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..40th Spring, 515
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..40th Spring, 515
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It was funny how things changed. In the past, Zhol had hated the market. His first experiences had shown just how naive he was about this aspect of life in Wind Reach - not something he was particularly fond of being reminded of - and had led to him avoiding this place. The combination of Khara's birthday, and the fact that the events of autumn had left her uncomfortable with venturing anywhere - especially somewhere so crowded - alone had brought him back; instead of the overwhelmed confusion of the first visits, that venture into the market had been plagued with anxiety, partly for Khara's safety and partly for fear that she might discover what he was buying, and ruin the surprise.
Now though? Now was different. Spring had transformed things. Khara had already spent most of the winter sharing his room and his bed, leaving him for work each morning and returning to him each night. He saw her almost always; as much as it was possible to see her, at least. He'd even spent a few of his workless days accompanying her, tagging along on her scouting expeditions to be parted from her even less, and to better understand who she was, what she did, and what her life, which he was now part of, actually entailed. Any sane person would have decided that was enough - excessive, even. Not Zhol. For him, each blink was too long a time to spend without her. Every opportunity to be together, and better yet do things together was leapt at with all the enthusiasm of an infant cat leaping after a scrap of fluff.
So here he was, back at the market; not because he needed to be, not because Khara wanted him there to protect her, but simply because he couldn't bear the thought of missing an opportunity to be wherever Khara was.
That didn't mean he was here without a definite purpose, though. On the contrary, Zhol had thought long and hard about the specific items he would permit himself to buy. He had been practising a thought and a phrase over and over in his mind: No, I don't need that. He'd even asked Khara to remind him of the same; to challenge his buying choices if it seemed like he was being lured into something unnecessary. There was only so much space in his room for strange impulse purchases; the Isurian weights he'd bought last season dominated one corner, and loomed ominously at him, his use of them more out of effort and obligation than desire. Archery targets and archery supplies. More clothes than he had ever earned; clothes specifically intended for more than just general existence and work. The man raised in Endrykas, the man who had never owned a frivolous luxury in his life, now had too many to quite know what to do with them.
Zhol repeated the two permitted purchases over in his mind: a wooden training sword; and something to practice against, but only if it wasn't too large; he'd be relying on Khara to help him determine that, and to help shield him from merchants who were attempting to take advantage of his naive outsider nature. Zhol had been practising his archery, but the multi-eyed monster back in winter, the duel that had ambushed him on the Sanikas Road, and his sparring with Sira earlier this season, reminded him that it was more than just his bow skills that required practice.
His hand tightened a little around Khara, the gesture followed up by a contented smile offered in her direction. The unspoken extra item that he was allowed to purchase, of course, was anything that Khara wanted; anything that would make her happy. Better yet if she wanted it but decided she couldn't have it. She would protest, she would insist that he didn't need to buy her things; but he wanted to, needed to. He wanted to give her the world; wanted her to want for nothing; wanted every opportunity for her to be happy laid ready and waiting at her feet. Pinions were just pinions, and if Zhol could manage to spend the ones he earned at the stables on the woman he loved, it would make the fact that he had to be apart from her in order to earn them a little easier to bear.
It was funny how things changed. In the past, Zhol had hated the market. His first experiences had shown just how naive he was about this aspect of life in Wind Reach - not something he was particularly fond of being reminded of - and had led to him avoiding this place. The combination of Khara's birthday, and the fact that the events of autumn had left her uncomfortable with venturing anywhere - especially somewhere so crowded - alone had brought him back; instead of the overwhelmed confusion of the first visits, that venture into the market had been plagued with anxiety, partly for Khara's safety and partly for fear that she might discover what he was buying, and ruin the surprise.
Now though? Now was different. Spring had transformed things. Khara had already spent most of the winter sharing his room and his bed, leaving him for work each morning and returning to him each night. He saw her almost always; as much as it was possible to see her, at least. He'd even spent a few of his workless days accompanying her, tagging along on her scouting expeditions to be parted from her even less, and to better understand who she was, what she did, and what her life, which he was now part of, actually entailed. Any sane person would have decided that was enough - excessive, even. Not Zhol. For him, each blink was too long a time to spend without her. Every opportunity to be together, and better yet do things together was leapt at with all the enthusiasm of an infant cat leaping after a scrap of fluff.
So here he was, back at the market; not because he needed to be, not because Khara wanted him there to protect her, but simply because he couldn't bear the thought of missing an opportunity to be wherever Khara was.
That didn't mean he was here without a definite purpose, though. On the contrary, Zhol had thought long and hard about the specific items he would permit himself to buy. He had been practising a thought and a phrase over and over in his mind: No, I don't need that. He'd even asked Khara to remind him of the same; to challenge his buying choices if it seemed like he was being lured into something unnecessary. There was only so much space in his room for strange impulse purchases; the Isurian weights he'd bought last season dominated one corner, and loomed ominously at him, his use of them more out of effort and obligation than desire. Archery targets and archery supplies. More clothes than he had ever earned; clothes specifically intended for more than just general existence and work. The man raised in Endrykas, the man who had never owned a frivolous luxury in his life, now had too many to quite know what to do with them.
Zhol repeated the two permitted purchases over in his mind: a wooden training sword; and something to practice against, but only if it wasn't too large; he'd be relying on Khara to help him determine that, and to help shield him from merchants who were attempting to take advantage of his naive outsider nature. Zhol had been practising his archery, but the multi-eyed monster back in winter, the duel that had ambushed him on the Sanikas Road, and his sparring with Sira earlier this season, reminded him that it was more than just his bow skills that required practice.
His hand tightened a little around Khara, the gesture followed up by a contented smile offered in her direction. The unspoken extra item that he was allowed to purchase, of course, was anything that Khara wanted; anything that would make her happy. Better yet if she wanted it but decided she couldn't have it. She would protest, she would insist that he didn't need to buy her things; but he wanted to, needed to. He wanted to give her the world; wanted her to want for nothing; wanted every opportunity for her to be happy laid ready and waiting at her feet. Pinions were just pinions, and if Zhol could manage to spend the ones he earned at the stables on the woman he loved, it would make the fact that he had to be apart from her in order to earn them a little easier to bear.
"Pavi" | "Common" | "Nari" | "Symenos"
Dad Thoughts | Dinah Thoughts | Khara Thoughts
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This template was made by Khara, the letter Q, and the numbers 87 and 13.