(no subject)
Firiel: *goes to drop Hygd off with Artamir and/or Theo, or anyone, to take care of*
Arvedui: *is still bed-bound because he gets dizzy when he tries to get up* >.<
Firiel: *knocks on his door to see if he can take her because she can't find Artamir*
Arvedui: *can't get up to open it, settles for pretending to be too engrossed in a book to do it* ...Come in.
Firiel: *enters quietly, looking at him for a moment, eyes red from crying, whispering, trying to breathe properly* Hi... Can I... can I leave Hygd with you?
Arvedui: o_o *wants to go to her side so badly, but he can't...* Firiel... What's wrong? *sits up in the bed*
Firiel: *sinks into a chair and lowers her head, still whispering* Gorlim is dead...
Arvedui: *ok, dizziness be damned, gets up, shaking a bit when the room spins, but manages to reach her side and sit on the floor at her feet, holding her hands* Firiel... I'm... I'm so sorry for you. *honest, worried*
Firiel: *sighs and wipes her eyes* I knew he'd leave one of these days... Everyone does... *looks at him* Arvedui.... what's wrong?
Arvedui: *waves a hand dismissivly* I'll be fine... Firiel, is there anything you need? I can take Hygd for a while, but is there anything else I can do for you? To ease your pain? *really, really worried*
Firiel: No... *closes her eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks* I just have to accept it...
Arvedui: *sighs, ignoring the the sudden diziness that comes with it* Firiel, if you need to talk... I'm here for you, always. *gentle tone*
Firiel: There's nothing left to talk about now. *dries her cheeks and stands up slowly* It's... is it all right if I leave her with you?
Arvedui: *wants to nod, but thinks better of it* Yes, it's all right... Are you going somewhere though?
Firiel: *slight shrug* Somewhere quiet, I suppose...
Arvedui: All right. Be careful, love... *worried*
Firiel: *nods slightly and offers the child*
Arvedui: *takes very, very carefully, getting a bit pale as another wave of dizziness hits him, but manages to keep his expression calm and his hands steady*
Firiel: *notices his discolor even through tear-filled eyes, and frowns, putting her hand to his forehead* What's wrong?
Arvedui: I'll be fine, don't worry about me. >.>
Firiel: *whispers again* You don't look fine...
Arvedui: *sighs* It's temporary. Nothing to worry about.
Firiel: *bites her lip, frowning, worried* What is it?
Arvedui: I fainted again, Theo was there. It could be because of that. >.>
Firiel: You fainted again? o.o *wipes her eyes and takes him to the bed slowly, sitting him down* What happened?
Arvedui: *gets dizzy from the movement, leaning on her a bit until he is seated again* It was during the fighting practice. It was like the thing that happened some years back. >.> *really, really doesn't want to have to tell her the reason for that*
Firiel: *kneels in front of him, taking the child carefully so he can get comfortable* But how...? How did you faint?
Arvedui: *sighs and speaks very, very softly, hoping she won't hear* I couldn't breath.
Firiel: *almost falls over, wide-eyed* What?
Arvedui: *repeats, just as softly*
Firiel: *stares for a moment, then cups his cheek and feels his forehead* Why...?
Arvedui: Because... *sighs again, really not wanting to say this, but sees no way around it without lying - which he'll never do - not to her* Because I was born that way.
Firiel: I... I don't understand... what do you mean, Arvedui?
Arvedui: Firiel... *searches for the right words* When I was born the Healers said my lungs were not... right. They were right, though it wasn't important until I started my weapons practice... To this day, I can't fight with an ordinary sword - only a lighter one. Instead of developing better lung and heart stamina, I just have difficulty breathing... I'm sorry, Firiel. I never told you... I thought it wouldn't matter. *looks away, ashamed*
Firiel: *sits on the floor and keeps looking at him, searching to see if he's really okay, softly* You should have told me...
Arvedui: *shame* I know.. I just hoped... It's been a very long time since I had anything like that happen to me... I thought it might have disappeared or something.
Firiel: *frowns and sighs* Well, sit against the headboard... I'll bring you tea. *stands up again and cradles Hygd carefully*
Arvedui: You don't have to do that. You wanted to go... I'll be fine, really. I'll take Hygd, and you can go someplace quiet... *gentle tone, not wanting her to bother with him while she's obviously distraught*
Firiel: *shakes her head, speaking as if thinking aloud* No, you have to get better...
Arvedui: ...o.o Firiel, I'll be fine. Really. It lasts a day and then it passes. *knows from experience*
Firiel: No, it's all right, Arvedui... *gives him Hygd, softly* Watch her while I'm making tea?
Arvedui: *takes and cradles Hygd gently, seeing that she's intent on this* ...All right.
Firiel: *closes her eyes for a moment, then bends and kisses his forehead* I'll be back.
Arvedui: *only nods in a worried way, fearing he may be causing her more distress*
Firiel: *goes to the kitchens to find tea and water, a kettle and cups, making the tea and returning*
Arvedui: *has been letting Hygd play with his hair and when Firi enters and he looks up he winces as Hygd pulls a bit too strong on it*
Firiel: *frowns and sets the tea next to his bed, offering to take Hygd back so he can drink in peace*
Arvedui: *gives Hygd back to her and takes the tea, sipping at it slowly* Thank you. For everything. *still worried for her*
Firiel: *nods* Of course, Arvedui... *sits at the foot of the bed and strokes Hygd's back absently*
Arvedui: *blinks* ... *blinks again, unable to find anything to say to that... coldness in her statement*
Firiel: *sighs and scoots back to sit with her legs crossed, looking at him from time to time*
Arvedui: *his gaze alternates betwen her, the baby in her arms and the slowly-cooling tea in his hands, not wanting to say anything in fear that he'll simply make matters worse*
Firiel: *opens her mouth to say something, then hesitates and closes it, tries again, and again falters* *settles for clinging to the baby*
Arvedui: *in the end he sighs and speaks softly* Firiel, if you want to say something, say it... You can say anything you want to me, I'll always listen.
Firiel: *sighs also* I just... *barely a whisper* wanted to know if I could sit with you... It doesn't matter.
Arvedui: o.o Of course you can, love! It does matter - it's something you want. More than that, it's something you have every right to ask for - and have it. Firiel... Come here... *pats the place next to him gently*
Firiel: *looks at him, almost scared, and goes to sit next to him, holding the baby tightly as if she'd lose her if she let go*
Arvedui: *looks at her with worry, not understanding why she would fear him so, why she would be reluctant to even ask him a simple thing as sitting next to him* I don't bite. *touches her shoulder very gently, as if afraid she'll flee at any moment*
Firiel: *nods slightly* I know... *takes his hand in hers and squeezes it tightly*I... I don't want to lose you, too...
Arvedui: *squeezes hers back, finally understanding her response* You won't, love, you won't. I promised you I won't leave you, and I won't. No matter what. *honest*
Firiel: *looks at him carefully* Gorlim said the same thing, Arvedui... *shifts Hygd and wraps her free arm around him, clinging as well as she can*
Arvedui: *nods, having surmised as much* I see. I thought I would be able to wait until we're home to give you this, but I suppose it doesn't matter when you have it, and now seems like a good time. *takes out a small wooden box, with the white tree carved and painted on it, from a pocket and offers it to her*
Firiel: *takes it carefully, tracing a finger over the tree, then looks at him*
Arvedui: Open it. It's yours. *inside, he knows, there would be the silver chain with the crystal Star-of-the-North pendant attched to it*
Firiel: *opens it carefully with her free hand, inhaling sharply when she sees the pendant* That's... Arvedui... thank you.
Arvedui: There's more. Touch it. Don't be alarmed by the glow... It has a bit of me in it. This way, you can touch the pendant and feel if I am in danger, and if you are in danger while touching it, I will know as well. *more softly* I will always be bound to this pendant - to you. Even if I die, my soul will know that this is where I belong and so I will always find my way back to Mandos, and back to you. Always.
Firiel: *touches the crystal lightly, closing her eyes when she notices what he means by "feeling him," then rests her head on his shoulder and clings tightly, greatly having needed this reassurance* *whispers* Thank you.
Arvedui: *wraps an arm around her shoulders and holds her close, whispering as well* Anything for you, beloved.
Firiel: *buries her face in his shoulder and clings tightly*
Arvedui: *rests his head on her shoulder gently, keeping her close to him as much as he can without squishing Hygd*
Firiel: *sniffles and holds him tightly, still afraid to let go*
Arvedui: *rubs her back very gently, letting her cry if she wishes to*
Firiel: *does cry -- just a little bit, and hugs him tightly*
Arvedui: *whispers soothingly* It's all right, love... I'm here for you... It's all right... *hugs back just as tightly*
Firiel: *breathes deeply and controls her tears, drying his now-wet neck*
Arvedui: ...Firiel, how are you feeling now? *worried, wanting to be reassured himself about her emotional and mental well-being*
Firiel: *softly* I'm... I'm better now. Thank you.
Arvedui: *tiny nod* You're welcome, love, as always.
Firiel: *sees that Hygd has fallen asleep, so she sets her down on the bed carefully, then wraps both arms around Arvedui and clings tightly*
Arvedui: *wraps his own arms around Firiel rightly and clings back*
Firiel: *kisses his neck gently and makes no move of letting go*
Arvedui: *isn't willing to let go either, cuddles her gently, clinging*
Firiel: *snuggles close to him, wanting to feel his warmth, then looks at the box with the pendant* ...will you put that on? So I can always touch it....?
Arvedui: *nods* Of course. *takes the chain with the pendant from the box and slips it over Firiel's head so that she's wearing it with the pendant gently resting in the valley between her breasts, and kisses her forhead*
Firiel: *kisses his cheek* Thank you. *touches it gently and returns to holding him tightly*
Arvedui: *hugs her just as tightly, loving her warmth and hoping he made her feel a bit better*
Firiel: *does feel better, closes her eyes and rests gently against him*