Peter's POV

"Ariadne," I tried to call, but my throat was coarse and dry.

 If only Estevan hadn't taken my sight, I didn't know if I could stand never seeing Ariadne's smile or the teasing look in her eye again. If Estevan survives this then he will pay. I thought bitterly.

But the worst torture had been seeing him kiss Ariadne. And not only kiss her but literally drain her. My fists clenched as I recalled it.

"Do you see her?" I asked the flying horse thing, I wasn't sure without being able to see it, but that's what it felt like. Gee this day had only gotten weirder, now I was talked to a flying horse.

"Peter," she sighed. That doesn't sound good. 

"She made me leave without her. She's still back there," her high voice replied in more of a whinny. Then I felt her wings beat faster.

"What's happening?" I asked, wishing my vision would clear, but knowing it wouldn't. Estevan had made sure of that. "We have to go back for her!"

"The explosion," she cried. "I don't think I can outfly it!"

I tightened my grip around her small neck. "We have to go get her."

"You'll be no use to her if you're burned and blind."

I grunted furiously, but I knew she was right.

"We're over the explosion now, I'll look for her."

Please let her be okay. Please let-

"I see her!" the horse neighed, but it turned to a scream as I felt a flaming wave envelop us, sending her crashing to the ground and me flying off her back.

I rolled around, ignoring the pain it caused, and waited for the heat to cool down. I didn't think I had any major burns, but it was hard to tell without being able to look at them.

"Amity! Are you okay?"

"I'm alright, go find Ariadne," she called behind me.

I didn't really know how I would find her, but I had to try. 

"Ariadne!" I cried, wishing that now more than ever I could see.

"Peter?" I heard her call somewhere to my left. Her voice sounded worse than mine did.

"Where are you?" I cried, crawling towards the sound of her voice.

"I'm over here," she answered in a raspy voice.

Then my hand hit something, and I reached out to touch it, realizing it was her shoulder. She was laying down on her stomach. Did that mean she was hurt?

"Are you alright?" I asked, finding her face with both of my hands.

She wrapped her hands around mine, but they felt blistered and really hot. "I think so, but I can't move."

I scrunched my eyebrows.

"Peter?" Ariadne said slowly, and I felt her hand touch my eyelids that I kept shut. I didn't want her to see the horrific state my eyes were in.

"Peter," her voice broke. "I'm so sorry, I've ruined everything."

"No." I pulled her to me. "I'm here, and you're here. That's all that matters. Estevan was just jealous of how perfect I was and tried to ruin it, but it will take more than my eyes to ruin these devilishly good looks."

I heard her laugh, but it turned into a sob.

"It's okay," I said pulling her tight, not believing that we both made it. We were okay. 

Oh how I wished I could see her. "Everything is going to be alright."

"Peter," I heard a deep voice call from behind me.

"Yes?" I asked, facing the sound of his voice.

"Peter, I'm over here."

I turned to where his voice sounded more clearly, just a little to my right. "What did you want green eyes?"

He chuckled. "Finally got in a fight too big for ye, did ya?"

"Just answer my question," I said, ignoring his.

"I came to see if the dragon was really gone."

"Not exactly," Ariadne whispered

"The dragon is gone, and it's never coming back," I interrupted.

I squeezed her shoulder, that must have been a horrifying experience. It was best if the townspeople didn't know that she had been the dragon.

Well, those who weren't already at the wedding. 

"Where's Julie?" I asked, hoping she was with Green Eyes.

"I don't know," he said. "I was out... hunting with the boys when I saw the dragon and we all tried our best to bring it down with ours arrows. Followed it all the way over here. I haven't... haven't been able to check on 'er."

I instantly stood up, even though my feet weren't very steady. "We need to go get her."

"Peter... I don't know... I'm so sorry," Ariadne whispered.

I could hear the grief in her voice. Something happened. 

"It's not your fault. I'm sure she's fine."

I felt Ariadne stand by my side and I took her hand in mine. I needed to get there fast, and wandering with no direction wasn't going to work. I needed Ariadne more than ever now.

"Get us there the fastest way possible," I told green eyes.

"Follow me," he said, the humor completely gone from his voice. Although it was still disguised.

Ariadne went at a fast pace, but it wasn't fast enough. I needed to see Julie and I needed to see her now. I hadn't even said goodbye when I left.

Then we were all of a sudden overpowered by the stench of burning. It was everywhere, and so thick that I could taste it. It made me want to be sick.

I felt Ariadne tremble and shake. She was probably crying. 

"This wasn't you," I whispered, squeezing her hand tight. "This was him."

She shuddered and didn't respond. 

"We're almost there," Green Eyes whispered.

Then a loud scream broke the heavy silence. "You! I saw you, you're the monster that did this!" I heard someone spit and Ariadne backed up and I put myself between her and the screaming woman.

"You killed my son! You killed all of our families!" She screamed, her voice slowly fading. On of Green Eyes' men probably took her away.

"Don't listen to her," I told Ariadne, pulling her to me, I both felt and heard the sobs escaping from her lips. 

Then I tensed as loud footsteps approached. "I'm going in," green eyes said.

"No," I demanded. "I'm her brother."

"I love her," he said, the disguise completely gone from his voice. "Besides, you wouldn't be able to rescue her if she was trapped. You're blind!"

"Both of you just get in there," Ariadne interrupted between tears. "You're wasting precious time."

I squeezed her hand to tell her I was grateful before we stepped inside. The smell was a lot worse when we stepped inside and it made me worried. I hurried down the familiar hallway, not needing my eyes to navigate the house, and pushed open Julie's door.

I heard Ariadne's breath catch, and her grip on my hand got tighter but started shaking in unmistakable sobbing. "I'm so sorry!"

"No," I whispered.

I rushed to the bedside and felt rapidly for Julie's hand, but it wasn't her hand. What I felt was hard and sticky. Her whole arm was scabbed and bleeding.

"Julie," I whispered, and gently kissed her hand.

"No," I heard green eyes said. "No. That's not Julie, it can't be."

I heard a loud thud and figured that he had kicked the wall, and something came crashing down. It managed to send my forming tears out.

Not Julie. She was so sweet. She had never done anything wrong to anyone. She had her whole life ahead of her. So many goals and dreams. She was so young!

Then I felt a presence next to me, and a hand grip mine. "I'm so sorry, Peter," Ariadne sobbed. "This is all my fault."

I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me. "You had nothing to do with this."

She shook her head against my chest. "I couldn't stop him. I was too weak. He made me burn it down."

"Exactly, he made you," I said, barely able to control my voice. "If you stopped him then he would have hurt or killed you and then done the same thing to the village. Or something worse."

Then she perked up and I felt her slowly pull away from me as she started singing a song I remembered from my childhood.

The sun appears above the mountains,

Flying high, above the clouds.

To bring hope to all who see it,

Knowing that it rises still.

The land is slowly coming to life as,

A golden hue embraces all.

The water hums and a small wind sings,

Waking all who live above.

Deers are prancing, sweet birds singing,

Dancing through the woods this day.

Bees join in, their chorus swelling,

Ringing through to everyone.

Waking to a lightened room,

Joining in the joyful throng.

I sing out for all to hear me,

Healing all the wounds and tears.

As she sang, I felt the blisters in Julie's hand slowly disappear and her hard skin started softening. I turned to try and look at Ariadne, but it was still no use. 

I hated not being able to see. What was she doing?

"Simeon? I heard Julie's voice croak.

"Julie?" I said, not believing my ears.

"Peter?"

I felt tears of joy well up in my eyes as I touched my sister's shoulders and face and knew that she was going to be okay. I pulled her into a big hug.

Then I heard a loud thud and turned and felt Ariadne land hard on top of my legs. 

"Ariadne!" I cried. Please don't make me lose her. Not after all that's happened. I couldn't lose her too.

"Peter, is Ariadne here too?"

"Yes," I said, relief and worry coursing through my veins.

"Julie?" I heard green eyes say. "Is it really you?"

"Simeon!" Julie cried and I heard her jump off the bed and run over to him. Did Ariadne heal her completely?

"Julie," I said hesitantly. "How do you feel?"

I heard her squeal. "I feel perfect!"

"Ariadne!" I cried, turning back to the woman in my arms. "Why did you have to do that? You could have just brought her back to life and a doctor could have done the rest! Oh please don't leave me!"

"Peter?" I heard her mumble groggily.

"Yes, I'm here," I said, relief swept over me as I hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I did this to you."

I shook my head. Couldn't she see how amazing she was? "You've only ever brought me happiness."

"Your parents?"

I glanced in the direction of where I thought green eyes was standing.

"I'm sorry Peter. They were in even worse condition than Julie."

"What do you mean?" Julie asked. "What happened?"

"Come with me," green eyes whispered and I heard the front door shut.

"My parents are in a better place," I said, knowing it was true. She shouldn't be worried about them when she didn't seem so well herself.

She made an attempt to move but groaned. "I can heal them if you just-"

"No, Ariadne. You have done more than enough. You couldn't possibly heal them and still live."

"But they're your parents!"

"They've lived a full and happy life," I assured her, although my heart ached with pain. I never said goodbye to them either. I never earned back my fathers title. 

But I turned back to Ariadne. "I couldn't bear to lose you," I whispered, and let the tears run down my face. 

Then I felt her hand tracing my jaw, and I placed my hand on top of her swollen and blistered one.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," I said, wishing more than anything I could see her, but knowing she was safe in my arms was good enough.

Then her voice rang through the house once again, as she rubbed her finger gently over my face, from my jaw to my eyes. 

The sun appears above the mountains,

Flying high, above the clouds.

To bring hope to all who see it,

Knowing that it rises still.

The land is slowly coming to life as,

A golden hue embraces all.

The water hums and a small wind sings,

Waking all who live above.

I blinked away the last of the tears that formed and was shocked when some color seeped through my eyelids.

"Ariadne," I said, worried once more. "What are you doing?"

She ignored me and sang even louder, despite that her voice was started to give.

"Ariadne, no!" I cried as I saw her fall limp in my arms.

"What did you do?" I asked.

My vision was back, even better than it was before, but I would rather never see Ariadne again and have her in my life than be able to see the rest of my life without her. Didn't she know that?

So.... Thoughts???