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Journey to the East

Elann had never seen her sister act like she was now. Her body language spoke of someone who sensed impending doom. There were such people in her tribe who could sense when things were about to happen, her being one of them (though it was rare). This however was beyond her senses and despite what was going in Aimee's mind, Elann took note that it bothered her greatly.

"Umm...Okay," she said affirmatively with a slight brush of her hand on Aimee's shoulder. With a bit of a run, Elann moved to the wagon and grabbed her bow from under the bench along with her arrows and wrist guard, but she wasn't sure if she'd need them, but it couldn't hurt. Elann didn't know what was going on, but just the look on her sister-in-law's face seemed to unnerve her to the point where she felt safer with it in her hands.

A moment later, she had it about her and was moving over to Noah. There he was whistling into the trees to wake the birds, who slowly started to come to life at his beck and call. Even an owl was heard hooting back.

"Aimee said she's not feeling well. She's really nervous about something. Is it the storm?"

Nervously, Elann held her hands about her waist to await her husband's guidance. While she looked into the woods and could only see blackness, the moon was full and it was far more likely he could perceive more. Perhaps the feeling of death and darkness she got from the woods earlier was a sign. Being afraid of the twisted trees and what she had seen, she didn't want to look again, but given the circumstances, she did.

"Darkness falls..." she eerily said in that same dull voice as he had heard the day she spoke about his second marking.

Journey to the East

It was funny to Elann to hear the common goodnight whine of the children. In a way, they had slowly been growing closer with them, and given the fun that Aimee brought to them that night, it was interesting to hear their particular whines. Even though the children by that point could hardly keep their eyes open, the thought of ending the day seemed a crime. It really reminded her of Noah and in some small aspect, herself.

Having worked all her life, she never lived like the children lived here. She was put to work from before the rise of the sun until often the rise of the next day's sun, only having naps in between. It was a hard life to survive in the desert, but children here had it so easy and much of their life was filled with joy and play. Elann would have likely heard the call to turn to bed and welcomed it gladly instead of offered up a whine.

Aimee was seen coming over to Elann as she was finishing her tent and her shadow arched over the ground from the fire pit as she moved closer. Elann looked up to see her and gave her a smile. Her cautious tone whisper caused the Benshira to stop what she was doing and she hummed curiously.

Above them lightning cracked across the sky and made Elann jump, but at the same time smile slightly. Elann's eyes, like Aimee's went skyward. Aimee asked where her brother was and Elann innocently looked back to her.

"Oh, um, he should be right there on the other side of their wagon."

She pointed to where his feet were barely seen and she wondered what was going on with Aimee. Her stance was one of caution and fear and Elann took in her frame and whole being under close study with her eyes, seeing the pale scars even in the semi-darkness.

"We got up and walked a tiny bit and he came to rest while I set up the tent."

The winds ripping over the tent fortunately wouldn't bother the Benshiran made construction as they were designed for the highly paced winds that swept in microbursts across the desert. Still, even though it chilled her, there was an excitement in Elann and she wondered if Zulrav had come, having heard her prayers. Elann had prayed much of her young life away before Yahal finally tested her and marked her, but it was worth the wait to get to properly know and understand him as best she could. With Zulrav, her knowledge of him was infantile and inexperienced. She had never heard his voice and didn't know that he cared to listen to anyone but Noah, but she hoped he had heard her as it would solidify her faith in him greatly.

Journey to the East

Eventually standing there a while, the cold got to Elann and after her quick stretch, she wrapped her arms about herself. It seemed her husband was torn out of his thoughts by her. She managed to peel his eyes from the woods and by her questions, he indicated he wanted to stay there.

Still not sure how he was feeling, if he was irritated with her or had some other reason for staying, she just nodded, gave him a small smile and turned to walk past him the way they came. As she passed him he could see her eyes were searching his with a small smile on her face, but then they came in front of her so as not to trip on the grass tufts in the darkness once she left. As she left his sphere of space, she slowed her walking and looked over to him over her shoulder. Her hair rolled down the side of her, and coming into the golden light of the fireplace, her face shone her soft skin. Her smile flared a little as she eyed him there in the darkness and her hands lowered to hold at her side. Over her shoulder she spoke to him as she continued forward.

"I should have it up in a few minutes."

Her right hand then came up as she turned to watch once more where she was going and brushed her loosed hair back behind her ear. Her cute little frame hopped over a grass tuft and she almost seemed to break into a little skip. Moving to the back of the wagon, she snagged the tent bundle from the edge of the wagon, she seemed to labor with it a little as it wasn't light, and then holding it securely in her arms, she strode out of sight into the interior of camp where she set it down. Before she started setting up though, she lingered at the fire for a moment to warm up and spoke to some people very briefly.

Her eyes traveled over those there at the fire's edge who had all but set up their tents and to those who had already finished. It was a time of relaxing and merriment for them. The man who played guitar started up a finger-picked song that had a late night mysterious air to it and Elann shortly after moved away from them to set up the tent.

Whether or not it was Noah's eyes on her or someone else's, she felt like she was being watched as she set up her tent, but purposefully didn't look toward the direction Noah had been in. It wasn't long before the tent was erected and she had put the cover over it for rain and dew should it storm like she had prayed, but then she turned toward the wagon's back once more and began heading that way toward Noah once more. It was then she looked to see if she could see his feet illuminated under the wagon's edge by the light, but regardless of what she saw, would just head to the back of their wagon to grab all the rugs, pillows, sheets, and blankets. It would take her a couple trips where she strained a little, but she wasn't annoyed at all; in fact she was somewhat relieved to be setting up the tent. It was hard work. Elann was a worker bee. She had sat in the back of the wagon far too long, and like Noah, would feel relief the more she would do. It also felt good to provide for her husband in some way, even if it was possible that she had annoyed him. It was hard to tell without their bond active; his short words not giving her any insight into how he felt.

Journey to the East

Noah kind of drew silent from what she could tell. His gaze became down trodden at her words and he spoke lowly to her in a single word. It could have been that he was thinking, it could have been that he was sad, it could have been that he was simply agreeing with her in a lowly way, but all she knew was that he was speaking one word answers that didn't communicate much to her. She didn't think her words were pushing him away, but it was possible. She didn't understand how encouraging someone could be so bad. Really she was just confused but tried to not make a big deal out of it.

Having taken what he said at face value instead of flinging wild conjecture, emotions, or thoughts through their bond, she settled in next to him as he stood there. It was a quiet moment between them and she just let him enjoy the moment, standing outside in Leth's light, feeling the breeze. He needed it in her opinion.

She wouldn't bug him for a while unless he wanted to say something, but after that long period of time, she would stretch upward toward the moon with a little squeal and upon coming back down would say, "Ooof...well...I should probably start setting up the tent. Do you want to stay near me while I do it? Do you want to stay here?" She flung random questions of what he could possibly do because she didn't really know what was on his mind.

Journey to the East

Elann nodded and moved the tent bundle to the edge of the wagon after Noah got out. She would set it up after they got back from their little walk. She waited there by his side with a loving and knowing look on her face as he seemed to familiarize himself with nature once more. He didn't give her much credit in knowing him, but for someone like her who had spent her life in a tent, she sure had grown to know at least a bit of what made him tick.

The breezes outside made Elann breath them in and fill her lungs as she looked up into the night sky to see the moon. It was then he slowly stepped forward and began to walk toward the wagon behind them. She remained close, but not hovering. If he went down, there was nowhere really to grab that would not hurt him less than just letting him fall. She remained by his uninjured arm as something he could cling to for balance if he needed to, but really if he was off balance, she would topple over with him.

As she moved with him, Aimee's words resonated in her head and she hoped that she had not damaged their relationship beyond repair. Noah was not a human like her. She had a forgive and forget mentality, and even if she didn't like many humans, the fact she had been treating him with love would usually turn a normal human from their discomfort, but Noah was not like man. He was an animal who had been hurt, and animals at first would ignore the pain, but if it was repeated, that pain would rarely leave them. She had hurt him for a long time and her love and compassion didn't factor into the equation, that was how she understood it anyways, and she hoped that if anything could help them, it would be his distant human side. She wasn't filled with sadness at her thoughts, but instead he could feel she was hopeful a little bit, which was not an uncommon emotion with her.

"She was with your sister last I saw her, but that was earlier."

Elann met his eyes with a kind smile and her own, but as he asked about his stitches, she leaned up against the wagon on his left side and looked into the ominous darkness of the trees. Who knew what was inside? The woman with the bear roaring at her in an unearthly powerful way made her shiver slightly with fear.

"Unfortunately love, it may be another half of a week to a week. He says you are healing nicely though. In my tribe, when someone is hurt, the more active they are, the quicker they heal. Maybe if we walk a bit more like this, you can get better quicker?"

Journey to the East

Elann on the contrary loved to see Noah nude all the time in the privacy of their own home. Her problem with his nudity was that the world itself had a problem with it and she loved him. She didn't enjoy others thinking ill of him, even if he didn't care himself. Kelvics got a break at time for being nude, Noah didn't have the displayed care a lot of Kelvics took when it came to their nudity. He was open and could run into camp being naked like a kid who didn't know any better. It was one such thing she wanted to change about him and he evidently knew it, but inside she had all but given up scolding him for not wearing clothes; purely figuring he would change if he wanted to.

Elann came upon her sister and smiled at their shared desire to help children learn. Elann in part wished she could be there with them as night settled in. It wouldn't be long before they all went to sleep; passed out from running around the wagons all day. Elann pulled her aside just briefly and it seemed that she was actually fine and was in fact going to stay out that evening. Elann would certainly stay with Noah then. The reminder of her husbands loneliness came back and she left Aimee to her lessons with the sounds of discordant Fravata chiming out of each of the kid's mouths behind her.

Noah's hesitation in his answering made her a tad nervous, but she just nodded, prepping to make it easy to get him up off the wagon and able to return. She had asked him if he would want to sleep there or in the tent, but he had a valid question.

"The effort doesn't bother me. I've been setting up these tents all my life. It's very easy for me, and the bedding is already piled up nice for me. I just need to pick it up and flop it on the ground in there. I just figured it'd be nice for you to be out more in nature a little bit, to have the grass closer to you than sanded wood, or to be able to lay of soft squishy earth instead of hard planks. I'm sure the rugs and pillows help, but I don't mind really. Any sort of additional comfort I can give you would be easier on me. You know how I am," she said coyly, as if admitting she were clingy. "I was just thinking too that it would be much easier for you to wake up and go to the bathroom in the morning. You could go by yourself if you wanted, get breakfast yourself or with me if you wanted...stuff like that. I don't like you being cooped up in here."

Journey to the East

Elann nodded a little to him as he asked if she was going to take the plates back. The Benshira took the opportunity to slip from him and slide off the back of the wagon.

"I'll be right back. It should only take a minute."

She gave him a parting grin and with plates in hand, moved toward the bonfire where the cook was dishing up the last of the night's helpings to people who wanted more. He liked Elann and Noah particularly because to him, they seemed courteous. Most people would rudely come back for seconds or thirds, but because Elann ate so little, it seemed like they only ever took one plate each.

"Here are your plates."

"Thank ye doll," he said in a gruff voice, one laden with years of tobacco smoke and heavy drink. "You settin' up your tent tonight?"

"I am not sure, but I don't think so."

She handed them over to him to put in a dish bin to be washed and she then looked around for where Aimee had gone off to. If she wasn't to be seen, then Elann would head back to the wagon. If she was, she would quickly ask if she got something to eat or if she had been swarmed to death by the kids too much, and then Elann would head back to her husband.

Climbing into the back, she flopped onto his bedding on her side of it and looked to wherever he had ended up. He seemed quite awake, so she wondered if he wanted to go and walk around.

"Are you feeling well enough to get out of the wagon and walk around a little? Do you want to sleep back here or in the tent tonight?"

Journey to the East

Elann had never even knew the mark she had existed. The priests always wore clothing designed to cover themselves and so it was a surprise to her. The fact she had been wearing dresses lately was the only reason people would ever see the top tips of the angelic wings on her back. It was even less likely to be seen because of her hair which was always down. She had worshiped Zulrav from a point of almost near opposition, though unintentional, and had made an almost near turnaround. Even if he didn't care about her, she wanted to pay homage to the God of her husband at the very least.

Because Noah loved the wind, she wanted to love the wind, and because he loved the lightning, storms and Zulrav's other qualities, she wanted to love them as well. It started out that way, simply because of her devotion to Noah, but now it had become her own worship to the god. Perhaps she was an annoying, clanging cymbal to him after what she had done to Noah, but her heart was pure and really wanted to know him as Noah did.

Back in the wagon, he had finished his food and together they sat there, her professing her dreams to him, and as she looked down to her lap in worry, he comforted her by laying a loving hand on her. As he rubbed gently, it caused a small smile to return to her.

Content with him, she looked to his right arm on the outward side closest to her where she would normally lay her head against him. There lay his stitches and she resisted the natural urge to lay her head there. Instead, she continued to pet his hair, trying to feel content with the situation they were in with his injuries.

"I'm glad you felt good enough to lay on your back," she said in a sweet voice. "I'm sure even the small changes like that have been a blessing." She then looked over her shoulder to the plates by the edge of the wagon. "Are you still hungry? If so, I should go now before it's all gone. Those children are hungry little kids," she chuckled softly at remembering how swamped Aimee was.

Journey to the East

Elann nodded a little as he said maybe. It was better than his doubt, but it didn't do wonders to cheer her up. Elann had authentically desired the storm and wind, and yes, even rain with it, which Noah revealed was Makutsi. She had known as much, but Makutsi didn't work without Zulrav very often she imagined. Still, her prayer was to her husband's God and she accepted whatever he would bring. The last time it had rained, she had found peace in the storm and it had seemed her fears over the destructive qualities of it had faded a little within her to a healthy respect.

"Yeah, I know. I kind of asked for it all though, even the rain from Makutsi, but from Zulrav the lightning, the winds and whatever he had to bring. I don't know...I just felt open to him and for the first time in a while I guess I didn't feel afraid. When you were messing with the Stormgems, I don't know...I felt happy. Kind of at peace in the storm."

Elann shrugged and chewed on her lip. The storms also reminded her of her fighting with him, but that wasn't all; it also reminded her of the times they sat in each others arms on stormy days. She had been afraid of the lightning then, but if it was truly in Zulrav's hands and he had spared her already, why was she still fearing it? She had been thinking of many things lately and trying to fix them.

He asked about Yahal and she nodded. "I talked to him, but he has been silent to me...except in my dreams and sights...I keep feeling this looming shadow above us and before us on this road. I can't say what it is, but there is a desire for harm among us ahead. That's what I feel anyways. I have been worried about it a little," she confessed. "But I just don't know if it's in my head, or if it's true. It's so hard to tell this time."

Journey to the East

Coming back into the wagon, Elann was happy she saw Aimee still out there and wondered if the woman was actually going to eat the food gathered. Then Elann thought it possible that she herself was the one to have caught the rabbits and squirrels. It wasn't as if they were easy to catch by humans. Elann settled down next to her husband with her plate in hand and handed him his. She only ate a few cubes of the meat before she was done eating. Elann wanted to waste away the feeling of hunger that he had had in him when their bond was open, and from experience, she knew that the bread and water would only make him hungrier. The meat though, both her plate and his combined with the bread would likely sate his appetite.

She set it before him on the rug and waited for him to finish. Elann had noticed the first day that he didn't want her help with the various tasks, and even before that when he had been injured after Caesarion he too did not wish to be helped then. Now he had a choice in the matter and was functional, so she left him to do things himself. As he moved to take the second plate, she nestled closer to him and just hummed a silent Benshiran tune and wriggled her toes to it. Her arm was behind him on the bench and lightly toyed with his hair as she thought about their life in Zeltiva and what it would be like.

He eventually finished the plate of food and she held out her hand to take it kindly from him and to set near the back of the wagon. The sucking sound of his finger was heard as she turned back from where she set it and in resuming her position there at his side, she thought to his question.

"Well, not like Yahal speaks to me directly sometimes with words. But the winds were warm and seemed to dance about me as I sang to him. I suppose that was something, right? You know...I even asked for rain and storms?"

He would know that was a huge step for her as she had a phobia of water and of lightning even still. Essentially everything Zulrav had in his domain was something that had at one point scared her to death, but starting with the warm winds which she held dear in the desert, and now growing in appreciation for even his rain and storms, she had grown a lot in appreciation of her husband's God.