The Offering

Chapter Fifty - Alvaryn

The healer, Quirin, stands with his hand hovered over Dae's forehead and I wait as patiently as I can but I can see Aeris as he kneels on the floor by the bed, his hand holding onto Dae's, his head pressed against it as it shakes back and forth.

Quirin was younger than the Head Healer but older than both of us, I trusted him as second Healer with Daella and had requested him specifically as I knew the head healer would be with my mother and father.

I had been right in sending Demwyn away, there was nothing we could do until Father wakes up and the idea of being in some useless council meeting while they bicker back and forth with their theories while Dae lie in the bed alone was not something I could allow myself do.

I knew Aeris wouldn't leave her, even if Demwyn had ordered him it probably would have taken force to get him to leave her rooms. I didn't want to imagine that scenario and whose side I would be forced to take.

I stand over the bed watching as Quirin works in silence.

Dae looks so helpless, still like death, only the slight rise and fall of her chest reminds me she is still living and keeps me from tearing my hair out.

"Nightmares," Quirin whispers almost to himself but we both look at him.

"Nightmares?" I ask a little louder.

He nods slowly. "I can feel them, wild and vicious swirling in her mind, dark black creatures and images." He answers and I look at Aeris, his eyes wide in fear.

"That's why she is like this? Why she collapsed?" Aeris asks moving closer.

Quirin nods. "She has stopped fitting because I have placed a calming magic over her to keep her body safe and give her rest, but her mind, her mind I cannot reach. Her mind is surrounded in darkness, foreign nightmares are reaching every inch. If she was awake she would be screaming in fear and pain."

"Well can you stop it?" I ask, looking at Dae's small form, her eyes closed and face calm.

He shakes his head. "I can't access her mind, it's closed off from me and all foreign elements. Only the one who gave her the nightmares or her own body can remove them or fight them off." He answers pulling away.

"The one who gave them to her?" I ask out loud immediately turning to Aeris.

"Arden?" He asks, eyes wandering around in fear and panic. "But, he left, before any of this, is that even possible? I know he can give another nightmares, and send them into a sleep like death but this..." He trails off.

"Prince Arden's magic does exist in the land of sleep. He has the ability to enter ones sleep and see their dreams and nightmares while also inflicting his own if he is close enough. If he was close enough to Miss Daella then it would be possible for him to give her these nightmares." Quirin answers, his knowledge of the magic world was far superior to mine.

"Even at a later time? He left long before she collapsed." I ask looking down at her.

"That would be a question for Prince Arden as he would know his magic best, but it is not out of the realm of possibilities."

"So what now? You said only the person who gave her the nightmares can take them away?" Aeris demands.

"Or her own mind, but being human, her mind is weak against the magic, she has no magical shield, no magical abilities of her own to fight against the foreign magic." He explains with a quiet voice.

"So she is just supposed to live in these nightmares forever?" Aeris demands loudly, standing to his feet as his temper rises.

We both look up at him, his eyes flashing to Dae before turning to us and then the floor.

"Without her own magic she cannot fight it. I can keep her in this calm state so she doesn't injure herself, but in truth, she would not last long with these nightmares, her mind will deteriorate quickly and then there will be nothing left."

I tense at the words. Nothing left.

"We need to get Arden, we need to go get him, he wouldn't have reached his Kingdom yet, right? We ride out and bring him back and demand he take the nightmares away!" Aeris nearly yells as he begins pacing along the length of the bed.

"By the time we reach him he will be safe inside his Kingdom walls, it would be useless. If this was him then it was clearly an attack, a well thought out and planned attacked. He gave himself enough time to reach his home before we could make a move. Leaving now would be pointless." I say searching my mind for answers, anything. There must be something in all the countless books I have read and the hours I have spent learning and gaining knowledge, there must be something that can save her.

Why is it now of all times when I need it most that my mind is a complete blank?

"There is one thing." Quirin says quietly and we both stop and turn to him. "A binding ritual, it is old, older than myself, it was banned centuries ago because of those who tried to gain power from it. But it could help Miss Daella."

"What is it?" I ask.

"There is a way to bind your magic with Miss Daella's, giving her a touch of your own power to help fight the nightmares and help create a shield against them." He answers slowly.

"What kind of way?"

"It is a magical ritual, one performed by a healer, I would in essence, take a piece of your magic and fuse it with Miss Daella. It was used between fae when it was known. It would be a way for one fae to have more than one kind of magic, growing in power. It was when there were some who were doing it with force and without permission that it became outlawed. There is an element of risk to both parties, and once again it is illegal. I do not know if it will even work with a fae and a human, but it is the only thing I can think of to help her."

I look at Aeris who stares back at me, he nods like he didn't even have to think about it, he would do anything in his power to help her and I knew I would do the same.

"Alright, how do we do it?" I ask looking down at him.

"I would suggest your magic Your Highness, your psychic magic will be stronger against the nightmares and would have a natural sense to create a barrier against them to protect her mind." Quirin says, looking up at me.

"I want to do it as well." Aeris says standing by the bed.

"Only one should be enough, if it works." Quirin answers with a gentle shake of his head.

"Well two types of magic would give her even more power, the stronger she is the faster she can fight these nightmares and wake up, right?" He asks looking to both of us for confirmation.

"In theory, I don't know how much your elemental magic will be able to help against the nightmares, but it will give her more strength if it is successful." Quirin answers with a quick nod.

"Good, ok, then let's do this." Aeris says with firm nod.

Would I question myself later on if someone else found out what we did here, that I hadn't taken longer to consider the consequences? I always made decisions slowly and carefully, considering all the sides involved and any repercussions, but this, this was different, this was Dae's life I was considering. Would I regret doing this if it saved her life? Never. No matter the consequences. Dae's life was more important to me than anything else and just the thought that she could be left living this existence with nightmares tormenting every part of her mind and her being useless to stop them was enough for me to make up my mind.

I nod. "Whatever it takes." I say taking Dae's other hand.

Whateverit takes.