The Deep Den

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Cedric moved to Aranya's side and knelled down beside her on the bed, "Darling... darling?"

[The Stranger]

Aranya felt her head, so heavy, when she pushed back, it doubled its efforts.

Cedric leaned over the bed, and reached for his wife's hand. It was heavy, cold... grey. like marble. and the discoloration was creeping up her forearm.

[Deleted]

Aranya closed the link and pulled out finally, and collapsed.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Cedric wrapped his arms around Aranya and started calling her name, "Aranya! Aranya!! Come back... Aranya!!" One hand began to pat her face gently and then more and more forcefully.

[Deleted]

Aranya slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurred, her head dizzy. "Cedric?' she asked faintly.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

"Aranya? Are you alright?" Cedric asked.

[The Stranger]

There is a hiss, and a snarl in her mind, as the thing releases, and flees back to its body.

[Deleted]

"I think I contacted a dragon," she said, gripping his arm. "It tried to possess me..." she noticed her hand, and her horror was evident in her face. "What...what the fuck is this?" she examined her hand.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

"They have a fucking dragon?" Cedric replied. "We should march out and surrender immediately." He caressed her cheek, "Now you tell me why that is pure foolishness."

[Deleted]

"Can dragons take over minds?" Aranya shuddered. "I suppose they can. It is an intelligent being, that beast. Powerful, malicious, and cruel. I - I was scared, Cedric." She still felt so cold. "It was too strong for me."

[Bunny-Rabbit]

"Well we had to stumble on to some one stronger then you eventually." Cedric held her close, and forced her to look him in the eye, "You are so scared you are not advising me to die with all our allies." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

[Deleted]

"Wait," Aranya said grimly. "This is not over yet. Get Deep Den's maester, Ced. This looks ghastly." Her throat went dry at the sight of her hand. "Please, hurry."

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Cedric looked into her eye, "Love... it is stone. I am pretty sure this falls outside the understanding of the Maester." He squeezed her arm where it was still fleshy, "Can you feel that?" He left his hand touching her flesh immediately above the stony part of her arm.

[Deleted]

"I know..." Aranya said, staring at her hand. "Ced...It reminds of a dream I had months ago, but which I put out of my mind. It was of a basilisk coming from the east, turning everything to stone. I forgot about it - there was too much going on." She winced when he squeezed her arm, and gritted her teeth when she moved her hands. "I can feel that...but fuck, I can feel in my hand too." She would not admit it, but the pain was evident in her face, though she tried to hide it.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Cedric squeezed her torso in his arms, and moved to the door. Leaning out he talks to one of his guards. "Glenn, go to the maester's chambers and get me milk of the poppy. If he will not part with it, drag his ass down here so he can share some with my wife." When the man did not move fast enough Cedric growled, "Noew!!"

Cedric moved back to the bed and sat down upon it, and pulled her into his lap. "It will be alright dear. A stone fist will be quite an effective surprise weapon. And I always said your skin was as smooth as alabaster." He kissed the side of her face from behind.