By the time he managed to get back to the inn, Dagur was waiting at the door, his face pale.
“There you are,” he said hurriedly, motioning for the Altmer to follow. “I was starting to get worried. Your friend Siobhan woke up while you were gone.” When he paused, Nelacar could hear a weak groan from the adjacent room, and his lips tightened.
“Is she alright?”
“I doubt it. She says everything's hurting her, and her face is scalding hot.” The innkeeper shook his head, gesturing at the doorway. “I won't keep you.” Nelacar nodded his thanks and hurried in, only to stop in his tracks at the sight of her.
Siobhan's face was pale as paper, and her chest was heaving with the effort to breathe. Nelacar knelt at her side, resting a cool hand on her forehead and finding that she was indeed burning. The touch prompted the Breton to force her eyes open, and she looked wearily at her caretaker.
“N-Nelacar...” she whispered hoarsely. “Winterhold's n-never been so h-hot...” Nelacar brushed her hair out of her face, fighting back his own fear.
“I know. It's okay. Listen to me,” he murmured. “I went up to the College, to see if anybody know about your condition. There's someone up there who thinks they can help you. I have to go into the Star, like you did, and see if I can reverse what happened to you. We need to go up there. Do you understand?” Siobhan stared at him.
“You're...g-going into the Star...?” she asked, fearful. “It's...why w-would you...” She was overcome by a coughing fit, and her eyes closed again. “P-please...it's dangerous...”
“I don't care,” Nelacar assured her, confused. With all her pain, she was still worried about him? “I have to go in there, Siobhan. I won't let you die.” He clasped one of her limp hands between his own, and leaned down to kiss her fingers. “I'll survive, too. Don't worry about me.” Siobhan shook her head weakly.
“B-be careful...” She reached up with a sudden burst of strength, and Nelacar found himself pulled down so that she could kiss him. Surprised, he went rigid at the feeling, but relaxed at the comfort of her warm lips. His hand moved to stroke the side of her face, his other still holding her hand. It was only when another pained gasp escaped her again that he pulled away, his concern only increasing.
“I'm sorry,” he said quickly, watching her grimace.
“No, it w-wasn't you,” she murmured, rubbing her temples. “I...w-we need to go.” She tried to sit up, only to slump back onto the pillows. “D-damn it all...” Nelacar stood, grabbing the Black Star off of the table and sliding it into his satchel before pulling the blankets back.
“It's alright. I can carry you,” he said, scooping her into his arms. She sighed, resting her head against his chest sleepily.
“I...am so tired...” she whispered. Sure enough, by the time they had made it to the bridge again, she had dozed off, and Nelacar held her closer to keep her from the snow as he made the trek to the College once again. Even in sleep, the pain was obvious in her face, and she squirmed every now and again, likely with the same nightmares. He walked quicker now, his eyes forward as the gates swung open. Just in front of the magicka fountain, Colette and Arch-Mage Aren stood, joined by Phinis Gestor and Mirabelle Ervine.
For a moment, there was tense silence. Four sets of eyes stared at the unconscious Breton, before their owners returned their attention to Nelacar. Under their gaze, the mage braced himself and did his best to steady his voice.
Nelacar/F!DB: "Promises" 5/?
“There you are,” he said hurriedly, motioning for the Altmer to follow. “I was starting to get worried. Your friend Siobhan woke up while you were gone.” When he paused, Nelacar could hear a weak groan from the adjacent room, and his lips tightened.
“Is she alright?”
“I doubt it. She says everything's hurting her, and her face is scalding hot.” The innkeeper shook his head, gesturing at the doorway. “I won't keep you.” Nelacar nodded his thanks and hurried in, only to stop in his tracks at the sight of her.
Siobhan's face was pale as paper, and her chest was heaving with the effort to breathe. Nelacar knelt at her side, resting a cool hand on her forehead and finding that she was indeed burning. The touch prompted the Breton to force her eyes open, and she looked wearily at her caretaker.
“N-Nelacar...” she whispered hoarsely. “Winterhold's n-never been so h-hot...” Nelacar brushed her hair out of her face, fighting back his own fear.
“I know. It's okay. Listen to me,” he murmured. “I went up to the College, to see if anybody know about your condition. There's someone up there who thinks they can help you. I have to go into the Star, like you did, and see if I can reverse what happened to you. We need to go up there. Do you understand?” Siobhan stared at him.
“You're...g-going into the Star...?” she asked, fearful. “It's...why w-would you...” She was overcome by a coughing fit, and her eyes closed again. “P-please...it's dangerous...”
“I don't care,” Nelacar assured her, confused. With all her pain, she was still worried about him? “I have to go in there, Siobhan. I won't let you die.” He clasped one of her limp hands between his own, and leaned down to kiss her fingers. “I'll survive, too. Don't worry about me.” Siobhan shook her head weakly.
“B-be careful...” She reached up with a sudden burst of strength, and Nelacar found himself pulled down so that she could kiss him. Surprised, he went rigid at the feeling, but relaxed at the comfort of her warm lips. His hand moved to stroke the side of her face, his other still holding her hand. It was only when another pained gasp escaped her again that he pulled away, his concern only increasing.
“I'm sorry,” he said quickly, watching her grimace.
“No, it w-wasn't you,” she murmured, rubbing her temples. “I...w-we need to go.” She tried to sit up, only to slump back onto the pillows. “D-damn it all...” Nelacar stood, grabbing the Black Star off of the table and sliding it into his satchel before pulling the blankets back.
“It's alright. I can carry you,” he said, scooping her into his arms. She sighed, resting her head against his chest sleepily.
“I...am so tired...” she whispered. Sure enough, by the time they had made it to the bridge again, she had dozed off, and Nelacar held her closer to keep her from the snow as he made the trek to the College once again. Even in sleep, the pain was obvious in her face, and she squirmed every now and again, likely with the same nightmares. He walked quicker now, his eyes forward as the gates swung open. Just in front of the magicka fountain, Colette and Arch-Mage Aren stood, joined by Phinis Gestor and Mirabelle Ervine.
For a moment, there was tense silence. Four sets of eyes stared at the unconscious Breton, before their owners returned their attention to Nelacar. Under their gaze, the mage braced himself and did his best to steady his voice.
“I'm ready,” he said.