Sleep Well My Love

It was not something he could help. Sleep came quickly for him. In this condition that is all his body wanted to do, deep sleep and recover.

A voice breaks the night sounds.

“Sacha, come to me, come talk with me. Sacha.”

Sacha moves under the covers. He grabs her hand but she pulls against him. When did this woman get so strong, but then he remembered how weak and hurt he was.

Sacha’s eyes where lost not focused on anything.  Her body moved towards the voice, turning with it as it circled the house to find a way in.

Legarde pulled her down to him and she fell on top of him. His wounds were closed now but her fall on him hurt and he cried out. It should have woken her but it didn’t.

“Why talk to her Miranda? Why ignore me?”

Miranda screamed. Sacha tugged against him. 

“Sacha stop!” He had to hold on to her or he would loose his grip. He wrapped her in his arms and found a rope she had placed beside him earlier.

He tied her arm to his. Then continued to wrap the rope around both their waists.

“Sacha wake up!”

Tied together she was not going anywhere.

“Miranda! What can I say to convince you? Let me return the balance. Lord Fuller wants to…”

Miranda cut him off  “Lord Fuller sent his Mage to kill me. Now he sends you.”

“What did you to with the Guardian Curral’s Mage?”

“He is at the bottom of the well, where I should have sent you. I will not make the same mistake this night. Come out! Let me in!”

“Miranda! Was he wearing his Guardian’s Artifact?

“Of course he was, even called out for him. Curral never came. He would never face me. Not for that. Curral Understands. They all need to understand. Sacha needs to understand!”

“Understand what?”

“That you are being betrayed, and so you betray me! There needs to be a new order. The old one will fall. Let me take you before then. Sacha will understand.”

“Help me understand.”

“You won’t understand. Release her let her come to me. Let me release you to the well!”

There was no reaching her she would not be giving up her artifact, and Guardian Curral’s artifact was inside the well. Legarde would have to come back. He was in no hurry. No one else would be-able to do it. But then there was reason to hurry. Guardian Curral is under no one’s control, had no mage to speak through and would soon become vile. He couldn’t fight in his condition and reasoning would not help. What did she mean? Where they beyond saving?

“What is your new order? Miranda. Reason with me. If you won’t give me the artifacts to give the Lords then reason with me. Tell me what it is you mean to do. What will the guardians do?”

“I will not tell you, I will not give you anything. I want only Sacha. I want you dead, and want out of this place!”

He had never heard of a Guardian going mad. She had told me all I needed to know and Sacha would not survive it.

“You will not have her. Hear my terms Guardian Miranda! Give me both artifacts. You will have a new Lord and a new Mage and eventually a new city to guard!”

“Legarde you don’t listen. Come out!” She started to scream. A chilling scream.

“No! Miranda!”

There were no more words from her only wails. Wails that would wake the dead but not Sacha. Closed eyes sleeping calmly in his arms. He was far from calm and very confused. Was he to believe her that the Guardians had plans? Or was this just the wails of a hunted Guardian that had become mad from her loneliness.  He reflected on her words as the wails faded off into the darkness.

Then he faded into the darkness of his dreams

SACHA AWOKE. The morning sun shone through the window. They had made it through the night. The night that had passed for her like a whisper.

He was so close to her his hands tucked into all the forbidden places. He was asleep his light snore a purr in her ear. Still she moved her arm to shift his. In reaching to first tackle the arm placed to secure the treasure between her legs she felt resistance. Pulling the covers off her she sees the ropes and how fastened they were together. She pushed at him and as she pushed and moved she felt another thing prodding at her to find comfort.

He woke with a groan. Still half asleep only tried to shift her position to better fit with him and replace his hands. Pulling her closer so that the over part of him could nestle naturally between her.

“No! Wake up!” She elbowed him “Why have you tied me to you like this!”

He kissed the back of her neck. “Sorry.” He removed his hands. “Who is the Shit Mage now?  Sleep walker!”

“I am not a Mage, and I do not sleep walk.”

“Tell that to Miranda.” He went to work undoing the knots “Last night you would have sleep walked right into Miranda’s arms to join her army of bodies at the bottom of that well.” It would have actually been much worse than that but he would not worry her more.

She vaguely remembered her dream. “She was calling to me, she wanted to talk to me. I told you I can talk to her. I can reach her.”

“She was calling you, but it was not to just talk Sacha. If you have spoken to Guardians before, I would avoid doing so in the future.”

“In my dream you were speaking to her. Did you get the artifact?”

“No. She is done playing games with me, she wants you. We have to leave today. Things will only get worse from here.”

He unwrapped them from the rope. Then started packing his belongings back into the bag. He tried to stand.

Sacha Protested. “You cannot stand. You will burst out of your stitches.”

He put her hand to his chest. “I told you I heal. Thank you so much you helped it along so much faster.” Then he kissed her hand.

She frowned as she unwrapped some of the bandage. It would have taken a normal man 2 weeks to get to this point. “But you are still in so much pain.”

He stood up carefully and painfully, and she helped him up.

“Fear!”  He yelled. Far off in the distance you could hear him coming.

“I still don’t think you are in any condition to ride.”

“Please don’t argue anymore Sacha we are leaving this place now. Even if Fear has to drag me. We are leaving.”

He kissed her cheek. Thank you for caring so well for me, but I have to see Rose.  I have been poisoned. And even though my wounds are healing I can still feel the poison tearing me apart.

She swallowed her thoughts. He needed Rose then she would have to go back. No matter what it would mean for her.