[Razkar] Fire and Steel - Part 1

[Edreina]

When he pushed her jerking knee down and out of the way, she used the shift in her weight to rocket her left arm out again. When her fist collided squarely with his face, Edreina found herself automatically squashing the pang of remorse and using it to fuel the flame that was burning through her limbs, turning her heart to steel and her eyes to pure sapphires. Her teeth were hard set and her unbound hair seemed to move as if in a tempest as she quivered lightly. Edreina was long gone. All that remained was the fire that had always been present in her heart but kept in a sunken chest for fear that it would burn up and consume her. It fueled the motions in her limbs and drove her to fight without remorse, without planning, seeking to exploit any opening that she saw. When she struck out again, he dodged and slammed his fist into her shoulder joint, causing her to hiss in pain as her arm went numb, trembling at her side as it gave up. The hiss became a shocked yelp as he kicked her in the shin, sending her skipping to the side, seething. Favoring her left leg and cradling her right arm, Edreina hunched slightly but turned quickly to face her friend. If there had been fire in her veins before her blood was now utterly boiling, It burned away the pain so that she stood there, arm no longer trembling but not fully able to be used as it had been numbed, leg supporting her weight once more. There was no thought in her actions, just blind fury. Furious that someone she had thought to be her friend enjoyed seeing her in such pain, seeing her hunched like a cripple. She whirled at him, swinging her right leg up and out in a back wards kick that she aimed at the side of his head. Upon being deflected, she converted the reversed momentum into a swinging punch that impacted his ribs with a dull thud. She used her knees, her elbows, even her forehead once as she flew at him, all of the Myrian's lessons blending into a single moment of unrestricted ferocity that, days later, she would claim not to remember for the sheer animalistic instinct with which she fought made her sick to her stomach. Each time Razkar struck her, she faltered only for an instant, not noting the pain until, finally, she missed the wrong block and he sent his fist into her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her with such power that she fell onto her rump, coughing and shaking. Her vision faded and she felt as if her head weighed as much as a Navar as she struggled to breathe. Trembling, she fell back onto her elbows, shaking fiercely as she regained the ability to breathe but found it to be a difficult task because of the exertion. Slowly, she regained control of her senses and could finally see though her own eyes. Her actions came rushing back. Gods... Heart fluttering unsurely, she turned to the side- swaying as the motion made her dizzy and sent her back onto one elbow - and looked at Razkar. She did not remember if any of her blows had landed and thereby did not know what condition she had left him in. Part of her knew that she had barely dented the Myrian but the fear caused by her unwitting actions bubbled up on its own accord. The longer she sat there, not fighting, the more throbs of pain appeared on her body. Gods she hurt everywhere.

[Razkar]

She was magnificent, Razkar would remember after. Stripped of her civility, her morality, her restraint, she flew at him like liquid fury, like an animal. He doubted she would see herself in the glowing fashion that he did... but she was not Myrian.

Hardly her fault, though.

She spun and delivered a kick that stunned him for a moment, since he didn't even know she was that limber. His right arm jerked up and blocked it with a blink's time to spare. Despite their difference in size and weight he felt his whole body shudder as they clashed, grunting as his arm was on fire-

-moved his arm as she spun back, left arm-

Too slow.

-Razkar yelped between clenched teeth as what felt like a hammer smacked into his ribs, and he knew there'd be a bruise there tomorrow. Despite the pain, part of him smiled. Good. She was letting go of her control. She would need that, too.

No... No, too much-

But there was no time to speak, or teach, or restrain, or even think. She flew at him again, body moving like quicksilver. Her combat style was not even worthy of the description: it was feral and instinctive, one move flowing into another without rhyme or reason.

Which made it nearly impossible to defend against.

More and more passing Svefra stopped to gape in awe as this slip of a girl fought the Myrian to a standstill. His arms ached from blocks and blows, even the elbow he hammered into her gut doing little more than slowing her down. Her lips were pulled back in a grin of hatred, and her knee hammer upwards, nearly catching him between his legs.

Enough.

Edreina's next blow was so broad it could have had a message attached to it. Razkar's left knocked it aside, right tucked to his side, then exploded outwards at her chest-

-knocking the wind out of her, and then her body down to the deck.

For a long moment, Razkar just watched her. Chest heaving, body sore, blood coppery in his mouth that he hawked out like an insult to his flesh. But he did not move. He wanted to comfort her, grasp her hands and bring the wildness from her eyes and see her smile again. But he knew her rage; touching her now would but spark it again. No... better to let exhaustion wear it down, quench the flame... and soon it did.

A heavy thud as he sat down opposite her, looking almost as battered as her. The Svefra milling around broke apart, partly upset the show was over but, hey, such was the way of all shows. Soon they were almost alone again, silent save for heavy breathing...

"... time for rest, I think." Razkar said with a wince, feeling agony in his side and seeing fresh, ruddy knuckle prints there. His chuckle was almost a death rattle. "That was... good. You are definite improve. But soon, must learn control."

Razkar let his body fall back, deck cool against his spine, watching the blue sky with its bobbing, leisurely clouds with almost detached interest. Slowly, with each breath, his heartbeat steadied. He covered his eyes from the sun with one arm and finally spoke.

"I hunger. We eat, then we come back. With sword, or ax, or whip... what you want." His arm moved fractionally, and he saw glittering black eyes peering at her like a snake under a rock. "But with control. Must teach you control. Not let you do that again. It is... not for warrior."

[Edreina]

"... time for rest, I think. That was... good. You are definite improve. But soon, must learn control." His ragged chuckle made Edreina wince, suddenly feeling the weight of her actions. Trembling finely, she looked down at her hands, those being the most sore from uncountable impacts. Already the first two knuckles on each hand were swollen, likely to darken in coming days. Control... Yes that was definitely something she would need. Looking at the stretched out Myrian beside her, Edreina had the sudden realization that, had it not been a friend against whom she was sparring, such blind behavior could have killed her. Any other enemy would have capitalized on her frenzied, inhuman motions and drove her to the deck in a pool of her own... Gods... what's wrong with me? Everywhere she looked there was blood, pain, and death. Despite the calm ember in her chest she still felt like she was in the middle of a battle as her heart raced in her own ears. Every movement caught her off guard and had her flinching. Closing her eyes tightly and curling in on herself, Edreina rested her head on her knees, begging the thoughts to go away. So many years of non-violence, of kindness in the face of goading and of pacifism had kept her from developing control over this natural aspect of herself. So many years of suppression. Ever so slowly, she managed to regain full control of herself, to calm her heart and her breath. In all of her years, Edreina had never truly been mad at someone. Despite the prodding and teasing of her siblings, she had always been able to brush it off and remain the happy-go-lucky girl that she knew. But this Myrian. Each time she fought him her more primal emotions came to the forefront and seemed to seize control. Was it something he exuded? Or was it just the fighting, the need to protect oneself. "I hunger. We eat, then we come back. With sword, or ax, or whip... what you want. But with control. Must teach you control. Not let you do that again. It is... not for warrior." She peered at him over her own arms, shockingly blue eyes standing out against her honey colored skin and scruff of lank red hair, darkened slightly by sweat. Chewing on her own lower lip, she thought on it for a silent chime. "I don't want to fight again... Not until I'm in control of... of that." She nodded to the area of the deck where their fighting had reached a head, as if the wild version of herself stood there still, hands balled and eyes darting as its mockery of her face grinned in anticipation of another fight. Thought his face did not show it, Edreina could almost feel his disappointment. Something in the air changed when she said that she did not want to fight - or perhaps she was once more thinking too deeply into things. Either way, Edreina forced herself to stand, wincing as she became aware of even more aches, more future bruises. Once again she was glad that it had been Razkar she fought, not another. Almost shyly, feeling what a contrast this action was compared to the state she had been only a few short chimes earlier, Edriena walked over and offered a hand to her friend, to help him to his feet. The smile that lit up her face was not one of malice but of genuine friendship. Once he was on his feet as well, she tapped her nose with one finger as he had before. "You decide where we eat today. I could tell that the squid wasn't your thing."

[Razkar]

"I don't want to fight again... Not until I'm in control of... of that."

Something growled inside Razkar at her words, but he beat it down. His disappointment would have to take second place to the possibility of her losing herself again. She was not some stranger whose fate he did not care for; she was his friend, and he would not goad her darker side just to watch it destroyer. Such was the way of Dhani and Zith and followers of the Sick Gods.

Not a warrior of Myri.

"I understand. You not have to say more. When come back, we spar, not fight. We practice, like when we did block and thrust, remember?"

To his mild male chagrin, she was the first on her feet. Hesitantly and slowly, true, but by the time his body had found the strength again, hers was already upright and... thank the Goddess... smiling. He saw her tap her nose and his smile mirrored her own, bereft of that sadistic battle lust from before.

"You decide where we eat today. I could tell that the squid wasn't your thing."

Razkar accepted her hand, though he did make a point to put most of his weight on his bruised knees and thighs, screaming pains be damned. With a grunt he was upright and stretched out... oh, gods... that was painful. The Myrian masked it well but found a female with a wry eyebrow cocked waiting for him when he looked back down.

"Oh, do not make face. It hurts. You should be proud. And it is not I not like squid, but..." he searched for the words and they eluded him, so he just shrugged helplessly "... fine, so maybe not like squid. But! Have heard good things about crab..."

Razkar actually tweaked her nose playfully, making her start and provoking a bass, good-natured rumble from him. He bowed mockingly, low and respectful, still grinning, one arm pointing to the milling mess of the Flotilla.

"Lead on with you nose, Edri. Find us crab, my red head hound!"

[Edreina]

Edreina could automatically see the soreness in the way that both of them moved but watching Razkar attempt to stand was borderline comical. Settling for a wry smile and raised eyebrow, Edreina shook her head at his bravado. Men... "Oh, do not make face. It hurts. You should be proud. And it is not I not like squid, but... fine, so maybe not like squid. But! Have heard good things about crab..." Edreina meant to raise her arms and flex them playfully at his remark but only got them about as high as her shoulders before the soreness caused her to hiss through her teeth and wrap them safely around herself once more. Crab... was that even in season right now? Edreina remembered that last spring crab supplies had been a bit short for reasons unknown and did not really recall if they had rebounded this year. Just as she began to ponder where best to find well cooked crab Razkar caused her to jump by reaching out and tweaking her nose, earning a glare that was quickly replaced by a nose-crinkling smile. Only one other person had every had the gall to twist her nose and that was her brother. Maybe that's how he saw her? An innocent, fragile little sister. Better than a savage... part of her remarked when thinking back to their first encounter. Despite her mild disappointment at this realization, she could not help but smile still. How far they had already come... "Lead on with you nose, Edri. Find us crab, my red head hound!" "Red hou-!" Despite the soreness and how the impact made both of them cringe lightly, she jumped up and bumped her shoulder against his, grinning through it all. Huffing slightly in indignation, she walked over to the railing and, just as she planned on jumping overboard to rinse off, stopped. Would she be able to swim this sore? Hell. Would she be able to lower herself down the netting to get into the water at all? Glaring lightly, she walked over to the bucket and doused herself with several mug-fulls of water, running a hand over her skin to keep the salt from drying and cracking upon her skin. Bending over, she poured more water at the base of her skull so that it would wet the roots of her hair before the rest. Standing up and shaking her hair into a damp fluff, she nodded. "Now I can eat." Holding her nose up despite Razkar's eyeroll, Edreina padded off of the Cuttlefish into the constant milling of Svefra. Walking about the edge of the Flotilla, Edreina led him to the ships with the more freshly caught crustaceans, not sure he would like crab jerky. After a few ships, Edreina finally came to a group of three ships with great nets and cages crowding their decks. The crew that seemed to specialize in crab had dozens boiling in large, aromatic broths upon their decks. Walking over to the rack upon which a woman was placing the freshly cooked half-crabs, Edreina greeted her in Fratava before asking their price for two. The gently graying woman paused in her grabbing strings and hauling out several crabs at a time to think. "Two silvers each... So four silvers." The woman responded with a smile, wiping her wet hands off on her pants. Her blue eyes flashed curiously - and slightly apprehensively - to the hulking Myrian that stood off to Edreina's side. Smiling, Edriena pulled the single gold miza she had brought along, just in case, from beneath her bound breast and handed it to the woman. The woman shook her head and smiled to herself, as if remembering her own youth. She dropped the gold miza into a small leather pouch at her side and retrieved four silvers, handing them and two half-crabs - who had a length of twine tied about their centers - to Edreina. Nodding her thanks, Edreina turned to Razkar, offering him one of the strung crabs. Once he had taken his, she dropped the silvers into her cleavage for fear that they might fall out if placed anywhere else. Let's just hope I don't jingle. Razkar gave her a weird look and she rolled her eyes, shrugging. "You gave a lesson, so I bought lunch." He did not seem pacified but began to inspect his multi-legged meal nonetheless. Holding hers lightly, it was still very very very warm, Edreina turned it over to expose the bright white meat that peeked out of the central break, where the crab had been split into two. "You start here. Don't eat the shell!" Razkar looked for a moment like he was about to take a bite out of the crab's body, chitinous outside and all. Imploring him to watch and imitate with her wide blue eyes, she used her nimble fingers to pull a fragment of meat out and put it into her mouth quickly. The meat was very juicy and rather well seasoned. "After you finish this..." She smiled as an odd thought crossed her mind. "You break open the legs and the claw and pull meat out of there." It was intensified as she imagined Raz using his shark-like teeth to devour the little crustacean, causing her to stifle a snort. Curious, she watched the land-strider begin to pick apart his meal, hoping to see a more pleased look on his face when he consumed this compared to when he had eaten the squid tentacle.

[Razkar]

As he'd hoped, Edreina's sea-honed nose soon found them a ship where an old woman was grilling and roasting an assortment of crustacean delicacies. The Myrian stared as the transaction was being conducted, gawping like some clueless traveler at what was on offer...

It looks like they're covered in bone... and they have none inside them! So their bones are on the outside and their skin is inside? Then where are their organs...?

"You gave a lesson, so I bought lunch."

Razkar grimaced but accepted her equivalent exchange. It still rankled to have a female buying his food for him, but, hey, when in Syliras, right? He was more interested in the quick but appraising look the vendor gave him. Curious, tinged with a little uncertainty... but then vanishing into a shake of her head and a slow, knowing smile. Razkar smiled back, wondering why... oh...

The Myrian blushed slightly and concentrated on the proffered crab. Staring down at it like an enemy to be conquered, he braced himself. One good chomp would get through that shell, and then-

"You start here. Don't eat the shell!"

Razkar froze comically, eyes and mouth wide open, teeth shining, dead and steaming crab a twitch away from being bisected. Then he glanced down to it and slowly lowered his meal, watching her carefully as she flipped over her own crab and tore out some skin from what he assumed was its stomach. Hmm... much softer...

He did the same and found that the fluffy but firm (and hot) meat came away pretty easily. He sniffed it... finding nothing too odd about the scent... aside from the spices he couldn't identify... and then took a bite. Razkar knew her eyes were on him but didn't look around. He just wanted to enjoy...

Well. That was a surprise. He was enjoying it.

"After you finish this, you break open the legs and the claw and pull meat out of there."

The Myrian's head whipped around like a curious puppy's and he watched her demonstrate. Ah, that was more like it! Once the stomach was scooped out he attacked the legs with relish, snapping them open with a grin and sucking out the steaming, juicy flesh from within. After a few chimes he stopped chewing long enough to notice Edreina's goggle-eyed stare.

"Oh." He muttered, oddly self-conscious with chunks of crab meat around his face. "I, ah... It is very good! Are they insect? Like ant? Have lot of legs, but..." he tapped the hard shell and shook his head, frowning "... not feel like bug..."

[Edreina]

Edreina ate the majority of the crab's meat slowly, marveling at how removing the organs allowed the meat to fluff up and expand. Once finished there, she hung the crab over her shoulder by it's string and began to work at the legs one by one, breaking one off at the joint then peeling away the shell to expose the tender meat. After completing the legs - tossing their remnants over board - she tore off the claw and bit off the end so that she could suck out the meat. With mild disdain, the carcass ended up in the Suvan. Belly full and soreness slowly dissipating to a tolerable level as she moved, Edreina was content. And, so was Razkar, she realized. Covered with bits of the shell and the white flesh he had an oddly comical appearance. Rolling her eyes, Edreina deadpanned, "Enjoying yourself?" "Oh. I, ah... It is very good! Are they insect? Like ant? Have lot of legs, but... not feel like bug..." Edreina laughed and shook her head, shrugging as well. "I actually don't know what crabs are. Some people call them the roaches of the sea but I don't think that they are related to roaches... they just resemble them." She shrugged again and scratched the back of her head, feeling bad that she was unable to provide the foreigner with proper answers. "I think I heard them described as crustaceans before but that word is empty to me as well." Glaring slightly, for Edriena had never been one for messes, she brushed a chunk of shell off of his chest. Nudging the bit away with her toe, she looked up at him with dancing eyes. "Are all Myrians this messy?" They were heading back to the Cuttlefish now, whether consciously or not. "What do you do for fun? Back home?" The question was one of general curiosity. She imagined that Myrians did something other that killing and pillaging. At least she hoped.

[Razkar]

Razkar listened and nodded as Edri filled him in on what crabs were... or were not, as it turned out. Apparently she was no more knowledgable that he about the strange, hardened sea creatures, which surprised him. He chuckled at her "roaches of the sea" expression, though. It reminded him of the locusts some clans roasted and ate on skewers.

"Are all Myrians this messy?"

The Myrian chuckled again around a mouthful of crab leg and swallowed, picking his teeth with a bone shard.

"Just show how much I appreciate food. It is a compliment!"

Within a chime they were moving again, meandering in that slow, measured way they'd become used to when they went on their walks. No rush, no fuss, just taking in the sights and sounds of the Flotilla. They passed a ship that was more like a floating parlor, selling cloth and silks from crates, when she spoke again.

"What do you do for fun? Back home?"

"Oh, we skin small animals alive. Make contest to how long each can do without animal dying."

He heard her gasp and stop walking behind him as if she'd slammed into a brick wall. Trying desperately to keep the smile from his face, he kept walking nonchalantly... before stopping... turning... seeing her stunned and disgusted expression... and then grinning.

"You are far too easy, Mistress Edri."

Her face twitched in shock and with a squeal of anger she flew at him, but Razkar was already running unsteadily over the decks and gangplanks, gathering a storm of shouts and curses as he barged over and through people, shrieking little Svefra barreling after him.

Finally he got to the Cuttlefish and she tackled him from behind, both of them falling to the deck in a tangle of limbs.

"What?! Was fun! Was funny!"

She kept up raining blows onto his ribs and finally he rolled his eyes and grabbed her arms at the elbows, forcing them back and rolling her over with one smooth movement-

-before letting himself fall back onto his rump, then follow through into a backward roll that ended with him on his feet in a crouch.

"We dance and we sing." He said as her eyes flashed to him again. "We hunt and we do chores for clan. Urgh... always so much chores. We train, and..." he fingered the necklace around his neck and the piercings adorning his face, the tattoowork covering his body "... we make beautiful things..."

The Myrian chuckled, happy to have banished the angered, animal rage of before, talking to her as two friends, firm and casual. He sighed up at the sun, belly full, remembering another beautiful woman...

"Some... Some like to read. Find books or scrolls, even stones from jungle that have words." He grimaced briefly. "I never read much, but my female, she help me."

Some voice warned him not to broach that subject too deeply with Edreina, but another part tells him that such trepidation is self-defeating. The Svefra was not stupid, nor a fragile child to be tiptoed around.

The Myrian grunted as he laid back and his ribs screeched at him. No, definitely not petching fragile...

[Edreina]

"Oh, we skin small animals alive. Make contest to how long each can do without animal dying." Edreina gasped, eyes becoming wider than Syna as her legs stopped carrying. Those poor animals... She had known that Myrians were barbarians but to sit there... torturing poor little animals for fun... Edreina's skin was crawling as bloody, screeching animals flashed behind her eyes, threatening to make her sick. "You are far too easy, Mistress Edri." Chagrined, Edreina let out a shout and charged after her friend. They charged across the decks, shoving through throngs and over barriers. All the while, Edreina was shouting every Fratavan insult she knew or made up in that moment. He was stronger than she and that allowed him to take longer, more powerful strides. But, she knew the decks better. Each time he stumbled, she gained ground. By the time they reached the Cuttlefish, Edreina managed to launch herself forward and onto the Myrian's dark back. From her perch on his back, she assaulted him with rather weak blows to the back and ribs. Weak, but quick and stiff. After a moment of struggling to gain control, he reached back and grabbed her by the forearms, just below the elbows, using his superior strength to haul the fighting Svefra off of him. When she turned about, he was crouched and grinning wolfishly. The moment she considered leaping onto him again and teaching him a lesson in tricking Svefra women, eyes gaining a gentler version of the focus they took on when she brawled, he chose to speak: "We dance and we sing. We hunt and we do chores for clan. Urgh... always so much chores. We train, and... we make beautiful things..." The thought of Razkar dancing or singing was so illogical when viewed against her current perception that Edreina snorted, grinning widely. At the mention of chores, Edreina felt his pain. On the Flotilla, there was always something to do for someone. Edreina watched with reverence as he fiddled with his various adornments. She had to admit that they were beautiful in their simple, archaic ways. And suddenly, he was very far off, staring up at the sun as if remembering other times that he had looked at that same sun. "Some... Some like to read. Find books or scrolls, even stones from jungle that have words... I never read much, but my female, she help me." Edreina smiled as he reminisced, feeling odd when her mind offered no quip and the mention of his female did not bother her in some way. After several nights, swimming beneath Leth's gaze, Edreina's mind had been cleared. It was clear to her now that the attraction she felt for Razkar was only sexual, like a new cave that she had yet to explore. She appreciated his body. That had not changed. But the longer she spent with Razkar the more she realized that she appreciated him even more for his mind. He was a good friend, and a male that was not keen on having her settle down to raise a brood - that she truly appreciated. The fact that she would never know him as a lover still bothered her gently, like being told that she could not explore that mysterious cave, but not as much as before. She understood and respected his ties. "What is she like? Your beloved?" Her voice was gentle, almost hesitant. The subject had been breached but was it okay for her to press it further? "She must have been truly amazing to win your heart." She smiled as she made the statement, hopefully showing him that there was no malice in her query. Before she could stop herself, her curiosity unfurled and a few more questions spouted forth. "Is she Myrian? How did y'all meet? Where is she now? When will you return to her? ... Sorry..." She blushed and grinned, not actually feeling sorry but feeling the need to apologize if she had, at some point, overstepped her boundaries. "I don't mean to pry but the whole concept of love fascinates me. My brother," she scoffed and rolled her eyes, "chases women like you chase prey. He's just not very good at it."

[Razkar]

"What is she like? Your beloved? She must have been truly amazing to win your heart."

For a moment Razkar just snorted in bemusement at her statement. Truly amazing? As if he were some great prize to be won (which she'd also alluded to)? He didn't see it himself. Then again, he'd always tried hard not to see himself in such a fashion. That breed of vanity led to arrogance, which could easily lead to death for a warrior.

Then he smiled... and in a way that men the multiverse over only ever did when a woman was traipsing through their thoughts.

"I not know about me, but... she is amazing."

"Is she Myrian? How did y'all meet? Where is she now? When will you return to her? ... Sorry..."

Razkar chuckled and waved a dismissive hand, finally finding a comfortable position on the deck, halfway shaded by the gently billowing sail. Ayatah was very much a forbidden subject to most that met him, but Edreina was not most to him. She was a friend, not just an acquaintance, employee or asset. It was odd how he felt so at ease with her after such a short time.

Stranger still how much he needed to voice his love, as if it had been denied to him by a world that would take advantage of it.

"I don't mean to pry but the whole concept of love fascinates me. My brother chases women like you chase prey. He's just not very good at it."

Another snort, but this time it seemed to have more of a nostalgic edge to it.

"Ah, all young men go like that. Goddess know I was. Think you god's gift to females." He said with an exaggerated flexing of his muscles, before spitting over into the rippling waves. "Pfft... if man is smart, he learn that is not true. Look for more than... ego, I think is word."

He sighed and hoped the same for Edreina's brother. Such shameless chasing was a male's right, in many ways, even in the female-owned structure of Falyndar... but it never lasted. Time eroded lust and the body's passion for it, and yesterday's seducer would soon be today's lovesick loner and then, finally, either a married male or one who had burnt all bridges to happiness as far as females went.

If that was where his path lay. Razkar never thought it would be his, until...

"Her name is Ayatah," he said softly, as if saying the word too loud might break it, then smirked as his own gentleness, "And she is half-Myrian. Other half is Eypharian. You know, desert people? With many arm? Her father was one. But she not weak like barbarian, strong like her mother and mother's mother, like... oh... not mean to make offence, mistress."

He cleared his throat and mentally battered himself at his faux pas, but Edreina could tell a well had been tapped and could not be damned now.

"We first meet when I came back to my clan, from Taloba, blessings on the Sacred City," he said, adding the last words out of what seemed like instinct, "She was... just passing. Strange, yes? We met and I... I don't know. Was like being hit my bolt. Like... bolt from sky. Ah... lightning! Yes, lightning! She came with me when I hunt tiger. She save me. I save her."

His smile was like his eyes: lost in a pleasurable past, the trap of nostalgia where things are known and all the more radiant in hindsight. Except her. He knew how radiant she would be now, as then, and a hundred years from that day.

"We... We become together. When she leave my clan to go home, I go with her, meet her family." He rolled his eyes in a curiously universal fashion she understood immediately, even from a savage. "Family was not easy for some people but was good. She love book. Love learn. Love read. She help me read more."

Razkar chuckled and held up a finger, eyes closed.

"Heaven hath no rage, as love to hatred turn... and Hell hath no fury as woman scorned..." He smiled, pleased with himself. "That was poet from barbarian land. Syliras, I think. She teach me that. Is Eypharian in her, seek to know all and eat words."

He chuckled yet again but before her eyes he seemed to grow... grim. Perhaps just saddened, for his eyes dropped and he studied his callused hands.

"After Storm in jungle, things... things go bad. We were distant, I think is word. Things got better but home was not home, so... we leave." He chuckled again, and Edreina could not tell if it was with sadness or warmth. "But we are Reader and Reaver, she and me. She leave for learning city, in the east. I leave..."

He patted the weapons strapped to him, and she understood immediately his purpose in leaving his jungle home.

"... to worship in only way Myri loves."

At the mention of that final word he looked up, seeing an enraptured Edreina studying him. he smiled at her, and seemed so much older when he did. Much had happened to him, she realized. Most of it was not planned, and perhaps more was not what he wished. But it had, and it had molded him.

"Do not rush to find love, Edri. And not try to understand. You see, in my story, love find me. I not even look for it. And understand? HA!" The laugh was a sharp, high bark that sent a few seagulls cawwing away in indignant surprise. "Man try a thousand years to understand woman, and all he get will be headache..."

The savage's eyes slid over to hers and narrowed sharply, remembering fragment of a conversation from days before. Something in the way she talked, something she mentioned.

"Never see love? You? I hear something, about man in... Syliras? Docks there...? Come, I tell. Now you tell..."