Learn to speak Lion (Khiara, Van)

[Dhanya]

Timestamp: 86th Autumn
Tagged: Khiara and Vanator

Dhanya had wondered if, after her life had changed, Endrykas would become a different place for her. She hadn't considered how robust the Drykas were to change. Aside from Kayiri, of course, though that was more his inner fire than a failing. He had adapted quickly and the rest didn't know enough about it to comment. They simply accepted that she had left without children and returned with laden arms.

Even Van's cousin, though she had raised an eyebrow, had not seemed bothered. Of course, her silent question remained unanswered in similar quietude. Dhanya had introduced her to the children and then asked if she could give Van a message to meet her on the next day.

She still felt cowardly, the thought of actually going to his tent with his two wives and talking to him about it, it was terrifying and upsetting. Dhanya was definitely not worthy of being Drykas stock, she was less able to deal with the emotional shift she was experiencing. Life had gone on without her, rushing forward. She hadn't thought of how things would change in her absence.

She would speak to Van because he had to know. He would have to acclimatise before anything else happened. Her children would know their father and come to like him because they would need him once she was gone. Not that she liked to think about that.

Dhanya walked home, two slings across her shoulders, moving away from the Denusk pavilion tents. She was already tired, now without assistance if the kids fell sick or woke twenty times during the night. She longed for the day when they would sleep entirely through a night. She thought of that and not of Khiara because she did not know how to feel.

[Khiara]

Khiara didn't know what to do. She'd received a letter from Pygmy only days ago, a letter which she had read and reread many times over. Pygmy was coming back, to Endrykas on the 80th of Fall. Not waiting for her in Riverfall. The vantha still hadn't figured out how she would explain everything to the kelvic - felt a depth of guilt she couldn't bear. Panic would rise in her chest and with quick breaths the young woman would try to calm herself. Yet now, on her very doorstep, the goat would come to see her.

So it was with trepidation the 80th came - and went. Khiara paced the pavilion and made herself sick with worry...but the kelvic hadn't appeared. Which of course, just made her worry worse. What had happened? Goddess was Pygmy hurt?! Finding comfort in her husband and Kashik, Khiara found herself emotionally drained. Only weeks had her carefree life lasted, no pain or guilt or hurt. And now it crashed in like a rising tide.

Standing before the horse coral, the vantha tried to calm herself as she watched Vsenri run with the striders. Pygmy would be back, with news and expecting her friend to be there. Goddess...what could she say. It wasn't as though she had planned the events that led to her marriage. Fate quite literally threw her into the mix. Leaning her forehead against the fence, Khiara sighed.

"Goddess, I'm just not ready for this. Not yet. She just...where is she? Did she find out already?" Her eyes swirled gold and violet as she stared at the browning grass, eyebrows furrowed. Lifting her head, the vantha wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the horses again. They were only an earshot away from the main pavilion, keeping close to Vsenri a habit she could never break.

[Vanator]

Vanator watched his young wife from the entrance to the pavilion as she leaned dejected against the fencing. He bore a knot in his stomach because of her. For several days now Khiara had seemed distracted and discontent, which apparently increased with each passing day. Both Kashik and he had asked after her, trying to learn the reason for her despondency, but the Vanthan would wave it off as exhaustion or simply being overwhelmed. The Drykas believed there was more to it, and his concern for her increased daily as well. Tugging his cloak around his shoulders, Van strolled out to the coral, coming up behind Khiara as she leaned her head agaisnst the rail. He heard her mutter something in Vani, unintelligible to the Drykas, before looking up again to the herd of horses. "Vsenri seems to have taking his place among the others." He commented casually, watching the large, stark white Frostmarch stallion parade around the enclosure. Van turned to look at the woman, seeing the swirling gold and violet that betrayed Khiara's troubled soul. He reached out to take her hand. "Khiara, love, walk with me." He pulled lightly at her, coaxing her to accompany him. "Just to get away for a moment."

[Khiara]

Khiara turned at the sound of a familiar voice, looking back at her husband with a weak smile. He still made her heart flutter, and it only served to make her smile fade. She turned back to the horses.

"Indeed. I think he's really found his place. A peacock amongst the hens. Silly horse." Her voice didn't carry over the amusement her words held, brow creased and eyes troubled. As Vanator took her hand, the vantha moved away from the fence slowly -almost reluctantly. Walking with him, the brunette sighed. She was home here, so comfortable and happy. Her garb had fallen into that of the drykas women, today being a sheer knee length dress dyed a grey blue with loose three quarter sleeves that cinched together at the elbows, a modest v-cut front and trimmed with gold thread. Around her hips a belt sat low and her hair was braided back on either side of her head into a twisted bun at the back. Small blue beads strung on thread were twisted into the braids. And winter was nearly here, the Goddess was strolling ever closer to the vantha. She could feel the chill on her skin and the steam in her breath. Everything about this life should be perfect, was perfect.

Looking at the ground as they walked, Khiara sighed again. She hadn't told Vanator about the letter, hoping she could think things through and talk to Pygmy first. The last thing the young woman wanted was the kelvic being angry at Vanator too. If anyone had to bare the guilt, it would be herself.

[Vanator]

The Drykas husband could easily detect his wife's sullen mood, even if her multi-hued Vanthan eyes did not make is so clear. Her smiles was fleeting, and he saw an invisible weight on her shoulders. He entwined his fingers with hers and lead her away from the pavilion and towards the markets. They walked in silence for several chimes. Vanator wanted to ask Khiara again what was so heavy on her heart. His mind was tempted to find its own explanations, homesickness, reluctance to share him with Kashik, even disappointment in him as a husband. The Drykas tempered his imagination, resolved to wait until Khiara was willing to speak her heart. But it was not easy. "I think you have a gift that the Pavilion, Endrykas itself for that matter, could benefit from." He prodded. "We Drykas love a good story. I have fallen in love with your tales, and the beautiful quality of your voice as you speak." He looked at her with a warm smile. "I think the family should hear your stories, the ones of far away places we simple horseman have never seen." His smile broadened. Maybe using her talent would help her overcome her secret struggles. They passed by a baker's stand, and Van passed a coin to the girl tending the tent in exchange for two honey rolls. He passed one to Khiara. "Just think about it love." Van did not press further, he would giver her time to consider his suggestion. He raised his hand, still clasped in hers, and kissed her fingers. "Now, is there anything that you sounds good to you?" He offered as they walked the rows of merchant stalls.

[Khiara]

Looking up as he spoke, Khiara took the bun and smiled warmly as he kissed her hand. Even if she was hurting, it was his tenderness and care that touched her. It always had.

Thinking on his words as they coninued to stroll, the vantha paused at a stall. The owner had a display of weapons, ranging from knives to spears to bows. Her liquid eyes looked over the spear, so much like a harpoon from home, then touched on a beautiful bow. It was simple, but the wood held promise for carving.

Turning back to Vanator's face, she took a bite of the bun, chewing thoughtfully.

"I haven't thought to tell my stories. The Drykas are so fierce and noble, and occassionally rather heavy drinkers. I didn't think it would be appropriate for the wife of a future Ankhal to be telling stories, instead of something useful." With a small shrug, she looked at her bun.

"I had actually been thinking of Vsenri. He's fast, not strider fast but he's got speed for a big horse. I know how to use a harpoon - well I've thrown one at least once. I could....I don't know. I feel so useless. And when I think of my fall in the ridge, I realise I've got no skills for protecting myself." It came out in a rush, as though she was only just having these thoughts as they sprang to mind. What skills did Pygmy have? A sudden rush of worry gripped her and the brunette felt her heart flutter in her chest. Closing her eyes, Khiara took a deep breath, before nibbling at the bun again. She looked at Vanator with troubled gold eyes.

"Vanator..." She had to tell him. Regardless of the guilt, she had to find her friend. She needed to know she was safe.

[Dhanya]

The road away from the Denusk pavilion led into the market place. Dhanya wasn't sure just where she wished to go, back towards Kayiri's home or out towards the Sea. She kept her hands cupped beneath the children, to comfort herself more than to support them. They were safe within the sarongs.

She decided to walk through the market for a while. She had no place to be and nothing to do but practice her singing. She followed the scent of honey, wondering if something sweet would improve her mood. Her nose twitched as she caught a touch of something familiar and comforting. She didn't not remember it as Khiara's until she saw her.

And of course, Vanator, kissing her hand.

It was one thing to know that it was true and somehow very different to actually see it. Her jealousy was painful and quick, though she could not tell the source. What she could see was a happiness she had once dearly wanted for herself, had thought was hers for the briefest of days. More than that, it was a person she had relied on for both counsel and friendship, closer to someone else and further away from Dhanya than she had ever been before. Khiara had found connection with Vanator that Dhanya craved as much as she resented. She hated Van, though her anger was growing for them both, because he had taken what she valued. She wanted to see some evidence that he had hurt in her absence the way she had hurt in his. She wanted proof that she had meant something, anything at all.

Instead, he was happy. Walking through the markets with his wife, her friend, hers. She knew that she should have been content that he was living well, she'd told him to, she had told him but that didn't seem to mean a damn thing when she was floundering as much as ever and they were thriving.

Not fair. She thought, almost shaking. Not fair, not fair, not fair.

She had never hated and hurt so much in one moment, in so many confused directions, running between guilt and recrimination in every moment, standing stock still in front of the baker.

"Do you want a roll?" He asked, looking at her and off towards her line of sight, trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

"I don't want anything, ever." She said, trying to get herself to move away, far away to where she couldn't see them, to where she could think clearly.

[Vanator]

Vanator devoured the roll in a few bites, looking at Khiara as she spoke. "Nonsense. Storytelling is an honorable trade, and you are talented in telling a tale, there would be no shame in it." He followed her words, catching the subtle direction his wife was taking. The Drykas were hardy, and even the women knew something about defending themselves. Kashik was herself a rather impressive warrior. Van strongly suspected Khiara desired to learn to use a weapon. He had in fact bought her a shortbow earlier in the Fall, and was waiting for the right time to suggest she learn to use it. He also saw her eye the spear, similar he guessed to what she called a 'harpoon'. Van would leave the choice of weapon up to the Vanthan. Kashik could train her in the use of the spear. Though Van could wield a bow, his forte was in his ax, but any number of their clansmen could show her archery. The fluid color of her iris shifted as her face darken slightly, the troubled look she had borne for the past few days returning. She uttered his name, but as she did, his eyes moved past her head to see the baker's stand not far behind them. Then he saw her. Dhanya stood by the baker's stall. Vanator recognized her instantly, and just as suddenly his heart seemed to stop beating and jump to his throat. She had not changed much over the season, though her features seemed more....matured. Just the sight of the Kelvic was enough to startle him, but the fact that two infants clung to her in slings caused his jaw to go slack and his brows to furrow deeply and his heart to compensate for stopping by beating soundly against his chest. A chest-tightening flood of emotions unleashed as his eyes fixed on Dhanya. He missed her, always had, though he really could not share that with anyone. He realized residual feelings for her, as a friend and for what they never had become. Then came the recollection of the harsh pain he felt at betraying her, and the traumatic grief when she left. All these feelings swarmed over him in a fraction of a breath. Finally, as if his brain finally comprehended the situation, Vanator uttered one word in a dumbfounded hush. "Dhanya."

[Khiara]

Khiara's brow creased as Vanator uttered the name, unfamiliar to her. His vision had turned to gaze past her head, and in confusion, she turned.

"Pygmy!" She gasped, dropping the rest of her roll and her husbands hand to push her way through the people - running. All guilt and fear of how to approach the kelvic temporarily dissapeared as one thought bounced through her mind. She's safe! She's safe. Reaching the woman, Khiara threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly, seeing the weighted garb around the goat as baggage in her blind relief.

"Oh by the Goddess, I was so worried! I got your letter, and then when you weren't here I thought..." Lifting her head, the vantha brushed Pygmy's hair out if her face and held her cheeks, smiling with tears in her violet eyes.

"Goddess, I've missed you terribly. I...oh." She looked down as a firm object pressed against her from one of the bundles. Frowning slightly, she stepped back to get a better look.

[Dhanya]

Even if she wanted nothing more than to be cherished and embraced, the children she held made her bring her arms up to Khiara's shoulders, holding her back from pressing too tightly. Dhanya didn't quite understand what to say. She was welcomed and yet could find no one clear feeling that could accept what was being offered. Dhanya wanted to say that she had missed Khiara too, that she was sorry she hadn't come to see her but she'd been angry and hurt and...

Katya began to cry, woken from sleep by the jostling. Ouin joined her as he so often did.

Were people looking? She didn't want to be looked at. She wanted to talk to Khiara, tell her everything, but she had no idea what to say. She wanted to stay with Khiara but she needed to speak to Van and she didn't want to do that in the market. There was no reflex to tell her how to react, or perhaps there were too many.

She wanted someone to tell her what to do.

But that... That wasn't who she was anymore. Wasn't who she could be. She had sworn that she would no longer take that easy route because it would feel better at the time. Dhanya needed to find something more solid than that. Something right before she found someone to be with.

She needed to go, she was too confused to stay.

"I have to go." She said, reluctantly slipping out of Khiara's arms, disappearing from view as if she had vanished into thin air.

Khiara could hear her moving away, the cries of the children still loud enough, but she could not see her. Khiara would have seen a blur moving through the crowd. As if looking through warped glass that was being carried away from her. Dhanya was no master of that illusion yet.

She was running away.