Timeless

15

"Tomorrow I'm going to interrogate the prisoners." Grey states looking at his now empty cup with distaste. He doesn't notice how white Ari becomes.

"Right, the prisoners in the dungeon." Ari repeats emotionless. That's what gets Grey's attention.

"Oh hell. I'll get Taren or Jeshua to stay with you. You don't have to go to the dungeon with me." He'd forgotten. He could kick himself and called himself all kinds of names, fool being the kindest of them.

"No, I think I can handle it if I'm with you." The hell she does but she doesn't want to be left behind.

Grey looks at her and reluctantly nods, he'd rather have her by his side as well. "Fine, but if it gets to be too much let me know. Did you have a chance to look Jaylen over?"

Ari nods, "She's glad to be home. Grey you don't want to know what she's been through. It makes my life look like a walk in the forest. All she wants is to get revenge on him. He's strong, but not strong enough to break her, not even long enough to place a compulsion on her. She's clean."

Speaking of which Grey remembers his promise and creates a dress for Jaylen to wear and all the accessories to go with it. Ari takes them into the other room and sets them out for Jaylen.

"You can live, little one. Die you must one way or the other but you can live." Jaylen says startling Ari.

Ari smiles sadly and perhaps a bit bitterly. "Die yes, but live? I haven't lived in years."

"Not true. You've lived these last three days. Since you've come to our land. There is a way for you to live." Jaylen likes this strange girl and loves her nephew. She wants them both to be happy. "If you live than he will as well. If you die and don't live than he, an innocent will die."

Ari faces Jaylen and can't help the tears. "I don't want him to die, but I will die and if my death can prevent the death of everyone that has been so kind to me it is something I must do. If that causes an innocent man to die I will find a way to make it so he doesn't." Ari determines that she will kill herself before she lets Grey die because of her.

"Death is easy child. Did you not say that you don't take the easy path? Choose to live. Grey has waited a very long time to find someone to love. His father was the same."

Now Ari becomes bitter. "So even if I choose to live, I'll face a life of him being with other women."

"No. He stayed true to his wife until the day she died. It broke her heart when her little girl died and nothing could help her. The day she died a piece of Gerren's heart died as well. What he did was try to find a replacement for his wife. He died before he could. Grey adored his father, practically worshiped him and when his mother died needed him more than ever. Gerren couldn't see it, he was too filled with pain. Even should he live, Grey will be just like his father. He will never get over his pain. He'd rather die."

"What? so you're saying that I need to die to live and if I don't live then Grey will die? That is so twisted." Ari is becoming upset.

"But it's true all the same and you know it. Peace can be found in death, but it can also be found in life. Don't deny both you and Grey that peace Ari. You truly are the key, not just in saving the castle, but in saving Grey as well." Jaylen says with no little compassion.

Ari wants to hear none of it. And storms out of the room.

Grey sees that she is upset. He goes to Anna and talks to her. Anna nods and Grey returns to Ari.

"Are you okay? No, I know you're not. Stupid question. What did Jaylen say to make you so upset." Grey asks holding her close.

"Something about dying and living. How can you live if you die? Doesn't make sense." Ari says and Grey can tell that she's about to cry again.