"On Fresh-Bathed Dogs and Flowers" Log Date: 1/25, 1/27/01 Log Cast: Mehul, Faanshi Log Intro: The shudra Faanshi is no stranger to loss; indeed, in the course of the time she has spent in service in Atesh-Gah, she has almost begun to expect to lose more friends and loved ones than she keeps. But only once before has loss struck so close to home as the embassy of the Children of Fire -- with the death of her beloved heart-mother. And never has loss struck her so violently as with the murder of her young friend Delilah of Clan Messala. Despondent, still in mourning for the passing of the Mongrel bard she loved, the young healer has nearly buckled under the weight of this additional grief. But there is one within Atesh-Gah who has made it his heart's mission to restore light to Faanshi's eyes, and so the casteless hunter Mehul attempts to cheer her the best way he knows how: through affectionate tending of her treasured hound, and equally affectionate tending of Faanshi herself.... *===========================< In Character Time >===========================* Time of day: Evening Date on Aether: Monday, October 3, 3907. Year on Earth: 1507 A.D. Phase of the Moon: New Season: Fall Weather: Clear Skies Temperature: Warm *==========================================================================* Fountain - Courtyard - Atesh-Gah - Haven Concealed within the ring of tall, carefully groomed bushes and the oddly comforting sight of droop-branched willows, is the merry and gurgling presence of a marble fountain. As meticulously cleaned as the rest of Atesh-Gah seems to be, the intricate stonework deceptively simple in appearance. Perhaps ten feet across, the fountain itself is filled with clear, cool water that bubbles forth from a raised pedestal in the centre of the great circle. Carefully tended gardens of bright flowers provide a colourful trim to the circle of trees, their combined scent filling the air with a subtle and sweet fragrance. The temptation to linger here and bask in the soothing feast of the senses is only increased by the presence of the four stone benches that are placed around the fountain. You notice, through the thick greenery of bushes and ferns, a small clearing to the north. Contents: Mehul Obvious exits: Courtyard The afternoon is beautiful. A cool air rustles through the confines of the garden, brushing ever so gentle and giving a slight caress, a countering balance to the light warmth, graced by the ever present and ever beautiful sun, which hangs blissfully in the air. One could tilt their head back, close their eyes, and never wish to wake up in weather such as this. Faanshi stands alone in the Garden, beside the fountain, not a person or creature around, a piece of paper in her hand. Dearest Faanshi, Come to the Garden this afternoon. Come alone. Yours, Mehul It says nothing more. Faanshi has been hard pressed to find something with which to uplift her spirits as of late, to be sure. But even in the grip of depression black enough to match her sari and veil, three things still rouse her out of dull torpor: Kosha, the comfort of the strings of Lyre's namesake instrument beneath her fingers... and Mehul. Her feelings for the big Varati have taken a sharp, desperate edge the last many days, a flavor of fear that keeps telling her that if she grows too attached... he'll vanish. Like Lyre. Like Delilah. But still, with a note like the one he's left her in her possession, she cannot help but venture to the garden in search of him. Alone is not difficult; in fact, Faanshi's much accustomed to going everywhere alone. Peeking about with a wisp of anticipation... that's a bit harder. But she does it, eyes green and plaintive above her veil. The light is blinding for a moment as Faanshi's eyes might fall upon the enterance to the garden. She would most likeyl have to shield her gaze as two figures approach, one large, the other small, both dark. The taller one marches with a strong and powerful stride, eminating grace and physical prowess, charcoal eyes sparking with a sort of delighted anticipation, a small smile upon his beautiful face. It is Mehul. The other... the other is an animal? But a massive one it is as it strides leisurely at his side, ears and head perking up immedietly at the sight of the maiden. It can't be... Kosha? As the beast takes off at a run, its now nearly shimmering fur, rippling in gorgeous waves with each pound comes in to view, combed and cleaned immaculately, and even trimmed! It is level toward the bottom and for once one is able to tell the dog has feet and eyes! The animal looks... wonderful! Never in all the time Kosha has been her best-beloved, constant companion has Faanshi ever seen him... _gleam_; there's no other word for it. A startled little noise escapes her, and though it is soft as any noise that she generally makes, a keenly honed ear may detect a note of pleasure therein. Especially as the big dog barrels up to her and immediately commences to try to leap right into her arms. He goes so far as to get saucer-sized paws on her shoulders, but that provokes a breathless gasp from her that might almost be a giggle. "Ushas," she can be heard to croak before her gaze flashes up to the one who must have brought about this stunning transformation in the hound. "Mehul... did you..." Following Kosha, a good few paces behind the leaping animal, a chuckle sounds, light and merry from a equally shimmering Varati male, tall, impressive and surprisingly cleaned and well groomed. His clothes are of the finest he has ever worn, his face, the purest chocolate skin is flawless, and his hair, every black and silky looking strand is brought back over his head to be tied in to a small ponytail. "Kosha and I bathed together in that stream north of the city." Mehul says quietly as he finaly closes the remaining distance between them, one hand emerging from behind his back to pat the dog lightly, making sure not to ruffle or send the fur in to disarray. Flashing the dog a broad smile, his affectionately smoldering charcoal eyes dart back up to lock so solidly on Faanshi. "He also got you these." he whispers, and from behind the man's back, his other hand emerges, brandishing an beautiful boquet of flowers. "Down, Kosha, down," Faanshi entreats, managing to coax the hound into sitting at her feet. Even as she rewards him by digging her fingers into the plushness of the fur atop his sizeable head, she lets out another little gasp at the general sight of Mehul... and at what he holds forth for her. Her gaze turns very full over her veil, and she breathes out in a shaky tone that sounds oddly caught between tears and laughter, "He... must have... carried them awfully carefully in his teeth... oh, Mehul...!" Another light chuckle eminates from Mehul as his right hand once more folds behind him, the beautiful flowers still extended before him. His entire body seems to capture the afternoon light and atmosphere and hug it to his impressive and flawless form, casting an azure aura about him. "Faanshi..." he breathes affectionately, his lips curving upward even more drasticly as he hears her laughter and see's the glow on her lips and in her eyes. It does his own soul good to see her such. He wont say anything like that though, he dare not remind her. "Indeed he did. Though, he may have had some help picking them out." the Varati admits lightly, softly, winking down at the large beast who looks up at the towering son of fire happily. "Well... thank you, my fine loyal protector," Faanshi murmurs down to the dog, whose tail wags at the sight of both Mehul's wink and at the sound of the healer's voice. Then up to the man once more she glances, hand reaching out for the bouquet. And aye, there's a bit of brightness in the summer's green now, reducing the grief that has dominated them as of late to only a hint of a shadow. "And thank you," she concludes, voice very soft. "It's thanks enough just to see you smile." the Varati replies with such soft affections, his eyes staring in to and cherishing her own, that beautiful summer green, while they still smolder and crackle. Released from having to hold the bouquet, Mehul's hand reaches outward, and soon finds its way to the side of Faanshi's face, to press to her cheek and hold it, lightly, lovingly. He says nothing. Well, she _is_ wearing her veil; however, the maiden seems to understand the sentiment nevertheless. Cradling the bouquet close to her face, she takes a moment to inhale the delicate fragrance of it... and then, as if the gift is enough to dent if not yet bring down the barrier that has arisen about her as of late, she impulsively steps towards Mehul and lays that same cheek of hers against his chest. "I," she breathes, "I-I... oh, Mehul, I know I have not said much but... what happened to the young Imphada... I..." As she falls against him, Mehul enfolds Faanshi in his arms, drapping them about her and bowing his head down so that he might reach and place a kiss atop her own. He strokes her back and her hair, despite the obstructive cloth she wears, attempting to soothe. "Shhh... It's ok, Faanshi..." "H-h-has anyone told you yet... how she... w-what happened?" the maiden whispers hoarsely, the gentle voice strained as though she speaks through a constricted throat. It can be easily sensed that she trembles, and it takes no great leap of intellect to know that the slaying of Delilah of Messala has affected her violently. Kosha, for all that he's enjoyed having his fur so lavishly groomed, now lets out off a little yurf and walks in a circle around the two humans, before settling down with a sigh into a nearby patch of sunlight and watching them with an almost resigned and plaintive look. As Kosha leaves, the last obsticle between them removed, Mehul closes that remaining gap and now stands as close to Faanshi as he humanly can without crushing her or being... too unconfortable. He kisses and nuzzles the top of her head again and sighs, squeezing her lightly as she trembles... "Yes, I heard. I am sorry, Faanshi. So sorry." As she would rather die than let the flowers be crushed, Faanshi loops but one arm around Mehul -- but that dainty limb of hers nevertheless hugs him tightly, while her slender frame shakes in his embrace. Miserably she whispers, "I just... do not understand... how someone could have done this within the Amir-al's own embassy... everytime I think about it I-I-I just want to throw up...!" "Shhhh... shhh..." he insists still, pulling Faanshi even tighter to him yet, though not of his own choice... It is because of his need, his unstoppable desire to shelter, to protect, and to love her... "I promise I will protect you Faanshi. And if you want... I will attempt to hunt down whoever did this... and make sure they pay for their crime." Odd word Mehul chose there... hunt. Sounding dangerously on the verge of tears, the shudra croaks, "You... you can do that? You could find the one who... who..." Her head comes up, giving the big hunter a close view of the tears brimming over in leaf-colored eyes. She cannot finish her sentence, but her meaning is obvious: the one who so brutally murdered a young girl? Meeting those eyes, Mehul feels himself weaken with the second, his breath becoming choked as he feels the immense pain within Faanshi. He leans forward, slowly, and places kisses upon her eyes, first one, then the other, removing the tears from them before whispering, feather soft. "Yes, I can." "You.. you should speak with the Warlord Sumai," is Faanshi's hoarsely murmured reply. "H-he killed the man who dared t-take the young Imphada before... h-he wouldl... he would claim justice for this..." But her voice turns a little uncertain, as she is torn between the instinctive reaction of trust to the solid wall of reassurance that is Mehul, and the heavily ingrained knowledge of what a Warlord would demand as his right and due. "Do not concern yourself, dearest Faanshi..." he whispers, so softly, so quietly, bowing his head and shaking it slowly, sadly, allowing himself a small sigh before lifting his smoldering eyes to lock to hers once more. "I will take care of this. Do not let it weigh anymore on your mind or heart." and he kisses her forhead and eyes again, three tender caresses of his lips. There is a deep, profound kind of relief that comes from the simple hearing of someone promising to take care of one's problems. Mehul, this big Son of Fire who has dropped so abruptly into a lonely halfbreed shudra's life, has pledged to protect and care for her... and even now a little corner of Faanshi's mind cannot quite believe in the truth of his claim. But a great portion of it resonates with the words that fall upon her ears, and she shudders in reaction. "It's hard," she breathes, tears prompted as much by the promise of justice to be brought as by the comfort of the Varati man's arms. "But I-I-I will try...!" "I know it is, Faanshi. But it will be ok..." he promises in hushed and gentle words which float so softly to rest within her ear and her heart. Mehul holds Faanshi, holds her as dear as he has ever held anything in his entire life, in secure and strong arms that envelope her completely, which clutch her to him to share his being with her. "Kosha wants to see you smile more often again as well. And hopes maybe you'll come with us the next time we go out to the stream." A small sniffle can be heard somewhere behind Faanshi's veil -- but when she speaks again, something almost like amusement might be detected in her soft words. "You a-appear to be on... quite the conversational basis with Kosha..." At the sound of his name, the dog wags his tail hopefully, though he doesn't yet get up out of the spot of sunshine upon the ground. A very light chuckle shakes itself from Mehul's body and he releases a long sigh of relief as Faanshi's mood seems to lighten, his own body releasing some of the tension that had held it. He settles in against her, comfortably, the strenght of his embrace falling, though the warmth does not. "I like to think Kosha and I have become quite close." he says with a small smile, looking down in to the shudra's eyes. "Havn't we?" The last is thrown to the gigantic dog, gaze following. Kosha evidently quite thoroughly agrees with that contention, for that small crumb of Mehul's attention makes the dog lift up his head and thump his tail against the ground with greater vigor. His tongue lolls amiably, and with the sunlight upon the coat, he continues to veritably gleam. Turning slightly in Mehul's embrace to peek at her beloved dog, Faanshi murmurs gratefully, "I am glad you like him... and Ushas, I have never seen him so _clean_...! It would take me hours to do that...!" Mehul sighs happily as he observes Faanshi staring at her beloved dog and best friend. It is so nice to see her like this again, somewhat happy at least. He just stares in amazement at the woman who has so thuroughly captured his heart. "If it did," his voice is a little quieter before he manages to snap himself out of his daze, "I don't think either of us noticed. We were having too much fun together, weren't we Kosha?" Indeed they were. They spent a good while laughing and splashing around in the stream as they bathed, swimming about freely. It would be easy to imagine Kosha being intelligent enough to bob his head enthusiastically in reply to that affecionate tone -- though one must settle for the dog merely gazing happily up at the pair of humans, tail a-wagwagwagwagwag. "He won't stay that way," Faanshi muses. "Burrs and dirt will get in his fur... and he loves to roll in the mud." And its then that the large Varati even goes so far as to smirk a touch, allowing hismelf another small chuckle before shifting his body so that he is behind Faanshi, so her gaze might remain on her beloved dog as his arms wrap about her waist, coming to clasp eachother in front, his lips kissing the bakc of her head. "Well then we'll just have to keep going down there every once in a while." "The stream you took me to before?" Faanshi asks. There's still a touch of plaintiveness in her voice, a touch of the haunted lurking underneath -- and after weeks of her company it could well be easily concluded that this maiden is seldom without a touch of sorrow in her demeanor. Rare indeed is she subsumed in unadulterated joy, even at times such as these when her protector's arms are around her and her dog is with her and the sun is shining bright upon them all. Mehul nods from his position behind Faanshi, it felt against the back of her head as his bobs and his lips, still pressed to her, shift their position a touch. He even squeezes her a little more firmly in his arms. "Yes. I used to bathe in it all the time when I did not stay in Haven, as I told you. So I thought it would be a good place to take Kosha." "I remember." Faanshi exhales, a bare breath of sound with no more substance to it than a spring breeze might have upon a new life. There is still tension within her delicate form -- but it's draining away. Her heart might hold misgivings about Mehul following the path of everyone she has loved in the past -- the path of death and loss -- but it is difficult to hang onto that fear against the solid, sturdy reality of his arms. But still that fear is there, and she murmurs in a plaintive tone, "Mehul... promise me again... that you will not l... leave me. I beg of you..." A light sigh, feather soft against the back of her head, and Mehul squeezes Faanshi snugle against him, nuzzling his forhead against her before he lets out his heart in a whisper. "I will never leave you Faanshi... I promise. I will love you and be by your side forever." Nothing lasts forever. All men must die, and all women. Such is the will of Ashur Masad, who judges the souls of men before they pass into their next lives. There is no such thing as forever -- but for one of still comparatively tender years such as Faanshi, the span of years that a mortal life can claim is a close approximation. And although her heart tells her that she will have to live out a long life alone, it is still pleasant... greatly pleasant... to let herself believe at least for a little while. She turns. And she hugs Mehul closer, murmuring, "I will welcome you and gladly...!" "Then think no more of lonliness my dear Faanshi..." Mehul whispers as he stares down in to her eyes, his hands rising up her body to cup either side of her face, his thumbs caressing her skin through the thin layer of her veil. "For I am here with you now, as I will be always, til I give my very last breath." His smoldering gaze, it burns with an immesureable passion and love... a fire that can not be doused. No... very little doubt and fear can stand in the face of that unwavering resolution and devotion. The maiden's green gaze lifts -- and is caught, uplifted, drawn into the smoldering charcoal depths of the gaze of the hunter. Her breath catches behind her veil. And although she has not been brave enough or perhaps impulsive enough or perhaps both to give the name of love to the emotions that have seized her, they nevertheless spark up within her eyes. The beginnings of something that may well be love shine there. And somehow she manages to both cradle the flowers to shield them from harm and lift herself up onto her toes, drawing up a hand to cradle Mehul's dark cheek. She can't think of words to say in reply... but there is the touch of her hand, and moreover, the movement of that same hand that draws down her veil so that her hopeful, wistful smile can be seen. And so that she can kiss his other cheek, shyly... but more bravely than she's been before. Perhaps later... the words will come. [End log.]