The sun was setting in the hills when Maggie finally opened the door to the small cottage. Closing it softly behind her, she looked down at Cien. He sat with his back propped up against the cottage wall. He looked up at her expectantly, like a child. A sad smile eased her lips before she sighed and looked into the distance.
"How does she fare?" He asked quietly.
Maggie was silent for a long time, simply gazing out into the setting sun. Finally, she sighed and looked at the ground. "She bleeds. It is inside her body, draining into her.
There is nothing for either of us to do." She stopped and looked at Cien carefully. He was staring off into the distance. "She pains, and I have given her something to help her sleep. The lass will not make the night. Of that I am sure, Cien." Looking away, she fought tears of her own.
She blamed herself. She could see into the future, and the past. She should have known. She should have stopped this from happening. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, and she whipped at them angrily. This was all her fault.
Taking a deep breath, she forced the guilt back down. "She will want ye by her side, Cien, when she departs this world. She will want ye with her." Cien nodded, mute. Standing on shaky legs, he turned to Maggie. He could see the tear stains on her cheeks, but didn't say a word. He knew she wanted to save Regan, that she would do anything she could for her, but there wasn't anything she could do.
He stepped inside the cottage and turned to Maggie. "Nay, I'll wait out here, Cien. Ye two need your time together while ye have it." And she turned away walking further into the woods.
Cien turned back to the cottage, closing the door behind him. Regan lay with her face toward the wall away from him. He thought she was asleep. Pain welled deep inside of him, such as he had never known. Taking a step toward her, he realized she was awake. She lay on the small cot, tears running down her face. Maggie had told her. She knew she was dying.
Cien didn't even realize he'd moved until he was on his knees beside her, clutching at her hand. He felt his own hot tears running down his face, and didn't care. She turned to him and broke out into loud sobs. Clutching her hand to his lips he kissed it over and over again.