Private Tales The Mountains Ahead

[Aviana Sabel]

As the corridors grew less spacious, Kiovec was forced to turn back in search of somewhere more comfortable for a creature of his size. Aviana looked over her shoulder to watch the dragon saunter off, then returned her attention to Kasim.

The bed chamber she'd found herself in was vaguely similar to her own, only it lacked balcony over looking a bay. Instead, there was a breathtaking view of mountaintops that stretched as far as the sea. The landscape was beautiful in its own right. It also was a reminder of just how isolated they were there.

She smiled a little to herself as she looked around the suite, finally releasing her hold on Kasim's hand so she could walk through the rooms.

"I have a hard time picturing you living such a life." She teased, looking back at him with a grin.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"It's the only one I knew for a time." He told her softly.

The room wasn't as fancy as some of the others in the castle, but there was still an air of extravagance than hung to everything. There were banners, portraits, and even a few books scattered around the place. Kasim wandered just behind Aviana, and then he saw it.

On the dresser to the side of the bedroom.

There was a small picture painted on a slab of wood. It sat there almost innocuously, two young boys who looked almost identical. A spike of pain ran through his heart, lips thinning. "Oh."

He said quietly, remembering.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Just as Kasim made the soft noise, Aviana noticed the portrait. Tentatively, she traced her fingers over the painted image with a pinched expression. While Kasim was reminded of his past, the image evoked a primal, instinctual fear of the future for Aviana. Her other hand came to gently rest over her belly, thumb absently brushing back and forth.

What was going to happen to their children? Would the be hunted by his family for the entirety of their lives? How was she supposed to protect them from that grim fate?

She took a deep breath to recenter herself. Kasim was the in pain at the moment, she needed to focus on him. Turning slightly, the hand that'd been touching the portrait reached to take his own and squeezed reassuringly.

"You okay?"

 

[Kasim Areth]

"Yeah." He said quietly. "Just memories."

His fingers wrapped around hers.

"He was good. Better than me." Just happened to be weaker. The Well was a fickle thing, and for whatever reason it had chosen Kasim. His brother had not been weak by any means, just not as strong as he.

"Most of what I am today." Kasim said quietly. "Was because of him."

He scoffed. "He always wanted to be a bard."

Kasim had just stolen his dreams.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Her head tilted ever so slightly to side and she stepped closer to him, slipping her other hand around his waist. She lifted his hand and dipped her head down to lightly press her lips against the back of his knuckles.

"And what did you want to be, Kas?" She asked simply with a tender smile.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim felt her lips brush against his knuckle, felt the pull at the empty void that lay at the heart of him, the piece that had been missing since all those years ago.

Her question came, and for some reason it tore at the heart of him. A dozen memories flashed in his head, a thousand moments he'd spent with his brothers. Eighteen years of them together, growing, building. Of Kasim following.

His eyes filled with tears. "I..."

Something inside of him broke, and he felt a sob wrack his insides.

"I just wanted to be with my brother." Kasim had never wanted to do anything else. He'd wanted to follow his brothers dreams. Be at his side as they toured through life together. Not nobles, just brothers living their lives.

The exterior that he'd been carrying, the toughness he'd been holding to suddenly splintered into a thousand pieces.

He was no longer the bard. He was no longer Kasim. He was Erich, the little boy who had lost his brother, the person whom he'd most looked up to. The Man he had killed.

Kasim broke down into tears.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

As soon as they first sob wracked him, Aviana pulled him into a warm embrace. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, one hand tenderly pressed to the back of his head to hold him against her shoulder. She pressed a delicate kiss to his temple and allowed him the time he needed to mourn. For so long he'd been her rock, her guardian and protector. it was her turn to be there for him.

Strangely enough, she was grateful that he was able to be so vulnerable and honest with her.

"It's okay, sweetheart, it's okay." She murmured in his ear.

There wasn't anything else she could say to him. His pain wasn't something she could take away or make better, all she could do was hold him as he struggled through it.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim didn't know how long he cried. Didn't know how long it lasted. Half way through he found himself sitting in a chair, Aviana holding him as he curled against her stomach.

It was a pain that came from his core, an ache that he had held in for nearly a decade. All of it crashed in on him, all of it tumbled down with a terrible aching hurt he couldn't have described in a thousand years. He did not know why, save for perhaps the fact that she was here.

Aviana was the only person he felt he could tell, the only person who might understand. The only person who would truly show him sympathy.

"I'm sorry." Kasim did not know whom he was apologizing to.

His brother? Her?

Lips quivered.

"I'm sorry." He repeated softly, drawing in a long breath. "I think you would have liked him Avi."

Kasim said softly. "He was much funnier than me, and he was good. Really...really good."

His brothers soul had not been tainted, not been touched. He had been so much...better. It shouldn't have been him.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Aviana held Kasim through it all, gently reassuring him with soft words and a delicate touch. Her love for him was plain as day, letting him pour his soul out to her without judgement on her part. She ran her fingers through his hair, the other arm wrapped over the back of his shoulders.

"From what you told me about him, I do like him. He's still with you. You carry his memory. As long as you tell his story, a part of him is still here." She said in hushed whisper.

"It's okay to cry. It's okay to mourn his loss, but don't let his death be all that you remember, Kasim. It wasn't your fault."

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim's entire body shook. Another soft sob wracked his body, fingers tightening for a few moments in Aviana's clothes as he quietly gathered himself together.

"I know." It hadn't been his fault. It had been his fathers. He had planned out everything, set the pieces of the board and made sure that Kasim stepped right into the trap that had been laid out for him. The memory pained him even now, hanging over his head.

A breath filled his lungs.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, looking up at Aviana. "This was supposed to be a happy moment."

Though strangely enough, he hadn't felt this at home in decades.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

She shook her head and cupped Kasim's cheek in her palm, her thumb gently brushing away the tears. "Don't apologize. Your sorrow is warranted and tears are always earned. It's okay."

It pained her to see Kasim in such anguish, but she'd rather him work through his past than hide it from her.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked, still speaking in that soft whisper.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He shook his head. "No, that's alright."

Kasim said quietly, offering her a brief smile as he drew himself back up and took a deep breath. It was a bitter pill to swallow, the idea that his brother was never coming back. It had been true for years of course, but it had never truly...come to him.

"Why don't we go up into the tower?" He asked softly. "I think you'll like it there."[/color

It had been his mothers favorite place.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"Up the tower it is, then." She replied, leaning over to kiss his cheek before she stood up.

The castle was quiet, so much so that she could hear the wind whistling outside the stone walls. It occurred to Aviana that the empty halls should have been unsettling, but she only found them comforting. This was the first time they'd found shelter in a place all to themselves, far from civilization. Kasim's old winter home had become a sanctuary.

She held her hand out to Kasim, letting him lead her through the castle.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim wrapped his hand around Aviana's, squeezing gently before leading her out the door of the suite and heading down the hall.

Their walk was longer this time, up winding stairs and down corridors until they reached a large iron door. Kasim reached out to touch it, gently running his palm over it before he let out a sigh and then flipped a small lever on it's side.

The sounds of locks sliding open could be heard, and then the door opened to reveal another staircase.'

He slowly began to ascend the steps, guiding Aviana until they reached the very top of the tower.

There they would find a large room decorated with dozens upon dozens of strange mechanical contraptions made of brass and gold. Some resembled the moons, others the stars, book cases lined the walls and a large telescope sat at the very edge of the tower near a window.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

"By the..." Aviana gasped as they stepped into the room at the top of the tower.

The room felt familiar, it reminded Aviana of her father's study. Her lips thinned into a tight line. The relationship with the father had always been a strained one. For a good portion of her youth, Aviana would spend hours trying to sneak into her father's study, just to see him use his magic or to see what he was reading.

When it'd become clear to him that Aviana was not born with the Spell Weaver magic, however, he barred her from further entry.

This space was similar, but didn't carry to harsh stigma of disappointment. Aviana wasn't quite sure what to feel.

She bit her bottom lip, taking in the details before her.

"I can see why your mother loved it up here. It's incredible."

 

[Kasim Areth]

"She loved the sciences." His hand gently squeezed her, and slowly he lead her around the room.

"She used to spend hours here." Kasim said as they stopped in front of the Telescope. "Watching the stars, reading."

His father had never minded much, it had kept her occupied and away from Politics and the like.

"Here." Kasim said as he adjusted the telescope, shifting it towards one of the moons that hung in the sky. "I used to love looking through this."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

As he prompted her, Aviana leaned down to press one eye to the scope. She smiled at the details she could make out on the celestial orb hanging in the sky, not even realizing she was doing so. After a few moments, she straighted herself and glanced around the room once more before she returned her gaze to Kasim.

For lack of a better word, he looked beautiful bathed in the moonlight. His blonde hair looked as silver as her own and his skin almost seemed to glow. He was truly a striking man to behold.

Then the moment was tainted. Kasim's cropped hair shifted into a ponytail and the corner of his mouth curled in an identical expression to his uncle, Sarkus. She could feel the pressure of his powerful grasp on the back of his neck, she could smell the heavy scent of blood in the air as he decapitated a man for defending her.

She blinked and then the phantom image was gone. Only her handsome lover stood before her.

Trauma was an insidious thing that crept into the mind and twisted her thoughts. She struggled to keep it in check. She didn't want Kasim to know.

"She sounds like she was a lovely woman." Aviana said after a brief pause, returning her thoughts to the conversation at hand.

 

[Kasim Areth]

He smiled at her, only noticing the brief flash of emotion that carried through her.

Kasim did not know why of course, did not really understand what she had gone through on that ship. Still, the flash of emotion had been enough for him. "Come here."

The noble said softly, grasping her hand and leading her over towards a large sofa. The thing was plush as could be, red velvet and stuffed with goose feathers.

"Come here." Kasim said as he sat himself down, pulling her gently into his lap. "You're safe."

He told her softly as he wrapped his arms around her. "We're safe."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

Enveloped in the warmth of his embrace and nestled in his lap, Aviana finally felt the tension melt away from her sore muscles. Her eyes closed and she heaved a sigh of relief, wrapping her arms around him in return as she tucked her forehead beneath his chin.

She could hear the reassuring thrum of his heartbeat in his chest and his steady breath as he held her. It was safe here.

Just hearing him say the words helped assuage her fears.

"Thank you..." She whispered quietly, curling more into his chest.

 

[Kasim Areth]

His arms tightened around her. "You can be comfortable here."

Kasim said softly.

"Nothing will hurt you." She carried the blood now. This place would hold her as dear as any living Virak. That was what the Runes had been designed for. He would have to lock the gates to all others, but that was something for another day. "And I won't leave your side."{/color]

His nose nuzzled against the top of her head. "Even when you go to the bathroom."

The Jester tried to inject some humor into the moment, knowing that it had always helped her in the past.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

His attempt paid off and Aviana actually started to laugh. She curled her hand against her mouth to stifle the sound. It felt good to laugh again.

"I don't think that much will be necessary, but the thought is... appreciated." She said, still chuckling.

She lifted her head from his chest and pressed a tender kiss to his lip.

"I love you." She murmured.

 

[Kasim Areth]

"I love you." He said, quietly returning the kiss as the two of them sank into the Sofa beneath them.

There was something...cozy, about being back in a place that he had spent so many years in. This had been the only place for him in most of the Castle...well, at least until he'd gotten older. It was almost more welcoming than his old rooms.

A sigh escaped him. "Are you hungry?"

He asked quietly.

 

[Aviana Sabel]

A soft purr formed in the back of Aviana's throat as Kasim kissed her. She reached up to trace her fingers along his cheek and then down along his jawline with a small smile on her lips. Just hearing him say those simple words soothed her worries and made her heart soar -- a pleasant ache that yearned for him in her chest.

She loved this man more than words could describe.

When she pulled back from their kiss, she teased the tip of her nose against his and her smile grew all the more wide.

"A little. I think we still have some food left in your bag." She answered his question with a quiet chuckle and then leaned back enough to meet his gaze.

Something fell into place in her mind after she spoke. Her own belongings were long gone, lost over the course of her journey across the mainland and from her encounter with Sarkus.

Her sword. Her shield. Her alchemy bag. Her beloved elk.

It was all gone. Even her clothes were from the mainland now.

She hadn't ever properly acknowledged the sense of loss that now weighed over her, but she could sense it. Was any part of her home left? Was there a home to even go back to?

She took a deep breath and sat up, running her hands through her silvery hair to push the curls out of her face. "I'll see what we have."

Before he could stop her, she'd slid off her couch and made her way over to the bag Kasim carried with him and started to rummage through it in search of some food for the both of them. It was easier to keep herself busy, to keep herself distracted than the confront the hard truth that lurked in the shadows of her mind.

 

[Kasim Areth]

Kasim could see the pain that crossed her features, the way she pulled back, moved away. It was almost painful to watch.

He knew that it wasn't him, knew that it wasn't his fault, but...he couldn't help the sting of pain that spiked through his heart. Fingers clenched for a moment, lips thinning as Golden eyes traced after her towards where she moved.

A breath filled his lungs.

Kasim knew that he had to be strong, he knew that he had to carry the burden for the both of them. She had already done so much, suffered through much, it simply wasn't fair that she would have to suffer more.

Slowly the Jester stood, his muscles feeling weak as he crossed the room between them. He caught her just as she rose with some rations in her hand. His fingers softly grasped her, one hand on her hip, the other gently touching her chin to turn her head up towards her. "I know I can't fix things instantly."

He said softly.

"I know I can't bring us back to that Cabin. I know I can't take you home. I know I can't..." He bit his tongue. "I know I can't turn back time."

He gazed down at her. "But I will bring down the gods themselves if it means making you feel safe. If it means seeing that spark of joy in your eyes again."

Kasim felt himself choke.

"I will move heaven and earth. Hell and the plains beyond for you." His grip tightened softly. "Whether you need a King, slave, peasant, or just a man. I will always be here for you."

He kissed her forehead softly. "I know that doesn't fix it, I know it can't...whatever it is, but I'm here."

 

[Aviana Sabel]

This time, it was Aviana's turn to cry. Before she could catch herself, the tears welled up in her big blue eyes, blurring her vision as she looked up at him. A wave of emotion hit her, stealing away her breath and pulling her under. His words rang with sincerity and determination. He would do anything for her, and she would do the same for him.

Still holding the rations in her grasp, she tucked her arms against his chest and leaned into him, weeping. Her tears were for both the heartache from the loss if her previous home and self, but also the sheer force if the gratitude she felt to the man that now held her in his arms. She may have lost so much since leaving Minaris... But she'd found something wonderful in return -- him.

She could formulate the words to tell him that she knew he would do whatever it took to keep their family safe, that she adored his every aspect. Every thought and emotion was so overwhelming that she couldn't speak.

"I just need you..." She mumbled through her tears into his shirt. It was as if she was trying to meld into his form, pressing herself as close to him as she could. The rations were forgotten, crushed between their bodies.

"I just want you." She repeated, her voice a faint whisper.