Saartjie
She didn't have to be so blunt? A qiet laugh slipped past Saartjie's lips and she shrugged. "I like to think of it more as .... bluntly honest." The darkening blush and the shyness and awkwardness that radiated off of him was a bonus. It almost felt like they were kids again, still naive and clueless about the way the world worked. Hopeful that they would be able to escape the oppressive force that was their father and make a life of their own that was all their own. No one to make decisions for them, no expectations that they didn't want to meet and couldn't meet. She had missed this so much.
Of course he was one of Safrin's chosen and one of the strongest attuned just as he had been one of Shaju's strongest. It suddenly seemed like he was doomed to be a warrior and a protector no matter where he went, but who protected him? She could see it etched into the grim set of his mouth and she could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to fight. How would he do it, kowing that he and the man he loved would be on opposite sides of the fight? Would he be able to fight Nate one on one if it came down to that? No, she decided almost immediately. He would sacrifice himself if it meant saving Nate. "Promise me something, Jata." Her voice held a serious tone, all joking and teasing gone. "Do what you can to survive whatever war is coming," She looked up, her eyes fixed on her brother's face. "When its over come back to me. To us. Don't leave us here alone." She needed him. His daughter needed him. Nate, the man he had bargained with a goddess to save, needed him.
It was natural that he would have regrets, every decision came with them regardless of what you chose. "Regrets are a part of life," Saar replied. "You just have to ask yourself what the bigger regret would be -- the ones you have now, or knowing you could have done something to save Nate and didn't. Which regret could you live with?" Knowing her brother, he wouldn't have been able to handle knowing that he could have saved Nate and didn't. Like he had said earlier ... he cared too much.
He didn't say as a macaw for long before he was shifting into something else and flying over to her bed. As soon as he landed on the bed he shifted again, this time going back to his natural form. Fly with him? "I... would love that, actually." The very idea of soaring through the sky with the wind in her hair was exhilarating. A bright smile lit up her face and she stood to walk over to where Jata sat on her bed. "I want to fly up high." She said, stretching her arms up over her head for emphasis. The motion lifted her shirt enough to reveal a small bit of dark ink on her ribcage. "Through the clouds." Her arms dropped back down to her sides and she turned to look out the window, wondering if the storms would ever let up so they could fly.
Of course he was one of Safrin's chosen and one of the strongest attuned just as he had been one of Shaju's strongest. It suddenly seemed like he was doomed to be a warrior and a protector no matter where he went, but who protected him? She could see it etched into the grim set of his mouth and she could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to fight. How would he do it, kowing that he and the man he loved would be on opposite sides of the fight? Would he be able to fight Nate one on one if it came down to that? No, she decided almost immediately. He would sacrifice himself if it meant saving Nate. "Promise me something, Jata." Her voice held a serious tone, all joking and teasing gone. "Do what you can to survive whatever war is coming," She looked up, her eyes fixed on her brother's face. "When its over come back to me. To us. Don't leave us here alone." She needed him. His daughter needed him. Nate, the man he had bargained with a goddess to save, needed him.
It was natural that he would have regrets, every decision came with them regardless of what you chose. "Regrets are a part of life," Saar replied. "You just have to ask yourself what the bigger regret would be -- the ones you have now, or knowing you could have done something to save Nate and didn't. Which regret could you live with?" Knowing her brother, he wouldn't have been able to handle knowing that he could have saved Nate and didn't. Like he had said earlier ... he cared too much.
He didn't say as a macaw for long before he was shifting into something else and flying over to her bed. As soon as he landed on the bed he shifted again, this time going back to his natural form. Fly with him? "I... would love that, actually." The very idea of soaring through the sky with the wind in her hair was exhilarating. A bright smile lit up her face and she stood to walk over to where Jata sat on her bed. "I want to fly up high." She said, stretching her arms up over her head for emphasis. The motion lifted her shirt enough to reveal a small bit of dark ink on her ribcage. "Through the clouds." Her arms dropped back down to her sides and she turned to look out the window, wondering if the storms would ever let up so they could fly.
but close my eyes for a while
and force from the world a patient smile
and force from the world a patient smile
