Actions Speak Louder

Owen chuckled some and wrapped his arms around her. They were both sniffling from the soup and their colds, but they both were also very happy to be with each other. He smiled happily and kissed her cheek. He loved her dearly, and had for a while already. "You're a little cold..." He commented, holding her close. He pulled the blankets over their shoulders and leaned against Draco.

"It's been cold lately." Miranda replied sleepily, "I hope it doesn't snow soon..."

"Yes... hopefully I can get the house built before then." He looked out, gazing along the tall mountains surrounding them. Their chosen home was beautiful. He rubbed her arms to try and help her warm up, then sighed a bit. "It's morning and I'm still tired. Must be this cold..."

"You were really sick yesterday, you have every right to be tired." Miranda cuddled closer and leaned further back against Draco, who was always really warm.

Owen smiled some. "So do you..." He hugged her tighter and made sure she was comfortable before getting in a position where he was just as comfy. His eyes began to feel heavy, and he yawned loudly. "Promise you will rest with me? You're just as sick..."

Miranda's eyes were already closed, still sporting the dark circles from the days before, she obviously didn't sleep much the previous night. "I'll rest..." She managed to say, her skin was white and cheeks, a light shade of red.

Owen kissed her cheek, then closed his own eyes, drifting off to sleep rather quickly. He was happy that night... very happy. He'd somehow returned Mira's voice and also her affections. He loved her dearly, and it made him happy to know she felt the same.

Miranda found it hard to wake up later that afternoon, something wasn't right but she tried to ignore it... was it because she was sick? Was something wrong with Owen? She forced her eyes open and looked at him, he was still sleeping... she thought. Miranda could still feel the warmth of Draco behind her, he seemed to still be asleep as well - did he fall asleep? She couldn't remember.

"Owen..." Her teeth chattered, why was she so cold?


"He's frozen." A voice said.

She looked over and saw Elsia, her eyes were red with rage. "Hello, darling friend... it's nice to see you again. It was easy to find you when I heard your pathetic voice again."

"Els..."

"Shhh, hush... perhaps if you die, I can unfreeze your love... as soon as I do, the dragon will wake up. Time is frozen for you right now. I could kill you, they wouldn't miss a thing - they won't remember you even existed."

"El-?!" Miranda squeaked when she felt a stab in her chest, the cold felt even worse - she was bleeding.

"I wanted to spare you, erase your gorgeous memories and make you realize how idiotic you really are, but that's not happening. It might be easier to just torture your loved ones, make you watch as a trapped spirit in a bottle."

Her eyes widened in fear, glazed from the pain. It hurt to breathe.

"For no reason... except that they knew you. I've stolen your heart, the only reason you live is because of me now. If you ignore my orders, you'll die instantly."

Miranda blinked back tears, she had to stay composed. "What is it?"

"I'll allow you to love him... for a price, you've been obedient so I'm letting you have one more chance. Your firstborn child."

"Wha..."

Elsia cackled, "I'll return your heart if you give me the child you have with him, you'll have other children anyway... what's the first matter?"

Miranda let her tears flow that time, she couldn't imagine giving a beautiful half-elven child to a witch... what would she do wit him or her? Her life... or a child born of Owen? What would he say to that?

"Well?" Elsia was impatient.

Owen would be angry with her... she couldn't be sure how he'd react, but she couldn't see it being good.

"I have no other choice."

"Excellent, you'll see your heart when I see your child." With that, time corrected and Elsia disappeared. Miranda felt warmth again and the wound appeared to be gone as well as the blood - but her heart... she couldn't feel it flutter anymore. Her life was in Elisa's hands.

"Mira... is something wrong?" Owen asked with a slight frown. He'd felt her stir, then noticed she was crying. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm fine... I think it was a nightmare." Miranda clutched her chest, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat. She wanted to sob but there was nothing to cry over, she wasn't about to just have a baby... she wasn't given a time limit... was she? Miranda couldn't remember everything and she wasn't sure if it even really happened.
But her heart, her chest felt lighter and breathing felt different. It really did happen.

Owen frowned a bit and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Bad dreams are always terrible. But... they aren't real, so it'll all be fine, right? I'm here now that you're awake!"

Bad dreams aren't real... bad dreams aren't real. They aren't real...

Miranda, as soon as she felt his embrace, began to sob loudly and painfully. The crying was making it harder to breathe and her eyes were burning. "Oweeeeeeen!!!" She sobbed.

All her pained howling woke up Draco and he was immediately concerned.

"Hush, hush!" Owen repeated softly, rocking her a little in his arms. "My love, my love... I'm right here, there's no need to cry." He whispered, holding her even closer.

"Owen... what did you do?" Draco rumbled, his voice concerned.

"It wasn't me... she said she had a bad dream."

Miranda gasped repeatedly until she got herself to calm down. "Elsia came to me..." She sniffled, her crying had not helped her cold at all.

"What?!" Owen frowned and looked to Draco. "Did you-"

"No, she must have done something to us..." Draco frowned. "What did she want?"

Miranda sat up straight and pulled Owen down to her chest, putting his ear against it. There wasn't a sound, nothing but her breathing. "She stole my heart... and she said that if I don't give her a child I bear from you, that she'll kill me instantly."

Draco's eyes widened in shock.

Owen frowned angrily. "She what?!" His eyes turned a dark crimson, almost black. "I'll kill her!! She won't get away with this!!" He was angry... so angry that the woman had dared to do that to his lovely Mira. "She won't have our child!"

"Owen... my heart is in her hands, she can hear me all the time." Miranda cried, "She knew my voice was back and that we are in love... she just knows and if I decide not to do what she says, she'll kill me. She said she'll erase your memories of me, you'll be stuck with a child and no memory of who it came from..."

Owen frowned sadly then, totally stunned. He leaned back, and would have fallen over had Draco's tail not caught him. "I don't... want this. I don't want to lose you... or any of the babies we will have. I... there must be some way."

"Just the first... but I don't want to lose it. It depends if I ever get pregnant, but I can't... I can't just choose not to, she'll kill me." Miranda sniffled, "I've made your lives so complicated, I'm sorry."

Owen shook his head and kissed her lovingly. "No, no... you've made my life better than it ever was." He replied, pulling her back into his arms. "We'll just... well, I'm not sure. We'll figure something out. Maybe we'll be lucky and twins?"

"I've not had that kind of good luck... but how can I just become detached...? I can't do that, it's still a baby I'll carry for... who knows how long." Miranda was finally calming down.

"It'd have to be blessed." Draco said suddenly.

"What?" Miranda looked back at him.

"Fairies."

"I don't...?"

"Fairies are very good at helping with witch situations. It could be a fairy blessing."

Miranda gaped, "How do we go about finding fairies? This is all happening too fast."

Owen stared at the dragon. "The heck, Draco? Really? Fairies hate elves because of our lineage... you know that."

"Bah, that's right... something about a fairy making herself larger and mating with a human, thus beginning the elven race, and taking the face of fairies, and now everyone thinks elves came before fairies." Draco nodded. "They still might help though. They hate witches more."

Miranda sighed irritably, "I could go alone... or you could disguise yourself, but I think they are too smart for that." She wrapped her arms around her stomach. There was nothing there and yet she felt pain, it hurt her to think of losing something - no - someone, so precious.

"I could go." Draco smiled, "I could do the smooth talking first."

"..." Miranda rubbed the back of her neck, "I just found the love of my life yesterday and now a baby? This doesn't seem fair..." She was right, it wasn't fair at all.

"I think it's best if Draco went... fairies love dragons." Owen kissed Mira lovingly. "You could go with him as well... it may be best if I stay here and fix the house. That is... after we're through being sick."