The Guardian Crusade

Volume III

 Chapter 33

            AJ sat outside the cave to the Priest room at the Springs.  He was waiting for Rayne to come out as everyone else waited for Nick.  When the Priest came out but she didn’t he looked into the doorway.  He waited but she still didn’t come out.  Slowly he got up from the bench his brain still a little woozy and walked into the room.  She was sitting on the marble table, her legs dangling lightly as she stared at the floor.

He watched her for a moment and he wondered if she knew he was there.  “So” AJ spoke getting her attention and she quickly looked up at him.  He walked over to her and hopped up onto the marble table with her.  “I am really sorry about how I treated you.”

“I suppose you mean when you called me all those crude names and said you could not see yourself marrying such a…what was the word? Such a fucking nag?” She said as he felt like he had just shrunk five feet. “Or on your way to Kevin’s room you called me a fucking shrew and asked if you were jacked when you married me.” She said and AJ shrunk another two feet.

“Yeah.” AJ replied embarrassed.

“Or perhaps you mean when you said I have cobwebs.”

“Alright I get it.” AJ said annoyed but he knew he deserved it.

“Why do Humans from Earth have to be so crude?” She asked with a light sigh. Rayne sat silent for a moment and he looked at her with a frown.  Her head turned and she looked at him, the anger had disappeared and her eyes showed sympathy. “What happened?”

“I went to get a servant and the one I picked turned out to be Nick, he caught me so off guard before I knew it I was being drained.” He told her.  “Then he said he was going to show you what I was really like and then the next thing that happened was me waking up and freaking out.”

He waited for her to say something but she didn’t and not that he could blame her. His eyes drifted over to the door and he sighed, he didn’t know what to do.  Should he beat himself up over going to the taverns, does he really have to start over because of this?  Or should he put it behind him, a little blip in the road and nothing more.  His thought dispersed when he felt her hand over his.  He looked up at her and she was looking down at them.  Her fingers slipped through his and then she her eyes went to him.

“I worried about you.” She told him and he could tell she was holding back the tears.

“I know.” He replied with a frown.

“I was so afraid you would end up alone, drunk in the empty streets at three in the morning with Nickolas and I would not be able to help you.” She said as he placed his other hand over theirs.

“Things are still coming back to me and I remember what you did.  Fighting Nick and breaking your ribs, you not being able to breath.  Fighting Dyn and finding you by the window, you put yourself in front of me time and time again.” He said as he looked at her.

“As you have for me.” She said as she gently touched his cheek with the back of her free hand.

“And I will again because you need rest.” He said before he gently kissed the back of her hand.

“But we need to get to…”

He interrupted her. “Nope” He shook his head.  “The tree is bogus and you are safe, Rossi can rot waiting there for all I care.” He told her.  “Nick and you both need some rest before we go off to Tokia.”

AJ slipped down off the table and he carefully helped his wife down.  He wrapped his arm through hers and then they walked out of the cave.  AJ saw his friends still standing around outside the cave talking.

“Hey” Kevin said when his friend had seen them.

“How’s Nick?” AJ asked.

“In there with Nalia right now, he’s good still a little confused on what happened.” Kevin told him.  “How are the two of you?”

“I am doing better, thank you.” Rayne replied with a  smile.

“I’m good” AJ nodded.  “I’m taking Rayne back to the Castle to rest up.”

“Yeah we’re going to head back and rest up too then.” Kevin said as everyone began walking out of the Springs.  “I’m sure those two want some much needed alone time.”

Nick sat deep in the water; he could feel it lightly splashing against his neck as droplets softly dripped onto the top of his head.  He was relaxed and calm and the throbbing that over took his body was slowing disappearing.  Again more droplets of water fell onto his head but this time they were followed by a hand that lightly drifted down his head.  Fingers gently combed through his hair and he tiredly opened his eyes.  He saw Nalia sitting next to the tub, her arm resting on the edge as her hand held her head.  He watched as her right hand dipped into the water and scooped up more water but when she went to raise her hand above him again he stopped her.  She jumped a little when his hand touched hers and sat up.

Nick stared at her and was a little surprised she didn’t say anything either.  His eyes scanned her face, she didn’t look any different but he supposed she wasn’t really too far along.  He had so many questions, how long had she known? Was she happy? Was she scared? He licked his lips and sat up a little.  His body ached and it made him wince a little.

“Nali…”

“I am not with child Nickolas.” Nalia told him and he froze. Then his heart started to race, did he do something to her? Was this his fault?

“Did I…?”

“No” She replied.  “I never was, Rayne made it up.”

“Made it up?” He replied confused.

“Before you showed up in her dream she was talking to Marsa, he made a comment about her and Alex having children. When you had her trapped she panicked and that is what came out.”  She told him and he looked away a little confused.

“Oh” He replied when it hit him.  “Now I remember.” Nick paused and then spoke again.  “So you’re not pregnant?” He asked and she shook her head.

Placing his hand on his forehead he sighed, it was all just so confusing.  He really did feel like his body was hit by something, something big.  It was just like with Ignis no control but he saw it all go down.  He saw everything from walking out of the room in Hevi, hiding in the shadows in the globe room, walking to the park in Winnol and killing Pixca.  To learning Nalia was pregnant or at least he thought, taking her from her room, brining her back to the ship and try to strangle her.  He fought so hard to break free, to try and gain some control.

“Nick?” Nalia said and he opened his eyes. 

“Yeah?” He replied as he looked at her.

“Do you remember being in the park?” She asked.

“You mean when I killed Pixca?” Nick said sadly.

“No” she replied and he looked at her confused.

“The second time, when it was actually you in the park.” She told him.  He looked away for a moment thinking and then it hit him.

“Yeah I remember.” He told her with a nod.

“Tell me about the dream.” She said and his mind thought back.  A small smile etched across his lips and he slowly sat up.  He leaned on the edge of the tub and gently pressed his head against hers.

“I was in Tokia in a Gem store.  I was buying a ring for you.” He told her as he brought their hands against him.

“What kind of ring?” She asked.

He pulled his head away and looked at her.  “An engagement ring.”

“But that is all it was, was a dream am I right?” She said and he looked at her a little shocked.

“What do you mean?” He asked but he wasn’t really confused.

“Every time someone brings up us getting married, you turn it into a joke or answer quickly and change the subject and I know you because of your parents on Earth plus everything thing else you have dealt with back on Earth relationship wise.” She took a breath and sighed. “I know that…”

He stopped her from talking.  “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no one else but you. I believe that we don’t have to be married to have that, to be able to do that but after Rossi did what he did to you, I started to think.” He paused.  “I know shocking.”

Nalia smiled and lightly laughed.

It made him smile. “I started to think that if I’ve already decided to make that commitment and getting married is important to you, its important here, than why not.  It’s a ceremony a little partying and then we move on and live our lives together anyways.”

Nick pressed his lips against hers and waited until hers parted.  He collapsed his lips against hers, trapping them in a soft grasp. When he let go he whispered.  “I love you so much Nali.”

“I love you too my darling.” She whispered back just before their lips clasped together again.

Rayne’s eyes drifted open as she slowly began to wake.  The curtain in front of her hung close and she wondered what time it was.  She turned her head and looked at her husband except he wasn’t there.  Slowly sitting up she swung her legs off the bed and between the curtains.  She took a moment to catch her breath, her ribs still sore.  Standing up she made her way passed her bed, taking smaller steps than usual.  Stopping at the corner bed post she peeked around.  The window was open and the full moon sent a bright beam of light down the middle of their room.  The silhouette of someone sitting at the window didn’t alarm her.

“Alex?” She spoke quietly and he turned and looked at her.  “What are you doing up?”

“Can’t sleep” He replied. “But you should get back to bed; you need your rest Beautiful.”

His words didn’t stop her from walking over to him.  She sat down in front of him, wincing as a muscle cramp like pain attacked her chest and then left again.  “I am fine; tell me what is on your mind.”

“Rayne” He said to her with a frown.

“Is it Nickolas?” She asked hoping it wouldn’t lead into a bickering fight.

“No it’s not Nick.” He replied and she watched him as he took a deep breath and let out a small sigh.  “Just thinking about the past couple of days, how I felt when I woke up.”

“Realizing you were an Elvaan?”

“No not that just…” He looked at her when he paused.  “…being back there in that way of thinking, feeling the emptiness, the loneliness, and just not feeling at all because of it.”

Her eyes drifted down to his hands, her fingers drifted across the faded tattoo’s on his fingers, and she knew what he meant.  “Your Aura was so dim.” She told him still staring at his hands.  “I just kept thinking about everything you had told me, what I had seen, and seeing your aura the way it was…” She slipped her fingers between his and closed her hand over.  “But that was a long time ago and even on another planet.” She said trying to get a smile out of him and she wasn’t happy with the small one she got.

“Are you disappointed in me?” He asked.

“Absolutely not why would I be?” She replied shocked that he would think that.

“Because of the drinking.” He said.

“Oh Alex no” She replied with a sigh as she reached up and touched his cheek.  “You could not help what happened.”

“It just feels like I have to start all over again, fight the craving, beat the craving and I wonder if I am up for it again.” He told her and her heart sank a little, she wanted so much to help him but she wasn’t sure if she could. She had never really dealt with this before. Of course they had drunks but it was always the people, nothing like this ever happened in her family. This was something that couldn’t be fixed with magic. Although she wished it could.  “Like now all I want to do is go down to the Tavern and just have a mug or two to take this edge off.”

“What did you use to do back on Earth when you felt like that?” She asked.

“I would find something to do, occupy myself until it passed.” He replied. Still holding his hand Rayne slowly stood up and he looked at her.  “What?”

“Let us go do something than.” She said as she tugged on his hand to get him to stand up.

“It’s three in the morning.” He replied still staying seated. “Where would we go at three in the morning? Sure back on Earth where I lived I could but…”

“Who said we were leaving?” She spoke as her eyebrow raised a little and she tugged on his hand again.  His lips revealed a flicker of a smile but only for a second and he still did not stand.  “Your ribs.”

“I said I am fine.” She replied giving him another tug and this time he stood up. They stood close together as her eyes drifted down his face to his lips and then back to his eyes. “Besides, I trust you will be gentle.”