He was falling. Her heart, or rather, mind seemed to freeze for that instance, watching Saith's body move towards the stream below. He wasn't far yet, but it wouldn't be long. Next blink and- Mae's lips parted, perhaps for a dramatic 'no' or calling his name, but the sound was stuck in her throat, and really, what would it change? Nothing, nothing at all. He, on the other hand, was not as helpless and nearly quicker than her eye managed to register, he shot an arrow and now flew forward the wall, not rocks below. Her head spun around, she winced at the impact the drow made with wall, but then had to return attention to herself as her grip slipped slightly. There would be severe rope burns on her palms later. If there ever was 'later'.

Woman pulled up some, resting on the rope with one of her arms now, not just hanging below like clothes hung for drying on washing line. More like a heavy meat bag than airy clothes, however. She had never felt so heavy as this moment. Of course, the additional bags did not help, and her bow with quiver was not weightless either. All of this was now absolutely useless, however. She didn't have any arrows like Saith. No, her equipment was solely meant for hurting others, even if only in self-defense. Strange, that she, someone who were to protect, did not have the ability to save and guard unlike a drow with the very same weapon. In her defense, she had never really planned to use bow in a fight. But then her thoughts switched back to the man and she shifted her gaze. Somewhere, just out of her attention circle, Geron was calling something, but it didn't register.

Just how did two measly arrows manage to hold his weight, why didn't they break and send him spiraling towards his demise once more? Her stomach churned at the idea and she chased it away, trying to move towards the edge. However, as soon as the rope began moving more in her attempts to climb, the elf came to same conclusion as Saith had - rocks above the arrow that held up her rope were crumbling away and the tugging and swaying could only fasten the process of arrow losing its position. But her own body would do the same near enough. Frantically, Lacrimae thought over what she could do. Her powers... She had never tested them on purpose and doubted that a platform could hold weight of a person for too long. Even the handcuffs and cage focused more not on material density that one couldn't break through, but on immense heat that would stop a person from trying to get through borders created by magic.

Still, it was worth a try. Severe burns that she - and perhaps Saith, if her plan went well - would most likely suffer were better than finding death on rocks far under her dangling feet. No, Mae was stubborn being, she would not accept defeat so easily, she would not be stopped at the very start of her journey. And she would not lose her companion. He had saved her, she would not betray him in giving up or letting him die. She just had to concentrate, ignore the fear that gripped her in its clawed hand, making it hard to breath, to think, as her eyes watered... Soft glow spread under her feet, forming a small square, first dim, then stronger, but then suddenly, it nearly completely faded as the woman realized what Saith was about to do.

How could he do something so utterly foolish, for her sake? "No!" she called out, but it was too late. Somehow, he had managed to shoot with just one arm, other still holding on, and the woman flew forward. She timed release of rope well just when the swing carried her close enough. She leaped with all her might and... Yes! She grabbed on the rough edge that cut in her palms, finger trying to dig into something, but without any success. There was only a bit of dirt and smaller stones that easily shifted under her touch and provided no stability. But she would manage, somehow.

There was such a sudden wish to live, to survive in her that she hadn't felt... Since she was still a child, escaping those cruel hands and bars of her childhood. She bested odds then, she could now, too. A root, she just needed root of sorts to grab on and hold, pull up enough to have her head above the edge and she'd be... But the bags were limiting her movement and adding more weight than she was used to. If she would have time to think, she'd have cursed her careful pre-planning and greediness that now would be cause for her fall - her grip was slipping and now only her fingertips held onto anymore. Moments more and those, too, let go.

She didn't shut her eyes, no, they were wide in disbelief as she began the fall, but suddenly, light was blocked by a silhouette and she felt hard something yank her hard, stopping her. Someone was holding her! And pulling up. It happened fast, too, Mae could barely register it all when she was standing on her own two feet, although it rather felt like swimming in relief, in arms of a... man who was stroking her cheek? Her mind that had paused for moment, suddenly kicked back in action and she barely registered brunette leaning in as she shifted to side, freeing from his grasp (but not before his lips fleetingly touched her cheek) and knelt down on edge above Saith, looking down. Quickly, she assessed the situation and then, turned to her rescuer, simultaneously pulling off shoulder one of the cursed bags.

"Rope!" was only thing she said. They didn't have time for many words, but her tone was not just command, although her voice automatically assumed some kind of authoritative sound, - it was also a plea. She was nearly sure that rope she had taken remained by Raenn's sadles not in this bag. But he had already figured the needed course of action and moments later, end of rope was thrown to Saith and not long after, drow was scrambling over edge. She immediately grabbed his arm and helped him pull himself up, another wave of relief hitting her.

She stood up, and helped Saith up, if he would accept, straightening up right in time to see their savior bowing. He introduced himself, giving a rather noble-sounding name that fit his appearance. When he called over to Geron, she, too, looked at her Guard who looked absolutely shocked and as if shrunken in size, probably crushed by the fact he had been unable to help. Raenn was nervously stomping her feet. So, 'Kev' was a knight. Fitting. And she looked at him, smile appearing on her lips, although in all honesty she still felt a bit numb, although her mind was processing everything quickly.

"I thank you, A. Kevlar Bael. My name is Lacrimae Heliandum and as a High Priestess of Sun, I will make sure you are properly rewarded for your heroic deed at my Temple." She put her palms together, as Mainlander would recognize Christians did praying, and bowed, hands changing position in a smooth move, left palm now turned towards him, other going over her heart. It was both way to thank and pay respect among more religious or magically inclined people - a thank that came from heart as a blessing.

Although one could argue she hardly looked fit for the role she claimed to have, with dirt smeared clothes and hands, cuts and bruises, somehow most would not doubt her. She already didn't look so much like mere damsel in distress. "Unfortunately, we cannot make the trip back there with you, so I will write a proper scroll to take with you... But first, I must treat my and my companion's injuries." But before that, she turned once more to look at the other side of chasm. "Geron, it will take you too long to reach us. Return home, take Reann with you. We will manage until we reach next city and can resupply, it is not that far," she called to man and when he seemed to object, she added that "it is an order. You should be with your wife."

Then, he complied and took reins of Reann, but she resisted and shook free, and ran off along the cliff, towards the direction they had come from. Either the horse had decided to go back to temple or follow Mae, running around the chasm as they had done few times on their rides. Geron shrugged and climbed on his horse, waved good byes and turned towards old path, too. Elf shook her head slightly and then picked up her bag, ready to move further away from edge that had put her so close to death. "Sit down over there," she told Saith, pointing at group of three trees near the path that would lead them toward next city.

She first quickly washed her own hands under water poured from canteen and then, soft glow enveloped her palms, climbing up rest of her arm, and most of scratches and cuts closed. Then, given that Saith had complied (if not, she'd give him a stern look and said the 'order' again) she repeated the process. However, the soft glow barely helped wounds on his left hand (the pain did lessen), and woman frowned, then pulled out bandages from bag and small box with some kind of balm that she quickly applied before wrapping his hand. Perhaps she held his palm longer than she would have to, trying to find some words to express what she was thinking. It was rare that she had to look for words, but the event still had left her shaken. "There you go. And... thank you, Saith. It was extremely foolish, but just as brave of you. I do not advise going to such extremes again, however, and will do my best to assess the situation more correctly from now on so you do not have to. I apologize for my error."

Of course, taking the blame that wasn't entirely hers was quite unlike Lacrimae even if it was said so formally, but she did feel guilty and somehow bringing up that he had nearly sacrificed himself for her, someone he barely knew in more emotional tone, didn't seem the best, given the knight was still lingering around and perhaps listening in on their conversations. When she had similarly treated other visible injuries on Saith and made sure he seemed somewhat healthy, no broken ribs or anything from that crash into stone wall, elven woman stood up and turned her attention to Kev. She'd still address him by full name when speaking, but in mind it was quicker to call him as 'Kev'.

"What brings you to this side of Island, sir? If you do not mind sharing, that is," she spoke, looking for pen and paper in her bag, but rather fruitlessly. It was probably in one of the bags still with Raenn. She had tried to keep observing the human with corner of her eye most of this time, trying to make out what kind of person he was. Brave and kind? That seemed obvious. But what about the way he had touched her face and... attempted to kiss her? Mae could swore she had felt touch on her cheek, even though her mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of Saith's safety.

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