Sickness

Athan let out a nervous chuckle "I'm not that foolish!" her chuntered under his breath while looking at Ian, who looked amused at his answer.

" Good! At least, now I know where you stand!" Ian remarked while getting off the ladder with a the dusty scroll in his hand making his way to the table that was in the middle of the library.

Unfolding the scroll, that looked as old as time itself and reading through the content of it, making Ian frown and grunt in frustration.

Athan moved from his spot, when he heard Ian growling at the piece of paper, thinking that he had found something that he wasn't aware of.

" Did you find something?" Athan enquired curiously, aproaching Ian from behind with unhuried steps.

" Uhm, let me see! What do you think? Was that a sound that someone makes when they find what they were looking for?" Ian mocked, tapping his finger on his chin while having pensive look on his face.

Athan chucked " You know, it's amusing seeing someone like you, trying to be funny!" Athan remarked, thinking that Ian wasn't as bad as Tyla and Rhya thought.

" Why is that?" Ian curiously asked, pondering on Athan's words knowing what he meant, but he wanted to know more about how they saw him.

" You are a very brooding man around Iris and protective of her. It is quite hard for one, to think of you otherwise!" Athan explained in serious tone of voice, making his thoughts known to Ian.

Ian clicked his tongue " When I found Iris, she was on death's door, covered in so much blood that I could bearly see her skin. Her body marred with cuts and wounds, that I could bearly find a spot to put a finger on her!As days passed my affections for her grew stronger and I made a promise! That as long as I'm alive and breathing, I will not let that happen ever again to her!" Ian explained hoping that he will see that he wasn't being unreasonable and there was a motive behind his behaviour.

Athan gaped and stared at Ian, having a trouble understanding how that happened to Iris. He could remember her training sessions and she was ruthless, especially if it was hand to hand combat.

" I don't understand, how was that even possible? Athan questioned in disbelief " She was the best at hand to hand combat!" he continued speaking while sitting down on a chair nearby, feeling his knees go weak.

" It was sword combat and it was Rom who fought with her!" Ian retorted while making his way to the shelves to pick up another scroll.

" The man that came for help?" Athan questioned trying to make sure that he got the details right.

" Mhm! The one and only!" Ian confirmed while retuning to the table and unfolding the scroll.

" Oh! I understand! Do you love Iris?" Athan probed for answers to a quethat has been on his mind for some time.

He knew Ian had some kind of affection for Iris but he wanted to know that despite of being pushed together by circumstances, he wasn't coveting just because she was beautiful and it more that.

Ian lifted his head to look at Athan " Why do you want to know?" Ian questioned while narrowing his eyes Athan, curious as to why he wanted to know if he loved Iris or not.

Athan gave him a dashing smile " Well, I can see that you care about her and you desire her but I was wondering if there is more than just that!" he voiced out his thoughts on the matter, hoping that Ian would clear things up for him, so he could be at ease about it.

Ian cleared his throat " It is more than desire! I love her and I want to be with her for as long as I live! They are everything to me and I wish nothing more than to live the rest of my life growing old with her!" Ian cleared Athan's doubts, hoping that what he said would ease his worries.

" I'm glad to hear that, Ian!" Athan beamed like child, feeling butterflys in his stomach just by hearing Ian words and his thoughts drifted to Rhya, and how he felt the same about her.

Ian nodded " Now, help me go through these scrolls!" he beseeched Athan, who just stared at him a looking a little lost in his own thoughts.

Ian sighed " Athan!" he loudly called him, making him jump from the chair and stand next to him looking a bit more alive.

" Right! Yes, I'll help!" he stated a hushed voice while unfolding another scroll and reading through its contents.

Looking through scroll after scroll while the pile on the floor kept getting bigger and bigger with each passing moment, and their enthusiasm and the will to live grew smaller and smaller.

Ploping himself on the chair looking exasperated that he couldn't find the answers that he was looking for" I can't believe that there is nothing of use in this mountain of paper!" Ian uttered disenheartened and frustrated at his situation and the lack of information in them.

" We still have a few more to go through! Don't loose hope, no yet!" Athan encouraged, getting up from his chair and going back to the shelves an pick up another scroll.

Unfolding the scroll, a small piece of paper fell on the floor at Athan's feet " Mirin!" he breathed out the words while frowning at the word, it sounded familiar to him but he couldn't remember when or where he had heard the name.

" Did you see any mention of the word Mirin in any of the scrolls that you've read through?" Athan curiously asked while making his way to the table with the scroll and the piece of paper, throwing them on the table.

Ian let out an exasperated sigh " Is it another tree, because our kind surely loves to write about trees!" he scoffed while shifting in his chair to look at what Athan threw on the table.

" I don't think so! I've heard the name before but I can't remember when or where!" Athan explained in serious tone of voice while making his way back to the shelves looking for anything related to that word.

" You know, I'm not surprised anymore when you say things like that!" Ian smirked while getting up from his chair, making his way to where Athan was.

Athan chuckled " I'm not surprised either! Right now, my head is filled with other thoughts and I don't seem to be able to think of anything else!" he confessed a little amused that he couldn't get his mind of Rhya.

" What is it? Ian curiously asked while unfolding another scroll looking for any mention of the word.

" Rhya!" Athan breathed the words, staring at the shelf in front of him, wearing a bashful smile making Ian chuckle because of the look on his face.

" Athan!" Ian called him out a little louder making Athan flinch " I need you here, Athan!" Ian beeseched while laughing at Athan, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed that Athan has been struck by the same sickness as he was.