Start of Something New [Aria and Asdra]

IC Time: Month 9, Late Winter
IC Setting: Aria and Finscoth's Quarters

Aria looked out at the place that was her home as afternoon slowly settled upon the settlement. Thick fog floated in the air, making it difficult to really see much of anything but this didn't bother Aria at all since she couldn't get out today as it was. The reason? Finscoth had decided she wanted to go out into the last bit of snow there was several days prior and play like a normal dragon would. That would have been fine except for two things: 1) Fin wasn't a normal dragon, and 2) Because of this she got violently ill. This worried Aria more than she could say and had kept her inside her room with the green ever sense. She worried every time Finscoth got sick; everytime she accidently hurt herself or her joints were more stiff than usual. Aria had been putting the green through exercises to try and strengthen the joints and even increased her calcium intake but it didn't always help. Granted Finscoth was stronger now at ten months old than she'd been when she'd first hatching; she'd even lost a bit of the grayish color her hide had been, but it wasn't enough.

Aria had know going in that her dragon was different, was special. Finscoth, like her twin sister Wynnfrinth, demanded different things from their lifemates. For she and Tylar, this meant always being on gaurd for things that could hurt their greens, always keeping them inside whenever it got to cold. Aria often felt left out because of this, but she'd never complain. She loved Finscoth too much to ever really feel badly about being chosen by her. What was is what was supposed to be and Aria had accepted that from the moment her eyes and Finscoth's met. It meant a lot of time spent indoors though, and not as much time with the others that Impressed the same time she had; most notably Asdra. She hated to admit it, but she sorely missed the man. She missed his teasing, she missed the way he'd stand up to her and never backed down no matter how angry she got. She missed seeing how he was growing with his own dragon Cylferth. She could just bet the blue had grown much larger in the last few months and that he was as handsome as he was the day she'd met him for the first time at Asdra's side. She wondered if he even thought about her any longer then took a moment to ask herself why she even cared. Why should she worry about some guy when every day was a contineous uphill battle for the very life of her dragon. Every moment, some small thing she missed, could mean death for the green and Aria had spent the last few months living with a mixture of joy at finding her lifemate and abject terror at the thought of loosing her. She'd had nightmares and no one to talk to, but there was nothing for it. She simply had to endure, as she always had.

A drawling voice suddenly floated through her mind. My Aria, why are you crying? Do not cry. A low croon came from the green, an attempt at comfort.

Aria raised one of her hands to her face and when it came back wet she realized she had indeed been crying. Thinking about it she realized it was because of her dark thoughts. Did the thought of loosing Fin for any reason really scare her so badly? The answer was an obvious yes. Getting up, she went to the greens side and laid a hand on her head. "I'm alright Fin, just worried about you is all. Your health has been precarious with all this cold weather and I'm frustrated that I can't keep you well and that I'm always forced to keep you inside. It's not right."

The green crooned at her lifemate again, her tone understanding and full of guilt. This is because I am no as strong as the others, isn't it? I made you cry. She moved her head against Aria's stomach, a small keen escaping her.

Immediately Aria flooded the green with warmth and affection and love. "No, my love, just no! It's not your fault, none of this is. I don't mind having to take care of you. I love you, and I'd never want you to be any different. I just hate keeping you inside when you want to go out is all. I'm sorry if I upset you." The young woman knelt down and wrapped her arms around her dragon's neck. "Don't be upset Fin, I want you to stay with me, okay?"

The green grew silent for a long moment before finally seeming to settle down. If you say so, I have to believe it.

Aria let out a sigh of relief and continued to sit with her green.

Jyluu and Kiddo watched the interaction between the two with growing concern. Jyluu knew just who to find to fix this and jumped off her ledge before blinking between while Kiddo stayed behind to moniter them. The gold then appeared in the room occupied by Asdra and Cylferth. Spotting the young man she was looking for, she landed on his shoulder; something she'd never done and started sending him strong feelings of worry directed at Aria and Finscoth. She pulled at the tips of his hair to get his attention and kept broadcasting her worry to him. He had to help her, if he didn't, Jyluu didn't know where she'd go to find help for her Pet.

It was another lazy day; it was cold outside, and Cylferth being Cylferth, was obviously torn between playing outside and a downright disgust for playing like "an insolent youngling fool" as he referred to his own brothers and sisters.

And so, like so many other days, Asdra was taking a nap in his quarters, with Cylferth curled up in a corner of the room, watching Asdra warily and grumbling to himself about Asdra's disrespectful behavior and the thought of "frolicking about like a lovestruck child".

Meanwhile, Asdra started to dream.

It was springtime. But wasn't it supposed to be winter now? No matter; everything was just starting to bloom, but seemed...stuck. As though just before it could burst into full bloom, time froze. He looked around, but everything - the weyr, the trees, everything within eyeshot - seemed frozen in time.

When Asdra put his eyes forward again, there she was. She was always there, but only after he looked around. He took a step closer.

Then, suddenly, everything was blackness, and all he could see was her face. But...was she crying? Asdra felt something inside him tighten, as though someone had clutched at his chest and started to squeeze. It suddenly became a rapid barrage of images and feelings, all of the images being Aria either crying or so obviously distraught you'd have to be a complete fool to miss it, all the feelings being those of worry about her. Yet they didn't feel like his own...and there was that itch, like something was...

With a yelp, Asdra woke up to Jyluu pulling at his hair, which now swept past his shoulders by a small margin. Asdra scrambled out of the chair he had been sleeping in, and Jyluu flew off of his shoulder with a flutter.

Wait.

His shoulder!?

Asdra stared at Jyluu in amazement. Several things seemed to be buzzing through his head at once, and not just because of his rude awakening; first of all, Jyluu had been on his shoulder. Jyluu NEVER did that; he had always thought the little gold hated him. But then there were the images and feelings...he had thought they were part of his dream, but...

"...Jyluu..." Asdra started slowly, still staring at the gold dragonet, "...are you worried about Aria for some reason? Is something wrong?"

Jyluu darted around Asdra's head a few times before again alighting on his shoulder. Again she chirped at him, nipped at his hair, and started sending him her worry. Obviously the emotions from his dream had been her doing. She was a gold after all, and capable of much. Again and again she sent him her worry and confusion and terror. The only being Jyluu ever worried about was Aria, and as she didn't like Asdra, her being here with him meant something terrible had to be going on with her Pet. She couldn't send images like firelizards, so her emotions had to suffice. If only she could make him understand...The gold seemed to get an idea and extended her mind to the blue dragon that also occupied the room. She sent him her worry for her Pet, hoping he could put images and words to what she wanted from Asdra.

Blues were smart creatures after all, at least in her opinion. Even if some of them did strange things like Kiddo. At least this is what the gold was hoping for. If Cylferth couldn't or wouldn't help her, she'd have to resort to more drastic measures. She wasn't sure what she'd do yet, but she'd figure it out if she had to, and even enlist Kiddo's help if needed.

Mine, the little one you're calling Jyluu is, in fact, worried about hers. Why she came to you, I haven't a clue; she seems to hate you quite strongly.

"I...see." Asdra didn't quite know what to make of the situation at this point. He knew Jyluu hated him - which amused Cylferth - but he also knew that Jyluu cared for Aria to the point of what he considered overprotection. And Asdra knew if Aria's gold was coming to him for help...

"Cylferth," Asdra said, suddenly rushing around to make himself look at least halfway decent - he had taken his belt off, his cape was in a crumpled heap near the door, his hair was hanging right in his face - "I think I know why Jyluu came here, and the fact that Jyluu came here worries me."

It worries me too, mine. Anyone coming to you for help must truly be desperate.

"And so I need to leave for a bit," Asdra continued, ignoring the blue. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I know that this is important. Very important."

Well whatever happens, you don't have to worry about me.

Asdra stopped in the process of sweeping his bangs out of his eyes and turned to face the blue. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.

Surely even you have heard the stories of younger dragons that react...poorly to their Bondeds being together. I'm actually trying to reassure you for once. You don't have to worry about me reacting poorly to anything like that.

Asdra stared at the blue for a minute, then pushed the thought out of his head and threw his cape over his shoulders, the tattered edge just barely trailing off the ground even as it hung from his shoulders. "Well then, I'll...see you later, Cylferth. Jyluu, lead the way."

The gold darted around the room one last time to make sure she understood Asdra's intent before darting out the door the way she'd come and flying as fast as she could back towards the room she'd left her Pet in. If the human couldn't keep up, that was his fault, she was going back to where she was needed.

Aria meanwhile had finally gotten her ill dragon back to sleep and was sitting on her cot with a pillow held closely to her body to comfort herself while she tried not to start crying again. By this time in Finscoth's development, Aria could safely block the green from her stronger emotions if she really tried to. She was doing so now while she fought of tears and a gripping sense of terror that she'd been holding back and pretending wasn't there for ten long moment. To anyone that knew her, and knew her well, she was obvious on the verge of a breakdown. And for such a strong individual as Aria was, that meant whatever bothered her was very serious.

Kiddo had stayed in the room with his Pet while his golden mother had gone for help and now actually resided inside of Aria's shirt where he'd curled as close to her as he could get. Likely she didn't even know he was there which said something for how upset she really was.

Asdra found himself almost sprinting as fast as he could to keep up with Jyluu, careening around corners and several times nearly knocking into people with only a quick shout of "Sorry!" over his shoulder, never slowing down.

Aria.

She'd been on his mind more and more lately, and he couldn't explain why; she had been keeping herself inside more and more often as of late; her dragon went outside to play...once, he remembered; he didn't know what had happened after that. But even while he barely understood his own feelings, and for the umpteenth time had a massive, tangled web of thought and emotion growing in his head, there was one thing that he knew to be true: Jyluu had come to find him, and seemed extremely worried. He knew Jyluu; the little gold only ever cared about Aria, and loathed him so much that Asdra sometimes wondered why he hadn't been maimed in his sleep yet. For Jyluu to come to him, sending nothing but pure worry, and wake him up from a nap without drawing blood...something serious had to be happening.

He skidded on the floor as he rounded another corner in the serpentine corridor, and clenched his teeth against the sudden pain in his feet. He glanced over his shoulder briefly as he started to run again - he could see a small trail of half-formed footprints in his blood from where his feet ground against the stone - and turned his attention in front of him again just in time to watch Jyluu immediately round another corner. This time, however, it caught him off-guard enough that he not only skidded, he hit the wall. Hard.

Bloody hell, Asdra thought grimly, wiping a trickle of blood from his cheek and the corner of his mouth. I know this is serious, but...at this rate, I may not live to see what's wrong.

It took a few more minutes - at least it seemed that way; time had seemed like jelly from the moment he took off after Jyluu to get to Aria - but he finally found himself standing in her doorway, he himself a mess of cuts and scrapes from rushing around tight corners and crashing into walls, or crates, or people. He sat there, panting, and made himself ignore the fire on the bottoms of his feet before half-staggering inside.

"Aria!" He called - had that run really made him that hoarse? He made a mental note to get more exercise. "Aria, where are you? Jyluu...brought me here."

The gold circled the room in wide circles before landing finally on the bed itself next to her distraunt Pet and crooned worriedly at Aria in an attempt to calm her yet again. Jyluu chirped at Asdra as he entered, before curling herself around her Pet's waist.

Mahogany eyes came up at the sudden appearence of a masculine presence in her room. Her first thought was for the very sick green she'd only just gotten to sleep after hours of trying. 'He'll wake up Fin!' She didn't feel angry at this thought like she normally would, only sadly resigned. Her eyes barely lit up when she recongized the person as Asdra. Offering the young man a weak smile, she held a finger over her lips in the universal gesture of quiet before slowly shifting over and patting the spot next to her on the bed. "Asdra...you...Jyluu did.." She looked over at the gold her merely chirped at her in response. Shaking her head, she tried to pull herself together enough to hide the fact that she'd been crying only a moment before. Largely she knew she'd be unsuccessful, but she still had to try. Wiping her face and pulling the pillow closer to her trembling frame, she spoke again. "I'm sorry...I guess she was worried about me." And with good reason, the greenrider looked terrible. The normally vibrant young woman looked as if she hadn't slept or eaten anything in a while. [Though she had eaten, just not slept.]

It looked like the gold dragonet's worries were well grounded. Though why she hadn't gone after Tylar when her Pet had gotten like this, ther was no telling.

Aria stared at the clearly hastled looking young man that stood in her doorway and took a moment to take in his appearence. Finally a small trace of her usual humor peaked out. "You look like you had a disagreement with Cylferth and lost. What happened to you Asdra, you're a mess?" A tinge of concern had found its way into her tired and sad voice but it seemed as if she was going on automatic and not really focusing on anything going on at the moment. She spoke to him because he expected it, not because she was really aware of what was going on.

A blue head popped out from Aria's shirt and out from behind the pillow she held to herself long enough to chirp at the newcomer before Kiddo disappeared again back into his Pet's shirt. Normally this would be something Asdra could tease her about, but at this moment, she likely wouldn't react to it.

Finscoth could be clearly seen curled up in the corner, her lean frame covered in several layers of blankets to keep her warm and her hide hold a bit more gray tinge to it than was normal for her. Ten months had been good for the green and she'd definitely gotten bigger, but she was still smaller than her siblings making her difference from this obvious. Her congested breathing was very likely the thing that had Aria so very upset.

Now the reason Jyluu had asked for help had become appearent. The gold couldn't help Aria, Kiddo couldn't either though the blue seemed to be trying. Only another human, someone Aria trusted, could help. And Jyluu had chosen Asdra.

Asdra stared in shock at the person who approached him. It...certainly didn't seem like Aria. At least not the Aria he knew. This person was...

"Aria?" he finally managed to spit out, making no effort at all to hide his shock. "What happened?" He took a step towards her, and groaned. He'd completely forgotten about his feet. And the rest of him, for that matter. Then she asked him about it, but...

"Oh, these? Well, Jyluu...uh...it seemed really urgent."

And it apparently is, he thought grimly.

"What about you? You look like you've been crying." Ignoring the burning flames that licked his feet every time he took a step, he walked over to her, stopping less than a pace away. He looked her up and down, then said, "Now what on Earth could have gotten you this upset? I know you, Aria; at least I'd like to think I do. And you're not one to break down like this. Not like this." There was no humor in his voice, just solid statement of fact. "You're trembling. Are you cold?" Before waiting for a response, he pulled his cape off - leaving himself wearing nothing but his pants and a belt to hold them up at the moment; he'd gotten rather lazy lately - and wrapped it around Aria in a heartbeat...and then he saw her green dragon.

He even heard Cylferth mumbling about it in the back of his mind, but there were no jokes, no cruel statements; Cylferth seemed sympathetic to his sister. Asdra felt sympathy for the green...and a question popped into his head.

"Aria..." he said softly. "Is this the reason you're so upset? Is something wrong with Finscoth?" He barely noticed Kiddo chirp a greeting, or even appear in the first place for that matter. "Is...is there anything we can do?"

Mahogany eyes regaurded the man in before her as she rose to stand next to him in the hopes that they wouldn't wake Fin if they were close together. Aria sighed tiredly at what was said to her as she settled the offered cape around her more solidly and took the moment to revel in the warmth in provided before she finally spoke, her voice quiet and subdued. "I hope you didn't hurt yourself too badly because Jyluu made you rush over here." A faint smile touched her face showing that she was happy that he had worried about her though. She shook her head slowly, keeping her voice low. "Nothing happened to me. I just haven't been sleeping well." She looked him over once more, noting that he'd changed in some ways and hadn't in others. He was still Asdra, but this young man was different from the one that often teased and challenged her. This young man was serious and worried about both she and her dragon. It was a nice change from what she normally got. And even though he'd asked if she was cold and had even given her his coat, she couldn't really answer in a way she thought he'd understand. Her trembling hadn't ceased though. Was she cold? Yes, but not in the way he thought. She was cold on the inside and almost numb from all the constant worrying.

She ran a hand absent-mindedly over her face again, trying to get rid of the evidence of her tears. Aria knew the exact moment his eyes found Finscoth's sleeping form; she could see it in the question forming in his eyes. And then he said the one thing that made her heart squeeze tightly in her chest. He asked if something was wrong with Finscoth. Abruptly she pushed him out of the room by applying pressure to his chest. Once they were out of her room and she was sure Fin wouldn't hear her, she broke down into inconsolable tears and latched onto Asdra around the waist. "I don't know what to do Asdra!" Her voice shook and she sounded mournful. It was the most emotion she'd shown since he'd arrived. Burying her face in against the side of his neck and holding onto him as if she'd break apart if she let go, she started talking and didn't stop. "I don't know what to do! Finscoth wanted to go outside so badly! I felt terrible for keeping her inside a-and I thought...I thought...J-just being o-outside for a m-minute wouldn't hurt her, right? Then she got sick and she hasn't been breathing well and....and..." And the words of the geneticists kept ringing through her mind. 'Too weak to survive. Never live to see her first year. Different from the others. Mistake, horrible mistake. Would be better off dead.' She couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take all the harsh words and accusations. She couldn't take all the pity from others or having to fight just to be heard. She was a strong person, this was true, but even the strongest had a breaking point and Aria had found hers after ten months of fighting for the life of the one being that meant more to her than life itself. She couldn't lose Finscoth, she couldn't! Not after everything she'd done to keep her. Not after all the work she'd put into to make her stronger, get her well enough! Fin wanted to fly and, even if it was later than her clutchmates, Aria would make sure she did it. But this...this she couldn't handle, this she couldn't take. "She fights for every breath now, and she wheezes so much. It's all my fault, I shouldn't have let her go outside. But she wanted to so badly...I-I...I don't want to lose her." Mahogany eyes, filled with tears, looked up into the equally dark eyes of the man she held so tightly. "Asdra...What am I supposed to do? She's not staying warm, no matter how many blankets I put on her. I thought sleeping near her would help, but I'm not big enough to make a difference. And those people....they said...t-they said...." She couldn't even finish.

Jyluu flew out from inside her Pet's room and took a place on an overhead ledge. She crooned anxiously at her Pet and sent Asdra her worry for the girl once again. She then chirped at the hidden Kiddo who had slipped out of his Pet's shirt when she'd risen from her bed. The blue took up a spot next to his mother and together they tried to calm their distraunt Pet. When Kiddo cuddled up next to his larger golden mother for warmth, an idea seemd to strike her. Jyluu started chirping at Kiddo as the two tried to formulate a way to make the two humans understand their plan.

Aria was completely oblivious to the worried calls of her dragonets, which wasn't normal for her but at this moment, all she could do was hold on and hope she wasn't pushed away. At this moment she needed something solid to hold onto or she knew she'd break in such a way that she'd never recover. For the moment, Asdra was her solid rock, and the only safe place in her chaotic world at the moment.

The moment Aria started pushing him, he almost yelped in a mix of surprise and pain. "Hey, what're you-" he started.

And then...she was sobbing. Not just crying; sobbing. She clung to his waist, her head resting on his shoulder, her tears trickling down his now bare chest and making his wounds sting. But he couldn't even feel the sting. All he saw was the woman holding him - that strong, daring, beautiful woman in front of him - and all he could hear were her sobs, her voice...she sounded so sad. She sounded so...broken. It was the only word he could think of to describe it.

Mine, what's going on? You can't seem to decide on anything, or even think about anything right now.

Asdra nearly jumped. He'd completely forgotten about everything else, including his own dragon. He looked down, and saw Aria's eyes looking back into his...I could stare into those eyes for hours...I could get lost in them... Asdra shook himself. What am I thinking!? I need to help her first!

Mine? Do you need my help?

Asdra paused. For a moment, everything was hitting him at once; Cylferth's concern, the worry coming from Jyluu and the blue dragonet - Kiddo, he thought the name was - Aria clinging to him, her tears running through the scrapes that practically covered him...and he forced himself to organize his thoughts.

Yes, there is something I could use your help for. I need you to come to where I am and help Aria's dragon, Finscoth.

Finscoth? I remember Finscoth...yes, I'll be right there, mine.

Good.

With that taken care of, he turned his full attention back to Aria. In all honesty, he had no idea quite how to handle this; he'd never been much of a people person in any sense of the term, but...Aria was different. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about her...he just liked being around her much more than he ever thought he would, even if she questioned him or downright yelled at him - a reaction he was used to from pretty much everyone - all in all, he really and truly enjoyed her company...except now she just seemed so unlike herself...

"Aria..." he said softly. He moved his arms to hold her - when did he start smoothing her hair? - and he pulled her close. "Aria, calm down. I...I don't know what I could say to comfort you, if anything. I can only barely understand what you must be feeling right now. I don't want to even think about thinking about what I'd do if I lost Cylferth, even if he and I don't seem to get along well. But I can't stand seeing you like this, Aria. Where's that girl I met one day that was annoyed at me just for sitting at the same table? Where's the Aria that always had an opinion, and was going to share it come hell or high waters? I know it's hard, and I know I probably can't help much, but..." Asdra trailed off. But what? He didn't know quite how to finish that...how could he finish that?

"Aria, let me help you. Anything you need, and if I can do something about it I will. Just say the word." He flashed her a quick smirk and a wink, but his usual spirit wasn't quite in it. He really wanted her to cheer up; it wasn't just his usual snarky manner. He wanted her to know how he felt about her - how did he feel about her? - and this seemed a good way to pass that on.

Cobalt started chattering away madly at Cylferth as the blue got himself ready to leave.

Pipe down, Cylferth snapped at the flitter. Everything's fine, I'll be back soon. Don't think of doing anything foolish, you absurd little cousin.

And with that, Cylferth left a still-chattering Cobalt alone in Asdra's quarters.

Aria burrowed herself as close to the comforting arms that held her as she could manage without knocking both of them over. She knew Asdra was trying to help, she could feel that in the way he held her; in the way he smoothed his hand over her hair. It was in the way he spoke to her and the way his body was hovering almost protectively around hers. He'd told her to calm down, told her her behavior was unlike her, but what was she to do? Finscoth was just so sick and it was all her fault. How could she do anything other than worry herself sick. She knew not taking care of herself wouldn't help anything with the green, but everytime she'd try and get some sleep she'd have nightmares about waking up to see the green she loved so dearly dead and her spirit blaming her for not loving her enough to keep her alive. It was her own private fear, and it had taken an obvious toll on her mind, body, and soul. His words did make sense to her, but what could she do?

Unknown to the distressed young woman outside, Finscoth had woken up the moment her lifemate had started crying. The green knew it was partially her fault that her normally volitile lifemate was so upset. She never meant for it to be, but usually it was. Finscoth knew her fragile health had been a concern for a while for Aria and that the things said to both of them by those people still haunted them both. She also knew there was something she could do to help Asdra and Cylferth help she and Aria. So it was very wearily that the green's mental voice reached out first to her brother. Cylferth, I know you are coming to help me. I am sorry for upsetting yours so much though. When you get here, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like for you to lay down next to me. I am sorry to ask, but I just can't seem to stay warm on my own. Aria has tried to help me...but I only upset her more. Then to Asdra, her voice even weaker, she spoke again. Do not react to my voice, Asdra, or Aria will know I am awake. I wish to help you with her but I don't exactly know how. I know that she has nightmares whenever she tries to sleep alone and that if you can calm her and promise to remain at her side, she may get some much needed sleep. Once she does, she may regain some of the strength my illness has taken from the both of us. Will you do this thing for me, please? The green's weary tone fluttered faintly in the bluerider's mind, making it obvious just how weak she was. That she still wanted to help Aria said volumes about just how devoted the dragons were to their chosen.

Still unaware from her place just outside her weyr, Aria tried once again to calm herself and do as Asdra had asked. "I don't know what to do Asdra; don't know who to ask for help or even if I did what to ask them for. I know this isn't like me, don't you realize that?!" Frustrated anger made its way past the sorrow that clung to her and it seemed to be an improvement because Aria started animating a bit more. "Don't you think I realize that I'm going to destroy myself if I don't get it together? That I'll destroy Fin if I'm not strong enough to keep her alive?! I see the others with dragons that are healthy every day and wonder what it would be like not to have to worry about my own dragon so much. What it would be like if she wasn't so sick and those people weren't always telling us that she won't make it to a year old; that she was a mistake and should be killed. I've spent every waking moment since I Impressed Finscoth fighting for her life and my own. Those people don't care that it would destroy me if they took Fin from me and they don't care! They helped give her to me so I can't hate them, but I hate what they do to us!" She leaned back away from him slightly, though not enough to break the circle of his arms. She was angry at herself and at the words of the geneticists, not at Asdra or anyone else. How she was acting showed that more plainly than any words could; that and the fact that while she was upset and even angry, she still wanted Asdra to remain close to her. Then all at once the anger leaked out of her again and a wave of fresh tears spilt from her eyes. "I'm tired Asdra, just so damned tired all the time. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. I don't know how to help Fin anymore. I don't know how to be strong for her anymore. I've tried, God knows I've tried, but I don't know what else to do." She looked up at him desperately as if he might have the answers she so desperately sought.

Jyluu and Kiddo watched the scene with worried eyes as their stong Pet had her breakdown. Both had the feeling she needed it, but both also knew she needed sleep just as desperately. Cuddled together as they were, the two dragonets waited and watched and knew there was nothing they could do. They just had to hope that Asdra did know.

Cylferth heard his sister's voice in his head. It sounded weak, distant.
Cylferth, I know you are coming to help me. I am sorry for upsetting yours so much though. When you get here, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like for you to lay down next to me. I am sorry to ask, but I just can't seem to stay warm on my own. Aria has tried to help me...but I only upset her more.

To himself, Cylferth said, I'm coming, Finscoth. I'll be there soon. Then to Finscoth, he said I can do that. I'll be there shortly, Finscoth. He could only hope everything would be alright soon.


Meanwhile, Asdra was being buffeted on all sides. In front of him, he had Aria completely losing herself - something he'd never, ever thought he'd see happen - and while he was trying to comfort her a voice he didn't recognize spoke in his head, saying Do not react to my voice, Asdra, or Aria will know I am awake.

Asdra was suddenly very glad that Aria had pulled him closer, because he felt his eyes widen slightly before he caught himself and regained his composure.
I wish to help you with her but I don't exactly know how. I know that she has nightmares whenever she tries to sleep alone and that if you can calm her and promise to remain at her side, she may get some much needed sleep. Once she does, she may regain some of the strength my illness has taken from the both of us. Will you do this thing for me, please?

Suddenly, the biggest piece fell into place. She was so low on sleep her mind was nowhere near its right state. He kept his smirk of satisfaction at knowing how to solve a problem to himself; something he couldn't ever remember doing. A small voice in his head started screaming things he could barely understand - he assumed that was his instincts coming through - and he ignored it.

He looked down, and saw Aria's eyes - by the stars, they were beautiful eyes! - and he said "Aria...I think what you need right now is a good, long sleep. Why don't we get you into bed? I'll stay with you, if you'd like. Say the word, Aria, and I'll never leave you again, ever. That much I can promise you. I..." he trailed off. Was he really about to say what he thought he was about to say just then? Whether I was or not, he decided, now is most certainly not a good time to say that, I think. He put a muscled arm around her shoulders and went to lead her through the door, towards her bed. "Come now. Just lie down, and get some rest. You'll feel much better then. I'll stay here, if you'd like, until you fall asleep. But you need the rest."

Just then, he watched Cylferth fly through into the room. Cylferth looked to the green dragon, curled up in her spot in the room, and without a word laid down and put one wing over his clutchmate, sliding as close as he could.

This should work, mine. Cylferth said directly to Asdra. You're doing the right thing.

So glad you approve, Cylferth. Asdra thought back.