The Guardians

Love

                                 March 12
                     The Land of Wind
                     (The Sitorian Manor)

"Nolen." A voice called. He opened his eyes, quickly trying to locate the familiar person he'd know anywhere, it belonged to his father.

"Dad?" Nolen called. They were no longer in the snow filled garden, instead they sat at the top of a grassy hill in the middle of nowhere. Nolen looked around, confused. They couldn't be in Anemone. He heard his father speak again, above his head this time. He hadn't noticed he was seated upon his lap.

"Nolen, are you awake?" Sebastian asked. Nolen nodded slowly before he craned his neck up to look at his father. His white hair blew slightly from the small breeze and his dark blue eyes looked so very tired.

"Where are we, dad?" Nolen questioned. Sebastian was silent for a moment before he finally responded.

"I have to go soon." He whispered softly.

He was leaving again. He knew he wouldn't stay forever yet he still felt saddened by the news.

"Why are you leaving me again? Where are you going?" He inquired but Sebastian didn't answer him, his brows only furrowed like hey often did when he felt troubled.

Nolen released a shaky sigh and lowered his head. He had come to accept the fact that his father would leave but as long as he came back it didn't matter. He could leave a hundred times— five hundred, as long as he returned Nolen would be okay.

"When will you be back?" Nolen asked him quietly. He look up as a single tear rolled down his father's cheek.

"I won't."

Before Nolen could respond he was suddenly thrown into complete darkness. Surrounded in darkness his father was nowhere to be found, he was gone.

Nolen gasped for air as he was abruptly awakened.

"Dad!" He called out as he sat up. Touching his face, he noticed that it had been soaked in tears. As he calmed down he began to take in his surroundings, he was in his bed, it was dark outside.

After Sebastian fell unconscious, Nolen ran to find Alice. Gilbert, who was already on his way to the manor, arrived shortly after. He had laid Sebastian in his bed and then left before returning with a physician and his assistant.

Nolen continued to wipe at his tear stained face. Once it was completely dried he pushed back the heavy quilt that covered his body and climbed out of bed.

He walked towards his bedroom door. He opened it and slowly walked out. His father's room wasn't too far from his, Nolen could see his room from where he stood in the hall. His lights were on and he could hear a faint murmur of voices, the doctors must have still been there. They wouldn't be able to save Sebastian's life but they could give him medication for any pain he might experience upon awakening.

"Nolen?" He turned around to see Gilbert sitting on the stairs. He walked towards the man and lowered down beside him. "Couldn't sleep?" Gilbert whispered.

"No, I couldn't sleep. How is dad?" Nolen asked.

"He hasn't woken up yet..." He answered.

"Will he be okay?" Nolen questioned. He knew his father wasn't going to be okay. He knew but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that soon his father would be gone, he wanted someone to tell him that everything would be okay. He had been having so much fun spending time with him that he completely forgot that his birthday was in a few days.