[Serena] Like A Shadow

[Brone Van Estra]

Brone hated life without Serena by his side, hated it. And her death was only in a few days, he knew that, his father wouldn't wait to much longer. Wherever he went, he felt herpresence by his side, like a nervous shadow he couldn't shake. After the meeting with war council, and an intense training session, he broke free of hid duties. Brone was going to see Serena's mother for advice and help as to how to save her daughter. He only hoped she would help him, she might hate him now.... But he had to try.

But first, he was going to visit Serena.

He crept to the dungeon staircase, running quickly down the steps, his cloak swishing wide along the passage behind him. The guard looked at him, a look that was almost unreadable, but the prince could have sworn there was some pity in the man's eyes. "She's a pretty one, its a shame."

Brone could only nod, a smile unable to catch his face. "May I go see her?" He asked. The Gguard nodded grimly and led the way through the cells, where very old vampires and a few humans wailed and cried. Serena was off in a cell a ways off from the other, as if they thought her magic could break her out. Once the door was unlocked, he rushed inside, the guard shutting it behind him. No doubt standing there until he requested to come out. "Serena," He said softly.

[Serena De Lorme]

Serena was sitting in the corner with her eyes closed, her hands resting on her stomach. Her skin was paler than normal, mostly because they weren't feeding her like she needed to be. She was tired, drained, and felt as if she were already dying. Being without Brone was as like living without air. She was constantly thinking that he was with her, holding her close, but when she opened her eyes he wasn't there. It was torture for her, and she couldn't imagine what it must be like for her love.

When she heard her name, she slowly opened her eyes and looked towards the sound. The irises of her eyes were a deep red, showing how hungry she was. She had to blink a few times before she realized that it was Brone standing there. "Brone?" she whispered, sitting up a little straighter. The first thing she tried to do was stand to go towards him, but when she tried, she couldn't lift herself, she was that weak.

[Brone Van Estra]

Brone rushed to her side, holding her close, kissing her face softly. He couldn't live without her, he didn't realize how incomplete he felt without her until he was by her side again. Brone hated seeing her like this, weak and hungry and sentenced to die. He pulled away to rifle through his cloak pockets. He pulled out two bottles of blood. "I know its not much, but it's as much as I could smuggle without everyone smelling it." He apologized as he handed them to her. This was all his fault. If only he had acted like a guard on her room, or found safer places for them to practice. Why hadn't he done all that? He had not wanted this to happen, but he would not blame Serena if she blamed him. Or if her mother blamed him.

Brone looked sad, cupping her cheek in his hand, looking into her poor weak face, the scars from their last battle looked more pronounced now than they did when she was laughing. the lines that ahd almost gone. pain was bringing them back.

[Serena De Lorme]

She could breathe again.

That was all she had to know as soon as Brone wrapped his arms around her, and his scent wafted into her lungs as she took a deep breath. With all the strength she could muster, she clung back to him, fighting back tears of joy at having him with her once again. Never was there a true test of love when the ones involved couldn't live, couldn't function, couldn't remain whole without their other half.

A soft intake of air was heard when he pulled away and she almost clung harder, thinking they were making him leave already. But instead he showed her the bottles that he had snuck away for her, and she took them hungrily, draining them within a matter of seconds after opening each, not even caring when a tiny bit made a thin, red stain from the corner of her dry lips. True, it wasn't much, but it was enough to make their baby kick at not only the food but the fact that its father was there again nearby.

She had closed her eyes again, letting the blood soak into her system for just a moment before giving their child renewed life, but when his hand cupped her cheek, she looked up with hope, need, glimmering just ever so slightly in the corner of her eyes, hoping that maybe she could leave and they could be happy again. But the sadness behind those dark orbs told her different and the hope left quickly as she turned her head slightly to look again, the pain of it unbearable. "Don't look at me that way... We still have time... We'll find a way, my love, even if I have to use the last breath in my body to protect our baby... Don't give up hope yet..." she murmured, reaching up to lightly brush her fingers along his cheek, skin that she had so desperately wanted to touch again. Who knew when her next chance would be? If at all?

[Brone Van Estra]

He smiled at her sadly. "I just should have found a way to save you by now, and I.... I don't know how." he said, cradling her face to his chest. He never wanted to lose her. "I'll do anything it takes to set you free." he whispered, kissing the side of her neck so as not to disturb the embrace. He could feel the baby kicking through her skin and laid a hand on her stomach. "To set you both free."

Brone knew he had to do something, find a weakness in his father, or race against the sun to set her free from the ties that would pin her to a table, or a tree. He would not watch her body burn and writhe. he'd either save her, or burn along side. their ashes scattering together forever. Maybe Jon would make a good king.... Or David--as forgotten as he was--

He pulled her back so he could kiss her lips tenderly. "I love you Serena."

[Serena De Lorme]

When he laid his hand on her stomach, she placed her own over his, finally letting the tears fall. Who was to care if she, only a woman, decides to let her emotions go. No one would care, besides Brone. Only he would wipe away her tears, only he would hold her close and tell her everything was going to be okay. It was tearing her apart inside, that they only went from one danger to another, and she thought it was her fault, not his. For some reason, trouble continued to find her and those she loved always got hurt. Even the life that had yet to be born was in pain, without even the chance to live. And it was her fault...

His kiss led her to slip her arms around him, not wanting to ever let him go. "I love you too, Brone... Forever..." Her voice caught on the last word and she couldn't hold it back anymore. She buried her face in his neck and openly sobbed her sadness, her fear. The entire time she was alone, she kept her emotion bottled up inside of her. And now it overflowed.

[Brone Van Estra]

Brone felt tears in his own eyes, a few rolling down his face. It was strange to cry, he cried once, late at night after Tobias had tortured his love. He held her close to him, stoking her hair. He wondered how much the baby could hear and understand from its place in the womb, its small bit of magic totally undiscovered. he wanted his child and his love to live.

He began to hum softly, and then he started to sing softly. the words were sad and he felt as if his heart would break, but he wanted to remember every touch, every smile, every moment with Serena. Brone finally found his voice, and began to sing.

((www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5RXwhlCLOE&feature=related))

"A beautiful and blinding morning
The world outside begins to breathe
See clouds arriving without warning
I need you here to shelter me

And I know that only time will tell us how
To carry on without each other

So keep me awake to memorize you
Give me more time to feel this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today.... " Brone voice caught and he kissed her lips before continuing, looking into her eyes now.

"If I could make these moments endlessIf I could stop the winds of change
If we just keep our eyes wide open
Then everything would stay the same

And I know that only time will tell me how
We'll carry on without each other

So keep me awake for every moment
Give us more time to be this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today

We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here, right now, with me
All my fears just fall away, when you are all I see

We can't stay like this forever
But I have you here today

And I will remember
Oh I will remember
Remember all the love we shared today...." Brone smiled softly at her, not knowing how long he could stay with her, not knowing if he'd ever get to see her again. He doubted he could keep her alive, not without being killed himself, and he did not know if they could be together in death.

[Serena De Lorme]

There was a slight comfort that came from hearing those words, listening to them sung only for her. Her sobs slowed to a calm, until she was able to look back into his eyes and mirror his gentle smile. Serena reached up and wiped away the trails of his tears, her heart aching for him. For them. Even if she never had the chance to see him again, or if her last glimpse of him is when the dawn of her death rose up over the horizon, she knew that she would not regret loving him. And if there was a place for her on the other side, she would hope that she could watch him and be by his side forever.

"Everything I am... will always be yours..." she whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly. If he had to leave her, she would not let go, that she already knew. They would have to pry her cold fingers from him and then she would try to stay with him.

[Brone Van Estra]

Brone stroked her cheek softly and kissed her lips fervently. All he wanted was to know who he was. For the longest time. But no, Brone was sure he knew himself. he was a loving man, one who wanted peace and happiness for himself and for the world. All he met was war. He wanted his family with Serena, he wanted peace with his siblings. He wanted justice for Tobias, he wanted compassion from his father.

Would he ever get any of it?

"My heart will always be yours," Brone murmured back, kissing her cheek, her neck, her collar bone, her ear. He just wished she was back with him, every night when he woke up alone it was like being stabbed.

[Serena De Lorme]

As he kissed her, her hands were moving, touching everywhere on him that he kissed on her, slipping through his hair, along his shoulders, across his chest. down his arms, putting everything to memory, though she knew him like the back of her hand. This was a different time of memorization, the way he was the probable last time she ever saw him. If she wasn't pregnant, she would have even tried to have one more night with him. Anything at all...

But out of the corner of her eye she saw the guard shifting, moving back towards the cell door. Her grip on Brone tightened and she moved closer to him, her eyes round with fear. No, she didn't want this to end just yet. He couldn't leave... She didn't want to die alone...

[Brone Van Estra]

ooc- what sucks is i have a song that would work if she was singing it, but its brones voice... he sang it to keelin already, so u didnt see it tho, so here it is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FAazfFe_pU&feature=related

Brone felt her clutch at him and he stayed close, moving closer to kiss her again. "I'll never leave you, all of my heart, and all of my love will always stay with you." He whispered into her ear, cupping her face in his hands. "I will see you everywhere." He said. He felt like he was saying goodbye. Was he? Probably, if his father had his way. "Promise me, that if---if I fail," Brone paused. If he failed, she would die. If he failed to save her. "Promise me, that you'll try to watch over me, and I.... someday I'll join you." He knew he couldn't give up everything, just another tragic death. He had to make his life worth living, in some small way. he had to make his move for peace, and when he did die, or ask to be killed. he could be with her again, and his child.

Brone kissed her again, sadness, and immense loneliness in his eyes. Regret and sorrow and pain etched into his chiseled face. "I love you." he said as the door clinked open. No! He felt like he was being torn in two.

[Serena De Lorme]

ooc: I'm being a stalker on that thread so yeah it would have been perfect. trying to find one that can come close...

The tears returned anew, despite her efforts to hold them at bay, and she trembled in his arms, not wanting him to leave her just yet. His words, despite their intention, burned their way into her heart, painful yet loving at the same time. They could fight it all they wanted, but they were saying goodbye to each other, in case of the worse... All because of a spot of witch in her blood... What he wanted her to promise she almost didn't agree, forcing herself to believe that they will see each other again after all this. But... "I promise... I will always be by your side... guiding you until you return to me..." She never expected him to die with her, nor did she want him to. He was the only one that could stop the bloodshed, return peace to their lands. She was merely a casualty of the cruelty.

Her hands reached up and touched his face one last time, remembering and seeing just how much he loved her. She was so afraid of what was to come, yet at the same time, filled with the pain of being away from her true love with an underlying calm. The calm was what made her cling to him even as the guard approached him, as if she were accepting her fate. "I love you too... Remember me..." she whispered the last two words, just as unwanted hands moved to pry her away. "Remember me!"

[Brone Van Estra]

ooc- i think i might cry *sniff*

Brone held her face in his hands, giving her one last kiss--what he hoped was not his last, but that easily could be. The guard couldn't touch him, but Brone knew he had to go, life was going to have to go on despite what was happening here. She had a few days--tops. The guard was pulling at her, and Brone touched the guards arm to stop him, and Brone silently rose, looking more and more like a prince. maybe pain made you look regal, like you had enough experience to lead. "Always." He replied to her words. Conceivably her last words heard.

He walked out backwards, facing her as long as he could. And then all he could see was the immense door close. Brone set his face like stone, no one would share his pain. No one ever could. Brone had not given up though, not yet. And should it blow up in his face, maybe her mother had a better idea.