“I cannot speak it well. More out of spite towards my teachers and the people wanting me to learn than anything, I did not pay much attention.” She admitted, smiling almost sadly. “Now I wish I had payed more attention. Rough and scratchy is fine, hallaski. It sounds nice to someone who’s heard nothing but smooth her whole life. Character.”
“Now isn’t that something. I could see you doing that.” He switched back to a language he knew they both could understand and laughed gently. “Well, hearing something so smooth is music to my ears after years of my rough language.”
"I guess that means we really were meant to find each other." She said, opening her eyes to smile up at him. "You needed smooth, I needed something harsher, a rockier sound. Like puzzle pieces." She traced patterns that swirled and curved on his chest, gaze soft.
Nor liked the touch. He drew his shoulders back, exposing more of his chest for her to trace. “Just like puzzle pieces. We fit so well it’s hard to believe this isn’t just a cruel dream.” He raised a hand to gently run it through her hair, pushing it from her face so he could stare into her beautiful eyes.
“I would like to believe the Prophets would never be so cruel as to toss me through the hell of a Dream this incredible.” She murmured, gladly continuing her tracing along his chest. She paused over his heart, feeling the steady beating before continuing, drawing a swirling replica of a map of Valdoria she had seen. “After so much already. I hope our puzzle pieces are real, and not something illusionary.”
His eyes once again slipped closed as her tracing continued. A low, gruff sound left his throat, something almost like a laugh. "They can't be something illusionary. We fit too well." He replied softly, sliding a little closer to her, his whole body relaxing. His breath slowed, but he didn't sleep, too caught up in her scent and touch and voice. "And if it is, we will work towards making it real."
“Turn fiction to reality.” She murmured, slipping into her home tongue in her comfortable drowsiness. Line, stop, splayed hand, repeat. “Even if the universe conspired against us, we could make it real.” Prophets, she really was turning out to be a hopeless romantic.
"Exactly. We can make it real. We'll build our own future. No one, not even the universe, can tell us how to live." Nordali had started to doze lightly. It was obvious from the way his breathing seemed to slow down so much it almost appeared as if he weren't breathing at all. His words slurred and his arms lazily looped around her, pulling her closer.
Amira stilled for a second when his arms wrapped around her, more out of surprise than anything else. She relaxed quickly though, snuggling closer and moving her hand to his back to continue tracing. “Unstoppable. We could be exactly what my parents told me I would never be.”
“Unstoppable… inseparable… you’d be my one and only.” He rumbled softly. It wasn’t long after he had spoken those words that he slipped into a light slumber, his chest rising and falling at a peaceful pace.
Nordali has always been a light sleeper, but found the lull of Amira’s scent and voice too hard to fight and so he gave into it.
Amira was awake a bit longer after Nor had fallen asleep, watching his peaceful face with a soft smile. One and only. Prophets, wouldn't that be something. Maybe she had found the perfect place. Maybe the universe had chased her into the forest for a reason, had tossed her into the path Nor was taking to show her that she needed to find her own path, and that that the map to that path was right there. In front of her now, sleeping peacefully. He inspired her to try and figure things out. For good. "Sweetest of dreams, hallaski."
Nordali slept for much longer than he would have liked. He woke in the late hours of the morning, shifting slightly to hide his eyes from the light that irritated him.
His guild was usually very good at waking him in the mornings, but it seemed this one he was left alone.
Not entirely alone. His eyes opened, immediately seeking out Amira’s face.
Amira slept peacefully, the light falling upon her face and making her skin glow, sort of, a brighter bronze than normal. The ghost of a smile played on her lips, and the skeleton mouse was curled up in the crook of her neck. She was still, not fidgeting like she did when she was awake.
She stirred slowly, one eye opening slightly to look at Nor, as her smile brightened a bit. "Hallaski? 'Mornin'."
Nordali’s eyes widened. She was absolutely stunning even whilst asleep. He was surprised to see her so calm, and grew even more surprised to see her peering back at him through a sleepy eye.
“Morning, Amira. Are you rested?” He asked her sweetly, brushing the stray strands from her face.
"Mmmm." Amira hummed in answer, shifting just slightly to press her cheek against his hand. "I did, for once. Did you? I am surprised you stayed here all night. I half expected you to awaken and leave."
He chuckled lightly and nodded. “I was out like a light. I’m surprised I slept for so long. It felt nice.” He admitted sheepishly, watching her carefully. “I wouldn’t leave you all alone here.”
She smiled warmly at him, closing her eye again before opening both fully. "I appreciate it. I don't think I would have been able to sleep in a strange place that long, not without you next to me. I'm surprised I didn't dream at all."
He smiled sweetly and brought her closer, weary of the skeletal mouse resting atop her. "I'm glad I made you feel a little better." He pressed a kiss to her nose out of the blue, grinning lightly. "Is no dreams a good thing?" He asked soon after, curiosity pricking his mind. "I have few dreams, most of them are rather nice. Rolif is usually in them." He laughed at himself, his voice gruff from sleep. It was quite a nice change from his silvery tone when he was fully awake.
She wrinkled her nose slightly, eyes squinting happily as a light pink rose to her cheeks. "No dreams is a good thing, yes. Mine are more often than not dreams that I do not want. Nightmares, and such." She said, shaking her head just slightly. It seemed she was aware of the mouse too, and was being careful not to upset it. Leagues from her fear of it yesterday. "That is good. I have had a few with Malakai, one in which he fell into a fountain in a town square while trying to get a pond fish."
"Nightmares are not good things to have. You can come to me after any of your nightmares and I'll gladly help you through the panic of them." He offered, smiling softly at her like of the small creature. It was nice to see she wasn't as afraid of it. "That sounds like something the big cat would do." He mused, closing his eyes softly and groaning. "Speaking of Malakai, is he hungry? Are you hungry?"
"I'll keep that in mind, for sure." She said softly, studying the lines of his face with drowsy eyes as she traced patterns on the back of his shoulder. She was always careful to keep away from his neck. "M. I ate more last night than I have eaten in a good while, so I am not too hungry. Likely, Malakai went hunting last night. He is a nocturnal creature, after all. I could always ask him, and so could you."
He smiled softly and chuckled lightly at her words. “In that case I’m not getting up. I want lay here all day today.” He knew that was wishful thinking. He wouldn’t be able to lay around all day. His guild needed him.
Of course he Shah and her small circle to help with repairs and figure out how to split new supplies equally, but he was needed for the bigger things.
“All day seems a bit much, but maybe we can for a while.” Amira mused, closing her eyes and settling down again, fingers still tracing their patterns. “Just lay here, in the quiet.”
(Sorry I kinda died today. I’m doing better now.)
Her soft tracing drew a low sigh from his lips which parted in a relaxation he quite enjoyed. “I would love to do so all day. I’m so tired.”
“Then go back to sleep, hallaski.” She said with a soft laugh, nudging his leg with her foot. “I am sure your people would rather have a rested and alert leader than a tired and half dead leader.”
He smiled sleepily, laughing as he gave her a soft nudge in return. “For that to happen I’d have to sleep for the next three days.” He mused, opening his eyes to study her soft features. “I am much more content with laying here and speaking with you, Amira.”
"We can arrange you sleeping for three days." She muttered, arching a brow and wrinkling her nose despite her closed eyes. "You would really rather lay here, speaking with me, than get any rest you can?" She asked, sounding slightly incredulous.
“I couldn’t leave my guild that long. They need me.” He murmured softly, smiling as her nose scrunched. Cute…
“Of course I’d rather speak with you than sleep. I like to speak with you, Amira. Your company is just as good as any rest I could get.” Nordali was only speaking his mind. To him her company was comfort and peace, but he wasn’t sure how she viewed his company.
“I am glad you enjoy my company as much as I enjoy yours, then.” She said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a small smile. Small, but warm and soft. “Though I highly doubt mine is better than a nap.”
He laughed good-heartedly and brought her hand to his lips to kiss it softly. “I much prefer yours to a nap.” He wouldn’t tell her he couldn’t sleep during the day. Not while the sun was up and things were to be done. No, he’d let her think he could nap. Maybe that would make her not worry for him as much.
“Why don’t we get up and I’ll show you around camp?”