((Funny enough, that song was titled as such that I have heard playing at a certain part of this post. XD))
"Running makes it look very bad...," said Brywulf, watching her. "You need to just explain the situation."
"The hobbit...," said Bambidal, shaking her head. "They will never believe me!"
"The hobbit..?" repeated Rizan to himself.
Ah, right... Chrissy...
"How about you explain it to us and man over here," said the grey-clad man, sighing as he pointed to Rizan. "Will most likely have your back in this."
"I remember...," said Brywulf, sighing. "But if you run, they will assume your guilt and you will have no chance. They will try and kill you. You need to not run."
"Thank you so much," said Rizan, looking at the grey-clad man. "That means a lot."
"You seem to care for her a great deal," said the grey-clad man, nodding a little. "Who am I to take away hope or trust?"
"Alright...," said Bambidal, holding a hand to her bloody tunic. "I was hunting with the man. We had caught a deer and the knife slipped. He ran off and I quickly tried to follow him."
"He ran off...," said Brywulf, studied her tunic. "He is a doctor though. Blood and wounds don't scare him."
"She is completely dear to me," said Rizan, nodding.
"The knife slipped and then you accidentally stabbed him?" asked the grey-clad man, looking at Bambidal.
Rizan cast his gaze over towards Bambidal now, worry still on his expression.
"He has the knife...," answered Bambidal, shaking her head. "He pulled it out and ran toward the town. I grabbed it and followed him to try and stop him before he hurt himself more."
"Are you saying he stabbed himself?" asked Brywulf.
"Yes, I am," answered Bambidal, nodding quickly.
The grey-clad man narrowed his eyes aat the Elf, though did not speak, simply stared at her like that. Brywulf looked back at his friend then to the Elf.
"And he blamed it on you?" asked Brywulf.
"Yes," answered Bambidal, nodding again.
Brywulf scratched his beard and sighed.
"Do you have anything that would point to him stabbing himself and you not?" asked Brywulf.
"I cannot prove it," replied Bambidal, shaking his head.
Brywulf nodded and looked from her to Rizan.
"Before we get the Watch, we need to go to Raven and the others," said Brywulf. "Maybe we can sort it out between us without the law being involved. I promise no one will harm you."
"Alright," said Bambidal, looking down.
Rizan tensed at the idea, looking at Brywulf.
"If he can listen," said Rizan. "But as long as Bambidal stays safe, that's all that matters to me."
"Your friend, myself, and my friend will be with you," said Brywulf, nodding.
He walked back and looked to Rizan. He motioned his head toward the Elf. Bambidal followed them, choosing not to run again. The grey-clad man sighed, keeping his eyes on her as the group walked to the Pony. Rizan kept his gaze on Bambidal, deeply concerned.
"I promise," said Rizan. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"I hold much fear," said Bambidal, shaking her head. "I know death will come this day."
"Not for you," said Rizan. "I promise..."
The group walked into the Pony before walking towards the back.
"It will tear me apart," finished Rizan.
They eventually reached to the group that had contained of the hooded man, the hobbit, and a larger man.
"Where is Raven?" asked Brywulf, looking around. "We need to sort this mess."
"Room at the top, Bry," came a woman's voice behind them.
The larger man eyed the group.
"I've seen people do odder things," said the hobbit.
"Stay here, love," frowned Brywulf, looking at the woman behind him.
The group made their way up the stairs and into the room that held Raven as well as many others. Brywulf looked at Raven on the bed as soon as he entered. Bambidal walked in behind Brywulf, shaking and pale. Rizan placed his hand on Bambidal's shoulder lightly.
"We should talk this out, without the Watch...," said Brywulf, looking back to the group.
A blond-haired woman, one who Rizan was slightly familiar of like the hooded man, glanced over as the door opened and people started pouring in. She shrank back against the older gentleman, tears seeping down her cheeks.
"Wha?" asked Conrob.
The larger man eyed the group, his breath slightly rapid as growls echoed with his exhalations.
"What happened?" asked Brywulf, looking at Raven.
The older gentleman put his arm around the blond-haired woman. Raven struggled to keep his breathing and heart-rate steady. He opened his eyes at Brywulf, managing a sardonic quip.
"In case you haven't noticed, I seem to be on my death bed...," answered Raven. "Tis no wider than a barn door, but if you find me on the morrow, I shall be a grave man indeed."
The elf tending to Raven spoke flatly, being nothing less than professional with a patient, but there was a mote of genuine concern in her voice.
"There is no antidote," said the elf.
Finally, she found what she was seeking. She drew from her pack what, at first glance, would like a leather tube. Rizan felt that Bambidal was shaking. He frowned in concern and wrapped an arm around her waist in a comforting manner.
"Raven...," said Rizan, looking at Raven.
"Lay down," said the elf, placing a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Your throat will begin to close soon. I must keep your airway open."
"But... H-Hemlock...," stammered the blond-haired woman. "Isn't that what...you treated me for, Raven?"
Her voice trailed off as the elf instructed him. Her hand wiped over her tear-drenched cheeks. The hooded man was on standby, in case the elf asked something of him.
"There has to be something, right?" asked Rizan. "There should be!"
"She tells a story that conflicts...," said Brywulf, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked at Bambidal and then back to Raven. "My first instinct is to not believe her but...she seems to be very shaken."
Raven nodded and laid back, closing his eyes, struggling to take deep, long breaths. Bambidal continued to tremble next to Rizan. The grey-clad man chewed his lip, quietly watching and listening from the corner of the room. The blond-haired woman slipped her arm around Conrob's waist, clinging to him as he stared at Raven.
"Lack of antidote does not mean it is not fatal," said the elf tending to Raven. "The body is strong, and can resist, but not without aid."
"What should we do?" asked Rizan. "This man helped in times of need. There has to be something."
"Raven, don' let lies be yer las' words," said the older gentleman. "Out wit' tha truth."
The elf placed a palm over the stitched wound and leaned her head down to the man's chest, listening carefully to his breathing. Rizan continued to hold Bambidal close to him.
"He looks poisoned," said Brywulf, turning to Bambidal. "How could he have been poisoned from a stab by a simple knife?"
Raven took long, deep breath, slightly laboured.
"I...tell the truth...," said Raven. "I was attacked..."
The blond-haired woman bowed her head quietly, soft sniffling can be heard.
"Was it tha' elf lass wha' stabbed yer?" asked the older gentleman.
"The knife was mine-" started Bambidal, looking at Brywulf.
She was cut off as her body fell to the ground, a cut on the inside of her hand from the same blade.
"Bambidal!" shouted Rizan, kneeling down beside her.
"Yes," answered Raven. "Efl lass stabbed me... She... She stabbed Chrissy..."
Brywulf watched her fall and looked down at her hand, looking to Rizan afterwards.
"There was poison on the knife they used to hunt...," said Brywulf. He then looked at another blond-haired woman in a white dress. "Velv, I told you to wait. This is not safe."
"Miss Cesistya, how long he got?" asked the older gentleman.
Bambidal made a choking sound and gasped for air harshly. Cesistya spoke softly in an unknown language, clearly, and with an almost divine patience. She repeated the phrase in solemnity, evoking the name of the Vala.
"I c-can help...bring s-stuff...," frowned "Velv."
"Go wait with Arelie," said Brywulf, opening the door.
"Velv" frowned and nodded, leaving afterwards. The grey-clad man watched "Velv" leave then to Brywulf with a sigh. Rizan moved to take Bambidal into his arms, tears threatening to come out of his eyes.
"Bambidal, no...," said Rizan. "You can't do this to me, damn it..."
The hooded man slowly stepped forward to the bed, making sure not to interrupt Cesistya at all. Bambidal continued to gasp for air.
"Death comes...," muttered Bambidal.
With those two words coming out of her mouth, she closed her eyes and breathed no more. Brywulf frowned as he watched her stop breathing.
"Holy...," said the older gentleman.
The hooded man glanced over to Bambidal, furrowing his brows. Raven coughed and rasped his breath, seeming to take on a form of meditation to keep his body stable and living, focusing on staying alive. The blond-haired woman glanced at the elf on the floor, her eyes wide with horror. Rizan kept his gaze on her before starting to cry hard now, cursing loudly in his tongue.
Cesistya paused her muttering to hover her face over Raven's. Whether his eyes were open or not, she gazed into them, and with the hand not on his wound, gently stroked his hair, coaxing him in the tongue of the High Elves. The blond-haired woman clutched onto Conrob, the agony of Rizan flooding through her, causing her to shiver. Brywulf watched Rizan and looked up at the grey-clad man. The grey-clad man chewed his lip as he looked at Brywulf, speaking in a tongue Rizan did not know. Rizan gritted his teeth as he trembled. He moved to get up on his feet, picking her up in his arms. Brywulf nodded to him and looked to Rizan.
"Where are you going to go?" asked Rizan. "I need...to be alone with her..."
Brywulf watched him and nodded with a sigh. Rizan cast his gaze down, tears still falling down on his cheeks. He moved to carry her out, saying nothing to no one. He left outside of the Pony and eventually outside of the South Gate.
Why did you have to die..? I was supposed to propose to you... What would I do in life anymore without you to be by my side..? If need be, I'll join you again...
