“I appreciate your understanding”, Lyra replied and looked away. This time it was him who needed the privacy away from foreign eyes.
So there was something in his past that was better left buried too. The expression on his face, the tone of his voice, his whole body language made that quite obvious. Lyra hadn’t really expected it, but life kept surprising her on so many different occasions that she slowly got used to the changes. The Mizahar she was now exploring wasn’t the Mizahar she had left. There was still so much to learn, but Lyra started looking forward to every new day and the epiphanies that went along with it. As long as nobody asked, she was fine with avoiding her past and keeping flashes of memories at bay. She could do it.
Suddenly Kellan spoke up, startling Lyra a bit. “Lunch?” she repeated sheepishly. Soon, however, comprehension wiped away the confused expression on her face. “Yes, let’s get something to eat.” She gladly accepted the offered hand and rose from the quiet spot at the river. It had been such a nice time with Kellan so far! Apart from the one question – the one everyone would ask sooner or later – the conversation had been excellent and she had truly learned a great deal about the city. Of course, she was already familiar with the Communal Kitchens, but that didn’t mean that eating was a bad idea. Quite on the contrary, actually. Also, Lyra was curious about the Endal treatment as soon as Kellan mentioned it.
While slowly walking back towards the core of the city, the thoughts of both slowly drifted away. There certainly were enough problems and concerns Lyra as well as Kellan had to face. As for the Ethaefal, she wondered once again if Syna had meant to send her a message through this meeting. When thinking back, Lyra knew that the moment she had stretched her arms towards the warm eye of her Lady, she had called out to the Goddess in the Ukalas. Perhaps this was Syna’s way of answering her child’s calls? If that was true … A warm and relaxing feeling radiated from that possibility and made Lyra smile with bliss. It meant that there still was a way of communicating with her Lady – then there might be a way of asking Her questions, demanding answers. Her situation hadn’t changed, after all, all she had done was to try to accommodate to it as well as possible. She wasn’t done with her problems just by forgetting them. No, there had to be something else she could do.
Apparently she had just found the way through that she could carry out her plans.
The firm grip at her hands chased such thoughts away, though. Looking up, Lyra found herself eye in eye with Kellan. The next words he spoke with great sincerity. There was a deep truth in every syllable that told Lyra that Kellan had learned something from their previous talk. Realizing that filled her with a kind of satisfaction that she hadn’t experienced before. Lyra learned that she could help others on their journey through providing comfort, encouraging words and friendship. With a blissful sigh she took a few steps, turned back to Kellan and flashed a teasing grin at him. “Sure. I thought you already knew that. Let’s try getting to the kitchens in time, though.”
And with that, the majestic Ethaefal literally hopped down the pathways and corridors towards the kitchens. This day kept getting more and more rewarding … apparently their encounter had just been the beginning.
