Say No To This

@ sun spirit

Elwin was relieved to hear that Aerith was fine, although he was furious at Lord Fenian's reckless actions. He'd be sure to have a stern talk with his father the next chance he got. He was worried about Ceren, though looking down at her as she sipped her tea. "Take today and tomorrow off, Ceren. You need to take it easy, get something to eat and rest." He told her, resting a worried hand on her shoulder. "I'll go deal with the nobility, specifically Lord Fenian. Taliesin, make sure she rests." He instructed before heading out of the infirmary.

Shortly after Elwin left Aerith's eyes opened, the poor girl looking around the infirmary in confusion, attempting to sit up with a small groan before falling back onto the cot. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to make the room stop spinning and push away the pain, opening her eyes once more with a little frown. "Where... Where's Fenian.. I'm going to kill him...." She murmured weakly, releasing a small sigh as she closed her eyes again, her dizziness making her too nauseous to keep them open.

@ katahdin

"I'm fi--" Ceren's argument was cut off as Elwin told Taliesin to watch her and left, probably to deal with Fenian. She sighed, knowing Taliesin would do exactly as instructed, but she made no move to leave, intending to stay where her friend was. "I'm coming back tomorrow. I won't try to heal anyone, but I can do other things," she said as she turned to look to Taliesin.

The middle-aged elf looked far from cowed as he gave her a smile and patted her shoulder. "Sorry, the king's orders count for more than yours. You relax; I'll go ask Nadya if she'll take your shift tomorrow night." Then, before she could argue, he was gone to do exactly that. Ceren glared at his retreating back, missing Aerith waking up.

Nyrel didn't though, and as she opened her eyes, he stepped forward, squatting beside her. "Hey, take it easy," he said, reaching for one of her hands. He was clean of blood now, one of the healers having brought some water and a rag, albeit still shirtless since his had been ruined. "You're going to have to get in line," he told her wryly, "Elwin just left, looking like he planned on taking care of it himself."

Ceren appeared at Aerith's side, looking a little wobbly in Nyrel's eyes, though she soon had the cot to help support herself with. "Aer, are you okay?"

Aerith's fingers curled around his when she felt his hand on hers, her eyes opening slowly to look at him hovering over her again, just like he had been before she had passed out in the woods. She smiled up at him weakly, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze as she shook her head a little. "I'm surprised you haven't beaten Elwin to it.." She murmured softly before looking over at Ceren with a little frown, noticing her wobble, although she wasn't entirely convinced that it wasn't just her eyes playing tricks on her.

"I'm fine, Ceren... Everything just hurts.." She said with a sigh, trying to sit up again with a small groan, although her attempt didn't last very long, and she fell back down on the cot, settling against the pillows with a small sigh.

@ katahdin

Nyrel couldn't help but wonder if she meant that--if she really was surprised that he was in the infirmary with her rather than tracking down Fenian. Or maybe surprised that he was there at all. He doubted she'd noticed what he did about the boar. He aimed for a joking tone when he spoke. "Yes, well, I doubt murder would gain me any friends, even if he is an idiot."

Ceren did her best to hide her frown at Nyrel, how gentle he was being with Aerith as she couldn't help but wonder if her brother was being true in his behavior or if he had some motive. She'd never learned how to read his masks, and it was nearly impossible for her to tell. Her attention quickly moved to Aerith as she tried to get up, though she was saved from trying to push her friend back down as she collapsed into the cot once more. "I'll get you something to help with that. Don't try to sit up though. You've lost more blood than you can afford to this past week, and you're in pain because your intestines were torn apart and then put back together all within an hour. You're going to have to stay there for a few days at least, even if we have to tie you to the cot."

Realizing she was probably being a bit harsh, Ceren sighed and leaned down to kiss Aerith's forehead. "I hate it when you come in here half dead. I'm glad you're fine now."
She straightened and turned to get something for Aerith's pain, only to come face-to-face with a scowling Taliesin. "And you are going to sit in that chair or lie down in a cot, or you'll be tied down for the next two days," he said. "Sit. I'll get some poppy for Lady Aerith."

With a threat like that... Ceren returned to her chair, almost collapsing in the seat, while Taliesin got the poppy potion and gave some to Aerith.

@ sun spirit

"I'm your friend.." Aerith whispered softly as she closed her eyes, settling back against the pillow. She didn't really remember much about the attack, but she distinctly remembered Nyrel being there after, and him bringing her to Ceren. He saved her life, and she knew that she'd have to thank him later, but at that moment, she was exhausted, covered in blood and dirt, and feeling like her guts had been scrambled. For a few moments she lost consciousness again, her grip on Nyrel's hand loosening a bit before tightening again when she woke up, blinking a little in confusion as she looked around, eyes settling on Ceren.

"Are you ok, Cer..?" She asked softly, worried about her friend, greatly taking the poppy from Taliesin when he brought it back. "You didn't do too much, did you? I could have lived with a few broken ribs.."

She laughed weakly, although winced as she shifted to try to get more comfortable. "I don't think I could get up if I wanted to, Ceren... You don't have to worry about me running off... But if I can go back to my room and rest, can I do that?" She asked, finding the cots in the infirmary not very comfortable, plus she preferred the coziness of her room opposed to the boring infirmary.

@ katahdin

Nyrel smiled a bit at that quiet declaration, squeezing her hand softly. He and Aerith had never discussed what they were or weren't, despite dancing around each other for more than a month, and had she not lost consciousness, he might've told her he felt the same. Even after she lost consciousness, he didn't move from his position crouched beside her, because though there was no longer any pressure on his hand, she hadn't moved hers away, and mere minutes later, he felt pressure again as she woke up.

Ceren waved away Aerith's concerns with a smile. "I'm fine. And I'm not sure you could've lived with those broken ribs. They were pressing into your organs, and one was dangerously close to puncturing a lung. I'm afraid you will have to live with those bruises though." She willed her voice to be strong and confident, not wanting Aerith to worry about her.

Then Aerith asked to go back to her room, and even as Nyrel saw his sister's contemplative frown, he spoke up, "I'll go with her. That way if she needs anything or something happens, there's someone there."

Ceren hesitated, of course, but Aerith was practically pleading with her eyes, and she mentally reassured herself that her brother wasn't dangerous. In fact, he seemed to genuinely care, by the way he was acting, and with a sigh, she nodded her assent. "Okay. Make sure to let Nyrel know if you need anything though, and he can get someone to help."

"It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to rest in your room either," Taliesin added to Ceren. "If you're in here, you're just going to be tempted to work, and you need rest."

@ sun spirit

The pain medicine that she had been given made her feel so much better, but that and the blood loss made her feel a bit loopy, and for whatever reason she started to giggle a little when Nyrel offered to make sure she got to her room safely. After Ceren's approval, a few of the other healers helped Aerith onto a stretcher to carry her back to her room, the girl in no condition to walk.

Once Aerith was returned to her room, the healers helped her stand long enough to clean the blood and dirt from her and change her into a clean nightgown before helping her into bed, the poor, exhausted girl sighing as she settled comfortably into the mattress.

---

Elwin returned to the infirmary around that time as well, having thoroughly scolded Fenian for his ignorance and cowardice, as well as ordering him to return home, knowing that if he remained, either he or Aerith would end up hurting him. He was glad to hear that Aerith was awake and heading back to her room to rest, but he wasn't super happy about Ceren still being in the infirmary looking like she wanted to keep working. "You need rest, Ceren. I'll have some more tea and snacks sent to you room, you need to regain your strength." He said, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.

@ katahdin

Nyrel glanced at Aerith with a raised eyebrow when she started giggling, though considering the pain medicine she'd just been given and the state she was in, he didn't say anything about it. The healers moved the stretcher by themselves, and as they navigated the halls to take Aerith to her room, he made a quick stop in his room to retrieve and put on a shirt so as not to be indecent. When he made it back to Aerith's room, she was being helped into her bed, which she seemed to sink blissfully into, and one of the healers reminded him to sent word if she needed anything before they left, closing the door behind them and leaving him alone with Aerith. He found a chair and brought it close to the bed, sitting down quietly out of suspicion that she'd already fallen asleep.

---

By the time Elwin returned, Ceren had moved into her office, insisting that she could rest there, and when he walked in, she was sitting in the chair at her desk. "I'm fine," she insisted, reaching out to take his hand, though her eyes had begun to feel heavy in the past several minutes, and it was a little hard to keep them open. "I don't need snacks. I can--" a yawn interrupted what she was saying, "rest here." She frowned a bit to herself as she attempted to blink her sleepiness away. "I shouldn't be this tired."

@ sun spirit

Aerith was starting to drift off to sleep when Nyrel came into her room, her eyes fluttering open slowly as she looked over at him, smiling weakly. For a few moments she considered telling him how she felt, that he had become one of her best friends and that she loved him, but she was afraid that he'd leave and say that he hated her, and so she settled on not speaking at all. Instead, she reached her hand out toward him, making little grabby motions with her fingers.

---

Elwin crouched down next to her chair, frowning as he noticed her struggling to stay awake, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "Ceren, you need to rest. And, if you don't agree to go back to you room willingly to rest and get something to eat, I'll personally carry you there myself." He smiled a little, using a teasing tone although he was absolutely serious, very concerned about her.

@ katahdin

When Nyrel noticed Aerith reaching towards him with her hand and making motions like she was trying to grab something, he smiled, chuckling quietly, and leaned forward, wrapping her hand in his. "You know, if you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask," he said, and acting on impulse, lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He gently set their joined hands on the bed again. "I'm afraid you won't have a third chance to hunt that boar. I killed it after it attacked you."

---

Despite her best efforts, Ceren just couldn't keep her brain alert or focused, and she wasn't able to reply to Elwin before her eyes drooped shut and she drifted off. Not too long after, Taliesin glanced in the room, looking a little guilty, though when his eyes fell on Ceren, asleep, he breathed a sigh and stepped in. "It finally worked. I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but when I gave her tea earlier, I put a mild sedative in it. I could tell she was drained, and she's stubborn when it comes to taking time away. We'll get a stretcher and take her to her room. She'll wake up in a couple of hours, but I'll have someone stay with her so she doesn't get up and try to come back when she does."

@ sun spirit

Aerith smiled a little as he took her hand, a blush creeping up her cheeks when he pressed a kiss to the back of it, their fingers laced together. "I didn't want you to say no.." She murmured softly, the familiar warmth blooming in her chest, and butterflies filling her stomach, making the pain from her injuries all but disappear. Her smile widened when he said that he killed the boar, giving his hand a little squeeze. "My hero.. I bet that jackass Fenian will say he did it. Man, I really wish I could punch him.."

---

Elwin was very concerned at first, although when Taliesin came in and explained he relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Taliesin. She does need the rest. And don't worry about having someone else bring her to her room, I'll take her." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before carefully lifting her into his arms, one arm wrapped around his torso and the other tucked under her legs. He said a polite goodbye to Taliesin before carrying Ceren back to her room, glancing to see how she had decorated it, wondering how much time she even spent there. Once there he set her down on her bed, making sure she was comfortable against the pillows and under the blankets, smiling down at her before pressing another kiss to her forehead. "I'm the luckiest man alive.." He whispered to himself, yawning a bit himself as he sat at the edge of the bed next to her.

@ katahdin

Nyrel chuckled, shaking his head at her answer. "I could've said no to you grabbing at the air, you know. Considering I was holding your hand earlier, did you really think I would have a problem with it?" He squeezed her hand gently, emphasizing his point, something in him going warm when she called him her hero--even though he was pretty sure that was teasing. He had a bit of good news for her though. "I don't think he could get away with claiming he did it, even if he wanted to," he confided with a smile. "Since I killed it with my magic, it doesn't have any wounds on it. "It's pretty obvious no one shot or stabbed it."

---

Ceren's room didn't have much and felt bigger than it really was with the lack of things lying around. Her clothes were put up, keeping the floors neat, and aside from her bed and the table beside it, the only furniture was the wardrobe that held her clothes and a bookshelf. On it were quite a few books, most of them pertaining to healing in some form or fashion, and sitting beside an unlit candle on her bedside table was a book about caring to plants. The reason for this was obvious, because sitting in her curtain-less windows were small pots of young plants.

When she woke up, the setting sun casting golden light into her room, she thought she'd fallen asleep in the infirmary. Opening her eyes revealed that it was her room she was in however, not her office, and she frowned as she moved to sit up. That was when she noticed Elwin. He wasn't even covered, laying on top of the covers with his eyes closed, apparently asleep. She held her breath as she just watched him for several moments to make sure she hadn't accidentally woken him up, then quietly slipped out of bed. She felt a little stiff after her nap, and still tired, but the dizziness from earlier was gone. Or that's what she thought, at least. Before she made it halfway to the washroom, it suddenly attacked her, her head going fuzzy at the same time she momentarily lost her vision and balance, crashing to the floor.

@ sun spirit

Aerith blushed brighter as he mentioned holding her hand earlier, shaking her head a little as she shrugged weakly. "I.. I wasn't sure if that were real or not... And if it hadn't been, and I'd asked.. It would have been weird and you'd hate me." She murmured softly, looking at him as he explained how he killed the boar, eyes widening a bit. "You have magic too? Like Ceren?" She asked curiously, looking up at him for a while while she studied his features before looking down at their hands on the bed. "You saved my life, you know.."

---

Elwin had fallen asleep looking around her room, making a mental note to ask her about the plants later. He was having quite a nice nap when he heard Ceren fall, sitting up with a start as he heard her, eyes widening as he saw her on the floor. "Ceren!" He said worriedly, rushing to her side and carefully taking her into his arms. "Are you alright? I though you were asleep.. What's wrong? Should I call a healer?" He asked, cradling her like an injured bird in his arms, afraid he'd hurt her when she was so delicate.

@ katahdin

Nyrel gave her an odd look, shaking his head. "It happened. Of course it was real," he said, and only realized what she might've meant after he'd spoken. Was she questioning whether or not he was faking? "Aerith... I don't pretend with you, okay? I might not say everything I think or feel, but I'm not exactly Baron Asskisser around you. And even if you'd asked and it was weird, I still wouldn't have hated you. It'd take a lot more than you wanting to hold my hand for that to happen."

Then she was asking about his magic, and he chuckled a bit. "I know I don't use it a lot, but I thought you knew the Stonewaters were kind of known for having magic? My ancestors usually married others with magic, and even when they didn't, it was still passed down. Its rare for one of us not to have it." He went silent at her quiet statement, the humor draining from his expression. "I'm sorry I didn't do something sooner. I could've stopped the boar before it hurt you," he replied softly.

---

Ceren was just pushing herself off the ground to sit up, still fuzzy-headed but her vision clearing, when she heard Elwin and then was pulled into his arms. She needed a moment for her head to clear and for the world around her to once more register before she could reply though. "I'm okay," she said slowly when her voice found her again, shaking her head. "I just... stood up too soon." Things were slowly pulling into focus, and finally what was happening really hit her. "Elwin! I'm sorry, I was trying not to wake you up! I was feeling better when I woke up, so I got up, then got dizzy all of a sudden." She reached her arms around his waist and hugged him, hoping to reassure him and get that worried look to go away. "I'm fine, I just needed a minute."

@ sun spirit

Aerith smiled a little as he spoke, giving his hand a little squeeze. "I don't pretend with you either.." She reassured him, giving his hand a weak squeeze. "And I'm glad you don't hate me.. I'd be sad if you hated me." She admitted softly, blushing a bit when he chuckled at her questions about his magic, feeling a little foolish for having asked. She'd never really kept up with family histories, and she certainly had not kept up with Ceren's. She frowned as he spoke though, looking up at the ceiling in though before turning back to look at him. "So you have to marry someone who has magic?" She asked softly, a brief look of disappointment in her eyes. While she did possess magic, she had never really realized that she did, and had always thought that her affinity for plants and animals was just a weird quirk, nothing magical.

Her frown only deepened when he got serious, groaning softly as she forced herself to sit up, scooting closer to the edge of the bed so she could wrap her arms around his neck in a hug, leaning her weight on him to keep herself from falling over. "You did everything you could. Fenian shouldn't have shot at it, and by the time you realized what was happening, it was too late. You did all that you could." She reassured him, her head tucked against his shoulder, feeling like she might pass out again if she moved again. "You saved my life, and I'll never be able to repay you."

---

Elwin frowned, pressing a worried kiss to her forehead. "Taliesin gave you some medicine to help you sleep in your tea.. You shouldn't push yourself so much." He said worriedly, leaning down to press a loving kiss to her lips. "I can't have you dying from overworking yourself.. I don't know what I would do without you." He murmured against her lips before kissing her again, sighing a bit when he finally pulled away, some of his worry disappearing as he realized that she was alright, his grip on her loosening. "I'll have someone bring your dinner to you here.. You should probably eat something, especially because we didn't have much for lunch."

@ katahdin

Nyrel smiled, squeezing her hand back gently. "I know. You don't pretend with anyone," he said. It seemed that way to him, at least. She often said whatever she was thinking and acted how she wanted without a care to how others would react to it. A small part of him was jealous of her for being able to do so. Then, at her question about marriage, he gave her a startled look. "No! My father would have preferred it if I could find a good match, but I was always told the most important thing is that I find a wife I could spend my life with," he explained.

"Aerith, you can't get out of bed," he started, when she sat up with obvious difficulty, though his arguments were silenced when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug rather than get up. He was hesitant, but after several moments, he returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her back loosely. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been hugged like this. "The fact that you're living is payment enough," he assured her softly.

---

Ceren frowned as Elwin admitted what Taliesin had done, remembering how sleepy she'd gotten when she was sure she shouldn't have been that tired. Her irritation towards the healer was diverted when Elwin kissed her and continued to speak though, her eyes softening at his words. "El, I'm not going anywhere," she reassured him softly, reaching up to cup his cheeks with her hands. "I'm just drained. It happens when every healer reaches their limit. Healing uses energy, and when you use too much, you get tired and fuzzy-headed, like you've been sick. Some rest, sleep, and food gets your energy back up, and you're fine. I was going to rest in my office and be there in case anyone needed to ask me something. I know it'll be a couple of days before I can heal someone again, and I wasn't going to push my luck." She hoped the explanation would help him and some of his worries.

And thankfully, he started to relax before long, Ceren smiling softly as he mentioned dinner. She pressed a kiss to his lips and let go of his face. "Only if you promise to eat too," she said. "I know you've got to be busy and behind on work because of this so I won't ask you to stay, but you can't neglect yourself just because I'm tired."

@ sun spirit

Aerith relaxed a bit as he explained his stance on marriage, glad to hear that she still had a chance, even though she doubted he would ever choose her. He'd pick someone that would make him look good, and she wasn't someone who could give him that. She was relieved when he wrapped his arms around her, relaxing as he helped to support her weight. She blushed at his assurance, humming a little in response, turning her head to press a gentle kiss to his cheek before resting her head back against his shoulder, beginning to feel lightheaded again. After a few minutes, she broke the silence, voice soft and tired. "Can... Can you put me back in bed? I can't move..." She murmured, groaning a little in pain.

---

Elwin nodded a little as he listened to her, sighing a bit. "Yes, my love, I know. But I still worry about you." He assured her, pressing another kiss to her cheek as he moved toward the door to call for a maid to bring them dinner. He grinned as he looked back over at her, nodding. "I promised you dinner together, didn't I? We'll have to postpone telling Aerith, but we can still have dinner together." He said, asking a maid that was passing in the hall for their dinner before heading back into the room, wrapping his arms around her waist loosely.

"She's lucky Nyrel was there and brought her to you as fast as he did.. When I heard what happened I wasn't sure if she would make it." He admitted softly.

@ katahdin

She surprised him a second time as she kissed his cheek, Nyrel feeling this happen rather than seeing it. It warmed him though, and he smiled to himself, the expression content. He started at her question, surprised to hear that she couldn't move, and quickly nodded, guessing she would feel the motion. "Of course," he said aloud, pulling his arms out from around her. It was a little awkward, trying to figure out how best to move her when she was resting against him, but he somehow managed, getting her arms out from around his neck first, then using his own body to move them to where she tilted back. He had his hands ready, gently pressed against her back, and somehow managed to lower her back onto the mattress. She was closer to the edge than the middle this time, and he drew her covers up around her again, giving her a little smile. "Better?"

---

Ceren smiled softly at Elwin, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I just thought it might help to know what's happening," she explained. When he got up and headed to the door, she slowly pushed herself to her feet as well. She was no longer lightheaded, but her limbs felt heavy, and she headed to the bed, which she sat on the edge on. Her mood brightened a bit at Elwin's response to her question though, and she smiled, glad he was staying even if there were other things he should be doing. "I thought maybe our plans had changed with what happened today," she admitted.

When he sat down beside her, she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder, though she frowned at what he said. "I wasn't sure she would make it either," she replied quietly. "If I hadn't been able to heal everything, I don't think she would've. She was losing too much blood, several organs were ruptured, and if I'd left her ribs, they probably would've ended up puncturing something with the state they were in. I could just barely fix it all... if she'd been any worse off, or if I hadn't been there, I think we would've lost her."

@ sun spirit

Aerith groaned a bit as he helped her to lay back down on the bed, trying to help as best she could, but everything hurt, and she was growing tired. She smiled up at him as he helped tuck the blankets around her, fingers catching his before he could pull them away, giving his hand a little squeeze as she nodded. "Yes.. Thank you, Nyrel.. I think I better sleep now. I don't want Ceren to be upset with me.." She said, yawning tiredly as she settled back against the pillows, giving his hand one last squeeze before releasing it. "You don't have to stay.. It's supper time, and you must be bored to tears just sitting there." She said teasingly, smiling at him. Although, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, body finally giving in to her exhaustion as she drifted off to sleep.

---

Elwin sat on the bed next to her, smiling a little as he shook his head. "I think we needed a dinner more than ever after what happened today.." He sighed a little, hugging her close. "I don't know what I would have done if she died.. I was terrified on the way to the infirmary, I didn't know whether she had been brought in in time.." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, smoothing back her hair. "You did perfectly. You saved our friend's life." He smiled, checking the clock before frowning.

"I have to run back to my study for a few minutes, but I'll be back as soon as I can, alright? If dinner arrives before I do, don't wait." He pressed one last kiss to her lips before reluctantly leaving the room, heading back to his study for a brief meeting with a few of the nobles who had been on the hunt.

@ katahdin

Nyrel chuckled quietly at Aerith's worry. "She'll only get mad at you if you get up and try to move around," he assured her, squeezing her hand softly. He only removed his hand when she released it, letting it fall into his lap as Aerith told him he should go and promptly drifted off to sleep. He didn't leave though, guessing she would need someone nearby whenever she woke up again considering her condition. He exited the room momentarily, long enough to ask a maid for dinner for them both--something for Aerith that would taste good cold, of course--and when it arrived, he ate his portion, as he was hungry, but then settled back into the chair he'd pulled up to the side of her bed, where he sat watching her until he eventually drifted off as well.

---

Ceren smiled at that. "Well, I definitely won't argue about getting to spend more time with you," she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek, though talking about Aerith and the almost of earlier that afternoon made her stomach twist. She'd never be able to thank Nyrel enough for acting so fast. "And Nyrel. He got her to me on time," she reminded him.

When he said he had to leave, she frowned but made no attempt to stop him, instead nodding her understanding as he promised to come back soon. She wasn't sure what it was he needed to do, but she knew Elwin enough to know that he wouldn't be leaving if it wasn't important. After he left, Ceren didn't just wait. It was starting to get dark, so she lit candles and sconces around the room, then went into the washroom to clean her face and hands, moving slowly and carefully so as to avoid another blackout. The food arrived as she was drying her face, so she brought it into her room and set it on the bed, then stripped off her clothes, stained in Aerith's blood, put them in a corner, and turned to her wardrobe to search for a nightgown.