

rosalina smiled as she nodded. "He is a good man. He was always the only one that cared for me besides my mother." She told them. "And when ever anything bad happens to me, he blames him self. Especially the reason for the scars on my abdamon."

_________________
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)

Nodding as she gave Rosalina a soft smile, Calista remained silent for a moment as she just rested against Gareth. Darius sounded so much like her mage, except that in her case, her father took minimum care of her while Gareth was more solicitous over her welfare. "I never knew my mother. She died shortly after giving birth to me," Calista remarked softly. "After that a wet nurse came to care for me for a short time, but no bond grew between us." Giving Rosalina another soft smile, Calista remained silent for a moment as if she were trying to conserve her strength. "From what I have seen, I know that Darius loves you deeply. I have known that since we met, and I pray that you two will always find happiness with each other."
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As Darius walked back to the house, a strange sense of weakness started to settle over his limbs. Groaning as he staggered slightly, he had to prop himself up against a tree for a brief moment before he was able to trek onward. As he continued to walk, he found himself growing more sensitive to light and found that it gave him a migraine. Rubbing his temple then, he just staggered forward, praying that he would be able to make it to the house soon.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded. "I hope so too. Funny, I have loved him for so long as a brother, as a friend, I wonder when it turned to more."

_________________
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)

"It's hard to say when love transforms into something more," Calista replied gently.
"Indeed," Gareth remarked. "I first loved Calista more as I would love a little sister and a friend. Sometimes the lines for how we love become so blurred that we do not know when one type of love morphs into another."
Smiling up at Gareth as she snuggled against him, Calista just breathed a soft sigh. "And I first loved you as a protective brother, my one true friend and confidant," she remarked softly. "Then I guess over time it just grew to be so much more."
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As he continued to plod along, a wave of nausea assaulted his senses and he began to vomit violently as he paused near a tree. What on earth is wrong with me? he thought to himself. Why do I feel this way? Moaning slightly after he wiped the vomit from his lips, he staggered onward starting to see double of everything. Heaven have mercy, he thought helplessly as the double images merged, separated, danced and blurred before his eyes which only served to make him all the more nauseous. Finally arriving back at the house, he had just enough strength to push open the door before stumbling forward and collapsing on the ground in a heap.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina heard the thump and ran out, paling at the sight before her. "DARIUS!!!!" She cried out running to the mans side and turning him on his back. Her heart started pounding as fear overwelmed her. "No, no, no." she patted his cheek. "Darius, Dary. Come on, look at me."

_________________
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 a loud thump followed by Rosalina's terrified cries, all the blood drained from Calista's face as her skin turned a sickly white. "Gareth...what's happening?" she whispered, her blue eyes wide with terror.
"I don't know," Gareth told her as he gently pulled himself away from Calista and rose to his feet. Worried beyond measure, Calista moved out of bed and attempted to stand on shaky legs that buckled beneath her. Catching her easily, Gareth lifted the woman into his arms and sat her down on the bed. "Don't try to move, you are still weak yet, Rose." Gareth told her gently.
"I need to find out what is wrong with Darius. He needs help." Calista told Gareth stubbornly.
"I'll go and investigate. You just stay here and rest."
"But-"
"Stay here," Gareth told her more sharply than he intended as Calista just lowered her head, a bit hurt by his tone. Not even having time to apologize to the woman, Gareth raced out of her room and into the main living area.
"What's going on?" he shouted as he saw Rosalina trying desperately to wake Darius without any success.
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Folding her arms over her chest as Gareth left her alone, Calista just stared blankly at the wall. Her father had left sometime earlier to give Gareth and Calista some privacy and now that she was completely alone, she could feel her mind racing with a thousand different scenarios of what happened to Darius.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina continued to try and wake Darius until she heard gareth. "I don't know . . . . I found him in a heap, and turned him onto his back. . . . Gareth, he won't wake up."

_________________
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)

Frowning at Rosalina's words, Gareth knelt beside the woman as he examined Darius. "What on earth..." the mage mumbled to himself, not even sure what was wrong. The man's skin was deathly pale and his breathing labored. This looks like poison, Gareth thought to himself, although he did not share his musings out loud. "I need to get him into the bedroom," Gareth remarked finally before he gently took Darius' lifeless form from her and carried him into the guestroom, which was not the easiest task considering that Darius was a big man. Laying him gently down on the bed, Gareth started to examine Darius' body, his arms and legs to see if he could find some any sort of injury. Finally seeing two small puncture wounds on his arm, Gareth cursed under his breath, realizing almost instantly what had happened.
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Sitting on the bed for a few minutes more, Calista found the wait utterly unbearable. Knowing that Gareth would probably be furious with her for disobeying him, but unable to rest while a friend could be in danger, Calista tried once more to get off of the bed, only to have her legs buckle once more and to crumple to the ground in a heap.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"What is it, what happened to him." Rosalina begged to know. She had followed him to the room. "Please, whats wrong with Darius."

_________________
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)

"He's been poisoned, and if I am not mistaken it is the venom from a brown snake," Gareth replied softly, compassion in his eyes for the woman.
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Trying to stand once again without any success, Calista resorted to crawl on her hands and knees until she reached the door. Using the knob as a crutch, she managed to climb to her feet again before grabbing onto the frame for support and slowly moved along the walls. Finally arriving at the guestroom rather winded, Calista just beheld the scene with sorrowful eyes. "By heaven, what is going on?" she questioned.
Hearing Calista's weak voice snapped Gareth's attention to toward his own love and a frown crossed over his face. "S'blood! What are you doing up?" he demanded. "I told you to stay in bed!"
"How could I when a friend may be in trouble?" Calista protested. "Now what is going on?"

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina had collapsed to the floor beside the bed in despair. "He's been bitten." she said on the brink of tears. "By a brown snake." She choked out, and started to cry.

_________________
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)

Feeling her heart break as Rosalina collapsed beside the bed in despair, Calista walked unsteadily over to the woman and kneeling beside her, gently pulled her friend into a hug.
"Gareth, can you find the amathian herb?" she asked as she gently rubbed Rosalina's back, knowing it was a rare plant that only grew in the most northern corners of the world and so hard to find that most thought it extinct.
"I will try, but that herb is thought only to live in myth," Gareth remarked, not holding out much hope in finding that one elusive plant that would treat the brown snake toxin.
"You know as well as I do that this plant's properties work the fastest. Darius does not have much time. If you will not look for it, I promise you I will even though it costs my life."
Grimacing at her last statement, Gareth merely nodded wanting to both kiss her for her compassionate nature and yell at her for being so reckless.
"Go. I will look after Darius until you get back," Calista told Gareth before slowly climbing to her feet and kissing the mage lovingly on the lips. Returning her kiss just as tenderly, Gareth could only sigh when she reluctantly parted. "Do not work yourself to hard, Rose. Your body is still so weak."
"Don't worry. I will be fine," Calista remarked gently before caressing his face lightly. "I love you my hero."
"I love you too, sweet maiden."
Giving Gareth another smile, Calista kissed him lightly once more before pulling back. "Now go, dearest mage. Darius' life is in your hands."
"Remember my words, Rose. Do not exert your strength," he said gently before departing.
Once Gareth left, Calista rummaged in the drawers before looking for some tight clothes that she could use to apply pressure to the bite to hopefully slow the poison's spread. Finding some rags that were suitable, she quickly scanned Darius' body until her eyes feel upon the two small puncture bites. Wrapping the cloth around the wound then, she applied pressure to it, trying to see if she could squeeze out some of the venom or make it harder for the venom to circulate in his body.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina collected herself off the floor only to sit on the other side of the bed and taking Darius's hand onto her own.

_________________
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)