Darius' heartbeat continued to slow until it finally stopped.
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After Calista's retching stopped a few minutes later, Gareth gently laid the unconscious woman on her back before cleaning her lips and inside of her mouth. "Just rest, my love," Gareth whispered to Calista before caressing her cheek lightly with his fingertips. He wanted to stay by his lady's side but Rosalina's insistent cry drove him to the guestroom. "What is it?" he asked the woman as he stepped into the room.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina looked at Gareth and told him what happened. she had yet to realise Darius's heart had stoped.

_________________
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)

"What?" Gareth remarked, looking worried. Walking over to the bed, he placed his ear next to the man's chest and could hear no heart beat. Grimacing, he began to perform compressions on him, alternating between giving the man mouth to mouth. If this did not work, then he would have to try and channel a small jolt of electricity in his hand through his magic spell to see if he could bring the man back to life. Come on, the mage thought to himself as he continued to work on Darius.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

The moment Rosalina saw Gareth start doing compressions, her heart dropped. Her mind went blank. Darius was dead, she had lost him. She sat there, numb.

_________________
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)

"Come on," Gareth murmured more to himself as he continued to do compressions before performing mouth to mouth. Several more minutes passed by without a response from Darius yet, the mage refused to give up. He could not let this woman lose her love and he knew that Calista would be utterly disappointed with him for just quitting when another life was at stake. After about five minutes a gasp came from Darius' throat as the man coughed and started to draw in weak breaths. Breathing a small sigh of relief mingled with exhaustion, Gareth silently left the guestroom for his own to look for a few herbs. Upon finding the ones he needed, he walked back into the guestroom and started to prepare another brew.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina did not move. She did not notice Darius was breathing. He was dead, gone. She had nothing else to live for.

_________________
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)

After rekindling the fire and setting a pot of water over it to boil, Gareth quickly began to crush the herbs. Once finished he threw the herbs into the pot and stirred them together to create a tea. When the tea was finished cooking he poured some of it into a cup before walking over to motionless man on the bed. Lifting Darius gently and being sure that the man's head was tilted back, Gareth slowly began to pour the tea into his mouth, being sure to keep the flow of liquid down to a trickle as he remembered the last incident. "Darius is not dead." Gareth told Rosalina as he continued to slowly pour the tea down her love's throat.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina didn't hear him, she had shut down completly, as if her mind left her body.

_________________
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)

When Rosalina did not respond to his words, Gareth could only sigh to himself as he continued to allow the tea to trickle down Darius' throat. When he finished five minutes later, Gareth gently laid the man back down on the bed and made sure he was breathing before turning back to Rosalina. Kneeling in front of where the woman sat, Gareth lightly placed his hand on her arm to hopefully draw the woman's attention to him. "Rosalina, Darius is weak, but alive," he told her gently. "Do not give into despair just yet," he added, hoping that his words would be able to get through to clearly distraught woman.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina didn't respond at first, but after some time her voice asked one word, quietly and soft. "Alive?"

_________________
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)

"Yes, Rosalina. Darius is alive," Gareth told her softly. "I gave him some tea to hopefully strengthen both his body and his heart but it may take awhile for it completely go into effect," Gareth added. "Until then, his condition will have to be monitored closely," the mage said after a few moments. "Nevertheless my lady, take comfort in the fact that he still lives and don't let heart be troubled by dark thoughts. I believe that you are the only reason that Darius still lives---that I was able to bring him back. If something happens to you, I promise you that he will not survive."

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Rosalina started to tear and got up hugging Gareth. "Thank you." she said.

_________________
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 smiled slightly as he returned Rosalina's hug. "You are welcome," he told her softly. "Do you need anything, Rosalina?" he asked her afterwards. "If not, I had best go to check on Calista's condition," he remarked, uncomfortable with leaving the woman alone in case she had another seizure and would then be without help. Just the thought of seeing his woman suffer was slowly starting to tear the mage up inside and it was a wonder that he had found the strength to leave her side to run and check on another.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"I'll be ok." Rosalina said as she let go and sat at Darius's side once more taking his hand into hers.

_________________
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 in response, Gareth quietly took his leave and made his way back to Calista's room. Seeing that the woman was still unconscious on the bed, he was at least able to take some comfort in the fact that she was not having another seizure. Lifting his lady gently from the bed, he cradled the limp woman close. Brushing a few strands of blonde hair back from her face, he lightly pressed a kiss to her forehead before he gently rocking her back and forth in his arms. He could not understand why heaven saw it fit to keep punishing her when all she wanted to do was help others. The only reason she had been kidnapped by the bandits was because she tried to warn the villagers. Then she became violently ill because she had the ill fate of being caught in a blizzard when she wanted to help Rosalina and now when she went outside to search for a herb to help Darius she ended up with a concussion and being ravished again. "My poor, sweet Calista. Why are you being forced to suffer so..." he whispered feeling unwanted tears start to mist in his eyes.
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Meanwhile Darius rested in a semi-peaceful manner as Rosalina gently took his hand in hers.

_________________


AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

As rosalina held his hand. She stroked at if it was wounded bird, hoping the movement would help wake 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)