The Frozen Witch

[The Confessor]

[fancybox2]

ILUM: CHURCH OF THE SITH
0400 Hours

@EmilyHuene ; @KinkyPrawn [/fancybox2]

The Sacellum of the Sith had gone through more and more changes over these past few months with the attention of Arch Priest Mid Samekh and the Head Priestess Lady Eriana Fox. Posted round the clock were Eriana's own armed Sacellum guards that had once been part of her Fox Battalion. But now that she had another larger squadren to manage she devoted these men to staying behind at the church. They'd also gotten thirty Crux-class starfighters and two Vector-class shuttles currently docked in their hangar in which to protect their base.

But something had happened recently with Lady Fox's mindset. The Confessor had gone to a party in the inner rim and come back...different. She was angry. And in pain. Her screams were heard throughout the main temple and an icy chill had crept through the halls that the furnaces failed to fight against. The reason being was the Head Priestess herself, though she was not entirely at fault. She hadn't spoken to anyone of the events that had transpired, not even her personal bodyguard Madulla, a yellow skinned Twi'lek she'd recruited when she was dating the Drast heir.

In one of the many back rooms there would be a chamber specifically for the High Priestess. The rest of the members slept in a different wing of the estate. She'd not left her room once, and cries of anguish and pain could be heard randomly throughout the day, but they'd mostly calmed down now. Those that waited around her wing would see medical droids coming and going, but otherwise no one else would be granted passage. The reason for this was because the girl was grieving. She had not lost anyone in the sense that they'd died, but she had felt like her heart was ripped from her chest by a lover who no longer cared for her.

She'd only just returned from the party that evening where she'd been scorned by her lover and his friends who all took turns insulting not only her, but her church. To retaliate, for she could not stand by and take their foolish insults, Eriana called forth a powerful ice storm using her connection to the Force. She made her point and the blizzard was called off, but not without it's consequences. Returning to her ship that night The Confessor found that she was several cases of frostbite upon her arms and her face. As the medical droids tried to repair the damage, she continued to break them in anger and freeze them with the cold snap she couldn't get rid of.

Eriana's room was similar in some ways, but much larger than the rest of the Sacellum. This chamber had much higher walls and a symbol of a red fox painted on flags above the bed. The large king-sized mattress took up much of the middle of the floor, but still had plenty of room to walk around with ease. Behind the bed was a fireplace, and to the sides were pillars supporting the walls. In the far corners there were makeshift windows opening up to the lower regions of the caverns below them. At a special request to those who designed her room, in the far side of the room waited a large bath chamber that had been carved into the rock. Only now the water was frozen on the edges and ice dangled from the ceiling thanks to her blizzard.

After hours of trying to calm Eriana, Madulla tried a new idea and went to find the arch priest. She came to him dressed in black bounty hunter gear and bowed to him before explaining the situation. Though she did not know the specifics, she was worried about Eriana's health and begged him to let them help her. Strolling to her room they were met with even colder temperatures that made opening the wooden door that much harder.

"GO AWAY!" they'd hear her scream from inside followed by another gust of freezing cold wind.

"Lady Confessor, please. Let us in!" Madulla sighed and stepped back from the door. She looked to Mid with hope that he could talk sense into her. "The droids said she has frostbite. And I'm not surprised given how cold it is out here. Please. She could lose her hands if she doesn't stop."

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid was in his chambers, tinkering with a new lightsabre design while Varpa was, as always, sleeping next him. He looked down at the lazy Sith mutt and gave him a pet on the head. He could hear the screams from the Confessor's chambers and from what he heard happened to her he couldn't blame her. He felt guilty that he wasn't there to stand up for her and the church. He was also disappointed in Darth Parox and his actions. Sure the High Priestess wasn't innocent by any means but behaviour like that was uncalled for, not to mention childish.

Through the screams he heard someone coming and stood up, pulling a gown over his naked torso. Eriana's body guard entered and begged him to help. He quickly suited up in his armour and holstered his arsenal. He whistled for Varpa to follow and made his way towards the Confessor's chambers. Him, Madulla, Varpa and a squad of Sacellum officers were all standing outside her chamber door. The door was frozen shut and opening it without use of the force wasn't an option. Mid handed his helmet to an officer and leaned against the door to listen to what was going on in there. Eriana was broken, a depressed mess. He could feel it through the force.

"High Priestess, it's me. Mid Samekh. I understand that you are in great pain, my lady. Both physical and emotional. Please let us help you. Let us try and heal your wounds at least." he called through the closed door, but his voice was still kind and caring. Like a bishop talking to a distraught church member. She would be able to feel that he meant well but he doubted that she would let up that easily in her current state.

If she didn't, he'd break the door down and erect a force barrier to absorb her onslaught while everyone else stunned or restrained her in her bed. One way or another, he would get her to stand down.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

The Dark side was stronger than Mid had ever felt from Eriana. Even in combat. It was angry, it was colder than usual, and it had a sense of dread about it that would make even Mid want to start shedding tears. This was very unlike Eriana. Normally the blind Sith had such a strong control over the Dark power. That was one of the reasons she'd made the church: she claimed to have a mastery of the Force that was unlike anyone else had ever seen. But this was different. She was losing herself to the rage, and the sorrow, but mostly the Dark side itself. If something wasn't done...Mid knew what could happen. She'd told Mid of two Dark Sith she herself faced in the Inner Sanctum below them. Both were disfigured and no longer human. This is what could happen to her.

He would introduce his presence to her, claiming he knew she was in pain, and then begged her to let them in. She would again scream and the door shook on its hinges, "I SAID GO AWAY!!!" It was clear she was not going down without that fight.

Madulla looked at Mid with that same worried look, "We have to do something. What are you going to do?"

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid was no stranger to Eriana's presence. She had a very dark presence that was very hard to miss. But it was always in control. Now she was like a wild animal and it was eating her alive. Giving her up to the Dark Side like that could have dire consequences. Even he, as devoted as he was, would never surrender to the Dark Side like that. There was a line thet no one should cross.

The Confessor was getting close to crossing that line and it scared Mid.

The door shook under her power, dislodging most of the ice. Perfect. He started thinking of something to get her down. While she was much more powerful than him in the force, he was practically a giant in terms of physical strength against her. Madulla asked him what they were going to do and he turned to her and the temple guards. "Set blasters to stun. I'll blast the door open and you lot breach. Spray her down with stun rounds until she stops moving." he spoke to the troopers before turning to Madulla. "You too. Blasters on stun. But you stick with me. Stay behind me."

He knew that Eriana could just launch the troopers into a wall before they could get a round off. But that was alright. They were a diversion to draw her attention away to allow Mid to either close the distance and take Eriana down, or to erect a barrier and allow Madulla to stun her. It was risky and could cost anyone their lives, but in cases like this some tough love was necessary before the Confessor could hurt herself any more.

Mid would force-push the door down, allowing the units to take the brunt of the Confessor's attack, then Mid would force-dash up right next to her and collide his phrik alloy-plated fist with Eriana's jaw hard enough to knock her out cold. If that didn't work, the force barrier will.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Madulla listened to Mid's plan and would pull out her blasters. She set them both to stun and then looked at the Sacellum guards who would do the same; some of them had pole arms made specifically for stun weapons so that would be helpful. Mid would then break down the door and the troops ran in. Eriana screamed again, turning both hands towards the door to send a hailstorm of icicles at them. Their armor did well to protect them, but it did hinder their movement. It gave just enough time for Mid to run in with his Force speed and clock her across the jaw. The Confessor lost her concentration and the ice storm stopped as she hit the cold floor. But she wasn't down just yet.

She was about to sit up and start again when Madulla began firing the stun bolts at her, followed be another stream of them from the troops. Not even the great The Confessor could stop the ambush and her body hit the floor again. For a second she stopped breathing given the amount of stun bolts she'd just taken. But then her body caught back up and she returned to a normal breathing pattern.

Walking up to her the yellow skinned Twi'lek would put away her guns and kneel down beside her mistress. She felt bad shooting her, but it was for her own good. Madulla noted the worn and now destroyed dress that Eriana had been wearing. It had holes in it from her summoning the Force around her, while also dripping wet with ice and snow. They'd likely have to cut her out of it at this point. She then reached down and lifted one of her hands which was as cold as steel. She could see the frostburn layered into the skin, discoloring it and killing it from the inside. She gave another worried look to Mid, wondering what the next step was.

 

[Mid Samekh]

The Confessor went down and Mid stepped aside as she was hammered with stun round after stun round. She was tough, no one could argue about that. When she went limp and stopped breathing Mid started to worry, but soon enough her breathing returned and she was unconscious. Madulla rushed to her side and looked up at Mid who was looking at his fist. Next time it might be better to pull his punches a little better. The Confessor was lucky that he didn't give her a concussion with that punch. He looked down at Madulla and Eriana then crouch down next to the unconscious sith.

He took her hands carefully and looked them over along with the rest of her barely clothed body. She was a mess. But there was still hope for her. Mid scooped her up in his arms effortlessly and carried her out of the room. "She needs an infirmary. If she stayed in here longer she would have died." he spoke firmly as he carried her off with massive strides. They finally reached the infirmary and he laid her down onto a bed. With his medical training he knew how to help but he figured it would be best to stand back and let the medical droids do their job.

He followed them into the surgery room, standing close as they worked on repairing her broken body. If she woke up she was going to need either a caring soul to comfort her or a phrik-plated fist to lull her back to sleep.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Following after Mid, Madulla would keep pace as he carried her mistress out of the room. She would then call over her shoulder to the guards to clean her room up and do what they could about that darn chill. Then, to Mid, she'd reply, "You don't have to tell me twice. I've already alerted the droids down in the medical wing. She'll have to be restrained though. And I'm not sure if they have anything that could keep her down. Sedation maybe?" Her mind flashed to the Force-negating cells Lady Eriana had made for her prison ship currently in orbit, but if they put her in her own prison, there'd be hell to pay for sure.

The Confessor was in surgery for hours. They'd done their best to sedate her, but only time would tell if it would hold out or not. Even as a safety measure, they'd used straps to hold her to the bed. Those would for sure not do much to a fully-awake Sith. But they could always keep her distracted while they stunned her again. Madulla desperately hoped it wouldn't come to that. So she waited outside the chamber as the medical droids did what they did best, all the while checked through the curtains every now and then to see if she was awake.

In time, The Confessor would finally start to wake up. She groaned and moved around in the bed trying to pull her arms which were currently bandaged up and strapped down to avoid her picking at them or opening the wounds back up. She tugged at them weakly but her body could barely move at all. "What's going on?" she said in a sleepy panic. "Where am I?" Her head was fuzzy from the drugs and she had a hard time focusing on the Force to paint a mental image of what was around her.

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid stood in the corner of the operation room the entire time. His arms folded over his chest. He was standing by in case she woke up during the operation and needed restraining once again. Thankfully with all the sedatives they pumped in her she was out cold. Finally after hours upon hours of the droids operating and him staring they were done. After a while she started to stir and Mid perked up. He walked over to her as she started to panic, shushing her gently like a father to a child. "Lady Fox, it's me. It's Mid. You're safe. You're currently in the temple's infirmary. Your wounds are healed and you'll make a full recovery, but if you keep struggling you can injure yourself further." he spoke gently in an attempt to calm her down.

He placed a hand on her shoulder to reassure her that he was there. "No need to panic. You're safe. I'm going to loosen your restraints. I need you to keep calm, okay?" his gentle voice not faltering once as he calmed her. He reached down and loosened the belts holding her down then returned to aid her in either sitting up or anything else she might require.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

His words were kind, but her mental state was not prepared to listen to them. The Confessor continued to squirm and her breathing picked up from the fright. He tried to explain that she was safe, and that she'd been resting in the infirmary. But with the mention of hurting herself further she started to gasp more as she breathed.

"No. No. Why can't I move?" her voice was so scared, very unlike the High Priestess.

He'd then put his hand on her shoulder trying to tell her not to panic. Like that ever worked. He then offered to loosen the restraints and that she needed to remain calm. Eriana gulped and continued taking shaky breathes while scrunching her eyes tightly together in hopes or making a clearer picture in her head. She felt another life force enter in and rush to her other side.

"Lady Confessor, I'm here. It's Madulla. Remember? You're safe. We're here watching out for you."

Eriana continued to take shallow breathes as the two worked on releasing her enough so she could sit up. But she wasn't entirely free yet and she pulled at them with a groan. "My hands....gods, my arms are burning. And I.....I..."

"Sshhh," Madulla tried to ease her concern. "You're going to be fine. The wound will heal."

"I cant......feel my fingers....."

 

[Mid Samekh]

Madulla rushed in and Mid was thankful for her help. Another person to help calm the Confessor down. As soon as she was released, Mid helped Eriana to sit up. She was in distress, not understanding why she couldn't feel her fingers. Mid placed his hand on her shoulder, looking her in the eyes. He knew she couldn't see but he hoped she understood the principle. "My lady, you suffered extensive nerve damage. The droids managed to aid with the frostbite, but your nerves are still damaged. They can fix it but it will take time. For now, let the other wounds heal up first." he explained her situation to her.

For a second Mid considered aiding her in seeing through his eyes to at least help her in providing her with a means of understanding her situation, but opening up like that could be dangerous, not to mention he will be letting her see right into his mind. And he wasn't planning on letting anyone see that deeply into his mind. Especially not her.

He simply stood by her side, trying to calm her down and get her to focus so her sight could return. He looked back to Madulla. "Has her chambers been repaired?" he asked her. Not that it was all that broken, but her heating system was shot and the ice messed a bunch of other things up. Mid figured that it would be best to return the Confessor to a familiar space.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Feeling crippled made Eriana feel worthless. She was already at a disadvantage due to the meds causing her to not see straight, and now she couldn't even move her fingers around? How long would that last? Would it be forever? Had her misfortune and crime now come to take its toll on her? She listened to Mid explain the seriousness of her nerve damage, and while they could be healed, it would take time.

Quietly to herself she would whisper, "First me honor, now my hands. What next will you take from me, Milo?"

Sniffling a sob down Eriana tried to stay calm but a shivering breath escaped her before she gulped and tried to hold another sob from getting out. She hated showing weakness. Weakness in the Sith was not tolerated. Ever. The weak were cut down and thrown away. It was something she tried to change, but how could she when she couldn't see or move out of the kriffin bed?

Off to the side, Madulla would shake her head when Mid asked her if her room had been cleaned yet, "No. The ice is proving harder to melt due to its...Force origins. I...didn't think such a thing was possible."

Eriana wasn't even listening to the conversation. She was wallowing in guilt right now. All of this because of one stupid night. One small mistake. And it cost her everything. Had she not given into her desires, she'd still be with Milo, and she would never have been humiliated in front of the entire Sith faction. Her name was likely still be smeared by those incestual Drast pigs. All she had left was her connection to the Force and even that seemed to be betraying her. What else was there for her then....?

"Leave me," she would say quietly. Then, when they didn't respond, she spoke louder and with more authority. "I said leave me!"

 

[Mid Samekh]

Mid caught Eriana's whisper. It soon followed with feint sniffles as she fought back her emotions. Mid felt for her. For a Sith he was a very caring person, but he blamed that on his mother. She was the one who taught him to be a priest. But he didn't regret the lessons she gave him. It gave him the ability to function in situations like this after all.

"My lady, take some advice from a soldier. Your honour is your own. No one can take that from you." he tried to reassure her. But she was stubborn, he knew she wouldn't listen to kind words and reassurance. He wasn't sure how to comfort her without bringing her wrath down onto him. In his experience it helped to let go of your emotions. They were Sith after all. Holding down emotions is the Jedi way. Not theirs. But to tell her that it was alright to show her emotions in a state like this...that is a dangerous idea.

Madulla explained the state of the Confessor's room. He wasn't surprised. The Force was a strange thing. Troublesome at times. This was no exception. But before he could answer her the Confessor told them to leave. Mid looked back at her, puzzled by the order. She told them once again, this time much louder. "My lady..." he started speaking but stopped. It was better to just listen to what she had to say.

He shook his head and placed a hand on Madulla's shoulder, turning her around and guiding her out the door. He stood in the doorway, his eyes lingering for a moment longer on the high priestess before closing the door behind him. She was alone in the dark once more. He walked past the window, much slower to keep an eye on her.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

While Mid left he'd see her stay basically in the same spot: her head drooped down, her arms lying still at her sides. Tears would start to well up in her eyes, but they wouldn't fall for some time. She didn't want to cry. She tried to fight it. But the Dark side would continue to speak with her, moving its way into her grief. Like a bad addiction she'd be called to it and take it in for this was the only solace afford to her right now.

Outside, Madulla would look at him with a slightly angry look, "You can't just let her be alone. She needs someone to help her. She needs a friend. Otherwise she's just going to relapse and form another blizzard in there. Then where we will take her?" She raised her temples where eyebrows would be on a person, gesturing to him that she knew what she was talking about. Poking him in the chest she overstepped her bounds a little and gave him an order, "Deal with this. I'm going to go help clean up."

Then with a flick of her head and headtails she turned and started to head for Eriana's room to see what she could do about the restoration process. She was sure there was a flamethrower around here somewhere....

 

[Mid Samekh]

The Confessor was a wreck, but when she spoke people had to listen. Refusing her orders tended to not end nicely. Madulla stopped and faced him, bringing him to a halt as well. She practically scolded him for leaving her, even poking him on the chest as she spoke. He looked at her hand then back to her, raising an eyebrow. She had guts, standing up to a sith like this. But she was right. He was the arch priest and it was his duty to see to the wellbeing of all the members, even the High Priestess if the occasion calls for it.

He wanted to protest, but Madulla cut him off, telling him to deal with this mess as she left. He watched her leave, a smirk on his lips as he looked at her. He had quite a soft spot for twi'leks and she was no exception. He outfit also helped the situation...

He looked back through the window, back at the Confessor who was at the verge of tears but refusing to cry. She would destroy herself, holding back like that. He made for the door and entered the room once more, ignoring her protests as he walked up to her. He stood right in front of her and before she could do anything he did something unexpected.

He pulled her into a hug. His armour might not have been all that comfortable but he held her close with his arms wrapped around her gently. "Let it out, child. You'll only tear yourself apart holding back like this. Don't do this to yourself. Let it out." he spoke with a warm, comforting tone. Once again appearing more like a priest than a warrior. He stroked her back gently as he comforted her. She needed a friend...and at this point he might be her only one.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

The door would again open causing a low hiss from The Confessor. "I thought I told you to leave me? Did you forget something? Or did you just go deaf?" When he didn't answer she snapped again, "I said leave me alone! I don't want you here! Leave!"

But her arch priest would not. He stood there in front of her making her even more confused. She tried balling her hands together but the pain was too much and she couldn't get anywhere with them. She was about to try and Force push him away because honestly that's how terrified she was right then, though she'd never admit it. So much fear was running through her. She was scared first off that she'd never heal. Then, she was worried what would happen to her in the faction. She'd attacked members of her own team. In front of the Emperor no less (even if he came in after the fact). Surely there would be consequences.

Third, she was scared of her powers. She knew something was changing inside her. And it scared her. She'd never lost control before. Not like this. Not ever. In her head Eriana knew to keep a level head and to allow the Force to do its thing, but she always had control of it. Now it seemed like she was, almost...turning into something else. Where had all that ice come from anyways? Eriana didn't even know it was possible to summon ice. Something was happening inside her. And that scared her most of all.

She was about to explode, letting all of these feelings turn into anger and lash out. That's what she did last time. Instead, Mid's large arms reached around her tiny frame and pulled her into him. Eriana froze. What was happening? Was he...going to kill? Was he trying to restrain her again? Before she could freak out anymore he asked her to let it out. Keeping it bottled up inside would only make things that much worse and she'd ruin herself. His tone was kind, something The Confessor was not at all used to hearing from her subordinates.

His hand would start rubbing her back and Eriana again felt something stir inside her. Only this time, it wasn't anger. It stung in a way, and she really didn't like it. Trying to pull away she would protest, "Let go of me this instant. I mean it, Mid! There's nothing wrong. I'm not...I'm not holding anything in!"

Again that sharp feeling hit her and she gasped. It moved to her throat now. She was getting choked up. She tried pulling away but she was so weak, and his arms were like steel beams. Even if she didn't have all those meds in her system she feared he'd be able to break every one of her bones if he tried. Struggling in his grasp only made her feel vulnerable and weak and she hated that feeling. The sting hit her again, this time in her chest. She sniffled, and realized she was about to cry.

"I'm not......." She sniffled again. Unable to complete the sentence. Her body broke down. Her eyes squeezed shut and she felt a tear roll down her cheek. Her body began to shake while Eriana tried everything she could to suppress the whimper working its way up from her lungs. She couldn't show weakness. She had to be strong. She was the matron of this church. She was the figure head. Weakness was not allowed.

But she couldn't stop it. It was inevitable. With his arms supporting her and his hand rubbing her back she lost all control. Eriana gasped and finally let out that first sob. Her body shook and she began to cry into his armor plate. Her hands again tried to cling to something but she couldn't move them. She still had no feeling in her hands. All that fear and anger and pain from before, all of it welled up and exploded like a hole in a boat. Nothing could stop it. Everything Eriana had been building up these last few months came rushing out in tragic sobs and painful whimpers. She was no longer the fearsome and powerful Confessor of the Sacellum. Here now, she was Eriana Fox again. A broken and sad woman who had her heart ripped out of her chest.

 

[Mid Samekh]

She struggled against him. He knew she would. She was sith, just like him. One does not show weakness to other sith, no matter the situation. But in this case it was necessary. He kept stroking her back and held her close. She finally broke down against him and everything came out. Mid could feel everything, the rage, the grief, the heartbreak. She needed this. No matter what one's beliefs were, using all of that misery to bolster one's power was cruel and evil. A cheap way to gain more power than one can handle.

He turned his head and pressed a cheek against her head. "There we go. Let it out. No one will hear of this. I promise." he whispered to her. He let her empty her heart against his chest. At least it would take more than that to rust duraplast. He just did what he could to comfort her in the moment she was most vulnerable. "It's okay. I'm here for you." he whispered to her. He wasn't sure how long he was standing there, holding the broken Confessor to support her in her hour of need. But he didn't care about time. He was doing his duty as Arch Priest. The wellbeing of the Confessor was his top priority and that was what he was tending to.

Eventually he pulled back and looked into her white eyes. "Very few people could keep their heads held high after what you've been through. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not strong. You're strong, my lady. And that's a fact." he said seriously and sincerely. He planted a kiss on her forehead as a priest would with a blessing and he hugged her again. He didn't love her, but he did care about her. They had come a long way together, and with Shikari's disappearance it was just the two of them. They needed each other in times like this.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

As much as Eriana wanted to admit she was strong, she couldn't help but find herself lost in her tears. Crying was just a body's way of relieving stress. It was natural, though so many people tried to fight it. Letting herself empty all of her doubts cleared her head like no other drug or vice could. Somewhere along the way, she'd forgotten that. And she was grateful that it was Mid who reminded her of that fact. When she had finally had enough she pulled back and wiped her eyes. It felt like she'd been crying for hours. She felt guilty that Mid had held her that whole time, but that was his choice.

After all of this, he still felt like calming her down. He'd said a few supportive things during the whole ordeal and that helped her to let go. Now, he tried to pick her back up. Saying she was stronger than she knew, he tried to remind Eriana of that fact that what she'd been through was horrible, but she had come out on top. She'd dealt with so much. So much! And yet, here she stood. She overcame this much, there was nothing she couldn't do.

Mid would then pull her into a smaller hug and kiss her forehead. It was a very strange comfort from him, but she liked it. She felt like a young girl again, when her father would kiss her. Not that she was implying anything of the sort with Mid, but it wouldn't have been even more awkward thinking of him like she did with Milo. No, there could be no relationship with the arch priest. Or anyone. Her heart had learned its lesson.

"Thank you, my friend." Her words came out slow, and unsure. Not that she doubted their friendship, but she didn't know what it was safe to address him as. Did she stay professional and call him by his title? Or was it safe to call him by his name? Plus, what was going through his head during all of this. Hopefully nothing romantic. Hence her choice to use the word friend. "I think I'd like to get some more rest now. You can...you can leave me. I promise, I'll be alright this time."

With a half smile she'd lie back into the bed with his help of lowering it flat and bundle up the best she could in the covers. Her hands were still practically useless so it took some effort on both of their parts to get herself decently tucked in. Earlier, such an assist would embarrass her. But she'd just cried into his chest for twenty minutes. He'd seen her at her worst. There was no shame left to share. Whatever special bond was forming between them would only get stronger after such a test of wills. She pondered this thought as she tried drifting off to sleep, wondering what would become of her now that so much had changed?

~END THREAD~
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