The Fight for The Mystic Grove ((Xun and Athilea - Possible M))
 

This Roleplay may contain Mature Content

The Mystic Grove is a mystery to all that behold it. Few that entered have returned, and the few that manage to escape it's grasp spoke in mad riddles that hinted at great power to be found there. To the Elves it was tales of artifacts that had been lost for centuries that could help them bring their scattered people back together. To the humans it was a tale of a tomb that held great secrets and powers that would help them to build a stronger nation.

The Groves Edge was oddly quiet despite being occupied for the first time since the previous battle, nearly a century earlier. The air was chill, frost hanging heavy on the branches of a few evergreens that dotted the area. The breeze was calm played almost soothingly through the leaves of the nearby Grove. All that were gathered were dressed for battle. There were two hosts of about two hundred warriors on opposite sides of the battle field.

On one side of the field were the Elves. They were clearly a nomadic people and had the appearance of being several Tribes that had come together to fight there way into the Grove. They were leathers and animal furs. The weapons they carried were crude spears, swords, and staves. Among them was a group of women that carried no weapons, but seemed to have a great amount of respect from the others. They were the reason the Elves had come in the first place. Each of them represented one of the 5 tribes that had come to Groves Edge, and each was a powerful Witchdoctor. Even the Chieftan would not cross them.

These woman stood at the front of the army, if it could be called such, with the Chieftans. They spoke in soft tones and made gestures towards the humans camp that spoke of deep planning. The battle to come could be won or lost, depending on how well the warriors headed their words.

The weather wasn't to his liking. Some of the men were attempting to stay still, but he knew they would be unable to stand the cold any longer. Back-up should have arrived hours ago with some warmer clothing for his men so they wouldn't freeze to death. They seem pretty sensitive about the weather, considering that the breeze wasn't all that strong. As he let some of the soldiers watch and wait for back-up, he stood on the one side of the battlefield watching and waiting. The elves were on the other end of the battlefield, giving him signals. What he didn't understand was what they wanted him to interpret such signals as. For all he knew, they could be asking for a treaty and they could misunderstand it as a sign of constant fighting. It was going to be tedious work and more fighting, but as long as he was there, he was more than willing to fight with his faction along side him. He had to be careful as to how he would approach the enemy, but before he could think of a way, he heard a soldier running up behind him. "General Rezenar, sir! The back-up has come back with some blankets and fur for us to use to warm up from the chilly air! I've brought you some..."

Rezenar turned to the soldier and gave a weak nod. "Place it near my belongings. I will be there with instructions soon." He mentioned and then he watched as the soldier complied by running back to the rest of the camp. A sigh escaped his lips as he slowly shook his head and turned back to watch the elves and their movement. He really couldn't tell what he would do next unless he had some kind of clear evidence-- then again, that wouldn't be the fun of taking such risks. Immediately, he walked back to the camp and faced the men as they gazed on him. He had long silver hair and dark green eyes that so happened to pierce through them. They all stood at attention, wrapping themselves warmly.

"I need three scouts to go with me to see what the elves are up to. The rest of you will listen to your captains and await orders. If the elves decide to attack the camp, with no hesitation should you back down and defend our place! We must go and conquer Mystic Grove for the sake of the nation." The army roared in anticipation with swords and shields held high. After they have all calmed down, they readied themselves for battle. Once they have, they started planning everything out... and yet they seemed so calm and relaxed about everything. Rezenar shook his head as he watched them. Three scouts were chosen and they lined up in preparation. With that, they headed out swiftly, but silently, towards the elven army.

The group of Elves at the forefront of their host seemed completely and totally unworried by the humans approaching them. They also seemed unaffected by the weather. Though the woman had cloaks pulls tightly around them, shifts in their stance showed hints of skin that should have left them frozen.

Finally, they turned to face the humans when they had almost reached their camp. A young Elf, with a spear strapped to her back, was among the Witchdoctors. Her skin was tanned and her hair was black. She seemed to be in training to the others, but her words still held a great amount of weight among her people.

She was the first to step forward, her head held high and proud. Her eyes were a deep, soulful brown. Her expression was hard, though. The observed them slowly before she opened her mouth to speak. "What have you come for?"

For a good number of yards, Rezenar was pleased with their advancement. However, it all broke when one of the scouts made a loud noise. Immediately, Rezenar knew they had no other choice but to show themselves. Instead of sneaking about, they calmly walked towards the elves and their camp. He looked through and noticed the witchdoctors that stood in proud stances before him.

From numerous battles, he has concluded that they were the elves' "captains" of their army, but he hasn't come to a census to see who the "general" really was. If only he knew who was in charge of their armies, he would be able to take them down with no problem what so ever. Sadly, that wasn't the case and he's forced to mow down whoever and whatever he can just to get the information he wanted.

Rezenar took notice one woman who took the bold step to walk to them. The scouts behind him readied their weapons, but immediately Rezenar raised his hands to cease their defense once he heard their hands already ready to grab onto their swords. Swiftly he looked to them and gave a dark glare and gave off a look that read, "Back off or I will kill you."

Before he turned back to the woman that came forward, Rezenar took off his dark demeanor and put on a more calmer, more relaxed look on him. The woman spoke, requesting for an answer as to why they were there. Honestly, Rezenar just wanted information about what they clearly wanted them to do. He was hoping he didn't have to get it this way, specifically. "Clarification." Rezenar simply replied as he offered his hand out in hopes the elves would take it as a sign of peace. Thinking about it, he slowly took his hand back and kept his eyes on the raven-haired woman. "Unlike your people, my people lack any knowledge to clearly tell whether or not the gestures you have given us are gestures of peace of gestures of war."

He fixed his black cloak and gave off a determined look. "Make no assumption, however, that we have come to surrender, but merely request for a truce. We are aware that you desire to take The Mystic Grove as your own. However, I assure you that once we are finished exploring the grove ourselves, you are more than happy to take the area and use it for your self benefit. It's just a matter of watching and waiting on your part..."

Cithien eyed the men behind Rezenar, her own people were tense and ready to draw their own weapons. Whoever she was, she had great importance among her people. Once she felt that the humans would not attack she looked back to the silver haired one. His hand was extended briefly and, though she glanced at it, she made no move to accept it.

Her own demeanor was far to relaxed, with the sort of attitude that one would expect from nobility. She was someone that was used to receiving respect. The woman began to speak again, "What we do is of no -" Her words were cut off by one of the Chieftans that came to stand next to her.

He was older than her, silver streaked his own raven hair. The man shared facial features that were so similar to her own, that they had to be related. Cithien looked up at the new comer, an eyebrow raised slightly. He echoed her own words, finishing the thought. His voice was deep and resonating, "What we do is of no concern to you humans."

She smiled at him before Cithien looked back to the humans, her face hard again. "Your assumption that you have a right to enter The Mystic Grove at all is amusing." She crossed her arms over her stomach and tilted her head at him, the gesture oddly predatory. "I suggest that you leave now."

Rezenar watched as another came to meet with the woman. Their facial features seemed so similar and it made Rezenar question if they all were similar in some way. He didn't bother thinking about it once the man came to finish off what Cithien said. Of course, no one would really care about what a person says because it doesn't concern them. Rezenar was far too familiar with this situation.

Their immediate leave was demanded and before he could say anything, Rezenar immediately snapped to one of the scouts that decided to speak up. "You guys didn't even bother thinking about the advantages of Sir James' request! Come on, James! We can take them! Show them your--"

Before the scout could ever finish, Rezenar fully turned to the scout and his demeanor fully became dark. "I believe I don't recall EVER giving you or your company any PERMISSION to speak on behalf of me. Now SILENCE your tongue or your PUNISHMENT will be even more severe." He made sure that specific words got to the scout's ears and watched as the scout scooted back in fear. Rezenar realized the behavior and then his dark stance relaxed-- however, it still lingered on him as he turned to stare at Cithien. She has been doing most, if not all the talking, so did this mean she was their "general" of the army?

"You are also fully aware that you neither have any right to enter into such a place. Or are you going to claim that you do? From last I recall, The Mystic Grove was a place that had no one claim it as its own. It is still free for anyone to conquer it." He turned to his scouts, watched them as they saluted, and then they departed.

Rezenar didn't even think about considering anyone else their "general," but it was a start. If he could figure out a way to draw out the Elven leader, he would be able to plan out a more effective strategy. "The area is still up for grabs. I'm sorry that you desired not to share it, but I'm sure that once we've won and once we've finished our business, we'll give enough pity for you and your people to find the remains of whatever is left of the grove." He mentioned and was well on his way back to his own army.

Eventually, he caught up to the scouts and one in particular... the person who said the name, "James." The scout stared at Rezenar, a bit concerned. "S-Sir? I'm sorry about what happened back there... I shouldn't have used your first name--" Rezenar raised his hand and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. At least remember to call me by my last name, 'Rezenar.' I could've sworn I told everyone of the guard to address me as such."

"About that punishment..." The scout meekly spoke up.

"...What punishment?" Rezenar asked as he paced himself a bit faster than before, a spring in his step and a happy tone in his words. Of course, he was well aware that he was unable to convince his enemies for a truce, but he was pleased enough that there will be at least some fighting involved.

Cithien clenched one of her hands into a fist, as her father rested a hand on her shoulder. Her dark eyes never left Lord James Resenar, even as his men interrupted them. This would require drastic measures. No one spoke as the humans walked away, the woman didn't even move until they were back in their camp.

She cursed and went to the largest tent within the camp. It was clear what they would have to do. As she entered the tent she began to speak, even before she knew who was within the tent, "It is clear that we must fight. These humans will not back down."

One of the older Witchdoctors was the first to speak up, "Though your words carry a great amount of weight, we cannot let your anger cloud our judgement." The woman had lighter skin then Cithien, and her hair was completely white. The others within the tent nodded their agreement, even the man that had stood by her side earlier.

She frowned, her dark eyes boring into each of them in turn. "Father, you know they will not let us enter. They assume that they have more right then we do. They are going to allow us to have whatever remains when they take what they want." Though she spoke to her father, her eyes still moved between the others.

"I am sorry," that deep resonating voice was final as her father, Caroth, spoke, "We will not attack the humans yet. If they should move before we do, then we will act accordingly. You are forbidden from taking any actions."

The woman looked ready to spit fire, but she nodded. "Very well, Father." Without another word she went back to stand at the edge of the camp, watching the enemy. She could see them as nothing else. Her mind churned and she knew that she could not obey her father. There was to much at stake.

Finally, he and his men arrived back in the camp. A smirk was on Rezenar's face and the captains already knew what was going on... a fight was ensued. However, the captains were concerned and they went to Rezenar. "Sir Rezenar, now is not the time to advance on the Elven camp!" Hearing their words, Rezenar immediately snapped at them. "You were not there to hear their words. Apparently, they won't give up!"

"But that doesn't give you any reason to go and attack them out of the blue!"

"Yet... who's stopping us?" Rezenar answered them. The captains glared at Rezenar, knowing their consequences for their actions. He glared back at them, actually taking time to think on their words. A long period of silence went through the camp as the soldiers sat on the edge of their seats. Finally, Rezenar backed off and the captains were actually shocked from his reaction to it all. They thought they were successful, but the next words that came out of his mouth surprised them all because even his soldiers knew Rezenar would never speak such words during a war. "Alright then. We'll have to wait it out."

Without letting the captains explain themselves, Rezenar walked out of the camp and stood at the edge, staring at the Elven camp from afar. His mind started to wander, curious to see if they were planning on attacking them anytime soon. There was movement, but not enough to tell what they were doing. Knowing full well that he was held back to fight, Rezenar decided to go off to Mystic Grove. He wasn't planning on doing any self-exploration... in fact, he was just going to walk around the perimeter of the area they were going to enter into once they've won this ridiculous war.

Honestly, he saw no reason for them to fight-- Humans and Elves. For all he cared, they could've just went in and shared the land. Apparently, it was too "special" of a place for the Elves to fight for. Eventually, he reached the edge of the grove. The appearance was eye-catching and it made Rezenar realize why they weren't fighting in the grove in the first place. It was too beautiful of a place to become corrupted from war. His feet started carrying him around the area and he seemed to appear to have no cares in the world.

Cithien watched the human camp for what felt like hours. Her anger did not lessen. If anything it grew ten fold as her mind replayed the humans idiotic assumptions again and again. Finally, she had to leave her vigil. The woman knew that if she did not take her mind from them, the hate would poison her.

The only place she could even consider trying to relax was the shoreline of a small lake that was partially within The Mystic Grove. It was peaceful, the lapping of the water soothing. She was there in moments. The first thing she did on arrival was insure that no one else was present, Human or Elf.

Once she was certain that she was alone, she laid her staff by her side and settled in a cross legged position on the shoreline. For a time she simply watched the ripples that fish made in the water. Once she felt she could focus her mind on something other then her rage Cithien rested her hands on her knees and closed her eyes. Her back was blade straight, and her body was stone still.

In her mind she was far away from the battle field, with a man that she was suppose to marry. It was happier times and she always found herself revisiting the night, so many years ago, that they shared their first kiss. She knew then that he was the only man for her. The memories felt faded, and like the lie they were at times. Still, a small smile spread on her lips as she remembered him.

It was something about Mystic Grove's beauty that made Rezenar wonder why a tomb would be in the middle of it all in the first place. Sure, the view was breath taking... but for some odd reason, it didn't add up in his mind. There have been numerous reports regarding people going insane and talking in what felt like strange riddles. He knew there had to be an explanation, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Eventually, he reached a specific part of the grove that had a small lake. It was the first time he saw such an area and it made him all the more interested in the grove, himself. However, he stopped and immediately hid behind a tree when his eyes glanced at a figure that was sitting by the lake bank. Whoever that person was, they were here without warning or any type of consent. How did this person slip through his army's sight? It didn't matter. What mattered at that moment was that he had to drag them out of the area and quickly before they get subdued into insanity themselves.

After he let his hands feel around his cloak, he felt a hood at the back and the pulled it over his head. Rezenar was disappointed at the fact he really couldn't see a thing because it covered his eyesight, but at least he was able to fix the hood up to where his eyes are hidden, yet he's still able to see wherever he walked. Silently, he started sneaking towards the figure.

She was so lost in her meditation, in her memories, that she had no idea that someone was advancing on her. Her eyes remained closed, and all she could hear was the lapping water and the distant sound of her long lost love.

Cithien did not move an inch the entire time he snuck towards her. Though, as he drew closer to her, he would be able to hear a sound that might have been a sniffle. Her mind had turned, without warning, to a tragic scene that she tried so hard to forget. Tears spilled from her closed eyes, and her hands clenched into helpless fists on her knees.

There he was above her and ready to strike, but a small sound stopped him. Was that a sniffle coming from her? Such a sound was soft and yet he was able to hear it. Quietly, he turned to see the front of her only to find her in a state of what appeared to be shock. She couldn't have been shocked because of him because if she was, she would've immediately reacted to his presence. Something was odd and it was causing Rezenar to automatically question what in blazing hell was going on.

'She's not going mad... is she?!' He immediately thought in shock. If she truly was, Rezenar was fighting with his mind internally whether he should leave her and watch her rot away and become an insane person, or he could be generous and help her out. Now that he thought of it, he could might as well do that. If he was able to help her, maybe she can help him in the future. Adding all this up, Rezenar finally concluded that such an action was going to be very beneficial.

Without anymore thinking, his hands immediately went to her shoulders in hopes that her eyes would shoot open."Hey! Snap out of it!" Rezenar said, sounding different than before. His voice was definitely his voice-- but the tone has been mixed in hopes that he would sound like someone else. Even if that didn't work, he knew how he was going to explain himself to her. If all else fails... well... he would just have to kill her and erase all evidence of such a murder.

Her eyes did shoot open as soon as his hands touched her. What he saw in her eyes would not be madness, but instead anger and deep emotional pain. She practically growled at him, and immediately began trying to pull his hands off of shoulders. "What are you doing?!"

She did not bother trying to wipe the tears away, more were coming, "Get your filthy hands off of me, James." If looks could kill, then he would have died where he stood. Those dark eyes of her burned with hatred. Not just for him, but for all of his people.

Well, he realized his cover was blown. What amused him though was that she recognized him even with the cloak on. He didn't say anything because the only thing in his mind at that moment was the look in her eyes-- both anger and emotional pain. Right now, he could tell he was experiencing the anger from her, but his mind continued to wander has he questioned why she felt such pain.

"I'll let you off for calling me by my first name just because you're not aware of my policy. From now on, I ask that you call me by my last name... Rezenar." Rezenar mentioned, backing off a bit as a chuckle came up after his words. He fixed his robe and he seemed a bit more calm and relax in comparison to her hate. Yes, he could feel her glare stinging to him, but he wasn't going to move just yet. After all, she wasn't attacking him yet, was she?

He started pondering a bit with arms crossed and his dark eyes staring at Cithien with curiosity more than anything. "Is that any way to thank your 'savior,' miss? After all, from the looks of it, you were practically crying. Now that you've gotten your attention on me, you don't have to recall that horrible thought that you were thinking a few seconds ago." He said as Rezenar looked for a place to put himself down on. If this was going to be a fight, he was going to have fun taunting her while just sitting and blocking all attacks she could throw at him-- of course, he has to be aware of them before actually blocking them. "So... what brings you here to the Mystic Grove? Your people have already decided to jump in here without warning?"

...Now that he gave mention to it, he realized there was really no one else around other than them two.

"You should learn to mask your voice better, James." The words came out filled with scorn, and she pointedly used his first name after being asked not to. The Elf pushed herself to her feet, picking the spear up with it. Her eyes never left him and she took several steps back.

"Clearly you have no understanding of what my people are. I suppose I should forgive you for that. Few of your people have ever bothered to learn." She frowned at him as he called himself her savior and mentioned that she had been crying. Cithien practically growled at him in response, "My pain is no joke, human!" She wiped her eyes roughly to rid herself of the tears.

"You are no savior of mine." With that she hefted her spear and threw it at him full force while crying out in her native tongue. The words were unintelligible, being more of a cry of rage then anything.

The Elves in her camp could hear it, and they knew what it meant. Her voice echoed across the battle field, even reaching the humans ears. Though the humans had no understanding of what that cry meant, they did understand what they saw in the Elves camp. They were preparing for battle now. They would fight whether the humans were ready or not.

The fact that she was using his first name made Rezenar angry, but he was still amused. Of course she wouldn't listen to him because she was his enemy, so why bother doing as requested? Her words of forgiveness for his lack of knowledge of her kind didn't phase him because he, himself, was not aware of their kind until now. Honestly, he doesn't even know if the other troops were familiar with the Elves more than he was.

And since when did he want to laugh at her pain? From the bottom of his heart, he seriously thought he should at least get a thank-you for something he was able to stop. After all, thinking about the past was literally a sin in Rezenar's book. Why think of something that has already happened?"I think we've come to a misunderstanding-- WOAH!"

She definitely caught him off guard because he could see the tip of her spear going to his chest. Her accuracy must be amazing, considering that it was pointing straight to the left side of his body-- the place where his heart was. Quickly, his left arm raised up to attempt to catch the spear, but it wasn't quick enough. A sharp stab was felt, but it wasn't deep enough to penetrate his heart-- he did feel a tingling sensation, however, of pain surging through. A smirk appeared on Rezenar's face as he took the spear into his hands.

He thought it would be genius to say that she was armless, but even an idiot wouldn't come prepared without some type of backup. With force, he broke the spear into two and twirled it in his left hand. It has become his weapon now. In his right hand, he pulled out a large double-edged sword. It's size appeared as if it was necessary to carry it with two hands, but he seemed to be holding it with one. Rezenar twirled it and now, the blade of the sword was behind rather than forward.

"I don't know what the hell you said, but it was loud... A bit sad that you had to call on your own people to help you fight. What, you can't fight on your own? Pity." He mentioned as he charged towards Cithien with spear being thrust forward. His right hand was ready to swipe forward to let the blade block if necessary. Even if she wasn't going to attack, the blade was going to make up for it with another attack. A thrust and a slash... A thrust and a defense... either way, he was going to fight with the upper-hand.

Meanwhile, back at the human camp, the captains and the soldiers were already scrambling out of the area and towards the Elves after getting themselves ready to fight. That strange cry in the air was awkward and they really had no idea what it meant. The last thing they thought up was that it was a cry for help, but they were at war. Any sign could mean anything. Even if it wasn't a cry for help, they would be more than relieved after going after the Elves and finally taking them down.

She tried to duck the blade but, though she was quick, it still managed to nick her face. Cithien rolled out of the way and, as she came up, pulled a dagger from...somewhere. She had lost her cloak during her dodge and now he could see that she wore barely anything beneath it. She had long, lean muscle that spoke of someone that was very nimble. Her left arm was also completely covered with tribal tattoos.

"That was not a cry for help, but a call to charge. Whatever happens to me, my people will defeat yours." She charged him then, trying to dodge around his blade and her spear. Her movements were faster now that she did not have the cloak to worry about, but he still managed to cut her a couple more times. As she moved in she spoke again in her native tongue. It sounded like a chant, though.

Roots began to sprout up around his feet and, if he didn't pay attention, they would serve to unbalance and trap him. Even if he did notice the changes around his feet, she was constantly driving her dagger at him in vicious strikes that were meant to kill. Her rage had gotten the better of her, she wasn't thinking clearly.

Rezenar actually looked happy that he barely struck her, but he knew that happiness was going to die out because it wasn't enough. His eyes caught sight of the dagger, but he knew that it was going to be difficult to deal with if one is wearing a cloak. If she had psychic powers, then he would be impressed because it was as if she read his mind. She took it off and revealed more than what was underneath.

His face turned a light shade of pink as he examined her unintentionally. What was a man of war to do other than check out a woman-- especially after being gone for war for how long? As he backed off and continued his fight, he couldn't help but notice that he as concentrated as he would hope. The tips of his fingers felt like strands as his eyes continued to check out Cithien's barely covered body. In his mind, he could already imagine his fingers tracing over each curve, every muscle, each piece of skin exposed. It was enticing, if not tempting. Her words about her cry finally got Rezenar to snap back into reality and a smile appeared on his face.

"They say an army isn't good without a general-- but I can assure you that five of my captains are willing and able. After all, they were also in running for the position of general. So if anything ever happened to me, they will take the place and continue on with our mission..." He spoke as they fought. Rezenar was pleased that he was able to cut her some, and even in the same manner she was able to strike at him. She was better than he had assumed, he'd give her that.

Before he could take a step back with a leg lifted in the air, he noticed his right foot caught in something. Swiftly, his eyes darted to his foot and noticed that it was caught in some roots. He could've sworn those were not there before... Once his thoughts attempted to process how those roots came to place, a sharp pain was inflicted into his right side and the attacks were becoming more constant than before.

Cithien was definitely a worthy opponent, but to think that she would be crazy enough to swiftly attack without thinking was beyond his comprehension. His thoughts were immediately falling into place as his right hand moved to go and form a barrier between him and Cithien's next attack. As he did this, he shot to the roots with the spear and attempted to cut a few as he pulled his right foot out of the root's grasp. How he was going to stop her was going to be difficult, especially when he didn't want to revert to such complicated tactics. In any case, he really did have no choice. A swift cut up with his double-edge sword sent a quick, visible shockwave towards Cithien to throw her off. He continued at the roots with the spear as his right hand continued slicing the air around them to form his attacks.

She gasped as he began twirling the sword so close that he very nearly took her hand off. The woman rolled back and glared at him, muttering more words under her breath as more roots began to spring up from the ground towards him. Cithien tilted her head in a predatory fashion and she clutched the dagger until her knuckles were almost white.

"You will find that my people do not give up so easy, James." A small smirk played on her lips and she waited for an opportunity to lung for him again. When one presented itself she did just that, aiming to bury the dagger in his side. It did not end so well for her though.

His movements were quick enough that, though her dagger was aimed true, his blade buried itself in her side. She howled out in pain and rage, but did not stop trying to get that final strike in. She may die, but she would do everything in her power to bring him down with her.

Rezenar watched as she backed off from his attack and he was ready for another pummeling, but once he was about to pull up his foot from the ground, he once again felt roots clinging onto him. If she was going to cheat in this fight by using nature around them to hold him down, then so be it. He would have to cheat as well. Once again, he went for the roots with the spear and used his double-edge sword to attack, but his timing was completely off-- he felt her stabbing at his side again and it felt more painful than before.

An angry snarl came after he felt the pain surging through the inflicted side. This snarl sounded demonic, if not monstrous. His reflex to such an attack forced him to immediately dig his sword into her. Something was different with Rezenar, and he already knew this true because once he heard Cithien's howl of pain... he actually smiled, pleased. His mind raced with demands for more of this sound, but he wouldn't be able to get them if he didn't strike her more so.

Rezenar let go of the spear and because of how close they were, he swung his left hand to go behind Cithien's head and bring her closer to him, literally slamming their forehead's together. He didn't intentionally headbutt her, but it definitely felt as if she was headbutting him back in struggle. His dark green eyes seem to be now drenched in a dark red hue. "WOMAN, I am going to enjoy hearing your pathetic yelps of pain after I'm through with you!" Rezenar growled as he made his blade slide through her before pulling it out of her and shooting again for another attack.

He could feel her wanting him to die already, but he was persistent and he definitely wasn't going to die until she dies before him.

She shuddered at the change in his demeanor, and at the dark cast to his eyes. Cithien tried to pull away from him, but his hold was to strong. When he brought her head against his the impact nearly knocked her unconscious, but the blade sliding through her flesh caused her eyes to snap open and forced a scream past her lips.

When she realized that was could not free herself from his grip she tried to plunge the dagger into him again. If the strike landed, then she would twist it before ripping it clean and try to stab him again. "What are you?!"

Rezenar smiled as he heard her scream... it was definitely delightful. Before he could land another attack, he felt a huge jolt of pain and it made him actually screech out. He was stupid enough to move because she stabbed him in the same place-- reopening the wound given to him on his side. His situation wasn't appearing very good. A small jerk of her dagger made him realize she was going to twist it and create a huge tear that would be difficult to heal. He had to let them go somehow.

A strong shove pushed them both away, but he surely felt the dagger still cut and twist into him. It wasn't as deep as he expected, but it was still a twisted wound, nonetheless. There he stood, his left hand over his now over-bleeding side and he panted from lack of breath from the extreme fight he had with Cithien. She truly did speak truth when she mentioned that her people were persistent. His blood-shot eyes stayed on her, trying to see if she was going to knock out anytime soon. However, he realized he was reaching his limit and it was going to become far from impossible. He had to close his eyes and fall. The pain was becoming intense-- he felt his heavy body finally falling over. Rezenar knew he was still breathing, but he could already tell it would be difficult to get up.

Cithien panted heavily, her breathing labored and her teeth bared in a grimace of pain. Blood soaked her side and ran down her legs where it tried to pool around her feet. She did nothing to try to stop the bleeding though. When she saw him fall she knew she had to finish him, even if it meant her death.

Her steps were slow and they wavered. She almost collapsed a couple of times before she finally reached him. The woman did not fall to her knees, so much as she collapsed from her blood loss and exhaustion. The human could fight well, she had to respect him for that. He showed not fear and proved to be a worthy opponent. It was over now though.

She raised her dagger up and started to bring it down to his neck. Her strength waned, though, and the world went black around her. Instead of killing him, she fell forward on top of him. Her breathing was erratic. Before she lost consciousness she muttered something that sounded like, "I am sorry."

Meanwhile, the battle raged on between the humans and Elves. Though both sides were skilled, and both had interesting tricks up their sleeves, if was the Elves that were forced to back down. Most of their number lay dead and dying across the field, though they had taken almost half of the humans force with them. It was weary warriors that made a truce with equally weary soldiers. The lose of so many of their numbers weighed heavily on their heart.

Almost three hours later Rezenar was found with Cithien laying across him. The dagger she had tried to use to end his life lay just within reach of her hand. It was unclear if either of them were living or not, so the men approached the scene cautiously and with no little anger at the woman that may have killed their Lord.

Rezenar wanted to move when he realized Cithien was going to strike him. He wanted to retaliate, but he couldn't do it any longer. At least he was going to experience death and he was already gladly accepting it. Immediately, Rezenar winced in pain when he felt her fall on top of him. His eyes were closed, so he really didn't have any idea what really happened. If this was how death felt like-- being squashed with something on top of you, then he finally experienced it. Sadly, he could feel himself waver a bit. It was at that moment he realized he wasn't dead.

When he felt Cithien on top of him, he realized she wasn't dead either. In a way, he was disappointed. Yet, at the same time, he was glad. Eventually, they'll have to fight again in the near future and it was going to be an enjoyable one. Rezenar finally dubbed Cithien his rival, and he was going to make sure no one would question him about it. Her breathing bothered him. She should've died just to end the pain, but his thoughts died out when he heard her saying something. It wasn't clear to him...

...but was she saying sorry? If she knew... if only she knew... then he would have every right to accept such a word from her. He knew she had every right to not say such a word, but she said it anyway. If they were going to survive after all this, he was going to make sure he asked her about why she said, "I am sorry." He felt himself waver through reality and darkness as all this happened and finally, he knocked out himself.

As time passed and as the soldiers came to check up on Rezenar, they stared at the scene before them with questionable looks on their faces. Cithien was on top of Rezenar and it appeared to be as if she was going to kill him. Before they could go and take her body, a growling was heard from Rezenar. The soldiers backed off in fear and watched as his body sat up perfectly-- as if nothing has happened. A dark demeanor was surrounding him and his eyes were blood shot. "What are you all staring at? GET SOME DOCTORS HERE! We need some medical attention!"

The soldiers stared at one another as they questioned why he said "we." They were aware of the fact they had a truce among the elves, but Rezenar should not have known this. "B-but Rezenar, sir! Our doctors only know how to treat humans, not elves!"

Rezenar couldn't believe he completely forgot about it... well, he appeared as he forgot about it. This strange dark demeanor of his just made him tilt his head in curiosity. "I see. Well then, make sure you get a doctor ready for me when I get back to camp. I have to go confront to Elves with their... 'general' in hand."

"Sir, we already made a tru--"

"DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!" Rezenar snapped at them. The soldiers scrambled and headed off back to the camp, leaving Rezenar with Cithien. A little glance back to her and Rezenar carefully took her and laid her on the ground. There, he sat by her side and wondered what was to happen next. He saw her dagger, but he saw no need to use it to end her life. It would be helpful, but it would defeat all purpose of having a rival. Rezenar took it and put it away under his cloak until she would awaken. Yes, he did tell the soldiers that he was going to head off to the Elven camp... but that's what lies are for.

She whimpered a little as he moved her, but made no other reaction. Cithien was lost in her own nightmare, one of pain, endless fighting, and endless death. When she finally opened her eyes again it was with a sharp, panicked gasp. She tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it and lay back down.

The woman muttered a few things to herself in her native tongue. It was almost as though she were trying to force herself to her feet through sheer will, but she could not get her body to cooperate again. Her skin had taken on a sickly pallor from the amount of blood she had lost, and the wound was still sticky with freshly clotted blood that was nearly black in color.

It took her several minutes to realize that she was not alone. She called out in her language, assuming it was one of her people, but when there was no response she forced herself up again. Her dark eyes met his and narrowed immediately. Cithien growled at him and started searching for her dagger. At least until she realized that he had not killed her.

She paused in her movements and stared at him in disbelief. Why had he not killed her? Well, that's what questions were for. So she asked, "You had an opportunity to kill me...why didn't you?" Suddenly she looked around, wondering if her people were close by. It was not the case though. Cithien cursed under her breath and wished that she knew what the status of the battle was.

Rezenar kept his eyes on Cithien, letting his mind wander with random thoughts of what could happen and what could not happen. It eventually changed as he heard her speaking in her native tongue. His mind started guessing at what she could be saying during this time that she was supposedly knocked out. At least she was still alive and he was somewhat grateful for it.

Finally, he watched as she woke up and gave him a glare. A smile just appeared on his face as he watched her search for her dagger. He would love to show it to her, but that would cause more fighting between them. Technically, he would gladly fight, but he knew they were both in no shape to fight again. "Woman, you should calm down. That wound of yours will open up more if you're not careful." Rezenar mentioned and watched as she finally stopped moving.

What bothered him was her stare at him, but it was understandable. She was probably wondering why he didn't kill her, and her question confirmed it to him. He honestly wanted to answer back with his own question regarding her "I am sorry" quote, but he was going to hold it in for a few.

"Honestly, I must admit that I was questioning the same thing to myself when I was awake." Rezenar said, giving emphasis on the word 'myself' for some odd reason. It sounded as if he implied that there was more than one person, but that couldn't be the case because they were the only two there. Rezenar continued. "Will it be demented if I told you I kept you alive to die a slow and painful death? That would be a very humiliating death, indeed. Let me first say that I have no intention of killing you off anytime soon in no specific way. Your fighting has amused me to no end and once you get better, I look forward to fighting you in the near future."

He stood up and looked ahead. From a glance, there appeared to be a few figures. After a few more yards, their silhouettes became more clear-- there were both Elves and Humans rushing to them. A frown appeared on his face, a bit surprised they came together. Rezenar walked to the group and spoke to the Elves regarding Cithien's condition. Of course, they had to curse at him for what he did and he snapped back at them, letting them know she was still alive. The Elves went to her as Rezenar went to his own soldiers.

"We're surprised you survived after fighting Cithien. After talking to a few Elves after the truce, we learned that she's one of the more very skilled fighters. Probably the best one there!"

He couldn't help but smile amusingly. His dark demeanor eventually wore off and immediately, his hand went to his side. Rezenar tumbled to his knees and the soldiers went to him. Rezenar's blood-shot eyes were back to their dark green color. "She... she definitely is..."

Carefully, he got back up and walked over to watch the Elves tending to Cithien. He didn't know why, but he seemed pretty satisfied with what's been going on-- his fight with Cithien, the Elves and Humans getting along for the time being... and in the end, no one was able to get the Mystic Grove under possession. At least it gives him more opportunities to visit this place by himself more often.

She shook her head at his response, "What are you?" The way he had fought, the change in his eyes. Whatever he was, it was not something she had ever encountered before. Unfortunately, it did not appear that she would be getting an answer on the any time soon. Instead of responding to her question, the man walked off to meet with a mixed group of Elves and Humans.

Why were they together like that? Did it mean her people had won? All she could do was wait for a response. As soon as the healers arrived by her side her questions were hushed and she was pushed down so that her wound could be tended to. They used herbs and magical chants to knit the wound back together, but that did nothing for the ashen color or her skin. Nor did it keep her from having a scar left behind.

When James returned she looked up at him, her anger still strong. She would fight him again, and she would win next time. This man would not be allowed to defeat her. Just as she was about to say something to that accord, one of the human soldiers walked up and tried to pull him aside. Though she could not understand everything that was said, it had to do with her people. It was almost as though he were trying to get his Lord to decide what to do with them. She could not believe that though.

Rezenar spoke to the soldiers regarding the current war status. To hear that they were unable to defeat the elves made him angry. In the end, they decided for a truce. What bothered him was the fact that they could've went with a truce in the first place! Why lose so many lives when one eventually realizes in the end that no one could win?! This angered him to no extent. He really wanted to kill them all for their foolishness.

However, he couldn't. Not now. Not ever. Rezenar knew he had that power to do so, but he forced himself to never do so. A relieved sigh escaped his lips as he turned to the soldiers. Once again, his dark demeanor came back along with his blood-shot eyes. "Once everything has calmed down, I'll need someone to tend to my wounds. I can only hold myself up for a good amount of time. After that, I'll probably collapse from exhaustion. Other than that, what happens now?" He asked them. The soldiers shrugged their shoulders.

"That's something we didn't decide on. Both sides agreed to hear what the leaders had to say."

Rezenar turned his head to Cithien and the healers, wondering how she would react to such a situation. She probably wouldn't agree to it, seeing that she was more than ready to get rid of him. He really wanted to avoid any type of meeting regarding what must be done next because he knew that it didn't matter what was decided, both sides would have a good number of people who would refuse to act upon such a decision.

"Looks like we'll have to speak with them, don't we? However, I refuse to go along with you all. If I go back without Cithien, there will be a huge riot regarding Cithien and her condition. Of course, we know what's wrong with her. Everyone else doesn't." Rezenar turned to the Elven healers and spoke to them. "I'm now aware of the truce made between Elves and Humans. Because of specific circumstances, I request that you all come along with me and my soldiers back to the camps."

A stern look appeared immediately on his face. "How is she? Will she be able to stand and walk on her own?" The way he spoke those words probably confused anyone and everyone around him at that moment. He was trying to kill her earlier, so why was he concerned about Cithien now?

Her eyes widened with shock when he spoke of a truce. Immediately she turned her attention to the healers, "Why have I not been told of this?" She barely paused for an answer before she asked, in a far sterner voice, "Where is my father?"

The healers exchanged a look that said a thousand things without a sound. Cithien looked between them and her face went stony, "I see. So the decision was made without him." She shook her head, and glared at Rezenar, "This cannot stand."

One of the healers immediately spoke up, "It was his dying wish, do not dishonor him by breaking the truce." Her eyes did not leave the man, but her shoulders slumped as she responded, "Very well then. I will honor this so called truce...for now."

When Rezenar asked if she would be able to walk and exhibited concern for her well being she snapped at him, "You are the strangest man I've ever met." It didn't help her mood that he began to speak of her as though she were not present. She growled and crossed her arms over her chest, until one of the healers moved it back out of their way. Her words came strong, edged with her anger at the situation, "I will be able to walk."

((OOC: I just want to let you know that I may be busy for the next few days due to finals and I may be busy the next week. However, I'm still going to be able to post to you. Just letting you know just in case I disappear for a day.))

Rezenar noticed Cithien's glare after hearing news of the truce and hearing her decision regarding such actions between the two sides. He was pleased beyond measure to know that she wanted to continue fighting for the grove and if it meant having to fight him, he would be more than happy to accept.

When he heard that he was strange, a shrug of his shoulders and a smile on his face just answered her. "People have said they've seen stranger." Rezenar casually said. As he watched her stance change and learn that she was going to be fine, he gave a slight nod and turned to walk off with his soldiers. "Good. Then we'll see each other later? Possibly in the battlefield, I hope." He said, giving a more casual wave of the hand. Of course he wanted to fight her again after what he experienced. How he'd be able to get the Elves and Humans to break this truce sooner is unknown, but he was definitely going to find a way to do so.

Yes, it was stupid to do such a thing because from what he has been reported, there have been some casualties from both sides. Rezenar was just hoping none of his captains got killed in what must've been an onslaught.

((OOC: Thank you for the heads up. I really appreciate it.))

Cithien watched as he walked away, and scowled at his words. He was so very eager to fight her again. Next time she would be better prepared for him. Her mind spun from one plan to the next in an attempt to find something that would allow her to kill him without really breaking the truce her people had put into place. There was no way it could be done. She would have to bide her time until an opening appeared.

Once the healers were finished, they helped her to her feet and together they walked to the group of humans. Clearly, she was not happy about this. It is was the Lord wanted, though, so apparently he was going to get it. She brushed hair that was matted with their combined blood from her face and never took her eyes from him.

She could hear the healers speaking in their tongue about the way she stared at him. They made assumption about what the looks meant that was way off target. Rumors would spread if she did not stamp them out, but those rumors could be leveraged to her advantage. Cithien would let them be for now.

As Rezenar returned to his men, before Cithien was brought before him, he was told of two of his Captains falling in battle. One was already dead and the other had suffered a mortal wound. He did make certain to point out that both the Lord and the Elf wench should have been dead, though. Their wounds were deep, and they had both bleed a great deal.

--------

The lakes surface was still as the human-elf mixture of blood ran into it. As more and more of it slipped into the water, making not even a slight ripple, the surface began to glow a ghostly white. No one, Elven or Human, witnessed this small transformation in the Mystic Grove.

((OOC: Of course '^'))

A shiver ran down Rezenar's spine and he couldn't seem to point out the reason as to why he felt this way. Something happened, he knew it, but he couldn't exactly point out what went on. Maybe it was the fact that he was told 2 of his captains died? No, he wasn't bothered by that. Rezenar recalled that he and his captains made an oath that if any of them fell in battle, they had to move on and remember that their deaths would not be in vain.

One of the soldiers looked to Rezenar. "What's going to happen after this?" Rezenar stared at the soldier and actually tried thinking about it. He never thought such a truce would occur. His plan was to simply let him and his men go in Mystic Grove and examine the area with no need for worry about the Elven army. What about if they lost to the Elves? Well, he had a plan for that too, but he really didn't want to rely on such a decision due to it's unwavering results. Even though he knew about its consequences, Rezenar felt as if he has been possessed to not worry about such outcomes and let things be. But he has always had this feeling when making a lot of decisions, so he really shouldn't be bothered by it.

Rezenar turned to Cithien and stared at her in what appeared to be a rude face. Honestly, he just appeared tired at best. "Woman. What do you think will happen now since there's a truce in effect?" As much as he wanted to give respect to her, he really couldn't. He didn't have her name and he strongly doubted she was going to give it to him anytime soon. However, it wouldn't really kill her if she gave him her name so at least he would be able to call her out without using "woman" or "hey" or some disrespectful word. After all, they were in a truce now, so why not make the best of it and learn more about your opponent one little step at a time?

She looked between the humans and finally sighed. "In the vein of not being called 'Woman' constantly, my name is Cithien Eluchíl." The woman turned her head away, looking towards her peoples camp. After a moment she shook her head, "I suppose we need to sit down and discuss what will be done with the Mystic Grove. Though, I have a feeling I know how this will end."

The woman crossed her arms over her stomach. As cold as it was, she had not bothered to put her cloak back on. It remained on the blood soaked ground near the lake. The Elves surrounding Cithien watched Rezenar and his men warily, though the looks they cast the Lords way were not the same as how they looked at the rest of his men. "I suppose I should suggest a feast held in your honor. It is traditional for us to do so for the few that actually manage to best us." As she finished the sentence she glared at her companions. She clearly was not happy about the truce.

"It is traditional that we hunt along side our previous enemies as a way to show trust." Her eyes moved from one Human to the next. When she spoke again it was with more then a little uncertainty, "Is this something that your people can agree with."

Rezenar heard her name, but didn't show any sign of wanting to look back at her and recite her name in front of Cithien so that he was clear in hearing her. He did, however, turn his attention to her once she mentioned about them having to talk about what must be done. "It seems that way." Rezenar answered. Thinking of all the things that could end their little "meeting," Rezenar couldn't help but give a weak chuckle under his breath... because the last thing he thought of was death.

As they went into the presence of the other Elves, Rezenar could feel a strange look being pointed his way. However, he was uncertain about what this specific look was, exactly. Was it rage because of his success of almost killing Cithien? He couldn't tell. Once everything around them settled down, Cithien spoke of a feast. He took a quick glance to his men, watching their reaction to it. They weren't familiar with such a custom, but they appeared pretty curious and excited about it. What bothered him wasn't this sight of his men acting like children, but the fact that Cithien stated, "...for the few that actually manage to best us."

Neither side as better than the other, nor was he better than she was and he knew this. The reason why he was still up and able to walk as if nothing happen was completely unnatural for a human. He let her finish speaking before giving it some thought and then he fixed his cloak a bit, shifting it. "My people will be more than willing to agree to hold such activities. However, I desire to know when exactly they will be held."

One of his soldiers looked to Rezenar. "Why not now?" Rezenar snapped at this specific soldier. "I'm wounded and still had no one look at me. I don't think I'll be able to hold this body up any longer than necessary."

The soldier gave Rezenar a quizzical look. When he saw such a face, Rezenar already knew this soldier was new and had no knowledge of the dark secret Rezenar had. As much as he wanted to tell the soldier the secret on the spot, he couldn't. Such a secret was disturbing, if not disgusting.

The Elves around her nodded to Rezenar, an old man stepped forward and spoke before Cithien could. "It will be two days from now. I doubt either of you will be able to participate in your conditions, but we shall see." She did not try to interrupt the man as he spoke. He was very respected by their people.

Once he finished she nodded in agreement, "Yes, it will be in two days. Our finest hunters with yours. The rest will prepare the grounds for the feast. Before that, though, we have our dead to bury...your people and ours." She frowned as she looked away from them and towards the bodies that were strewn across the field. There were several people gathering the dead, and healing the wounded that could not move.

Cithien swayed on her feet suddenly, nearly loosing her balance before one of her companions gently gripped her arm. She looked at him and said a few soft words in their tongue before she looked back at the humans. "If there is nothing else, then I think it is best that we return to our camps now."

Rezenar gave a nod. "That's fine, sir." He was about to speak, but then heard Cithien talk regarding the bodies that laid on the battlefield. As much as he wanted to tell them that they should leave the bodies, he couldn't. It felt as if he has talked enough for one day. Rezenar turned to Cithien and gave a stern nod. "Our camps... right"

He calmly stood up and the soldiers followed in reply. They all bowed and excused themselves as they headed back to their camp. On their way, Rezenar stumbled and the soldiers immediately went to his side. His dark demeanor has left and he was back to his self. Immediately, his cloak was drenched in his blood and he was unable to really pick himself up. The loss of blood was starting to get to him. 2 soldiers took him and helped him walk back to the camp.

The three remaining captains went to tend to Rezenar and told him about the information Rezenar already knew. Doctors and healers of the camp went to try and tend to Rezenar as much as possible. From what they've seen, his condition could've been worse, but by the looks of things, he should've been dead. They were surprised that he was still alive. It was as if it was by some miracle, Rezenar was blessed by the gods to still be living.

Hearing that, Rezenar couldn't help but sneer at the "gods" remark they mentioned. Sadly, that wasn't the case for him. What was funny was that his whole army was pretty religious. He, on the other hand, believed in no such thing. Then again, it somewhat explains why he was in the situation he was in right now-- he was in hell.

The doctors mentioned to Rezenar that he had to rest and he did just that. His dreams filled his blood-craving mindset with dreams of once again fighting a whole army. Oddly, he was backed up by a strange shadow during these dreams. Each night was the same dream to him, but this specific night was different. Instead of dreaming cold-blooded thoughts... it was of a more peaceful dream. He was in the Mystic Grove and he was with someone there. They had a gentle voice, they were so peaceful...

Rezenar could've sworn he did die and has gone to heaven. But he knew that was never going to happen.

She nodded and walked away from the humans, refusing to let them see her stumble again. In the middle of the battlefield, next to the deceased Captains, laid her fathers body. Cithien went over to him and fell to her knees, unable to hide the pain she felt at her peoples lost...or her own, any longer. The Elves that accompanied her exchanged looks, but said nothing for a long time. They knew that she needed to mourn him, that she needed to cleanse herself of the pain.

After several long minutes they gently pulled her to her feet and guided her back to her fathers tent. It would be hers now. She would take his place, and that was something she needed to realize sooner, rather then later. The woman practically collapsed in her fathers cot overcome with her grief, she barely noticed the healers that were tending to her wounds again. Had she been any one else she would likely have died, but Cithien was strong. It wouldn't be the first time she survived something that should have been fatal.

When they finally left her she fell into a fitful sleep that was a combination of what likely happened to her father, and the battle she'd had earlier. If she had only been next to him, he would not have died. She awoke in a cold sweat, her cheeks soaked with tears from the memory. Humans had taken everything from her, and she couldn't let that stand. She had to do something about it.

Cithien tried to stand from her cot, but exhaustion and weakness wouldn't allow it. She slumped back with a few frustrated curses, but did not try again. Eventually, when she fell asleep again, it was to a peaceful dream. The lake was always so soothing, but there was something else. Someone she couldn't place, or even really see. At first she thought it must have been her father, but that couldn't be. He was dead.

Whoever it was, she had to find out one way or another. The sound of his voice, though she couldn't understand what he was saying, and the feeling of his nearness brought on a peace to her that she had never before known. It was not something she wanted to let go.

---
The soft glow of the lake, after it's change was complete, gave the forest around it an eerie appearance. The way shadows danced, and the animals that were drawn to the lake, made it seem as though ghosts had taken over the forest. It was beautiful, and quiet, for the time being at least.

((OOC: You don't mind me time skipping for the night, do you? <|Dg))

Hours past and he enjoyed such a dream. Rezenar swore he was never going to wake up, but his words were ignored as a few of his soldiers went to awake him from slumber. They had to remove and give new, clean bandages so that the wound Rezenar had on his body wouldn't get infected. Angrily, Rezenar tossed the men out after a ridiculous struggle and their success to change his bandages. Numerous times, he tried to drift to sleep, but his mind was wide awake-- he couldn't go back to sleep anymore. It appears as if his mind has already desired for peace rather than strife.

After fixing himself up in a dark gray robe and cloak, he got out of his tent and turned to the 3 captains that stood in the middle of the camp, speaking to the soldiers. "I'm going to survey the area outside of the grove." Rezenar said as he started passing by them.

One of the captains immediately snatched Rezenar by the shoulder and stopped him. "No sir... you need to rest!"

"I am resting! We're in a TRUCE with the Elves! There's no need to worry about them going after us, is there?!"Rezenar snarled as he smacked the captain's hand away from his shoulder and stormed out of the camp. Of course he wasn't feeling well and he needed rest, but he just couldn't do it with so much soldiers around. If he wanted rest, he had to go to the place he saw in dreams-- the grove's lake.

His mind came up with the conclusion: maybe... just maybe... if he fell asleep there and had some piece and quiet, he would be able to dream again and meet up with that figure he saw. Was that person an inhabitant of the grove? If they were, it would make their exploration all the more easier. Once he arrived at the lake, he went to the edge and sat there, staring into the water. Just like his dream, the area was calm and peaceful.

Rezenar tied his hair back, tucked the long strands into his cloak, and put his hood on. He wouldn't be able to sleep if there was light, so he had to form some kind of shade for his eyes. Looking for a nearby tree, he walked and sat underneath it. Rezenar then crossed his arms and finally nodded himself to sleep. Desperation was filling his mind, hoping and waiting to see if he'd meet that figure in his dreams again.

All to soon it was morning. The grey light of dawn slipped into the open door of Cithiens tent and she grumbled. She tried to roll to face away from it, but the pain in her side was to great. One of the healers was in the tent with her and pressed her shoulder back so that she couldn't move.

A soft voice came to her, "You must not move. Not yet at least. We need to redress the wound before you can do anything." Even as she spoke she was checking her side and ensuring that it had not reopened. She felt the healing magic pour through her before the healer was done. "You should eat something, Cithien."

The woman that had healed her then helped her to sit up and took her to one of the fires. She was given a small ration of food and left to herself. She tried to eat, she honestly did. Nothing about the food was appetizing though. After several minutes of staring at the meal she finally stood and walked out of the camp, food in hand. When one of the guards tried to stop her she shrugged them off, "I just want to sit by the lake and see if I can eat there."

The guards could not argue with her. She was now Chief among Chiefs and a Witchdoctor. No one could argue with her, and she wasn't certain she liked having that power. It was not long before she reached the lakes shore and settled down comfortably. She did see another figure there, but decided not to bother whoever if was. If it was human or elf they would not attack her.

Still, she could not eat her food. After a time she set it to the side and sighed in frustration. Cithien stared at the lake trying to will herself to eat, but her hunger would not come. Her mind lingered on the dream and the mysterious figure that she could not place.

For a few seconds, Rezenar felt himself literally half-asleep at that moment. He really couldn't tell what was real or what was a dream since everything around him was part of the dream-- the lake, the environment... everything was here. Even the figure he saw, but he really couldn't recall who the figure was in his dream. There was a person by the water and yet he couldn't make out who it was.

Carefully, he walked to the figure and found out it was Cithien. As much as he wanted to speak up, he knew that Cithien was going to pick his tone up and figure out it was him. Instead, he stayed quiet, but he attempted to make his presence known. At the back of his head, Rezenar made sure he kept his defense up in case she decided to attack him. She seemed to be in deep thought, but he couldn't tell about what exactly.