Emalia laid there for several hours after Nephesh had gone. She had ceased thinking about the RoK, Nephesh, Crimson Guardians, even Colin. She merely lay there thinking of nothing - her mind seemed to have gone into a vacuous state. It was soothing to melt into the blackness of nothing while staring up at the whiteness of the ceiling - it simply offered her a way to be in a state of limbo - wanting for nothing.
"Hey there. How are you feeling?" The sound of Colin's voice brought her back to the present. The two discussed the fresh happenings with Nephesh, and his reason for leaving. Before she could get too worked up, Colin placed his hand on her leg. It felt that more and more, he touched her to bring her back from the brink of the mental blackness that anger sent her to.
"Did you get all the supplies?" she asked finally.
"Yes, I think I have everything we should need. Although if Nephesh isn't coming I have a bit extra, including a pony I guess we won't be needing."'A pony,' Emalia thought. She couldn't believe that Colin had stopped to think of Nephesh. It warmed her heart just a tiny bit. To know Colin was in such disagreement with the boy when they first met, and now he was thinking of him. "Well, I would say bring it just in case, but I suppose that means another mouth to feed."
"I can just return it tomorrow before we set off."
"Tomorrow," Emalia said, looking to Colin. "Oh no, Colin. We must leave now."
"Emalia, no. We need to have a good meal and a good night's sleep before we set off. Especially you."
She could do nothing in way of convincing Colin to leave. For the first time since they had been together, she listened. They talked about Colin's belief system, for, as Grobnak had informed her, his lack of faith was disturbing. Colin could very well miss the rebirth and be forced into a wall for an unknown period of time. Even as Emalia talked to him, she felt the urge to fight. Darkness tugged at the edges of her thoughts and only one thing laid them to rest. "If there's one thing that I DO believe in, Emalia, it's you. I will follow you anywhere."
How anyone could believe in her, when it felt as though the rest of the realms didn't trust her at all, sent her into tears. She was grateful as she laid back on the bed. As Colin walked out to make their dinner, she rolled to her side, drifting in and out of sleep. Only for a moment would she admit that she was truly exhausted.
