“No…” Duncan’s reply was a rumbled laugh, the corners of his mouth upturned. “It’s a tattoo. But I think you should get one. It’s a tradition.” He added, stroking the same place on her where his was located. “Though I wouldn’t put it at such an obvious place. Maybe lower, on the small of your back. We’ll have to go to The Outpost to find a good artist. There’s no one here in Syka. I’d like to get one too to acknowledge you as my djed daughter.” He said gently, brushing her wayward curly hair out of her face and gently kissing her forehead again.
“Taz… you with me? Are you okay?” He asked gently, giving her a very soft shake. He had not initiated too many people in his life, and none since his accident. He was having a bit of trouble judging if she was okay or locked too deeply in shock. Taz was quiet though, and that gave him cause for concern.
She blinked again, lifted her hands, studying the wounds on them, then brushed her hair out of her eyes to study Duncan. She was still slightly stunned, slightly in shock, but she could feel something inside of her… something at work changing her, altering her internal landscape. She should have been furious at Duncan. He took liberties and had just done things to her that she should have been asked about first. But one look at his tender expression, one that seemed to show pride and admiration, dried up any anger she had a building within herself.
“Is it done?” She asked quietly. “Was that the initiation?” She repeated, blinking, and finding her throat hoarse. He’d just forced Res down her throat and that had made her words raspy. She looked at him, mixed emotions filling her. It was hard to deal with, first, a languid satiated body immediately invaded with Res and altered abruptly, almost violently. He warned her it would be hard – painful even – and her bloody palms and sore throat and core were a testimony to that.
“No, not entirely. We need to find out what your first element is, Tazrae.” Duncan whispered, still rubbing her shoulders. Her palms bled less now and she wondered how he’d cut them for a moment before she realized he must have extruded res into small extremely sharp stone blades and parted the skin that way. She wondered if she dove down to the bottom of the pool if there would be obsidian shards there; still wet with her blood.
“What did you feel when my Res invaded you? Was it cool, solid, wispy or did it burn?” He asked seriously, reaching out to stroke her cheek. She watched him cautiously, not exactly mad at him, just very confused and definitely unsettled. She truly wasn’t even sure what had exactly happened between them. She wanted to ask him, but she needed time to process first.
Word Count: 487