Of Myth and Madness: April 2008

She was barred from seeing him: the hole in her heart widening with the Triumvirate's judgment to exile Raiden and secure Rhia within the boundaries of the province.

Shrieking in rage in despair, she had fallen to her knees on the steps of the dais, pleading Raiden's innocence to no avail. The guards were forced to pull her away from the Hall, Raiden looking on with a blank stare as all emotion ran out of him, leaving him numb.

Rhia now stood on the battlements, watching as Raiden rode his grey stallion out of the gates, escorted by Jarrod and four of his Scouts, his black cloak concealing his form from her eyes. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she mouthed "turn around- please turn around" over and over again.

Jarrod looked back to see her and frowned as he leaned into Raiden.

"You are not worthy of her, yet still she stands in grief as if she were watching your funeral procession," Jarrod sneered. "Will you not look back and acknowledge her even once?"

"Better she begin to forget me," Raiden replied coldly, focusing his gaze ahead of him.

"Gra, dilseacht, cairdeas- a-chaoidh Raiden!"

Raiden winced as he heard Rhia shout their endearment across the battlements, yet he refused to turn around, his own eyes filling with tears. Yet when she shouted it again, he whirled his steed around and kicked him into full gallop, Jarrod and his men cursing as they struggled to catch up to him.

Rhia gasped as she saw him riding toward the gates, hood flying back to reveal his beautiful face set in an expression of determination. He reigned in just below the battlements and stood in the stirrups, eyes flashing with passion.

"Gra, dilseacht, cairdeas- a-chaoidh Rhia!"

She looked down at him and smiled, tears flowing in torrents down her cheeks. Her heart leaped as Jarrod and his Scouts surrounded him, hands on their hilts.

"Count yourself lucky she stands there as witness," Jarrod hissed, "otherwise I would have the right to cut you down where you stand."

Raiden's eyes flashed as he turned to Jarrod. "You have that right despite her presence, Jarrod- what you lack is the courage."

With that, he nudged his steed into a canter, once again proceeding with his escort to his exile and vowing to see the Triumvirates fall and Jarrod begging at his feet for mercy.

That night, Rhia chased the Wards of the Keep out of Raiden's quarters with her sword, claiming them as her own as she fell upon his bed, curling herself around the blankets and pillows which still held his scent.

The tears would simply not stop- she had went from sobbing uncontrollably to simply laying in silence, the tears pouring relentlessly from her eyes, soaking the pillows.

She could still feel him holding her, still feel his silken locks across her shoulders.

And her heart broke even further.