[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Haven realized her mistake all too late. The nanny had not even bothered to look for someone sneaking up behind her. Haven had blindly sprinted after Ekatran to strike, and after all that, her spear had only slightly glanced off his lower shoulder. Haven had turned as her name was called by Fionel, only in time to see a female Easterling send her dagger into Haven's chest cavity.

The realization hit her much, much quicker once the dagger was withdrawn. Haven crumpled to the ground, coughing in fits of blood as more of the red liquid spilled from her chest area. It was all over. Haven's vision blurred with every crazed blink. It scared her more than anything to see her own blood pooling around her.

After one blink, Haven caught sight of Lanbriel through her fuzzy vision. The girl grabbed Haven's spear with a somber look on her face before turning away. Haven could not blame her, for it was far too late to save the caretaker. Haven's hearing was sharper in her last moments than she thought it ever had been. The sounds of weapons clashing, the sound of arrows whistling through the air, and the sound of painful cries. All of those sounds rang all too clearly through Haven's ears, causing the already convulsing girl to cringe.

Haven, frantic for air in her last moments, breathed deeply and tried to block out the sounds of battle. The sounds of children laughing and wailing came to Haven's mind first, voices instantly recognizeable as Jamilah and Jovanna. Haven smiled, and with every ounce of strength left in her, cried out "Good luck, Fionel!" until her call turned into a gurgling sound as blood spewed out in a cough. In that moment, Haven could swear she felt something beside her, but she was numb by that time, and it mattered not.

Death seemed so much colder to Haven than ever imaginable, but so comfortable after her long efforts to escape from Nurn.

[ June 17, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]