James looked at the ground.

Her hand touched his cheeks and he looked up. 'I do not look down on Humans, James. They are just as much a part of this world as are the trees in this forest. I love you.' Softly she kissed him.

He wanted to kiss her back, but could feel Briar's displeasure. So, he let go and held out a hand until he felt Torta move beneath it. 'I should be going. Carthago will need my help.'

'Okay.'

Lilly helped James put Torta's bridle and saddle back on. Then James climbed up and left. Once they were out of the trees, Torta broke into a gallop and hurried back to the castle. James felt numb because of Briar's accusations, despite Lilly saying otherwise. At the stable he picked up the long stick that Asiis gave to him so he could move more quickly on his own. He went to his room and sat on the edge of his bed. Even though he loved Lilly, perhaps it would be best to let her go. His heart twisted and he knew he couldn't do that. He still wanted her close by, yet each time he entered the forest he didn't feel like he belonged there. His pondering stopped when Carthago came in to James' room.

"Well?" Carthago asked. "Did you bring her back?"

"No. She was hurt again, because of me, and I...I don't want to make it worse."

"Did she tell you off?"

"No, but..."

"There you see. Her opinion is the only one that matters."

"Not so. The opinion of her people matters very much to her...and to me."

"So you're just going to let her go? Forget that you ever knew her?"

"I don't know. I'm too upset to think straight. Maybe I should retire early and see what the morning brings."

"Okay. Keep me informed."

"I will. Good night, Carthago."

"Good night, James."

James' dreams were filled with horrors. Lilly lay broken, her breathing shallow.

The Adremedians carried her to a place and left her to rest. As all of them pa.s.sed him, they glared then turned away. Briar refused to leave, cursing and condemning him for Lilly's condition. James watched and wept over her. Several days pa.s.sed and Briar left. However, day after day, month after month, year after year, James returned until he could no longer get out of bed himself. Grown old, though her beauty never changed. As he took his last breaths, he wept, knowing that Lilly was still recovering because of him.

He woke with a cry and buried his face in his pillow. He cried for sometime before he felt the gentle stroke of Lily's fingers running through his hair. His crying continued as bits and pieces of the dream replayed.

'James,' she said.

His cries softened, but the tears still stung his eyes.

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'James, what's wrong?' Lilly asked

'Your people despise me,' he replied, keeping his face buried in the pillow.

'No they don't. Much of it is misunderstanding.'

'But it's true, because of me you're sick...or hurt.'

'Not because of you, James; because of those around us.'

'Briar doesn't think so.'

'He has come to learn so. The words he spoke yesterday would have never been spoken had he understood the situation better.'

James rolled to his back and her hand rested on his chest. Her other hand hovered above his eyes. Taking the hand she had on his chest in his own, his thumb absently rubbed across the back of her hand. 'Where is he?'

'Taking care of two of our people.'

'Are they sick?'

'No. Just new.'

James furrowed his brow. 'New? Like me?'

'Child new,' Lilly smiled. 'Adremedians can bare children also.'

'I thought that was part of the Forbidden.'

'Only when one partner refuses or is sick.'

'Then why aren't there more of you?'

'We live so long that there is no need for more than we have.'

'Then why the two new ones?'

'We lost two. It was this news that Briar was bringing to me yesterday.'

James gave a nod then rolled to his side to face where she sat on the edge of the bed. 'Why are you here?'

'To see if you are all right.'

'I don't know that I am. So much of me wants to be with you, but I don't want to be the cause of more pain.'

'You can always come live in the forest.'

'I have a hard enough time in the castle because I'm blind. I don't know that it will be any different in the forest.' His hand followed her arm up to her face. 'How are you doing?'

'Feeling tired, but other than that I'm fine.'

'Your leg?'

'Nearly healed.'

'How?'

'Adremedian healing.'

He sat up and pulled her close. Her arms wrapped around him and her head rested on his shoulder. 'Lilly, will you marry me?'

'Yes, James. I'll marry you.'

James lifted her head and kissed her. Then he just held her until Asiis came in.

"Sorry to interrupt, my Prince, but the Generals are gathering."

He nodded and let go of Lilly. 'Will you wait for me?'

'Yes.' They kissed once more, before he left.

Out in the hall, James sent Asiis to get the Priest, before he turned to join the Generals.

They met to get any new information James had received about the pending attack. They made a few changes to their preparations then left. Once the last of the generals were gone, the priest entered followed by Asiis and Lilly.

"James, what's going on?" Carthago asked.

"We're getting married then I am joining her in the forest."

"Can we not put this off, just until we get some guests?"

"No. We've put this off long enough. Besides the fewer guests the better."

Reluctantly, Carthago agreed. He and Asiis stood as witnesses. Lilly looked sickly by the time the ceremony was over. James bid them all a quick goodbye and he and Lilly left for the forest. When they arrived, James suddenly felt tired. Lilly took him to a large healing tree and helped him climb up. She joined him at the top and they both slept. Torta, free of all riding gear, was left to run free or stay close as he chose.

James woke slightly to Lilly pulling him closer to her. He rolled his eyes, opening them slightly, before closing them again. He smiled when he felt Lilly run her fingers through his hair before he returned to sleep. His dreams weren't entirely present and he woke with a jerk.

'Lilly?!...Lilly!' James sat up, frantically feeling around him.

'Calm down James. I'm still here.' She touched his cheek and kissed him.

He pulled her close. 'Where did you go?'

'Nowhere. I didn't want you falling out of the tree.'

'Tree? Why am I in a tree?'

'Do you not remember anything?'

'We got married and...' His brow furrowed. 'We left the castle on Torta.... Everything else is gone.'

'We came to the forest and I helped you into this tree to rest. This is one of the healing trees in the forest.'

'Healing tree?' He felt Lilly press his hand flat against the tree and the energy flowed into him. 'Why?'

'We both needed a little health adjustment.'

His white eyes seemed to search for her then stop. Lilly could see there was no change in his eyes. 'How am I going to get down?' he asked.

'Do you trust me?'

'I have no choice.'

'Come on.' She took his hands and led him towards the edge. His steps were a little hesitant, so Lilly just picked him up on her back and climbed down. She had him sit against the base of the tree. 'I'll be right back.'

'Where are you going?'

'I need to get a few things. I won't be gone long.'

James pulled her close for a kiss before he felt her hand slip from his. His head hung until he felt two small hands cover his eyes. 'Who is that?' James asked.

'Patientiam. You must be James,' a young voice said, hands remaining.

'Yes. How do you know me?'

'Rosae Lilly was talking with Briar about you.'

James removed the little hands and looked up. He could barely distinguish the lines of her small shape. 'What did she say?'

'That you couldn't see.' The little hands moved back to cover his eyes.

'Patientiam?' Lilly asked. 'What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Briar?'

'I felt to come here,' she replied, keeping her hands over James' eyes.

After a while, her hands fell away.

Lilly then placed several things in James' hand. 'Eat these.'

Silently he did so, while looking around. The outlines of nearby things seemed more defined and further things he couldn't really see were shadowy. Lilly held Patientiam in her arms, but he could only make out Lilly's standing form, slowly rocking back and forth.

'Patientiam!' Briar called.

'She's with me Briar,' Lilly responded.

Leaves crunched and twigs snapped as Briar and a smaller Adremedian approached through the trees. 'Sorry Lilly. I'll keep a better watch over her,' Briar said.

'I'm glad she came today. She reminded me of a technique I haven't used in several hundred years.' Lilly handed her sleeping form to Briar. He looked concerned. 'She'll be all right, Briar. Let her sleep until she wakes with the sun tomorrow.'

'First healing recovery.'

'Precisely. With a little more training, she might be able to take on her duties sooner than is typical.'

'Patientiam?' the smaller Adremedian asked.

'She'll be okay Sapientiis,' Briar said. 'We'll let her sleep.'

'By why is she asleep? She was fine.'

'Sapientiis,' Lilly said, kneeling in front of the small child. 'Patientiam used her healing skills on James and needs to rest. A lot of energy is used to heal another and it takes some getting used to. You have this power too.'

'Does it hurt?'

'No. Briar can explain it to you.'

'Will she ever wake up again?'

'When the sun comes up tomorrow, she'll wake up.'

Sapientiis looked unconvinced.

'Come on, little man. I'll explain on the way back. Let's put Patientiam to bed.'

'Okay.'

The three of them left and Lilly sat next to James.