From Raven's words, it was clearly not the first time she was experiencing this pain, but his frustration only grew when it was confirmed that there truly was nothing he could do take it away at the moment. Eliezer felt a slight relief when Shadow entered, regardless of whether the man had heard his call or had just happened to be making his way to the room. Shadow too, was familiar with the situation by the exchange he started to have with Raven. She was visibly in immense pain, and Eliezer could only think to nod at Shadow's advice before the latter left. He reached for a handkerchief on the nearby dresser and twisted the piece of cloth before letting her bite down on it to help her endure the pain.
Trembling slightly from the ordeal, he then proceeded to pick her up and lay her onto the bed. Sitting by her, he took her hand once again and rubbed in circles on her palm, trying to comfort her as much as he could. He muttered an "I'm sorry," under his breath, resenting the fact that he could currently do little for her, and shut his eyes tightly, hoping to goodness that it would somehow all be over soon.
Suddenly, he was in a different place. The snow-coated forest surrounding him was illuminated by the large, bright Moon in the night sky above, and seemed almost ethereal. Before he had the time to process what was happening, he could make out a figure approaching him through the trees. As she drew closer, her glowing white skin, sliver hair, and crystal blue eyes started to become prominent. Sensing great power from this maiden, Eliezer instinctively drew his sword from its sheath, but stopped himself from attacking when he was hit by an inexplicable feeling that she was no threat to him. Noting his anxiety, the beautiful stranger offered him some reassuring words.
"Crown prince of Dainia, do not be afraid."
Eliezer had absolutely no idea what to make of the situation, but managed to stutter out a question. "W- Who are you?"
"Somebody who has a gift for you, my dear prince," she replied, stepping even nearer to him and placing a hand on the flat of his rapier. "You are frequently quick to draw this, yet hesitant to actually use it. Tell me, what have you named this lovely weapon?"
Uncomfortable at the implication that she had been watching what he had been doing, Eliezer was tempted to comment, but he suspected that nothing good would come out of doing that, and so he simply answered her question as he recalled how the name of his sword referred to the way it gleamed even when light was scarce. "The Nightstar."
"How fitting, the Moon does not shine alone in the night sky after all," she pointed out, and then lightly chuckled at the prince's confused look. "You shall understand soon enough, Your Highness."
An intense white glow appeared where her hand made contact with his blade, gradually growing and blinding him as he heard her parting words. "Trust in this weapon from now on, my prince, it will not fail you..."
"Your Highness? Your Highness!"
Eliezer felt a firm grip on his shoulder before finding himself back by Raven's side. He turned to see his trusted guard looking at him curiously. Before saying anything, he immediately reached for the rapier at his waist and slid it halfway out from its sheath to check if anything about it was different. Nothing. Had it all just been a hallucination from the stress he was going through? Hildebrand was becoming more alarmed at the prince's strange behavior, and spoke up again.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. The assassins mentioned that Lady Omrea was in pain. You hardly seem well yourself. Is everything alright, Your Highness?"
Eliezer shook his head, distraught. It was occurrences like what had just taken place that made him question if he had done the right thing. His lady was now suffering, and Shadow was about to bring someone else into the estate. It was unlikely that he could keep this from Adelina much longer.
"This is all... a big mistake," he mumbled, standing up and heading for the balcony. "Leave me be, Sir Hildebrand."
The knight looked on as the prince left the room, genuinely concerned about Eliezer's mental state. It had looked as if he was in some sort of trance when Hildebrand had entered. Was he reaching his breaking point?
Trembling slightly from the ordeal, he then proceeded to pick her up and lay her onto the bed. Sitting by her, he took her hand once again and rubbed in circles on her palm, trying to comfort her as much as he could. He muttered an "I'm sorry," under his breath, resenting the fact that he could currently do little for her, and shut his eyes tightly, hoping to goodness that it would somehow all be over soon.
Suddenly, he was in a different place. The snow-coated forest surrounding him was illuminated by the large, bright Moon in the night sky above, and seemed almost ethereal. Before he had the time to process what was happening, he could make out a figure approaching him through the trees. As she drew closer, her glowing white skin, sliver hair, and crystal blue eyes started to become prominent. Sensing great power from this maiden, Eliezer instinctively drew his sword from its sheath, but stopped himself from attacking when he was hit by an inexplicable feeling that she was no threat to him. Noting his anxiety, the beautiful stranger offered him some reassuring words.
"Crown prince of Dainia, do not be afraid."
Eliezer had absolutely no idea what to make of the situation, but managed to stutter out a question. "W- Who are you?"
"Somebody who has a gift for you, my dear prince," she replied, stepping even nearer to him and placing a hand on the flat of his rapier. "You are frequently quick to draw this, yet hesitant to actually use it. Tell me, what have you named this lovely weapon?"
Uncomfortable at the implication that she had been watching what he had been doing, Eliezer was tempted to comment, but he suspected that nothing good would come out of doing that, and so he simply answered her question as he recalled how the name of his sword referred to the way it gleamed even when light was scarce. "The Nightstar."
"How fitting, the Moon does not shine alone in the night sky after all," she pointed out, and then lightly chuckled at the prince's confused look. "You shall understand soon enough, Your Highness."
An intense white glow appeared where her hand made contact with his blade, gradually growing and blinding him as he heard her parting words. "Trust in this weapon from now on, my prince, it will not fail you..."
"Your Highness? Your Highness!"
Eliezer felt a firm grip on his shoulder before finding himself back by Raven's side. He turned to see his trusted guard looking at him curiously. Before saying anything, he immediately reached for the rapier at his waist and slid it halfway out from its sheath to check if anything about it was different. Nothing. Had it all just been a hallucination from the stress he was going through? Hildebrand was becoming more alarmed at the prince's strange behavior, and spoke up again.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. The assassins mentioned that Lady Omrea was in pain. You hardly seem well yourself. Is everything alright, Your Highness?"
Eliezer shook his head, distraught. It was occurrences like what had just taken place that made him question if he had done the right thing. His lady was now suffering, and Shadow was about to bring someone else into the estate. It was unlikely that he could keep this from Adelina much longer.
"This is all... a big mistake," he mumbled, standing up and heading for the balcony. "Leave me be, Sir Hildebrand."
The knight looked on as the prince left the room, genuinely concerned about Eliezer's mental state. It had looked as if he was in some sort of trance when Hildebrand had entered. Was he reaching his breaking point?