Just like the nightmares pulling her back to sleep, but to her own accord, she chose to lose the tug of war.
As she lets go, her senses felt like weren't her own.
Seems like as she loses something, she gains another thing. Almost like becoming someone, she is but she is not. Being delinked and linked in unison.
Whatever this is, to Lady Geiyra, is a chance for escape.
She's all alone now. What else can she do?
Then suddenly, a tight grip on her arms and another covering her mouth, burst red streaks of lightning on her body.
At this point, Lady Geiyra seems to not care at all who's going to hurt her. She felt invisible. She felt powerful.
And she liked that.
"Lord Phraselm!" a shout she heard and didn't care until it occurred to her that it was a name that is very familiar.
Entirely unaware, the tight grip came from Lord Phraselm.
They didn't leave Lady Geiyra. They were just surveying around trying to be cautious not to get caught.
In a heartbeat, Iuliān's scream pulled her back into her consciousness.
"Wake up, wake up Lord Phraselm." Iuliān kneeled on the ground where Lord Phraselm is, lying unconsciously.
Her senses were deafened. Iuliān's voice and her vision give the impression that she's been drowning underwater.
Indeed, Iuliān couldn't believe his cousin so dear to him is on the ground completely unresponsive. As he shakes Lord Phraselm's shoulders, his throat begins to tighten in fear he could be losing him.
He couldn't possibly be dead.
With Lord Phraselm not moving an inch, Iuliān looked over Lady Geiyra. Nervously, he swallowed before standing up.
"Are- you- alright?" He stuttered asking her.
He figured her hair and eyes turning back to normal is the calm and innocent Lady Geiyra he knows of. Surely she is back, right?
Whatever mystics this Lady has contained in herself, he knew, somehow, that Lady Geiyra, deep in her soul would never have any intention to hurt anybody.
She's just hurt. Won't anyone's company soothe her a bit? That at least to him what a mourning person needed the best.
This is why regardless of the scars she may leave on his body, even his cousin on the ground, he is going to stand and protect this Lady he only barely knew.
Is this too ridiculous?
After all, he and Lord Phraselm have already come so far that turning their back on this Lady wouldn't feel right.
"Are you alright?" Iuliān repeated.
Lady Geiyra confused and uncoordinated, lost her balance.
Fortunately, Iuliān's gentle reflex catches her so she wouldn't fall.
Faltered by this man's touch, she couldn't seem to find the words. His deep-set brown eyes emptied her mind but seeing a pinch of fret within those charming eyes uneased her. Of course, who wouldn't be scared of her after all she's done?
She directed her gaze back to Lord Phraselm and guilt once again sprang back to her mind. Her legs wobble making Iuliān's grip tighten.
"Is he alive?" She said as tears began to fall.
"I think I should be the one asking y-" he responded almost faintly whispering. He's worried he isn't.
"Anyway... he should be, I guess, his chest is moving... he should be." With stuttered words, he has only himself to comfort Lady Geiyra including himself.
Lady Geiyra removed herself from his arms and kneeled near Lord Phraselm still crying.
"Lord Phraselm!" She whimpered loudly. Hesitating to even touch him.
She's scared of what she might do again, she would rather distance herself away.
A snap of a twig made Lady Geiyra and Iuliān turned their head toward the sound.
And there was nothing.
They looked at each other and quickly, they tried lifting Lord Phraselm to run for an escape.
"Put his arms on my shoulder I'll carry him... There, there -mmf" Iulian grunted as this slightly taller man he is carrying is as well as slightly heavier than he is. She lifted his shoulders not only because he was heavy but also because she didn't want to touch him. She had no choice.
His grunts made Lady Geiyra panic, and she instantly covered his mouth with her hand.
She gently pushed him back against the tree a step behind him trying not to make a sound. It was her intuition that led them to the position where they are now.
With their faces closer than ever to each other — not close enough, they silenced themselves as the civilians lurking around revealed themselves.
The flashes of light from their lamps almost rayed towards them compelled Iulian to pull her towards him.
Such dazed tingles Lady Geiyra felt as his hands on her back stunned her for a second.
What could this be?
In the mind of Iulian, nothing can be more stupefying than the startled gasps of this Lady compared to the heavy load of Phraselm he is carrying.
He couldn't see her from the shadow shade of the tree but he pictured fancy in his thoughts the eyes of her hearing her breathing.
What could this be?
"They're gone." Lady Geiyra said as she free himself from this man.
"Ah, right. W-we should be moving." He stuttered.
With the darkness of dawn, they trailed out of the garden forest Iulian and Lady Geiyra would never forget.
Out they go but out they are to seek trouble. From this step onwards, is the market of merchants and traders in Dolor Town. How will they ever pass without getting recognized? They can only pray for.
"We should've gone the other way." Lady Geiyra sighed. Thinking they trailed the wrong way.
"No. We are on in the right direction." Iuliān said and gently put down Lord Phraselm who was still unconscious.
"We are?" She questioned.
"We are going southwards where Acairè is, and we need a town with a temple to let Magistris heal Lord Phraselm. The Dolor Town is directed south, we should be in the right direction." He explained with hands gesturing directions.
"Acairè" she whispered to herself. Right, this is what they talked about last night while she's gone.
"Uhm, you didn't know, we planned- I mean we didn't actually have a plan, but yes Acairè will be your escape- only if you want to," He said not even daring to look into her eyes.
How can he when they talked about something without her opinions considered?
"The sun is up, the temple should be open now. I'll go get some scarves for us... Or anything at all." He stood and walked directly away from her.
"I'll be back!" he yelled worried that she'll be scared but it was his eagerness to keep his cousin back on his feet that he had to rush away.
But Iuliān for sure was uncomfortable with just the two of them. Basically just being in a presence of a Lady is enough to make him a headache. Surely he's only been around the court with radiating male energies.
Enough of his fear towards ladies, he deniably knows he is just as well disappointed in her. His cousin could be in terrible danger right now.
Lady Geiyra glanced at Lord Phraselm and then back at Iuliān's back running away from her that almost felt like he was never coming back at all.
Then she stared into the wilderness. Her mind and body felt defeated. Such inconvenience she caused to these two men and much more to her family.
She lifts her eyes aiming for the sky trying to contain the tears that are prevailing once more.
It's been hard for her to comprehend just why people can loathe her and not these two men.
She's so ashamed looking at Lord Phraselm. He did nothing but trust in the goodness he initially perceived in her when even she herself couldn't.
"I want to disappear." Tears finally streamed down her cheeks.
She just wants to disappear.
Despite trying hard to stick by their side, she felt the weight of her own burden and her thoughts of disappearing stresses her even more.
All this time she felt she has been lying to herself. That she's alright. Although clearly, she knows she's not. A very unbalanced lady she is. With them, she thought she was going to be alright. Someone like a family would make her be alright and feel alright.
She wiped her tears and exhaled oh so heavily. She's so ashamed of herself.
Will they ever treat her as a family? She doubts they will if she continues hurting them.
Looking at Lord Phraselm, she's sure things are not alright anymore. She has only herself to blame.
"Will I ever forgive myself?" probably not, she thought to herself.
Minutes later, Iuliān came back with no traces of Lady Geiyra.
The clothes Iuliān brought from a store he forced open, fell gently to the grass.
"Phraselm you senseless sard! Where is Lady Geiyra?" He exclaimed to the passed-out lord.
He pressed the temple of his head, closed his eyes, and with a closed fist, he tried to calm down.
"How could she leave you?"