Closed Not a Fighter

[Dravite]

13 Fall, 515 AV
6th Bell, Morning
Endrykas

It had been a hot, uncomfortable night for all and sleeping between his wives had left the man sweaty and restless; this made for a change, however, as none of them had fought for the blankets, which all ended up around their hips, kicked off or with a leg stretched out over them. Dravite often fell asleep on his right side or belly, but never failed to wake up on his back with one arm folded up above his head and the other trapped under one of his wives. This morning it seemed that Pearl been spared of the annoyance and as he snuck his right arm out from under Belkaia, he did his best not to wake anyone. The pregnant woman stirred and mumbled something intangible before drifting back to sleep.

The wheat haired man rolled onto his side to face Pearl who looked to be fast asleep still, facing away from him using her left arm as a pillow. He ran his finger down over her spine slowly before tracing it back up to the nape of her neck, over her shoulder and down the length of her arm to the elbow where her skin jumped up as if to reach out to the pads of his fingers, goose-bumping. The subtle reaction caused him to smile and edge closer to the woman so that his body was pressed to hers, fingers combed through her soft hair.
"Good morning," he mouthed against her jaw not knowing his own voice, which seemed to have escaped him, still rousing from sleep.

When she gave no reply he was forced to try a little harder in order get her attention. The man rose to stand on his knees momentarily before bowing to leave a trail of kisses across his wife's jaw, between her shoulder blades and down the length of her spine until he was sure that he had her attention. This time as he lowered his body, his weight sunk against the woman's back, supported namely by his left arm.
"You, me, a day at the lake, and a night under the stars," he spoke in a husky tone of voice, daring her to say no.

Dravite dotted kisses to the woman's cheek; with everything that had been going on lately like the move, purchase of the herd, new people joining the pavilion, Garrison's birthday, and both of them being run off their feet with their jobs, he wanted to make the most of the nice weather and the select time they got together before things got too busy again. He could already hear the sun bugs singing outside and feel the air warming up near the mouth and of the tent; there wouldn't be many more days like this left for fall and as the idea of cooler weather set in, Dravite seemed to have already made up his mind.
"I'm going swimming," he smirked, "with or without you."

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[Pearl]

The dreams felt so real, and she was enjoying them with a smile upon her face. She could feel her husband’s hands upon her, his finger tracing a path and sliding slowly up and down the length of her spine; could feel the warmth of him as he brought his hand up to her neck, then let the path lead down the length of her arm. She shivered just a touch as his warm breath washed over her. What wonderful dreams these were to invade her sleep as they were.

And those kisses that he dotted along her jaw before he moved to sprinkle another set of them between her shoulder blades and down the length of her spine. She could feel his hair tickling her flesh, and the inviting roughness of the hair upon his own jaw. Lashes fluttered and she slowly began to realize this was no dream. She reached a hand up to cup her husband head as he trailed those kisses over her flesh and then lowered himself until he was pressing against her.

A slight shifting of her body had her rolling onto one hip and pressing the curve of her backside in against his lap. That tone of his sent a chill through her despite the already rising heat of the morning; she smiled, but didn’t speak, though the silken moan she released spoke volumes.

The changing of the seasons always brought more busy time; it was, after all, the way of the Drykas. She had finally felt like she was coming into her own with their binding and the three of them were truly making a life together; the boys and soon to be a third addition to the family only increased the load of their duties, but she found that she didn’t mind, but rather welcomed all it would bring. This was their family, and she was so very proud of them and to be a part of it all.

Still, there was the longing for some time away from the bustle of the pavilion, and when her husband mentioned a full night away, enjoying the lake, swimming, well she had absolutely no intention of turning down the offer. Her hand tightened its hold on his dreads as she found her voice, “It will not be without me, I assure you.” She sealed her words with a promise of her body as she rolled her hips against him once again.


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[Dravite]

Dravite organised everything they would need the trip, bed rolls, a blanket, cooking pan, torches, and bits of dried food just in case the fishing didn't go too well. He packed everything into a large yvas bag and threw it over his Strider's back gently before doing up the straps. Cree earned himself half a carrot for standing still long enough while Dravite polished the other half off for breakfast. He picked up all four of the Strider's hooves and mucked them out before making sure Knox got a bit of the same treatment then went in search of their weapons which were usually hung up out of reach of the children.

Belkaia met the man outside with Garrison still fast asleep in her arms while Kyanite trudged along after her groggily. He picked his son up and kissed the boy's temple, "be good for Ma?"
Kyanite nodded, "I want to go to the lake," he complained, still half asleep.
"I will take you to the lake one day, my little lion."
"Tomorrow?"
Belkaia laughed, "Da will bring the lake home."
Dravite smiled slowly and leaned in to kiss his young wife, "I won't forget the water," he promised and moved to pack the empty water skins.

When Pearl emerged from the tent the horse lord called out to her to pack her crossbow and anything extra she might need before it was time to hit the road. Belkaia handed Garrison over to Pearl slowly and turned to wrap her arms around Dravite, "promise me you'll look after her."
"I promise," he agreed.
Belkaia smiled and pecked the man's lips and jaw before grinning, "And use a little soap, it won't kill you."
Dravite laughed and set Kyanite down, "now that I can't promise," he teased.
The woman smiled and took Garrison again, kissing Pearl before she stepped back and made sure Kyanite was clear of the horses, "have fun you two, don't kill each other," she smirked, "I'd miss you too much."

The horse lord helped Pearl up onto Knox before leading the two horses out of camp onto the grassy lane where he was clear to climb up onto Cree's back without the worry of the Strider stepping backwards into his family. He waved goodbye to them all and coaxed Cree to towards the Wind-Knotted gates, where just beyond the well-known landmark they would be able to race across the plain in the direction of the lake. Dravite set a landmark and kept right of it, knowing it would lead them to their destination as long as they kept Endrykas at their backs. The horses made a race of the journey, of course, and Dravite encouraged his Strider to challenge the stallion beside him, keeping a good pace.

When finally they arrived at the lake after the long, steady ride, it had already gone midday and Dravite was more than happy to be off the back of the horse. He undid the yvas bags and set them down in a nice clearing under the shade of some native tree then stretched and rolled out the bedding on one of the tarps to rest in the shade for a while, come, join me, sit, he signed to Pearl, "I want to show you something."

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[Pearl]

While Dravite was busy organizing everything for their trip, Pearl took advantage of the time and snuggled the boys for a few chimes. Each of them stirring in their sleep and scooting a little closer to her, Garrison pushing and rooting until he was laid upon Pearl’s chest. Pearl held him with one arm and kissed his head. Belkaia reached for her, and smiled a sleepy smile as Pearl took her hand and held it in her own. “Dravite and I are going to the lake for the day and night, if you think you’ll be okay here with the boys?” she whispered, not wanting to leave if she was needed.
“Don’t be silly. We’ll be fine,” she squeezed her hand and scooted a little closer; Kyanite lay between the wives and shoved at both until he wasn’t feeling so trapped.
Pearl chuckled. “I should get up and get ready. He’s out now packing the horses, I would assume. Is there anything you need, anything I can get for you, or do?”
Belkaia laughed and pulled the body pillow closer and hugged it, lifting a leg to drape over it as she lay on her side. “I got everything I need right here.”
Kyanite shoved at the pillow and lifted his head to look around, a sleepy scowl on his face which caused the wives to giggle.

Pearl dressed while Belkaia went outside with the boys; Garrison was snuggled in against his Ma’s chest resting on her slowly rounding belly while a very sleepy Kyanite shuffled his feet along next to his Mother. They looked a sight as Pearl watched them, feeling a little pang of guilt at leaving them, even if it was just for a night. She dressed as quickly as she could in her white pants, then pulled on her white shirt, leaving the tail of it untucked and rolling it so she could tie it in a knot around her middle so as to allow more of the warm air to reach her body during the ride out to the lake. She knew the beautiful weather they were having wouldn’t last for much longer and she intended on taking full advantage of it while opportunity presented itself. Another few chimes were taken as she combed through her hair with her fingers, then wound it around itself, weaving it into a braid, then trying the braid around itself so that it was secured at the back of her head.

When she stepped from the tent, Dravite’s words halted her and she spun around to go back inside and take up her crossbow. A blush rose to her cheeks as she saw the silk and lace chemise she has purchased not so long ago laying in the trunk beneath her crossbow. She picked it up quickly and pushed it into her medical bag, then carried the crossbow out and her bag back outside with her to set them down by Knox’s tack. She picked up his feet and smiled, seeing as they were already cleaned. Her husband was a godsend, and she blew him a kiss from her fingers before she quickly got the yvas on Knox and tightened it before she rubbed Knox down and began to comb her fingers through his mane, picking out some of the cockleburs he always managed to get stuck in it. Her medical kit went into the yvas bags first, then her crossbow was hooked over the side and attached by the buckle to the side.

Stepping over to her wife, she took Garrison from Belkaia’s arms and snuggled the toddler up closer. When she had him settled into one arm comfortably, she reached for Kyanite when Dravite set him down, a hand going to his shoulder to guide him closer to her so she could comb her fingers through his hair. “I love you Little Man,” smiling and winking to the young boy. “Take care of Ma for me? She doesn’t need to be doing all the lifting, so don’t let her. Make sure Roan and Raven help.”
Kyanite nodded and smiled up to her, “Okay Momma,” proud to have been placed in charge, so he thought.
She kissed Garrison’s forehead as she passed him back to Belkaia, then kissed her wife. “We’ll see you soon,” she said, hesitating a tick before she went to Knox and Dravite helped her mount up.

Pearl twisted around on Knox’s back so she could wave and blow kisses from her fingers to Belkaia and the boys. The prospect of going away still exciting her, but she found she was worrying about her family still. Pushing the worrisome thoughts aside, she convinced herself that they were in good hands with Raven, Yuki, Roan and Lian, and it was only for a night. Once Dravite mounted up and they were truly on their way, she settled more upon Knox’s back and eased into their ride. As they passed through the gates she looked for her father and waved seeing him.

The ride was swift as the horses challenged each other for the lead across the golden sea. Pearl was hard pressed to keep landmark in sight as she concentrated on her riding, leaning forward and becoming one with her strider while he enjoyed the freedom to stretch his legs at his rider’s command. The Acklar Tree came into sight and Pearl swiveled her head on her shoulders to be certain of it a smile forming as she took notice of its place upon the grasses so that she would be able to return to gather from it. She and Akasja had planned on foraging soon and the tree would be the perfect thing for such a trip as Pearl was certain Akasja knew nothing of the tree and its medicinal qualities.

When she slid from Knox’s back she stumbled a little, her right knee buckling, forcing her to grab hold of the yvas to keep herself from falling. Once she was steady, she helped Dravite set up the small area they would claim as their own, her medical bag and crossbow settled to the trunk of a tree not far from the bedding he laid out for them. A hint of a blush rose to her cheeks as she recalled what was in her medical bag, but it was quickly replaced by concern when her husband beckoned her to sit with him so he could show her something. She lowered herself down before him, crossing and folding her legs before her, facing him. “What is it, my love?” concern, love, understanding, support, her hands moved to make the signs.


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[Dravite]

"Closer," Dravite smiled, taking the woman's hand to draw her near, arranging her in front of him, sat between his leather clad legs so that her back was pressed to his body, while he leaned back against the tree, "look at the world," he encouraged, watching her eyes for a spell before glancing down at the lake.

The water was still, the odd ring of ripples cast across its surface every now and then by a stray fish or light breeze. Long, wild reeds reached skyward at the lake's edge, swaying back and forth with the wind, bowing to Zulrav's presence. The sky was a rich blue, cloudless and seemed to go on with no end, a bright contrast against the earthy, golden tones of the tall grass, scorched by the intense heat they had seen this summer gone. All around them it was peaceful as far as the eye could see and Dravite grinned, remembering why he enjoyed getting away from the city from time to time.

"Listen," the watchman whispered before closing his hand over the woman's eyes and bowing his head so that his chin sat upon her shoulder over the white fabric of her shirt.

First his breathing, closer and therefore harder to zone out, then the birds that called to one another in the distance; the song of the reeds hummed where the wind swept through them. Above them the thin, papery tree leaves rustled and below them crunched, cast down against the earth where the first leaves of fall had already fled the tree, dancing away from it skeleton branches. Knox and Cree seemed to talk to each other, rumbling lowly as they tore up dry grass and wandered towards the river's edge to drink. Nature's song played all around them, there to enjoy only for those who truly stopped to take a break and listen.

"Feel," he mouthed against her jaw, just below the ear.

Dravite drew the fingers of his free hand up over the length of Pearl's arm to where it disappeared beneath the protection of her clothing. He plucked a piece of grass from the ground near them, one with a soft, feathery end and tickled her throat and the bare skin within the V of her top before taking both of her hands and raking her fingers over the folds in his leather pants were they crinkled at the knees.

"Open your eyes," he spoke before pointing with his own gaze to the river, "take it all in, remember it and the close your eyes for me." When Pearl's eye fell closed a second time he began his lesson, "picture it," Dravite spoke in an even, calm tone of voice, "the blanket beneath you, the grass all around, the lake, the sky, the song of the birds," he kissed her neck, lulled into his own temptations.

"It's almost as clear as you remember seeing it," he coached, "but there is a darkness seeping in as your eyes adjust and forget Syna's light. You start to wonder if it is the world you see or the memory. Locked within all of us is the ability to see the world in the light our ancestors paved for us where everything is connected by strands of woven energy we know as djed. Forget touch," he whispered, drawing his hands away from her, "block out that background sound. It's not a memory," he said as if believing every word, "it's there, tangible and real. Don't concentrate, meditate... It's there, it's in your blood; you already know what it looks like."

Not everyone saw the web the first, second, or even third time, but with something to look for, Pearl would be able to have something to come back to; something she could work on in her own time. Perhaps, once she learned how to meditate properly, she would be able to see the soft, fluorescent stands of the web, stretched out across the grasslands and wherever Webbers before her had roamed. "As a means of travel, nothing will allow you to move quite as fast as the web, but you must start small, see it, follow it, and above all else, always remember the way back to you," he pressed his hand over her heart, "you're vulnerable in the web, your body is unguarded and getting lost can spell disaster."

He let her sit with eyes closed for as long as she chose, enjoying the warm weather and weight of his wife's body against his own, the smell of her braided hair, and rhythmic beat of her heart under his right hand. With his left he moved under the fall of her shirt and strummed his thumb up and down against her taut, but sift belly while his lips adored the flesh of her elegant neck and partly revealed shoulder. "Pearl," he breathed against the woman's ear, "come back to me."
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[Pearl]

As he drew her in closer, her back resting against his body, she relaxed taking solace in his arms and knowing she was safe. It wasn’t what she had first expected when he told her he had something to show her. Concern had caused her muscles to tighten, but now as she looked at the world around them, as he encouraged, she could feel her body unwinding, her muscles smoothing and her heart beat slowing into an easy rhythm.

The angle of her head against his shoulder brought her gaze upon the sky first. The color was something she had only witnessed in the early fall and she recalled how she had loved laying in the grass and staring up at it as a child. So often she had wished she could sprout wings of her own and fly along the winds of Zulrav; a child’s dream that she was reminded of now as she lay against her husband. She closed her eyes for a moment and drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she opened them again to look upon the world. Caiyha’s beauty shown in the golden grasses as they waved to and fro in the gentle breezes. The Gods, she thought, had found such a way to blend with one another in their creations. How could anyone not enjoy being a part of such magnificence?

Her husband’s voice drew her attentions away from what was seen with the eyes and to what she could see within her mind when he told her to listen. With his hand over her eyes she drew in yet another slow, deep breath. Never a flinch occurred as she trusted the man that was her husband unconditionally. She rested her hands upon his thighs, but did not hold to them; her hands simply lay upon him.

As she listened to him, he guided her into a sense of being that she had not been aware of until just then. With him, she could hear the sounds around her; that she knew to always be around her, but that she had never taken the time to notice. Work at The River Flower kept her busy, kept her muscle taught, kept her mind focused on what could happen next so that she would be prepared to act. Here, now, she was experiencing true freedom for the first time, and it brought a slow smile to her face.

He was guiding her into something larger, and she followed him easily. As he drew his hand over her body, tickled her throat with a blade of grass, drew her hands over his leather pants, she smiled, feeling more in those simple touches than she had ever felt before. It was if her sensory system was heightened, yet calmed; allowing everything in but not allowing her to be swept away, rather holding her, caressing her in to a state that was surreal in nature.

When she opened her eyes, the view was incredible; every color enhanced, every sound more clear than it had ever been; every touch felt within her very being. Close your eyes, he had told her, and she did, listening to the sound of his voice and letting him take her where he would. Her lids showed her, as clear as if she had her eyes open, the view of the lake, the swaying grasses; but it began to fade as he led her into something deeper, darker.

He spoke of djed and memories and her mind flitted through the maze trying to understand, trying to connect the images to the feelings. No, she reminded herself. He had told her not to feel. She chose to listen then, to the blood singing in her veins as her heart beat pushed the warmth through her body. Her mind searched for the web he described for her, her brow furrowing when she could not see it. Focus Pearl, she scolded herself in silence. Listen to his voice, she reminded herself.

As his hand rested upon her heart, she focused upon the weight of it against her; her head dipping forward as his words met her thoughts. She sat like that, held in his arms, as she let her mind wander through the stages of consciousness, never focusing upon one thought for too long. There was an unfamiliar, yet comforting, heaviness that settled just beneath his hand, something that kept drawing her to it; instinctively, she lifted a hand and brought it up to rest over his own. Lashes fluttered as she was drawn back into the reality of his arms, though she had never truly left it but had merely placed a hint of distance between herself and the world they existed within. His touch, his voice; she smiled as she surfaced back into reality. Her hand guiding his right up to her lips, her breath caressing his flesh, “Always, my love.”

She remained in that languid state for how long she wasn’t even certain, reclined in her husband’s embrace as she let the full weight of the world back in; feeling more alive than she had felt in seasons. Energy flooded through her and she didn’t know what she wanted to do first. They had the rest of the day, and night, before them, alone; the possibilities seemed endless. “That was incredible,” she volunteered before she rolled up on a hip and turned to kiss him.

Her mood was elated tenfold now it seemed, and she stood up from his arms, to begin peeling away her clothes. The first to go was her shirt, unbuttoned and slid from her body only to be discarded as she tossed it towards the yvas bags. Next were her boots, then her pants slid off easily; all lay where they fell. Leaning over, she tugged at her husband’s boots, straining more than she cared to admit she had to in order to get them off. “I want to be in the water, to feel Caihya all around me, to feel Zulrav’s winds caress my body,” she explained with some urgency to her voice.

“I must,” she concluded as she turned to walk towards the edge of the lake, her undergarments being left behind in the few remaining steps before she sank her toes into the wet sands at the water’s edge. She stood there in all her glory, smiling and looking down at her feet as the water lapped at her toes. Slowly she began to walk into the water, Syna’s light reflecting upon the surface of the water and casting her swirling rays around the woman. She reached back to untie the knot in her hair, allowing the braid to loosen and fall; tendrils curling at her lower back as they were held in the slowly unraveling plait.

Pearl ventured further still into the waters until it was lapping at her waist before she turned and looked to see where her husband was. Everything about her showed how relaxed and accepting she was from the easy slope of her shoulders as she moved her hands back and forth over the water’s edge, allowing her fingers to make trailing ripples on the surface, to the smile upon her face. “The water’s magnificent. Join me?”


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[Dravite]

Something seemed to come over the woman, he noticed; she was languid, malleable, but alive and excited to be out with him, just the two of them. Dravite smiled as he watched Pearl undress, a cheeky smile, which paired with his eyes, said so much more than any words ever could. She bent down to try and take his boots off and really had to pull in order to free his feet, "laces," he teased, nudging his heels against one another to slip out of the worn leather easier.

Dravite got to his feet and slipped out of his shirt before undoing his trousers to cast the leather aside and follow Pearl to the water. She was first to enter, wading in up to her waist having freed her hair from the knotted braid she had put it up in. Join me, she asked as Dravite tested the water with his toes before venturing deeper. The sand under his feet was soft and forgiving, hollowing out wherever he tread. As he neared Pearl, Dravite put his hands out to capture the woman's hips, pressing his own two her backside, barely an inch between them in height.

The cooler fall temperatures of the water did little to discourage the physical reaction of his body that being so near to his wife, stirred. He guided her deeper until the water rose up around their bellies and higher still, lapped against the swollen mounds of her breasts where he drew his hand to sweep over the tender skin and take the woman by her jaw, coaxing her to turn her head so that he could kiss her on the lips. The horse lord was by no means an expert when it came to kissing, his embrace was rough and somewhat forceful; a taker rather than a giver.

Before things got too heated, he broke away venturing deeper until his toes could no longer find the lake bed. Taking Pearl's hands, he set them on his shoulders and allowed her to float above him as he swam out into the depths of the lake using a simple swimming stroke that didn't exert too much energy; just a lazy, playful swim around the shallower part of the lake. He felt the woman's hair reach out like long, swaying tentacles, grabbing at her shoulders and arms. Moments likes these make all the hard work worthwhile, Dravite thought to himself.

Abandoning Pearl after their swim, the watchman ran from the water, sleek as a new born foal to gather up a few things. He returned with some soap and a razor which he set down on the bank before scrubbing himself clean, lathering his arms and chest with the nice smelling balm before tossing it to Pearl with a laugh; he knew Belkaia wouldn't be happy to hear he had gone all this way without having a good soak. Shaving without a means of seeing his own reflection took a lot of skill and patience, and though he had mastered tidying up the light smattering of hair on his neck and under his jawline, he let Pearl clean up the rest, making sure it looked even on both sides.

His hair had grown out a little since Belkaia had last seen to it, a job she seemed to enjoy and therefore he would leave it to her to tighten and twist his dreads when they found the time. As he remained still, trying his best not to smile while Pearl held the razor so close to his face, Dravite watched his wife's brow furrow with concentration and closed the razor to cast it aside when she informed him that the job was done. He lifted a handful of water to his face to rinse away any remaining hair then leaned back against the edge of the lake, the water just above his elbows, and closed his eyes, enjoying the sun that shone down on them.

After a time, he lifted a hand out of the water and focused on shifting the energy of his djed towards his right palm, attempting the pool it; a long, drawn out process for a novice. "Have you ever heard of a magic called Reimancy?" The horse lord asked, "late this summer gone, the woman I told you about that sold me the Bloodbane, taught he how to control enough djed to an area that I would be able to start manipulating the elements; of course, everyone starts with one element," he admitted, "can you guess mine?" Dravite smiled and gave the woman a moment to guess before summoning fire to the shallow pool of res that had collected in his palm, "fire, volatile," he repeated the word he remembered Kavala had used to describe it, "like me apparently."

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[Pearl]

Pearl yielded to the touch of her husband as he drew her deeper into the water. It was easy to let him be the driving force in their relationship for so often they were headed in the same direction and without conflict concerning what they wanted. His kiss was raw and determined, and she gave him back much the same.

Swimming through the water with him offered her the comfort she needed to aid her. She wasn’t a strong swimmer, and more often than not, she shied away from the water, especially if she couldn’t touch the bottom with her feet. But the lake was different than the rushing waters of the river she had lost her mother and brother to, and she had her husband there with her to protect her; she felt safe and as such was able to let herself enjoy the day. In fact, it seemed everything he was doing this day was empowering her and she could feel the energies coursing through her body.

When he left the water, she stayed at the edge where the waters met the sands and lay back to let the sun shine down upon her body with its warmth, soaking up as much of it as she possibly could as if she could store it for the colder days she knew were soon to come. The soap he tossed at her landed upon her bare belly and she had to reach quickly for it lest it be lost to the waters as it began to slide. “You are such a tease,” she said in jest as he had practically sworn to Belkaia that he would do no such bathing.

Her brow knit and her lips twisted in a determined grimace as she tidied up her husband’s shaving. When she was finished, and gladly so, she set the razor aside and began to work a lather into her own hair. She was careful in how she managed such, drawing the mass over her shoulder and combing through it with her fingers as she worked the soap through it. When she was certain it was clean enough she rinsed it in the waters of the lake, again drawing her fingers through it to help keep it from tangling upon itself.

She moved around to lay back down, letting the water hold her hair out behind her as she relaxed, a hand resting easily upon her husband’s thigh. An easy smile played upon her lips as she realized she was already missing Belkaia and the boys. It was only mid-summer when they wed, but she couldn’t imagine life without them all now.

Dravite’s voice brought her back to the present and she lifted her head from the water, wet hair sleeked back over her head and down her shoulders behind her. “Reimancy?” she repeated and looked to him as he continued to speak. As he explained further that it was the ability to manipulate the elements she recalled that her brother had once spoke of something of the sort, though they hadn’t much time together to explore it in more detail as she had hoped before he and her mother was claimed and taken back to the Gods. She would have guessed water for her husband, but before she could put the words to voice, she saw the small flame appear in his palm. Fire, volatile, he had said. She didn’t see her husband as volatile at all. She saw him as strong, determined and a warrior, a man she was proud of, and whom she wished to make proud. She certainly didn’t see him as explosive without cause and her brow knit at the thought of it. “I would have thought it water. Determined,” she told him her guess.


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[Dravite]

While Pearl spoke, Dravite was feeding res into his other hand, just a thin sheath he used to try and bounce the flames from one hand to the other with little success; it wasn't until both hands were touching that the res lit up so that both hands were alight. Quickly, the man dunked his hands in the water that lapped against his midsection and drowned the magic he had concentrated so hard to create. He too had been surprised by the element his djed seemed to know before his mind, having hoped that water could have been his first; still, he must be thankful that he now possessed the ability to practice what so many others knew too little about.

He sat for a time just enjoying the sunshine and the company of his wife. Dravite rolled onto his side to capture the woman's lips again in another kiss, this one a lot tamer than the last, as if getting everything of his mind had allowed him to relax as much as it seemed Pearl was. He had planned to take his wife hunting while the weather was fine, but lying there next to her in the shallows without any clothes on made the idea of getting up to dress and exert themselves out in the tall grass in hunt for anything crazy enough to withstand the day's heat suddenly seemed more effort than he cared for. Tomorrow, he promised himself, tucking the thought away at the back of his mind, that was, until he looked into her eyes.

Dravite rinsed the sand from his limbs and got to his feet, abandoning Pearl momentarily to wrap a deer skin about his waist, long, thin ropes of water still tracing the length of his legs. He hung up a small bag of salt against the tree trunk and picked up his wife's crossbow before fetching his own bow. If Lazuli had been more experienced with a weapon, he thought, she would still be alive today.

Upon returning to the water's edge, Dravite held out the crossbow which he noticed was a lot heavier than his short bow, "come here," he encouraged; a twinkle of mischief in his eye, "whoever manages to shoot closest to the salt bag," he challenged, "chooses what we do tonight."

Dravite left Pearl with her weapon before running back to their little campsite to fetch the arrows and bolts he had forgotten. As he jogged back he smiled and bit his lower lip, wondering what was going through his wife's mind at that very moment, "ladies first," he offered, stepping aside to watch her take a shot before readying his own weapon. The horse lord took one of his arrows, hooked it to the string of his bow and waited until Pearl was well clear before taking aim at the little bag of salt. He knew neither one of them possessed enough skill with a bow to puncture the bag, but perhaps he would get lucky and at least land a shot on the trunk of the tree.

Pearl had managed to shoot a small game bird out of a tree on their first hunting trip, but they had been standing a lot closer to the tree on that day than they were on this particular occasion. Dravite raised his bow, fixed the position of his feet, looked down the length of the arrow, squinted an eye and breathed out as he let loose the arrow; watching it sail towards the tree only to miss it by half a foot. He laughed and spun away from the direction he had been facing to look at Pearl, "that was a terrible shot," the watchman grinned, "the next one will be better, you just wait and see."

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[Pearl]

She watched the flames dance in her husband’s hands, mesmerized. It as something she had always dreamed of, to be able to be one with the elements. Her own hands lifted and then stilled as she brought them back to the water to keep from reaching out to touch the flames he had created. It was fascinating and she longed to see if she were capable of touching them, as he was without getting burned. Doubtful, she surmised, a thought that kept her hands in the waters as he doused the flames himself.

It was a blessed day and she was more than happy to be enjoying it without the bustle of the tent city and its residents seeking either of them for assistance in some manner or another. Still, she couldn’t imagine her life anywhere else, but it was nice to get away once in a while and escape into the quiet. His kiss was met and she could feel the tensions had left her husband, a silent prayer spoken to Caiyha for all the wonders she provided that brought about his relaxation.

Pearl watched him as he left and brought back his game of skills. “Oh, alright,” she agreed, taking up her cross-bow as she stood from the waters of the lake, letting the shimmering wetness cling to her body as she stepped forward to where he had deemed they would shoot from only to realize he hadn’t brought any arrows or bolts with him. The giggle could not be contained as she watched him race back after them. “So, let me get this straight. Whoever gets closest to the salt bag, wins? And the winner chooses what we do tonight?” a brow lofted as she sought clarification. She enjoyed a good challenge and rarely ever turned one down, especially one such as this, which seemed to have win/win written all over it. “And we are shooting from here? No cheating?” Mischief danced in her eyes as she asked that question.

When she received her confirmation, she raised her cross-bow and loaded it with a bolt, clicking it into place solidly before lifting it to take aim. Her arms felt heavy, like water-logged wood. She lowered her weapon and had to shake them a little before she could manage to hold the cross-bow properly. A small sigh given as she released the air from her lungs. Again, she lifted it and took aim, firing her shot by squeezing on the trigger.

The bolt went high, embedding itself into the trunk of the tree, about the length of her own leg higher than where the bag of salt was set up as their target. “Hmm, your shot. Show me what you got, handsome,” she said, winking at him and stepping to the side, her bow held in one hand. She wasn’t above a little distraction, but she let it go at just that while she watched him line up his shot.

“It was a beautiful shot,” she encouraged with a smile, finding that she couldn’t be wishing him ill will when he had created a game just for them, though it did have her wondering what he was thinking he would need her unconditional approval for, if he did indeed win their game, “I can’t wait to see the next one.”

Though it was her turn now. She lifted the bow a second time, loading a bolt and locking it into place, then brought it up to aim. This time she let out the breath as she aimed, settling herself into one being with her weapon, she narrowed her gaze as she pulled the trigger. This bolt loosed lower than the last one, but a little too far to the right, grazing the trunk of the tree and knocking off a piece of bark.


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