by Lexy Wolfe
Skyfire smiled faintly. "Family bonds can be very formal, but they are very rarely long in duration, and almost never lifelong." His smile faded as he said, "Even ties that are only meant to last a season end prematurely in death." Shaking his head slightly, he said, "Th'yala are... friends. They are mates, but not. They share emotional and physical ties, at least for a time. It is no less painful when it is lost before it would end naturally."
Terrence looked at Storm, then away. "I have seen less grief from those among my people who are joined for life than when Storm grieved for her th'yala Chase."
"What you witnessed in the Vi'disa tribe lands was not grief, it was shame and unanswered rage for what she believed was Almek's betrayal and the oath that binds her to him. No living eyes ever witness a Swordanzen's grief." Skyfire looked down at Storm with a shared sadness, closing his eyes to rest his cheek against her head.
"Then what is a th'yala if not a mate?" Terrence wondered.
"A th'yala is a companion that exists outside of normal tribal bonds, like Swordanzen who have no ties. Or those within different tribes who join for reasons unrelated to mating."
A flicker of Dzee's memory inserted itself into Terrence's mind, and he suddenly understood. "Of course. Skyfire, there is a reason why Swordanzen can have such intimate relationships as that of th'yala." Skyfire glanced over at Terrence, curious about the Forentan's cheeks colored with embarrassment. "Desanti know when it is possible to conceive children." The young man met Skyfire's startled eyes. "Both season mates and lifemates share children. Th'yala never share children. Ever. Knowing when... ah, conception is possible... eliminates the risk."
The Desanti man blinked in surprise at the underlying meaning. "Your people cannot sense such things as when a child may be or has been conceived?" When Terrence shook his head, Skyfire was thoughtfully silent for a time. "That explains many of the confusing things about your people's strange courting traditions. And why Lord Ash has jealousy in his heart towards me." The young journeyman agreed wordlessly, unable not to smile a little at the Desanti man.
Chapter 2
The late afternoon sun painted the sky in an incredible panorama of colors above the nearly bare branches of the giant trees of Ithesra by the time the group wound their way through the northern outskirts of the Forentan capital, finally reaching the forest floor home of the Illaini Magus. Leaves and fallen twigs littered the formerly immaculate glade, swirling in the gusting wind.
Ash was silent as he regarded the wilted flowers and neglected herb plants of Dessa's abandoned gardens, an aching sadness for the loss of his childhood friend in his heart. Feeling eyes on him, he noticed Storm staring at him intently with an unreadable expression. Turning away, he shook his head sharply once to banish the emotions to deal with later, irritated with himself for allowing himself to be momentarily overcome with needless sentiment. That anyone, especially Storm, witnessed his momentary lapse of self-control irritated him more.
"Master Almek." Ash regarded the tired looking Dusvet Guardian with a trace of concern on his features. "Are you certain you want to remain in Ithesra for the winter and not continue to Fortress sooner? Spring does not arrive in Forenta until later than it does further south in Sevmana. It would be better to leave sooner to avoid traveling during the Forentan winter's harsher temper. If your need to return is great—"
Grey hair now nearly white, face more drawn with age, Almek straightened in his saddle. "I am quite certain. Fortress is accessible only through some of the harshest territory outside of Desantiva. In the best of weather conditions, it takes nearly two months to get there from here, and autumn and winter make the roads to Fortress's Sanctuary all but impassable."
"But—"
"No. We are all exhausted from the events of a week ago. I wish all of my students to recover from the recent events." Giving Storm a meaningful look, Almek stated pointedly, "Recover completely."
Sighing, Storm looked down and away in shame, replying with a subdued, "Yes, Lord Almek." The uncharacteristically docile demeanor belied how seriously the incident that required Taylin's healing skills had been, causing a stir among the others.
Dismounting, Emil and Emaris traded concerned frowns. The mercenary thief muttered loudly to Emaris, "Ain't like 'er not t' get all bristly 'bout bein' told t' rest. Dinna think she were all that bad off."
"Never underestimate the willful stubbornness of a Desanti. Their ability to ignore injuries and illnesses is the stuff of legends," Mureln said drolly, rewarded with a glare from Storm. Once the drizar lowered himself to the ground, the two Desanti dismounted. Skyfire only chuckled in amusement, pulling Storm close as he draped his cloak around her again.
Emil looked over at the neglected stables and sighed. "I s'pose we should be earnin' our keep. We'll get th' horses put up." The small man eyed the drizar that walked over towards him without Storm riding or leading him. The drizar snorted softly, returning the look, as wary of the man as the man was of him. "And th' desert monsters." The drizar chuffed, holding his head up high as he pranced, as if proud of the moniker the mercenary had given him. "Don't ye be expectin' me t'feed ye, neither, ye monster. I like t' keep all m'fingers." The drizar playfully bared teeth the length of children's fingers at Emil before walking side by side with the drizzen towards the stables ahead of Emil.
Handing the reins of his mount to Emaris, the bard looked over at Ash. "Is there enough room for all of us to remain for more than a few days?" he wondered.
"Plenty," Ash replied flatly. "This entire area between these three trees and the trees themselves belongs to me." Everyone looked up to regard the gently swaying bridges far above that linked the trees together, noticing windows and balconies along the trunk now that the leaves had fallen. Thoughtful, the mage added, "Though I had not anticipated we would be remaining long once we returned. I will need to acquire servants and supplies to restock the house properly since we will be here through the winter." He waved a hand to remove the preservation ward, tugging the front door open easily. "Since there was only me and two students, I needed only one servant; I had the other rooms closed off to preserve them."
As the rest followed the mage into the large common room, Terrence approached Ash and bowed slightly at the waist. "Master, please allow me to assist here while you go to Ithesra proper. I am certain the others would not mind waiting to settle in while you attend to business, and I know where the teas and wines are."
The master mage smiled proudly at his journeyman and nodded. "Of course, Terrence. I should not be overlong." Ash's expression grew troubled as he watched Almek settle himself with a grimace.
Terrence followed Ash's gaze and added in a low voice, "The Edai Tredecima will be selecting a new Se'edai Magus soon. You should let them know you have returned so the ceremony can be arranged as quickly as possible."
At the mention of the Edai Tredecima, Storm shuddered and pulled her cloak around herself tighter as if to ward off her memories of the Magus Academy completely. Skyfire tightened his arm around her comfortingly before looking up at Ash. "Lord Ash, before you leave?" When Ash looked over, Skyfire asked, "Would you have a room Storm and I could use?" Looking drawn and exhausted, it was obvious both Desanti were fighting to stay awake and on their feet.
Complete silence fell over the room as the others looked at Ash, watching his unspoken reaction as they waited for his response. Reflecting nothing outwardly, the Illaini Magus nodded wordlessly after several long moments, turning to walk stiffly to one of the archways that led upwards into the great tree.
Chapter 3
Following the curving hall halfway up the south side of the tree, they arrived at a landing with an alcove, a shuttered balcony and a single doorway. Pushing the door open, Ash led the two Desanti into a small suite, waving a hand to light the magelight lamps inset into the wall. The furnishings were minimal. A single window with plain curtains was centered on the outer wall and a small table with two chairs on opposing sides occupied the middle of the room itself. The walls flanki
ng the entrance each had a single door that led to small sleeping rooms adjoining the quaint sitting room. Ash stood to one side to allow the Desanti pair to enter. As soon as they were inside, the mage started to leave without a word to either of them.
Keeping one arm firmly around Storm, Skyfire grabbed Ash by the arm. "We must speak," the Desanti man stated flatly to the Forentan. Despite his brush with death, Skyfire's restraining grip was surprisingly firm on Ash's upper arm. And it was equally unyielding. Ash met Skyfire's unflinching gaze, barely flicking a glance at Storm who would not look up. After a moment, the mage shrugged indifferently and walked into one of the sleeping rooms. Skyfire followed, guiding Storm to sit on the edge of the wide bed.
When Skyfire's attention was on helping Storm, Ash was tempted to leave, but something about the look in Skyfire's eyes alone restrained him. Impatiently, the mage stated coldly, "The house was never stocked to support the number of people who reside here now, and after Dessa died..." Ash closed his eyes as the ache of Dessa's loss welled up again. A puzzling feeling made him open his eyes to see Storm's gaze fixed on him. Perversely irritated for reasons he could not put his finger on, he shook his head and pushed the emotions aside again. "I had not returned since my only servant's death, so there had been no one to... attend to mundane household business such as stocking the kitchen."
Silence met Ash's words; neither Desanti spoke, their expressions as emotionless and unreadable as the most disciplined Forentan mage. Shaking his head sharply, Ash continued briskly as he turned to leave. "Nor do any of us have the skills necessary to feed so many regularly. I must go—" Ash took an involuntary step back when Skyfire was suddenly blocking the doorway, scowling at the mage. The mage could no longer suppress his exasperation. "Listen, Desanti. If you want supper, I need to go into Ithesra to arrange for household staff and stock for my kitchen," Ash pointed out tonelessly. "The longer I delay, the more difficult the task will be."
The Swordanzen man's voice was equally flat. "Food can wait. We are not hungry. The others are not starving." Staring at the Forentan, Skyfire's expression was uncompromising. "This..." He waved a hand at both mage and Swordanzen woman. "Whatever this problem is between the two of you. It must stop. It makes you both miserable."
Ash could not completely mask his emotions, his hands curling into fists. The mage snapped, "I should think you would be pleased, Skyfire. I won't be in your way." Ash took no notice of Storm turning her face away or Skyfire's blank look of incomprehension. "You can have Storm all to yourself without my interference."
"What are you talking about?" Skyfire rolled his eyes as he finally understood, voice colored with scathing reproach. "For the love of— did you even listen when Storm was teaching you of our people's traditions? Or is it you are hoping she will abandon our sensible desert traditions in favor of your insane forest ones?"
Ash's scowl deepened. "What are you talking about? I had never said Storm should abandon desert traditions, even if they do not make sense to me."
Taking a step closer to Ash, the tall Desanti man pointed sharply at Storm. "Then why do you turn your back on her? After all you have endured together, now you abandon her? Especially now when she needs you most?"
"She doesn't need anyone. Is that not what she always professes?" Ash snarled at the tall Desanti man.
"You damned, self-absorbed treewalker! You and Storm—"
Before he could think, Ash shoved Skyfire sharply as he exclaimed, "There is no 'Storm and I,' you thick-headed Desanti! There is obviously an emotional attachment between the two of you." Ash's reluctance to speak on any emotional matter was obvious, especially one that unsettled him with how easily it roused such illogical thoughts. Half turning away, fists clenched, Ash tried to reclaim calm neutrality. "I cannot fault either of you. You are well suited for each other. I'm sure you will have many strong children someday."
The large Desanti man crossed his arms, snorting at the statement. "Stop being daft. Totani know I would have given much to share children with Storm. But neither of us will be bringing children to the world, especially not now. Not away from the tribes in this land of our ancestral enemies."
"Oh, what a naively ideal goal. Don’t try and lie to me and say you two are not intimate," Ash stated icily. "I know very well you are."
The Swordanzen man growled, balling his fist in a barely restrained urge to punch sense into Ash. "As you treewalkers define intimacy? Or course we are. Desanti wither and die without companionship. I do not see why that has anything to do with the both of you!"
Ash felt his hands curling into fists. "It has everything to do with it!" he shouted back. Skyfire scowled in return, taking a step forward.
Both men seemed ready to come to blows when Storm's voice, sounding on the verge of tears, broke the tension. "Both of you leave me alone. Just... go away. I do not need either of you."
Ash and Skyfire looked at her, their anger towards each other evaporating in worry for the woman. Skyfire pressed his lips together, turning away to accede to her request. He grabbed Ash by the arm, pausing briefly to whisper harshly in the man's ear. Ash's fury crumbled, eyes going wide in shock and standing numbly, not reacting to Skyfire's punctuating shove and release before he stalked out of Storm's bedroom for the other one.
The mage's lingering anger drained completely as he stared at Storm. The Swordanzen looked uncharacteristically fragile as she sat with shoulders hunched and face turned away. Taking a few steps towards her, he reached down to touch her cheek. A single tear had escaped; he gently rubbed it away with his thumb. "You told me Desanti were immune to poisons," he said finally, worry coloring his voice.
"Poisons themselves are not fatal to us, no. But we are... not completely invulnerable to them. Obviously." Storm's eyes remained lowered, staring at nothing.
"Then what happened? You nearly died and there was no reason for it I could see." Ash put his hand under her chin, turning her face up to meet her eyes. "Please, Storm. Tell me. I want to understand."
With great reluctance, Storm relented, her voice low, speaking of the past as if discussing the previous day's weather. "Many years ago, I answered a challenge to prove my worth to carry the Swordanzen blade. Before we were th'yala, Chase and I traded... nearly fatal blows." She reached up to move her shirt enough to reveal the ghost of an ugly scar over her heart." Ash's eyes widened as she continued to speak. "Because I lived, he conceded defeat and bound our wounds.
"It had healed but... it had not healed correctly. Where we were could not sustain us for as long as I needed to recover fully. He stayed with me to protect me, from then until his death. The scar would strain and often tore when I fought, so I learned to adjust for it. To keep from reopening it when I fought. I learned how to move to not strain the scarred tissue. Finishing battles quickly was essential to my survival. And avoiding people who would challenge me so I could heal."
Keeping his hand along her chin, Ash's other hand moved to rest over her heart. "Didn't it cause you pain, regardless of whether it was healed or healing?"
Storm hugged herself tighter, looking away in shame. "We have no healing as you Outlanders have. Only in the Final Dance can wounds heal... temporarily. Until the battle is done. The price of being unstoppable in battle is death." Ash only nodded, unwillingly remembering witnessing, then saving Storm from, the Final Dance. "This wound... It had always caused pain.
"But when Lord Almek brought Taylin, I did not see any need to have it mended. My suffering was nothing compared to the suffering of my Father, and suffering is considered a tribute to He who suffers... suffered the most so we could live." She made a face. "But the Totani... they fussed over me so much it threatened to drive me mad, so I learned to hide it from them."
"And that was how you had hidden it from Taylin so long," Ash murmured matter-of-factly. "What is hiding something from a mortal when you have hidden it from gods and their divine servants. But the Raging One said Himself that you need not deny yourself healing...?"
; "I thought... the poison would be purged before it mattered. But it weakened the scar and reopened when we rode."
"Skyfire told me you wanted to die."
Flinching, Storm hunched a little more in acute shame. "I did. I do! I hate it here. I know what your people see when they look at me. They see an animal. A killer. When my father abandoned me here, just thinking about living among defilers... I... I thought..." In barely a whisper, she confessed, "I thought I was stronger. But I... I am not strong. I am weak. Swordanzen cannot be weak! But I am, and I am ashamed. I would rather die than be seen as weak."
Sighing heavily, Ash crouched in front of Storm, holding her hands in his tightly. "All of us are only so strong, my Swordanzen. Even you. But I doubt a lesser person would have been able to endure all that you have," he stated frankly, finally eliciting a weak smile from the young woman. "You are not alone anymore. You are one of Almek's students. We take care of our own." Reminding her of their conversation after Amelana had turned on them, he said softly, "We are allies, you and I. I will let no one harm either you or Skyfire. Or let them see you as anything but the strongest woman I have ever known."
Uncertainly, Ash's smile faded. "Storm. You and Skyfire..."
She sighed, lowering her eyes. "Skyfire and I are th'yala. Very close friends, but not mates. We are both Swordanzen. Mating bonds are forbidden between Swordanzen because neither of us belong to a tribe, and my tribe is extinct."
"This is not Desantiva, Storm. Things are different here. We—"
"You and I are allies, Ash." Meeting his eyes, she reached up and touched his cheek with cold fingers. "You and I... We cannot be more than that. Others—"
He reached up to catch her hand, clasping her cold fingers. "I told you before, Storm. I care nothing about what others' opinions are. Their petty concerns are beneath me," Ash said intently, pressing her fingers against his face, as if he could return warmth to her with his will alone. "I am the Illaini Magus. I can choose to do as I will."