The night's air was sticky with heat, though her sleeping body trembled as memories crossed her mind.

It was late in the afternoon, the weather warming still as she waited at a familiar bench near the waterside. Troublesome thoughts brought a deep furrowing in her brow as she waited. The realms were slowing becoming a disaster, and it was in her best interest to go and find out more.

Nothing new in that, she supposed.

She was leaving Avery in the care of Phen. He was understanding, though she could see the sadness that crept inside those blue hues. She would have given anything to chase away the sadness and doubt, but she did not have the time.

And Sylvia was honest with her parting words - there had been no news on Ewan. No word since he left. She felt her throat close and her heart rap against the inside of her ribcage. At least she had left the note, explaining where she was going and why.

On one hand, she wished for his safety; for him to return soon and receive her letter. On the other hand, she did not want him to return and have her not be there.

The sound of a trotting horse brought her mind to the current as she stood to greet the familiar man upon the horse as he approached her. "Always had a knack for late timing." She managed to offer the elf with a half smile.

Assadar only offered his usual smirk, "Am I here, right?" He looked her over briefly, looking at the pack that was around her back, the katana on her hip, and the determination in grey eyes. "Are you ready then? "

She nodded, before her gaze went down from him, her nose wrinkling in the process "We are riding a horse?"

He raised a blonde brow at the reaction on her face. "Yes, the portal is a few days ride from here, and transporting with our gifts will only attract their attention." He then leaned down slightly to offer her his hand to bring her up.

She understood the meaning of 'they'. The Chaotics.

When his hand came down, she only glanced at it. "I have never ridden a horse before."

He simply blinked in surprise. "Well, you will have to learn then." She placed her hand in his as he guided her to sit behind him "And I suppose you will become very uncomfortable very quickly" His cocky grin just had to come out then.

She only offered her own smirk, settling behind him on the long material, something like a saddle. "Let us go then, we do not have time to waste."

Grey eyes flew open as she quickly sat up in the small bed, a film of confusion over her eyes.

She was dreaming again, like the past few nights. Ever since her engagement of the war, her nights were plagued with her mind still being awake. With a small sigh, she rubbed her eyes gently, the room of the inn offered the silence that had been void for quite some time.

Rhy'Din was just a few more days ride away, and she was anxious to see many.. and to go and solve the bigger trouble that was ahead.

"Storm?" The elf asked hesitantly, blond brows coming together in a frown.

She opened her mouth to respond, and tasted the dirt beneath her body. Face down on the ground, she rolled herself over onto her back, the light hurting as she squinted up at Assadar. "Ahh.."

"That was quite the fall you had, knocked herself out cold." A small smirk appeared on his lips, though his frown ceased as she responded to his question.

She remembered now - they had just walked through the portal, and he had warned her to brace herself. Apparently it was not enough to keep her on the horse, and so the end result was her sliding off the massive beast and landing on the ground with a thud. 'My head hurts." she mumbled, shifting so that she could sit up.

He watched her unsteady movements, but did not make a hand to steady her. Yet. "Not a surprise." He watched her rise then, brushing off dirt from her clothing, before standing as well. "Welcome to Quel?Thalas"

Storm's grey eyes took a quick sweep of her surroundings as she continued to brush herself off. "A very quiet place - even for the woods." Glancing at the trees that were familiar yet different, their voices were the only things heard.

"It is a time of war, everything is affected." he offered quietly, before he turned to the horse, saying a few words in a language she would not understand, before turning to her. "We will walk to our grounds from here."

And with that, she had no choice but to follow the elf and his horse.

There was no violent awakening this time, as her grey eyes relieved her from her memories. With her face feeling cooled, she brought up a hand to brush at a cheek.

And her hand came back glistening with tears.

They had opened her lips and started pour a thick, hot liquid into her mouth, and she had no choice but to swallow.

"Just swallow Storm, this is to help your body cope without your gift. In a few minutes, you should be up and about again."

Oh yes, now she remembered. She was laying down on something soft to catch the instant fall. An effect the tablet had given her. A tablet to make her human.

Temporarily.

"How long?" she practically croaked, before clearing her throat.

"A few weeks at least, but not longer than month."

Grey eyes opened to her dark room, and to find her body curled into some odd position on her bed. She straightened her body, wincing slightly at the sores of the unnatural position. She sat up then, pushing back her crimps and curls from her face.

She returned the smile, a foot stretching beneath the blanets to nudge him gently. "How much longer till you leave?"

"I would have to look outside to be for certain, but with the stirrings I hear, I would say in about an hour we will make our way into town and the waiting ships."

She grinned then. "I was wondering how you could tell time in here, you do not." with dramatic effect, she flopped her back onto the bed with a sigh, though the grin remained on her lips. "I suppose I should be out of bed by now." though she made no indication of moving, her grey eyes light and teasing.

His hand reached back to rest upon her leg beneath the cover, "Why? I rather like having this image of you in my mind."

"Oh?" her lips curled slightly, looking to him. "Why is that?"

"Just a pleasant thought to have, a nice picture to keep in my mind to remember a moment." he shrugged having no other explanation to offer.

A fleeting thought of his hand on her marred flesh, before her smile softened. "I hope that I have given you a handful of pleasant moments to keep in your mind."

"Oh, more than a handful I assure you."

She shook her head gently then, her mind playing such cruel tricks on her. She glanced towards the small window in her room, judging the time yet before the sun would rise. She would rather risk another set of dreams if it meant being rested and prepared to see whatever state Ewan was going to be in.

Though she really did not believe she could ever be ready for it.

"Here, bite on this."

She managed to lift her dirty face to peer at what he was referring to. With grim acceptance, she parted her lips enough for him to place the thick piece of rope between her teeth. He left the cabin then, not wanting watch what was about to be done.

"Try and keep still." offered the man standing above her. He had a gentle spirit to him, and a soothing voice to match. She would have offered a smile if she did not have the rope in her mouth, and if she had the energy for it. Even breathing was becoming something of an issue.

He gently and carefully lifted both of her hands up to study, grabbing at the wrists so that he could get a better look at the damage done. The flesh on her hands were slow deteriorating, like acid to a surface. Some fragments of bones were visible, as well most of the flesh from the lack of skin. Even then, whatever was on her hand was beginning to eat away at the muscle with signs of moving up the wrist and no signs of ceasing.

She was able to see his brow furrow from blurred vision. "They've poisoned you... you'd be dead within the next half hour is my guess." He moved to a table of various ointments, mumbling under his breath ".. hope I have enough left.."

If she wasn't in so much pain, she might have smirked.

He came back, lathering his hands in some thick green liquid "This is not going to be enough; you're going to have to put your barriers down and let me in.... when I nod, take a deep breath in, this is going to hurt something fierce."

She was about to inform him that she had no shield since she did not have her gift, and that for an Elemental, she had a decent amount of pain tolerance. For some reason, she reckoned he should know that.

But then he was whispering words of healing and then placing the green stiff on her exposed hands, and she gave a silent scream before everything went black.

Drenched in sweat from reliving the pain and fear, she nearly bolted out of the chair that was leaning against the wall in Ewan's room. She was practically heaving for air out of panic, and so she tried to slow her breathing, running a hand through damp curls.

It was after the healing that the dreams had started. Dreams so vivid and true that she did not know it was a dream until she awakened.

Why had they not vanished?

He looked her over most carefully in the shadows of broken moonlight "I cannot have you, nor want you, to face what I must face now. Find a man who can be there for you, share your concerns for your homeworld and help you in its time of needs. I am...an empty shell in comparison to what you could have by your side, and I need to set things right. I will not have you waiting for me to go through whatever is on the path ahead of me."

She did not break the gaze, but did not conceal her shock, her lips parting slightly. "How... "her mouth moved, but no words came out. She licked her lips, before trying again. "How can you say that? Why do our difference divide us now? Just because some things have gotten harder does not mean I have given up on this.... I waited by your bedside because I did not give up." her thought patterns were a bit disconnected, trying to find reasoning. "I... you cannot mean it." there might have been a tint of desperation in her voice.

'No' she mouthed, her facial expression overwhelmed with turmoil as she clutched the pillow, her knuckles almost turning white.

"Because I am different." his voice turning cold. "You waited by my bedside because it was what you wanted, not what I needed. What I needed was to see the woman I adored well and healthy so I could be assured that things were right in the small world of us. Can't you see that? Can't you see that I need to have someone be my anchor when I am lost?"

She was weeping now, memories switching places and times.

She couldn't bring him back to himself.

"I will not continue to speak against you, if this is what you really want."

"This is what I want, Storm."

The mixture of the painful moment the sound of her own racking sob opened her red eyes, already trying to control her breathing and tears.

He wanted her to go away, find someone else. Wasn't good enough.

She brushed her hands under her eyes and sat up in the bed, her hands trembling only slightly. It was as if his time away, his illness, erased all emotion from him... like he felt nothing towards her.

Nothing.

All those hours... days.... weeks.. spent at his side in support, wanting to be there when he awakened.

And he practically sent her away. Actions and words both cut so deep.

She would rather dream of war than this any night.. but these weren't dreams, they were nightmares.

Reposting this in the right thread!

It was dark.

And she felt like she was so far away from the sky, the boulders were caving in on her. But she could stop it, if only she was bigger.

Small, childlike hands reached out to push on the giant rock above her head; nothing. Her grey eyes started in their dim glow, but even pushing with her gift was not freeing her. The darkness was caving in.

Someone was screaming for help -- was that Jeremiah? She couldn't really tell. She reached out again, her eyes narrowing as orange fire left her fingertips. Now, that was not right, she thought through the blackening haze; she could not produce fire.

Panic starting to tear at her throat, she heard cries from the outside, someone trying to use their hands against her flames that lit on the cave of rocks around her small body. The darkness was pushing her further away, further from the light..

Small hands were on her back, pushing against her sleeping frame. Startled, she flinched and tried to roll over to reach for her dagger. Little did she know that during her dreams, she had coiled herself in the sheets of her new bed, dangling just on the edge. So her quick, thoughtless movements had gravity pulling her off the bed, landing onto the ground with a solid thump.

Landing face up, she kept her eyes closed tightly; her body too entangled to be of much help for whatever had touched her. Not to mention her mind was reeling from the difference of realities, and her heart was hammering against her ribcage.

Small hands were shaking her again, and she peered open one grey eye in the dark to spot Avery, a look of panic across is features, *Storm! Are you okay?*

A deep, winded sigh,"I'm okay." Her voice was rough from sleep, but it also just felt just slightly sore.

*You were yelling and crying.* Avery did not at all seemed convinced that she was okay, his bright blue eyes glassy with tears of fear.

Frowning slightly, she managed to wiggle a hand from the sheets to lift it to her face, not surprised to find her cheeks wet, "It was only a bad dream." A nasty one at that. She started to untangle herself, "I am sorry I woke you, everything is just fine."

*May I sleep with you?* His face seemed to calm down as she stood, throwing the blankets back onto the bed; but his eyes still held volumes of uncertainty.

She paused, not wanting to decline his request, but not wanting to have another incident with him next to her, "Of course, but if I have another dream, just shake me again, will you?" She starts to rearrange the sheets, letting him slip in first before she followed suite.

*I will Storm.* He curled up against her, until she felt something hard between them. Looking down at his hands, she realized what he had brought with him.

His toy boat.

Smiling slightly, she shifted so that he could continue to clutch his belonging without feeling it, before trying to fall back to sleep. It wasn't long before she heard his deep, steady breathing, and she brought up a hand to rub her face. She could not imagine how terrifying it was for him, to watch her face her memories in her sleep.

Maybe it was best if she found a cure before letting him stay again.

He made his way to the kitchen and found after a few tries a glass, which he filled with water, and promptly returned to her, "Here and take just a sip first." He sat on the edge of the bed and held the glass out to her.

She nodded, offering a faint smile in thanks as she took the glass. She then lifted the glass to her lips, doing as instructed and only taking a sip, "My throat hurts." She said quietly, her voice rough as she looked to him.

"Your throat is reacting to your memories of smoke and the need to cough in order to breath. Do you remember what you were dreaming?"

She nodded, a solemn expression coming to her face as she took another sip, "Yes, it was the night I was in my burning home... " She frowned slightly, "And then Avery was there, and that wasn't right. I woke up after that."

He gave a nod as he reached to run his fingers soothingly through her hair to push it back from her face a little bit, "I asked you to remember playing catch with Avery. I suppose that did not work correctly in your memory." He leaned forward to lightly brush his lips to her forehead, not only in comforting, but to check her temperature.

Her hair was slightly damp at the roots, but his touch was comforting as her muscles slowly relaxed again. Her temperature was only slightly warm, and not nearly as hot as it was before. She closed her eyes and leaned against the kiss to her forehead, "I'm sorry that I awakened you." She said quietly.

He smiled and leaned back slightly so she could see the smile, "You were a little...toasting, beloved, but do not worry. I would rather be here and try to help. We will need to train your mind about memories stirring up dreams. It might also help if you spoke with someone about some of your more disturbing experiences of late." His hand moved to rest upon her knee and then slid down gently to her foot, subtly checking for any more heat lingering.

She raised the glass for another sip of water. There was no heat lingering on her leg, but she caught her initial reaction to his touch, or anyones on her leg, and let him touch her scarred leg, "What about my more.. disturbing experiences?"

"It might help if you spoke about them in their entirety to someone. Perhaps there is something lingering there that you have yet to face so your mind is bringing them up again as you sleep." One shoulder lifted in a shrug, "I do not know the answer, but I do know that you cannot keep going like this. Avery might not as easily wake as I do when something around him changes. Storm," He was concerned for her as well, and this was shown in his eyes, "you became very hot, nearly too hot to touch. What if you burned Avery without even meaning to?"

She sighed softly, finishing the water, but still holding on to the glass, "I know." She pressed her lips together again, sending him something close to a guilty look, "I will try and find Sid tomorrow... but until I can find something, I cannot let him in here with me... well, I suppose I should not let you stay in here either." Though it was clear on her face that she did not want him to go anywhere.

And his smile said he was not going anywhere. He reached for the glass, "There has not been a soul yet that could torch me in my bed, and you only warm me in the highly pleasurable fashion." A cheeky grin that then softens, "I said we will work through this together and so we will."

She let him take the glass, and could only chuckle softly at his remark. Her smile widened slightly, before she leaned forward to offer him a kiss, "Yes, so we will."

The kiss most delightedly received and given in turn, "I am going to refill the glass just so we can have it nearby in case." He reached for her hand to give a tender squeeze before he left again for more water.

His kiss and tender squeeze was enough to bring a sniffle out of her, since her emotions were still not quite under their usual control, "Thank you." And once he left, she let out a deep sigh, glancing down at her long tunic, and tugging it down so that it was closer to her knees than mid-thigh.

He returned with the glass of water and set it near the bed before he sat next to her again, his arm across on the other side of her body. He looked down and noted she had pulled down the long tunic, and he looked back up at her, "Depriving me of even that much more of your legs?" He teased her. But a gentler smile and a more loving expression, "Want to try to go back to sleep?" He was watching her very closely to see if her body language was matching the words.

"No, I am sparing you from more of my legs." :She retorted, before her expression also gentled, "I think so, there is time for sleeping still, and there is little point is worrying over what already is."

"Sparing me?" Hand over heart as if wounded, he stood and then walked around to the side of the bed relegated as his tonight and got back under the covers for more sleep. He tried to encourage her into his embrace and snuggle up to him once more.

She couldn't help but smile at his actions, also raising the covers back to their original position. She started to go into his embrace, before looking to him, "Am I still too warm to touch?" A slight teasing glint in her eye as she musters to find a bit of humor.

"I will risk it." He grinned and drew her close with a kiss to the top of her head, "Someday you will let me convince you how much I am attracted to you. From head to toe." And he makes a point of the last word, and added, "Sweet dreams, beloved."

"Hmm, maybe someday." She said, though she knew that his words were true; it was just a matter of accepting that or not. Either way, she could not stop the soft sigh as he drew her close, finding security and comfort next to him. She closed her eyes once she adjusted slightly to him for comfort, "Good night, dear one."

The window was ajar, letting in the cool breeze of the night. Storm was curled up as usual to Ewan's front, the sheets coming up just below her bare shoulder. She bit on her bottom lip unknowingly, before the dream started to pull her mind into the scene, and she gave a swift kick to whatever was in front of her legs, which happened to be Ewan.

His eyes flew open and he pressed away the natural pain of that kick that threatened to be quite a blow, but managed to hit a thigh instead. He sat up and twisted away slightly mainly to protect himself from any further attacks. He ignored the coolness of the air on his bare flesh as he spoke, "Storm."

Where ever her mind was, there was no place for words. A bead of sweat started a trail down her forehead, her eyes making movement behind her closed lids. Her name certainly did not fit in the battle, and her grey eyes flew open, a startled gasp exiting her mouth as she instinctively scooted back from the sitting figure. A few series of blinks, before she recognized Ewan, and she sighed deeply, bringing a hand to the base of her neck, "Mercies, Ewan, you scared me."

"Well, beloved, at least I did not kick you." He grinned and reached out a hand to cup her cheek, "Are you okay? Where did your dream take you tonight?"

"Kick you? I kicked you?" She closed her eyes, licking her lips, "Oh, I am so sorry.." Her eyes opened and sorrow was shown in them, "Battle..." She frowned slightly, though still taking comfort from his hand on his cheek, "Just before my hands were posioned."

"What?" The question was whispered, "Hands were poisoned?" He moved closer to her again now a little more certain his body was not in immediate danger.

"Hmm, while you were away." She thought of sitting up, then thought against it as she turned onto her back, lifting a hand for him, "My own fault, but it was eating away my flesh.. you could see some of the bones." Said completely nonchalantly, "They are healed now, of course, and scarless."

"Swords and arrows, Storm..." He sighed and moved to lay next to her, but reached to take one of her hands in his to observe, perhaps imagine, what her hands had been through.

"We all have things that must be done." She offered simply, looking at his features as he moved next to her and studied a hand, "Did I hurt you?"

"Fortunately I'm still whole." He teased and kissed her temple.

"I am so sorry." She repeated, licking her lips, "I did not mean... they are not as constant as they once were."

"Oof" Cornelious said dramatically as Storm came and sat upon his stomach. She giggled, childish grey eyes big and bright as she peered down at her father. Her unique crimps and curls all around her small face, her age between six and eight.

"I got you!" She leaned down to try and poke his face, and he made the motion of trying to bite her finger, which only resulted in more childish squeals and laughter.

He chuckled, before he raised a brow, "Maybe it is I who have you." And then his arms, large and big in her eyes, came about her to gently hold her close to his chest. She giggled, and tried to squirm without luck in his embrace, "Father!"

He gave out a low, brief laugh, before releasing his gentle hold on her and bringing up his hands behind his head as he laid on the grass, "The Goddess has mercy on you, for you look so much like your mother." He said casually, dark grey eyes looking down at his daughter's features.

"Was she pretty?" She asked curiously, moving so that she could sit up on his stomach, a gentle breeze coming against both of them.

"Oh aye, she was beautiful, almost as beautiful as you." His smile was almost sad as he thought upon his wife, the torn bond still brought a deep ache from within. But Storm was a way to keep him away from the sadness, and away from the usual end of an Elemental widow.

Storm was too young to detect the sadness in his smile, but she did wrinkle her nose, "Jeremiah said I look like a scrawny twig." Her lips turned down slightly in a pout.

He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his laughter, "Who said twigs are not beautiful?" It received his desired effect with Storm giggling and rolling her eyes.

Storm let out a gentle sigh, not quite awake and not quite asleep. She snuggled a little closer to Ewan, the warmth from his sleeping form inviting, and his strong arms around her a comfort. She was able to let the memory fade away, knowing it was a dream, before falling back into a deeper sleep.

Perhaps Ewan was right, the pleasant dreams were almost worth the horrors that usually crossed her mind in her slumber.

"It is not my fault that you are here, young Guardian."

Angry and miffed grey eyes rolled upon the elder man, before she looked back down at the waters beneath the ship, "Let's just get this over with." A tint of dismissal in her voice. Her face looked almost the same, though some points were softer, and her body was more lean and limber.

"I have not done anything to deserve such animosity." He continued, idly running his hand through his short white beard, "You will grow to like me." He reckoned, leaning against the railing next to her.

The look she sent him did not cover her disliking, "I will learn what I need to, and be done with it." Her tone was sharper, her control over her thoughts and emotions still not under full reign, "Why I must train with a wizard is beyond me."

He laughed, the brittle sound matching his bony physique, "Oh young Guardian, you have much to learn of the world outside of your precious temple. Maybe not everything has the balance that you are so accustomed to."

She practically huffed with laughter, "I am hardly without; the air is everywhere." Her eyes narrowed then, "And I will continue to call you wizard if you refuse to use my name."

"You will have to earn that, now won't you?" Bushy white eyebrows shot up at her look of distrust, "Perhaps another day at the water will clear your mind."

She smirked slightly, "It is just water, wizard."

"Ah," He lifted a crooked finger, "The sea is a beautiful complexity of peace and rage. Something to not take for granted, young Guardian." He glanced up at the sky, "But come, it is time to break our fast." And with nothing more to add, he left her more than expecting her to follow.

She looked down at the water, smirked, before turning on her heels to follow; not that she had much of a choice.

She turned in her sleep with a heavy sigh, a soft and cool night's breeze filtering through her window. The dream did not wake her, but clutching a pillow rather than a person almost did. But rather than fuss, she adjusted so that more of her body was tucked underneath the warmth of her blankets, and away from the odd memories of years past.

Storm waited outside of a shop, her body straight and attention was heightened. For weeks now, the wizard has brought her to different towns, full of violence and poverty. After her first encounter, she had stopped acting shocked, her face like marble in its expressionless features. Each town had differences in punishment, but they all lacked the value of life. The wizard never seemed to have a particular interest in their surroundings either, he always had some clever reason for them being there.

She looked up at the bruised coloring of the clouds and crossed her arms over her middle. A cold expression looked over her shoulder at the sound of children's laugher, before looking down at their feet at the broken bottles surrounding them. She decided her gaze was best at the store front, with nearly perfect timing as the wizard came out of the building. She raised a brow at his empty hands, "You spent all that time in there to walk away without?"

"Just because I walk away with nothing in my hands does not mean I am without." He answered easily, a hand reaching up to scratch his wiry beard, "Ready to board?"

She nodded, and without further notice, she started to head back towards the docks, keeping her eyes straight on their path, even as the wizard came and joined her side. She could feel his eyes, shifting between her and other things that caught his interest. One was the sight of bodies strewn a dead end cobblestone street. It was a gruesome image that was captured in her mind, but she only pressed forward, ignoring and feigning any reaction.

"Do they teach you to be heartless?" The wizard asked many minutes later and they walked across the docks to their ship.

"I cannot be swayed by everything. These people have exercised their ability to judge what is right or wrong. It is not my place to present my ideas, claiming them better." Her face was still without expression as they boarded, moving to lean over a rail and look down at the dark waters.

"There is a different in expressing your opinions, and offering your help to those whom need it." He continued as he followed her.

"If I were to help everyone whom I believe needs it, I would be stretched thin and become transparent. I cannot let other choices affect who I am."

The closest thing to a sly smile came across the wizard's face, "I know what I am to teach you, Guardian."

Storm followed the old man into the hut, grey eyes looking around briefly, since there was not much to see. The place was simply a shelter to her, but a home to the woman sitting on her bed. She was smaller than Storm, her hair unevenly cropped around her chin and the color reflecting a mixture of salt and pepper. The wrinkles adorned her face well, and her face brightened at the wizard's presence, but she did not make a sound.

The man smiled, and approached the older woman at the bed, "Hello to you, Adie. It has been some time, has it not?" Storm watched with curiosity, setting the heavy crate down near the door. Adie looked sharply at Storm, and her brows started to furrow, "She is my apprentice." The man exclaimed, and Adie relaxed, her expression almost childlike as she smiled at Storm.

Storm returned a polite smile and offered a half bow, saying nothing to the woman as she had not been introduced. The wizard ignored Storm for the time being, and focused on Adie, "Cannot speak today, I take it?" Adie's face lost its cheerful expression, and she shook her head slowly. He sighed, but replaced the smile to his face, "Well, at least the illness has not progressed."

Storm glared sharply at the man, finding those words to be new, and she glanced around the room again. There were no signs of people treating the illness, no means of producing pure smoke, no jars full of mysterious liquids or solids. Her expression remained still as she continued to stand by the doorway, hands clasping behind her back. "I would like to relieve some of the pain for you, how does that sound?" The wizard continued, and the woman responded with a toothy grin, and as if knowing the procedure, she quietly moved to lay down on the bed.

"Would you like for me to show you something, Guardian?" The wizard asked, sitting on the side of the bed and taking one of Adie's sun-weathered hands into his.

Storm eyes narrowed, having a feeling that she was not going to have an option either way. In truth, she had stopped listening to the older man's ramblings, considering more on what she was going to do with her time on the boat once they reached there. The wizard beckoned her closer and for her to sit at his feet. She contained a smirk, but moved from her place near the door to sit at his feet. He placed his free hand on Storm's shoulder, before looking back to Adie, "Ready?"

Storm did not know when it was going to happen, or how the older woman responded. One moment, she was thinking of the dirt she was sitting on, and the next she was being dragged through memories and emotions that were not her own. Her body tensed, but her mind felt disconnected, like she was watching someone else's life pass before her.

She saw a small girl in a straw hat, playing in the sun with what was assumed to be her parents. Storm did not know, but she smiled faintly, feeling the obvious love that was surrounding the small family. The next scene showed the same little girl, blood splattered on her face as she hid in a corner of her hut. Her mother looming over the father's dead body. She was instantly hit with a fear she had never experienced, a feeling that was fresh and alive. Next showed this little girl growing up into a woman, watching a man that she loved be with another. Storm felt the bitter taste of betrayal, the obvious hurt that the girl was feeling. Storm tried to pull away from the memories, but she could not. She felt stuck, frozen in time and in place. Many more memories washed by, each touching her like it was the first time she had ever experienced any emotion. Then she saw something current in the woman's life; that she held some illness. She experienced the pain that this unknown disease was causing her, the social shock and embarrassment. She was forced to live away from loved ones, was shamed for something that was not her doing.

And then, like someone and violently pulled her away, the images were ripped from her, and she was forced back into the reality that she understood. She did not move, shocked from the continuous emotions that were running through her, all afresh and feeling new. The old man said some comforting words to Adie, who finally spoke, but Storm couldn't hear the words. Her body was numb to what was around her; she could do nothing but feel. And at some point, the wizard started to drag her out of the hut by her clothing, and she started to weep and protest. She had to stay with this woman, for all of the events in her life that Storm now knew. She could try and help. She did not know how, but she had experienced this woman's pain like it was her own; like a knife twisted cruelly through her heart of stone.

The wizard said something, and a flash of blue was the last thing she could remember, before a black haze came over her body and mind.

There were small beads of sweat that formed around her hairline as she slept. She did not appear to be sleeping peacefully, her face contorting as memories and images played within her mind. Once a particularly painful ending came within the memory, she gasped quietly and her eyes snapped open. Without thought, she almost violently ripped herself out of Ewan sleeping embrace and in a fluid motion, moved to sit up on the side of the bed. Some of the formed beads of sweat around her hairline fell with the movement, and her tunic clung to her body. Her back to her husband, she started to calm her breathing, placing her face in her hands as she rearranged time in her mind.

She smiled against his lips, leaning forward to rest her forehead to his, "I was a different person. I believe 'heartless' was the terms he used once." His soft words nearly brought tears to her eyes at her tender state. "Oh, Ewan..." She almost chuckled, before leaning back again and taking up his hands, "Well.. here, maybe I can show you." She brought his hands up for inspection, perhaps able to find a small scratch or scrape.

And there were several to choose from particularly around the knuckles. He looked from her to their joined hands with curiosity. She brought the hand with the most variety, her lips grazing over his knuckles, "It will not hurt you, though you might have a headache, but for only a moment." She closed her eyes, another deep breath leaving her. Her expression was still, except a small twitch to one of her brows. It would almost feel like someone touched a part of his mind, before the moment was gone. Soon, all the scratches on the chosen hand were gone, and if noticed, onto one of her own.

And so he did notice, "Swords and arrows, Storm, that is what you do to heal? You take it upon yourself?" This caused a panic in him and he tried to hold her hands fast in his and he ignored the brief sharp pang in his mind as he searched to meet her eyes, "Promise me you will never do that for my wounds."

He reaction was somewhat expected, and she did not hide her gaze. Her eyes did widen a fraction at his plea, and she licked her lips,"I know what I am doing." She said lamely, knowing she was only delaying the promise he wanted.

"That is not in question, but I will not have it done for me, Storm. I will not." His tone a mysterious blend of pleading and emphatic. "Promise me you will not do that kind of healing for my wounds."

The tone of his voice broke her, "But.." she tried, tears starting to fill her eyes as she realized the magnitude of her word and promise. She lowered her eyes, "I promise." She said, almost sounding defeated.

His hands released hers and cupped her cheeks trying to have her lift her gaze to his eyes again as he whispered, "Thank you." His hands moved from her cheeks down her neck and around her shoulders to her back. He wanted to hold her so close, but was unsure of how the dream was still effecting her, so he held her more as if she were fragile.

She brought her eyes up at his gentle insisting, the small pool of tears captured there were released with her movement. She sniffled, trying to keep to rest from following suit. As his hands moved down her, she felt the ache grow and she practically slipped off the side of the bed to land in his arms, her face buried in his chest.

He held her closer, rubbing her back and making soft sounds of comfort. "Shhh, beloved, I am here."

Her arms went tight around him, his comfort making it very difficult to keep the rest of her emotions at bay. So, she was mostly silent as more tears fell, the only indicators being her occasional sniffling, her shaking shoulders, and if he could feel the warm tears fall to his chest.

"Come now, Storm," he held her still with one arm, but the other hand lifted free the small cloth that had fallen from her neck to the bed and offered it to her to wipe her face. "Come on, now, is there more that troubles you? Does the dream still have its hold on you and you feel the lady's pain?"

She waited a few beats, before moving her face far away enough so that she can take the cloth and wipe her face, "Yes." She replied softly, though she did not offer the details, perhaps to spare him from what obviously bothered her, "But I remembered many others that he... made me learn from. People with hard pasts and memories. Some like Avery."

He listened and held her. The cup of water nearby, he reached for it and held it for her while his other hand rubbed her back with affectionate comfort. "Those are hard memories and hard feelings to carry inside, but carrying them is part of who you are

She took the water, and drank what was left inside. She was silent for a few moments, just feeling him close, the hand that rubbed her back, "I never wanted to feel, it made things easier. But, you are right, who knows what I would be like without them." She set the cup back aside, before a last sniffle was made, "Perhaps I will not dream of them again now that I already have." That said with little hope, but it made her feel better now as she stifled a yawn.

"Come now, love, let us get you back to bed." And with that he maneuvered one arm under her legs and the other supported her back as he lifted her and set her gently on the bed. He crawled over her and then lay close, keeping her near to him. "Rest easy now, beloved. When you wake, I will be here."

The roll of the waves underneath the boat churned her stomach, and Storm groaned. Her body felt weak, despite her mind being sharp and clear. The soft edge of the quill tickled just underneath her chin as she thought on words to describe her experience. Painful, unjust, forceful? All words negative and bitter on her tongue, she contemplated what she was suppose to learn from the experience.

That taking the burdens of other people literally was hard on the body and mind.

"Oh, you are up. Good." The wizard scratched at his short white beard, entering the room without knocking. "Your cheeks still lack their usual color, though. Are you ill?"

Irked, she nearly tossed her inked quill at him, "Go away." She repeated, like every other time she had seen him since yesterday.

"Who are you writing to?" Ignoring her words, he even leaned over her sitting figure to catch a glance, "Is it your man of the flame?"

She huffed, pulling the parchment closer to her front, "What is it to you? Surely you do not respect my choices as an individual. You had no right to do what you did. Nor to ask and bother me further with whom I write to. I will do as I please." She was crude in her delivery, and her eyes reflected the chill of steel.

Her blunt words seemed to brush right past him, "What do you know of choices, young Guardian? How many experiences did you feel that involved Addie's choices? You of all, should know that we do not hold every aspect of our fate. We-"

"You deliberately jeopardized my feelings and emotions. What if I had lost control of my gift? I could have killed her at your bloody expense." Angered, she hastily folded the letter. "I need to go breathe fresh air, or the waters and your actions will make me ill." She stood, her face still pale and walked past him.

He however, smiled. It was just the reaction he had expected.

A single grey eye popped open to peer upon the dark room. She retired early, and must have not slept long, for the spot next to her was still empty. Mumbling under her breath, she made a cupping motion with her fingers, a small lick of flames finding home within her hand.

She barely saw a glance of Avery's slumber, before the ship shuddered and the flames vanished.

She winced, the constricting feeling of entering the portal brought an instinctual sense of panic. Body conflicting with her mind, she turned her body to try and find comfort in another position. The feeling of her gift's limitations was a cold sting that left a numbness in its absence.

"Hold steady now." The wizard's gaze was intense on Storm's face.

Storm was torn between snarling and on the verge of tears, "I cannot. It weakens me." She whispered, hands barely grazing a young man's temples. Images were flashing before her eyes, the sensation of nearly drowning filling her senses.

"You know how to channel them, push the images aside." He gently but firmly instructed.

She took a long, deep breath, intending for control but instead more memories flooded her. The countless different people she had seen in the past months, their memories storage in a dark place of her mind. Her hold and control faltered.

"Guardian." He spoke her name in a warning tone.

She bared her teeth all the more, trying to organize the memories in her mind to filter away the pain. A whimpering sound made it's way through her mouth as she sought peace. The pain did not go away, but the thoughts did. She took the time to pause, try and regroup her fleeting strength.

"The wound?"

If she was not so deep in her concentration, she would have sent him a look, but she did not have the energy to waste. Grey eyes peered open slightly as she looked at this wound. The head trauma that was going to kill the man if she did not hurry. "But.." She panted, fear crawling up her throat.

"I have told you I will not let the harm come to you this time."

The harm. He meant the wound. He would not let the wound transfer like it usually did when she healed someone. The only wounds she had attempted were bruises that ran along her body now. Nothing like this.

"Stall longer, and you waste this time and his life."

She closed her eyes tightly, a glow reaching her fingertips as she visualized his body mending, and felt a prickling sensation start on her own head. And then there was a soft feeling, and nothing more. The wizard was extracting the effects of healing, and completely taking away the damage. The wizard though, did not take away the pain from Storm as she linked with the young man.

What seemed like a few longs minutes later, Storm opened her eyes to see a pair of dark green eyes staring back at her. Startled, she all but fell back and away from him, but his hand reached out to catch her wrist. "What did you do to me?" He breathed, eyes wide as he stared at her.

Rather than answer him, her cheeks turned a horrible shade of white, and let the blackness take over her mind.

She nearly cringed in her sleep, and opened a single grey hue to make sure the memory was just that. She let a slow breath out, keeping her body relaxed so that she did not wake her sleeping husband. Her days of healing were long gone, but the brushes of pain were not. She listened to the soft sound of the rain outside, letting it wash away the lingering sensations.

With a slight sniffle, she turned and placed her face in Ewan's chest. His arms tightened, and she tried to catch the last hours of sleep until the morning came.

"Are you ready to be home?" The wizard asked as came up behind her. The air was beginning to lose it's warmth in the sea's air, but it was not quite cool. He mirrored her pose, bracing his bony forearms on the railing of the ship, and looked down at the water.

Storm sighed deeply "A little, but it has been some many months now. I doubt anything has changed the way I have." Her grey eyes took a faint glow as she produced a thin film of fog over the water. Using her finger like a paintbrush, she began to idly draw designs on the large water canvas, "It will difficult." She continued without looking over to him.

"You know that you do not have to stay there, Guardian." The wizard offered, watching the pattern of circles over the water. He had not used her name since that one night, "I have known for Guardians to live away from the Temple."

She laughed lightly, "But the Divine? No, my place is with my people."

"With your man, also?"

Storm fell quiet, brushing her hands over her drawings to make the fog float away so she could start anew, "You have an odd interest in my personal life."

"You should not settle for someone you are not happy with." He shrugged slightly, "Could you imagine spending a life with someone you really do not care for? Would it not be better to be alone than have false hopes?"

"No." She stated crisply, "I have seen the harm love is caused. I would rather be with a man that I respect and can grow fond of, without risking his life with feelings."

He shook his head slowly, "When you truly feel for someone in that way, you will know, and it might change your mind." He waved a hand absently, "I have another matter to discuss with you, before we part ways." When she only raised a brow, he continued, "You have a wondrous gift, being who you are. Being the woman you are along with your gift, you are bound to get into trouble. Situations that may be dangerous with grave consequences." He warned when he saw a humorous look in her eyes.

The rest of the conversation was dwindled away from her dreams, and another one came into a place. One that was recent and heavy on her mind as she shifted in her sleep.

He paused and leaned against the bowed sides of the boat within the warehouse so that he could watch her. "How did you do that? That Wind? Let me see your hands?"

"It is who I am." Was all that she offered, but she put her unmarked hands for him to see, "Am I in danger, now?" There was no emotion or sense of fear behind the question.

Leaving the plane balanced atop the garboard, he drew in for a closer look, "Most likely. What do you mean, it is who you are? Oh. Storrrrm. You are windy..." He looked like he did not believe the correlation. "How?"

"How?" She repeated, frowning, I told you. It is who I am. I am not a mage, nor do I hold incantations or spells.. I am the Air. "

It was plain that he was stumped by this revelation, completely. "Well, if I am Trouble, I still cannot make trouble where there is none really. How do you do it? Where does it kom fra? Can you do it again? Now?

Yes, I can do it now. Guthorm, what do I need to do now? I try to help and now I am dragged into this mess you have made." She still was staying in the corner. Because of your negligence you put more people in danger."

"I do not have a negligee." He knew that word...he had heard it in women's talk at the inn.

She brought up her hands to rub at her face, "No, negligence. Meaning were you careless and foolish."

"Do not be so quick to make a fool of me! Do you know what has brought this all about? Nei!"

"I do not need to! All I know is that because you made a ruckus on my way home.. now you have put my family in danger."

"You put yourself in danger! I did not pull you in the middle of the fight! You pushed your way in. Can I see them?"

See them what? Her brows furrowed together, I pushed my way in because you were blocking my way home!"

"Your hands. And if you had a little bit of patience under your skin, you would be safer than now."

"If you did not bring your... problems out in public you would have not caught my attention, and I would be safe at home." She argued, though she stepped forward only enough so that he could see her hands closer.

"I wanted them in public." He reached out with his hands, palms up, and with a shifty glance that swept over her eyes, he asked her without words, without ordering, if she would offer her hands for him to touch.

She had a feeling that after witnessing her power, he would hesitate in harming her. So, she only nodded in her unspoken permission, "Then how do you not expect people to become involved?"

"You need to sit." Catching Storm during her pace, a slim, unmarked hand reached out to rest on her shoulder, "We cannot risk the dangers of the night, and I know you are tired."

"You want me to rest?" Storm did stop in her pacing, barely noting how the light from the nearby fire playing with the deep red of his hair. "How much further is he? You have not told me anything except to move quicker."

"Storm, can you not trust me? I said that I know where he is. Let that be enough. Now, sit." He pressed his hand more firmly on her shoulder, and with reluctance, she sat in front of the fire.

In the silence of the night, all the tension left her body and she buried her face in her hands. "Oh mercies Xavier, I never should have left."

"No, you should not have, but we cannot fix that, can we?" He watched as guilt grew in her shoulders, making them sag further. "You will have to learn from your mistakes." When her hands moved from her face and a frown started to form, he continued, "Just because you were told to go does not mean that you had to. There is always, a choice. And now, your choice has led to this." He moved to take a seat next to her. Despite his growing urge to smile as her lips turned down at its corners, he did not. "We can only try to fix it now. You are lucky that I found you before you went home and did not find him."

Resting her elbows on her knees, she reached down for a stick and threw in into the pit of the fire. How could she not believe him? She could have argued, could have done more to stay. If only she would have known. She felt his slim fingers brush over her long curls, and she gently scooted away from him. "It is best that we rest then, for tomorrow we will have an early start."

Storm used all of her bodyweight to shake the arms that encased her. She pushed, snaking a fist up to uppercut the stranger's jaw. Once his head reeled and he stepped back, she tried to slither out of his proximity, but Xavier was there. He did not aim any attacks at her, but he avoided hers, and grabbed her flinging arms. Soon the other man joined in the fight and despite her skills, she was outmatched without her weapon or gift.

"Now," Xavier sniffed, before wiping away the blood from his nose with his arm, "Que-ton is going to watch over you while I speak to your father."

"He.. you are what?" She squirmed and struggled against the arms that bound her, the chest the those arms squeezed her to. "You lied to me!" Bracing her arms against Que-ton's, she brought up a kick to Xavier's already abused nose.

"Mercies, woman!" He brought his hand to his nose, but more blood did not flow. "Your father stands in the way of our vision, and I want to take care of him without you there."

"Our vision? Who is in this?"

"Storm, stop squirming." He scolded, his frown showing that he found her behavior entirely inappropriate. "He is only here to help you for the time being. He will take you under his wing along with his wives. All very lovely." As if going off into his own thoughts, he shook his head. "And when I come for you, we will be in the seats of power as it should be."

He then stepped close to her bound figure, and dipped his head for what he saw as a deserved good bye kiss. She leaned up, and bit his nose. Hard. "Do not ever. Ever. Come back for me." She hissed, made a move to spit at him. "When I find you, I will personally send you to the Chaotics. I promise." She had more, so much more to say, but the bitter taste of betrayal made her tongue slow, and the man behind her used his shoulders and arms to tear her away.

"You will thank me, Storm. I will come for you soon." He said as if nothing she had done or said had affected him. His nose red, swollen and abused, was given more attention to as he turned back for the direction they came from.

"Your time is with me, now." The dark voice rumbled in her ear, before he forcefully moved her for the carriage that was awaiting them. Storm could barely see it through the red haze, and all she could think about was her failing to stop Xavier from his insanity.

Her eyes moved behind her lids, as if she was trying to wake up and she could not. Finally, her lids parted and despite her usual tendencies, she reached out for what usually was her husband's warm body beside her. Finding the spot cold, it rose her sense of panic just a little more. Then finding the present time and logic, she let her breath out quickly and rested her head against the pillow.

Even her dreams haunted her in his absence.

"Storm," there was a light tap to her face, "you need to wake up now."

"It is too hot." Storm turned and coughed, tasting an odd tang of metal. She felt a cold cloth touch her lips and she flinched, trying to move away. Her bound wrists and ankles were easily remembered as the burned with her squirming. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, feeling another wave of nausea come forward.

"Sit still, or you will become ill again. I am not here to hurt you." The voice was small and timid, and the cold cloth returning to her lips. "Do you normally cough blood?"

The absurdity of the question had Storm trying to open a red encased grey eye. "No one just coughs blood. What's happened?" Her mind reeled and she tried to piece together hazy and unorganized frames of events. She tried to open both eyes, but there was a bright light and she quickly closed them.

There was silence for a few minutes while Storm coughed deeply again, bringing more of the metallic flavor. The cold cloth was becoming soothing as it was again pressed against her lips. "My husband places something in your food and water to make you forget things. But you are having violent reactions that we have never seen before."

"May I have some water? Untainted water, please?" It was a desperate attempt and she tried to open her eyes again. There was a petite figure in front of her with long blond curls, green hues and very pointed ears. She tried to focus on her features more, but the black was coming again, just around the edges of her vision. "Please?"

"I am sorry, but I cannot disobey."

?We will be back tomorrow.? The two men chuckled, white teeth made a bright contrast against the deep red of the walls. Storm?s eyes caught the horizontal view of their sick amusement before they exited the room.

Storm nearly whimpered and closed her eyes, feeling the cool flooring against the side of her cheek. She was still bound against the chair, her wrists and ankles were in a constant state of sores, blisters, and infections. In the heat of her session, they had toppled her chair over that resulted in her smacking her head against the flooring. It was throbbing now, her hair matted from being left unattended and mixing with a small trickle of blood. Despite the strict orders to leave her head and face alone, it did not pause the beating.

She tried to take a deep breath, and found existing pain in several spots in her ribcage. She tried to shift her shoulder that had dislocated in her fall, but she had no strength to do more than breathe. She closed her eyes, and hoped that she would just be left alone in peace.

Time stood still. She did not know if several hours or several minutes had past by. Storm had lost track of days so long ago, it was all a continuous blur. The door creaked open and a bright light hit her closed lids. Storm groaned and tried to turn her head away and her body instantly tensed.

?Oh, he will not be pleased with me.? She heard a familiar voice mutter, fluttering steps coming towards her. ?No no, not at all.?

?Leave me here.? Storm pleaded, licking her cracked lips. It was a habit she started to develop, trying to ease the only pain that she could.

?Nonsense, how will you see Que-ton if I leave you here?? The petite blond elf maneuvered the chair and helped Storm sit upright. Storm was surprised at the strength of the small woman, but Storm?s shrinking body would better explain the elf?s ease. The elf studied her temple, where Storm?s head had a hard impact to the floor. It was bruised, cut and swollen. ?He will not be pleased at all. Can you keep a secret??

Storm did not care, so long as the men would not be returning. ?Yes.?

Tentative fingers touched the wound to Storm?s head, but she did not feel pain. The fingertips were warm, and the small woman was saying something soft that felt good against her ears. More minute past, and Storm realized that the pain was no longer. ?You healed me.? Her voice broke as she stared at the woman. She still have severals pains and broken ribs, but her mind felt sharp and free from the bruise.

?Do not tell Que-ton, or he will be rid of the men that did this.?

Storm thought the small woman?s logic was bizarre, but her actions were still a kindness. ?What is your name??

?I cannot say. Que-ton will see you soon.? There was almost a twinge of jealousy in her voice, before she turned and walked back out the door.

It was not a violent awakening. Storm's eyes were slow to open, but her mind was still racing with the memories of past years. She stayed still, hoping to be able to fall back asleep. As her mind tried to slow down, the strong, sad emotions would not fade away. Knowing that sleep was not going to come for some time, she tried to make as little movement as possible to get out of Ewan's arms and out of the bed.

Having become more accustomed to sleep with ease, it was not the instant awaking he had in other places. But when she moved, that brought his eyes open in a blink, and he whispered,"Beloved?"

She looked over her shoulder at his soft whisper, and there was no way for her to truly wipe away the terror and sadness from her eyes. She still found a small smile for him, "I cannot sleep, but that does not mean that you do not have to also." She whispered in return, leaning over to give him a soft kiss. She found comfort there, but it was not enough to relax her mind. Straightening, she crossed her arms over her middle, and soundlessly walked out of the room and to the kitchen where she started to prepare tea.

A man of studying what people most tried to hide, the physical cues along with that strange blend of terrified sadness that seeped from her eyes beckoned him out of bed to follow her to the kitchen. His feet padded on the floor soundlessly. He leaned against the frame of the kitchen entry and watched her prepare her tea. "Storm, what was it?"

"A dream." Despite the chill of the night, she was creating enough warmth for her, and even urged it to spread to reach him. In the back of her mind, she knew that he would follow her despite her words. It made her smile a little. "Like many others, it was a memory that I wish I did not have." The process of making her tea relaxed her body, but not yet her mind.

It pained him that she so often had the dreams of bad things in her life, and that he had no way to help her dispose of them to not haunt her again. In vain attempt to help, he asked, "Want to talk about it?"

She sighed softly, torn with his question. She did not enjoy reliving some of her experiences, but she had never denied him her background. "It is a bit of a long story." Adding heat to the kettle, she gave another sigh. "There was a time, just a few years past, that I was.. " she sought for the right word, but did not find one that gave true justice, "kidnapped." She reached for the mugs and paused, "Would you like a cup?"

"No, thank you," he waved off the offered tea. His focus was on her dream. The word she spoke narrowed his eyes, but he said nothing to it. There was more to it, he could hear it.

"It was during the first revolt of the Fires. Xavier and I were.. together at the time. He decided that I would not understand his reasonings for creating this tear in the Fires, and he arranged for me to be in someone else's possession during this time. He was probably right." Pouring tea into the mug, she cupped it, and moved to lean against a counter top where she could see him, "He gave me to a man that collected, maltreated, and married women. No one women was of the same race." A pause, "You remember the stone that Korigan had, the one that is a void of all Elemental's gifts?"

He gave a cool nod, his face all angular planes without relief of furrowed brow or narrowed eye. "I do recall." That she justified mistreatment because an ex-lover thought she would not understand was a stinging thought, but he interpreted what she meant and let her continue without questioning.

"Well, at this time I did not know what the stone was, only that it was the last thing Xavier gave me. So needless to say, it was rather easy for this man, Que-ton, to capture me." She glanced down at the dark color of her tea, before looking back up to him, "I do not remember the first few weeks that I was there, only that he put something in the food and water that made me very ill. I still do not know what it was, but its purpose was for me to forget and lose track of time. Specifically before my beating session that was scheduled every day." She tested a sip of the tea, glad for its burning sensation, "Anyway, I did not react very well to it, and almost did not survive. He only stopped giving this ingredient to me because he had a very sadistic perspective of women."

Then it was the frown appeared and the furrow marred his brow. He was a man of torturing, more than Storm probably knew, but he could not equate what he did with what he heard. "Swords and arrows, Storm, what part of this were you reliving?"

"After Que-ton gave me normal food and water, most things did not change. I was always bound to a chair, and was moved from room to room in it, depending on what time of day it was." She did not go into detail of what her dream was yet, feeling the need to explain more first. She soothed her voice with more of the tea. "I could remember every bruise and broken bone that was given, but my mind and body were still recovering. Que-ton had one very specific rule, and that was that no one could lay a hand on my face. So when he looked at me," her smile was cruel and twisted, "he could without imperfections. I learned that if the sessions were out of hand, and I received just the faintest scratch, everyone was punished. All of his servants and his multiple wives." Her eyes moved back down to her teacup and stayed there. "I learned how to rock my chair hard enough to fall over to the side of front, so that I could bruise my face without help." A slow shake of her head, and she finished her tea.

He, too, mirrored that slow shake of her head and sighed at the cruel insanity of it all.

"There was one wife, an elven women that was appointed to attend me. I never got to learn her name. Anyway," arriving to the point of her dream, "After doing this on and off for a few weeks, she begged me to stop. I did not." Another shake of her head as she debated another cup, idly turning it in her hand, "I did not see her again."

"You think your continued self abuse caused her permanent dismissal?" He could couch meanings in such strange word choice, and did so now.

"I do not think so, I was told so." Moving back to the teapot, she poured herself another glass.

"Have you been having these memories for some time now?"

"These ones? Yes, that is how far I have gotten. Still, it is only halfway through the story before I was able to escape." She moved back to her lean. "This is the first time that I have not been able to shake the memories away."

"You think then you will continue to have these reliving dreams until the moment you found freedom from the pain?" He shook his head more vigorously and started to pace. His concern deep and unsheltered from observation.

"That is how my dreams have been working, so I have no reason to believe otherwise." Taking another sip of her tea, her eyes followed him in his pacing.

His string of oaths were all muddled barbarisms of words forced out of their rightful meaning, all murmured under his breath and the conversation in his mind went spinning in one hundred directions as he paced on. "I find it," he finally said, "distressing that so many of your memories are painful, hurtful ones. It is a wonder you let me touch you at all."

It ached her to see how her memories affected him so, and perhaps how they affected his thoughts on her. "I know the difference between being sadistic and being affectionate."

"The body often does not, though, Storm." He glanced to her. "Why, is what I want to know, why the bad memories? Have we not had good ones to fill those spaces and press them away? Have there not been enough good ones before to keep the horrifying locked back? You lived through it once. Why is it your mind feels you need to live through it again?"

She wanted to reach out and comfort, but she was learning that it was usually not the treatment he needed. "I cannot erase what has happened to me with what is happening to me. Maybe I dream my horrifying memories because I always think about the good ones during the day." She finished her tea, and found that she needed to do something with her hands. So, she started to clean her mug and teapot, "I have many wonderful memories with you; with our family. I know we have will so many more. I would rather live my life with you and dream of the darker times of my past than it be the other way around."

?Do you miss your family, mrimmd'ssinss?? Storm could not see his dark hand lift and she flinched when it caressed her cheek repeatedly. Que-ton did not seem to notice and continued the movement. He sat very close in front of her, straddling his chair backwards and looking at her with intent.

She cringed inwardly at the name he called her by, hating not only its meaning but hating the painful aches that were present when she thought on it. She closed her eyes so that she could not see the whites of his, ?Yes.?

She heard him sigh and felt the warm breath against her cheek, ?Your family could be here. With me.? When she did and said nothing, he continued, ?You do not still love Xavier? He is not coming back for you.?

Her eyes flew open and she stared at him. How could he think that she loved someone that would bring her here? To a place where she was beaten and used daily in several ways. ?I never loved him.? She did not care if she shared her feelings or not anymore. She did not reveal any information that would harm the Elementals, but the hope of escaping grew slimmer with each passing day.

?No? I love many, and yet you did not love one?? The concept seemed to bewilder him, but he shrugged it off and moved his chair closer to her, leaned forward to breathe on her neck, ?I love many,? he repeated, ?even you.?

This was not something new from him. She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, seeking the strength to not lose her mind, ?I know.?

A large, dark finger gently played against the skin on her neck, her usual dark bronzed color fading in the constant dark, ?Love me back.? It was said as a gentle command.

?I cannot.? She felt her pulse quicken against her will. Not from his fingers, but from the anticipation of what was going to happen next. She hoped she would be wrong.

?Yes, you can.? He insisted, leaning back so that he could peer on her face, ?Let me show you.?

?Que-ton, please..? her face fell as he moved to untie the ropes around her bloody ankles. What little muscle were left in her legs tensed and she desperately tried to struggle against his grasp.

?Stop, mrimmd'ssinss.? He hissed the words, his eyes taking on the look that Storm began to hate, and he tightened his grip on her wounds where the ropes used to be. She cried out, and tried to struggle all the more.

It was all for a lost cause. She wept much later after he left and well into the night.

?Do not strike her face.? Que-ton warned the two large men as one of their hands lifted up as if to slap Storm. The man grumbled irritably, but he fisted the hand instead and set it to her ribs. Storm inhaled sharply, but made no noise. The time was almost over soon, and it would be the last time her ?sessions? would continue. Just the day before Que-ton had brought a healer to her, and her wrists and ankles no longer had scars and infections. No longer was every breath a struggle against ribs that had healed poorly. She was still malnourished and her muscles were almost completely gone, but she could blink and breath without pain, and all she had to do was place her mind in a different place to keep her sanity.

Que-ton watched from one of the dark corners of the room. Storm almost did not know that he was there, except for the white of his eyes and the eerie feeling of his presence. Time once again had no meaning as bruises and welts formed along her body. Then, a foot that held usual precision hit the leg of the chair instead of her calf, and Storm chair toppled and fell with speed to its side. She gasped in surprise and grunted as the side of her face smacked the cold floor.

She could not see, but Storm knew something went terribly wrong. The sound of furniture scraping the floor was a result of quick action. There was a short period of flesh against flesh, and the struggle of man to man. Storm braced herself as rapid footsteps approached her, and she continued to see nothing in the darkness of the room.

The sound of metal rang in the air, and then a sword was used like an ax to her chair. As she tried to move her neck, she caught the wild gaze of one of the men in charge of her session, though he had only half of a face visible. He continued to hack at the chair, and it was to her surprise that her body stayed intact as the ropes were loosened. ?You?re mine.? He whispered to her, and she felt something wet drip from his mouth to her neck. One large hand reached for her shoulder before he was jerked away and the rage of fighting continued. One hand grabbed the blade of the sword, embraced the kiss to his palms, and threw the sword to the door.

Storm tried to shake her head, and clear away the fog that clouded her mind. She had fallen on her side, and her arm was crushed underneath herself and the chair. Wiggling the rest of the ropes free, her muscles ached and protested any active movement. One dark body dropped like a doll for the floor, and Storm bolted for the door.

?Ah!? The sound was released from her lips as someone grabbed a hold of her hair and dragged her down. It did not take much pressure for her knees to crumble beneath her.

?Leaving me so soon??

Ewan's arrival last night had done everything to put Storm out of her mind, and yet she returned to Yearling Brook just as the sun was setting. She had stayed at his bedside all night, catching quick naps in the chair that remained near his bed. Sometimes she would talk quietly, but most of the time, she was quiet. She even stayed until the morning, and as others came to change the sheets and his clothing... she moved the chair outside to stay in the hallway until it was decent enough for her to go back inside and assist with whatever needed to be done.

By noon, she tried to leave his side, convincing herself that she could not stop time to be at his side constantly, he would not want that of her. So by mid-afternoon, she managed to walk out of the barracks with promises of returning.

And so now, she walked quietly back into his room, shutting the door behind her and moving to light the lamp nearby. "This used to be much easier." she mumbled, before the light took home on the wick. Setting the book in her hand down on the chair, she studied his features in the candlelight, though he may not look better, he certainly did not seem worse. She leaned over to hesitantly brush her lips to his pale cheek. "I think I miss your scar, the dangerous look suited you well." she mused as she straightened, "I do not believe I ever got around to tell you."

She moved the book into her hands again, before adjusting the chair to be nearer to him, before sitting down. "Word has it that your cousin is in town, perhaps he will grow to accept me." She added the last part just in spite, her lips twitch at the corners.

She fell into silence then, a hand occasionally reaching to trace the marks on his skin, curious as to what they were, what they meant, who did it. It was this time into the night that the magnitude of his wounds overwhelmed her. At some point, she had to stand and pace around the small room quietly, just to ease her mind.

"I must admit something to you - though I am sure that I will have to repeat it when you are well." She moved to sit back down into the seat. "I could not keep my promise to stay out of trouble. You are right of course, like always," she leaned over to brush strands of his hair from his face, "trouble came and found me. It is not gone still, but... answers will come." She started to tap idly on the book cover "If you knew of the trouble I've been in, you might put yourself into a state of comatose." a ghost smile played at her lips, before looking down at her book.

"Do you remember our week away?" she asked, her voice still soft as the warm memories flashed to her mind. "I cherish it still. I brought a book with me; I thought perhaps you would enjoy a story that wasn't out of those histories you've been reading." She shifts in her chair slightly, to become more comfortable. "It is called Merchant of Venice, but I cannot remember if you have read this play or not; it is one of my favorites."

She opened the book, reading off the characters names and positions, before starting, "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad; It wearies me; you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me That I have much ado to know myself...."

She continued on through the first scene, doing her best to modify her voice with the change of characters, though she would hardly win a prize for storytelling. Then she closed the book, marking their place, before blowing out the candle.

Storm's eyes slowly opened with the ending scene in her mind. It took her moment to realize that she was once again waking from her dreams. The pregnancy seemed to either take them away or make them forgettable. Finding the need to sniffle, there was no surprise when her hands touched her cheek to find it wet.

It was a portion of her life that she did not think she could go through again. The strong arms around her clashed with the echoing undertones of what could have been. She could hope that she could try and be still long enough to let it pass and not let Ewan know that her mind was once again replaying memories. Sighing softly, she curled closer to Ewan and kept her thoughts in the present.

It was late again as Storm walked through the rain towards the barracks. Without a cloak, she had little to keep herself dry - not that she minded the warm rain, but it was being stuck in wet clothing for all night that was not appealing. Someone else thought so, as by the door was folded clothing, close enough in size to fit her. Who ever left the cloths there knew that she was coming, and she was ever grateful as she picked up the clothing and headed inside to his room and closed the door behind her.

She moved towards the corner that she usually changed in, leaning to press her lips gently to his cheek as she passed him by. Once she was in the dry cloths, she laid the wet ones out on the floor best that she could, before sitting on the edge of the bed rather than the chair.

"Do you remember when it rained while we were away?" she asked softly, raising a hand to brush out wet crimps and curls from her face. "If I recall correctly.. I believe that night was when you received my father's letter." Her hands fidgeted with the corner of the bed to occupy, letting the memory strike her as if it was yesterday. "I upset you also, something about the challenging piece of our relationship being appealing. How foolish and tactless my words were; it amazes me still that you still stayed with me. It took me some time to understand your worries, but I cherish the chance you have given me." She frowned slightly as more parts of that night unfolded behind her eyes.

He had said something about needing a haven, someone he could return to after doing his mission of.. whatever it is. Someone who could bring him back to himself.

Grey eyes widened; bring him back to himself.

"Oh," she breathed, suddenly finding to be sick to her stomach and her throat tightening.

Was she failing at what he needed her to be?

She moved off the bed and moved towards a corner of the room, hearing the soft rain still outside of the walls. Her gift was nearly back to as it was, but still she felt empty - missing something. She brought up her hands to rub her eyes, and found them trembling slightly. She could only be strong for so long, and she felt herself wearing thin.

But she had to remain strong - for him. She had to be that anchor if he needed her to be.

But what if he was waiting for another to be that anchor for him?

Shaking those dark thoughts from her mind, she moved back to sit on the edge of the bed, but this time it was closer to his front. His lips were moving slowly, and she could see eye movement behind closed lids. It did not disturb her now, so much as break her heart.

"I am not doing what you need me to do." she stated just above a whisper, a tear falling from her cheeks to the top of his chest as a hand stroked his cheek gently. She did not wipe away the silent tears as more continued on the path. "Maybe all your doubts were right. Maybe Gaerwyn is right. Maybe I am the only one who really thinks that this had.. has.. a chance to continue." she bit on her lower lip as the tears continued. "But I still will not leave you... I am still going to give this my everything. This promise I will keep."

She sighed deeply then, now raising her hand to wipe away her tears as she moved from the bed to settle into the forgotten chair. Why was she doubting so? Surely Ewan did not have this in mind when he said those words so many months ago, and surely he would ease her mind of this.

While the dream did not awaken her, a small tear trickled down her cheek at the feeling of remorse.

"You know.. "she added softly, closing the book while observing its bindings. "Now that I have read this again, I do not know if it is still my favorite." with a small shrug to herself, she leaned over from her seat on the edge of his bed to place the Merchant of Venice back on the night stand. She then sighed softly, rubbing her weary looking eyes. She then reached over to run her hands through his hair gently, a thoughtful look on her face as she was clearly most lost in thought rather than studing his features.

With Sid's guidance and the skills of his profession, he had worked through unknown days to refit his life in his mind; he had begun to realize the outside world, but new his mind was not yet ready to face it until now. Now the thrum inside him was true and strong if more darkly tuned and it was time to test his work upon the addition of more memories and more consequences for past actions now so clearly viewed in his mind; the sensation of fingers in his hair brought a smile he could not keep away and his eyes opened ever so slightly to see who had come to play with his rusty blonde hair.

The smile didn't register at first, her eyes having that odd glaze of attention elsewhere. But it was soft movement of his eyes in the candlelight that had her pausing and her attention moving to his face. Her grey eyes narrowed slightly, studying his features, starting from his eyes to his smile. There was a rise of hope, ever since Sid's visit one late night, that every time something was different with him, he was back. But she was hesitant, that it was like every other time, that he would close his eyes and go back to sleep.. or whatever he was. "Coming around?" she asked softly, though without much hope for a response; her hand still in his hair though it did not move.

His mouth was dry, but he managed to whisper out, "Possibly." he tried to moisten his mouth, but it was not working and he tries to open his eyes wider in seeking a glass, vaguely communicating through a dry throat, "Water?"

Her eyes widened in mild shock, lips parting as he spoke. Water, right.. she closed her mouth and blinked. "Yes, of course." she moved off the bed, nearly losing her footing as she nearly trembled with excitement as she opened his door to grant his request. It did not take long before she returned with a glass of water in hand, closing the door behind her and going back to her seat next to him, offering the glass. "Do you wish for help?" He made the mildest nod as he tried to lift his head, but it is certain he felt some tension in his muscles for their time of limited use.

Licking her lips briefly, she moved lift his head very gently with one hand, adjusitng so that she could rest it against a bended leg. Once she knew he was settled, she slowly brought the glass to his lips, waiting for them to part so that she could slowly pour the water into his mouth, pausing so that he could swallow, before continuing.

He drank smoothly, the time his body had been automatically reacting to what broth he had been fed, now he controlled the reaction and did not gulp but drank enough to soothe the parched throat, then motioned enough and slid from resting against her leg, "Thank you." he looked at her, a hard blink to focus his eyes in the pale light of the lamp. "How long have you been here?"

Once he was finished, she moved to set the glass next to the book. She shifted back to her original position, studying his face, but she could not hide the smile that was appearing on her face. "Tonight? Oh, a few hours.. but I have been here for the past... "she frowned slightly, thinking. " .. two weeks, roughly."

He frowned "Swords and arrows, Storm." he sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Sid said that Gaerwyn was here, too. Is he still?"

A small shake of her head. "No, I believe he left a few days back, but.. he did not exactly tell me when he was leaving...." his frown had her smile slowly fading, as she kept her hands in her lap, unsure of.. well, many things. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, thank you." relying on a standard response. "And you?" he looks to examine her, wishing he could move the lamp light closer for a better view.

"Well, he says.. " she almost smirked, before a grin of relief came to her features. "A bit tired perhaps, but I am more than happy to see you back to yourself... gave me a bit of a fright."

"You've not been sleeping well again?" he forced himself to use his arms and prop himself up, but that did not last more than a few seconds and he eased back down onto the bed, and then he tried again, determined to regain mobility as quickly as possible.

"Ewan..." she said cautiously, grey eyes narrowing, but she did not try to stop his attempts. A small sigh before she shook her head. "Well, that chair,":a side nodd to the chair near the bed. "Is not the most comfortable thing, nor is the floor." she paused, not wanting to burden his mind, but wanting to be honest with him. "I have.. dreams that wake me up."

There was a firing flood of questions and he did not hold a single one back, but each was asked in a smooth and reserved manner, "Why did you sleep in a chair instead of one of the many beds here, and why are you having dreams? You are not supposed to dream."

"Because that chair is in here with you." she replied just as smoothly as his questions, but she had to glance away after. "And I know I am not supposed to dream... but, hmm... I do now."

He was suspicious instantly of her vague response about dreams; he knew her too well, "What the swords and arrows have you been up to?"

"War." she replied instantly but quietly, eyes going back to his. "I know that I broke my word but.. my home, my other home was attacked." a deep sigh as she resisted to rub his face. ".. and a long story that I was promise to tell later.. but I had to become human. I had to eat this tablet.. and I was without my gift.. for about a month." she offered a sad smile. "when you first arrived here, I was without my gift.. I could not help you... even after.."

A furrow formed between his brows as he listened to the brief and sketchy summary of her activities, "War. Human?" he dropped back against the pillows and closed his eyes breathing in deeply and slowly. "And with all this you stayed by my side as I lay here worthless to help you?"

"Yes, and I will continue to do so." a hand reach out to hesitantly run her hand through his hair again. "My worries are not a concern right now. You are recovering, and that is news enough.

He reached up to try and stop her hand, "Go get some sleep, Storm." his words firm but not harsh.

She almost winced, as she instantly pulled her hand back. She was without words at first, before she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I... will." she shifted off the bed then, heading for the door, before looking over her shoulder. "I am more than happy to have you back, Ewan." she added quietly.

"It is good to see you, Storm." he offered in return and closed his eyes, but his arms still moved as he stretched and worked to regain the use of his body.

And once she walked out of his room, she left the grounds of the Manor with a harsh taste in her mouth.

With tears streaming down her face, Storm clutch Ewan's pillow tightly against her. Previous anger now brought a low feeling of guilt to her middle for what she had almost lost.