Sniffling " I don't know!" she replied in shaky voice feeling the tears that she'd been holding back break through the wall and slumped on the ground next to Ian.
" No need to worry about me! I'm alright! See!" he replied in a cheerful voice while he pulled Iris into his arms but quickly took his hands of her when the memory of the fruit turning into dust in his hand flashed in front of his eyes.
Iris wrapped her arms around his waist not caring if she would turn into dust or not, thinking that she wouldn't want to live without him by her side.
Ian heaved a heavy sigh and wrapped his arms around Iris's shoulders gently rubbing her back, trying to soothe her.
He didn't knew what happened to him, the only thing he remembered was him being angry and calling upon Seth but strangely enough he failed to show himself.
Now that Ian thought about it he hadn't felt Seth poking around his head like he did before and made him wonder, why was he so quiet all of the sudden?
Athan finally snapped out of his daze, with more questions than answers. He had thought hard about Ian's changes but he couldn't find an explanation.
He had considered all the things that had happened to Ian and reached the conclusion that none those things were enough to turn Ian into something else.
Athan clicked his tongue " I hate to be bearer of bad news but this, whatever this is! It isn't good!" he firmly stated while he approached Ian and Iris, who turned to look at him with pleading eyes.
" Please, tell me that you know how fix this?" Iris pleaded with him while she pulled away from Ian's arms.
Athan shook his head " I have thought about all the things that Ian has gone through and there are no records of something like this happening to one of our kind!" he voiced out his thoughts while raking his hand through his hair a little frustrated that, that was all he was able come up with considering his knowledge about the sithrians.
" Do you have books? You spoke about records, you must have books!" Ian chimed in hoping that despite them being so reliant on their power, they had enough brains to keep records.
Athan took a deep breath " We have a room full of scrolls and parchments but you won't be able to find answers in there! I can show you, if you want to have a look for yourself!" he offered while making his way into the garden to pick a few fruits and vegetables.
" I will prepare something for us to eat while you and Athan have a look through the scrolls!" Iris suggested, slowly resting her head on his chest, hoping that episode would be the last he would have to endure.
" No, you need to rest! Have Rhya and Tyla prepare the food!" Ian countered in a serious tone of voice placing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head.
Iris nodded and pulled herself to stand up seeing Athan approaching with his hands full of fruits and vegetables.
" I'll go find Rhya and Tyla! You go with Ian and show him where the scrolls are!" Iris suggested to Athan while taking the fruits and vegetables from him, making their way back in the East Wing of the castle.
Ian halted his footsteps and turned to Iris " I will see you later! Go have some rest, my sweet little angel!" he mumured, leaning in and placing a kiss on her forehead making Iris take a deep breath in and close her eyes.
Iris nodded " I will let you know once the food is ready !" Iris replied in soft tone of voice while pulling away to look at Ian, a little worried that something might happen to him while they were apart.
Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking into her emerald eyes that were shining with unshed tears " It will be alright! I have you and you have me and together we are unbreakable!" he stated in a hopeful tone of voice, himself uncertain at how they should move forward from there.
Iris smiled and nodded in understanding " Alright! I will see you both later!" she conceded, wiping her unshed tears with the back of hand and placing a kiss on his cheek.
Ian and Athan nodded in agreement and turned around, walking away while Iris walked in the opposite direction stopping in front of Tyla's room, hoping that she would be still in there.
" Tyla!" Iris softly called her priestess while looking at her hands that where full trying to figure out a way to knock on the door.
The door swung open and Tyla appeared in front of her wearing a warm smile, looking like a different person now that she had bathed and changed out of her ragged clothes.
Iris's eyes widened, her lips curling up in genuine smile " You look beautiful Tyla!" Iris exclaimed while she took in Tyla's appearance as she wasn't wearing her priestess clothing, instead she was wearing the Sithrian traditional attire.
" Thank you, m- ...Tyla stopped speaking craning her head to look left and right and behind Iris " My Oueen!" she exhaled the last words feeling relieved that Ian wasn't around and she could address Iris properly.
Iris giggled " Don't worry, he will let it go, eventually! He will have to, once the baby will be born!" she tried to ease Tyla's worries and comfort her, herself wondering how Ian will deal with the fact that once born, he or she will require a lot of attention and care.
Tyla nodded " I hope you are right, my Queen!" she countered trying her best to keep Iris's expectations to a realistic level since Ian was a ticking bomb when it came to Iris.
Iris gave Tyla a warm smile " I hope so, too! I was wondering if you and Rhya would like to help me prepare some food for all of us to eat!" Iris politely asked Tyla, knowing that she couldn't force them to help if they didn't want to.
" Of, course!" Tyla beamed while stepping out of her room and taking some of the fruits and vegetables out of her hand to ease her load.
" I thought that we wouldn't be seeing you for a while, since we all live in separate parts of the castle!" Tyla confesed while they walked through the corridors towards Rhya's room.
Iris giggled " We don't have to live separate, we can all share the same wing of the castle! There aren't many of us left in this realm and it makes no sense for us to live apart!" Iris offered while halting her steps in front of Rhya's chamber.
Tyla nodded " I will shift my things after we have eaten and I will let Rhya and Athan know as well!" Tyla replied while knocking on Rhya's door.