Coming or going, still Tos and Sray
Early the next morning a lone rider came in hot on a steaming horse. When Tos heard the sound he nearly fell over himself rushing towards the door. When he pulled the door open the man had dismounted and was reaching for the railing to climb the steps.
"Ah," Kenbin started uncertainly. "Are you coming or going?"
"Going." Teigan checked and snugged the cinch before grabbing the bridle off the stall door.
"Sray has recovered, then?" No longer in immediate peril brought Kenbin's curiosity up. "I left the night of the fire, straight to the council seat as quick as I could. Haven't had any news to speak of other than what I was carrying."
"She doing well and they know who did it." Teigan replied.
"Any luck finding them?"
"Not yet." Sherod spoke up. "Another message was sent out a few days ago requesting permission for a Brotherhood-sponsored bounty. As it is, Mishor has fronted his own money for it."
Teigan paused at that and listened more intently.
"Sounds like something Danrick would do." Kenbin commented. "Hopefully that will bring them in." Kenbin said, though he didn't sound so sure of it. "Safe travels. I'm sure I'll hear all about your visit." He finally walked past them, but then stopped again and turned back towards Teigan. "Sollit, was it?" He questioned.
"Teigan Hillenbohn Sollit." He responded.
"Teigan Hillenbohn Sollit," Kenbin repeated, "I, uh," he readjusted his hat again. "I meant nothing against you and your family, alright? I'm just supposed to find people who have it, and Sray has it. I never meant any harm to anyone. I wasn't told to find you, you just happened to be where I was looking, understand?"
Teigan frowned back as he parsed through the words. "I understand. Thank you." He nodded.
Kenbin looked a little relieved and he smiled slightly and nodded back. "Good, well, safe travels."
After what felt like an eternity, but still not long enough she opened her eyes. For the first time she noticed the fine, soft textured weave of his shirt. Her ability to appreciate the craftsmanship and the type of fiber had increased from her week-long immersion with the tailors and weavers at Engama. Engama. The name soured the moment and reminded her of all the reasons she couldn't be there. She lifted her head and Tos moved his from where it was resting against hers, for a moment their cheeks brushed against each other and Sray closed her eyes again as she pushed against his chest and he reluctantly let her take a step back. She didn't quite move far enough to require him to let go.
"Certainly those amethyst eyes
Will someday drop their needless guise
And see clearly what before them lies." He brought his left hand up and carefully brushed her hair back behind her ear.
"No more are they needing to hide
The desire that doth behind them reside
Close the chasm that was once so wide." His fingers traced lightly along the side of her neck before resting on her right shoulder.
"Between what was wanted and needed
Answer the call that has gone unheeded
In finding joy to have finally succeeded."
Sray opened her eyes and looked back at him. "Do you make those up on the spot or do you keep them tucked in your pocket until the right moment."
"A little bit of both." He smiled back at her.
Engama. She had to remind herself. Ground herself in what actually was instead of what she might want. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't do this, not now, not ever. She couldn't let him think things had changed that much in his favor. "I know what you're thinking, but I can't, Tos." She stepped back again, folding her arms and looking away again.
"Ah, can't." Tos replied, grabbing at the word as an opportunity. He held his elbow with one hand and rubbed his chin with the other as he watched her retreat back into herself again. "Not won't, not do not want to, but can't, which means you would if you felt you could."
She shook her head as she glanced briefly back at him before her eyes were drawn North again. "You really don't want to get involved in this, Tos. I have to live with it, but you don't."
"I'm the last person who wants to see you hurt or suffering, Sray. It kills me that this happened to you, as if someone shot me through the heart." He touched both hands to his chest and moved in front of her again. "I bleed for you and feel your pain as if it were my own. Tell me what I must do. What do you need from me. What can I do for you? How can I ease your burden?"
She met his eyes again, so ernest, so sincere, and just so like Tos. Consistent and quietly persistent, insisting without ever crossing the line, always following her lead, just so like Tos. Kallon's words came back to her. Hundreds of people knew now, what was one more? But that one more was Tos.
He stepped a little closer. "If I could keep you here and ensure your safety and happiness, I would, but if you have to do this and go back and face whatever awaits you I will support that. Just tell me what I must do in order to help you. There is no place I would rather be than with you, no one I would rather see, nothing I would rather do than be with you."
"Ah," Kenbin started uncertainly. "Are you coming or going?"
"Going." Teigan checked and snugged the cinch before grabbing the bridle off the stall door.
"Sray has recovered, then?" No longer in immediate peril brought Kenbin's curiosity up. "I left the night of the fire, straight to the council seat as quick as I could. Haven't had any news to speak of other than what I was carrying."
"She doing well and they know who did it." Teigan replied.
"Any luck finding them?"
"Not yet." Sherod spoke up. "Another message was sent out a few days ago requesting permission for a Brotherhood-sponsored bounty. As it is, Mishor has fronted his own money for it."
Teigan paused at that and listened more intently.
"Sounds like something Danrick would do." Kenbin commented. "Hopefully that will bring them in." Kenbin said, though he didn't sound so sure of it. "Safe travels. I'm sure I'll hear all about your visit." He finally walked past them, but then stopped again and turned back towards Teigan. "Sollit, was it?" He questioned.
"Teigan Hillenbohn Sollit." He responded.
"Teigan Hillenbohn Sollit," Kenbin repeated, "I, uh," he readjusted his hat again. "I meant nothing against you and your family, alright? I'm just supposed to find people who have it, and Sray has it. I never meant any harm to anyone. I wasn't told to find you, you just happened to be where I was looking, understand?"
Teigan frowned back as he parsed through the words. "I understand. Thank you." He nodded.
Kenbin looked a little relieved and he smiled slightly and nodded back. "Good, well, safe travels."
After what felt like an eternity, but still not long enough she opened her eyes. For the first time she noticed the fine, soft textured weave of his shirt. Her ability to appreciate the craftsmanship and the type of fiber had increased from her week-long immersion with the tailors and weavers at Engama. Engama. The name soured the moment and reminded her of all the reasons she couldn't be there. She lifted her head and Tos moved his from where it was resting against hers, for a moment their cheeks brushed against each other and Sray closed her eyes again as she pushed against his chest and he reluctantly let her take a step back. She didn't quite move far enough to require him to let go.
"Certainly those amethyst eyes
Will someday drop their needless guise
And see clearly what before them lies." He brought his left hand up and carefully brushed her hair back behind her ear.
"No more are they needing to hide
The desire that doth behind them reside
Close the chasm that was once so wide." His fingers traced lightly along the side of her neck before resting on her right shoulder.
"Between what was wanted and needed
Answer the call that has gone unheeded
In finding joy to have finally succeeded."
Sray opened her eyes and looked back at him. "Do you make those up on the spot or do you keep them tucked in your pocket until the right moment."
"A little bit of both." He smiled back at her.
Engama. She had to remind herself. Ground herself in what actually was instead of what she might want. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't do this, not now, not ever. She couldn't let him think things had changed that much in his favor. "I know what you're thinking, but I can't, Tos." She stepped back again, folding her arms and looking away again.
"Ah, can't." Tos replied, grabbing at the word as an opportunity. He held his elbow with one hand and rubbed his chin with the other as he watched her retreat back into herself again. "Not won't, not do not want to, but can't, which means you would if you felt you could."
She shook her head as she glanced briefly back at him before her eyes were drawn North again. "You really don't want to get involved in this, Tos. I have to live with it, but you don't."
"I'm the last person who wants to see you hurt or suffering, Sray. It kills me that this happened to you, as if someone shot me through the heart." He touched both hands to his chest and moved in front of her again. "I bleed for you and feel your pain as if it were my own. Tell me what I must do. What do you need from me. What can I do for you? How can I ease your burden?"
She met his eyes again, so ernest, so sincere, and just so like Tos. Consistent and quietly persistent, insisting without ever crossing the line, always following her lead, just so like Tos. Kallon's words came back to her. Hundreds of people knew now, what was one more? But that one more was Tos.
He stepped a little closer. "If I could keep you here and ensure your safety and happiness, I would, but if you have to do this and go back and face whatever awaits you I will support that. Just tell me what I must do in order to help you. There is no place I would rather be than with you, no one I would rather see, nothing I would rather do than be with you."