Jupiter Canyon, Gravity redefined. Desert terrain...

[Elizur]

Momentarily surprised by the Harmoni man's attack, Elizur found himself completely caught off guard and received many blows to the face and his stomach. Then realizing what was happening, Elizur growled and swiftly kicked Anjole in the gut, flinging the man off him until Anjole's back slammed against the wall across the room. Heaving and coughing at his sore abdomen, Elizur glared at the man and lunged for him, kicking Anjole in the gut and punching him in the face, his head whipping from left to right.

[Anjole]

Trying to defend himself properly, Anjole threw up his arms to block the blows from the taller, stronger man and groaned in silent agony when one of Elizur's fists landed against Anjole's throat, inflaming the internal wound and sending Anjole into a spiral downward. He slumped over, lowering his arms immediately, nearly passing out. Blood had begun to flow from his nose and a busted lip as well. He slumped over in defeat, no longer caring if Elizur continued or beat him to death.

[Elizur]

When his opponent stopped delivering blows, Elizur's anger faded and his chest heaving, he stared down at the man slumped over. He groaned and nudged Anjole with his foot. "What is your problem? If you're not going to fight me properly, why attack me in the first place?" he groused.

[Anjole]

Anjole, recovering steadily from the beating he just received, hunched over and squatted in the corner, back to Elizur. He had had enough of the man's taunting words. If only he could shut his ears as well! There was not a way of escaping the torture though and he sighed heavily, closing his eyes. He tried to focus on blocking anything the tall man would say. It was hopeless for Anjole. He couldn't escape, because he could not leave Juniper. He couldn't stay, because it'd be better to just be dead than to suffer living as a prisoner. What could he do?

[Elizur]

"Your selfishness will hurt both women, Harmoni man..." He gritted his teeth at Anjole's back turned to him, his fists clenched even as he winced at the twinges of pain on his face and his abdomen. "You need to chose and get out of here. Either way, one of them will be hurt and it will be because of you." He spat blood on the floor and shook his head. "Damnation will be on your head for your greed, you sorry excuse of a man." With that, he started down the hall but was stopped by a guard who quickly told him the news.

"Princess Juniper has collapsed. Cletus is asking for you," the guard said breathlessly, having looked everywhere for the Princess' bodyguard.

Elizur's eyes widened and he nodded, glancing once at Anjole's back before racing to Juniper's side.

[Anjole]

Anjole sighed softly, feeling as if his world were spinning madly out of control. He was certain Elizur was correct in his statement about hurting both women. But he didn't mean to do that! He didn't mean to fall for both! Clearly Juniper needed rescuing as her mind had been subdued by something, who knows what was wrong, and clearly Ahira needed him. He felt pulled in two directions. He wanted to be with Ahira so badly, to make sure she was all right and cared for, but he couldn't turn his back on Juniper.
But he knew, he had to make a decision and a hard one....

He rose shakily to his feet and noticed the cell door slightly ajar. The guards were gone, and while Anjole didn't know why, he saw it as his one chance to escape. He ran up the stairs and down the hall, slowing to a walk when he merged with other people of different races walking the halls to do whatever they needed to do. He tried to blend in, conscious of the blood on his lip and nose, which was starting to dry now. He rubbed his shirt against the stains, hoping that would help a little. He made his way to the shipping area, where the pods and shuttles were and saw a couple of unattented pods, so made his way to one, climbing in and turning on the controls. He took a few moments to familiarize himself with the controls and began to slowly lift off. Soon he was flying over the rough terrain and ready to get back to Eoin harbor. I'm coming, Ahira, please be well!

[Elizur]

Elizur forgot about the infuriating Harmoni man sulking in the corner and took two steps at a time to where Princess Juniper was. Cletus and Prince Kieran were crowded around her on the bed, while Kieran's guard stood watch by the door. Before he could even take another step toward the bed, the guard gripped Elizur's arm and tugged him to the other side of the door, glaring at him.

He then realized his position--he was not her friend but her guard. He could and would not touch her without getting punished by the Taretian prince, her fiance. Sighing, Elizur straightened his shoulders and stood by the door, his eyes glued on the bed.

"An..." Juniper's voice was heard in the pregnant silence as the men waited for any sign of Cletus' magic to work. The Lacertian doctor and the prince glanced at each other with a frown as the princess murmured in her subconscious state. "Anj..."

The hairs on Elizur's arms stood when he heard her try to utter something familiar. He stood a little straighter, his ears perked in attention.

"What is she saying?" Prince Kieran whispered to Cletus who merely shrugged in confusion. They both leaned in their ears to hear better.

"Anjole..." The princess whispered, her voice full of agony and the two men watched dumbfoundedly as tears fell down her cheeks and stained the silky sheets beneath her.

Elizur's jaw dropped when the two men repeated the name, worried for the muttering princess with the head injury.

[Juniper]

Juniper woke up with a throbbing pain at both sides of her temple and realized she was in a very strange place. Moaning lightly, she turned her head to the side and winced at the effort it took to even move. What was going on? The last thing she could remember was falling three stories from a window and being ambushed by masked men until she faded into the dark abyss.

She fluttered her eyes open again and flinched at the bright light over her head. Turning her head again, Juniper whimpered as the pain incessantly reminded her that something--or many things were different. For one, she was alone in a strange place.

"You're awake..." a familiar voice acknowledged and her heart fluttered, Juniper having to catch her breath as she turned to face the voice. Expecting a fair-haired man with gentle blue eyes and a marked cheek, she saw translucent blue eyes, dark hair slung over one and pale skin. She gasped, shifting back. Oh no! They brought me back, she bemoaned and squeezed her eyes shut from the man she knew as Elizur.

[Elizur]

Elizur remembered her uttering Anjole's name and wanted to believe that the old Juniper was back. That was why once the two men left the room with the other guard, Elizur was assigned to keep watch of her as she healed in sleeping. Even though he was to remain at the door, Elizur had to see for himself.

And here she was, the look in her eyes confirming his suspicions. This was the Juniper he remembered from their village--the one who fired at him when he kept staring at her, the same Juniper who stood in front of the council on account of Anjole and attacked one of the women so she could be near him.

Swallowing hard, Elizur knelt beside the bed. "Juniper... Can you hear me? Do you remember me?" he whispered.

[Juniper]

Juniper snapped a glare in his direction. "Of course I remember you!" she frowned when he gestured for her to be quiet by putting a finger on his lips. Although she wanted to defy him, realizing she was in a strange place, Juniper decided to trust him for now. "Did you drag me back to your place after I left with Anjole?"

She frowned when he hesitated and her eyes widened. "You did!" Reaching forward, she smacked his arm repeatedly. "How could you do that?!" she whispered fiercely, her eyes flashing with frustration.

[Elizur]

It took him a while to register what Juniper was saying and then Elizur shook his head. She was back to normal and now blaming her for her predicament. Maybe he deserved part of the blame but so did Anjole and whoever else kidnapped her. He sighed. "I don't know how to tell you this but..." he hesitated and peeked up at her. "Anjole left you."

[Juniper]

Juniper scowled at him. "You're wrong. I left him." She wrinkled her brow and glanced away. "Since your mate told me that she liked him and I knew he liked her back, I had to leave... I couldn't stay there and watch them." She placed a hand on her throbbing head. "Where are we then? I've never seen this place before... And what am I wearing?" she tugged at the muslin, silky garments that showed off her bare arms.

[Elizur]

Elizur smirked at her fiesty personality. He preferred this to the tough, cold-hearted woman from earlier. He almost wanted to embrace her but knew she'd strike him. "No, Juniper... You were kidnapped somehow by the people holding us here." He frowned when she did as well. "Trust me, this is not my home either."

She shook her head and Elizur nodded. "Anjole came here as I did but because of circumstances, he realized that he'd made the wrong decision and left to go back to Ahira. He left you."

[Juniper]

Although she should've seen this coming, Juniper felt as though her heart had been stabbed numerous times and slammed to the floor. She bowed her shoulders involuntarily, staring blankly at Elizur. Her throat suddenly throbbed but Juniper managed to hold the tears that threatened at bay. She cleared her throat. "So? I knew he would pick Ahira. She's beautiful and kind and..." Juniper lowered her head, fluttering her eyes quickly.

[Elizur]

Helpless to women's tears, Elizur watched Juniper's shoulders shake subtly and the tears fell down from her cheeks onto the sheets. He frowned with concern and hesitantly lifted a hand to her back. At first she stiffened but then after a few moments, she relaxed under his hand. Encouraged that she would not lash out at him, Elizur perched on the bed and pulled her into his arms, grateful that he'd locked the door before coming to check on her.

In the midst of her crying, Elizur made a promise that although he failed to take care of Ahira properly, he'd do right by Juniper. "Let's forget about the pain and loss we've suffered..." he said gently. "Let's live better now, okay?" He let Juniper cry it all out until she slept in his arms once again.