(I really think that Zane should've had more spotlight in Diaries. In season 1 he got a lot of spotlight, with Donna and Logan's wedding and war between the Phoenix Aliance and O'khasis/Scaleswind. But in season 2 it shouldn't have been that he showed up again for two seconds and then died. Personally I think he should've survived the whole Aaron going to the Irene Dimension, and then die at a later time. Idk that's just my opinion, but I like what Jess did with the series, I really do. Besides, it's her creation, she can do whatever she wants with the storyline.)
"Zane..."
Zane's head snapped up as his name was said, looking in the direction it came from. Aphmau was approaching him, the sound of her metal boots hitting the stone echoing quietly. He stood up immediately, feeling a pit in his stomach at the grim look on the lord's face.
"How is he...?" He asked quietly, as there was a baby sleeping just underneath the house. "Is he... is he dead...?"
"No, he's not dead, but he is in critical condition..." Aphmau answered, taking a deep breath. "He's in a lot of pain, and we've had to keep all of our healers and medics working on him until we could stabilize his pulse..."
"Thank Lady Irene..." He let out a breath of relief, but noticed the look on her face hadn't changed at all, like she was debating on whether or not to tell him more. "Lady Aphmau...?"
"He's.... he's blind..." She informed grimly, hesitant with her words.
"W... What....?" He stammered, feeling tears in his eye. "He's... blind...?"
"I'm afraid so..." She nodded, glancing over her shoulder at the staircase that led to her basement. "We tried everything we could to restore his sight, but only someone born with a powerful healing Magicks would be able to undo the damage caused...."
"By the Divines...." He trailed off, looking at the ground. "I.... when can I see him...?"
"He's been asking for you ever since he woke up, but we had to put him under a sleeping spell to stabilize his pulse.." She answered, biting her lip. "I promise I'll let you see him as soon as possible...."
"Thank you, Lady Aphmau...." He said as he forced a smile, pulling her into a hug.
"I.... I'm more than happy to help..." She replied, hugging back slowly, not use to the idea of Zane openly showing emotions as such. "Gene is a good man, he sacrificed himself to protect you.... even if we were enemies in the past, Zane, you are truly a good person at heart...."
"What are you getting at...?" He asked, pulling away from the hug.
".... When you told me about your life in O'khasis, from childhood to when we first met at that wedding, I was horrified to hear such things...." She sighed, folding her hands together. "I.... I guess what I'm saying is that, as your lord, I want to give you the respect and protection that you never got.... you deserve so much more than just a fancy mansion, a fancy title, and fancy attire..."
Zane stayed silent, but not because he had wanted to. He wasn't familiar with someone treating him as an equal. All his life he had been seen as the son of the lord of O'khasis, and then seen as the High Priest. He had never been allowed to do anything that Aphmau had allowed him to, hence why he needed just about everyone's help when it came to building the church and his house.
"I.... I don't know what to say, Lady Aphmau...." He trailed off, as she started to go back downstairs.
"Zane, please, get some rest...." She sighed, pausing in her tracks. "It would only hurt Gene more if he knew you didn't sleep because of him..."
"Yes, of course Lady Aphmau...." He nodded, before leaving the residence.
Walking along the stone brick street, he would occasionally pause and look back at Aphmau's house, which rested upon the hill that overlooked the village known as Phoenix Drop. He gave acknowledgement to the guards as he passed them, making small talk with his older brother before he got home.
