Arienne's blue eyes flicked questioningly to Diedra, wondering if she would mind more company. She couldn't read her friend's expression, and when Diedra took another drink, her hood fell away, revealing her identity to Spark. Arienne smiled at Lita's husband and glanced at Diedra again. "Hello, Spark," she said. "I don't mind if you join us...but..." her words faded as she was uncertain of what to say. "I think another friendly face is just what is needed at the moment," she finally admitted. Arienne sipped at her wine and watched with concern as her friend continued to down her own goblets of wine at an alarming pace. "Diedra, you are strong. Never doubt your strength, sister. I have witnessed it too many times to say otherwise. It is one of the reasons why you are Mystra's chosen, my friend. You are correct -- you must first and foremost be the strength of your children."

 

Arienne paused and looked at Spark, wondering if he would be joining them at the bar, then regarded Diedra again and gently rubbed at her back with her free hand. "But," she said. "You also need time to grieve for yourself, Diedra. By focusing only on being the rock for others, you delay the opportunity to deal with your own pain, mellonamin. It will not get better by ignoring it. In fact," the elven maiden said with a look to Spark, knowing that the warrior would understand what she was about to say all too well. "By not dealing with it, it will only grow worse in time. And one other thing you should consider, my friend, though it pains me to say it and you will not want to hear it. Marsala would not want you to be in such pain. I am sorry to speak so bluntly, Diedra, but you know it is true." Arienne turned back to her wine and took another drink, staring at the wood of the bar in thought and wondering what Diedra and Spark would have to say next.

Spark reguarded the two elven women with interest as he noted Diedra's pain and Arienne's words of comfort. The images of his dreams replay in his head as he silently pushes them away.  " In one way or the other, my life has changed.  I know of wence the pain you speak, and I know the grievence you feel, though I can not know how you feel, nor what it was like for you milady, know this.. that I am here if you need me, for the might of my faith moves me on, and the presence of my wife with in me, carries me forever." Spark said as he brought his hand up to his armor, where underneath was the golden feather of the phoenix and the soul of his wife inside.  Spark thought that maybe his wife's spirt could help calm Diedra and he removed the chain on which he held her feather and handed it to Diedra.   " Here, she wanted to speak to you."  Spark said kind of oddly.

 

 

 

 

As Diedra put the necklace on, her mind was filled with peace.  It was just momentous.  Diedra expected her sister-in-law's voice to ring in her head, but instead, she heard something else.  " My wife.. my beautiful wife.. I know that you grieve for me, but fear not, and greave no more, for now I am within you now and forever.  I am and always have been with in you.  Our souls can never be seperated, not even in death, you and I are one.  Draw from my power, my life, my memories and make them your own strength.  I am yours and you know it.  I love you and always be strong in our presence. We are watching over you, angels to the end, guardians now and forever.  I love you."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arienne inhaled with concern as her dear friend snatched the necklace from her throat as if it burned. Her blue eyes softened with empathy and tears as she watched Diedra's face contort in emotional pain. Arienne longed to hug her, hold her and rock her and tell her that things would be okay again, but before she could reach out, Diedra had retreated to the window. The mithril-haired sorceress gave a heavy sigh as Diedra mentally spoke to them both, and she frowned at Spark, at a loss for how to comfort one of her closest friends. "It is still too soon," she whispered to Lita's husband. "She needs more time...oh, so much more time..."

 

Arienne wiped away a few of her own tears, motioned for Jarlosh to refill her glass and then silently padded close to where Diedra stood near the window, still looking at them with the most lost expression Arienne had ever witnessed. It broke her heart to see her friend in such a state and made her feel helpless as to what to do about it. After a long, tense moment, the elven mage spoke in a soft voice, laying one hand again on Diedra's shoulder and looking her deeply in the eyes. "It is true. There are those who are unaware of what is happening, sister," she said. "It's understandable to envy them their ignorance, but do not let it make you bitter. We shield those innocent so that they do not have to bear such heavy burdens. You know this, Diedra."

 

She paused, dropped her hand from the other elven woman's shoulder and took a small sip of wine, trying to gather her thoughts. "You cannot change what has happened, my friend. Your grief does not serve you, your children, nor does it serve your Goddess, Diedra. You must find a way to let him go, to let go of the sorrow which chokes you." Arienne regarded her with tenderness, but also with a firm wisdom beneath her words. "You will not be able to cast the magic as you did before until you work through this. As Mystra's Chosen, you surely realize this. I know that your heart feels now as if it will never again be whole, and that the Weave and the Goddess are the furthest of your concerns, love. But you must find a way to overcome the sadness, Diedra, or you will never again be whole, and you shall always be broken. I will do whatever I may to help you, you know this, as well."

 

Arienne gently removed the wine glass from her friend's hand and set it on the nearby windowsill. "This is not the answer either, and you know it. It only numbs temporarily, Diedra, and then the pain returns worse than ever and you have an addiction to add to the mix." Diedra's sylvan friend's sapphire eyes were full of worry for her and she could tell that Arienne only meant to help in whatever way she could. "You have friends...children who love you. Mystra loves you, and none of us will desert you. But you mustn't give up, my friend. Help us to help you, Diedra." Then she gathered the elven woman in a gentle hug, holding her close and stroking her hair as she would a child. "It will be okay, love," she whispered to her friend, her own voice thick with unshed tears of sympathy. "I don't know how yet, but I swear to you it will be okay."

Spark listened to what Arienne was saying, and simply replied. " I do not have control over the feather, I just do as it directs.  I do not know who is usually on the line, well, I do, it is usually my wife, I didn't know her brother could use it too?? I'm sorry, I come to offer support and mess this up.  Forgive me Diedra."  He says before he noticed that he was talking to a barstool.  He put the necklace feather back on his neck and under his platinum armor.  Spark just sat there as Jarlosh brought him some elven berry wine, and he sipped on it, as he watched Diedra and Arienne talk.  " Somehow, she will make it through this, not even magic can mend this heart."

 

 

 

 

 

Araon had a long day and had gotten home and went straight to bed, it was quite early for him to be sleeping but he think he really needed it.  It was close to eight o'clock when he went to bed and after about two and a half hours a sudden jolt filled his mind and he sat up in bed.  His skin was wet with sweat when he woke and he finally understood what went through his mind... anguish.  He was so tired earlier that he couldnt feel Diedra through their link that was created so long ago but now its in full force and he can hear her ever word and he hurries out of bed and gets on some clothes real quick.  He runs out the door and calls for his horse as he continues running into the woods, letting his horse ride up next to him and he hops on.  Then he just rides through the forest because the tavern is right across the thin tree line.  He comes riding up in the rain, seeing Diedra he hops off his horse and quickly drops down beside her and grabs her by her shoulders and pulls her close to his chest "Diedra, Diedra... I know your hurting... I am sorry about all of this.  I am sorry, come here, you need a shoulder to cry on.  A shoulder you have always had."

 

Diedra suddenly feels pulled towards someone, and she doesn't even have to look up to know that it is Araon. She looks up into his eyes, and cries all the harder. She lets her head rest on his chest. She cries, as the rain continues to batter all around them and upon him. She hugs him tightly. As she cries she speaks to him.

 

 

 She couldn't finish her words, as she was once again assulted by a fresh flow of bitter tears. She looked over to Spark and to Arienne, feeling so lost. She wished that she could fix herself, and make things go back to normal.

Arienne watched helplessly as Diedra sank down in the middle of the road in the pouring rain. Her heart nearly broke for her friend and she longed to comfort her, but was at a loss as to what to say or do. She watched in silence as Diedra's tears mingled with the falling raindrops, and she sighed, shaking her head to herself. Arienne took a long swallow from her own wine, feeling the burn as it slid down her throat, wondering how in the realms they would ever help Diedra regain her sense of self. Or if it were even possible, now. She saw the lost look in her friend's lovely eyes, saw the pain and anguish which raged inside the woman, and felt her own emotions rise, remembering what it had been like when she had first lost Zirk. That had been a few years ago, but she remembered the way the fresh pain had nearly killed her. She felt complete empathy from having been through it. Granted, it hadn't been the same with she and the black-haired human warrior as it was between Diedra and Marsala, but Arienne had known a similar pain.

 

She glanced sadly at Spark and gave a slow shrug, not knowing what to say. Then she looked out the window again and noticed a familiar figure holding Diedra. Indeed, Araon seemed to be comforting her more than she or Spark had done, and Arienne found herself glad that Diedra could at least lean on someone. Mystra, please help her, she prayed silently to her Goddess. Or please help us to help her. You need her, as do we all. Please, Mother of Magic, help my sister to heal...

Araon holds Diedra tightly still and getting all muddy with the rain falling hard around them and they are on the ground in dirt.  He listens to her speak and he still holds her but even more tightly when she speaks of Jadzia's death and his eyes begin to water but he shakes it off, knowing he needs to be strong for her.  He rocks her a little softly whispering into her ear.  "Yes I know it is very hard but as I remember, I thought I couldnt go on, but one very strong certain person helped me through.  Just let it out Diedra and it will be fine, you will find that more people need you than you have ever realized and slowly you will also get over his death.  I know it sounds bad but its a good thing to let go of someone after a while because if you cant then you will be miserable for the rest of your life and you know that he would hate if you were miserable.  I bet he is in a better place, wishing you would stop crying and get to be that caring and happy person you are everyday!"  He stays with Diedra and just continues to comfort her as he looks over to see Arienne and Spark standing to the side but doesnt say anything.