Heirot

"No!" Elena said to him quickly before he felt bad for doing something he didn't do. "You just passed out I think. Maybe because you were hungry? I don't know... I was so worried. I wanted to try and pull you back into the tent, but you were too heavy for me..."

He looked around and noticed that she had the fire started back up. The day was completely gone and night had already covered the land. The night air had a slight chill in it, an unnatural chill.

"I had a terrible dream." he muttered. He turned back to her and pulled her cose to his chest. He looked deep into her eyes then lowered his head. He let out a sigh then mumbled. "Elena... there's something I really need to tell you..." He sat there and couldn't seem to find the words to say.

"Is it the same thing you tried to tell me before, but you couldn't?" she asked softly, pushing off his chest to look down at him.

She felt a bit of fear in her, wondering what it could possibly by that he needed to tell her. Did she really want to know what he needed to tell her?

Airen knew that he had to tell her. It was just so hard. He could feel the tears filling his eyes as he started to speak. " I...I .." he drew in a deep breath, " I made a deal with Shea in order to find you. I didn't know what I was thinking. All I could think about was saving you." He continued on aimlessly but could never bring himself to tell her what he had done.

Elena looked at him for a moment as if nothing had registered at all in her head. She blinked and sat up straight, looking down at him with a slightly tilted head and narrowed eyes.

"Made a deal with her?" she asked, confused, worried, and afraid all at the same time. "What sort of deal Airen?" Her voice was shaking, afraid to even know what the deal was. "No... don't tell me... I don't think I want to know..."

She could only imagen. The deal probably had been for Airen to sleep with her or something and she didn't want that image in her head. Too late... It suddenly appeared. Airen in the embrace of that whore...

Elena shut her eyes tightly to block the image from her mind...

He looked down at her nervous face, " You really need to know this." he said in a low tone. His words barely managed to make it out of his mouth. " I promised Shea our first born child."

The tears he felt wailing up inside him finally began streaming down his face. He didn't care if Elena saw him cry. He couldn't hold it back. He put his arms around her and tried to comfort her. He just kept repeating," I'm sorry!"

Elena didn't know what to think or feel at first. She just sat there, sort of staring at something that wasn't really there. Promise her there first child? A child she hadn't even concieved yet. A child she hadn't even given birth to? A child she didn't know yet? How could he do that...

He just wanted to save me. He wasn't thinking about it at the time...

She didn't want him to feel bad, worst than what he already felt so she decided to not say the thousand angry things she wanted to say.

"It's okay Airen," she said softly. "You didn't know any better..."

Airen held her close. He began wondering about the dream he had. It didn't make any sense. 'Was it a sign for something that is going to happen.'

Airen sqeezed her tighter, and whispered" I'm sorry!"

She stared at the forest behind them as her head rested on his shoulder and he squeezed her tighter. "Airen, its okay..." she said soothingly, though every part of her wanted to yell at him for doing something she never gave him permission to. The child was half of her as well!

"We'll figure a way out of it..."

Airen straightened himself up, and said," Yes.. yes we will." He laid back and held her close. "Let's not think to much on this horrible subject right now. Let's just try and rest."

Airen laid there looking up at the stars. He knew he wouldn't go back to sleep but his body needed some rest; and he knew Elena needed her rest.

Elena smiled despite herself. "Can we go back inside the tent?" she asked him. "I feel safer in the tent. I always feel like someone is watching me out here..." she commented, though she knew no one was.

Airen let out a little laugh. He rubbed her arm. "Of course we can go back inside the tent." He smiled at her and sat back up. He walked over to the tent and held open the flap."After you, my lady." He said playfully.

Elena went into the tent and fell upon the flap. She wasn't tired at all now, but she guessed it was okay to pretend she was tired.

She curled up on her side on the blanket, pulling it over her hips and resting her head on the small pullow.

Airen followed her into the tent. He laid down beside her and put his arm around her. " Good night," he whispered warmly.

Airen laid there all night not able to sleep. He tossed and turned but couldn't get comfortable.

Elena walked next to Airen as they were about to enter the village gates to some place she didn't know the name of.

Her mind was clouded with a lot of things. Food being on the top of her list. She was starving! They had run out of supplies and would have to stock up on food and other things.

She couldn't beleive that Sinead hadn't realized that they were back in Ighten. She was thankful for that, but a bit confused on why she hadn't. Unless she had forgiven Airen maybe?

"I'm hungry," she said, putting a hand to her stomach as it protested loudly.