''Alright," Darius remarked quietly, hoping that there was no cause to worry.

"Calista, love...you couldn't have aided them..." Gareth whispered to her. "You have been sick and weak all this time. And have you forgotten the period when you would not wake for a few days?" he murmured.
"It is my duty to see to their welfare, and in that duty I failed..." she whispered. "I should have had food sent...but did not. Every death from starvation is now on my head..." she remarked as a murmur of discontent travelled through the crowd.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina sighed as she looked at her love.

_________________
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 just gave Rosalina a small smile, although there was no mistaking the concern in his eyes. He just hoped that this slight rise in temperature was nothing to worry about.

"Calista...don't..." Gareth whispered to her. "Please don't blame yourself," he added softly, growing more disheartened when the woman just remained silent.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina smiled as they kept walking.

_________________
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 just held Rosalina close to him as they walked.

Hearing the murmurings against Calista grow louder, Gareth shot a steely glare in their direction; the air crackling even more with his magic.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina's arm started to hurt, like it was on fire, but she ignored the feeling.

_________________
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)

"Are you okay, love?" Darius asked her after a moment.

The crowd slowly withdrew from Gareth once more although their murmurings did not cease. Not wanting to risk any harm befalling the woman, Gareth summoned a wind to carry them away from the disgruntled villagers so that he could have a chance to speak with her privately.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Not wanting to alarm Darius, Rosalina told him she was fine, but her temparture was still rising.

_________________
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)

Are you sure?" Darius questioned, worry glimmering in his eyes as he could feel her temperature rising.


"Oooh...." Calista moaned weakly, her blue eyes rolling back and her head flopped over the mage's arm as she fainted away.
"Calista?" Gareth whispered to her as he heard her moand and felt the woman go limp in his arms. Glancing down at her, he saw that she had passed out from both grief and guilt and he felt his heart ache at the sight. Small rivulets of tears still streaked her pale face and even though her eyes were closed, an expression of despair seemed frozen on her face.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina nodded as she started breathing as if she was out of breath.

_________________
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)

"Ro....?" Darius asked her, frowning in concern.

Using the wind, Gareth flew back to her father's home cradling Calista close to him. Landing outside, he pushed the door open just as Dan came up to greet him.
"Daughter!" he exclaimed as he saw Calista unconscious in the mage's arms. "What happened?"
"The stress at seeing the villagers in pain and the guilt she bears for their misery was too much for her," Gareth told the old man quietly as he carried the limp woman back to her room.
"Why would you take her there?"
"She insisted on seeing the villagers to see how they were faring...and they blamed her for all the misery they endured."
"But she is not at fault!"
"I know...but they do not see it as such. The only thing that restrained me from taking their lives in anger was your daughter's plea," the mage remarked as he stepped into the room and gently laid the passed out woman on her bed.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"I'm fine." rosalina said, although as they kept walking she started to become clamy, dizzy, and would stumble.

_________________
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)

"Ro!" Darius exclaimed, his voice tight with worry. "You need to rest, I am going to take you back," he said softly, moving to pick her up.

Sighing softly, Gareth went to the well and drew a fresh bucket of cold water. Making his way back to Calista's room, he set the bucket down before dipping a cloth into the water and gently dabbing her face with the damp rag.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina opened her mouth to protest when she blacked out.

_________________
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)

"Ro!" Darius shouted in horror as he caught the woman. Scooping her up in his arms, he quickly raced back to Dan's home.

Calista moaned softly as Gareth gently dabbed her face with the cool cloth, but she did not awaken. "Ai, beloved, why do you blame yourself? What the villagers have suffered was not your fault," he whispered in the unconscious woman's ear as he continued to gently brush the cloth over her face.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina remained unconcious, she was getting worse faster now.

_________________
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)