Midnight at the Temple

Rollina looked at Thomas worryed listening to his every word till he was finished, and blushed at his words. "Thomas I dont care what happens to me. As long as you, and maven are safe along with the temple. I think you are right Thomas we do have to give our selves up in order to save her." She nuzzles Thomas softly, and kisses his cheek. "Just promise me something Thomas you will stay safe. I think we should have a plan to escape or something that can help us if we need it there is no telling what Valki will do with us. I want you to be safe no matter what."

"Yeah I know, I've thought of something. The only problem with it is we have to hope Valki won't kill us right away". Thomas put his arm around Rollina and put his head against hers. "I hate to say it, but it is preferable that he takes his time torturing us. The more time that goes by the more of his guard he'll let down".

He looked up and blankly stared at the ceiling. Enjoying this moment for awhile.

Rollina smiles at him softly. "I hope every thing will be ok." She nuzzles him, and kisses his lips softly. "I am by your side always Thomas. We will win." She looks up at him feeling safe with him as she closes her eyes savoring the moment.

They lay there for several hours in sweet silence until they finally succumb to sleep.

It was early morning when Thomas awoke. Rollina still sleeping beside him, her arms clasped around his midsection. He carefully removed them and got up, making sure not to wake her and went to the kitchen to find a snack. Something to ease the uneasy feeling of dread that came over him after he realized the sweet dreams he had while sleeping were only illusions.

He finds a few stale rolls and leftovers from their previous dinner. "Yum" he said sarcastically as he shoved a roll into his mouth.

Rollina wakes up from the losss of warmth. Her eyes look around for Thomas worry can be seen in them. She slowly stands up, and goes into the kitchen to see him just shove the roll into his mouth. She giggles softly, and takes it from him. "Let me make breakfast stale rolls are not good for you, and netheir are leftovers. " She walks around the kitchen finding ingrediants then starts to cook. The smell of her cooking fills the air, and the temple, as she makes pancakes, eggs, toast, hashbrowns, and every other type of food she can. She also makes fresh orange juice. She hads Thomas a plate, and takes one for her self. She leaves enough for the others in the temple as well. "I want you to eat right no more leftovers." She laughs softly takeing a bite of her food. "You had me worryed Thomas are you ok?"

"I'm fine, you know me" he smiled at her, trying not to be swayed by the worry in her face. He was swayed. "Ok I had a bit of an upset stomache but I'm fine, just...nerves. Plus I hardly ate anything yesterday".

Thomas eats slowly keeping his eyes to his plate. His head was aching from thinking too much.

"I'm fine, you know me" he smiled at her, trying not to be swayed by the worry in her face. He was swayed. "Ok I had a bit of an upset stomache but I'm fine, just...nerves. Plus I hardly ate anything yesterday".

Thomas eats slowly keeping his eyes to his plate. His head was aching from thinking too much.

Rollina looks up at him, and smiles softly. "I have some herbs that can help your stumache, and it helps with other pains. Ill go get it." She gets up, and runs to her room looking threw her bag of stuff. She pulls out a bottle of ground up herbs, and ran back to Thomas. "Here this will help you just mix it in any drink, and sip it slowly. You will be fine then." She smiles handing him the bottle then goes back, and sits down finishing her food. She drinks her orange juice slowly. "It works as soon as you take it, and it doesnt taste bad."

Thomas throws some into his drink and sips it. "Hmm, it's an odd flavor but it's pretty good". He sipped the rest of the contents of his cup and set it down. His stomache settled and he started to feel quite good all over.

"Wow, that really works!" he said happily. He then stretched and got up from the table.

Rollina watches Thomas drink the herb mixed with the wine. She smiles at his words. "I am glad it is helping you."Her voice soft as a whisper. "I am glad I could help you. My mother had grown the herbs in her garden before she died. I tend to it now, and then." She smiles brightly at Thomas. her wings wrapped losely around her body.

"You're just a bundle of surprises aren't ya?" Thomas smiled.

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In a small dark cottage in the heart of the Dark Forest, a young woman sat. Bound, blindfolded and gagged, Maven prayed to Nanaea for rescue in her mind. An old man opened the door to her tiny room and walked in, carrying a heavy book.

"Hehehe, a pretty one...you'll fetch a high price m'dear" said the old man in a raspy voice. "Pity it's only on the condition that things go wrong but, I'm counting on that". He set the book loudly on the table in the room and opened it to a bookmarked page. "Not long now".

Rollina smiled at Thomas softly. "I know everything will be ok we just have to have faith." She nuzzles Thomas softly her heart skipping a beat. "Promise me you will never leave me Thomas. I dont want to be alone again." Her voice soft, and bellow a whisper. She handed him a small pin, and smiled softly. "This is my lucky charm it may bring you luck please always keep it. You mean the world to me Thomas."

Deep inside she worryed about Maven she prayed she was safe, and sound. She tryed to hide her sadness behind a fake smile. She also worryed for Thomas, and everyones safety.

"I'll keep it always" Thomas smiled.

The rest of the day went well, but a sense of dread hung in the air. And with not much to do but sit around, it was hard for them to take their mind off things. It was a silent sort of state, dreamy, and time seemed to pass too quickly for it's own good. The sun was already setting in the sky when Thomas finished eating the wonderful supper Rollina had prepared.

He sat at the table silent, staring vacantly at the sun which was nearly out of sight.

Rollina could feel the tension in the air. She kept watching Thomas while they eat. She wanted to see him smile, but knew that wouldnt happen right now. not a true smile anyway. In her mind she kept praying that everything would be ok. After dinner Rollina took the dishes, and washed them.

Rollina sat by Thomas's side not saying a word she knew he was deep in thought. She looked into his eyes with worry in hers. She felt so guilty inside for all of this happening because she came to the nice temple. She layed her head down on the floor not wanting to leave Thomas's side, and feel asleep. All she truely knew was she wanted to spend as much time with him, as she could.

Thomas watched Rollina sleep for awhile. She looked lovely, lying there gracefully. He kissed her on the cheek gently.

He lifted her sleeping body up and gently carried her to her room. He layed her onto her bed, covered her up and turned to leave.

He stopped for a moment. "Goodnight" he said very softly. He then proceeded toward the door.

Rollina smiles in her sleep, and curls into a ball. Her wings move around her makeing a small cacoon over her body of long white feathers. As rollina sleeps she starts to have a nightmare. Her face becomes distorted with a painfull look. As she relives a bad memory. A young Rollina runs around picking flowers. Her long pink, and white dress gently blowing in the wind. She looks to be no older than 5 years old. Every thing seems peaceful till the sky grows dark, and lightning crashes. Her body trembles as she smells smoke, and see's fire start to engulf the small clearing she is in. The grass turns black as it burns. She looks around herself, and see's her mother, and father running towards her. They both look scared, and worryed. A huge beast jumps out of nowhere its fangs dripping with siliva. Rollina looks up at it fear in her young eyes. As it moves closer to her. The creature was as large as the village, and on its back was a man in a black cloak, and hood. He looked down on Rollina. The only thing that could be seen of him was a smirk her had. Rollinas father charges him, and slashes at him with his sword. Rollina screams, as her mother grabs her, and pulls her behind her. In a fast motion that seemed to go in slow motion rollina's father hearing her scream looks back, and is periced in the heart by the cloaked mans sword. He falls to the ground dieing. Rollina trys to run to her father, but her mother wont let her. Her mother calls forth her magic from her medallion around her neck. A bright blue light surrounds Rollina protecting her. As her mother runs at the man in the cloack only to get her side, and neck slashed open dieing infront of rollina. Rollina screams, and bangs on the barrier as the man comes closer to her. He removes his cloack to reviel a demon with black leathered wings, and white hair. His eyes are a grey color that hold no emotion. He bends down slowly, and taps on the barrier teaseing rollina. He smiles evily at her, and stands up walking to the dead bodies of her parents, and cuts off there wings with his sword. The barrier finally fades from Rollina, as she crawsl towards her mothers dead body she shakes her mother trying to wake her up. tears streaming down her face. The demon turns back to the little girl, and smiles evily. He gently tuches her face with his bloody hand smeering the blood on her face. An arrow flys out of no where periceing the demons flesh in his back. He moves over to his beast, and takes off mouthing the words your fault. Rollina then wakes up in a cold sweat. Her body trembleing, as she trys to shake away the bad dream. Her heart pounding in her chest. She shakes her head, and hoped she was glad she had not screamed. she didnt want to worry anyone. She slowly stood up, and splashed water on her face. She then went back to sleep trembleing.

Thomas lay awake in his bed thinking. Tomorrow...it could be his and Rollina's last day. He turned and closed his eyes. He must do something special, but what?. Sleep came over him soon and then dreams.

No, more like nightmares. Screams and pain. Faces and glimpses of terror. Blue flames and red lights. His brother standing before him. A young woman crying out as a sword peirced her chest, a man in black smiling over her as she fell. Then Rollina and Maven, chains around their necks and Valki holding the opposit ends.

Thomas awoke with a start. "I hate sleep" he said gruffly, turning over and closing his eyes again.

Rollina wakes up as the sun light hits her face. Her eyelids fluter open, and she sits up. She makes sure Thomas is still asleep, as she sneeks out into the kitchen. She makes breakfast for everyone in the temple. She grabed a plate, and walked into Thomas's room sitting it on the night stand. She slowly tip toes out, and goes into her room. She sits on her bed thinking of something nice she can do for Thomas, and the temple. She smiles to her self, as she goes into her things, and takes out a long silver meterial that she unfolds to reviel two strange looking crystals. She smiles, and runs into Thomas's room, and lays one down by him while the other lightly glows. She then runs out being quite. She then starts to clean around the temple humming a song that her mother used to sing to her when she was sad. After she finished cleaning she sat, and waited for Thomas.

"Eh...something smells good" Thomas woke up, half asleep still. He spots the plate on the night stand and reaches for it. As he does, a small crystal rolls off the bed and clatters on the floor.

"Whats this?" He asked himself, reaching now instead for the crystal on the ground and picking it up. "Hmmm...Rollina must have..." He stopped talking as the crystal glowed brighter. "Heh" Thomas pocketed the crystal and went on to eat his breakfast.

He quickly got dressed and left his room, looking for Rollina. He found her sitting quietly near his room. "Good morning! Did you give me this?" Thomas asked her cheerfully, holding up the crystal.

Rollina looks up at him smileing softly. She stands up, and shows him her crystal, and they glow brighter together. "This way we will never be apart. When we are close our crystals will glow insync." She smiles brightly at him. Then looks sadly at the crystal in her hand. "It was my mothers she gave my father one, and she keept one. So that way even far away they would be together. It will only work for you. It will only obey the one I gave it too, and myself. There ment for good luck as well. My mother once told me they hold speacile magic that will protect the holder." She blushes badly, and smiles at him. I hope you like it, and did you like breakfast."she smiles at him trying not to remember her dream, and not trying to worry Thomas. "How did you sleep Thomas?"

"I slept really well...and breakfast was great!" he said. He admired his crystal and placed it back into his pocket. "Thank you for the present" He wrapped his arms around her in a hug and kissed her.

He let her go and held her hand in his. "We only have a few hours left until...well" he said in a weak voice. "Let's make the most of them shall we? I'll take you to my favorite place. It's secret and secluded and....wonderful." Thomas smiled greatly "what do you say?".