Bastian stirred and immediately froze upon feeling the searing pain on his right side. He gasped and his eyes shot open.
It was night, he could tell by the way the fire glowed through the opposite side of the tent. He was covered in nothing but a blanket and yet he felt fine. Not cold at all.
Since he could not move he tried to discern what had happened to him. The snow jaguar had frozen him, as was its ability, and he'd told Hydrangea to run. His memory was dark from then on. He recalled a painfully cold sensation that must've been when he'd been injured.
He'd heard of how deadly a snow jaguar's touch or bite was. They could freeze you from the inside out. Yet he did not feel cold at all. Although his side throbbed agonizingly, to the point that his breathing was strained and his eyes burned.
He went to move his right hand to wipe the tears from his eyes when he noticed that it was held by someone. He turned his head very carefully and saw Hydrangea sleeping there. Her free hand was curled above the blanket and her eyes were relaxed in sleep.
He immediately felt calm looking at her, and though the pain did not subside it dulled slightly. He watched her, he couldn't help himself. Her pale skin, stained by dirt and possibly blood, still shone in the dark. The only light was from the fire that was dying down, but it still provided enough light for him to make out her features.
A grin stretched his face as he thought about exploring those features in the dark, his hands caressing the skin that hid beneath those clothes. He frowned, he'd never had thoughts about her like that before.
He'd certainly known that she was attractive, and he'd always enjoyed how her body looked. But he'd never thought of her as sexually attractive, or at least to that degree, until now.
He sighed, he knew that she would never consider him in that way. She would never think of him as her husband. The smile reappeared on his lips as he recalled the fact that he was her husband, they'd been husband and wife for just over six months or so.
But his smile saddened. He didn't know that he was a good husband, he cared for her, but did he care for her in a way a husband would? He didn't know; his parents had been powerful rulers, but they would not be an example of what a husband and wife should be.
He remembered when they'd just ran from the Lords, he'd not even thought of regaining Cadarama. He'd wanted to settle down on an island somewhere, the maid would cook and clean, and he'd planned for Hydrangea to the same.
He shook his head which inflamed his side, he'd been such a fool. But the idea wasn't entirely foolish, maybe he could settle down with her, see her smiling face each day.
His gaze drifted to her peaceful face. His eyes closed as he thought of what it would mean if they were truly husband and wife.
"Bastian…" A voice called him in the dark.
"Bastian."
His eyes opened and yet he was still surrounded by darkness. His head craned back and he saw light at the top of wherever he stood. His feet were on water, but they sat on top of it.
Samadur.
He waited, he knew the Primal would appear when he wanted to. The last time he'd seen Samadur was in Crescent, the night that Hydrangea's family had taken them in. And that meeting had not gone overly well.
A face appeared out of the dark coloured mists, the mists reminded him of when he'd been drowning in the bottom of the waters, the darkness closing in around him. Bastian could only make out a faint silhouette standing amongst the swirling abyss. The piercing blue eyes were what indicated the figure's identity.
The lurking figure shifted behind the darkness and Bastian spun in the murky waters. His eyes landed on the Primal once more. What game was he playing now. He was tired of all these games.
"This is no game, Bastian." The voice rumbled, it didn't originate from the figure but from the shadows and the rippling water, "This is a test…"
"A test to prove what?" He asked as he fought to appear calm while his thoughts raged in confusion.
"What you're truly willing to do." He answered simply, the blue eyes unmoving and unblinking.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes." He answered firmly. Anything for Hydrangea.
"Whatever it takes? Willing to sacrifice your life? Willing to sacrifice the life of your loved ones? All for Cadarama?"
Bastian frowned, "All for Cadarama…?Why do you want so much for this country to be saved? And why are me and Hydrangea so integral to it? Why do you show us these visions and these dreams?"
"This country, was the beginning." He started, "This country was where I began life, where life first thrived. You've heard the tales, you've heard the legends. And…"
The silence lingered and Bastian thought of everything he'd learnt of the Primals. Samadur had created life, and then he'd created Ratri-kar and Timir-mask to sustain that life. Then he'd created all of the Primals, all of them to reign over different aspects of life.
"… We are bound to it." He finished his sentence and Bastian blinked in understanding.
"You are bound to Cadarama because… it was where life started?" He asked, his mind slowly turning in comprehension.
"In a way. This is where I first saw the possibility that life could be. The moment I began to spin the waters of life, my existence became linked to this land. And Hayden Stone and Mercer Gaul are corrupting this land…" Bastian met those blue eyes as awareness dawned on him, "We are dying Bastian."
"You're dying? How is that possible?"
"That I will not answer. All you need know is that the Lords must be stopped."
The silence in the dark lingered and Bastian listened as his heart beat.
"This is not the only reason I've come to you," He started and Bastian prepared himself for more information, "I came to you in Crescent to warn you. And you, chose to ignore me."
Bastian grimaced internally.
"But something is coming… something that I choose not to stop, but something that I wish not to happen… something dark."
Bastian looked up at the blue eyes, "What will happen?"
"I will not tell you. All I will say is this: it will occur when you put your guard up."
Bastian could sense that Samadur had finished in his words but Bastian needed something more.
He held his hand out, "Wait! Wait. Before you go there is something that I must ask."
Bastian sensed some hesitancy but the Primal eventually said, "Ask it."
"At the end of all of this, will Hydrangea and I rule this country together? Safe from harm?" He drew in a shaky breath. He'd been wondering that for weeks now and he'd finally found the chance to ask it, "Will we?"
He met those blue eyes.