@Wick


Adelina had continued her pacing until Orren stepped into the room. She turned to him, her irritation at him all but forgotten in the force of her worry and fear. Her pacing stalled for the time being, she wrung her hands, biting her lip as she turned to look out the window. Orren was right. Night was falling and from where she stood she could see that snowflakes were falling from the sky at an alarming rate. James and the doctor wouldn't risk bringing her father or brother out in the cold, especially with her father as sickly as he is. She felt something drape over her shoulders and she turned, realizing that Orren had grabbed a blanket and covered her shoulders.

Before he could draw his hands away fully, she caught one of his large hands in both of her delicate ones. N-No, I appreciate you bringing them here. It's very kind of you and I thank you very much." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before she released him, hand reaching up to clasp the blanket resting on her shoulders. She turned to the fire, the flames causing her emerald eyes to sparkle. The warm was slightly comforting. It didn't dispel all of the tension from her shoulders but it helped ease some away. She sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face. Her eyes felt dry and she was surprised she wasn't crying. Perhaps the situation had not hit her fully yet. Maybe her mind wasn't allowing it to, trying to protect itself in some way.

Whatever the case, she still felt restless and so when Orren exited the room, Adelina trailed behind him. She noted he was headed to the kitchen and it dawned on her that with James out of the house, they would have to fend for themselves. Perfect. She could keep busy by helping make dinner. She stepped into the kitchen behind Orren, shedding the blanket and folding it over a nearby chair. "I can help with dinner. It will give me something to do. It's better than pacing a circle into the floor." She reached into her pocket and extracted a ribbon that she used to tie her hair back out of her face. She then looked at Orren. "What sounds good for dinner?"

Orren was happy to hear her voice behind him and he smiled to himself. "I have no idea what James was planning for dinner." After rooting around the kitchen, he looked up at her and smiled sheepishly. "I can cut up some fruit and we can do sandwiches but other than that I really can't cook so unless you have any other ideas...that's all I've got."

He noticed that Adelina seemed to have forgotten that she was mad at him and he was happy about that. Stoking the fire in the kitchen fireplace he turned the heat up in the room for her. As a demon he felt neither cold nor heat. Because he was not born a demon he tended to pay attention to things like that. Seeing her working to make them dinner he grabbed the place settings and set the dining table.

For a few minutes he got lost in his own thoughts. He looked at who he was when the spell was set on him and he realized that he had been selfish and thoughtless much of the time. He walked into the kitchen and saw Adelina in the firelight and something inside him warmed up, he wanted to kiss her. She was pretty, kind, accepting of him as he was and he was attracted to her. He analyzed his feelings and realized that the chances that she would ever reciprocate any feelings that he were to have for her were incredibly low.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick


Adelina smiled at him in return. "Well lucky for us, I can cook. Scoot over." She laughed and shooed him away so she could root around for an idea on what they could eat for dinner. She hummed thoughtfully to herself as she took stock of what they had. "It's cold out so I can whip up some stew." She replied. She rolled up her sleeves and drug out a pot and set it on the stove. She then went about collecting the vegetables and meat. She grabbed a knife and began chopping up carrots and such that would go in the stew. She was so focused on her task that she didn't even notice when Orren had stepped out of the room. Soon their dinner was cooking and she tapped her chin thoughtfully. While their dinner was cooking she could make them dessert, but what? She looked around the kitchen thoughtfully and spotted a bowl of apples. Apple pie, perfect!

With a smile, she grabbed the bowl and carried it over to her work station. Then she grabbed a clean knife and began to peel the apples, being careful so as not to accidentally slice her finger. Once they were all peeled, she sliced them up then set them aside. Next she began to work on making the dough for the pie. She began humming to herself as she worked, strands of hair falling in her eyes only to be blown back with a small puff of air. Her motions fluid as she worked, she was almost dancing around the kitchen while she worked and soon she had a pie cooking in the oven. She smiled in satisfaction and grabbed a ladle to stir the stew with.

She sensed movement behind her and looked over her shoulder, Orren now being able to see a streak of flour on her left cheek. She noticed he was staring at her with an indescribable expression. She gave him a smile, a few strands of hair falling against her forehead as she washed her hands free of flour and the like, still unaware of the flour on her cheek. "I decided to make us a pie as well." She commented as she dried her hands, turning towards him. "I could make us some tea as well? Or apple cider?"

Orren watched Adelina quietly and he saw the flour on her cheek and when she asked him about his drink preference he nodded smiling at her. "Cider sounds great." He stepped towards her and reached over to her cheek slowly and used his flat of his thumb to gently brush the flour from her cheek. "You had some flour on your cheek." Orren felt such a strong urge to kiss her, he stared into her eyes for a moment and several thoughts ran through his mind. He could picture her recoiling in horror and leaving forever if he tried to kiss her.

Stepping backwards he felt some of his spines stick into the door frame. He closed his eyes in frustration with his current form. Embarrassed, he stepped one step forwards listening to the spines leaving holes in the door frame. He turned and went out to the garden for a few minutes.

Was this all part of the cruel witch's plan? Torment him with the humanity he no longer had? Orren had believed money and power were the most important things growing up. His father had taught him that by example. Being stuck in his demon form allowed him to see the cruelty of fear and how much truly caring for someone meant. James was his best friend and he never left him. Orren owed him so much and Adelina... In the last few weeks she had managed to teach him a lesson or two. The longer he was around her the more he wanted to be around her. She hadn't screamed in terror or run off even when he had gotten angry. She had just accepted him and his hideous form as if he were totally normal.

He was concerned about her family being here. What if they saw Orren and made her leave with them immediately? The thought tore at him. The pain that tore across his chest made him stop and think about that again. If she left him... he would become a demon for all eternity. More importantly, in his heart he would rather live with her as a demon, than not have her in his life at all. These thoughts left him in a somber mood. At the end of the year his humanity would be completely gone and he would become his own worst fear.

Orren stayed outside til Adelina called him in for supper. Moving light on his feet for one so large he entered the house and went into the dining room and saw the stew and the pie and Adelina. He couldn't help but smile. He held her chair and pushed it in when she sat and took his own seat. "It looks wonderful Adelina."

@XxLyraxX

@Wick



Adelina tipped her head back to gaze up at him when he stepped closer. She tilted her head to the side slightly as he reached for her cheek with a clawed hand. She didn't flinch away like most would, instead she simply looked up at him, waiting for him to say something as he gently brushed her cheek. Her cheeks colored slightly at his remark of the flour on her cheek. Well, she rather was clumsy, even with baking. She watched as he took a few steps back and seemed to get his spines caught in the doorway. Her eyes widened and she stepped forward to help but by then he had already freed himself and disappeared out the door. She debated going after him but she decided to leave him be for now and focus on finishing their dinner.

While the stew finished simmering, she grabbed another pot and gathered the ingredients to make the apple cider. She sang softly to herself as she worked, dancing little steps here and there. Soon everything was ready and she began to carry it to the dining room, feeling pleasantly surprised to see that Orren must have already set the table. She smiled fondly and arranged the dishes on the surface, placing her hands on her hips as she nodded in satisfaction. She went to wash her hands and briefly checked the mirror for any other wayward spots of flour. She smoothed her hair back from her face and sighed, brushing her dress and turning to head to the gardens. She called in Orren in for dinner and smiled at him when he appeared in the doorway.

She blinked slightly in surprise when he pushed her chair in for her. "Why thank you kind sir." She said teasingly with a laugh and a fond smile sent his way as she settled into her chair. "Go on, dig in." She told him as she poured some stew into her bowl and poured both of them a cup of apple cider, holding the cup out for Orren to take.

Orren took the cup gratefully and smiled. "Thank you Adelina. This is delicious." Orren sat there quietly eating while trying to figure out how to make himself seem less beastly. He smiled and hurriedly ate his dinner. "I want to spend some time with you. I was thinking I could play you some music to dance to."

He was nearly giddy with excitement at the idea. Piling all of the dishes haphazardly in the kitchen he took the pie into the ballroom and set it on the table near the piano. He was nervous. His heart was so vulnerable and he wasn't sure how she might react to him in a more personal setting. He put a record on the phonograph and he looked around and realized she was likely in the kitchen. Jogging to the kitchen he peered around the corner and he walked up behind her and cleared his throat loudly. He handed her the closest towel to dry her hands. "Come, leave this for James. He loves dishes, he tells me so all the time." Gently he prodded her out of the kitchen and towards the ballroom. His grin was contagious and so was his laughter. Once in the ballroom he bowed deeply and put the record on and said "M'lady may I have this dance?"
@XxLyraxX

@Wick



Adelina smiled as he gobbled down his dinner. She was glanced he enjoyed it. It was nice cooking for somebody other than Ciel and her father. Maybe she could give James a run for his money, she thought playfully with a smile as she ate her stew slower than Orren was doing. "I would love to spend time with you, Orren. And I would love to hear you play me something." She said with a smile. His excitement was plausible and she laughed when she finished her food and he spirited away all of the dishes to the kitchen and hurried to the music room with the pie. She got up and headed into the kitchen to wash the dishes before she joined him. She had just gotten one plate washed when he seemed to realize what she had been doing and handed her a towel to dry her hands, nudging her out of the kitchen. "Well, if you're sure." She said as she glanced over her shoulder at the dishes before she allowed him to lead her to the music room, returning his grin.

As he bowed, she grasped her the skirt of her dress and curtsied in return, smiling up at him as she immediately placed her hand into his, paying no mind to how much larger his hand was compared to hers or even the sharp tips of his claws. She didn't even flinch at the different texture of his palm. "Of course, I would love to dance with you."

Orren was careful not to cut her hand on his claws and he whirled her around the room with his hand firmly but delicately on her waist and the other holding her hand in his. He couldn't believe how graceful he was even in this form. He couldn't take his eyes off of her face. She was so beautiful and she was sweet and she was a wonderful dancer. He blushed and was grateful that she probably couldn't tell because his demon skin was not light enough to show it.

He couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed himself so much with a woman. It had been a long time and he was relaxed for the first time in a very long time. When they were worn out and she looked to be getting tired he smiled and turned the phonograph off.

"Adelina? We can take the pie in the living room and eat it in there if you like?"

The smile never left her face as he whirled her around the room. It was nice, dancing with someone. She had not had a chance to dance with someone ever since Ciel was little and he wasn't embarrassed to dance with her. Since then she always danced by herself while doing chores around the house. "You're pretty light on your feet." She teasingly said with a smile.

She did not know how long they danced for but after several songs, she was out of breath and her feet were starting to ache slightly. She nodded at his idea. "That sounds wonderful. I can grab the book I've been reading recently and I can read to you if you wish?"

"Why thank you!" Orren nodded and grabbed the pie and the fork he had snagged off of the table earlier and followed her to the living room. He took a seat on the floor and faced the couch. Once she began to read to him she looked so pretty in the firelight that he caught himself staring.

He picked up the pie and started to dig into the pie. "Addy this is pure heaven! Try it." He put a fork full of pie up to her lips to feed her.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick



While Orren headed to the living room, Adelina ascended the steps to the second floor and opened the door to her room. She kicked off her shoes and snagged the book off of her nightstand. With it in hand she walked back down the steps and into the living room to find Orren seated on the floor in front of the couch, waiting for her. She smiled and crossed over to the couch and took a seat. She tucked her feet underneath her and spread her skirt over them as she got settled. She smiled down at Orren. "Ready?" She inquired. Upon his agreement, that he was in fact ready, Adelina began to read. It was her favorite book and she used to read it all the time when she was a child. She had been delighted to find it again in the library and now she was happy she could share the experience with Orren. Her soothing voice filled the room as she read, the cadence and tone rhythmic. She smiled to herself when he began to eat the pie and proclaimed it delicious before telling her she needed to try some.

Her cheeks flushed a little at the nickname he gave her and she ignored the fluttering feeling in her stomach as she leaned forward and delicately ate the piece of pie held before her. "Mmmmm, it is good." She agreed, licking her lips for any remnant pie filling.

Orren continued sharing and feeding Adelina in the firelight. The glow of the fireplace made her cheeks flush slightly and it did not go unnoticed by him. His smile softened his face and he had a smile that made him look entirely boyish. If it weren't for the horns he would look almost human.

After the pie was gone and after she had closed the book he moved up onto the couch with her. He hesitated but asked her anyway. "Will you promise me something?" He looked a little smitten with her and a little scared of her answer. "Will you promise to dance with me every night from now on? even if you are mad at me?" Before she could say anything he raised his hand so she would wait. "With your family here I'll spend more time on my own. I don't want to frighten them. Most people aren't as kind as you are and I don't want them to make you leave me." Orren noticed the fire dying down and the goosebumps beginning to form on Addy's arm. He aimed his hand at the fireplace and shot flames into the wood igniting the blaze again.

Orren was afraid of what he would see in her eyes and so he kept his face down for a moment. He picked up her small hand and raised it to his lips and kissed it softly. "I've grown very fond of you and I- I couldn't bare losing you."

@XxLyraxX

@Wick


Adelina enjoyed her time next to the fire with Orren, eating pie, laughing, and reading. She couldn't really remember the last time she had smiled this much. Back at home, she had been constantly worrying about her father and Ciel so she hardly had time to enjoy herself. Before she knew it, time had flown by and they had finished the rest of the book. She smiled and set it next to her on the couch and when she returned her focus back to Orren, she found he had left his spot on the floor and took a seat next to her on the couch. He looked unsure and there was clearly something on his mind. As she about to open her mouth to reassure him he could tell her anything, he spoke up. Adelina tilted her head slightly as he asked something of her and when she was about to answer him, she drew up short when he held up his hand to halt her. She waited patiently for him to finish and rubbed at her arms while he spoke; having not noticed until now that the fire had been dying out.

But it seemed Orren had caught onto that as well and she jumped in slight surprise when he directed his hand at the fireplace and shot fire to ignite the wood. She blinked. Well, that was new. She returned her attention to him as he picked up her hand and gently pressed a kiss to the back of her hand; causing a small blush to spread across her cheeks. With the same hand that he held loosely in his, she gently cupped his cheek and lifted his head up until he could meet her eyes; giving him a gentle smile as she spoke.

"I promise, I will dance with you every night and more if you wish. I enjoy your company and I will not mind. I wish you would not hide from my family but I know you are sensitive about your appearance and I will respect that but I want you to know that no matter what happens, nothing and no one would be able to take me away."

Orren smiled in relief. He wanted to hold her but he was afraid that his spines would stab her. He felt so helpless in this form. He leaned forward slowly and kissed her on the cheek. "M'lady I do think I am falling for you. I hope that doesn't scare you." He said softly. His expression was hopeful and he leaned back so as not to scare her.

Looking at the clock he realized how late it was. He stood up and offered her his hand. "Shall I walk you to your room? I'll get the fireplace going since James isn't here to have it already roaring for you." As they walked there were so many things he wanted to tell her but he thought she would think him crazy if he did so he kept quiet. When he got to her room he walked in and shut the windows tightly. One of the shutters didn't appear to want to close fully. He lit the fireplace and set it to blazing in the room. After he secured the shutters and the temperature was already warming up he walked back to her in the doorway.

"Goodnight Addy. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning. I expect James will have them here shortly after first light." He kissed her hand once more and walked down the hall.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick



Adelina smiled at him softly, cheeks flushed a light pink. "No, it doesn't scare me at all." As Orren noted the time, Adelina realized how late it had gotten, a yawn parting her lips. It had definitely been a long day and with her father and brother hopefully arriving tomorrow, her life was about to become a lot busier than it had been. She just hoped Ciel wouldn't react too badly when he found out his suspicions about the prince of the castle proving true. But then again, Ciel had a perchance for theatrics so she highly doubted they would get by without some form of an episode. But she would cross that bridge when she came to it. No matter what Ciel said or did, she was not going to budge on this. She had promised Orren nothing would take her away and she intended to keep that promise no matter what.

She smiled up at him and gently placed her hand in is, following him up to her room. As they passed the countless halls and doorways, she tried to imagine Orren here, with no one to keep him company except for James. How terribly lonely it must have been. They arrived at her room and she watched as Orren tended to the fire and shut her shutters tightly so cold air could not seep in. "Good night Ren." She replied, giving him a nickname of his own. Before he could walk away, she stood on her tiptoes and tugged his face down to hers, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She flushed lightly at her action and stepped inside her room, softly shutting the door.

Once alone, her blush intensified, turning her cheeks a bright red as she grabbed a pillow and buried her face into it. She hadn't planned to kiss him on the cheek, it had just felt...right. She laid the pillow aside and stood, walking over to her vanity to sit down and brush out her hair. She got dressed in her pajamas and climbed into bed. The fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace and warmed to room. But as comfortable it was, she just couldn't go to sleep. Her thoughts were filled with Orren and her family.

She sighed and sat up, padding over to the window seat and sitting down, gazing outside. It was still snowing, adding to the powder already coating the ground. She hoped James and the doctor would be able to make the drive up here and the snow didn't block off the path. She shook her head. Worries like that would only keep her awake longer. She returned to bed and laid back down, rolling over to face the wall. She closed her eyes and focused on relaxing each part of her body, one limb at a time. Soon her breathing had deepened and she was fast asleep.

Orren blushed in wonder when Addy kissed his cheek. When she disappeared behind the door he smiled broadly. She must like him at least a little bit he thought. Wanting to get everything ready for her family he went from room to room and made sure there was enough wood in the rooms and double checked the blankets and towels in the rooms even though he had already done it before. He went outside and chopped more firewood. Since demons didn't exactly sleep he had all night to wander around and chop wood and stack it in every room that was going to be in use.

Orren also pulled out his cloaks that he had not worn since Adelina had gotten there. He needed to make certain that her brother and father didn't see his form. He was focussed on Adelina and how much he wanted to hold her in his arms. Looking down at his hands and arms he saw a huge problem. The spines and claws would create quite a problem for holding a delicate young lady such as herself. He went out to the gardening building behind the castle. There was a great pair of gardening sheers in there and he went to work on his claws immediately. He was surprised at how difficult they were to cut. At least this he managed without bloodshed unlike the spines when he started slicing them off.

Pulling on his cloak and a very large pair of gloves he went outside at day break and melted all of the snow on the walkway and shovelled it clear so James and the doctor could get the men inside safely. Once James opened the gates and the horse pulled the buckboard into the property Orren yelled upstairs. "Addy! They are here!" He went back outside and He carefully lifted her father and carried him inside. This particular cloak covered him from head to toe and the only thing visible of Orren was his eyes. He carried him upstairs and into the room closest to Addy's. He lay him down on the bed and the doctor was right there behind him.

Orren turned to the doctor. "I have arranged for you to have a room between them. I assume James made it clear that your services are needed here 24 hours a day until they are better?" The doctor nodded and smiled. He would be getting paid handsomely for this and he was well aware of it.

When he went back out and lifted her brother he could feel the tension coming off of the young man. He said nothing and carried him to his assigned room and put him in his bed.

After coming back downstairs Orren heard little giggles and grinned as he began to look around for the little squirt. "Is that my Emmie I hear?" He said to the room he heard her in. The little girl giggled again and ran out from behind a curtain and jumped into his arms.

"Orren! Why are you wearing this?" The little girl was pulling at the cloak. "Take it off! I like your horns."

Orren chuckled and lifted her into the air. "Since the others can't come downstairs I guess I can take it off now."

James had passed them and gone into the kitchen and was doing dishes and grumbling about it the entire time. He grinned when Orren and Emmie came in. "I figured you'd be hiding out for a while so I snagged Emmie from my sister. The instant I said your name, Emmie was not to be left behind." Emmie was a cute little curly topped four year old who had only known Orren as he was now. She had immediately thought him the coolest person on the planet because of his horns, that and he would play with her when other adults wouldn't. Orren picked up his little playmate and whisked her away amidst a ton of giggles and took her to the ballroom to play.

After taking off the cloak and gloves Emmie looked at him and frowned. "What happened to your claws and the prickly things on your chest?" He sat down on the ground and she stood there and poked one of the places he had cut off a spine. "Does it hurt?" She said while messing with it.

"A little but that will go away. So what do you want to do?" Emmie grinned and he knew he was in trouble.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick


Adelina was up and pacing before the sun had even crested the tree-tops. She had gotten very little sleep and it was evident in the bags under her eyes. She wrung her hands, not able to keep still as she anxiously awaited her father and brother. Orren hadn't really told her what had exactly happened to Ciel so she was worried it was something terrible. The second Orren called up to her to let her know her family was here, Adelina was out the door and practically sprinting down the steps. She hovered nearby as Orren carried her father up first and then returned for her brother. Once everyone was settled, she checked in on her father first, who had fallen asleep soon after being brought upstairs. She conversed with the doctor nearby and was told the extent of Ciel's injuries. A broken leg, some bruised ribs and a bruised back. He would be bed-ridden for quite a while but the doctor believed her brother would make a full recovery.

She crossed the hall and stopped at the door across from her own and quietly opened the door, peeking inside. Ciel's bright green eyes, the same color as her own, stared back at her from the bed. Adelina slipped inside and shut the door with a soft click, padding to the bed and staring down at her brother. He gazed up at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes before he sighed and opened his arms. "I still have a side that's not hurt, climb in." Gingerly, Adelina laid down next to him, carefully resting her head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her and he sighed, body relaxing. All was quiet for a moment before Ciel spoke. "I missed you Lina." He said softly. "I've missed you too Ciel." Ciel ran his fingers through her hair, the soothing motion relaxing her. Sometimes Adelina wondered who took care of who. "Did you check in on father?" Adelina nodded, being careful not to jostle his shoulder. "I did, he's resting comfortably with the doctor right by his side. I'm...glad you're okay. I had feared the worst." "And you didn't get a good nights rest." Ciel commented, Adelina smiling sheepishly. The two went quiet again. "Will you sing to me?" Ciel inquired softly. Adelina raised up slightly to look at him. He hadn't requested for her to sing to him ever since...

She shook the memory from her mind and smiled. "Of course! Any requests?" Ciel shook his head and Adelina lapsed into thought. Once she had a song picked out, she rested her head back down and began to sing softly.

"
Cast away your worries, my dear
For tomorrow comes a new day
Hold to me, you've nothing to fear
For your dreams are not far away

As you lay your head and you rest
May your dreams take over my love
For your destiny lies above

Though the world is cruel
There's a light that still shines
In the darkest days of our lives

When all hope seems lost
And you can't find your way
Think of me as you look to the sky"

When the lullaby drew to a close and her voice faded away, she could feel the steady rise and fall of Ciel's chest, signaling he was fast asleep. She gently slipped from the bed and exited the room quietly. She heard the sound of giggles and followed the sound downstairs, finding Orren playing in the ballroom with a little girl. Adelina smiled, leaning against the door frame as she watched.

Orren loved James little niece. She was the only one who would dare scold him. She had him in a chair facing into the room and she had his cloak wrapped around her shoulders with the hood back. She seemed to be applying something to Orren. Firstly she had dressed him in the funniest high heels made out of wooden doorstops clapped together with glue. She had slipped them underneath his feet. She had also put a large green feather boa on his horns draping it down around his neck and over his chest.

"I still don't understand why you cut off the prickly things?" Emmie asked him more than a little frustrated with him. "Hold still I'm not done yet!"

Orren was exceedingly patient with the little girl. She was very bright for her age and she was coloring makeup all over his face. He wrinkled his face at her as she tried to put the lipstick on him. "Quit moving! You'll mess it up!" Emmie kept yelling at him.

Orren stood up and the apron she had tied around him didn't go all the way around because of his size and it dangled off center and he spoke in as feminine a voice as he could muster which was pretty difficult being that as a demon his voice was pretty low to begin with. "Emmie! You didn't fix my skirt!" He tied the apron and it barely fit. He scooted the "shoes" across the floor and Emmie giggled at him.

"You look funny Orren!" She giggled loudly. He turned and saw Adelina in the doorway and lost his focus on his dangerous footwear. His foot slipped and one of the "shoes" went flying and he landed on his back with a feather boa in his mouth. He looked over at Emmie and growled playfully at her. She got up laughing and ran around the room. He looked sheepishly at Adelina. His grin exposing the truth.

James peaked in and laughed at his friend. Orren stood up proudly even though his face was covered in red lipstick and other types of makeup, most of it scribbled on. His attire was haphazard at best and there were cuts all over his chest and his claw nails were now even with his fingers and covered in red lipstick too.

"Hi Addy, this is Emmie. James' niece." Orren said grinning.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick


Adelina had been prepared for a lot of things, but Orren's state of dress when he turned to meet her gaze was not one of them. She bit down on her lip to stifle her laughter but the barest shaking of her shoulders indicated her withheld mirth. She was silent for several moments before she gathered herself together and trusted herself to not burst into laughter when she spoke. "The look suits you." She said with a slight wobble to her tone that she refused to let turn into laughter. She coughed slightly as she turned to the little girl she now knew to be Emmie. "It's very nice to meet you Emmie, my name is Adelina." She said with a smile. "You did a very good job with Orren's make-up. I'm not very good with make-up you see, so maybe later you can show me how you did such a fantastic job?" A throat was cleared behind her and she turned, spying the doctor hovering in the doorway. When he meet her gaze he beckoned her over. She hurried over, concerned eyes staring up at him. Before she begin asking what was wrong, the doctor took her gently by the elbow and steered her from the room.

He heaved a sigh before he began speaking in hushed tones. "I've finished my examination of your father...There's no delicate way of saying this but I am afraid that he is dying. His illness has progressed too far for treatment to be of any help." Adelina could feel the color drain from her otherwise pale face and when she spoke, it felt like it took an eternity for the words to leave her lips. "But..The medicine-" "Helps keep the pain at bay, but it does not cure nor stop his illness. I'm afraid at this point, nothing will. The only thing we can do now is make him as comfortable as possible. He is awake now, if you wish to see him." He placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort and walked away.

Adelina stood there for several moments, as if her feet were frozen to the ground. When she did move, it was halting, as if she were going to fall down at any moment. The journey up the stairs and to her fathers door seemed to take forever and when she reached out to turn the handle, she froze. She knew, once she stepped in this room, her whole world was going to change and she wasnt sure she was ready for that. Wasnt sure she was ready to say good-bye. But she also knew that Death was coming no matter how much she tried to stall the inevitably. So she turned the handle and stepped inside, unable to coax a smile onto her face; her father would see right through it anyway.

He was laying on the bed, looking more fragile than any other time she's seen him. He gazed at her as she took a seat next to his bed, trying to find the right words. "I've known for quite some time that this would be my last winter." Adelina clenched her hands into fists as the words burst out of her. "But you can't leave us, we need you!" Her father smiled and reached out to cup her cheek. "Adelina, my sweet. You haven't needed me for quite some time. You and Ciel have grown up before my very eyes. And I couldn't be prouder. It's my time to go dear, but even if I my physical body is gone, I will still be with you. In here." He pressed a hand above her heart. She gently held his hand between both of her own, bending down until her forehead touched his wrinkled skin. They sat in silence, until her fathers breathing deepened and he fell back asleep.

Adelina rose from her chair and pressed a kiss to his temple, before exiting the room. As soon as the door clicked gently shut, she was running. Down the stairs, racing past the ballroom. She thought she might have heard James cry out her name but it didn't stop her as she stumbled outside. She ran around the side of the house and disappeared into the gardens, twinging through the head-tall rose bushes until she was deep inside the maze where she collapsed onto a bench and let out the keening cry she had been holding in all this time. Tears now rushed down her cheeks and splattered against her arms. She hadn't grabbed her cloak on her dash out the door and even though she was wearing a long-sleeved dress, she didn't feel the cold. didn't feel much of anything except for a deep ache inside of her.

The instant Adelina ran past Orren put Emmie next to James and bolted after her. As she ran into the maze he wiped the makeup off of his face and followed her slowly and his heart fell when he heard her sobs of pain. He knew her father was dying. There is a certain chemical scent a human puts off that is easily caught by others with a sensitive nose when they are at the end of their lifetime. Rounding the corner, he saw her forlorn figure heartbroken and her tears ripped at his heart.

His cloak hung around his shoulders and he pulled it off of himself and wrapped it around her as he sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms allowing her to cry into his chest. He hadn't paid any attention to the spikes that he had cut off of his chest. They were still quite sore and red. Most had stopped bleeding completely. Making certain that she was covered with the cloak to keep her warm and from getting sick he held her to him carefully. He leaned forward a little bit and kissed her on the top of her head like one might do to a hurting child. However, as a child is not the way he felt about her.

"I'm sorry about your father's condition. I hope that bringing him here will allow him to have the longest life possible. It's warmer in the castle and the doctor is here. With you and your brother here I think he would have the best chance here."

Orren held her patiently as she cried. He wanted to speak to the doctor to see if there was anything else that could be done.

@XxLyraxX

@Wick


Adelina's sobs hitched as she felt something heavy and warm settle over her shoulders. With tears clouding her vision, she slowly lifted her head and could just make out the watery figure of Orren. She allowed herself to be pulled into his arms and buried her face against his shoulder as her sobs returned, hands trembling as they rested against his chest. She attempted words but they seemed trapped in her chest and the only sounds capable of escaping were small whimpers as she continued to cry. Then again, she wasn't sure what she would say even if she could. What did one say when they had to watch their father slowly whither away? She felt a rumble go through Orren's chest and it took several moments for the words to process through her brain. She leaned back slightly, not leaving his embrace but just enough to wipe fruitlessly at her face. She sniffled, having to clear her throat multiple times before she was able to speak. "I think, deep down, I knew. I just didn't want to accept the fact that I would soon have to bury my father next to my mother...and my little brother. But I am grateful that you brought him here. I couldn't stand to think of him passing in that house, where we lost my mother and unborn brother in one night. At least here, he can see the beautiful gardens and go knowing myself and my brother will be alright."

More tears trickled down her cheeks and she gripped the cloak tighter around her. "I fear the only thing that can save my father now is nothing short of a magical miracle." Her voice drifted off as she laid her head back against his shoulder, relaxing against him.

Orren felt like he should be able to do something more for her. He wrapped his arms around her allowing her to more of his body's heat. He momentarily forgot that he was not human and he acted before realizing what he was doing and he lightly kissed her forehead. "I would do anything for you Addy." He looked out at the snow and the sky looked solidly white. The weather wasn't going to break anytime soon. "We should get back inside soon. I won't have you catching sick as well. Besides-" Realizing what he was about to say to her he caught himself. "Besides, I'll need to stay on top of the fireplaces to keep them warm." He looked down at her and she looked so tired. "Addy? Can I carry you inside, so you'll stay warmer?"

James was holding Emmie and he looked outside and smiled as he saw the two cuddled together. There was only a few months left until the spell would be permanent and this was a good sign. Turning around he took the child into her room.

@XxLyraxX