****As Emma readied the supplies for the man, she studied him. "Ancient One" they called him. He certainly looked Ancient, she thought to herself. Just then, the man spoke. "Well thank you, Lil' One...but you should think kindly of the old, one day you will be old yourself. Emma's mouth dropped open, raising her hand to cover it, she backed away for a moment. "F...Forgive me Sir. Please. I meant no disrespect. I was thinking how in your age, you must be a very knowledgeable man indeed". Turning to look at his assistant Emma, he explained. "Do not feel so bad child, you did not offend me. I can not only read minds, but auras as well. You are smart, gifted, trustworthy, in love with someone, yet you worry for your Mistress, and your heart grieves for Jonathon. Watching him day in and day out. Keeping watch over his love." Emma merely nodded then fighting back tears, went back to getting all he had asked for.

Meanwhile, Owen removed the white cotton shiff, that Boudicca was wearing. It lay at the end of the bed. He was pulling down the sheets to her navel area. Emma looked over, and blushed. There came a throaty laugh from the olde man. "Emma-Dear....you must understand....first of all our people are not modest people. And I delivered this woman you see before you. I have known her even in her mother's womb. Emma stopped amazed, and held the post to the bed her Mistress lay asleep in. Owen was washing her down. Then taking a towel, he moved over to the other side of the bed. Asking Emma to bring him a stool, he sat now to her left. Laying a towel upon the bed, he propped up Boudicca's shoulder slightly with the other.

All the while he was answering Emma's questions. She could see how just as she looks upon an infant child, she may help deliver, he views Boudicca much in the same way. The body changed, but the soul inside did not. She was learning more of her Mistress' ways, and understanding them more and more these past few weeks. "Emma-Dear...I need you to check the hearth. See for me if there are any coals that are fire red, all the way through." Emma went off to check. Owen looked down at Boudicca. He wiped her brow, and the lose hair from her neck. Long and graceful, like that of a swan. The gold torque still worn about her neck, placed there by Owen himself. Crowning her Queen. Aye, but she was pale. She'd lost alot of blood. He leaned forward to smell the breath from deep within her. It did not smell diseased.

Setting back, he looked to Emma, empty handed. "Not yet, Sir. "Well, let us both was our hands...the hotter the water the better." Emma lifted a brow at him. "Wash our hands?" "Aye, before touching our Mistress, Emma." He shook his head with a smile. "Must be some new thing, I have never heard of it." Owen stopped. He turned and touched his hands upon Emma's shoulders. "From now on. No matter what you do regarding Boudicca, be it changing her, or her sheets, or her wound...you MUST wash your hands. She began to ask why, when he pointed to her once white blouse....on the shoulder there was a hand print left on it, from Owen's own hand. With that she nodded feeling stupid. She wouldnt question anything he ever did again. Washing their hands, drying them on crisp clean towels. The went back to her bedside. "Emma-Dear....it is never dumb to ask questions. How does one become knowledgeable, less he ask questions, he would never know the answers."


He told Emma to sit on the stool beside Boudicca and braid her long mane of hair to keep it out of the way. Doing so in a mere instant, he changed places with her. Carefully he began to slowly untie the bandages upon her upper arm. Instructing Emma to not touch them with her fingers, she went and found a pair of tongs from the kitchen. "Otherwise you would contaminate your clean hands, and anything else the bandages touched. They were full of germs and disease just like her Misstress' wound was. Beginning to understand, she knew there were alot of things she would have to tell the entire staff and especially Jonathon.

Finally exposing the wound to clean air....a stench rose from the gaping oozing hole within her arm. Emma wouldnt look, she took the tongs grabbing the foul bandages into a metal can putting the lid on it. "Owen was sitting there, frowning, staring at the wound, gently moving her arm. "Emma-Dear....open that window there." "I am sorry Sir, that does not open. He looked to the door at the end of the room. "Then there". "Aye Sir." Emma went to the balcony doors and opened them ouwards. Placing a door stop on either side...the smell of a crisp cool wind, bearing the essence of Springtime flooded the room. Boudicca's skin rose up in goose-bumps, as she called them. Owen, looked down at her, swearing her cheeks were a tad colored than before. But probably not, just an old man's wish. "Emma-dear....you are going to help me clean out her wound. It is not appealing in anyway, shape or form. You must look at it from the stand point that, even if it causes your Mistress discomfort, such discomfort to even awaken her from a coma....you must not listen to her. You will take orders only from me. Is that not what your Queen told you?" Emma looked from Boudicca to Owen and back.
I trust you Sir....I do. Anything for my Mistress, and her sister the Queen". "Very good, Owen said with a soft smile nodding his head. I will make a healer of you yet, sweet Emma."

With that he told her what he needed and why, serving her the embarassment of asking, and the cleaning of her wound began. Stopping kust before he stopped he saw the leather and wool cuff and ankle chains at the top and bottom of the bed. "Who put these here?" Owen demanded. "Why, Sir Jonathon did Sir. The Mistress was thrashing in her sleep and he was afraid she would tears open the stitches in her arm...and it did. So he had those made to stop her from hurting herself. Owen nodded with a sad expression on his face. "Then tied her down, save this arm." Nodding Emma began as Owen whispered to her quietly in an ancient tongue. Probably Gaelic, Emma thought. Without looking up, the elder smiled and said to Emma, "See you are learning."***

*****Owen left Jonathon on the balcony and went back inside. Emma had just returned from doing her last chore for Owen. The elder looked to her with tired eyes. "Emma my Lass, I am going to go and get some rest. However I want to go over some details with you regarding your Mistress." Emma nodded then looked to the opened balcony door. "Is Jonathon still out there? Perhaps I should check up on him." "You can Lass...leave the Lad some time alone for now. You can show me where my room is and where I can take a quick bath before I bed down for the evening." Emma nodded, and exited behind the elder, already beginning to ask him about those details about Boudicca.

Jonathon stood outside for a shortwhile. Collecting his nerves up, he went back into the room, shutting the balcony doors to just a tad open. Owen said the air would be good for Boudicca. Going into the bath he washed up, trying to wash away his puffy eyes. Brushing back his hair, he went to tie it up, but thinking of how much she loved it down, he put the hairtie back in his pocket. Seeing Boudicca sound asleep. She looked like Sleeping Beauty...how many times he has kissed those lips, hoping to break this "spell" she was under. Only for her to remain still, asleep. Seeing that in his haste to leave, Owen forgot to tell Emma to redress Boudicca. Knowing he was capable of it himself. He cleared his throat changing the tone of his voice to cover his true mood, he spoke to her. "So...which gown do you wish to wear to bed tonight....I know you prefer none, however we do have house guests, and they might want to peek in on you....so...how about this one?" There in his hand Jon held up a beautiful sheer lightweight gown, he remembered seeing her in once or twice. Not that it remained on her long. Jonathon smiled at the memory.

Having dressed her, and replaced her linen sheet, Jonathon went to the table and picked up her hairbrush. Lovingly, sweetly all the while talking to her about anything and everything...he brushed out her long, beautiful waves, of thick fiery mane. When Emma returned he asked her to draw him a bath and to find one of his bed gowns in his bags. After a bath, he would spend the night lying beside her. He missed their closeness, he missed her scent, the feel of her flesh against his.

After bathing and changing, he slipped into bed with her. Lying on his side, his head beside hers, he kissed her repeatedly. On her cheeks, on her brow and more often than not, her full lips. Gently he wrapped his arm about her waist, just like he had a hundred times before. Fighting back the tears, he lay there, embracing his love...and praying to God in Heaven, to not take her away from him.."he would do anything...just to please let her live." Choking down the tears and emotion, he lay his head down, after one last kiss goodnight. Lying there, he stared at her beautiful face, till his eyes could no longer remain open. Giving way to sleep, their warm bodies joined together, her scent, perhaps tonight he would dream and not have another one of those damned nightmares that plagued him night after night.

*****After Boudicca had fallen asleep for what she felt like was the 4th or 5th time, after being in bed with David all day...she finally roused herself enough to open her eyes. Her room was dark, save for the fire in the hearth. Feeling for David and not finding him there, she called out to him. Jonathon appeared from out of the adjoining bedroom.

Shocked, her brow furrowed as she stared at him. He was completely dressed and his face was stoic. His azure hues stared right thru her, it seemed. Sitting up, pulling the blankets up to her chest, she asked..."What are you doing here....where is David?" Jon sat down beside her on the bed and responded sarcastically; "Ah, happy to see you too Love, how are things going these days?" She pressed her lips into a flat line, glaring at him. He leaned forward, it appeared he was going to kiss her, she pulled herself backing away from him. "What....what is this? I was not going to kiss you. Certainly not after what I have had to hear and deal with last night and today." His eyes appeared so hard...she'd never seen him like this. "Fear not fair maiden,"
I being a lowly humble servant, would never dream of molesting you."

That said, she brought her bedding up around her. She cried out. "DAVID! DAVID!" It was as if Jonathon had become every bastard she had ever met in her life. How odd to love someone, yet despise them at the same time! Again she called out. "DAVIDDDDDDD!" Again no response. She glared up at Jonathon. "Where has he gone Jonathon?"
He merely shrugged and looked from this way to that. "Well he and I did have a lovely conversation, while you slept." Pointing to the balcony. "Right out there, so we didnt disturb your rest." Folding her arms across her bustline, she hissed at him. "What did you say to him?"
Jonathon then let out a whicked, awful sinister laugh. Looking down, he then lifted his head, and gazed down at her. "Wouldn't you love to know?" She felt sick to her stomach. Suddenly she had a headache, named Jonathon. Upon hearing that, she scooted out of bed from the opposite side...away from him. Before she could reach the door to the bathing room. He was in front of her. Standing there, she was fuming, her jaw was set, she was gritting her teeth, and if looks could kill...well yes....Jonathon....THIS Jonathon most definately would be.::*****

*****Boudicca stared into Jonathon's hues as he grabbed her, pulling her up against him. His gorgeous hues of azure, appeared black. His jaw was set hard, and he was breathing deeply, looking completely enraged.
She on the other hand, now truly felt fear in his embrace. It was as if he was a total stranger, an enemy....wanting to harm her.

Walking her backwards, staring down at her....her gave Boudicca a shove and she fell back onto the bed. Instantly she popped back up to her feet. Jonathon glared at her, only 3 or so feet away from her. "I suggest you sit down, or would you prefer that I tie you down? You used to LOVE that game when we played it." A sickly feeling clenched her insides, deep.
Sitting back down, trying to remain poised, not giving him an inch even in which to make him angrier than he already was.

Reaching out, he grabbed her left arm. Squeezing and pulling on it towards him, he held it tightly. There on her ring finger of her hand was the engagement ring he had given her. Reaching out with his other hand, he pulled the ring off her hand. She pulled her hand back, and eyed between him and the ring, as he examined it. "Ah....yes...see....right there inside an inscription..."Boudicca and Jonathon...ONE." He stared at her a long moment.

"I remember the night you accepted this ring from me....do YOU?" Jon asked, his voice raising a tad. Looking down at her now naked hand, she nodded. Quickly he was on her. His fury unstoppable. Laying atop of her, pinning her hands down above her head. A shot of pain from him stretching her, caused her left arm to tighten up, like a Charlie Horse.
She closed her eyes, and winced, gritting her teeth. Opening her eyes, she was glaring at him.

"We made a promise to one another that night. I told you that regardless of all the other couples who lived in Rhydin, our's would be the PERFECT LOVE...the likes of which no one in that town had seen." His face poised over her's a mere inch away from her nose. She started to writhe beneath him. Immediately he brought his knee up and thrusting it upwards, caused her thighs to open to him. She instantly froze. A sneer came to his lips. "Have no fear of that my Dear....I wouldn't rape you. Besides you can't rape the willing, now can you?" She closed her eyes, helpless at the moment, she needed to try to clear her mind....and think straight. "You promised me, Love. That is what that ring is for, or did you not know that?" Glaring down at her, his voice beginning to rise louder. "Boudicca you are my wife in all eyes but the law. I knew you were not a Virgin......but I never took you to be a WHORE either."

Jon saw the pain his words were inflicting upon her. "Who gave you the right to lay with David? Hmm? You're no longer a Queen, you are not entitled to take any man of your choosing to bed. I have been more than faithful and understanding to you, Love. I gave you the benefit of the doubt regarding David....your "Dear and trustworthy guardsman." For a moment she saw the pain that raged within those dark hues. "Jonathon, I didn't mean..." Before she could finish, his hand was covering her mouth. "SSsuuuusshhh! You are not to say a word, till I am finished with you." She did not fight him, even though she wanted to be as far away from him as she could be. Pinned down....her one arm in particular aching, she stared at him over his hand upon her mouth. Slowly removing his hand, he smiled a wicked smile at her. At that moment, he could not resist any longer. He kissed her deeply...fighting for the kiss....till he felt her begin to soften. Her body was no longer so tense. He allowed her arms to rest somewhat, bent at the elbows. When she began to kiss her back....he abruptly pulled away his lips from hers.
Staring down at her....he whispered then against her lips...."Could David melt you with his kisses? Hmmmm? Did David handle you a tad on the "rough" side? Did he love you the way only I could love you?" His voice trembling....he pushed up off of her and away. She didnt move but to bring herself up into a sitting position. Her delicate hand ran once more over her now swollen cheek. Her head down the entire time, even when she rubbed on her upper arm. Standing at the end of her bed, with his hands stuffed into his britches....he merely stood there, staring at her in total silence.::

*****Jonathon came back into the room, and sat beside Boudicca for how long, no one knew, no one counted...it was amazing anyone could think! Slowly he rose and went to Owen. They were alone, just the 3 of them in Boudicca's room.

Sitting on a stool before Owen, he patted the old man's leg. "Owen....I know how upset you are, how hard you tried to heal her. It was just that we waited too long.....it was just I..." Owen stopped him then, reaching out and placing an arm upon Jon's shoulder. "Stop....It is just that these things do happen...even to women as wonderful and beautiful as Boudicca." Jon looked the olde man in the eye, then lower his head as he nodded. "Owen...when we were in Rhydin...time went....well time went by at it's usual rate. However, every time we came back here to Caledonia it was at least 5 years later, than when we last were back. But to us it was a matter of weeks or months." Owen sat up in the chair, bringing an olde finger to his chin....deep in thought. Jon watched him, waiting. "So you are saying, that every time you returned to Caledonia from this place Rhydin that you two now live at....that Caledonia and its people had aged 5 years EVERY time?". Olde eyes looked up at Jon, waiting for an answer. For the first time in a long time a glimmer of hope seemed to flicker in his olde gray hues.

"Yes. That is exactly what I am saying." At first Owen sat up looking relieved, even a smile began to cross his face. And then looking up at Jon, it quickly faded as he looked down. "What...what is it?!?!" Jon demanded. "Well....it is my belief that if you take her back to this place Rhydin...that she will be completely healed...just as she was before you two left to come to Caledonia...putting you at least 5 years in the future."
Jonathon smiled. "Well...then that's easily done! Why does it trouble you, Owen?" Jon sat sitting up straight, his shoulders no longer slumped with the weight of the world upon them. Owen paused a long moment merely staring into Jonathon's azure hues which now glistened happily, on the verge of happy tears.

Owen slowly shook his head. "It would only be postponing the inevitable." He replied softly. Jonathon's smile faded. The realization of Owen's words hitting him hard. Lowering his head into hands, he groaned and shook his head. During these few past weeks with Boudicca's illness and even before...their lives had been on like a boat at sea...riding the waves up and down. Tears stinging his eyes fell as he quickly rose and strode off to the balcony.

Standing with a grim look covering his face. Hating to have to do that to Jonathon....Owen went and sat on the bed beside Boudicca. Taking the rag from her brow and and rinsing it off, ringing it out....he replaced it back on her beaded brow. Her cheeks were flushed with fever. Softly she moaned as he ran his hand down her cheek. "Shhhhhh...child. You will be well soon enough. You probably will not remember most of all that has happened since you went to sleep. But those who love you have never left your side. Well....I need to go speak with Jonathon....and he your girls. I will return soon, My Queen." Opening the door, he signaled to Emma who was sitting in a chair in the hall trying to read. "Please watch over your Mistress." "Aye....I will Sir." Owen then walked out to Jonathon.

Owen watched from the door opening, as Jonathon pounded the marble railing with his fists. He was staring up to the Heavens. Owen could hear his sobs, escaping his throat. Slowly he approached the younger man. Patting his back...he did not look up at Jonathon, he whispered..."That's it son...let it go." Just then Jon brought his head down, bending at the waist as he rested his head on his arms as he literally broke down in a torrent of tears. Owen stood there, patting his back, rubbing his olde hand up and down his heaving back. Tears welled in his olde eyes as well. Owen knew how hard it would be to let go of the love of his life. To love someone so very much, that you would let them go in order to save them. Jonathon could never see Boudicca again. Be it in Rhydin or Caledonia...for if they ever did meet again...that very same accident could happen again. Even as conscious of it they may be. Hundreds of years ago Owen had to let go of a rare beauty himself. He never forgot her. And tonight here with Jonathon...his silent tears were for both he and Jon.******