Cold

[fleetingstars]

Isabella was numb. Every ounce of skin that was exposed was red and raw from the biting winds. The snowflakes barely melted upon her now icy skin. Her pale white skinned was rubbed, wet, and dead looking. The tall winds knocked her fatigued body around in the skies. She no longer had the strength to control where she was going. She merely clung to the winds, floating upon them. She kept her eyes open and narrowed. She refused to allow her body to plead cold and shiver. She kept her body still besides the basic tilting that kept her in the air.

I won't give up now. I still have strength. Isabella attempted to reassure herself. You can do this Isabella, you're not tired. She was pleading with her body through her mind.

She still had no idea where she was going. She didn't have a plan. She just knew she had to escape her past. Escape the fear, and live life standing on her own two feet.

Billowing, one burst of cold air, took with it all of her remaining strength. She was falling, but she didn't have enough energy to either stop it or to land gracefully. Her head lolled around on her neck as she tried to steady her fading vision. The winds would not support her light weight any longer, and her body thudded violently to a hault upon a stone floor. She opened her eyes and her tired body would not respond to her pleas for it to help her up.

Isabella gasped for air that would not come. She pulled all of her strength until finally, she forced air into her lungs. She took a few more breaths until she could no longer keep her eyes open. She closed them, lying on the cold ground, too numb to notice, clinging to consciousness as best she could. Her small mound of body began to blend her white and silver features with the snowfall as her shaky breathing rattled her insides and her black eyelashes drooped shut.

Her body had given in, it needed rest to be able to move again.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu walked through the rocky terrain, his shoulders hunched over, a scowl planted on his pale face. The insistent winds continued to blow, it did little to affect him, he wasn't very cold, but it kept blowing his bangs into his face, obscuring his already horrible vision.

The snow seemed to make everything blend together and as it continued to fall even the rocks protruding from the ground were being hidden. Occasionally he would stumble on a rock that was hidden beneath the mass of tiny ice crystals. A string of silent curses escaping his lips as if he was exhaling. His gold eyes swept toward the sky, trying to find a bird or other creature that may be flying to wards a town or at least shelter. He caught sight of a creature falling from the sky at an alarming rate, but he could tell it was no bird.

Running as fast as he could to catch up to the creature and find out what it was he saw it land in the snow, sending up a spray of white around it's body. Ryuu cautiously walked closer, his eyes narrowed as he examined the body. His face contorted into that of surprise, it appeared to be a young girl, but not just and girl, it was an angel, or at least appeared to be so. The wind had done massive damage to her delicate pale skin and she looked like she was weak and in pain.

He was unsure at first whether to help her, after all you never know if someone is a friend or foe, even an angel. But taking another look at her battered body he knew he would feel guilty for the rest of his existence if he left her out here to most likely die. Taking off his cape he bent down and wrapped her in it, carefully making sure not to crush her wings and picked up her frail body. She felt amazingly light in his arms as he had no trouble picking her up.

Looking around the rocky terrain he saw a cave in a not too far off cliff face. Walking to wards the darkened opening in the solid rock wall he thought about the possible ways that the events following her awakening might take place. Many thoughts raced through his head at an almost overwhelming rate. He barely noticed the cave approaching until he was actually inside.

The cave was dry and alot less cold than outside. It also sheltered them from the relentless winds. Walking to the back of the cave Ryuu gently placed the girl down on her side, making sure that the cape was secure around her body. He then walked alittle ways away so that when she woke up she wouldn't be startled and get the wrong idea although she still may seeing as how it was a male who had saved her. Sitting down he let out a fatigued sigh and leaned against the cave wall, closing his eyes and resting momentarily.

[fleetingstars]

In her dream, he was there.

It was cold, in her dream. She knew it was, although she couldn't feel it. She figured her body had become so cold, that it was now numb. She was lost. Everything around her was white and nothing stood out. She couldn't remember which direction she was supposed to be going, or why she was running that way in the first place. She began at a trotting pace, running in the direction she thought was west. She felt free and relaxed. The cold air smelled nice and fresh. It gave her a sense of safety and comfort, just in the smell of it. She glanced over her shoulder just quickly out of habit, and there he was. He was just standing there looking angry. then he yelled her name. He bolted, running after her. She spread her wings and took flight. She couldn't feel any wind on her face for she figured that was numb as well. She was fast, but a sudden force kept her from getting any higher in the sky. She was faster at running. She leapt back to the ground and kept running. As fast as he sprinted, the distance between them just kept getting shorter. He was closing in on her with his cold sharp eyes. She felt her fear and anxiety, building up inside of her, but she couldn't stop them, as much as she tried. She couldn't run any more. She couldn't will her lungs to breathe, or her legs to move. She had no choice but to stop, unwillingly. He reached her in no time. She closed her eyes praying he wouldn't touch her. His face bent next to her ear. "Your a Murderer now." he told her. " You are worse than me." He whispered these venomous words into her ear canal. She opened her eyes in fear to see his piercing dark brown eyes glaring back into hers. He had that hungry look on his face. "You owe me." He shouted at her. He stretched out a rough hand to grab her." Her fears comfirmed, her lips open and a loud echoing "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" filled the silence. Another loud scream escaped hre lips.

It was this scream that awoke her. Her own scream, it was. She curled her body into a ball and sobbed for a few seconds until she could calm herself down. He wasn't here it was just a dream, a nightmare. He was gone, and could never hurt her again. She loosened her body knot and took in her surroundings. Gray cave walls filled her eyesight. There were jagged rocks and rough looking floors all around. Her mind flooded back to her body's tired state she last remembered. She was still sore, she could feel her muscles straining to allow her to clutch her knees to her chest there on her side. She began slowly to try and pull herself to her full height on her feet. It was a bit painful, but she managed to stand. Her body was still tired and felt weak. She pulled her wings in, allowing them to conceal inside of her. She was turning to look at the other half of the cave when her eyes saw another being there.

She was taken off guard, and found her breath escaping her. She was suddenly very frightened altough she did not know if this man was bad or good. She tried to turn to back away, but a rock took her by surprise. She tripped and fell. Her knees slid across the rough floor and were both skinned open. Ignoring the silent screams of pain in her mind and the burning sensation on her knees, she quicly crawled behind a small boulder and leaned against a wall. Once more she pulled in her knees to her chest, the position she felt most protected in. She knew she was not out of sight, but slowly as the breathing came back to her, she did not feel as frightened. Her big silver eyes, stared at him intently. She made no move to speak to this being but instead found her mind wiped blank as she just sat there, frozen.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu's eyes snapped open at the sound of a scream. Turning to wards the girl he saw her up and clearly frightened, the cape he had placed around her flew to the ground in her quick attempt to stand. He made no movement to wards her as he watched her stumble back, not wanting to frighten her more. He could hear the sound of the skin on her knees tearing as they met the rough floor, scraping her delicate skin mercilessly. He was not surprised to see her recede into the shadows, hiding behind a rock and peering out at him. It almost reminded him of a kitten, curious to know what's going on but too scared to really do anything until she knows it's safe.

Standing up Ryuu slowly bent down and picked up the cape, folding it over his arm. He walked to the back of the cave where she was slowly and kneeled in front of her, but at a distance as to not make her anymore uncomfortable. He felt bad that he had scared the girl so much, she must be hopelessly lost and being in a cave with a man she knew nothing about probably wasn't making the situation any more comforting to her. His face held little expression but his eyes had a gentle but strong look in them. He sighed silently, not really wanting to have to speak to the girl so soon. Gathering a small amount of energy he created the mental link needed to use his telepathy in order to speak to her, " My name is Ryuu, I don't mean you any harm. I saw you fall to the ground a little while ago and felt that it would be wrong to leave you out in the cold to suffer and die. I have done nothing to take advantage of you while you've rested and you still look weak. You can rest here for as long as you need and I will stay with you...if you'd like me to of course I wouldn't stay if you didn't want me to that would be intrusion.

He smiled at her alittle, his expression still somewhat distant and spacey. He held out the cape to her, wondering if she would take it or tell him to leave, "If you'd like I would be more than happy to bandage your knees for you, they don't look too bad but you should get them bandaged up before they get infected. Oh and I know it may seem strange that I'm talking to you telepathically but that's the only form of communication I have, I'm mute."

[fleetingstars]

The man came and kneeled before her. She didn't move, but simply rested her chin on her bloody knees as a voice flooded her mind. She slowly began to nod to show that she understood what he was somehow communicating to her. Why would he rescue me? I don't even know him. Isabella's knees truly stung now and she picked up her head and loosened her grip around her legs. He had saved her. That is how she had gotten here. Why hadn't I thought about it?And he was right she still was weak. Every muscle in her body answered that statement in exhaustion. He smiled at her slightly and she smiled slightly back. How is this working? Can he hear my thoughts? Telepathically. Isabella understood now how he was communicating with her and why. I really hope he can't read my thoughts. He will think I am mentally challenged like everyone else. She nodded again, before opening her mouth a little to offer a reply to his offers.

Her soft voice was almost a whisper as she spoke to Ryuu. She looked down as she spoke. She never was good at looking people in the eyes. "I'm Isabella. I am very tired now that you mention it. I'm sorry I was frightened of you at first. I should really thank you."She looked into his yellow eyes. She hadn't spoken this much to a stranger before. She really wasn't a very talkative person. "Thank you, I appreciate it." She smiled a real smile to show her appreciation and let her dimples play across her face. Her introvert self, shining back through, she brought her gaze back to the ground. "Stay, really it's no intrusion." She stretched out her legs a little to depict that he could bandage her knees for her; she actually had no clue how to. She hoped he would understand what this gesture meant, and that she would not have to speak it allowed. She felt bad for relying so greatly on a stranger. She was the intrusion, not he.

But there was no way she could go anywhere. She doubted she could really walk let alone fly she was so exhausted. She could barely think anymore and she struggled to keep her eyes open. "I'm sorry about your voice, and um thanks again." She strangled the words out of her mouth, before her pale eyelids and thick black lashes could no longer resist sleep and she dozed temporarily with her cheek and her back against the cold stonewall.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu listened to Isabella intently, noting how her voice was so gentle. He realized how tired she was, carefully taking note on how every word she said became more and more strained and how short her sentences were, but that also may be because she was shy and he was a stranger. He let out a sigh when she had once again fallen asleep, he felt awful that he could do so little to someone who was in so much pain. Carefully pulling out the small first aid pack that he always carried with him he set it on the ground and opened it, pulling out the peroxide. Taking some gauze he carefully cleaned the wound, hoping that the stinging sensation that lasted for a few seconds after the clear, pungent liquid was applied would not wake her. Taking another gauze he carefully cleaned the blood off of her chin knowing that if it dried and stayed there it would become cracked and itchy on her skin, making it very uncomfortable for her to sleep. Not to mention that if it was left for too long it might have stained until it washed properly, giving the skin a red tint until all traces of the crimson substance had completely vanished. Ryuu then pulled out some bandages, wrapping them securely around her knees to help stop the bleeding. The white material started to tint a light red, barely visible to the human eye but clear to his keen demonic ones and he knew that the bandages would probably have to be changed after she woke up.

Ryuu put the first aid kit away and slowly stood up, advancing to wards Isabella. Gently pulling her to wards him he let her head rest on his chest while he carefully wrapped her in the cape once again, assuming that she was probably still freezing and the light dress that covered her pale body probably didn't do much to shield her from such harsh conditions. Picking her up Ryuu brought her out of the shadows of the rocks and to where he had originally placed her. This time though, he sat next to her but once again not too close he still didn't know if she felt completely comfortable around him. Glancing at her back he noticed that she no longer had her wings. Ryuu examined her back alittle more closely but then drew back, just assuming that she was somehow able to pull them into her back to hide them or to make it easier to walk around in case they were heavy. He'd definitely have to ask her about it when she got up because he was mildly curious about them. But he was also slightly curious about this woman, he wanted to know alittle more about the mysterious person that he was currently tending to. One question that came to his mind repeatedly was 'why was this woman out alone in such a terrible storm?'

[fleetingstars]

Isabella's mind sank slowly into darkness as a deep sleep fell over her. She couldn't hear anything or feel anything. Her body was numb and she could no longer feel the cold. It was black where she was and she thought nothing could disturb her. But then she began to dream.

She dreamed at first of the parents she never knew. She dreamed they were happy, a good family. She, too was happy and joyful. But then, she got lost, and no one was there any more. She ran around frantically searching for someone to help her. No one. Nothing. Stillness. Silence. She sat down and hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face as she cried, frightened and alone. And then, a voice, one she recognized filled her ears. "I can help you, come with me." She looked up to see his face. The one she hated, the one she was afraid of. She knew he was bad, but yet she couldn't help being grateful, and in this dream, she couldn't remember why he was bad.

She followed him like a lost puppy. As they approached a secluded house in the woods, it suddenly all came back to her. She looked at his back. He was entering the house now, calling her to him. She looked for a place to hide. There was a tree above a stream not to far from what she could tell. She began running. She turned to look back without listening to her conscious begging her to resist. He was bolting toward her, angry as she could tell. He was gaining on her. He was just about to grab her when a stranger reached out and grabbed her instead. He pulled her into the tree, into safety. She couldn't see his face through the shadows, but she was very grateful to him. Who is he? she wondered. But he was her protector, for he had saved her.

The dream began to fade and she sunk deeper into darkness, feeling safer than she would have thought possible. And in that darkness she stayed for hours, sleeping and re-energizing her body.

She awoke to very little light in the cave. She sat up and pulled Ryuu's cape tightly around her body, she was freezing and her entire body still ached. She turned to find him with her eyes.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu sat in silence as he waited for Isabella to wake up. He enjoyed the chance to just sit back and slow down, even if he'd have to be u again soon to find shelter, this cave would only stay dry for so long. Soon the winds would begin to blow the massive snow drifts into the mouth of the cave, either burying the two alive or atleast imprisoning them so that they would eventually freeze.

His gaze drifted over to Isabella and then up to the ceiling. He ran his hand along the bandages that bound his neck, the scarred skin underneath was sensitive, making him wince and quickly withdraw his hand, he doubted that the wound would ever fully heal and he knew that he would carry the scar for the rest of his life.

His keen ears picked up the slightest movement from Isabella. He slowly turned his head to face her, his gaze locking onto her's for a quick second before he averted his eyes to the ground, showing little emotion, You're awake, that's good to see. How are you feeling, you slept for a while..."

His eyes rested on the girl for a long moment. She seemed so frail and vulnerable and yet, strong in a way. He felt sorrow and admiration looking at her though he really wasn't sure why. And he was compelled to her in a way. He wanted to know more about her and why she was out in such a terrible storm like this. He remained deep in though for a few moments before again looking to her, I'm going to go find and inn to stay at when the storm lets up alittle, this cave will only be a good shelter for so long. I was wondering if you'd like to come with me once you feel a little better. It would be a good chance for you to rest up and fully recover.

[fleetingstars]

Isabella gazed at Ryuu, holding his gaze with her own eyes. She felt very thankful to him. He had saved her, not knowing who she was or why she was there to begin with. It was a selfless act she admired.

A sudden blast of cold air filled the cavern, whipping her hair about in the wind. A chill ran up her spine and her aching body shuddered in the cold. She clutched the cloak tighter to her body. She could feel the wind burn on chapped cheeks that she was sure were bright red. Her ears filled again with the sound of his internal voice. "I am feeling more energized, and my knees feel better, thank you. And thanks for the cloak too." Her voice filled the technical silence and it cracked loudly. She was glad for her chapped cheeks now because she could feel herself blush underneath that from embarrassment. Her low voice cracked frequently but it never ceased to embarrass her.

Slowly letting her embarrassment pass, Isabella kept her eyes on the rough and cold floor. It's texture felt as if it was making an imprint in her legs in places. She heard his voice again I'm going to go find and inn to stay at when the storm lets up alittle, this cave will only be a good shelter for so long. I was wondering if you'd like to come with me once you feel a little better. It would be a good chance for you to rest up and fully recover. Isabella sat there for a moment, mulling what he had said over. He didnt seem too dangerous, and she did need a good place to recover. She looked at him, trying to make a connection between their eyes. "Sure, I'll come with you. I could use some heat." She gave a little chuckle, realizing how cold she was. She smiled at him, and then tried to calm her muscles. They were starting to shake uncontrollably. Her teeth started chattering under her lips. She buried her cold face in the cloak, attempting to soak in some warmth. Then she raised her head to Ryuu again. "If it's hard for you to speak, you don't have to, I am not a big talker either." She looked at Ryuu, allowing a look of understanding to fall between them.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu sighed and shook his head, It's not hard, it's impossible. I had my vocal chords torn when I was younger. This is the only form of communication I have. But the good thing is that now I've made a link with you, I'll be able to contact you just about anywhere if need be. And as for you coming with me, I'm very happy that you accepted.

Ryuu smiled faintly, though his yellow eyes portrayed his true happiness, it was subtle but much more noticeable than on his face. He noticed that Isabella began to shake violently and as another blast of cold air came rushing into the cavern he moved himself in front of her with one swift movement, shielding her frail body from the icy winds. The cold didn't affect him very much, but he knew that it could kill her, he was surprised that she didn't already have hypothermia. I understand that you may be feeling better but that chattering and trembling you may very will fall flat on your face in the snow. Are you sure you don't want be to carry you? I don't mind, really. I carried you here and you were light enough...

Ryuu thought about what he was saying and realized that he may be insulting the girl standing before him. He winced at his stupidity, was she now offended? Of course, if you want to walk you can. I'm not doubting your ability to walk I just thought that maybe you were still tired and needed more time to rest...

[fleetingstars]

Isabella's entire body trembled and ached in the cold breezes now entering the cave. She listened intently as Ryuu asked if she wanted to be carried. She could tell he was concerned, but she didnt feel that weak. "I think I should be okay to walk, I'm just a little cold that's all." Isabella tried to convincingly pull herself off the ground to a strong standing position, but she wobbled a little to the side, and luckily caught herself by leaning into the wall. She smiled, hoping he didnt notice how weak she really was. She hated having to depend on other people.

"Shall we start?" She smiled at Ryuu and then made an effort to take a step forward. "Oh, here's your cloak, i didnt mean to keep it from you this long." She walked, using all of her strength and will, not to cry out from the pain in her knees. She kept willing her body further and further, closer to Ryuu. Although it was only a few feet, when she was finally next to Ryuu, she felt wiped out again and her knees burned with pain. She forced, with very much effort, a smile upon her lips as she turned to Ryuu. She reached out and handed him the cape. "Thanks ag-g-g-ain." She concentrated on speaking without her teeth chattering. She noticed that her entire body was shivering. She tried hard to relax all of her muscles. It wasn't working, she was having trouble controlling her shivering. She glanced up at Ryuu, the forced smile gone with only a friendly look left and a slightly furrowed brow at the pain and cold. "Shall we?" She glanced at him and then, without waiting for a response, she took a step forward.

Isabella's body wasn't ready for that step and it sent a jolt up her leg as she began to collapse on the ground. She reached out by accident and took hold of part of Ryuu's clothing, hoping she wouldn't crash her knees against the floor once more.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu nodded and said no more, he could clearly see that Isabella wanted to prove that she could walk on her own. He stood up and watched her closely, seeing her muscles tremble beneath her ivory skin with each step in both pain and fatigue. He saw her start to fall and stepped forward ready to catch her but drew back when she caught herself. His golden eyes clearly showed his relief that she had not fallen.
He extended his hand to take his cloak from her but shook his head lightly, You really should use this cloak. I don't mind that you do. The cold doesn't affect me much and I can see that you'll probably need it more than me. You're not exactly dressed for such frigid conditions.

Ryuu couldn't help but admire her determination to show that she was not weak, even if her pain was completely obvious to his searching eyes. He said nothing to persuade her to stop, thinking it was for the best and not wanting her to get mad at him for being so stubbornly persistent. Sharp gusts of wind blew into the cavern, blowing Ryuu's bangs into his eyes and whipping his clothes harshly around his body. The cold did little harm to him unless he was out for days at a time, but he could tell it was a different story for Isabella, her frail body wasn't built to withstand such harsh conditions, at least for such a long time.

Ryuu was jerked out of his thoughts when he felt Isabella clutch onto the front of his shirt desperately trying not to let herself fall. Ryuu began to lean forward, almost as if he were falling along with her, but instead slid his right hand under her knees and his left behind her back. He stood up straight and held her gently in his arms, looking down at her, his brow furrowing ever so slightly. But not out of frustration, out of worry. He set her down slowly on the ground after a moment and knelt in front of her, I don't mean to be persistent, but please allow me to carry you. I don't want you to get hurt and it will be no trouble.

His eyes clearly portrayed his worry though the rest of his face was somber. The honey colores orbs flickered from her face to the ceiling of the cavern and back again. But then he held her gaze with his own, questiong and caring.

[fleetingstars]

Isabella's fingers held on to Ryuu's clothing with as tight of a grip as she could bear. She was about to let go when he swooped down and picked her up. He set her back on the ground and leaned in toward her, once again pushing his offer to carry her. In her mind she considered it. She was relatively stubborn and her mind really wanted her to just walk herself, but her body apparently had other plans for them. "I guess it's probably better if you carry me, considering what just happened." Isabella noticed the caring look in Ryuu's eyes and it scared her. It scared her because for one thing, she wasn't used to that look and didn't want to mistrust anything, and for another, it made her blush slightly. Fortunately, her cheeks were probably chapped from the wind and only a slight color change could be seen in her cheeks. She glanced into his eyes and then reached out for the cape. She put it on, trying to wrap it tighter around her with her fumbling, frozen fingers. She glanced back at Ryuu and then down again as she was embarrassed for having to be carried.

"Well, um..."Isabella's words escaped her as she tried clearing her throat. She was trying to tell him it was okay to leave, but her throat was no longer cooperating. Her throat clearing took a sudden turn into a slight cough. The cough lasted only a few seconds, but the sting on her throat did not go away. A soft and weak "Ok." was all that could escape her lips. Isabella felt feverish and was sure she needed some warmth, and relatively soon. She hugged herself in the cape as tightly as possible, and she blinked back a few quick tears of cold. Then she took a deep breath and tried to stop the trembling. She calmed down her body enough, momentarily, to allow her self to be lifted. She looked up at Ryuu with a look in her eyes that told him she was officially ready to go now, and how sorry she was for the brief wait. Most boldly, the look tried to hide her embarrassment at being weak.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu nodded in understanding. He felt bad for the frail creature. She clearly wasn't too keen on having him carry her, she didn't want to appear weak. And to him she wasn't, she was very strong. Her will power was amazing. He carefully picked her up and began to walk out into the freezing cold blizzard that continued to rage through the forest. The wind whipped mercilessly at Ryuu's unfeeling skin but he didn't mind. He turned right out of the cave and headed north, where he knew of a small town where he had stayed for a short period of time after his injury. He looked down at Isabella to see how she was fairing, "When we get to the village I'll set you down and you can walk on your own. So no one will think I'm kidnapping you or something, as long as you're up to walking. I actually own a small house down in that village. It was where I stayed for three years after my throat injury, I never sold the house, I come back every so often so I really saw no point in doing so..."

Ryuu looked down at Isabella, I'm sorry, I must be boring you.

He continued to walked through the snow, which easily reached past his knees. The wind was starting to slowly die down, it no longer bent the trees as it tore throughout the forest. But it was getting dark, and the temperature was beginning to drop at a slowly increasing rate.

The village soon came into view, the lights from the houses and shops breaking through the dull gray shadows that loomed over the forest. The village was small, it was about a mile square filled with houses, most if not all with two floors, and shops with apartments over them. There was a small open-air market down one street and various inns and restaurants scattered throughout. The snow was less deep in the village sue to the warmth radiating off of the houses. Ryuu looked to Isabella expectantly, "So, shall I set you down now?"

[fleetingstars]

Isabella listened intently to Ryuu, secretly and desperately hoping she would be able to walk when he did put her down. When Ryuu happened to look at her, she gazed into his eyes as he apologized for what he thought was boring her. Isabella gently shook her head and softly, with an extrememly scratchy voice said "No not at all." One of her eyes twitched slightly at the sudden pain in her throat, but she pushed it out of her mind and it at once faded.

Isabella continued to be carried some more, glad that the silence between the two was the comfortable kind, not the awkward kind. At least for her, it felt to be that way.

When they arrived in the village and could see buildings, Isabella's eyes lit up with glee and her tired face broke into a wide grin. This was Isabella's first time in a village. Before she had lived in the middle of a large open field with no other buildings nearby. She received an expectant look from Ryuu, then. "So, shall I set you down now?" Isabella bobbed her head up and down gently to show her answer without having to strain her throat again just yet.

When her legs touched ground, they felt stiff and uncontrollable, she grabbed onto Ryuu's shoulder for initial support. She stabled herself and then, letting go of Ryuu's shoulder, pushed her wind chapped and strained legs forward. She couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as she continued to take in all the things she could see in the village. Her smile temporarily pushed her tired and shivering physical being out of her thoughts.

"It's beautiful." Isabella squeaked, her voice cracking. She blushed, embarrassed at her squeakiness, and looked down at her feet. Her body once again began convulsing from the shivers, and she coughed again and could not stop for a minute or two. Tears sprung to her eyes as her throat felt as if it were on fire. She wiped them away and hugged Ryuu's cloak tighter to her body again. She then turned back to Ryuu with a look on her face she hoped he could read to mean, show me the way.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu could see Isabella struggle and wanted to help her but once again, thought it better that she did things on her own and at her own pace. He couldn't help but smile at her expression when she entered the village. It wasn't hard to see that she wasn't used to places such as this. The excitement she showed was that of a child experiencing something wonderful for the very first time.

He easily read Isabella's expression and nodded to her, not bothering to communicate 'verbally'. What was the need? The words had already been spoken and understood without the use of sound or thought.

Keeping at a pace that Isabella could follow, he began to walk to wards his house. He frequently looked over at her to make sure that she was able to keep up and not having too much trouble walking. The last thing either of them needed was for her to pass out from over working herself while in such and weak and unstable condition.

The streets had snow on them but nothing compared to what lay outside the perimeter of the village, most of the snow thinned out and melted due to the heat that radiated off of the buildings and out of the chimneys. It didn't take long to reach the house, it was nestled between a bakery and another house. Across from it was the bookstore and the seamstress.

The house itself was decent. It was two stories high and the inside was completely dark. He walked up the steps to the porch and the searched his pockets for the key. After a few minutes of rummaging and cursing he found it and easily slid it into the lock on the door. With a soft 'click' the door swung open to reveal the bottom level of the house. It was mainly split into the kitchen on the left side and the living room on the right side. There was a door on the far side of the living room that lead to a bathroom and a door on the far side of the kitchen that lead to a utility closet. The living room also had a fire place with wood in it and was well furnished.

The house was in decent condition, it wasn't too dusty or anything like that. But it was cold and he'd need to go out and get food, the cabinets were completely empty. He turned to Isabella and smiled slightly, This is my home. It's a little cold at the moment as you ca tell. But I'll light a fire, the good thing about this house is that it warms up fairly quickly. You can rest on the couch in the living room while I go and light the fire. There are two fire places upstairs that need to be lit as well. Then I'll run out and get some food. It shouldn't take too long.

Ryuu walked over to the utility closet and grabbed a warm blanket and some matches. He set the blanket on the couch closest to the fireplace for Isabella to use and then knelt down by the fire place. He checked the wood to make sure it wasn't moist before lighting it. He stood up and walked up the stairs to the second floor where he lit a fire in both his room and the guest room. He walked back down the stares and to wards the door, I'll be back shortly. He slowly opened the door before exiting out into the streets.

[fleetingstars]

Isabella followed Ryuu towards his house. Her eyes were still filled with wonder even though her teeth were chattering in the painful cold. She concentrated on walking to keep up with Ryuu. It was easier to take steps the farther into town they got, due to thinning snow. She waited silently, with the exception of her teeth chattering, as Ryuu searched for his key. She looked around and noticed that there was a bakery, a bookstore, and a seamstress close by.

When he opened the door, Isabella saw a kitchen and a living room. She liked the vibe of the house. It was nice. Ryuu told her then that he would start a few fires and then go shopping. She was glad he offered her the couch. He put a blanket on it and she walked slowly toward it. She crawled onto the couch as he went upstairs and then covered herself with the blanket. Just knowing warmth was close by was great comfort. She leaned back as Ryuu came back down and announced he was leaving shortly. She nodded in response.

As he left she shifted her weight and leaned back against the couch. She curled herself into a tight ball and let the warmth flow to her. She tried to grab her knees to her chest but as her arms touched her knees, pain shot through her body like a wave. She cried out softly, then lay on her side, not touching her knees, but still curled into a ball.

Being alone in this strange place began to make her nervous, though she couldn't explain her emotions. Her body was tense as she begged her eyes to stay open. She was defrosting and the warmth was making her more tired. The exhaustion was now fierce and she tried desperately to stay awake. Slowly her body began to relax against her will and she could no longer fight herself. Sleep overcame her. It was a deep sleep; the kind that makes you immune to all sounds and senses around you.

Isabella began to dream.

[Ryuu]

Ryuu went to the bakery first, buying bread, eggs, and milk before exiting the store and going to the butchery a few streets over. There he bought some chicken. He then went to the produce store and bought some vegetables before returning to his house, stopping by the seamstresses shop to pick up another blanket in case Isabella needed it.

He found his keys and went into the house, looking over to find Isabella asleep on the couch. He nodded slightly and put the blanket on the back of a nearby arm chair before going into the kitchen. He put the food on the counter and fished around the cabinets for a large metal pot. He filled the pot with water and put it over the fire in the kitchen. While it was heating up he added the vegetables that had now been cut up and the chicken. He also rummaged through the shelves and found some dried parsley and basil, things that never went bad and always made soup taste delicious.

He stirred the soup occasionally, making sure that the chicken was cooking properly and that none of the vegetables had burned. He took out two bowls and two spoon from within the cabinets and gave them a quick wash before setting them at the kitchen table. He turned back to the counter and cut up the bread, setting it in the middle of the table.

By the time Ryuu had the soup simmering and everything put away, the house was comfortably warm, all throughout. He removed his jacket and set it on a chair, now wearing just a white shirt and slacks. He gently tugged at his bandages, noticing that all of his movement had tightened them considerably. He pulled them and made them alittle looser before going to his library and grabbing a book. He sat down in a chair by the fireplace and started to read. He decided that he was going to wait for Isabella to wake before he ate.

[fleetingstars]

A fuzzy face coming towards her. With every step the face was clearer. The familiarity of features were like puzzle pieces coming together. Isabella rose from where she lie in the grass. In her sleep, Isabella stood up off the couch. She scrambled to untangle her legs from weeds. She numbly fumbled around with the blankets attempting to free her legs completely. She backed away as swiftly and quickly as she could but the face was faster. Isabella backed up with a frightened look in her eyes. She felt herself being forced to the ground. She fell over backwards while stumbling and fell with a smack to the ground, however she did not wake up. Her mind was not on the present, but in the dream. She could not see, nor hear anything going on around her in the real world, for dream world was too vivid. He was directly over her, almost touching her but not quite. The face came completely into view as a silent scream escaped her lips. Her eyes which had fluttered closed upon falling reopened with an anxious and apprehensive look in them. She opened her mouth as if to scream but no sound could be heard. She moved her body from side to side in attempt to escape his reach. She wasn't moving away at all, but instead his face was coming closer and closer until his lips were near her ear. Isabella thrashed against the floor, her eyes wide with terror and her mouth shut up in a tight line. "Murderer" , he whispered.

And with a yelp Isabella sat up, now aware of her surroundings. Ryuu's warm house filled her sight. She scrambled to pull herself from the ground. Her eyes searched the room and then stopped when she saw Ryuu's there too. A sudden flush of color flashed across her face as the embarrassment of her sleep actions being watched was realized. She looked down at the ground in humiliation. Her head flicked upward though, following as her nose found a delicious scent.

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[Ryuu]

Ryuu flipped through the pages of the book with a thoughtful expression. He was reading a book on the early histories of the world and how the land's inhabitants were each divided into an element based upon race, attributes, region and other such things. He had read the book many times before but it always seemed to be the one he liked to read best when he was waiting because he could pick it up and open it to any random page and know exactly what had happened in the previous pages and what was going to happen in the later pages. He sometimes wondered why he hadn't picked a new book to learn front as back as this one. He'd have to do that soon before his favorite book got uninteresting.

Ryuu's head snapped in Isabella's direction as she began thrashing in her sleep violently. So much as to throw herself onto the floor. He face looked contorted and frightened, he wanted to get up and help her but feared that he would scare her more. He wondered if it was just a dream or if she was having a seizure. When she woke up, Ryuu put his book down and made his way over to her slowly, kneeling down before her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright Isabella? You looked terrified..."His thoughts faded and ceased.

Then he remembered the soup that was simmering away over the fire. He wondered if maybe some hot soup would make her feel better, she was bound to be hungry. It had been a long time since either of them had eaten and he assumed by her condition that it had been longer for her. He stood up slowly and held up his finger, motioning for her to wait a minute. He went into the kitchen and poured two bowls of the soup and set them out across from each other at the table. He got some bread too. He then went back to Isabella, "Come into the kitchen, I made some soup that I'm almost certain will make you feel better."