Chapter 225 - Where To Go From Here

Ian was in the middle of a large bed covered in ornate red blankets.  A fire was burning in the fireplace and the light from the flames sent shadows dancing across his features.  Delaney hesitated in the doorway, a hand flying up to cover her mouth when she saw him.

Ian wasn't wearing a shirt leaving his shoulders exposed.  His normally suntanned skin was pale and tinted grey from losing so much blood.  When he saw them he tried to rush to push himself up but hissed and pressed a hand to his abdomen.

"No don't get up," Delaney said quickly and Vincent helped her to the bed where she sat lightly on the side near the pirate.

Looking embarrassed, Ian scrambled to pull the blankets up and continued to push himself even though it was clear it hurt him.  At last, he was sitting upright and seemed relieved by that but still uncomfortable, both from his wound and the situation.  Vincent crossed his arms and leaned against one of the bedposts.

"Don't push yourself," Delaney smirked at him, "remember now when you use up all your energy you just steal mine."

He glanced up, meeting her eyes for a moment before looking down again and blushing.

"Yes, Violet... Lady Adair... she told me what you did for me.  You shouldn't have."

"Of course I should have," Delaney smiled, "You saved my husband.  Besides if I didn't, Vincent would have and according to Helena it would've been much riskier for him."

"I'm sorry," he said quietly to Vincent, looking up and meeting his eyes now.

Her handsome scarred husband smiled fondly at the pirate, "You haven't done anything wrong, Ian.  She's right.  You saved me and I would've given you my strength afterward if I could have."

The other man nodded but dropped his gaze again.  Vincent looked between him and Delaney.  His wife looked up at him with her beautiful blue-green eyes and he gave her a small smile.

"I'll go and leave you two to talk," Vincent pushed himself off the bedpost.

"No," Ian said quickly, his eyes snapping up to meet the Duke's again, "No you don't have to do that.  You can stay."

Vincent smirked and shook his head.  He strolled over and caught Delaney's chin with a finger, tilting it up so he could steal a kiss from her.  When he got to the door to leave he glanced back at Ian.

"I'm glad nothing happened to you and she was able to save you.  You're a brave man.  I don't know what we would have done if we'd lost you."

Ian stared after Vincent even after the other man had left and closed the door behind him.  And then, he and Delaney were alone.

It was quiet in the room for a time.  Ian continued to stare at the bed and not meet Delaney's eyes.  It hurt Delaney to see that already, the truth of what he had told her was affecting their friendship.  She didn't know what to say to him but at the same time, she felt like she had too much to say.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to her at last as he had to Vincent.

Delaney smiled fondly at him and took his hand in her lap, "You don't need to apologize for loving me.  I love you too."

Ian sighed and turned away, "You know it's not the same.  I know it."

"I know," she sighed, "And I'm sorry for that.  I wish... I wish things were different.  I love my husband and I want to be with him always but... but I wish somehow things could be different for you and me."

Ian nodded and was quiet for a moment before he went on.

"I only told you because I thought I was going to die... Otherwise, I never would have mentioned it and ruined everything."

"Shh," she hushed him, "You didn't ruin anything.  You're still my best friend and one of Vincent's best friends as well.  He values you greatly."

"I know," he agreed, "But now things have to change.  We can't ever go back to the way things were."

"We could," Delaney tried, "We can go back to Edgewood, and yes, things will have to change a bit but we can still be best friends as we have been and do all the things we have always done."

Before she had even finished, Ian was already shaking his head.

"I can't Delaney," he whispered, turning to look up at her with sad chocolate eyes, "I can't... I can't keep this up now that you know.  We can't be together every day and you treat me as your best friend all the while I've given you my entire heart.  It would... It would kill me."

Delaney dropped her gaze now as she felt tears stinging in her eyes.  Ian reached out and gently took her hand in his.  He gave it a little squeeze which seemed to only trigger her tears to begin to slip down her cheeks.

"I hate this horrible castle," she whispered, "Nothing good ever comes from being here."

Ian chuckled, "It is a cursed place isn't it?"

Delaney giggled and nodded.

The pair looked up at one another again now and Delaney couldn't help smile as she looked at this handsome pirate who she loved so much, even if it wasn't the way he loved her.

"So... so what will you do?"

Ian shifted, wincing and groaning quietly as he leaned back in the pillows to try to get more comfortable.

"I miss the sea," he sighed, "She's the thing I love more even than you.  I miss standing at the helm of my ship as it rocks on the waves with the salty breeze on my skin.  I miss the smell of the ocean and the sound of my men laughing and talking together as they climb about in the rigging.  I've never been away from the water this long before probably in my entire life.  I think it's time for me to get back to it."

"That sounds wonderful," Delaney smiled lovingly at the man and she could see in his face that he meant it.  His heart belonged on the ocean and even if he loved her, he never would have been truly happy here.

"I will miss you," she whispered, and when he turned to look up at her she knew he would miss her too.

"Well I can't leave just yet," he shook his head and pulled the blankets back, revealing his bandaged abdomen.  Against the stark white of the wraps, there were patches of blood staining them where his wound had recently bled through, likely from his efforts to sit up.  "I won't be able to travel until this is better healed... Although I looked at it before you came in and I think it's healing remarkably fast.  I imagine that's because I'm able to use your strength."

"That's strange," Delaney whispered and shook her head, "Did the witch tell you how long it would be until it wore off?"

Ian hesitated and dropped his gaze, "I'm sorry Delaney but... but Helena said it will never wear off.  Our connection will grow weaker the farther apart we are but this link will always be there now."

"So we will always be able to pull strength from one another if we need it?" Delaney asked in surprise."

"Yes," he nodded, "I'm so sorry.  I promise I'll be extremely careful though and... and I have to admit that it makes me happy to know we will always share this link.  I like knowing if you ever need me and I'm not with you, at least you can pull from my strength."

Delaney met his sweet eyes and smiled, "That's true.  And I will like knowing that if you're ever in a hard spot out on your ship you will be able to pull my energy as well.  I may not be able to give you my heart but I like that I can at least give you that."

Ian chuckled and blinked heavily.  As if they were splitting both their energy exactly in half, Delaney realized she was also feeling more tired now.  She yawned and covered her mouth.

"I know we've been asleep for days but I'm still so tired," Ian said quietly.

"You're still recovering," Delaney reminded him, "We should probably go back to sleep."

"Yes," he agreed, "I want to build up my strength so I will be able to get out to the courtyard in two days."

"Two days?" Delaney frowned in confusion, "Why do you need to be in the courtyard in two days?"

Ian looked up at her in surprise, "Well Violet told me.... Did... Did Vince not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"In two days' time, they're going to bring Anna and Luna out to the courtyard and..."

Delaney's eyes went wide, "And what Ian?"

Ian swallowed and his voice came out quietly.

"And they're going to hang them."