Closed Row, Row, Row Your Boat

[Azmere]

18th Bell
37th of Winter, 516 AV

Azmere was deep in thought and the furrowed look on his brow reflected as much. The scarred man was staring at Grey who was sitting a few yards away on all fours and his head at attention with ears perked. The Drykas grunted in his frustration and the dog started to get up so he could get closer to his master. The ankal snapped his fingers as soon as the weight of the canine shifted then he pointed his index and middle fingers towards the ground. Grey cocked his head to the left as if to question the command but slowly sank back down into the grass which was dry, a bit yellowed and well matted from the weight of the animal.

The pair had been at the current task for several bells and things were not going well. Azmere had spent most of the day helping the Watch keep an eye out for trouble by riding in patrols and scouring the Web. The archer was pleased that the Conclave had elected to keep the horse clans stationary for a while longer than normal. The weather was ridiculously hot. Despite the trend of many reducing their wear to a tiny cloth over their groins, Azmere steadfastly refused to give up his breeches. There were times when he would go shirtless or barefoot but he always wore pants. His grandfather, Asmodeus, always wore pants –always. The passed on Stormwarden was the standard to which all flames were held; the shadow in which all men stood and the guiding light that the Stormblood ankal used to make all of his decisions. The matter was settled…Hai, it was never up for debate.

Azmere reached out and extended his fingers towards Grey. He flexed them in and out as his will called for the shimmering djed to leap from his fingers and cover his faithful companion. The novice mage was almost at the end of his wits trying to ascend his abilities to the next stage. The Drykas was only able to create a shield on an object that he could touch. He stopped his attempts for a moment and closed his eyes. The man allowed his head to sag down and focused on his breathing. In. Out. In and out. Deep breaths brought calm to the hot skin and tired brain. After a few chimes, it was like he awoke from a restful sleep. The man’s expression was even and he stared at the icy blue eyes of the dog. His hand went out and reached for Grey; fingers pointing then curling and repeating until he began to see the cloths of shimmering magic fall upon the pointed ears of his canine companion. He spent the next bell covering the dog’s head and mane but he grew tired and felt his strength wane so he decided to leave things for the time being.

*****

19th Bell

The Stormblood pavilion was filling with its occupants who were filtering back from a long day in the hot sun. Azmere was often expected to anchor the evenings with his family. Whether that meant telling stories or teaching on various subjects related to Drykas culture, all eyes turned to the ankal to take the yvas and guide his herd. Truth be told, the scarred man had been having a rough time being in charge this season. He was so used to being alone and now that his family had grown, Azmere never got time to himself. If one would ask, the archer would respond that he dearly loved each face under his banner –and Azmere meant every word.

But not tonight…

The voices could be heard around the communal fire and they rang like warning bells. The watchman made a rash decision and rolled off of the pad in his tent. He took up his hip quiver, Vihar, his dagger and some rope. One of the patrols had mentioned something about boats down by the shore and the cool breeze that had been scarce was beckoning. Azmere heard Asher call his name for dinner. The right side of his face curled up as he looked over his shoulder. “Not tonight, Asher.”

The ankal dipped out under the back wall of his personal tent. He had adjusted the construction a while ago to allow for a back door. The breeze was arid but there was a smell of water that was missing during Syna’s peak hours. A rustle caused the man to turn and he found the large frame of Grey squeezing through the escape hatch in the pavilion. Azmere chuckled into his hand. The rather large hound was struggling but eventually clawed his way out into the open. The watchman bent down and scratched the dog on the head then he turned and took off running through the grass in his bare feet. He had a limp but it didn’t stop the ankal from sprinting to his heart’s content down towards Lari Lake with Grey trotting and nipping at the man’s heels.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine sat out beside Lari Lake watching everyone playing in the water or in the boats. She had only “swam” once, and it caused untold terror in her. Next time the woman planned on asking if the quest would or would not involve water of any kind. Taking a deep breathe the woman turned her face up to where the sky was. Laying back in the sun, she closed her eyes and allowed Syna's warmth to envelop her. At peace, the blond allowed the world around her to slip away into the distance. Focusing solely on Syna wanting to feel her once more. After almost half a bell the mark began to shimmer, and show the blonde what all was going on from above. The drykas had played very little with her mark since receiving it. Finally a sinking disgrace kicked her right in the gut causing the blonde to feel bad for ignoring her goddess. So she took advantage of the prolonged stay by the water to see her again. Jasmine wanted more than anything to be able to sit and just speak with the beautiful blonde that gave her the gift of sight. But she seemed so far away all the time.

“I wish I could speak with you again,” Jasmine said gently feeling a small tingle in her eye.

Making a face the girl brought herself back to the ground. Once the shimmering faded into nothingness the woman slowly opened one eye looking up feeling the burn. She knew better than to move or speak while using the gift, but it always happened. The pain increased as the girl's vision became blurry and hard to distinguish anything. Looking around, she watched in amazement at the masses that no longer had a name or a face. They were just figures moving to and fro with no identity. Soon though her vision cleared, and Syna's heat finally hit her. Making a face the girl got up and returned back to her pavilion to help Asher tend the animals. Several bells later the pair finished and got cleaned up. Walking to the middle of their camp, Jasmine got the fire pit cleaned out while Asher brought what they would need for supper that night. Soon enough all the pots and cooking supplies was ready to be used. The young blonde walked into her tent and closed the flap while drying off her face some. It was still many bells before Syna slept for the night and allowed Leth to rule.

Hopefully with the switch the temp would drop some so that she could sleep that night. Syna's light finally set as the young blonde walked out of her tent. She took her spot beside Asher with a smile and began to speak with several of the other members that were arriving. Lodai and Jasmine instantly started going back and forth bantering and arguing like siblings while laughing. At first the woman payed no heed to Asher when he rose to fetch their ankal for supper. It was only when he returned without the scarred man that Jasmine looked at him funny. Making a face the woman offered to carry a plate to him so that he did not need to come out. Once it was fixed the blonde slipped over to his tent and called quietly so she did not disturb the others. When not even Grey was heard shuffling around the young woman opened the flap to find the pair missing. Confused she returned and asked if Lodai knew of anything strange going on. It was only when she thought of the boats from earlier did she venture from the group. Haven barked and bounded ahead of her biting at any flying insects in the air. With a small laugh the girl finally spotted the man by the lake.

“Ya know its not good just to disappear on your pavilion,” Jasmine stated with a playful smile as she walked up and offered him the covered meal, “it's also not good to run off without eating.”

[Azmere]

One didn’t have to be a master observer to see Jasmine coming. Even in the dimness caused by the shift from day to night her blonde locks could be seen bouncing from a mile away. The irregular hopping and snapping of Haven certainly added to the ease of awareness. The ankal stopped and called Grey to him with a double snap of his fingers followed by the index and middle finger pointing down. The big head with pointed ears trotted over with soft pads and sat so that his bushy coat rubbed against his master’s pant leg. The icy blue eyes of the canine and the contrasting gaze of the Drykas stood still while the woman and her dog approached. In a slightly mocking but mostly nurturing way, the young woman chided Azmere for not taking better care of himself. He didn’t smile but he also didn’t roll his eyes at her either.

Jasmine had changed a great deal since the first time they had met. She had grown into her own both body and spirit. Though she was not a child a few years ago, her mannerisms and posture always portrayed her as such. Now she stood with confidence and a bit of humility which revealed the woman she had become. Her air was one of resilience instead of defiance and that is something that Azmere greatly appreciated. He never claimed to take credit for her evolution for it simply wasn’t true. When she came to the banner, she was broken but so was he. Each of them had come to terms with what needed forgotten, forgiven or fixed and went about a simultaneous walk of solitude which now brought them here; together and strong.

Azmere took the plate from her and nodded his appreciation. He hadn’t the mind for food nor the stomach for it but the dish had been covered so it would be easy to transport. “Walk with me.” He told her. It was a request not an order and his tone was soft and conveyed such a point. The archer turned and made his way down to the lake whose shores were alive with the sound of bugs and the gentle lapping of waves. As expected, the boats had been returned after a long day of folks trying their hand at fishing or just trying to escape the heat. The ankal began an inspection of the vessels using the rising light of Leth’s face to see which one would make the best choice. The ships were low and long like hollowed out and shaped tree trunks. One looked rather rough and unfinished while the second one only had one oar and appeared to have been tipped over a few times; the evidence being the soaked sides and heavy fish smell. The third one was a little wider than the rest, had two oars and a built in chest for storage. There was a set of freshly carved knots in the chest’s lid which indicated that several ruby clansmen had used it with success.

The watchman set his dinner inside the small storage box, closed the lid then took hold of the boat by its sides. He scooted the wooden vessel most of the way into the water and felt the soaked sand squish up between his toes. The water was warm as it pushed the sediment from his skin. Azmere wiggled the tiny digits around and smiled at the sensation. His feet were often covered and so they were quite sensitive to new things like the feel of a beach at night. He held the boat still and motioned for Jasmine to get in while using his feet to push back Grey several times and then Haven. Once she was aboard towards the front, he came along beside the boat and walked it into the lake until he was up to his shins. As he lifted himself up to enter, the boat rocked towards him so he pushed back down until he was standing and could stabilize the rocking craft. “Lean to the other side.” While not being as big as the ankal, Jasmine could use her body to offset Azmere’s weight until he could get into the boat. It was not pretty but the scared man eventually made it into the canoe.

The dogs splashed along and wanted to get join their masters but could only paw at the sides. Several times, Azmere pushed their noses away. He took up the oar and held it tight in his hands for a moment as he tested different grips. The first few chimes saw very little productivity and far less efficiency from the Drykas. Eventually, he learned to control the flat of the oar by cupping his hand over the top and using the lower positioned grip to pull which propelled the boat forward. Of course, it took a few more chimes for the ankal to wrap his head around alternating his strokes on each side. Within about ten chimes, Azmere had a rhythm going and he and Jasmine coasted lightly over the calm waters towards the middle of Lari Lake.

Once they were a good one hundred yards from shore, the scarred man put the oar on the bottom of the boat and looked to his company for the evening. Jasmine’s hair was gold in the moonlight and the reflection off the surface of the lake shone against her smooth skin. He had come out here to fish but found that he was more interested in what she wanted to do. At first, he was curious why she didn’t answer him then he realized that he had not asked her anything. He closed his eyes for a moment to scold his foolish self then lifted the blue and gold stare to the young woman. In an even but quiet tone –quieter than he would normally be due to the peaceful hush the lake provided- he inquired of her thoughts. “What are you thinking about?” His hands moved slowly to relay a few signs and he held them up so she could more easily read. What would you like to do?

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine was glad that Azmere did not snap at her for bringing him something to eat. Though he did not crack a smile it did not bother her. The woman was preparing to head back content to know he was okay and had something to eat. She began slightly stunned when he called for her to follow. Walking with him the blonde watched him as the man looked at the boats. Slowly following, the drykas watched as he picked the bigger sized one. The first had looked barely stable, the second was obviously easy to tip over, the last though seemed like it was still in good shape. The sound of water made the girl's eyes shoot down towards the liquid. Her heart picked up its pace as she gazed into the darkness below them. Jasmine jumped a little when he called for her to get in, nodding the woman got in with some difficulty. Grabbing the side of the boat opposite the man, she lifted herself in before flopping in with little to no grace.

“Ow!” Jasmine stated rubbing her head.

Getting up the blonde moved to the front of the boat while watching the man as he played in the sand and pushed Haven away. The girl shook her head with a soft smile at the dog's antics. Grabbing on to the side quickly and holding on the blonde tried her hardest not to go in the water head first out. Jasmine sighed when he let the boat rock back up right. Nodding the blonde positioned herself to far right of the thing while Azmere got in about as graceful as Jasmine had with a snicker the blonde made a quip about the Drykas not being nearly as graceful in boats as on their striders. The woman helped him keep the dogs out of the boat. Though she would normally have picked Haven up and placed her inside, that would not work this time. Looking over the side of the vessel, the blonde was thinking back to nearly dying this time last year going to the mines. Jumping the woman put her hand over her heart not expecting Azmere to say anything.

“Sorry, I didn't realize I was lost in thought. Um this is going to sound really crazy im sure but.....” Jasmine found herself hesitating. She was not sure if he would understand her fears, “I was thinking about my age and about kids and a husband. Maybe Maximus was right, no man would want a woman that speaks her mind. What about you, Azmere? What are you thinking about?”

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Azmere]

Azmere took the oar and pushed down with the top hand while pulling back with the lower grip as he listened to Jasmine. He found the motion was smooth but strenuous on his shoulders and rather enjoyed the feeling. He would repeat the motion then switch sides and switch his hands as well then give it two solid reps before reversing once more. Each stroked was done with the utmost control which the Drykas maintained by keeping a constant flex of his arm muscles. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins and invigorating the strength within his body. A flexed pull followed by a brief, relaxing extension then repeat. Switch hands. Repeat. The wide canoe traveled smoothly over the water and out into the lake’s silver reflection of Leth’s light.

The ankal stopped for a breather and felt the boat keep slipping over the calm surface of the lake. He suddenly felt foolish for being out this far. He couldn’t swim! With a bit of a raised pulse and wide eyes, he looked over to Jasmine and was going to ask if she could swim but the way the light hit her made him catch his breath. Her blond waves cascaded down past her face to her shoulders in a waterfall of the moon’s glow while reflects from the water lit up her face. It was only then that he contemplated what she had said in response to his questions. The dumbfounded expression gave way to a slight curl on the right side of his face. Azmere put the oar down and reached out for his meal. As his fingers grasped the small basket, he pointed at her then touched her knee. “Jasmine, you’re a semekhe.” The man sat back with his food in tow and pulled back the cloth. He picked out a piece of meat and tossed it into his mouth then chewed it quickly. Azmere signed a thank you to her then ate a few more pieces before returning the cover and basket to their resting place in the middle of the boat.

The scarred man leveled his contrasting gaze at the blue eyes of his companion. The boat began to list a bit to one side but they were not rocking back and forth nor in danger of hitting anything so Azmere paid it no mind. Many times, Asmodeus had told him about a time in his life when women would become important and when understanding them would be more precious than water. Th Drykas was kicking himself for not paying closer attention to those lessons. He sank down a bit into the carved out bottom of his seat so that his legs ran along either side of the small vessel. The archer draped his arms on the side and leaned his head back against the prow. He was perfectly relaxed but now had his knees on either side of his dinner basket which put his bare feet and calves on her side of the boat.

“I think about a lot of things Jasmine. I think about all the people who have gone but also about the ones who have come.” His stare was focused on her though the angle made his eyes seem like they were partway shut. The peace and quiet was so relaxing. Azmere was enjoying being out on the water of for no other reason than the pure serenity that filled him. “I think about kids and a legacy, too.” He chuckled a bit. “I think it’s funny that believe what that buffoon said.” Slowly, Azmere used the sides of the boat to pull himself up into a sitting position once more. “Only weak men fear women who think.” He leaned forward so that he could push some hair back from her fae and expose the mark of Syna. “You’re chosen of a god.” He smiled and ran the backs of his fingers against her cheek where the ring pattern was pressed. “You hold the spirit of our people in your heart.” His face was serious but not in the normal Azmere stone-faced way. Slowly his body began to recline back to its slouched position. Azmere was very careful not to rock the boat but he passed her signs as he continued to speak. Amazing. “Seeing your smile is one of the best parts of my day.” Every day. Azmere chuckled again. “You were the first person to believe in me after the raiders came.” Dark Sails. Azmere didn’t know how to say what he was thinking…or was it feeling? At this point he was lost. He had spoken more in the last few chimes about his thoughts and feelings than he had in an entire season. His mind may have wandered but Azmere never took his eyes off of the warm blue stare of the blonde Drykas across from him.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Blue eyes gently lifted to look at the man when he began moving. She watched him eat some of the food that was brought with her. Of course the woman was still in shock of him calling her a Semekhe. Snorting the blonde let out a laugh leaning back some against the front of the boat. Looking out over the darkness below them, she did notice her hair fall in front of her goddess touched eye. Maximus had called her everything but a child of Zulrav when she was with her mother's pavilion. A bitterness rose up in her chest thinking of the man and everything that had been done to her. He always said it was to make her stronger, but the woman knew it was all a lie.

“Semekhe, that's a first,” Jasmine stated while crossing her legs leaning forward with her arms wrapped under her chest. The blond leaned against her legs still looking at the water till he called Maximus a buffoon. Snickering against, she forced herself to look at the man instead. The woman had never been a big fan of someone watching her so closely. Turning her head towards him watching him, she blushed gently when he just seemed to gaze at her through half lidded eyes. Moving some hair behind her left ear the woman tried to relax her nerves, though it was not going well. Taking a deep breath, she watched how Leth's light seemed to shine on the right side of the man's face causing the left to darken in comparison. There was few times that Jasmine did not know what to do or what to say to break through the silence, but this solitude with the pair made her happy. The pounding her chest was a dead give away of her nervousness to this new position when Azmere lent forward a tucked some hair behind her right ear. Blue orbs followed the man as he ran his hand across her cheek where the mark from Syna was.

A soft smile graced the blonde's features when he spoke of how much joy he got from seeing her smile. It made her heart swell with pride to know she made him happy in some way. The woman's mind drifted back to their meeting at the Wind Knotted gates when he took her into his home with no question. Shaking her head the woman moved closer but still allowed the reclined man to have his personal space. She knew there was more he wanted to say, but couldnt find the words to say.

“Thank you. You took me in when I was unwanted and unloved; you picked an outcast over everyone else. For that I am truly grateful... I believed in you long before the pirates came; It was just never as outspoken as now,” Jasmine sighed and rubbed her face gently, “I'm sorry I must sound like such an idiot.”

[Azmere]

The man listened to her speak. Despite all of her beauty and all of her mind to mouth tendencies, Jasmine lacked confidence in herself. The ankal suddenly felt guilty for not seeing it before. Azmere had witnessed Jasmine in various states since they first met. He had heard tales of her argumentative ways and stubborn personality throughout Endrykas due to confrontations with not only her own ankal but also one of the more prominent figures in the Tent City. A chuckle tumbled up from his chest and out of his mouth. The blue and gold eyes pushed their starburst gaze across the boat to skin that seemed to glow under the light of a god’s face. The watchman had often marveled at the woman’s radiance in the daytime –a time where she was within the light of her matron goddess, Syna, but even under the silky shadows and silvery whispers of Leth’s smile Jasmine was resplendent.

Like a sudden breeze lifting a single blade of broken grass, Azmere was carried away by a memory. He was taken back to a scene in the snow where a warrior stood over a young girl who had fallen from a tree. “You trust me.” He spoke softly. His hands signed you believe in me. The ankal tilted his head to one side which allowed him to draw a slightly closer gaze that was fixed upon the sky blue circles of Jasmine’s eyes. “Yet when I say you’re a blessing, you laugh and insult yourself.” Carefully, Azmere scooted his bottom closer to her which made his legs bend at the knees and press outward. His hands ran along the sides of the vessel to help ease himself into the middle. Once there, he bridged up in a crouch long enough to move the wrapped basket of a prepared dinner plate to the back of the boat. Before he settled, Azmere ran his hands along Jasmine’s legs. He started at her knees and gently pushed them to one side then allowed his calloused fingers to drag along the smooth skin towards her ankles. Once he got to the bottom joint, he took a very light hold of her feet and lifted them so that her calves rested upon his thigh. Once this was done he moved a bit closer still until the back of the woman’s knees rested almost at his hip. This placed them in an easy arm’s reach and Azmere took advantage of his new position.

“You are mine, Jasmine.” Azmere trembled a bit as he slipped a hand out and inadvertently touched the skin on her leg just above her knee. His chest shivered but not out of any kind of cold or chill. Perhaps it was an accidental brush but it could have been subconscious. Somewhere deep inside the man, a primitive voice was shouting for action. The archer would be lying if he told anyone his eyes didn’t occasionally drop to the generous sight before him. Tanned skin covered long legs that were lean with muscle but the curvature of Jasmine’s form was as smooth and supple as any. The small cloth she wore to fend off the unseasonable heat left only a little to the imagination and this is often where the man’s stare would get stuck. Azmere shook his mind back to the conversation that he’d been having in his head and continued. “I-…” Words were clumsy things for a fellow like the scarred Drykas.

Instead of fouling his evening by saying the wrong thing, the warrior moved quickly and snatched up one of Jasmine’s hands then pressed it against his chest just below the scarred squares. His heart was thumping hard and fast like he’d been wrestling or fighting a pack of nightlions. His eyes felt lazy like they couldn’t absorb all that he wanted to see. Azmere held her hand firmly against his chest and reached out his free hand then cupped the back of her neck just as he had with a palm of snow two winters back. His voice was barely a whisper. “You matter to me. You do something-“ He paused and his brow furrowed as the archer searched for the right word. “I hope this makes sense.” The ankal spoke and his hands slowly fell away as the words came out. “I like when you’re near.” His hands finished the thought. So does my body. Another quiver shot through his core- Azmere was surprisingly and suddenly nervous.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

The blonde looked when the man began to move around. Listening quietly to his thoughts, she was surprised to hear him chastise her for speaking the truth. Or at least what, she had been told a large majority of her life, not only by Maximus but several other ankals. Of course if the young woman could control her mouth they may have spoke to her differently. Jasmine lifted her legs some after uncrossing them to make room for the man. His next actions however stunned the girl; her first instinct was to jerk away. But the blonde ignored it and allowed him to do as he wishes. Her face turned an even darker shade of red when he put her legs over one of his and used them to pull her butt closer.

“Y-yours?” Jasmine asked with a gulp.

The woman was not afraid of the male before her in the very least. A part of her felt very exposed in the loin cloth at that moment. Moving some of her hair out of the way, the drykas felt a fire in her core that she could not place. Swallowing her nerves, she attempted to make sense of the man's feelings as well as her own. The pair looked completely out of their elements in the boat trying to share how they felt about each other. As the man's eyes often stopped close to her hip at the supple curve of her back side, the blonde moved to see if she could position the loincloth better.

However the man caught her hand and put it on his chest; the blonde could feel his heart hammering in his chest just as hers did. Turning her head into the man's hand, she could not seem to focus on anything, but breathing and listening to him. A slight frown appeared when his hands retracted from her, only to make her flush once more. She had lusted after Azmere since the winter of their first meeting as her mother called it. But the thought had never crossed her that the male would begin to feel the same about her perhaps even feel more than just lust.

“I..... I think I understand. I know what you feel I believe,” Jasmine took a deep breath knowing it was now or never, “I feel the same about you. When you are near I feel safe and loved. But its more than just as a pavilion member, my body seems to visiably relax around you. As if when you are there everything is as it should be.........”

Swallowing the lump trying to form, the woman lifted her hand from his chest to his face. She made sure that he was solely focused on her, not their position or the pounding in his chest. There was one last confession that could cement her heart's desire.

“Azmere......” Jasmine forced it out in almost a whisper, “I love you.”

Everything had been given to him. Now all that was left, was to see if the ankal felt the same.

[Azmere]

Azmere listened intently to Jasmine as she reflected similar thoughts back to him. He’d been suspecting that she held such feelings for some time. They had known one another for over a year. They’ve shared a camp for most of that time. The bright eyes and warm, radiant hair had long become a staple of the scarred man’s life and routine. He had found her hope to be unwavering just like the rays of the goddess that this woman worshipped. The ankal was also constantly amused by the short-tempered pride that bubbled up from nowhere and erupted onto unsuspecting people from time to time. Conclave members were not even excluded.

Jasmine’s hand was warm, soft and demanding. Azmere met the bright eyed stare as it reflected Leth’s grace upon the Drykas man. The closeness of their bodies was generating more heat than the irrational weather but Azmere didn’t mind. He pulled her in closer using his hands to lift her hips up onto his lap. The boat rocked slightly but the wide base and slow movements were gradual enough that there was no need for alarm. The starbursts watched and waited – the strings of his heart tied to the back of his gaze. Then, she said it. Jasmine confessed the words that the archer had often wondered and debated with his soul.

Azmere’s right hand went out and curled around the base of her skull; his weathered fingers spread out and interlaced the blonde curls in between his grasp. Firmly, he held her for a few ticks as his eyes poured a response long before his mouth and tongue could get the words right. Twice, his lips parted to speak but nothing came out. There was no training to encourage the behavior for the ankal. He had no practice with these things and no coaches in his past whose speeches of wisdom could be recalled. The water and wind were still for a moment and time seemed to stop.

Azmere’s normally solid baritone was nothing more than a crackled whisper when he said it. “Gavee.” The Drykas word for ‘I love you’ that was only used in a romantic sense- a special phrase just for lovers. No sooner than the word left his mouth, his lips pursued it across the small chasm that separated the two people. There could have been a thousand eyes watching the pair but it wouldn’t have mattered. The man poured himself into the kiss, his hands and arms easily swallowed her in an embrace that blurred the lines of where his scarred body and her soft skin collided. The ankal was on fire and the power of his slow pulls and drags against her skin while he laid his mouth against hers was the result of so much unattended emotion that his eyes were pressed shut. Azmere prided himself on his ability to see everything. Tonight, now –in this moment, the man didn’t want to see.

He wanted to feel.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Panting gently the woman blushed when he literally picked her up and placed her on his lap. The blonde looked up as the man stared at her. She gently dropped her hand down to her lap allowing him to speak if he wished. Every time he opened his mouth the girl's heart dropped farther into her stomach. Fear gripped her as she just knew the man was going to reject her affections leaving a heavy tension in its wake. Flinching the blonde closed her eyes seeing the hand coming up towards her face. Shocked blue eyes snapped back open and guided down to where his arm was. She felt the weathered fingers float across her skin before wrapping his fingers in her hair. Amazed the blonde quickly looked back up at the man when he guided her head the right direction.

Jasmine was stunned to hear him saw the one word in Drykas tongue that meant he felt the same. Gavee. Her breath hitched as he dipped down catching the woman's lips in a kiss. Instantly her eyes closed allowing herself to believe it true. At least until she woke up l, much like she had the last several nights. Her eyes tightened not wanting to open them until absolutely necessary. The blonde had wondered for many days even more the last several seasons, what it would be like to touch the man's scarred body. She had never dreamed it would come true in the very least. It felt like the pair was alone for many bells, though the blonde knew it to not be true. Sooner rather than later, the woman pulled away gently panting, before looking up at him softly.

"Gavee," Jasmine spoke putting her forehead against his.

She did not want to separate from the man, but the two needed to breath after some time. The woman's hands found their way to where his heart was and stopped. The beauty glanced down feeling the hammering of his heart under her palms. Amazement crept into her mind as she realized that he was as nervous as she. Everything in her wanted to kiss the man and stay in his arms the rest of the night, but the barking on the shore from Haven caused her to sit up straight. Blue orbs looked towards the lighted city as everything seemed so small to what the pair was doing.

"I wish this did not have to end," Jasmine said gently looking back at him.