Recovery cave once more

~They rode up to the cave area. As she hopped down and then helped Art off the back of azure. and set him down by the firepit to have a better look at him. She still had an angry look on her face. She ripped his pants up to the knee and cleaned the wound out with alittle whiskey and then bandaged it up. She then looked at his arm where the piece was missing. She cleaned out the wound and then applied recut her hand and place alittle more of the blood. then bandaged him up. She then went into the cave and set up a few things for pillows. and layed a few things out for blankets. a few moment later she came out and got Art. Helping him up and placing him in the cave. and covering him up.~
"If you need me either mindlink me or yell."
~There was a bit of a growl to her voice and walked back out. and sits down by the firepit and starts a fire. She was mad as hell and no where to direct this time. She walked over to a tree not far from the camp and started to punch the hell out of it venting on it.~

He could feel himself moving, but darkness still surrounded him. He spoke the words he had said, but in a delay as if someone else were speaking for him.
Was this what being possessed was like?
He heard his wife talking to him.

"I've.. I made us lose everything I hold dear; apart from you and Jade. Tell her I'm sorry. I tried, but I failed. And if she wants to spar she should do it on her own terms."

He knew Tiberious would try and impose the same restrictions on her as they had in their fight, and he couldn't let her face him defenceless.

~she was starting to loose control as art was placed in the cave.~

~in art's head~ "You need to fight this darkness. Am starting to loose control here. Moving you is draining the hell out of me. Tib hit you hard Jade tended to your wounds your arm will take a while to heal. But you should come out of the darkness soon. Just keep fight for Jade's sake. I need leave you now. Come back to us My captain."


~and with that she pulled out of art and sat next to him. as she flickered in and out no longer able to maintain a solid form. She would only be able to touch those she had a strong bond with..Art and Jade...She would remain dead to the rest of the world. Only to be seen by those who could see the supernatural.~

He feels her prescense leaving him, and fights it, trying to hold on to her.
He sits upright as she finalyl leaves, eyes opening.

Noo!

He looked around, blinking. He was in the cave. Jade was outside, he could feel her if he couldn't see her. The light outside was too bright for him to see clearly. He tried to stand and fell back down again.
Ok, he could sit here a while.

His eyes started to focus properly, and he looked down at his wounds. Not good. But it looked like the blood was working. He would have to thank Jade for her quick thinking.

He moved himself back towards a wall and leaned on it. He'd lost his boat and his horse, but he still had Jade and Indy. THAT was the most important things. He could get another horse. And a new boat. His old boat was too small for 3 people anyway.

~she sat against the wall. across from art. she weakly smiled at him~

"Glad you came back to us." ~she said weakly she just sat there. The possession drained her too much. she was barely able to stay visible to art.~

~she was breathing heavily as she collasped against the tree. She walked back to the firepit area and sat down on a rock as she looked at her hands. Her knuckles they were tore up from taking her anger out on the tree. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured some over her knuckles and winced alittle. She then heard her father call out. She sprinted into the cave. And looked at him~

"Are you ok?" ~she knelt down next to him~

You mother has left. She was.. helping me..

He saw her knuckles and knew she had beating the heck out of something. He knew what that means, because he did it himself.

Did the it put up a good fight?

He tried to smile.

I'm sorry I lost the fight, but I couldn't kill him...

He looked down at the floor, slightly ashamed.

~she smiled alittle~

"The tree didn't have a chance."

~she nodded~

"I know you could have. I was going to fight for you. That is so much to loose."

~she looks down~

"Azure, your boat...Am still here but am not sure if I am going to have to go to or not...Remember I made my deal too..."

~she sighed~

He looked up at her.

Horses can be replaced, as can the boat. YOU can't. You're my daughter. I chose Azure over you once before, and very nearly lost you. I won't do that again.

He was looking at her, seeing a sadness in her face.

I'm guessing the fact you're here, now, meant he let you go. That was your part of the deal, right? That although you were his, you were also free to see me? Seems like he'll honour it.

~she nodded~

"He said he would collect once you were better. I know he knows that I will be taking care of you. So I guess we see what he will do. Knowing him.. he will know we came back here."

~she looks at him~

"How is your head? I bandaged you all up. Gave you a little of my blood to help with the healing. So watch the abilities.."

~she smiled alittle~

He tried to stand up, pushing his back against the wall and using that to get him to his feet. Yes, he could have asked for her help, but he prefered to do it on his own.

I doubt he would come here looking to fight again. He was honourable enough to let you go once the fight was over.

He was leaning on the wall, his right hand clutching his shoulder.

Have you eaten? You'll need your strength if we're to carry on your training.

He was being careful not to touch the wall with his bare skin.

~she watches him~

"Well if you want to come out by the fire I can make up something for us. I got a few things in town before we left."

~she popped outside and came back quick with a stick he could use to help him walk and lean on. and handed it to him.~

"Here use this. I will be out by the fire cooking." ~she wanted to help him but knew if it was her she want to do herself too.~

~she walked around the edge of the camp and got a few sticks and placed a few fish on them. and put them over the fire.~

He used the stick to help get himself outside. He couldn't put much weight on his injured leg, but he managed to get ouside. He stood for a moment, watching her cook, realising how alike they were.

Then he slowly lowered himself down by the fire and looked around at his make-shift training area. Someone had cut one of the ropes, but otherwise it seemed pretty much as he had left it.

When you've eaten and rested, I want to start going through a training routine for you. I know you won't want to; you'll want to get out there and beat the snot out of him, but we need to get you prepared. That was partly why I called the fight off earlier. I can't bear to see you enter the fight not thinking straight. Besides, we never finished your training.

He smiled at her.

And I promise no more pointless tasks. You've passed that part of the test.

~she looked at him~

"Are you sure that was it or didn't want me to get hurt..." she trailed off alittle.

"Always want to prove myself. Yet I still can't. Tib calling me girl in front of all those guards in training. I wanted to hit him in the eye again. He always does that in public. I know he thinks he has to be that way in public. " ~she looks down at her hands~

"I had to vent out my anger so I took it out on a tree this time." ~she reached over and grabbed the half used bottle of whiskey. and took a drink and then handed to her father.~

He shook his head at the offer of whiskey.

You said it yourself. You had anger to vent. He was trying to get you angry, belittling you in front of the others. It's like I taught you. Don't fight angry. You heard the things he said about me at the start; he called me a traitor and a coward. But they're just words. Actions speak louder than words. I wonder what his trainees think of him now, having seen him spared by me, knowing I could have killed him.

He looked at her, looking serious.

You'll get your chance against him, I promise you that. But when you fight you need to choose the terms yourself. I knew what I was getting into, I chose no armour because I needed to be faster and lighter than him. When you fight you can chose what armour and what weapons.

He smiled, his face softening slightly.

Just remember, the challenged gets to pick weapons. If you challenge him then he holds all the cards. Let him call you out. And if I were you, I would pick sharp-edged weapons which won't harm your stone-skin form. If you let him chose weapons he can chose blunt weapons that might make a dent in the stone.

As much as he hated to say that, it was exactly what he would do if he ever had to fight someone with those abilities. A nice hardy mace, or a hammer to smash the rock.... It would be an entry in his protocols if he were still keeping them up-to-date.

"Well if he swings the sword hard he enough he could actually cut me too. Mom told me about a time just before she came here. She was with her stoneskin but there she saved the queen from here (she was at glenn haven) from fire and stepped between the flame that was shot towards the queen. it was held there long enough that it heated up the stone to much. There are weakness to each one. But like with fire. if you put me out with water... then I could use the water. and vice versa."

~she checked the fish. and then handed a stick to her father.~

"Now eat then you need to get your rest. and I need mine. I will be sleeping just inside the cave. Oh.. here." ~she hands him his pendent back. and smiles softly.~

Artimus narrowed his eyes as Jade told the story.

She - the Queen - never told me about that...

He looked a little worried, and angry but said no more on the subject. He accepted the fish and started to eat, then took the pendant and put it back around his neck. It was a comfort to have it's weight there once again.

If you can fetch me a blanket and a pillow, I'll be fine here.

He guessed he did need rest, it would help him heal.

~she looked at him and nodded. and walked into the cave. grabbing a couple of blankets and pillows. she hand him one of each and then set herself up not to far away from him.~

~she smiled~

"At least I don't have to pretend that you are looking up at the stars with me. Cause your here. Good night dad."

~she covered up and laid looking at the fire.~

He put the pillow behind his head and lay back, unfurling the blanket carefully to avoid banging his wounded shoulder, and right away fell into a deep sleep.

~she watched the fire until she fell asleep she fell into a deep sleep then she expected. She laid on her back sound sleeping to the sounds of the forest.~

~Several hours had passed since his fight. He had finished training his squad for the day and given them an assignment to write up the battle as a proper report. While they were doing that he had rested, then mounted his horse and ridden out to the forest. He suspected that is where the pair had fled to.~

~He approached the lake and could smell a camp fire. Yes, that was them.~

~He dismounted his horse and walked through into the clearing outside the cave. They were both asleep. Artimus was talking in his sleep, something about fairies and poison. He just stood for a moment, watching her sleep, his arms folded across his chest.~

~He had changed his clothing before leaving. he was now wearing a plain white shirt; very white and clean with neatly pressed edges, and a pair of black leather pants. His swordbelt hung at his waist as always.~

~she stirred in her sleep a little and smiled softly in her sleep. Her thought lost in those nice moments.~

~she then had a feeling fall over her. she rolled over to look at her father and check on him and she froze.. as she saw tib. and there comes the butterflies. she waited for him to say or do something.~

~As he watched he saw her stirring, smiling at some dream she was having. How in the hell could anyone sleep with Artimus making so much noise? He was glad the Captain had had his own room away from the bunks back when they were serving together.~

~Then he saw her wake and stare at him. ~

"He regained the use of his mouth then?"

~A smiled at her.~

~nodded~
~she sat up.~
"Yes he did. He is all bandaged up too."

~glanced down at her hands still banged up from beating the tree.~

"what are you doing here?"

~she looked at him~

~He glanced over to make sure Artimus was still asleep, then spoke quietly.~

"I came to check you were alright. You seemed in a bad mood when you left."

~He noticed the bandages on her hands, and frowned. She didn't get those while he was with her. His eyes glanced to Artimus. Had he done something her?~

"I also came to give you something. I read an interesting report the other day. A horse was stolen from the Grorr stables."

~He shrugged his shoulders, anticipating her next question~

"It seems to match the description of a horse your mother, then you, have been seen with. So, I came to give you a replacement horse. Until your missing one shows up again."