"Tears of Joy" Date: 5/13/04 Cast: Rayek, Ktai Event: What starts as a seemingly innocent enough evening meal turns into a serious discussion between Rayek and Ktai… in which the glider maiden explains that while she's hopelessly in love with him, she won't try to force him to love her back. When he admits that it is... nice to have her near, her tears of happiness confuse him... until she shows him what they are made of. ---- Time has passed since Ktai's return to the Palace, and little by little the once-Glider has returned to some semblance of her old self. She's gone back to hunting, gradually easing herself back into the Daystar's light so as not to burn herself as she once did. In the scant two weeks that have passed, her skin has darkened only slightly... a testament to her early morning hunting as opposed to her old evening hunts. And so it is, that she comes to a halt in the corridor outside of Rayek's rooms with something that might just smell tantalizingly good... if a hungry Airwalker might notice and be hungry. And so the Glider will come to learn -- or relearn -- Rayek's habits as well. He still enjoys the daylight, still hunts during the bright hours of the day. Evenings, though, he tends to find a rock to .. sit on. To close his eyes and listen to the wind and to meditate, more or less. When he sleeps, he sleeps happily, and deeply. Which isn't to say that he won't wake up, but he's not as skittish as he has been before. He still gets hungry, though, so it's an almost amused, ** Out hunting, this late in the day? ** that she gets before he ducks outside and into the hall. She stands, an assortment of food floating nearby her on plates of leaves and thin sheets of stone that bear the unmistakable imprint of Ekuar's magic laden with meats and nuts and some rare berries. At his send, she smirks slightly, for she didn't even get a chance to send to him herself. ** No... my skin is not yet ready to stand the test of the day's full light. I did think that you might be interested in some food, though... ** She raises an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side as she looks to him. As it's newgreen and he's crawling out of his 'den', Rayek doesn't have his fur- lined cloak. Nor does he, for what that's worth, have anything but sandals and breeches on. He stretches lazily, long arms over his head, then he pads closer and takes a visible breath in, eyes half-lidding. He tilts his head in return, a heavy lock of dark hair spilling over his shoulder. ** I could eat. ** Is she holding her breath? Yes, she very well might be. Her dark eyes glitter for a moment before she forces a slow steadying breath out from between slightly parted lips. Her send, when she collects herself enough to send it, is tinged with something almost approaching appreciation... but not quite. ** I brought a bit of everything... go ahead and pick what you want. There's... plenty more. ** A thought occurs to her, and a flash of red washes across her cheeks and up the tips of her ears before she manages to send it back where it came from. Rayek steps even closer, amusement now quite clear as it drifts from him, and he takes a piece of meat and pinches up a fingerful of berries as well. ** You have what you want here too, don't you? ** For a moment, those obsidian eyes flicker to his golden ones, and the tips of her ears turn a most decided shade of scarlet. She deliberately looks away to a leaf laden with nuts and smiles ever so sweetly as she reaches out to it as it drifts near for her to select a few from the offering. ** As you put it so succinctly... ** She tilts her head, looking back at him now, something sparking within her eyes. ** Yes. ** And ever so delicately, she pops a nut into her mouth and chews. Rayek grins openly, shakes his head, and puts the rest of the meat into his mouth to chew thoughtfully. ** Master Ekuar has been after you, hasn't he? ** An eyebrow arches, now, and she tilts her head. ** After me? Whatever would he be after me about? ** She's the picture of innocence... though more because she isn't honestly certain what he's meaning. Another nut is popped into her mouth and she idly reaches for a berry as it zooms near. ** Eating, ** the airwalker says, ** for starters. He thinks everyone's too thin. ** Ktai laughs at that, a sound that dances around her for a moment before it fades. ** Truly, no. In fact, I had to track him down to get these plates prepared. ** One of the thin stone dishes wanders over, as if to illustrate itself, and she takes a bit of meat from it and considers. ** Besides, if he tried to tell me that I'm too thin, I'd have to remind him that it's natural... and I've never seen a fat glider. ** ** You'd have to remind him that he ought to eat, himself, ** he points out. She smiles, putting the meat in her mouth and nodding. ** Precisely. Which, was, why I left a plate full of food for him and suggested he try it out. ** The blush seems to be fading from her ears now that the conversation is on less dangerous ground. You sense in a locksend, Rayek sends, with the effect a man might have if he lowered his voice, ** It's good of you to think of him. Of us. Thank you. ** It is utterly, without reservation, sincere. She smiles, and looks up for a moment, bringing her gaze with his if she can. There is a moment of pause, and then she very deliberately lowers a mental shield for just a brief instant. You soulsend ** ** to Rayek. That prompts the a wash of .. . , not in you, but in himself, that flickers through both send and expression before he looks elsewhere and takes a pair of steps to helf himself to more berries. At once, her face drains of color, then flushes with a red warmth. She didn't intend to upset him, and she's managed yet again to do just that. To occupy herself in a desperate attempt to collect her thoughts and consider her perceived blunder, she brings two half-emptied plates near, reaching out to rearrange the food onto one plate, sending the second plate up tightly underneath the first now-full plate. Rayek watches, all too aware that he wasn't able to lock down that reaction. So he takes the two steps back, and reaches out to catch her hand. A firm, but not painful, grip. "Don't," he says aloud. "It's not you." Now she blushes again, startled by his actions into almost dropping the assortment of foods. Her thoughts whirl around, catching neatly every single dish and whisking them off to the side to land safely nearby as she looks to him. Even though she can send it, she offers just as he has, her soft voice unable to bring itself above a whisper. "Tell me...?" It doesn't need a send to discern that she's offering to listen to it all, whatever he wants to tell her. Rayek exhales and lets go of her again. He tilts his head, expression gone wry, then he glances after the plates and sighs yet again. He glances sidelong at her, then, and squares his shoulders. ** I am no longer Master here. ** Oh. /That./ Her lips twitch with a gentle smile, eyes softening with a liquid warmth. ** My gentle golden Airwalker. ** She shakes her head slightly, the glitter in her eyes brighter. Slowly, she reaches out and trails a finger across his cheek. ** I didn't fall in love with the Master of the Palace. I fell in love with you. ** There's something gentle in her send, something intangibly akin to compassion, understanding, pride in him, and yes, love. Rayek's brow furrows a little as he meets and holds her gaze. ** What is there to love in someone else's shadow, Ktai? In the shadow of a .. a kit. A child. ** *Her* child. Not Ktai's child, but *hers*. The one who's always lurking there in the background. ** You don't look like a shadow to me, Rayek. You burn with your own light for all to see. But sometimes, sometimes having your own light means that you have to be yourself. And in being ourselves, we change. ** She pauses, stepping closer. ** Tell me... do you wish that you were still the Master Hunter of Sorrow's End? ** Oh yes, she's heard the stories. She had spent some time there without him, and she's heard them all. Rayek exhales again, and with it comes a 'breath' of sent laughter. ** Of course I do. Who wouldn't want that? They respected me, Ktai. Liked me? Some of them, maybe not, but they -respected- me. They needed me. -Savah- needed me. ** Ktai's smile deepens. ** But you are much more than a simple hunter now. And you are much more than just the Palace Master. Rayek, you don't need to be an important someone for others to love and respect you. In fact, I have found that it is far easier to be loved when there isn't that air of importance around. ** Her send rings as if there is personal experience behind her words, but she doesn't offer the what of it. ** Ekuar needs your presence very much. Why else would he fluster and fuss over you the way he does? It's his way of telling you that he loves you. ** Rayek dares a little smile. ** Ekuar flusters and fusses by nature, Ktai. It's a part of who he is. If it weren't me, he'd fuss over someone else. He -does-. He'll fuss over you. Just watch. ** Her eyes glitter more and she smiles all the deeper. ** Yes, he does. But I have a sneaking suspicion that he cares for me as well. ** Her send turns slightly teasing. ** And I certainly would think that if you haven't figured out that I'm hopelessly in love with /you/... ** There's more than a slight stress on the term 'you' as if to indicate who he is rather than what he is. ** Then I've been severely remiss, and shall have to redouble my efforts. ** Rayek studies her for a long moment, then shakes his head. ** What do you expect to gain by being hopelessly in love with me, Ktai ** She still smiles, the light still glittering in her eyes. ** Nothing. ** Her hand rests now, on his shoulder. ** That's what love is, Rayek. Giving and unselfish. I don't expect to gain a single thing other than the moments that I can make you smile... moments where the worries of the world aren't quite so weary upon your soul. ** That which is in her eyes softens some, gentling. ** I do not ask you to love me in return, Rayek. To do that would be folly and selfish. I can keep hope, but I will not try to take what is not mine. ** There's an open honesty in the send, a sensation of this is who and what she is, no more, no less. There's nothing hidden, no agenda. If he asked, she'd open her soul for him to see. And that knowledge hangs in the air. Rayek's brow furrows again and he takes a half-step closer, making up what little distance is still between bodies. He touches her cheek, now, fingers that are still too-long, no matter that they are undoubtedly his, warm against her skin. He stands like that, very solemn, and then he gives into another grin that warms his sending as well as his expression. ** You haven't changed. Stubborn as always. ** Her smile twitches just a little, a gentle self-effacing in her send. ** I am who I am, Rayek. Which is why I made a miserable Glider. ** ** Good. ** That's a little fierce, a little edged. ** Better that you have nothing in common with -that- place. ** She allows her hand to fall away now, nodding slowly in agreement. She doesn't offer anything else, though, perhaps she isn't sure what to say after that. Rayek locksends ** It's good to have you here. Home. For now. But with me. ** A soft blush creeps across her cheeks again, and she looks away, eyes suspiciously damp. You locksend ** It is good to be with you again, Rayek. No matter where... if it is with you, it is Home. ** to Rayek. Rayek won't point out that he's noticed. Won't ask, either. It's enough to let the sending stand and say what needs saying. ** You'll have to come out with me, when the Daystar's settled. For empty land and rock and little shrubs, it's pretty here, with red and golden light on the stones. ** Still she looks away, but her send is soft, and perhaps a touch of gratefulness graces it. ** I would like that. It has been long since I saw a pretty landscape... ** Rayek nods. ** I'll show you my favorite place. The Plainsrunners had trouble reaching it, but you and I, we can get there easily. ** She looks over now, unshed tears glittering in her eyelashes. Somewhere in the back of her mind she admonishes herself yet again for how easily those tears come to her eyes, but she smiles at him and nods. ** I... I would like that very much. ** Rayek's brow furrows. Rayek locksends ** Why are you crying now? You were happy a moment ago. ** And even through the unshed tears, she smiles. You locksend ** Because I am happy, beloved. ** to Rayek. Rayek ahhs and the frown eases away again. Tears of joy, something he'll never understand. Give him tears of anger or frustration or even pain, but happy tears? Baffling. ** Then I won't apologize. ** Were she privy to those thoughts, she might try to figure a way to share them, but instead, she only smiles again and watches him. Then he'll ask, after some hesitation, ** Why does joy bring you tears, Ktai? I've never ... certainly I've seen them. Here, of all places. The Palace is full of tears. ** Ktai considers for a moment. ** I could try to share it with you... there's no true easy to explain... But I don't want to overwhelm you... ** He takes a moment to consider again, then he nods, faint movement of his chin and agrees. ** Show me. Please, ** he amends. You soulsend ** ** to Rayek. Through her send, her tears glitter in her eyes, for the very thought that she can share this adds another layer to the emotions and a single tear slips away and down her cheek. Oh. *Oh*. There's ... it's not a click. It's a .. sliding into understanding. Rayek takes a breath that swells his chest and ... holds it a moment before he lets it go. ** I see. ** Which is inadequate for the thoughts that roil through him, and echo in the send.