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Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 10, 2009 17:24:47 GMT -5
Theofilus sighed. He couldn't blame her for not telling him much of anything. She was a young girl who wanted privacy. The man nodded, still giving her a smile. "That's fine. If you at least feel better I'm not going to pry anymore."
Oh? She was willing to bring her grandparents tea? That was terribly sweet of her. "That's fine. Tea tonight would be splendid. I look forward to it."
---
Why had he looked into the future? He always watched things come crashing down. This was just utterly unbelievable. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he walked down the hallway to his room.
Did this make him a horrible father? Did this make him a horrible grandfather? He didn't know anymore. He found himself staring at the door to his room. It wouldn't be his room much longer, he was going to give up his title after all.
He slowly turned the knob as he struggled to take deep breaths. "Calia?" he called out.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jun 18, 2009 2:42:11 GMT -5
When Theofilus entered the room, it would be rather dark.
Calia's shape was hunched over the makeshift nest she'd made for her precious eggs, trembling as sobs made their way through her body. Slowly, absently, she ran a hand over the cold shell of one egg, the strange feeling of it making her cry a little bit harder. She wasn't sure what had happened. Earlier, they had been perfectly healthy, warm and full of potential to live and thrive.
Now they were cold, and she would occasionally feel a soft place in the shells that should not have been there. She simply couldn't understand. She'd done everything right, she was sure of it.
Was it her age? Was she simply too old to be having children? And... worst of all, what would she tell Parzifal? He still had the one egg with him, and she hoped beyond everything she'd ever known before that the poor thing had recovered and was continuing to live. It seemed cruel to her, that she and the young man had put so much care into the one little egg, only to have the four in her care die. A small tremble went through her. And Theofilus had helped, too...
Theofilus.
When the door opened, Calia looked up, maroon hair a tangled halo around her face. She blinked hard against her tears and the light framing the open door. From what she could see of his expression, he seemed troubled. "H-hullo, love.[/b]" she greeted, pressing the thickness out of her voice the best she could.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 18, 2009 13:01:04 GMT -5
It was unexpected, he supposed. Normally the room wasn't so dimly lit, and she didn't sound all right. Something must have happened....
He shut the door behind him, leaning up against it once it had clicked shut. He needed to tell her what he had seen. He needed to tell someone so he wouldn't snap the next time he saw his daughter and that Yarrow she had married. He could feel his heart drumming at the very thought.
But he couldn't ignore Calia's pain, something had gone horribly wrong if she was like this. Whatever the problem was it couldn't go unsolved. Finally managing to catch his breath he walked over to comfort her.
"What's wrong? Did...." Theofilus wasn't strong enough to finish that sentence. He didn't want to know any more bad news. He just wanted something to go right. His family shouldn't have to suffer.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jul 7, 2009 22:00:37 GMT -5
It seemed as if it took every bit of her energy to do so, but Calia smiled at Theofilus. The happiness behind it was lost, as her teal eyes were dull with sadness and loss and the streaks of tears could still be seen on her cheeks. When Theofilus approached her she rose slightly, just enough to wrap her arms around his midsection and press her head in against his stomach.
Then she started to cry all over again, her entire body trembling from it. It took her a long time before she was able to speak again, and when she was, her face was shining with tears, the skin flushed deeply around her eyes and nose. Speaking was quite difficult, as well, and for a moment the only sounds she could make were quiet coughs and hiccoughs. The woman finally released him, staring at the ground and then tucking her hair back behind her ear.
"They didn't make it,[/b]" she finally managed to choke out. The words were bitter, and simply saying them made the whole situation feel more real to her. Once again the tears started flowing. She'd been so blindsided by it that she just didn't know what to say, what to do. She knew it wasn't Theofilus's problem, but... He was the most important man in her life, the only one who could make her smile even on the worst of days.
She still had no idea how she would tell Parzifal... She didn't even know how to get in contact with him.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jul 7, 2009 22:30:57 GMT -5
The look she gave him wasn't one he was used to seeing. It didn't have a single drop of the happiness and cheer that made his day brighter. Clearly the worst possible thing had happened.
His chest felt tight as she wrapped her arms around him. It wasn't the normal tightness... it was worse than ususal. Not to mention he felt a bit dizzy and his arms didn't quite feel right. He had to ignore it though, Calia was more important at the moment.
The more the silence grew the more his discomfort. His breath was getting shorter and the pain was getting greater. When she spoke it only made reality more solid. "Calia I'm so... sorry," Theofilus said quietly, before giving her a light kiss on the forehead. There was nothing he could do in his power to make the situation better. He was just as helpless against death as anyone else in the world.
Theofilus suddenly reached up and grabbed his chest. "Oh god... not now." Tears were welling up in his eyes as the pain became unbearable and impossible to ignore.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jul 7, 2009 22:39:12 GMT -5
Calia was so wrapped up in her own grief that she didn't notice the signs. She didn't feel him shake and sway, assumed his gasping was caused by an attempt to hold back tears. When he kissed her forehead her lips twitched into a small smile, but it was gone in a flash. The sadness was too great. She'd wanted these babies, wanted this change... They would have been a sign that she wasn't too old to live, was still capable of bringing new life into the world.
Worse than that, how could Parzifal's single egg, already in such poor health, even hope to hatch when her own had died under her knowledgeable tending?
When she looked up at him, however, all thoughts of the dead babies left her in a flash. Her mouth fell open as the love of her life gripped his chest and gasped in pain. There were tears in his eyes, but they were different from hers. Pain. His words did nothing to reassure her. In a flash, Calia rose to her feet, reaching out for Theofilus as if to try and support him, fear rushing into her expression. "Theofilus? Love? Oh, Suits, what's happening?[/b]"
She didn't even wait for a reply before she turned to the door and yelled, as loudly as she could, "Help! HELP! ANYONE! I need a doctor!![/b]"
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jul 7, 2009 22:54:01 GMT -5
A servant ran into the room when they heard the scream. They were gone to get a doctor as soon as they laid eyes on the situation.
The doctor wouldn't come in time.
"Gah... C-Calia," he choked out as the pain only grew. What was going on? Why couldn't be breath properly? And why now of all times? Why now of all times should he be feeling such pain when he was supposed to be helping the person he loved more than anything else in the world?
Was he... having a heart attack? Theofilus whimpered as he slowly bent over. The pain. This... he couldn't be. "Oh Suits. Oh Suits. Calia... I... I need to tell you something."
He felt himself slipping away. The pain was too much. He must have been dying. Oh no. He couldn't die yet. He had so much to do, and he was hardly ready to make any sort of choice. His family still needed him didn't they? Couldn't this heart attack wait just a little longer....?
There wasn't any time left. He couldn't even muster any other words as he collapsed. His heart had finally given up on him.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jul 7, 2009 23:01:41 GMT -5
As he shook and whimpered, Calia clung to him, her eyes wide with fear. "T-theofilus, Theo...[/b]" she whispered, sinking to the floor with him when he bent over, still in her arms. She reached and touched his face, her body wracked with violent sobs as she looked into his eyes and knew. He was dying. As she held him, his body was failing and he was leaving her. "No. No, no, you can't... you can't go, Theo...[/b]"
When he said he needed to talk to her she shook her head, the crimson hair flying around her head. "No. Not now. You can tell me later, Theo, love, there'll be a later. Just hold on a little more, save your strength. Tell me later.[/b]" she clung to the man she loved as her tears spilled over her cheeks. She turned back to the door. "HURRY! You have to hurry![/b]"
When she turned her attention back to the man in her arms, her lover, the Queen of Diamonds, she knew they were too late. She felt him go limp, felt as the wild pounding of his heart slowed and then stilled. Her tears splashed on his cheeks and he didn't even flinch. He was gone, and nothing she did would be able to bring him back.
Calia threw back her head and screamed, the sound a primal cry of pain.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jul 7, 2009 23:14:05 GMT -5
There was a crash of footsteps, and someone burst into the room. The man in the bright pink corset was panting as he stood in the door frame. He had simply heard that there was a problem, and knew nothing of the details. When he heard his mother scream he had bolted as fast as his body could carry him.
And then he realized why she had screamed. He wobbled for a moment as he took the sight in. Tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at his mother and father.
"Mom... is...?" he couldn't finish the sentence any longer. Clearly that was his father's lifeless body. There was another crashing of footsteps as the doctor came into the room, pushing Ez to the side. The sparrow watched as he reached over to check if there was a pulse or not.
This couldn't be happening. Ez felt the lump go bigger in his throat as he pressed against the wall. He had wanted to tell his father the good news... but now he would never have the chance. He tried to blink away the tears. This really was happening wasn't it?
Everyone was completely oblivious to the choice the man had to make.
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Post by carcinoGeneticist on Jul 8, 2009 0:06:08 GMT -5
All around her, the world spun separately from Calia's little bubble. She didn't respond when Ez entered the room, just sat with Theofilus's head resting in her lap. Every so often she'd reach out and stroke his face, almost as if she still expected him to stir or smile in her arms. Her heart was pounding hard and fast as she looked at him, as still as could be. When Ez spoke, she said nothing, didn't even turn to look at him. All she could do was offer him a slow nod. She couldn't speak, and really couldn't vocalize it.
When the doctor entered the room and knelt before Theofilus, Calia didn't see him. She didn't react until he gently asked her to move aside so he could confirm death. Calia leveled a gaze on him that left no room for questioning. He could do what he needed, but he would need to do it without her moving.
She couldn't let go of him. She felt as if her world was shattering.
When the man had left, Calia took a deep, shuddering breath. It would be a few minutes before it happened, but she slowly raised her head to look at her son, trembling. "Oh, baby..[/b]" she whispered, hoping that he would come to her side, hold her tight. He looked so much like her father... that thought was enough to make her start crying all over again. What would happen to the family Theofilus had brought together. "What... Suits, Ez, what do we do now?[/b]"
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