Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 156
(4/11/06 1:33 pm) Reply
A New Master
There was a peaceful tranquility to the glade, a peace in the air that soaked through the skin to the soul, a light touch of serenity that seemed most undeserved. Saker laid on his back in the tall grass, watching the sunlight filter it's way through the leaves and branches. The summer had continued on well into autumn . . . the leaves should have changed color and dropped off their branches by now, but they remained green and vibrant still. Some claimed it an ill omen, but Saker didn't really mind all that much. He had never been one to love winters.
Watching the branches sway, the wind brush against the leaves, and hearing the birds singing happily in the trees . . . somehow, he felt strangely out of place. Once, in his life, he would have loved this, loved the opportunity to get away from life, live in the woods, away from the rest of mankind. But then he had ended up in the Tower, and his life . . . well, to say it had been chaotic since then was a drastic understatement. He had not felt "normal" since he had met Alaren so long ago . . . newly raised to Gaidin, he had bumped into her on the grounds, and felt his heart break almost immediately.
Of course, they had been bonded, and ended up "together" in a way. Saker had gotten the raw end of the deal, the way he saw it though. He had watched Kamariana and Arigan deal with their own relationship while he felt his heart drift more and more towards Alaren . . . who, in every way possible, refused him, turned him away. The pain had been hard to balance with duty as her gaidin, but he had done it. Oh yes . . .
Well. Until he had left the Tower because of the said difficulties on a small task to find some balance in his life. That hadn't worked out to his benefit either; he had discovered that he was some Lord of a long-dead land, and the battles that had followed had carried more than his fair share of near-death experiences. Dueling Ksathra and having the bond ripped forcefully from his head had turned out to be a double-edged sword to Ksathra. He had weakened his foe to begin with, but in the end . . . well all that remained in the end was a man driven by revenge. The struggle at Tear . . . the fight afterwards, the war with Andor . . .
Everything had stemmed from him, the way he saw it. He was good with a sword, yes, but not in the manner that he could use the sword to cleanse his soul as well. And right now, it was feeling very heavy. He could not even begin to count the men that had fallen to his hand, nor begin to comprehend the sorrow and pain that he had caused others. Then of course, there was the other side, the side of what good he had done. The thriving country he was building, the city that he had rebuilt from the ruins up on the other side of the trees. He could hear, distantly, the sound of horses and the general buzz of townsfolk. Though the city was still sparsely populated, the farmers and merchants coming in to visit made it seem much fuller. He crossed his arms behind his head. He had done so much for a nation that all believed to be lost. He had made them a name again, and was well on the way to being a thorn to the Dark One once more.
A noise at the edge of the wood made him sit up straight suddenly scanning his surroundings. The trees shifted slightly to his left, and he rose, his hand going to his waist for his sword, but it wasn't there. He had left it in his rooms, with all of his stuff. He wasn't far out of town, and this area was heavily patrolled continuously. He rose slowly, staying in a low crouch, but out of the trees walked an old man. An old man, yes, but not one stooped with age or withered by the elements. This man carried himself with grace and pride, his head held high. There was an odd-looking sword on his hip, and he was dressed in the normal clothes that one would expect to find on a farmer. His eyes were a very piercing green that Saker noticed even at this distance.
Saker rose to his full height and smiled graciously. "Pardon me sir, but you caught me at an off moment."
"Do not mistake me for one of your subjects," the man retorted, but not hostily. His accent was difficult to place, but he spoke with clarity and his voice carried the hints of deep intelligence.
Saker bowed after a moment's pause. "My apologies sir. May I ask, then, who you are?"
"I am my own man. Perhaps in time I will tell you more. You are Saker, yes?"
Saker frowned. It would have been a lie to say that he had not wished for someone to stop calling him "Lord" all of the time, but at the same time, he was getting so used to it that he was truly taken aback by the way this man acted. "I am Saker Mandell, yes."
"Good." The hint of a smile touched the corners of the man's mouth. "There are whispers about you as far as the wind blows in any direction, and I have travelled far to come to see you. I am glad my journey is at an end."
Saker glanced around the glade, and then shrugged slightly. "Would you care to sit with me and talk?"
The older man paused for a moment, then nodded, walking forwards and sitting so that he faced Saker, about three feet inbetween the two. Crossing his legs, the man set his palms on his knees and studied Saker for a moment. "This should be easier than I had originally believed," he said at last.
"What?" Saker asked. He was loosing a bit of his patience. He had orderlies and people below him that sorted out the fools that usually saw him. This man was wise to find Saker outside of the city, away from his usual escort, but also troubling. There was more to him than met the eye, and Saker wasn't so sure this was a good thing anymore.
"You. You have been lead to believe that your power is ultimate, that you are the best in the land with blade in hand." Saker lifted the corner of his lip in a sneer at the rhyme. "You have fought long and hard to gain your title, yes, but you have begun to let it blind you. You believe yourself, and therefore, the Band of the Red Hand, to be invincible. You have lost the subtle art that you gained at the White Tower, and instead carry with you a rod of power, blunt power that you use to bash your opponents into submission. There is a point and a purpose to all things, young Mandell. You will learn this yet."
Saker stared in a bit of disbelief. If there was anything that he had taken away from the White Tower besides his sword and his talent, then it was a deep mistrust of all things that were related to the "Great Game." He did not play at politics, no. He studied the sword, and learned to lead armies. He used his influence to try to avoid battles, yes, but there had been times when even he could see that battles were unavoidable. His storming the palace in Caemlyn had been proof . . . "Listen, old man-"
He got no further, because the man had removed his sword from it's sheath and held the unwavering tip just below Saker's chin, all in one motion so smooth and so fast that Saker blinked and missed the entire thing, the sound ringing in his ears only after the deed had been done. Saker rolled backwards, his reflexes coming into action, shoulder-rolling to one side as he rose to his feet in a smooth action that should have gotten him time and distance.
Instead, he now found himself eye-to-sword point. The tip of the sword hovered less than an inch away from his right eye. Saker froze instantly, knowing that sometimes, submission was better than death. "What do you want?" he asked evenly.
The sword twisted through the air so quickly that Saker was only beginning to twist sideways when the flat of the blade struck the side of his head. Saker hit the ground dazed, half knocked out from the blow to the temple. As his vision refocused, he saw the old man sitting back in the same spot he had been, sword back in his sheath. His eyes were focused on Saker, boring into him. "If you wish to learn, and cease struggling, come and sit, and listen."
Saker rose shakily and walked over, his temple throbbing. He would have quite the bruise, but it really wasn't the first time, and there was something about this man that hinted that it wouldn't be his last either. Sitting, he crossed his legs and put his palms on his knees, head slightly bowed. It had been a long time since someone had been able to beat him with such ease. He had been a student longer than he had been a master, so the switch back didn't take too much effort.
"Good. I am Master. That is all you need call me for now. I come from a land that you do not know, and will not. Their secrets are closely guarded, more so than the secrets of your precious White Tower. Or the Black Tower for that matter. If you ask me how I know of what I speak of, you will not recieve a direct answer. One day, I know you will be able to look beyond my lies, beyond my words, and see for yourself that I speak only what you hear."
Saker blinked. Well of course he spoke only what he heard. He supposed there was some hidden double meaning to it.
"First off, I have two things to tell you before I teach you. One, that this is a style, an art, and it is only taught to those very few who prove themselves worthy. You have not proven yourself to me, but your fellows, your countrymen, they all speak very highly of you and your skill. Even the White Tower, which you left with a lack of grace, admits your talents and fears what you have become. I will teach you to master not only the part of you that others see, but the part that is inside, the part of yourself that only you can deal with. Very few can handle such deep introspection upon themselves. That is why the training pool is so small. It is one-on-one, no classes, no mass teachings. It is master, and apprentice. Two, this will push you beyond anything, anything! That you have experienced before. If you thought you were tired before, ever, you will find how wrong you were. If you thought you knew yourself, I will teach you how to see through your own misconceptions, your own lies. This is not for the weak, of heart or body. This is for the strong, the pure. For those that know power, and wish to seek balance within it. Is this something that you can do?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
Saker glanced up at him, eyes hard. He would prove that he could. "Yes, master."
The old man smiled. "Good. Then let us begin."
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Rahien Shan) -- King of Arafel (Kerin Lizaile) -- Bonded to Kamariana (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 163
(5/20/06 10:03 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Saker's lips curled into a small smile. He doubted that this man, whoever it was, would be able to push him beyond the limits that he had already broken. He had proven himself the best up to this point. Now it was simply a point of figuring out this man's secret, and approaching it the same way that he approached everything. Stubbornly. Aggressively. With steel bared and soul raging.
"Come with me. Your first challenge will be one of your mightiest. If you can walk through it, then I will be forced to reconsider my initial judgement of your heart." The man smiled crookedly. Saker merely nodded, his hand running down to his hip, where it would usually rest upon his sword hilt.
Of course, his was no where near where they were.
"I hope this doesn't take too long," Saker said, glancing back towards his city. "If I stay away for too long a time, men will come looking for me. I have a duty stronger than life to my country and my people. I will not forsake it."
"Your men will not come, I have informed them that you will be late returning today."
Saker came to a dead stop, his eyes blazing. The fact that his men would listen to such an outsider was infuriating. The fact that they had not already come, when a man that no one around them knew, came to them and told them that their leader would be late . . . and the nerve that this man had . . . "You . . . what?" his voice was pure ice, harder than iron.
The man stopped and turned very slowly. His age vanished in a moment, and the smile on his lips was replaced by a grim look that reflected Saker's cold look right back at him. "I did what I had to. You should not worry about such. A leader unbalanced within will take a nation down with his heart."
Saker scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about. But the moment you step into my home to tell my men what to do--"
"Aha! Isn't that just it? 'Your men', you say. Yours. But are they not their own? Do they not choose to follow you due to the content of their own hearts? No man should ever 'own' another. No man should ever unwillingly serve another. You are a lord of the land, yes, but only because the Creator has seen something within you, and made you what you are. Every man has the chance to be good, or evil."
Saker shook his head. "Everything what you just said are things that I have told others. Just because I call them 'my men' does not mean that I claim to OWN them."
"Oh but it does!" the man exclaimed stepping forwards. The cold look had evaporated from his face, leaving one of fervor behind. "You worry too much about the others. Have they not proved themselves over and over? Have they not survived throughout your campaigns without you standing behind their shoulders? They carry out your orders, but yet you still treat them as property. Abuse an ass too long, and it will sit in the dust and refuse to move."
Saker swallowed. Despite his anger and ire, the words that the man spoke made a harsh sort of sense. But still . . . he had given them orders . . . when their orders were not to take orders from other men. "What did you tell them to convince them?"
The man smiled, thinly. "That you were having supper with an old friend. A very old friend, and that you weren't to be disturbed."
Saker nodded slowly. "They accepted this?"
"Had they any choice? You give them so many orders these days that they have no choice but to agree when your name is used to direct their actions."
Saker opened his mouth to object, but the man gave him a very expectant look, and Saker let his mouth close. "Lesson learned, master." He looked down, at his feet.
The man laughed. "Not yet it's not. But it's a start. Now come, come. We don't have all day to stand here and chat."
They walked along for a long while, deeper into the wilderness, up a steep rocky slope, and came at long last to a rocky creek. There was a wide calm pool at the base of about a ten-foot waterfall, then another ten-foot drop on the other end. But in the pool, the water was perhaps fifteen foot deep, a pale green, calm, tranquil. A watering hole for wildlife all around. And right in the middle, a log floated, turning and twisting in the very slight current.
"Your first task," the man said, pointing to the log. "Swim out to the log. Get atop the log. Stand atop the log. And then direct the log back and forth across the pond without falling odd three times. If you go off the falls, carry the log back up, and start over. Ready? Begin."
Saker looked at the man. "You're joking."
The man laughed. "Ah. Please don't make me believe that I was wrong about you again . . . you are ready for this, right? Ready to be pushed beyond anything you have done before?"
Saker looked back to the gently turning, bobbing log and then nodded. "I'm ready." He walked to the edge of the pond, took a deep breath, and waded in. The pond was about thirty feet from one end to the other, and only about twenty across. More like a pit full of water than a pond, he thought bitterly as the bottom fell away from his feet sharply and he was soon swimming towards the log. Reaching it, he looked back at his new master as he sat beneath the shade of a tree.
"You know, this would be more pleasant if you told me your name," Saker called out.
"A nap would also be pleasant. But, alas, we do not all get what we seek. Perhaps another time, yes?"
Saker shook his head, and pulled himself up onto the log, straddling it for a moment to try to get a feel for it before pushing himself slowly up to his knees. He had a fair bit of balance already. After all, he did not become a master of the blade by being sloppy-footed, and so rising to a standing position was not all that difficult. However, after a few sloppy turns on the log, the log bobbed visciously, and backwards he went into the water. Spluttering, he kicked back to the surface, and grabbed the log, pulling himself back up for another try. Just as he did so, pouring pouring over his face, plastering his clothes to his body, cascading down his arms as he got his feet up onto the log, he looked up, and could have sworn that he had hit his head on a rock when he went under just then.
For standing on the bank, the ridge of the top waterfall, not thirty feet away, stood a vision from the past, a haunting image that shot through his brain, scalding and freezing all at once, liquid fire, freezing metal . . . he froze, even as the log began to turn beneath him, and rose on pure instinct, his feet find his balance as he stood on the log, blinking rapidly to try to ascertain whether or not she was real or a figment of his imagination. The man, Master, had risen to his feet as well, glancing back and forth between the two.
"Well," he said, breaking the silence. "This is unexpected."
So she was real. Not a ghost. Her. There. Not dead. Alive. Emotions he had thought lost coursed through his body, burning his heart. "Alaren," he breathed. "Alaren . . ."
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Rahien Shan) -- King of Arafel (Kerin Lizaile) -- Bonded to Kamariana (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training
Re: A New Master “No!” she cried desperately, fighting off the stranger’s offered hand and clinging to the earth. The sky was thick with smoke and pleas as Tear burned. It was over… the city had fallen, and Saker was dead. Dead. “No! Leave me!”
“I won’t hurt you,” the man insisted. “You’re injured. If you stay here, you’ll die.” Dead. “Hush, child. I am going to help you out of here.”
She was crying. She felt pain, nothing but pain; the pain of denial, of understanding, of overwhelming helplessness. “No…” she murmured, her voice weak. “No… please. Please just leave me. Leave me here.”
Yet the man had lifted her over his shoulder and was carrying her away.
* * * * * * * *
The wind blew strongly today, stirring the hem of Alaren’s dress and playing with her hair as she followed it deeper into the forest. The man had advised her to walk here once in awhile, “to strengthen her legs and her heart,” he had said. He had been right, as usual; she found solace in the towering oaks and maples.
It seemed as though she had lived with the man for years, though it had been only months; each day seemed a lifetime, an eternity. During the days, the pain had begun to subside, little by little, but the nights were as they had always been. Night after night she would lie awake through the long, empty hours, consumed by her grief and loneliness, by the void in her mind where the bond had once been. At night, she hated the man for saving her. But during the day, she felt indebted to him. He had so carefully tended her while her leg had healed, and had grown to be a father-figure to her, though she never would have known to call it such. He had given her a second chance at life, whether she had asked for it or not, and she felt as though she owed it to him to give this one her best.
Alaren came upon the clearing where she usually ended her walk, but the fresh air had given her strength. The man would not be back at the cabin until nightfall, so no one would miss her if she continued her walk just a bit longer. She closed her eyes and waited for the wind; it was blowing eastward, towards the falls. Her eyes opened, and she changed her path.
The duty she still held to the White Tower had not gone entirely forgotten, but regardless of duty, she was not strong enough to face the ghosts of her past. She could not bear to walk the halls where he had walked, to touch the doors that he had touched, to sleep in the bed where he had slept. The Tower seemed to her a prison of his memory. Here in the wilderness, she could escape; she could walk through the woods and smell the trees, or busy herself with the simplicity of domestic tasks. But in the Tower… she could not face the Tower. Not alone. Not yet.
She came upon the creek and the waterfalls, and was surprised to see her caretaker on the bank below, resting beneath a tree, watching the water with amusement. An odd man, Alaren thought to herself, watching him staring off at nothing. But then she saw him.
A man swam towards a log in the center of the pond, grasping it and trying to pull himself onto it. Alaren watched with interest, and saw. She saw his familiar black hair, the familiar angles of his body, his familiar jaw set with familiar determination. Her eyes squeezed impulsively shut. No. It can’t be him. You are only dreaming. He’s not real. No.
She opened her eyes again, searching, praying, and felt her heart sink to the deepest pit of her stomach. The log bobbed alone in the center of the pond. He was gone.
Yet before despair had time to settle on her heart, he had resurfaced, grasping the log and hoisting himself up once again. Time, sound, movement all stopped; he saw her, and met her eye, and there was only the two of them. Alive. Together. Torrents of emotion washed over her, pain and fear and hope and disbelief all rolled into one, threatening to tear her apart. He was there, and real, standing balanced as the water glittered on his skin and the sun crowned him with ethereal light. The world around them swam; his image stayed still, steady, unwavering, as though Alaren’s eyes were trying so hard to have their fill that they could not focus on anything else. Saker… It was really him. The man was saying something as he stood on the opposite shore, but she was not listening. She only heard her name, as though Saker had whispered it into her ear.
Saker… she struggled to say, yet her mouth merely hung open, working desperately to make a sound. She was not breathing, she realized. She gasped sharply. Air filled her lungs, clearing her senses. He was there, just thirty feet away, and she was standing there, gaping.
She turned suddenly, propelled by the strength of his presence, and ran quickly away from the ridge, back through the trees, down the slopes of the hills towards the bank where she knew Saker was. She could not breathe, and she could not speak, but she could run, and so she did.
Edited by: Alaren Maidon at: 5/21/06 8:41 am
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 164
(5/21/06 12:04 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Memories raced through his mind. There was no denying the simple fact that they had perhaps one of the most troubled histories in the history of the world itself. Bonded, they had survived more than a couple fights, and then a realization that had very nearly become too much for Saker too handle. They had made it through the rebirth of a nation only to have the bond ripped away from them. Believing one another dead, it hadn't been that long before they had been reunited. The pain had still been fresh, and words had been exchanged that both probably regretted.
But then she had died. There had been "witnesses" that had seen her go down, disappear as the camp was stormed over in battle. There was no chance that she could have survived, no possibility . . . but yet here she was once more, reappearing from the land of the dead. He had told her once that he loved her, that there was nothing that keep him from finding her. But twice now, twice he had left her for dead because others had claimed she was. Of course, the first time, she had thought him dead as well, so he supposed that was a bit different. He could not place all the blame upon himself, for that would break him. But now, there was no one else to blame for this. She was alive.
He had failed her. He was her Warder. If not in iron clad fact, then in heart.
She turned and ran, and for a moment he thought she was running from him, away from their past and their legacy. But a little voice inside his head knew better, and said so. She was coming to him. She ahd never said it, never admitted it to herself, and kept him from feeling anything through the bond, but he supposed a part of him had known that she cared for him as well. Otherwise, she would not have put up with him through the thick of things. Tried so hard to make things work when they seemed darkest.
Conflicting emotions raging through him harder than ever before, he turned, forgetting that he was standing on a log in the middle of the pond, and slipped, crashing into the water again. He swim rapidly towards the shore, and pulled himself out at the bank. His Master was there, standing before him.
"Do not let this interfere with your training."
"You knew about her."
The man nodded. "I did. I'm the one that saved her life when you were busy following duty."
The words stung hard, but yet . . . Saker stepped forwards, anger rolling through him. "Already, man, you have done nothing but insult me. You want me to learn from you? Learn how to treat your pupils first." And he pushed past him, walking towards the path that lead up the hillside just as Alaren came running down.
Saker was dripping wet, his clothes heavy and sticking to him, but he didn't care. Nor, did it seem, did Alaren as she accelerated towards him and he moved towards her, arms moving out to catch her in an embrace. Her familiar scent filled his head as he pulled her against him, her familiar curves forming against him. His eyes squeezed shut as pain rolled through him. Something he had believed lost forever suddenly returned. And he coudl do nothing but hold her.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Rahien Shan) -- King of Arafel (Kerin Lizaile) -- Bonded to Kamariana (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training
Re: A New Master
Alaren flew full speed into Saker’s open arms, burying her face into his neck. She realized she was sobbing, her tears mixing with the water that ran down his neck, but she did not care. He was here, and alive, and she could feel him holding her and smell him close to her and hear his pulse beating into her ear. Her Warder, whole and safe. It was more than she had ever dreamed of. She had never imagined that she would even see him again. It was unbelievable. A miracle! It was more than she could bear. She trembled against him, surrendering to the waves of emotion that overcame her, crying and squeezing him tightly, and once again he was the only thing keeping her standing. She had always been afraid of being weak; here, with him, she knew that she was allowed to be.
She did not know how long they held one another, with Alaren crying into his shoulder and Saker soothing her tears. She only knew that she never wanted it to end. She was afraid that any moment she would wake up, and it would all be a dream. It seemed as long as his arms were around her, nothing could ever separate them again. But suddenly, she needed to see him, look at him again, and so she pulled away slightly so that she could look into his eyes.
He looked as she remembered him to be; his dark black hair, though a little longer than it had been, still hung over his eyes, and his mouth was still set in its permanent state of stubborn determination, but there was something more, too. Some trouble she could not understand, some pain she could not explain. Her hands slid instinctively into his hair, her mind aching for the bond to fill its empty void, her heart aching to know what plagued his thoughts, but she stopped herself. She had no right. She tried to remember their last meeting, tried to remember what had made her angry, why he had been angry, but it had faded into the deep recesses into her mind. She wondered if it even mattered, what they fought about. But she remembered it was about the bond. She lowered her hands, searching to hold his, but his arms were still around her, so she instead smoothed the wrinkles of his wet shirt.
“Saker,” she murmured, surprised to hear her own voice. The name lingered pleasantly on her tongue. Three months she had gone without seeing him, holding him or speaking to him, and now she had done all three. She savored the moment, hearing her own words and listening to Saker’s breathing. She squeezed her eyes shut “ Oh Saker!” Don’t cry again, Light burn you! “I thought you were… I thought…” It hurt too much to say. “I thought I would never see you again.” Edited by: Alaren Maidon at: 5/21/06 1:07 pm
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 166
(5/21/06 1:16 pm) Reply
Re: A New MasterNothing else matters. Nothing. Not right now. Here you have her, back in your arms, back close to your heart . . .
He looked down at her, unwilling to let her go for fear that she would dissolve, fade away. She snaked her hands through his hair, and he shivered, remembering how the bond had felt, the completeness, the fullness of it, and wanting to cry already at the anticipation of having it back. But yet, she pulled her hands back. Another time then. They were back together. Of course, things would go back to how they were. She would come with him! He would go with her. They would walk together. Things would be better.
“Saker.” A lingering pause where neither spoke, merely soaked in the moment . . . quite literally. They were both soaked now, though the water was a mere annoyance, a speck easily overlooked at the moment. “Oh Saker! I thought you were… I thought... I thought I would never see you again.”
He laughed. He couldn't help it. Back together and talking of the time when they were apart already. "I'm pretty sure we can agree on that," he said with a smile. There was so much that he wanted to do, and no way to be sure that he was allowed to do it. He wanted to just kiss her right then and there, be happy about it for once, and he wanted to let her go, have her own space, and let her make the first moves. If there were to be any moves. He wanted to ask her if she would replace the bond right then and there, and he wanted to let her be the one to ask for it, as was "proper." He wanted to know what he wanted.
"I . . . how did you get to be here?" he asked instead. A weak avoidance of the issues in his heart, but a question that he needed answered nevertheless.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Rahien Shan) -- King of Arafel (Kerin Lizaile) -- Bonded to Kamariana (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training
Re: A New Master
Alaren smiled, warmed by his laughter. A true smile, one that touched her eyes. It felt strange to her- she had not smiled in a very long time- but yet, with Saker, it was not strange. He had frustrated her always, but he made her happy, too. Like now, she realized. She was happy. Imagine that, she thought to herself.
"I . . . how did you get to be here?"
“He saved me from Tear,” Alaren said, glancing towards where the old man had once stood. He was gone, mysteriously. She turned back to Saker. “I was hurt. My leg. He brought me here and took care of me.” She remembered the man’s house, the cabin not a mile away. “Imagine,” she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. “All this time I have been so close to you, and had no idea. He was looking for you… the old man. I never knew before. But it was you all along, and I didn’t know.”
This revelation made her shiver, remembering the months of misery, her nights of loneliness and grief, the pain that could have been avoided had she only know that he was alive and well and moments away.
“Saker,” she whispered painfully. “I know… I know when I saw you last, things were…” She was nervous, she realized, and she didn’t know why. “And the bond, I know you didn’t want… What I’m trying to say is,” she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, “I just… I missed you. And I want more than anything in the world for things to be as they were again, with the bond, with you as my Warder.” Why had this seemed so much easier the first time? She remembered strolling through the grounds, watching Saker as he practiced in the Warders yard. She remembered knowing instantly that she wanted to bond him. She remembered how easily her request had rolled off her tongue, how quickly they had bonded, how little they had known of each other. Why should it be so much harder now, when they had been Bonded for two years before, and when they knew each other so well? “So I suppose I am asking if you will allow me to Bond you. Again.”
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 173
(5/21/06 7:11 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Talking about the Master made a pit of some unknown substance in Saker's stomach. Almost as if he dreaded going back to training already. Especially now that he knew that he really was the one that had saved her life when he was off with the Band. Well. Balance indeed . . . the more time that Saker even spent in this man's presnce the more and more he was beginning to realize that this man was right. He knew what balance was, and Saker was far away from whatever it was. The question that Alaren asked next however brought a lump to his throat. He could not speak or even think, and there was a moment where the war-seasoned warrior stood before this woman and had to blink back tears rapidly.
His mind began racing however. For a moment, duty raced into his mind. Bonding Alaren would mean so much to Manetheren and to the Band. It would be forcing a Queen onto Manetheren, in essentiallity. It would be announcing that there was nothing that they could do about it because she was there, and there to stay. It would mean that their relationship would be strained again . . .
But then, he thought about it again, and realized for the first time what the Master had been saying. Manetheren was not solely alive because of him. He had not done everything that had happened. The men, the women, they had come to him not because of who he was, but because of their own hearts. The Band was not formed of drones, and he himself encouraged the people to learn, to think, to be themselves, not to follow some sadistic plan that a ruler had. That they were a team, not a dictatorship. He had to start living for himself, instead of forcing his life onto his people. He had to have his own hurts, have his own victories and losses. He could lose, it was okay . . . he could cry, it wouldn't hurt. He could show weakness. It was human. It was right. He was man too. His people knew that--no, his countrymen knew that.
So slowly, he sank to his knees, kneeling before the only woman in his life that he would ever kneel before, the only woman that had captured and held his heart, his head bowed. His actions was his answer, his compliancy with her request. She would have him as her Warder, and he would have her as his lady. They would serve one another, aid one another, help each other in everything. Never again, he vowed in his heart, never, would he leave her behind. And from his heart flowed peace, love . . . balance. He had come to a greater understanding of his own heart and his own self. He saw himself in a new light . . . and suddenly . . . Master didn't seem like too bad of a guy at all.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Re: A New Master
Curlan stayed in the tree that concealed him the whole time. Since the latest tensions with Andor, he had rarely let Saker stray too far off by himself. Assasins, while no match for Saker with a blade, were still sneaky enough to catch him unawares. He had even requested the wolves follow him on a rare ocassion.
And now, he was lost. First, an odd old man laid him out with the flat of his blade, and now he bowed to a woman. Curlan still had his bow loaded and waiting for the first sign of danger, but this still was odd beyond belief.
"Mostly a weapon, but still a man," he muttered, confused beyond any other feeling, his yellow eyes watching unwavering.
Re: A New Master
Alaren’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched Saker’s expression change, her hands quivering at her sides in anticipation for what she hoped would be. His eyes, she realized with a start, were filled with tears. The last time she had seen him cry had been the night after the bar fight, when she had found him, alone, crouched outside of the Master of Arms’ rooms, tears streaming down his cheeks. She realized suddenly why she was nervous now when she had not been before. When they were younger, new to the shawl and the sword, inexperienced, the idea of a bond was undoubtedly appealing; As she had placed her hands on his head, before the Amyrlin, before the Tower, her thoughts had been filled with idealistic plans for heroism and greatness. But now they knew the truth; they knew of the responsibility, they knew of the struggle, they knew of the sacrifices and disagreements and heated words; and they knew too well the debilitating pain of loss. To offer such a burden, such a gift unknowingly was one thing; to know the truth and to still be willing to surrender oneself to another so completely… well, that was a different matter.
And she was. Willing, that is. Whatever hardships, whatever pain had been induced by the breaking Bond, could not compare to the emptiness she felt without him in her mind and by her side. There was more to a Warder bond than merely the Bond; the Bond had broken, but he had remained as much a part of her as ever, even when she thought he was gone. If he rejected her now, she realized, she might die. And for a moment, she was afraid he might.
But then something changed, and he was kneeling before her, and she was crying again and her hands were rested on his head. She did not remember forming the weaves, only placing them gently upon him, and then he was inside her head again. The bundle of emotions settled into the same place they were before, as though a part of her mind and been shaped around him and had been waiting all this time for him to return to his rightful space. The bond radiated his love and contentment; she felt an overwhelming wave of relief. She felt whole again. Clean.
Alaren let her hand linger absentmindedly on the side of Saker’s head, where the man had hit him with his sword. She did not realize she was forming healing weaves-force of habit, really- until the little twinge of pain in the bond disappeared. She wondered vaguely how he had come by it, but he did not seem phased, and it did not seem important. There were so many questions to be asked, but for a moment, neither spoke. Their emotions simply flowed freely through the bond, and they watched each other in quiet understanding.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 180
(5/22/06 6:50 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
The flower opened and blossomed inside his mind. He felt like he had been sleeping, and finally risen, unable to hear and granted the gift to listen to the wind, the rain, the trees rustling in the summer breeze. He took a deep breath, his senses whirling around the single vortex in his mind that was her, his Alaren, his feelings pouring through their reopened connections, catching hers that came cascading back until they stood inside the tornado of emotion.
Slowly, it began to subside, and he realized that she had healed his thump marks, that her fingers still lingered where they had been. He reached up slowly and took her hand in his, brought it down between them, and stared at her. Unsure what to say or do now, he merely basked in the lingering afterglow. Still holding her hand in his, he finally turned back to note that Master was still standing there regarding them with a small smile, half mysterious and half just . . . happiness.
"My thanks to you, sir, for aiding her before," Saker said slowly, and bowed slightly, but the old man laughed and waved a hand.
"Think nothing of it. Yet. I think we will get no further today, Lord Mandell, so I will take my leave. If you will, return here tomorrow, and we will continue. And . . . you might want to dry off a bit before going back to your home." He turned and vanished inot the trees, and Saker ran a hand through his still-soaked hair, smiling sheepishly.
"I suppose he has a point there," he said, looking down at them both . . . wetter than wet, water dripping from his sleeves and pants, the front her dress soaked from being pressed into his chest. "Are you going to come back with me to Manetheren? Or stay with him out here? I am sure I can have arrangements made for you to have rooms made up before nightfall."
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Alaren and Saker turned to face the man together, side by side, hand in hand. Alaren was not sure what to think. This man had deceived her for months, keeping her from her Warder and causing her nights of unbearable and unnecessary pain. And yet she felt gratitude towards him. He had brought them back together; not partially, as before, when she had found Saker in Tear, but wholly and completely. He gave them the opportunity to see one another in a new light. How could they fight under such circumstances? Because they had been apart so long, they only found joy in one another’s presence. Perhaps the man had understood that.
"My thanks to you, sir, for aiding her before."
"Think nothing of it. Yet. I think we will get no further today, Lord Mandell, so I will take my leave. If you will, return here tomorrow, and we will continue. And . . . you might want to dry off a bit before going back to your home."
Alaren looked down at herself, and then over at Saker. She realized for the first time that they were both soaked from head to foot. The smile returned to her lips. Her head was in the clouds! Weaves of air slid through their clothing, drying them. She left his hair wet, though. The way it flopped over his eyes was endearing.
"Are you going to come back with me to Manetheren? Or stay with him out here? I am sure I can have arrangements made for you to have rooms made up before nightfall."
At this, Alaren’s smile fell. She had not thought so far ahead; she had somehow imagined they would stay there forever, nestled safely in the woods, away from everyone, never to part again. At the Tower, they had gone their separate ways without a thought, eating alone, sleeping alone. They had taken for granted the time they had together, but now Alaren knew that every moment was precious. But now you will have thousands of moments… hundreds of thousands of moments. The thought made her shiver. In Manetheren, he would be always nearby. And she had the bond, now.
“Well,” she said finally, feeling her Aes Sedai composure returning despite her red eyes and tear-stained cheeks, “it would not make much sense for a Queen to sleep outside of her city, would it? I should very much like to see this place which I am to preside over.”
Re: A New Master
Curlan could tell it wasn't a moment to interupt, but he couldn't help but smile at a devilish thought. He pulled out a blunted arrow meant to send messages. He scrawled a rough message on some parchment and set in around the arrow.
Pulling back, he smiled, letting the bow snap the arrow to land near Saker and the new lady. It would startle them, but he didn't mind. It would let them know enough. He chuckled at the messege.
Shout your orders, for your servants are near.
Curlan watched and waited, still grinning, tucked away in his tree. It was almost too good of a joke to stay conceled, but he kept his laughter to a silent side shake.
Oh, the life he lived.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 185
(5/25/06 5:50 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Saker fell into the embrace of the Void immediately upon hearing the definitive "twang" of a bowstring, and was half-turned when the shaft plowed into the dirt beside them. He bent and retrieved it, unrolling the paper attached. It both warmed his heart and made a small shiver of anger roll through him that someone would be out and around him without his knowing. The fact that they cared . . . and the fact that they didn't trust him . . . well. They were their own people, free to make their own decisions.
Shout your orders, for your servants are near.
That had the definite touch of "Curlan" on it. Added to the fact that Curlan was perhaps the only one among all of the Band that could sneak up on Saker unnoticed. He smiled, ignoring the small jittery bit that had ran into his head from Alaren. The arrow had startled her, but not much. They had been through so much battle and war, that it did not scare them.
Them. Together. Together, they could face anything, overcome any threat, even death. They had defeated "death" twice already now. They would never lose. Never.
"Go before me to Manetheren," Saker yelled out to the trees. "For my orders are thus: gather the leaders and aides, the trusted advisors, the elite. Manetheren has found her Queen, and I wish to introduce her." Then he turned to Alaren, a smile, a real smile, on his face for the first time in ages. "Shall we, milady?" he asked, offering her his arm. "The city isn't too far, and we have a dinner to attend."
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Re: A New Master
Alaren stared at the arrow with uncertainty. It was clearly a message, shot by someone not far away. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. So they had been watched all along. It did not matter, she supposed; she had just not expected such an intrusion on their intimate reunion. She watched as Saker unfolded the note, amusement trickling through the bond. He did not seem surprised that they had been watched.
Suddenly, he lifted his head and called out to… whoever it was. "Go before me to Manetheren, for my orders are thus: gather the leaders and aides, the trusted advisors, the elite. Manetheren has found her Queen, and I wish to introduce her."
Alaren felt her face lift again into a smile. Queen. She was finally where she belonged. She tucked her arm demurely around his, forgetting quite easily her rather disheveled state and her discomfort in crowds. So long as Saker stood beside her, she could face anything, even a dining room full of army men.
They walked together, down the forested paths towards the city. Alaren had never been to Manetheren; Light, she had not even known it was there! She was surprised to see its state. Houses and shops were building up from the ground, and at the center of the city stood a magnificent building, surrounded by scaffolding and workers. It was to this building that Saker led her. It was the palace, he told her. Where he lived. Where she would live. A pleasant sort of anticipation rose in her stomach.
Alaren followed Saker down the open corridors of the palace, weaving from finished to unfinished part of the building, walking inside and then outside and inside again, until they were in the palace’s dining hall. It came upon them suddenly; they were walking and then they were there, arm in arm, facing a hall filled with men dressed to their finest, all in red and white, all standing and bowing respectfully. One by one, she was introduced to them, made her curtsies and smiled at each in earnest. They were all pleasant fellows, it seemed, and most importantly, they were a part of Saker’s world. Her world. She felt suddenly content and comfortable in her surroundings, as though they were meant for her. This fate was as much hers as it was Saker’s. She understood that now; if it were not so, she would not have been brought to him so many times.
They sat and ate, and Saker talked animatedly and Alaren watched him talk, warmed by the pleasant company of the Band. She had never seen Saker quite like this, and she supposed from the expressions on their faces that none of the other men had either. It was as though she had seen part of his world, and they another, and suddenly it had been combined. It was an interesting experience to witness. Or rather, to be a part of. Edited by: Alaren Maidon at: 5/25/06 7:14 pm
Re: A New Master
Curlan slid out of the tree before Saker had even finished his words, moving as silently as he could, weaving in and out of tree's, his ears still picking up Saker's orders as he put more distance between them.
Something bigger then he had understood was happening, and Curlan couldn't help but be excited. He finally reached his mount and set out towards the city as fast as he could. The excitment built until he could no longer bare it and he threw back his head, releasing a howl that could rival any of the wolves.
He reached Manetheren's gates at a dead gallop, but didn't slow, shouting orders to the guards to prepare for the arrival of their queen. He saw them look at him funny, and then rush off to shine armor or whatever types of things they had to do to honor a queen.
He flew into the courtyard, still at a full gallop, and dismounted just as the horse came to a stop, tossing his reigns to the stable boy.
"He's been riden hard, rub him down and give him some water," Curlan said over his shoulder running up the stairs to finish his King's bidding.
"PAGE," he called out as he walked towards the kitchen, needing to find some help to spread the word. The young boy caught up with him just as he slipped into the kitchen to tell the cooks.
"Mrs. Vern," Curlan said, having a hard time getting the words out in his excitment. "You need to start cooking immediatly. Lord Mandel has found himself a queen and is bringing her back now. Prepare a feast, for there will be many guests."
"But Master Devick, I am short on time, I don't know if I could...."
"You're the best there is Mrs. Vern, just do the best you can," Curlan said, turning back towards his own rooms. The page still followed, waiting for instructions.
"Lad, I need you to get every other page and bring in every aid, advisor, leader, and the best warriors the Band has. I'm sure you and the other pages know who is supposed to be there. Now hurry, we haven't much time."
The boy ran off and Curlan changed into his best dress uniform, an overly stuffy affair that was all he could do to normally wear. But after the scene he had just watched, he couldn't help but enjoy putting it on. Nw he just hoped everyone else was able to be ready as soon as he was.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 187
(5/26/06 7:49 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Saker stepped through the doors to his growing palace and walked quickly down the slowly growing corridors. They would one day be tall and grand, sweeping momuments to the architecture of man. He noticed a change in the air of the palace--it was charged, electric with energy that crackled through the air. The servants and workers were eager to step out of their path, bow to them, smiling broadly.
When they stepped into the hall where he was to meet his aides, he immediately knew that Curlan had rushed to spread the word and felt a rush of gratitude towards the man. They were all standing when he stepped inside. Every man here was a veteran of several campaigns, and many knew Alaren from before. Even then, when she had not been in high standing among the Band, she had been honored. Respected for the Aes Sedai she was. After Tear however, and Haddon Mirk, and Andor . . . many of the men were new to their stations and to seeing her.
Regardless, every man present bowed low before them as they stood in the entryway. Saker smiled broadly. He had not felt his heart this warm in such a long time . . . he swept forward, pulling a chair out for Alaren for her to sit upon, and standing behind her, introduced her to the room at large. "This is Alaren Sedai . . . Manetheren's new Queen."
There was much applause, even from the Asha'man in the room. They had been gone from their Tower for a long time, and were as much a part of Manetheren as any other man there. Gone was the distrust that had followed them when they had first come. Gone was the fear of their abilities and such. Trust and comradarie had overcome that for most of the men.
Saker met Curlan's eye and gave him a wink, a silent appreciation for his work. Saker knew Curlan would have hated to be called out into the main light, hated the attention poured onto his shoulders. So he avoided it.
The dinner went well, much talking and laughing. The men were bright and happy as much as Saker was, and it was really a first. More wine flowed into the room than was carted out, for once. Usually the dinners were more a formal affair, but this time . . . this time it was different. Saker treated them as equals in their trip to seeing Manetheren back to it's prior glory instead of their leader, and they reacted to it. He had the best men under him . . . and Master had proven that they needed to be treated as such. And then there was Alaren. He found her hand under the table more than once, giving it a squeeze as if to reassure himself that she was still there, still solid and not going to merely fade away.
And after the food was gone, the men relaxing with a glass of wine in hand, they sat and talked, laughing, their merriment filling the halls. The servants slacked, and no one said a word. They drank wine as well . . . Saker let them. They needed some time as well. A good day had come in the middle of the darkness. Manetheren . . . was whole.
Saker was whole.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Re: A New Master
Before long, the food had been cleared from the table, and Alaren and the men sat around, digesting their meals and sipping from their wine glasses (though Alaren’s was filled with water, as usual.) The conversation was pleasant, the sort one would find around a family dining table rather than at a formal dinner of army officers. Alaren felt herself settling into her chair, soaking in the warmth of the room and letting a pleasant drowsiness fall upon her. She felt entirely relaxed here, joining into the conversation at times and even laughing once or twice. But more, she felt terribly proud. Saker had chosen his companions well, and they would do well by him.
Darkness fell upon the city as dusk turned to nightfall, but the guests in the dining room hardly noticed the time. Alaren’s only indication that it was getting late was her growing exhaustion. She had an emotionally draining day, but she was not ready for it to be over yet. To her heart, sleep seemed entirely unnecessary, yet her eyelids felt otherwise. In fact, they rather felt like lead.
Re: A New Master
Curlan caught Saker's wink, and he jus smiled to himself, bowing with all the others. The cooks still hadn't forgotten to make Curlan his food special, as in especially raw. He enjoyed his dinner and the time with the others.
As the sun started to set, far in the distance, something probably only he had heard, was the cry of a lone wolf. A cry that stirred Curlan's heart to go outside this stuffy city again and recharge his soul with his brothers.
At the first opportuninty, Curlan slid out the back door and hurried up to his room, changing back into his comfy leathers before hurrying out into the woods, to the cry of the wolves that he always heard, but could rarely answer.
Tonight he answered.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 192
(5/27/06 5:08 pm) Reply
Re: A New Master
Saker noted Curlan slipping out with a small smile. He alone knew Curlan's secret. Besides a few of Curlan's scouts, perhaps. He didn't really know if anyone else had grasped it yet, and he definitely knew that Alaren had no clue about it. Whether the knowledge of it would frighten or intrigue her was something Saker was not going to test.
Thinking about Alaren again, he finally realized that she was excruciatingly tired and rose from the table. "Sorry gentlemen, but I believe the hour has come for us to take our leave. Please, enjoy yourselves as long as you like," he said, and amid much "goodnights," the couple stepped out into the cooler air of the hallway. They walked along a ways in silence before Saker turned to her, smiling mischeviously. "Come. There's something I want to show you, quickly."
He lead her down the hallway, then popped open a secret door that looked for all the world like nothing but a wall panel, and down another new-looking hallway that was dimly lit. He held her hand as he lead her along in the dark, walking just in front of her, warning her to keep her head low due to low-hanging bracers in the ceiling above. Then, they stepped out of the hallway . . . onto a broad balcony. That was never meant to really be a balcony. Nothing but part of the roof, really, but it was wide and flat, nustled into the wedge between two towers. They stepped out onto the stone, and Saker waved his arm at the view. Treetops were below them, nothing but stars above. The trees, the forest went on, sloping up into the mountains in a green blanket bathed in etheral light from the moon. The stars hung above them like twinkling dots, burning brightly in the clear night sky.
"Everything before us is Manetheren. Free. Clean of the touch of the Shadow. Can you imagine what it would have been like to stand here in the days past? Alaren . . . we are standing in history. Kings and their Queens have stood right here, and watched the storms come from the north. They watched throughout the good days and the bad, fighting to protect the freedom of their people and the rights that we all hold dear. Now it's our turn to stand and watch." He looked out, watching the trees ripple in the night breeze, their branches swaying with a soft rustle that rose to their ears on the warm currents of air. He leaned his head back, his eyes drifting close. He breathed in the air, let it fill him. He knew it was fate, destiny, for them to be together here. Together, they would conquer the Shadow.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Re: A New Master
Alaren gave her compulsory farewells to the men in the dining room before gratefully following Saker out into the hall. The cool air drew her from her drowsy lull, though it could not wash the exhaustion from her completely. As much as she hated to leave Saker, she would have very much enjoyed a long bath and a good night’s sleep. So much had happened today, and both would give her time to sort things through.
The walked down the halls in silence, comfortable and content in each other’s presence. Alaren allowed herself to soak in her surroundings; the bright new columns, the ancient statues, the marble hallways. Everything about the palace was beautiful. This is your home, she thought to herself, your life, your new work. She was a Queen now. So much had changed in so short a time… she felt her heart nearly bursting with… what? Anticipation? Anticipation, yes, and nerves. There was so much to take in.
Suddenly Saker took her hand, steering her away from the path they had been following before. “Come. There's something I want to show you, quickly." Alaren followed complacently, entirely content to put off sleep for just a moment more. She was grateful for the guiding strength of his grip and the surety of his walk. These past few months, she had been so aimless- always moving, never going anywhere. Finally she had direction in her life, even if it were simply to follow Saker; and at that moment, she would have followed him to Shayol Goul.
Luckily, they instead ended on the rooftop, looking out over the city. The sky spanned over them, endless, studded with stars. It was breathtaking to behold. She understood now the true magnitude of everything. What she would be taking on was so much bigger than simply her, or Saker. There was more to being queen than she could possibly comprehend. This city, the people that dwelled in it, all relied on her now. For a moment, she wondered if she would be able to handle the responsibility. Then she glanced at Saker, and she knew she could.
"Everything before us is Manetheren. Free. Clean of the touch of the Shadow. Can you imagine what it would have been like to stand here in the days past? Alaren . . . we are standing in history. Kings and their Queens have stood right here, and watched the storms come from the north. They watched throughout the good days and the bad, fighting to protect the freedom of their people and the rights that we all hold dear. Now it's our turn to stand and watch."
Alaren watched Saker as his eyes closed, feeling the same breeze that blew through his hair. He looked so peaceful, the planes of his face relaxed and his head tilted upwards. For a moment, she was mesmerized; the world seemed to spin around them, growing, spiraling outwards.
“I…” she began, but he looked at her and suddenly the rooftop seemed much smaller. She cleared her throat. “I am glad I shall be watching with you,” she finished, forgetting her original thought. Suddenly wanting more space, she walked to the edge of the balcony and put her arms about herself, staring off over the rooftops. “It’s unbelievable,” she murmured. “Everything. The palace. The city. It’s beautiful, really.”
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