Two Turtle Doves

[hails]

Ophelia awoke flat on her back in the grass. Jest must have dropped me, she thought. She struggled to sit up.

"HiESHIEW!" she sneezed. She cursed internally, because she only sneezed when she felt weak, and she hated feeling weak; therefore, she hated sneezing.

She scanned the skies for her love. He must be there, he must be okay, despite his illness he can't be dead, he just can't be... The thoughts whirled in her head.

"Lucian," she called hoarsely. "Lucian!"

[SneezyHolmes]

Just as he was going in for another kick, he heard his love calling. "Ophelia! My sweet!", he used Archeaus as leverage and power shot across the meadow towards the shrill call and embraced Ophelia quickly,"I'm so sorry my swee--hitchew!--geh..sorry." He turned his head and gently wiped his tender,raw nose,"ow..hexstchoo!", a small ember erupted out and when he spoke again, he was congested. "Dow's our chance to run.", he picked up Ophelia, but dropped again to one knee,"Geh..I'b so dizzy.." He swayed and had to balance himself with one hand.

[hails]

Ophelia clumsily caught her lover as he sneezed and swayed to one side, and then straightened herself, holding him by the shoulders to steady him. "Blessings my love. Maybe you've been fighting a little too hard." Damn Archaeus! Ophelia exclaimed mentally. He must have seen that Lucian wasn't 100%, that thick-headed idiot. If he gets back here, I'll......

She smiled at Lucian as she sat him down on the grass with her, laying his slightly feverish head on her lap and stroking his hair back from his forehead. She waved her hand and a single rose appeared from nowhere, and she handed it to him. "Please tell me you aren't allergic to these, for that would completely ruin this wonderful moment."

[Klingon]

Maxie returned to her cave, grabbed some clothes and headed for the thicket she'd seen the humans go into but her intention was'nt to fight them, only to talk to them. she landed changed into her human form, dressed and walk towards where she'd seen them

[SneezyHolmes]

He groaned softly and shivered as he took the rose,"I'ds beautiful..just like you~" He smiled softly but immediately sat up and listened,"I think someone's coming." He tried to stand and managed to make it to his knees,"We gotta keep moving..." He wheezed and without warning, sneezed and launched himself into the air with an explosive flame.

[Klingon]

Maxie had been walking for a few minutes when all of a sudden a few yards ahead of her she heard a loud sneeze, and saw a blast of flames "man and I thought my sneezes where bad!" she muttered "Bless you!" she called out "my name's Maxie malone"

[hails]

Ophelia launched into the air and snatched up Lucian in her arms. "No more flying for you, mister, until you're well again. And bless you, love." She lowered herself and her lover down to the grass, and then she turned to the newcomer. "Maxie Malone, huh? I feel like Archaeus has mentioned that name before.... Well, no matter. My name is Ophelia Fitzgerald, and this is Lucian Mackavroy. He's not 100% at the moment, as you can certainly see. Are there any herbs around here that would be good for a cold? You seem to know the place."

Ophelia knelt down, Lucian remaining in her arms as she stroked his hair back from his face.

[Klingon]

well... I have some stuff in my cave that might help, we're on an island in the middle of the ocean and the wildlife and swamp are dangerous for your kind! your welcome to come home with me to my cave and you should probably stay outta sight for a while!

[Klingon]

Maxie saw resentment and confusion on their faces when she said " your kind" she explained I'm sorry I meant no offence... but... I'm not quite the same as you... I'm a dragonata." " my mom was human but my father was a dragon." please I mean you no harm

[hails]

Ophelia gaped. "Wow. I've never met a dragonata before. Pleasure's all mine." She reached out and patted Maxie on the shoulder. "And no worries about the 'our kind' thing. We've heard worse." Ophelia laughed her bell laugh, but it cut off abruptly when Lucian started sneezing again. "Whatever herbs you have in your cave, Maxie, it wouldn't hurt to try," Ophelia said urgently, rubbing Lucian's back. Let them come, sweet, don't hold them back. I'll do what I can to help you. I'm so sorry my love... Ophelia sent a mental message to Lucian, her tone firm but sad.

[Klingon]

I'll take you straight to it. he seems pretty sick indeed. theres one thing you should stay behind me when we get to the flower field for safety. I don't know why or how but they make me sneeze." "and a dragons sneeze is... well dangerous it's this way!"

[hails]

"Um...all right." Ophelia helped Lucian stand, and putting one of his arms around her shoulders, they hobbled off together after Maxie.

[SneezyHolmes]

I'm sorry Ophelia...I'm the one who should be protecting you...,he grumbled and telepathically spoke to his lover. "Heh...hexstchoo! Ow..", he sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve,"I'm cold..". He shivered against Ophelia as they hobbled behind Maxie, small puff of smoke occasionally escaping him when he spoke.

[hails]

Lucian, I would give my life for you if the need arose, so stop your self-hating and let me take care of you for once, my darling. Ophelia sent a firm thought into Lucian's mind as they followed Maxie into her cave.

[hails]

"And bless you," Ophelia added, running her fingers once through Lucian's hair. When he wiped his nose on his sleeve, she said, "Ew, don't do that. Here." She used a power she rarely demonstrated to conjure a lace hanky from nowhere and handed it to her lover. "Clean up, love."

[Klingon]

Maxie walked into the back of the cave and began mixing ingredients together in a big pot of water. "this won't taste very good but it'll help!" "it's got butterbur for congestion". "stinging nettle for sneezing and a few other things that will also help.

[hails]

"Thank you so much," Ophelia spoke for Lucian as the fumes from the pot had made him start up again. "Bless you," she murmured every few times he sneezed.

After a while, "Maxie," Ophelia said louder, looking up at the dragonata, "how old are you? And who are your parents? .....You wouldn't happen to have a father named Archaeus, would you?"

[SneezyHolmes]

He sniffled and took the hanky, cleaning off his sleeve before blowing his nose,"Thanks..." So how do we know we can trust this dragonata? Something doesn't seem right here..,he smirked and glared at Maxie. We'd be better off running now while Archeaus is distracted..,he returned his attention to Ophelia, who had that same mixed look of courage and worry, he sighed and figured it was no use fighting her..she was more hard headed than him on most things. He glanced at his arm, inky black tendrils creeping around it, and he made a fist while muttering to himself, "Not now..please..not now." He sighed quietly and slid his sleeve back down, not wanting to alarm Ophelia with a secret more dark than even Archeaus.

[Klingon]

"I'm six thousand years old so I'm fairly young...th equivalent of a seventeen year old human" "my father was a great dragon Parthenax and my mother was Japanese Mariko Takata" "I don't know any-one named archeaus" "why was that dragon after you?"

[hails]

"Thank God," Ophelia breathed a sigh of relief. "Archaeus was my boss for awhile, and then we had a bit of a...falling out. He doesn't take 'no' for an answer." Suddenly, Ophelia looked at Lucian tugging at his sleeve. She caught his wrist and looked him straight in the eyes as she pulled it back to reveal black lines. What is this? she demanded, frantic. She had seen this once before, in an old mythology book - it was a sign that a demon was losing its power due to incapacitation; in Lucian's case, he had caught a cold.

A tear escaped her eye...

[Klingon]

"oh!" was all Maxie could think of to say to what Ophelia had told her. then Lucian grabbed Ophelia's arm and seemed to pass out. "what the heck?" I don't understand theres nothing in the medacine to cause passing out!" "don't worry your safe here!"

[hails]

"No, Lucian, please!" Ophelia cried, lifting her love's head and kissing his forehead. "Please, please, don't do this now; I've lost you one too many times!"

[Klingon]

"You can both stay here until he's well again!" " that dragon won't bother you here!" "we dragons are territorial and this is my territory" if he does come after you here he'll face me!"

[SneezyHolmes]

He grunted and his eyes fluttered open,"Ophe..i'm okay..really..hexstchoo!" The tendrils on his arm creeped out from under his sleeve and covered his chest.He sat up and coughed weakly,"I'b fine..just alittle weak..thats all." He smirked and his eyes glowed a faint violet,"Hmph..you always did worry too much." He smiled and sneezed again, a large flame exploding out,"bless me.."

[Klingon]

"what the h**l is going on here?" " that's no cold as I've ever seen it!" ""though I have'nt seen many I've lived here since I was around three hundred years old." "dragons where'nt always feared and hated by humans!" "once we where friends!"