No Greater Love {Completed}

Page 20

"Keep your face towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you."
- Walt Whitman

Aviana's POV

I grew more and more worried about Shannon. He began to over stress himself. Soon his body started rejecting food, and his physical appearance showed that. He grew sickly thin and easily caught illnesses, but on the bright side it bought us some more time.

I requested an audience with the queen and surprisingly she agreed to it.

As I approached I bowed and she motioned for me to come closer. I did.

"Why did you want to meet with me?" She asked pulling a rose from its bush and bringing it to her nose.

"My Queen, I know you're probably aware of how ill your high commander in training is."

"Yes. And just what are you doing to fix it?"

"That's why I'm here. Humans are different from us you're Majesty. They need certain nutrients in they're body, and currently Shannon's have been depleted. Also he's been pushed too hard and is over worked, and I've tried my hardest to get him what he needs but his body keeps rejecting everything. I feel that it is our environment that's stressing him even more."

"And what do you suggest we do about that?" I could hear the resentment and contempt in her voice.

"Let me take him outside the palace. Being in the outside world might help his mental state which in turn could help his physical state as well."

"Why should I trust you with such a task?"

"Because I've been studying humans and I know how their bodies and minds work better than anyone else. That's why you hired me you're Majesty."

She looked at me skeptically for a long time before she replied. "Fine on one condition. Three of my guards will accompany the two of you."

I nodded. "Thank you you're Majesty." I bowed and returned to the infirmary with three guard following closely on my heels. Shannon was asleep on one of the beds. I shook him gently when his eyes met mine I wanted to pull him into my arms, but I refrained from doing so.

"Shannon, the queen has allowed us to leave the palace."

His eyes widened and a smile pulled at his pale lips. "Remind me to thank her." He began to sit up and went into a coughing fit. I caught him as he began to fall over.

"Maybe we should wait," I said trying to lay him down.

"No, I'm fine," he insisted. He got out of the bed and stood using me for support. "Let's go."

I nodded and guided him out of the palace. When the front gates opened he hesitated.

"What is it?" I asked looking up into his awe stricken eyes.

He shook his head walked outside of the gates. His head fell back and arms extended as the rays of the sun danced on his skin.

As a Lurian the sun didn't really do anything for us and was more harmful than helpful. It provided light and necessities for the earth plants that we did eat, but for humans it was completely different. It was like air to them, and the look on Shannon's face proved that much.

I watched as he let the sunlight wash over him. Suddenly something changed. He looked down at his hands, and something was working in his brain.

"Shannon? Are you ready to go back?" I asked bring him back to reality. Something told me what he was thinking, and it wouldn't have been good.

He looked at me and slowly nodded. We went back into the palace and the gates began to shut. He looked back to catch the final rays of light before they disappeared again.

It pained me to see the beautiful spark in his eyes die out. He was back being sick almost instantly. I took him back to the infirmary to rest and the guards left us.

"I wanted to run. I wanted to run so badly," he said with tears streaming down his face.

I hugged him closely and kissed his head. "Don't worry. It will happen. I promise, but you have to get better first."

"Do you think she let us leave again?" His eyes looked into mine with a a small glimmer of hope.

"She might." I thought for a while. "She wants you to spy on me right? Tell her that I have a house off of the palace grounds, and convince her to allow just the two of us to go."

He nodded and lightly took my face between his hands. "I love you," he before he pressed our lips together.