Jaeden slowly lifted his head at Aella’s gentle touch and direction, his eyes were already red from the tears, as streaks of flesh trailed down his cheeks when tears cleaned away a days worth of sweat, dirt and grime that had collected over his skin. A feeling of electricity washed over him for a moment, causing small goose bumps to rise over the surface of his skin when Aella’s fingers slowly slid over the back of his neck. His eyes slowly closed as she began to kiss away the tears that continued to force their way out of his eyes, fueled by emotions he though had run their course already.
Soon Jaeden would find he brow pressing along Aella’s shoulder, her arms embracing the back of his neck once again as her cheek laid softly over the side of his head. His body raged with emotion that Ranuri couldn’t seem to suppress. As much as Ranuri had coaxed Jaeden into it, he couldn’t deny that it was what he needed. He had plenty shoulders he could have cried into, but they would have tried to heal with words and council, coddling him by saying it was fate and that everyone would be alright. Some would tell him that it was a challenge to his supposed higher calling, one that he would have to rise above. None of those words would comfort him. No, in the end, a practical stranger, someone he had just met and spent all of about three bells with was the one who got it right on the first try, whether due to insecurity over trying to council someone they didn’t know, or just plain having an indifference towards his emotional pain.
He just needed someone who would listen, who’s own desires wouldn’t cause Ranuri to make him feel better, only to have that despair return after a time without physical contact. Whether it was due to Ranuri, or just the complete unloading of emotional burden he had been feeling, Jaeden felt sleep taking him, feeling slightly guilty over interrupting Aella’s meal. Another set of arms would reach around, embracing him from behind, as silent and caring as Aella’s own. Red wouldn’t be denied the act of comforting her bondmate either. Even more so, she felt no animosity towards Aella for being the one who began it all. Instead, she simply embraced Jaeden as Aella did, and slowly began humming a tune. One that had been ingrained into her own memory after hearing Jaeden hum it for so many times since meeting him almost a seasons time ago. Warmth, comfort and a soft tune hummed, it was almost as if, even for a moment, Jaeden was once again tucked under his covers as a child at him, being lulled to sleep by the soft voice of his mother. How he wish he could remember the words to the song she sang to him, but at that moment, it didn’t matter.
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The next morning Aella would find herself stirred awake by the day’s lightly peeking in through the crack of her tent. Sometime during the night she had fallen to slumber as well. While she didn’t remember moving to the tent herself, she none-the-less found herself sleeping inside. Furthermore, Aella looked to the corner of the tent to see her quiver, filled with all the arrows she had dropped over a mile back. As she spied through the crack of her tent to the outside, all she could immediately see was Red at the center of camp, feeding the fire and getting things prepared to cook once again.
