by Orr, Krystal
Talliea furrowed her brow in thought, Arizira's fingers still lightly smoothing across her skin. "They were of your tribe?" she asked.
"No one can recall," Arizira replied. "Ir'ra was an acolyte of Aitla, an Order than has all but vanished in recent times. The only remainder of that ancient sect are what we now call Dream Speakers."
Talliea nodded. She moved the hand she had on Arizira's upper arm and trailed her fingers up and across her throat. "And of Tareya? Who was she?"
At this, Arizira shook her head. "There is nothing about Tareya that remains in the texts that could shed light on who she was."
"Nothing? Why?"
"It is said that any information about Tareya that could illuminate her nature in the texts is badly damaged. Some of the wise amongst us say by time and weather, others by those desiring to keep her a secret."
Talliea frowned. "Why would someone wish to do such a thing? Keep her a secret?"
"I do not know, failira. That is for the scholars and the Dream Speakers to debate. All I know is that Ir'ra and Tareya are believed to be the first to discover the Doira'Liim connection. Their story served as the basis for my faith in that bond. Having met you, I know their connection to have been real for I now experience it."
Talliea smiled and lowered her eyes. She watched as her fingers ran soft patterns across Arizira's sternum. It unnerved her that no more about Ir'ra and Tareya had survived the test of time. She could see a resemblance between them and Arizira and herself. What knowledge about this bond now lay buried with them in the past, she wondered. What troubled Talliea the most was the possibility that some, long ago, may have tried to hide Tareya's true identity. What purpose could there have been for doing such?
Perhaps time had erased the memory of Tareya, as Arizira had said. Still...
"Tah-li?" Brown eyes moved back up to meet silvery-blue. "The rain and sleet have stopped. Let us dress and go play in the snow."
Talliea laughed. Arizira's childlike playfulness still continued to touch her. To Arizira, there were no worries, no problems. To her there was only life and joy and happiness. There was only love and peace and games in the snow. "You want to play in the snow?"
Arizira nodded, a bright smile beginning to touch her lips. "There is a winter berry called endei'thwir that will freeze on the outside creating an icy shell, while the meat and juice on the inside remains moist. My sisters and I have often enjoyed cracking the ice crust over handfuls of snow. The juice inside covers the cold snow creating a sweet treat."
Talliea found herself smiling with Arizira at the other woman's easy exuberance. She hoped always to see her love as she was now: Carefree. Happy. Loved.
Talliea's eyes regained their focus, though they remained slightly misty. Looking up, she met Tareya's gaze and grew unnerved by her presence. She knew who this woman was, at least partly. "I know who you are," she said.
Tareya nodded, her steely gaze unwavering. "I should hope so since I am a part of you." Talliea swallowed her nerves and stood up. The air was warm around her and the sun felt good against her skin. There was a sense of dread, of unease, that was attempting to crawl up her spine and whisper in her ear. The woman before her was dead. Arizira had told her that Ir'ra and Tareya had lived many years in the past. How was it that she now stood in conversation with one of those women? Was she dead? Had she suffered some injury in the battle? What had Tareya meant when she said she was a part of her?
"You are one of the women I have been having visions of. Ari told me of you. You were the beloved of Ir'ra." Tareya nodded, but did not elaborate. Her grey eyes continued to behold Talliea, seeming to look through her and see every part of her soul laid bare. "What am I doing here?" Talliea asked. "Where is Ari-sera?"
"She is safe and watches over you," Tareya said. "But our time runs against the pace of war. Even now Esu men march against the Arnira." Talliea's eyes grew wide. Her clan was moving to strike against Arizira's people? So soon? What moment of boldness had spurred such a move?
"Your love," Tareya was saying, "and the company you keep will be too late. Their arrival shall meet a clash of arms in progress.
"Then you must return me to her!" Talliea yelled. "Without me, peace can not be achieved!"
"How do you know this to be certain?" Tareya asked, eyes sparkling with some unknown glint.
Without hesitation, Talliea replied, "Because it is my destiny, or so I have been told."
Tareya smiled, but it did not evoke comfort in Talliea. "You have been told much, some true and some fed by conjecture." Talliea threw her hands up and turned her back on Tareya. She was tired of everyone playing games with her. She was tired of being told riddles that she had to guess the answers to, or of being given slivers of possible answers that she was then expected to decipher. If the Esu were marching against the Arnira then Talliea knew Arizira and their friends would be caught in the middle.
What would happen if that came to pass? Arizira was a formidable warrior; Talliea had seen her reflexes and her strength with weapons. She knew her love could hold her own, but for how long? If the Esu camp had emptied, then that meant hundreds of Esu men, skilled in the ways of the Light as well as in close quarter combat, were now moving to attack. Arizira could not fight them all.
She was only one woman and she was pregnant. Standing with her hands on her hips, Talliea wheeled around in a fury and met Tareya's eyes. "Enough! I shall not stand here and banter with you when my love faces certain peril! I am getting back to her, with or without you help!" With that, Talliea turned away from Tareya once again and started down the dirt trail that lead back into the surrounding forest. She did not get but a few steps when Tareya materialized in front of her. Talliea took a step back, rattled.
"Tell me," Tareya said in a smooth voice, "when you kiss her, is there a flavor that lingers? A tantalizing taste that kisses your lips long after she has moved away from you?"
Talliea faltered. Tareya smiled that unnerving smile again. Silence stretched for long moments as one strong spirited woman stood against another strong willed one. "M-mint," Talliea whispered softly into the passing breeze.
Tareya turned her head to the side. "Hm?"
"Mint. She tastes of mint," Talliea said, this time louder.
"Ir'ra used to taste of endei'thwir berries. She loved them, I recall, so it was quite a nice surprise for both of us." Talliea did not respond, but Tareya continued to carry their conversation. "You have tasted mint since the first time you kissed her, yes?"
"Yes."
Tareya stepped closer to Talliea. "Do you know why?"
"No."
"A pity," Tareya said, frowning.
When the two women were once again face to face, Talliea found her voice again. "Do you know why?"
"Yes, that is why I am here. I am the answer to all the questions you have been seeking."
Talliea felt her heart beat faster for a moment. The thought of finally learning everything she had been searching for was inviting. For so long, both she and Arizira had been kept in the dark on their destiny and what each of them were required to do. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, both of them had still decided to undertake the journey Cynra had asked of them.
They'd had no reasons to believe the older woman, just as they'd had no reasons to doubt her. In the midst of ancient hatreds and current animosities, Talliea and Arizira had chosen to do what they felt was right. Even in times where their courage had seemed to waver, they had pressed on in the hopes of learning more about themselves and for the possibility of creating a more welcome world for their unborn daughter.
Here, wherever that was, Talliea was being given an opportunity to quench her thirst for knowledge. Here, there was someone who promised her answers. Could she so easily turn away from that chance? What of Arizira and the others? Did she risk them for these answers? Perhaps the answers Tareya held were the key to victory? Without them, was hope already truly lost?
"You have much to learn afore your eyes see your love,"
Tareya said, shattering Talliea's inner debates.
"About what?" Talliea whispered in a small voice.
"About me, Arizira, yourself, as well as Ir'ra, for all our spirits are bound by a single thread of fate."
Talliea turned away from Tareya's penetrating gaze and looked behind her. The large and distant settlement seemed to call to her. Never before had she seen the likes of it. Even when she had been a small child, before the wars had broken out in the Southlands, her people's towns had never matched what her eyes beheld now. "What is this place?" she wondered out loud. "Where are we?"
Tareya moved to stand next to Talliea and the two of them looked on in wonder at the sprawling town that loomed before them. "We stand at the height of Esu civilization, as well as the precipice of its great downfall. This is both the dawn of our achievements and the growing dusk of our esurience."
Talliea swallowed nervously and nodded her head, though Tareya's answer was less than elucidating. "T-this is...this is the past?" she asked.
"Yes. This is where it all began: My story. Your story. You desire answers?" Talliea nodded, eyes still lost in their view. "Truth shall be your weapon against all those who would seek to be your enemy. The history of our people with the Arnira has become lost, traces of it now living on in fanciful tales of legend and valor. I shall show you the true history of our two peoples. I shall teach you of yourself and of your own shameful lineage."
Turning to meet Tareya's eyes, Talliea could only dip her head in acquiescence. Question upon question fired inside the confines of her mind and burned the tip of her tongue, but she ignored them and put her trust in Tareya. "You said you knew why I tasted mint in Arizira's kiss."
Tareya inhaled and looked back to the distant settlement. "Yes."
"Tell me."
Turning back to Talliea, Tareya responded "It is the physical manifestation of your spirit touching hers. Only those who share the bond you do can experience it. The flavor is unique to the individual lives of those who come together. Your life and experiences, as well as hers, culminated into that single moment when you each sought out the other. One of you long enjoyed the taste of mint and that was shared when you kissed, becoming a symbol whenever your two spirits recognized each other thereafter."
Talliea exhaled a shallow breath, the memory of her first kiss with Arizira dancing before her eyes. Wrapping her arms around herself, though she did not feel chilled, Talliea felt tears sting at her eyes. "It was me. I enjoyed the taste of mint. It was I who initiated the contact with Ari, who sought to deepen our connection. I kissed her."
Tareya smiled and nodded. "You created a symbol, a physical and sensory symbol, that belongs to only the two of you. Come." Talliea looked down and noticed Tareya's outstretched hand. Hesitating for only a moment, she took the proffered hand and allowed her destiny to take her over.
Chapter 33: Alone to Lament
Arizira exhaled and let her body fall back against Talliea's. The water was warm around the two of them from the early morning sun. Strong arms wrapped around her middle and landed on her stomach while a soft kiss was placed along her wet neck.
"This is new," Arizira said in a low but playful tone of voice.
Talliea, nestled behind her in the stream that ran behind Li'nas Dei, smiled against her skin. When the two of them had decided to bathe that morning, neither had been expecting to find a large drop off in the muddy and rocky bottom of the rivulet. As such, the water where they now stood came up to just below their chests and allowed them the pleasure of submerging their bodies completely.
The night before, Talliea had used her abilities to bring Arizira back to her and the two of them had reunited after months of being apart. Thinking about their lovemaking caused Arizira to blush. She rested her head back on Talliea's shoulder and placed her hands on top of the ones holding her so securely.
Though the Esu women, in the valley below Li'nas Dei, were known to use this same stream for their own bathing needs, they never ventured so far up hill and so Talliea and Arizira knew their privacy was assured. Neither knew when Cynra and Taetylona would return, but they both were aware that their time alone was limited. So they put off thinking about what lay ahead and instead focused on their love for each other. They focused on being together again after so long being apart.
Talliea's smile grew as she slowly began to trace circles on Arizira's lower stomach. She could feel the muscles tensing with every soft stroke. "New is not bad, though. This drop in the water is nice," she responded after a time. "I have always enjoyed feeling the water slick against your skin and mine."
Arizira did not say anything. She was in a state of absolute peace, despite every other facet of her life being so convoluted. For just a moment she wanted to shut out the world and concentrate on being in love and being an expectant mother. The gods owed her that much.
Another kiss met the side of her neck and moved up to caress her ear. She moaned softly and pushed her self back against Talliea. "I am so happy right now with you, failira."
Talliea tightened her embrace and lowered her head until her nose was grazing across Arizira's shoulder. Water ran down her face from her wet hair. "Me, too, love. I have missed you so much. You feel like a dream." The wind picked up above them and blew leaves and the scent of spring flowers through the stream. Birds took to the sky while a rabbit bravely approached the water's edge to sneak a drink.
Arizira watched the white and grey rabbit with a smile on her face. Behind her, Talliea was tracing her lips across her shoulder blade. She looked up and became lost as the sun danced behind the thick canopy of trees and sent shadows and streams of light parading across the forest floor.
Tranquility and serenity settled inside her and she sighed. "Would that I could remain like this with you forever."
Talliea nodded against the back of her neck, her own heart mirroring Arizira's desire. "We can still run away together, Ari."
Arizira swallowed the tight lump that formed inside her throat at the mention of running away. Just the night before, Talliea had brought up the possibility of the two of them leaving both of their peoples and getting away from the increasingly likely coming war. Arizira could not deny that a part of her wished to do so. She could not suffer the idea of any harm coming to Talliea or their baby. Especially not their baby.
Yet, she knew she did not have it in her to leave. She could not walk away from her responsibilities or her duties to her sisters. There was still, in her mind, a chance of peace. What example would she be setting for her daughter if she abandoned her tribe in their greatest time of need, if she left and disregarded her oaths as a huntress and protector?
"I can not, Tah-li." Talliea sighed at the whispered response and all grew quiet. Arizira felt Talliea's left hand move and glide up her chest and to the side of her face. Fingers brushed hair away from her neck and caressed wet skin. Talliea's right hand also moved, it coming to rest against Arizira's right breast.
For several moments, that is how the two of them remained. Talliea's left hand gently continued to brush across Arizira's ear, jaw, neck and hair, while her right hand palmed a soft breast. "I love you," Talliea whispered into Arizira's tapered ear before licking at the sensitive shell.
"Show me, Tah-li," Arizira said, " Allow this moment to be remembered." At Arizira's words, Talliea felt the mood between them shift. No longer were the two of them simply enjoying a bath together as the morning grew and the sun rose. No. Arizira was asking for something more. She was asking for peace and fulfillment because she knew their own time alone was coming to an end. She knew simple moments where they could make love and talk about life and fall asleep in one another's arms was soon to become a fleeting memory.
Arizira was asking for Talliea to give her something they both needed, something that would be a source of strength for them when they were faced with hard decisions and choices; something to sustain them when they had to leave Li'nas Dei.
Talliea's right hand squeezed her love's heavy breast
and palmed the tight nipple. Arizira's breath hitched. "Right here?" Talliea asked with a playful smile evident in her tone. The mood of arousal between them was quickly escalating.
Squeezing the hand that was holding her breast, Arizira nodded. "The world would shun us for our feelings, for being in love when it is the most pure and beautiful emotion. I would have the world be witness to my desire for you, to know that what we share is true."
Talliea lifted her head from Arizira's shoulder and searched her face. Their location in the stream was well secluded. A multitude of trees surrounded them and thick bushes ripe with berries lined either side of the water around them. Rocks and pebbles could be spied between tall grass and green-fallen leaves. No other living soul, other than birds and rodents, was near to them.
And yet, Talliea knew what Arizira was referring to. She knew what Arizira's intent was. Their short-lived time together had seen them bonding while in dark and secluded caves. It had seen them hiding from those that would harm them or not understand them. Talliea knew Arizira wished to make a statement, a single unified voice from the two of them that love was never wrong.
"I would have you bond with me as the sun and the trees and all that is rich amongst us bears witness, for we do not hide our feelings, Tah-li. Touch me and let me forget everything but you. Please." The simple word was all it took for Talliea to slide her right hand down from Arizira's nipple and move between her thighs.
Arizira moaned and pushed back against her love. It was not so long ago that Talliea had been shy and unsure of herself, that she had been afraid of being more than she had been raised to be. Arizira recalled Talliea's reluctance to voice her opinions early on in their friendship and how she had viewed her body as something shameful, rather something beautiful and worthy of adoration.