Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Elves of All Kinds (1x1)

(Ok! On for a bit unless sometime comes up!)

Raeliel burst into a run as well. In fact, surprisingly, she passed Saelhil. She jumped, landing on one of the rocks. She started jumping along the rocks, as if they were stepping stones. Then she carefully lowered herself into the water, bracing her back against the rock. "Eli!" She waited until he got close, then reached for him, grasping onto his arm and pulling him close against her and the rock. "Just hang on! We'll get you out!" She coughed a bit, the water splashing her in the face and battering her body. "Sael!!"

Saelhil was shocked when Raeliel immediately went to save him. He knew he had to act quickly, though, so he went after her, jumping on the rocks as well. He knew he wasn't strong enough to pull both of them up, so he yelled over the rushing water, "Give him to me!" A sudden fear of Raeliel being swept off once he got Eli overcame him, but he pushed it aside and focused on the task at hand.

Raeliel lifted him up and handed the child over to him. "Get him to the shore!" she shouted over the pounding water. She felt the rushing water tugging at her legs, and before she knew it she was pulled away from the rock, only to slam into another. She sputtered and coughed, feeling an intense pain as she hit the rock. She desperately hoped something hadn't broken. She struggled to hold on to the rock, trying to pull herself up. But every time she tried, her legs nearly got dragged away again. Fear and the necessary courage for survival battled inside her. What if this was it? What if she was going to get swept away, and all their newly acquired happiness was gone? She gripped the rock tighter. No. She refused. She tried pulling herself up again, but this time the rapids tore her away from the rock.

Saelhil dashed to the shore and set Eli down, making sure he was breathing before quickly turning back to the rock. Where was... "Raeliel!" He tore over the rocks, spotted her, and jumped agilely towards her. His heart was pounding in fear, picturing him getting to her too late, and her slipping beneath the cool water. When he got close enough, he felt his foot slip on the wet rock, and he fell onto his side. He managed to stay on the rock, but his entire left side had a shock of pain sent coursing through it, so he maneuvered himself so that he could get on his right leg and reach out for Raeliel, trying to get a strong grip on her arm. "Hold on!" he urged. He didn't want to pry her arm off the rock in fear the current would be too strong for him to keep a hold of her.

Raeliel grasped onto him tightly, breathing quickly. She couldn't drag him in with her. She couldn't. She looked around, and then her eyes widened. She looked over at Saelhil. She couldn't speak due to all the noise and the water hitting her face often, but there was something in her eyes. Something that said 'I love you.' She let go of Saelhil and let the current drag her off. She went under, and for a few terrible moments, Saelhil probably thought he lost her. But then suddenly there she was! A branch had been dipped into the water, a thick and sturdy branch, and she had managed to grab hold! She was slowly climbing it, steadily getting out of the water's rough pull. She was coughing and sputtering, and soaking wet. But she managed to pull herself up the branch, then climb down the tree to collapse on the ground.

"RAE!" Saelhil screamed when she went under, reaching into the cold water to try and grasp her fingers, but she was gone. Saelhil just stared for a few moments, not believing he had just lost Raeliel. After just a few moments, though, he saw a hand reach out of the water. "Raeliel!" He saw her begin to pull herself up, and he began heading back to shore, though he slipped a few times due to the sharp pains in his hip and leg. He got to land and hurried to her. For just a moment he remembered Eli, but when he glanced back, Anathiel and Talainna and the other children had already begun to help him, so Saelhil knelt beside his beloved Raeliel, checking to make sure she was alright, and alive.

Raeliel was alive. Barely conscious, coughing up water, but alive. "S-Sael.." She coughed a bit. Her whole body was throbbing in pain from being dashed so roughly against the rocks. She couldn't even stand, all her muscles felt as if they had been stomped into jelly. But she was alive. He was alive. Eli was alive. Raeliel closed her eyes and let sleep take her. She was exhausted from fighting against the current.

Saelhil sighed with relief, and he pulled Raeliel into his arms. He moved his left leg a bit, trying to get the pain to go away. It was just a bit of shock, he reasoned, from falling against the rock. Raeliel was worse off, as he could see some cuts and bruises from being thrown around. He did manage to stand properly, and he carried Raeliel home; someone saw--someone who was skilled in treating wounds--and followed them, and Saelhil reluctantly let the person check over Raeliel for broken bones and bandage up her cuts, as Saelhil was too afraid he would hurt her if he did it himself. Instead, he just knelt by the bed, keeping hold of her hand.

Nothing was broken, but it was able to be guessed that some ribs had been cracked. She was unconscious for the entirety of the treatment. She was lucky she hadn't hit her head, really. If she had, then she might not be alive. Finally, she managed to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open. Her fingers wiggled, and felt another hand touching them. "Sael?" She turned her head and looked at him, sighing in relief. "Sael!" She went to sit up, but quickly laid back down. It hurt. "...what happened? Is Eli okay? Are you okay?" She couldn't remember. Everything was a blur.

"Eli's fine. His mother is taking care of him. And besides being afraid for you, I'm fine." Saelhil kissed her hand. "You were so brave, jumping into that water. But you almost gave me a heart attack, so don't be brave again." He smiled gently at her, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I had someone come and bandage you up. He said your ribs were pretty beat up, but other than that you're perfectly fine."

Raeliel listend to him, letting him shower her with affections. "..good...I'm so glad." She sighed in relief, then looked at him. "You didn't get hurt, right?" She didn't remember him ever getting into the water, so surely he hadn't gotten hurt. He looked fine, that was a good sign. "...Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but it was the only way. I was so scared that I might drag both of us in, I had to find a different way to get out."

Saelhil's face was worried. Had she noticed the branch beforehand, or had she let go, knowing she could be swept off and killed? He gently touched her cheek. "I'm just glad you're safe," he said softly.

Raeliel closed her eyes when he touched her cheek. "You didn't answer my question. Are you hurt, Saelhil?" She held onto his hand, still. "...why aren't you with me in bed?" She opened her eyes to look down at him, kneeling there. "Come up in bed, Saelhil." She sighed. "Sorry that your game of Foli was interrupted."

"I slid, and I'm a little sore, but that's nothing compared to you." Saelhil smiled gently at her. "You're hurt... I didn't want to risk hurting you even more." At the mention of Foli, he waved his hand dismissively. "What's a game when someone's missing? It's fine." He did stand and sit on the bed, still unsure whether or not he should lay with her. He didn't want to accidentally hug her too tightly and hurt her ribs, or catch a sore spot.

Raeliel smiled. "...I'm glad you're not hurt." She watched him as he sat on the bed, then she closed her eyes. "Please...lay down. I'll be okay. I just want to be in your arms." She took a shaky breath. "..I did think I was going to die. I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull myself out. I didn't want to die..."

Saelhil obediently lay beside her, gently pulling her close to him and kissing her temple. "If you would have died, I don't know what I would have done," he murmured quietly, "but I'm just glad you are alive, and I don't really want to think about the alternative."

Raeliel snuggled into him, trying not to move too much though. She closed her eyes, listening to his voice. "...I'm sorry." She sighed softly. She hadn't thought about any of that when she went in to save the boy. All that mattered was getting the child to safety. But then, when it was just her...well, the possibility of dying really had hit her.

Saelhil closed his eyes and exhaled quietly. "It's alright. Nothing happened, so there isn't anything to worry about."

Raeliel was still very tired. "...yes. Nothing to worry about..." She soon fell asleep, needing more rest to soothe her aching body. She'd sleep for at least five more hours, then wake up. She gave a yawn and opened her eyes, looking to see if Saelhil was still beside her. She wondered how many people heard about their recent struggles, and if his father had heard about the fight with Miralin and their near-drowning.

Saelhil was not there, but a note was left on the bedstand saying: "Father needs to talk... Come if you can." He had gone to his father's home, for the chieftain seemed to be very troubled about something.