Ssarak and Meirin
Since Leith had agreed to submit the report they had written to Lucilia, Ssarak felt comfortable simply allowing himself to rest after a long journey. Of course, he remained with Meirin, walking right alongside her. It had perhaps not been the most exhausting trip that he had been on before, thanks to the fact that they actually had a carriage to carry them around. Regardless, being trapped in a somewhat cramped box on a long, bumpy road was not exactly comfortable. Even if the box did have nice cushions. He was glad to be able to stretch his legs, now that they were out of the cart.
Ssarak hummed and gave a brief chuckle. ”Hmm, so people have been talking about us? Well, at least they seem to have good things to say.” He said, referring to Leith’s last comment before they left the group at the gates.
Meirin had been quiet the entire time, chatting lightly but for the most part resting. She’s been hiding it well but she’s been having a hard time sleeping. She ran out of the medicine that Satori had given her to regular her sleep, and occasionally Meirin saw nightmares even when she was awake. Things that Ssarak has already been told about, but Meirin still had difficulty discerning reality from dreams, and thus she’s been distant from the others. Once they arrived to the college Meirin still didn’t let her guard down, and it wasn’t until she and Ssarak left the others that she quietly pulled him off to the side. ”Ssarak, I… I need to make a stop by Satori or Lidda. Please?”
Ssarak’s expression became quickly more serious as he replied with a single nod. ”I understand. Of course.” He replied. He knew well of Meirin’s condition, and the fact that Mei had run out of her medicine. She did not need to go into detail for him to know her meaning. For just a few seconds, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze with a comforting smile on his face before he let go, and followed behind her.
It was only a few minutes of a detour for Meirin to stop by Satori’s office to acquire more of her medicine. Satori had been in her office already when they arrived, so there was fortunately no delay. Ssarak hated seeing Meirin suffer in any way, so it pained him whenever she had to go without treatment. If he could have any wish of his own granted, it would be for her condition to be cured entirely.
After their detour, the couple returned to their room in the dormitories. Shortly before they had left on their most recent mission, they had decided to move in together, though it had been more of a formality at that point anyway. Ssarak had hardly spent any of his time in his own room next door in the weeks leading up to the move. Since Mei previously had no roommate of her own, it had been easy enough for Ssarak to simply move his belongings next door.
Closing the door behind them, Ssarak stepped over to his armor rack on the wall on the far side of the room and placed his helmet down on top of it, then sat down on the bed to make it easier for him to get out of the rest of it. ”Is the medicine making you feel any better? I suppose I am not really sure how quickly it acts.” He asked.
Meirin sighed as she filled her medicine box with the pills that Satori had given her. It should be enough to last this month. But it worried the girl how quickly the withdrawal hit her. Meirin figured she could be okay for two or three days, but for her to start seeing visions after just one night…. ”I have to take it before I go to bed. It doesn’t work immediately but it works best when I’m already asleep.” Meirin walked over to Ssarak as he was doffing his armor and laid her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and when she opened them she thought she saw a demon at the corner of her eyes. She knew it was just a delusion though. It still made her shiver.
”Ah… You’d think that after all this time, I would have forgotten about these nightmares. It’s been… How long? A year? Maybe two? Maybe the medicine isn’t working.” Meirin laughed mirthlessly. She always felt like this whenever she thought about that horrible day. How powerless she felt, how foolish she was, and all the dead bodies. It was worse than a nightmare because it actually happened. ”Sometimes I wonder if it would be better if I did forget.”
Ssarak had managed to get out of his cuirass by the time Meirin sat down beside him. He took a few more moments to pull off his gauntlets and drop them down on the floor beside the bed, so that he could put his arms around her without the metal separating them. He rubbed her back with one hand, and with her head on his shoulder, gently ran his fingers through her hair with the other. ”Our memories are what make us who we are...even the bad ones.”
Ssarak hesitated, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath as his mind flashed back to his own village, in the aftermath of the slaughter. “Especially the bad ones. I know it is not easy. Gods above, I know. But I know you can get through it; both of us can, together. I think together, we can help each other to live a life that will make them proud.”
Closing her eyes again Meirin tried to put her thoughts aside, think about happier things. About how her magic has improved, the friends she made, the new skills she has. A new family, a better future. It was comforting, even if the looming threat of demonic invasion was constant. Still… Her body felt cold just thinking about it for a moment. She knew that the memories were going to help push her forward and make her improve but… It still hurts. ”... Yeah.” Meirin said plainly as she stood up to change out of her traveling clothes. It’s been much too long since she wore anything comfortably, changing to light and breathable robes. Normally she was practical and would have worn something that could also keep her warm, but so long as she didn’t go outside this dress would do. Not to mention it was… Alluring. Meirin’s feminity has slowly been improving since she had gotten into a relationship with Ssarak. She took the time to not just clean herself up, but put effort into looking good and smelling nice. Which did remind her that right now she hadn’t had a good bath since she left Djarkel.
”I’m going to go take a bath. Will you be here when I come back?”
Since Meirin was changing, Ssarak took the opportunity to finish getting out of his armor. All of the straps and buckles took a while to undo, not to mention the thick cloth gambeson underneath. He laid out his usual sort of outfit on the bed: pants and a vest consisting mostly of leather and hide. Given his upbringing, fashion had never been much of a concern for him, though he had to admit that it had been crossing his mind as of late, as he had noticed some changes in Meirin’s attitude towards it. He wondered if there was anything she would prefer for him to wear.
Ssarak hardly had his pants on when Meirin spoke up once more. ”A bath? Hmm, I could use one myself, if I am being honest. But yes, I do not think I plan on doing anything else today aside from spending my time with you. I have been looking forward to it the whole way back to the College. Actually, I had something in mind for tonight. A bit of a...surprise, you could say. I suppose I will need an hour or so to arrange that, but I am yours for the rest of the day.”
”Oh? A surprise for me? How sweet.” Meirin smiled at Ssarak. The two of them haven’t been together for long, and for Meirin’s part she was completely naive about what it meant to be in a relationship, but she always enjoyed the little things they did for eachother. Everything from just saying hello in the morning and goodbye at night, to more serious things like talking about their traumas and making love. Meirin made small surprises for Ssarak, generally just by trying to look pretty for him. She wondered what he had in store for her. ”I’ll be back in an hour then. Be ready~” Meirin waved goodbye as she bundled up and grabbed a change of clothes before heading to the baths.
Ssarak grinned back at Mei, feeling warm just at the sight of her own smile. “Take all the time you need. I think this will be best for the evening.” He replied. Once he had finished dressing himself, he too left their room with a new goal in mind. Something that could easily lighten his mood after such a long and stressful mission.
Meirin’s bath was thankfully quiet and uneventful. She occasionally thought she saw something in the water, but for the most part she spent her time in the bath meditating and weaving. She was quite adept at Hydromancy through weaving, and it was one of her primary elements she uses when she fights. With just a simple skin of water she could make a blade, a barrier, or even arrows out of water. With something as big as a bath, she could make a squad of sword-swinging warriors or a hail of arrows. She felt secure in the water. After about thirty minutes she left the baths to wander around the college a bit. Meirin still saw visions of demons out of the corner of her eyes, but she remained strong. She was safe here at the college. She had to be…
What Meirin would find upon her return to their room some time later was that Ssarak was still nowhere to be seen, it was still all just the same as when she had left it...with one exception. There was a note on top of her pillow, written unmistakably in Ssarak’s handwriting. It contained just a few short words: Come to the roof, on the west side of the building. Their room was on the top floor of the dormitory, and outside their window it was easy to just step out onto the angled roof without much in the way of risk, particularly for someone as agile as Meirin. She did so often whenever they decided to go for a flight.
Meirin had taken a walk around the school, using her weaving to help clean up any stray puddles and play in some of the left over snow. She grabbed a small snack by the cafeteria and generally just reminisce about the college. While the dark, horrible things would always be burned into her mind, Meirin would remember the fun and good things too. She remembered feasting with her fellow students in the dining hall, practicing with her professor in one of the courtyards, star gazing underneath some trees. Simple things. After a while Meirin figured an hour had passed and returned to her room. She couldn’t see Ssarak anywhere. ”Hmm? Maybe I came back too early?” She was about to leave when she noticed a note on her pillow.
”Rooftop? Oho.” Meirin could easily get to the rooftop but wondered how she wanted to make her entrance. Did Ssarak prepare a surprise for her if she simply took the stairs, or did he anticipate her using her agility and magic to get to the roof through the side? Would he expect her to do something more extreme, like bursting through the ceiling? The last one was something that made Meirin giggle, but she knew she’d be in extreme trouble if she broke more of the college. So Meirin changed into something warm, comfortably, but seductive; a tight fitting wool sweater dress, with thick tights and furred boots. She also brought a scarf and her signature hat. Once she was dressed Meirin opened her window and boosted herself to the rooftops. It was funny; she couldn’t imagine herself doing this a year ago, but now it was as easy to her as opening a jar.
Meirin landed gracefully onto the rooftop and looked around for Ssarak. ”Ssarak?”
While Meirin did not receive a response in the form of words, she did receive a response. And quite a melodic one at that. Musical notes, plucked from the strings of a rather large instrument just to her west.
Ssarak was sitting near the edge of the roof, facing towards Meirin. In his hands was a string instrument that was likely quite a bit larger than any she had heard before. Naturally, the sound it made was deep, but far from harsh. The tune he played was soft, soothing, and inviting. The instrument was not something he had bought, but rather something he had made by hand. It was a project he had started not long after he arrived at the college, before he had even entered into a relationship with Meirin. Although, he had not told her about it, and had not worked on carving it in her presence. Ssarak was not a professional musician by any means; it had simply been a hobby for him in his youth, but he could still keep up a pleasant tune.
Surrounding Ssarak was an arrangement of plates and silverware laid out on the large, spare blanket he had taken from their room, with a full meal for both of them that he had acquired from the kitchens, complete with a bottle of wine and actual wine glasses. With dusk approaching, it seemed they would be having dinner under the sunset.
Meirin approached, hiding her smile behind her hands. It was like a fairy tale; a rooftop picnic under a starry sky. Music playing in the background. Meirin was expecting Ssarak to try and serenade her at any second. Meirin was at a lost for words as she approached the scene and took a seat on the blanket, taking off her boots. She sat there mesmerized by Ssarak’s music. Sure it wasn’t the best, she’s heard better by other students, but because it was from Ssarak it had a unique quality not even a master could compete with. As he played Meirin flirted with him.
”My my, a man of many talents. Who knew those hands could be so skillful?’
Again, Ssarak did not answer right away. As his song was starting to reach its conclusion, he leaned himself forward, stretching out his long neck so that he could plant a kiss on her lips. It was short, but carried with it even more passion than usual. While he tried to keep playing through it, he did end up accidentally skipping a few notes. Although, without actually knowing the song, it was unlikely that Mei noticed.
Finally, Ssarak finished up the piece and carefully set the instrument down beside him. “Only when these hands are working for you are they so motivated.” Slowly, Ssarak reached out one hand and placed it onto Mei’s cheek. “Hopefully, it shall not be the only way I impress you tonight.”
Blushing lightly Meirin couldn’t help but touch Ssarak’s cheek as well, returning his previous kiss with one of her own. Unlike his however, it wasn’t short, but it was just as passionate. Before she had concerns about romancing an Eysire, but after being in Ssarak’s company for so long she no longer cared. Perhaps it was naive, but Meirin loved Ssarak. She wasn’t going to let what others perceive come in between that. Once Meirin had her fill she just looked into Ssarak’s eyes and whispered. ”My my but aren’t you full of surprises tonight.” Meirin tried to think of other things to say, but the soft growl from her belly exposed what her current interests lay. It made her blush all the more vibrant.
Ssarak laughed along with Meirin’s blushing. ”Well, that was the intention.” He replied, reaching over to the bottle of wine beside him. He removed the cork with the claw on his thumb, then flicked it aside. It was a red, Djarkel wine. While far from the most expensive available, it was a nice enough vintage for Ssarak’s budget that showed that he wanted it to be a special evening. He first poured a glass for her, then himself.
”Our food should still be warm. I picked out some of your favorites; I hope you like it all.” Ssarak commented. Although Mei had not given a single indication that she was even slightly disappointed in anything he had done, he still could not help but to show a bit of nervousness with his invitation for judgment.
Meirin glanced at the food that Ssarak had picked out. The college always made wonderful meals but nothing could beat the taste of home. He had a seven-herb stew, and from the smell he even chose herbs native to Djarkel. There was also fried wheat dumplings, even properly shaped like how she remembered them. She could smell the pork and garlic inside of them. There was even stuffed duck. That was a luxurious meal even in at the college, but she remembered how her old masters used to make it during very special occasions, such as when one of them became a master. Taking a big whiff, she knew it was made almost perfectly; stuffed with diced chicken, pheasant, and noodles, as well as various herbs and spices. Meirin couldn’t help but drool.
”I… I can hardly believe it. But of course I should. Only one man has ever read by mind, and knows what’s in my heart.” Meirin took one of the dumplings and popped it into her mouth, smiling pleasantly as she chewed it. When she finished she wiped her lips. ”Tastes like home. Thank you Ssarak.”
For a few moments, Ssarak almost forgot that he had a meal of his own as he focused on Meirin’s smile. It gave him a genuine pleasure to see that she was happy with what he had done for her, particularly after so long of suffering through travel without her medicine. It was that discomfort he had witnessed that had inspired him to put together this dinner for her. He felt that she deserved to have her spirits lifted up.
”I am glad you like it.” He replied earnestly. Soon after, he took some time to begin on his own meal, which was tailored more to his own tastes. For his mostly-carnivorous diet, that meant a large steak, cooked rare, with sides consisting of cuts of meat from a few other creatures. Little of what he ate was actually native to the Scorched Lands, but he found that he quite liked a lot of the exotic creatures he had tried since leaving his home. Aside from meat, Ssarak also had a particular taste for mushrooms, so he had a sizable stuffed mushroom as a side dish.
After a sip of wine, Ssarak leaned to one side, supporting his weight on one hand as he looked out towards the approaching sunset. ”You know...I often find myself comparing things that I do now to things I used to do before I left home.” He mused. ”I catch myself thinking about trying to recapture what I once had, or something like that. But not now, not this time. I never went out on romantic dinners under the sunset, or just looked up at the stars holding my mate in my arms. This is something different. Something different for me, with you.” Reaching out, Ssarak gently grabbed one of Meirin’s hands in both of his and looked her in the eyes. ”I like that.”
Meirin had helped herself to some of the stew, adding some of the spices and sauce Ssarak had on the side. The taste was home and heaven to her; fond memories of her time before the incident, and the sweet taste of the memories she had here. The duck especially was a unique experience of its own. As if it was representative of something worth celebrating. It almost made Meirin feel guilty that she was enjoying such a thing just between herself and Ssarak; a meal like this was meant to be shared with everyone. But just for now, she’ll let herself indulge in this selfish desire to be with someone she loves.
She sipped on some of the wine as Ssarak spoke to her, his feelings similar to her own. Always thinking back to home and how those experiences matched up, but she never really thought about the unique things she’s experienced. It almost felt… Arrogant, to be amazed and wonder about the great things she has done and gets to do. But again Meirin would allow herself to be selfish. She wasn’t going to spoil this moment thinking about how she’s never had something like this before, and how strange it was to have it. Because what she felt now was not horrible at all. It was awesome.
”So much has changed since I came here. I knew it would but I never knew it would be like this. I have always known tragedy and hardship, but since I’ve been with you I’ve learned what it felt like to.... To be in love, blissful. To look forward to tomorrow even through dark times. You are the light of my life, Ssarak. Like the morning sun that keeps the darkness away. And that… It something I like too.”
”You took the words out of my mouth, my love.” Ssarak replied, quite literally. He had intended to say the same thing about her. Reaching forward, he set his wine glass down beside hers, then pushed his plates over to her side as well. Instead of sitting across from her, he moved himself around to sit down right beside her. He picked up his wine glass again in one hand, and put the other around her waist to pull her close. Ssarak tilted his head down and rested it on top of Meirin’s as he began to look out at the approaching sunset.
”So, aside from all of the training, classes, duties, and responsibilities, what do you think your plans are, now that we are back? I feel that...well, I feel that we are both hard-working individuals who are dedicated to our duties. But, I think that, in the past, we have sort of ended up neglecting time with each other. It is so easy to get caught up in classes, taking on new responsibilities. I know I have overwhelmed my own schedule before. I think I have decided to focus on managing my time a bit better, and giving myself more time to be with you. At least a few more days a week, I want us to be able to have more time together.” Ssarak explained.
Meirin sipped her win and really thought about what Ssarak was asking. It was true, between classes and training Meirin felt that their meetings tend to be short but sweet. Sure, the fact they don’t often meet in private like this made those moments sweeter, but after her recent mission it only made Meirin realize how much she wants to be around Ssarak. But what exactly would they do? Training would of course be the most practical option, but Meirin wanted to try something…. Something new. Something that not even Ssarak has done before. Admittedly Meirin’s own schedule was much more flexible then she’ll admit; aside from her Weaving classes she hasn’t truly been attending her Alchemy classes as much as she should, instead focusing more on training and her magic.
”I’m…. I’m not entirely sure to be honest. Admittedly, I don’t entirely mind how our lives are right now, but I’ll also confess that I wish we could do something more exciting sometimes. Or different at least. Training is all well and good, but I want to be more than just a good warrior or mage.” Leaning against Ssarak, Meirin wondered if maybe she should try to pick up Alchemy again. She knew a few basic regents but it just didn’t really click with her. ”I suppose that’s the trouble for duty-bound people like us, isn’t it? Give us freetime off and all we want to do is exactly what we’ve been doing.” Meirin chuckled. The more she thought about it, the more that everything she thought about doing with Ssarak really boiled down to “Training”.
”Ah… I can’t think of anything. I’m too content with how things are to really imagine what else could be done.”
Ssarak started to laugh along with Meirin’s reply. ”We really need to broaden our horizons, don’t we? I suppose that is to be expected from a monk and a tribal warrior. I am sure there is something for us to do in this world aside from work, though.” He gave a brief sigh. [color=f7941d]”I wish it was practical for us to travel. There are so many places I would like to go with you. We still have not been able to arrange that trip to your monastery. Something always seems to come up. I would love to meet the people who raised you, but it is difficult to free up enough time for such a trip. But, that does not mean there is nothing for us to do around the College grounds. I mean...all of the other students must do something with their time. Perhaps we need some fun hobbies, like…” He began, stopping himself quickly before he spoke the next word. Again, he chuckled to himself and shook his head.
”I almost said sparring again. No, something not related to work. Perhaps some sport, or collection, or...painting?” He said, reaching the point where he was just throwing out any suggestion that came to mind.
Thinking long and hard, Meirin had an idea. It wasn’t a great idea since on Meirin’s end it still had something to do with her own magic, but knowing Ssarak’s little hobby perhaps Meirin could at least enjoy what she does outside of training. ”Well, perhaps music and dancing? Weaving is like dancing, true, but generally when I train I do not get to listen to music. I’d like to be able to just do something freeform while listening to you practice. Perhaps I’ll even learn an instrument myself. How does that sound?”
Ssarak hummed, which turned soon to a grin. ”Hmm, dancing. You know, that has always been something I thought you might have an interest in. You are already so agile and...elegant. I can recall a few times that I have lost myself in a trance just watching you move with your weaving. It makes your already-beautiful form even more tantalizing.” He complimented her before slowly reaching over and grabbing up his instrument once more. He began to pluck at the strings softly once more. ”I do wonder what kind of movements you would put to my people’s music.”
”As do I, my love. As do I.” Meirin stood up and began to pace around the area a bit, trying to get a feel for Ssarak’s plucks. She walked around him in a way that wasn’t merely just a walk, but a sensual strut as if she was trying to seduce him simply by approaching him. Which she was. Meirin walked up to Ssarak and planted a kiss onto his nose and held his head in her hands. ”For this special night, I’ll show you a special dance. For your eyes only.”
Ssarak had something of a hard time concentrating on the music as he watched Meirin approached. His eyes went to her hips, considering that was where her movements drew their attention. He messed up one chord, but corrected quickly. When she gave him her kiss, he stopped entirely and leaned into it, and almost seemed reluctant to end it when she finally spoke. Regardless, he quickly corrected his posture and held up his instrument properly. ”Hmm, and these eyes are definitely dying to see it.” He commented before he resumed playing.
After their kiss, Meirin gave Ssarak a performance that eventually led to the two dancing horizontally with one another, and then they would go and retire to their private quarters to resume the second act. Along the way Meirin promised Ssarak to find some hobbies for the two of them to do to keep their minds sane between all the life-threatening missions they have to do for the college, as well as taking her medication to deal with her nightmares. Fortunately she didn’t receive any more visions that night, and thus Meirin would get some restful sleep for once.
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