And from that moment onwards, he watched as he did since the moment he'd set foot in Sometreken. Watch her losing herself in her own thoughts, as she began helping rebuild the citadel working elbow to elbow with everyone in it. Laying stone on stone, rebuilding it better than it was before. There was something different about her that had changed. She'd smiled more often, sometimes it was out of politeness, sometimes it was genuine. Especially when she watched the children running around laughing. She would giggle, but it would fade rather quickly. At a memory both beautiful and painful.
" We are leaving before dawn to Oros. Caral to be more precise," He cleared his throat when she raised her head to look at him. She'd spent most of the time being silent, ruminating or reminiscing on past events.
" Do you think he will agree to your proposal?" She shifted in her chair, shifting the dagger from one hand to another. One thing that changed after that night, she stopped waking him up in the middle of the night. At ungodly hours, just to prove that if she wanted to, she could slice his throat before he could even open his eyes.
" I'm hoping he will. I know Arvun likes his jewels, so we are taking whatever we have in the treasurey to sweeten the deal. And if it is not sufficient. I can give him access to Dreissen to mine for more, " She nodded, and narrowed her eyes at him, not quite believing that he had no ill intentions.
" You shouldn't," She liked her lips, " It will open a door that you have no idea where it leads to," She was right. Once he opened that door it would be difficult to close. But if would buy them a chance to peace, and prosperity, then it was a risk worth taking.
" I know," He heaved a heavy sigh," I'm willing to take that risk. One way or another we have to find a way to reach an accord with him. And once that is done we will have to lock horns with Ruvy. For now, let's enjoy this brief respite to put ourselves together and heal. Later we will figure out the rest," He pushed himself off the chair and walked to the window, pensive.
" You should take the dresses with you," He kept watch over the sinking sun. He didn't want to see her reaction to his suggestion.
" Simele is a five-day celebration, and all of Oros will attend. It's grandiose, and extremely beautiful to watch," He seemed to be speaking of experience.
" I will take them with me. I doubt that I will make use of them. We are going for a negotiation, not to drink and enjoy ourselves," She pointed out as she joined him by the window.
" Don't worry. I won't lose sight of our goal. But...also make time to enjoy," He took his eyes off the scenery, to look at her. She didn't seem convinced. One had to see it, to understand. And he wasn't very good at explaining it to her.
A nod was her only response as she turned from the window and made her way to the bed. Journeying to Caral will take a total of three days, half of it will be on Hessian soil and the other on Orian soil. It needed some adjustments since the calculations were made based on an old topographical map.
He shortly followed, as they both slipped under the covers. Just like they did every night. He'd spend most of the time studying the mark on her shoulder, observing the slight shifts in its patterns over the course of the moons.
" It changes," He said as he traced the lines of the mark with his fingers.
" I know, but I still don't know what it means. Athan was the only one who had some knowledge of the mark. He is dead now," She sighed, and placed her hand over his, to stop him.
" I find it fascinating," He didn't stop, " As if it is alive," He grew excited and shuffled closer to her," What do you know of the mark?" He asked as he pulled his hand away from her shoulder.
" It changes whenever there is a shift within me. It changed when I got pregnant with Azra, when Ian and I, " She paused and rolled on her back to look at him, "It doesn't matter," She said and rolled over again. An intimate detail, if she wasn't willing to reveal it. Nearing the three moons mark, he still hadn't made much progress. Iris was closed off shut, tighter than an oil demijohn. Perhaps chasing her had been a mistake. Perhaps, her love for Ian was rooted far too deep within her heart.
He had to make a decision, stay or head north after the negotiations were through.
Whatever she was now, she was fighting it with every fibre of her being. She was fighting her nature.
A silent sigh escaped her lips, as she rolled on her back, still awake.
" Are you a witch?" He heard himself asking. Not that it mattered, but he just wanted to hear her speak otherwise it felt more like living in a monastery.
" I don't know what I am anymore," She whispered throwing him a glance before continuing to stare at the ceiling. It wasn't anything spectacular to look at. The high ceilings were home to spiders, and their webs and probably other creepy crawlies that he'd rather not think about.
" I know you said that you didn't want it," He pushed himself on his elbows to have a better look at her," But aren't in the least bit curious, to see if there is more to it than you think it is?" His question was met with a deadly glare.
" No," She turned on her side, facing the window," Go to sleep Corvin," She grumbled and punched the pillow. And he counted himself lucky that it was the pillow and not him on the receiving end.