Stubborn As A Mule

[Kiva]

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71st of Winter, 515 A.V
The Sanctuary

There was a quiet in the Sanctuary and the horses were growing reckless. No doubt they would need exercise, but that was not the Myrian's problem. Horses were not her forte, and so she was left with cleaning and grooming the other, less massive animals. Shovel thrown over her shoulders, she sniffled in the cold but dared not touch her face. Between her eyes and around the bridge of her nose were deep blue and grey bruises, a light yellow forming under her eyes.

She had broken the cartilage in her face days ago, and after setting it and the guidance of a healer, the injury was healing nice and straight. Didn't mean she didn't look battered as sin - a look she wore with equal parts pride and shame. As Kiva leaned forward to shovel up a brown patty, her movements were slow, her eyes distant.

She wasn't in the stable at all, but someplace far darker. Her imagination. Over and over she repeated the scene like a play. She would find the Akalak, stalk him. Find out his mannerisms and strike what was most dear to him. Or would she lure him... away from the city. Kill him in cold blood? Her grip tightened around the wooden handle and she tossed the poop into a bin where it would be used as fertilizer for the orchards. She could see the life leaving his eyes, a wistful sigh escaping her lips.

Throwing the shovel away from her, it hit the wall with a snap, and she continued to move around the stables, addressing her duties. Water was filled in the troughs, feed was given to the animals. Next, Kiva turned the corner, hearing the baying of a rather frustrated creature. In its own stall was a sturdy donkey that nosed at the door. It was time to come out, it seemed.

Kiva smirked only briefly, not entirely sure what she was getting herself into. Opening the gate, she reached out to scratch the creature behind the ears and it seemed more than eager to follow her to the yard. She hoped it would be as easy getting it back inside.

★★★

[Wikus]

It had been a full season, perhaps more than that. He had been denying himself his right, something that had caused him great distress. Loneliness was not something very easily handled by him, and with the winter’s freezing temperatures and the lack of blooming flowers Wikus felt lonelier than ever. At last, it was time to finally take control of his doubts and visit his companion. Their relationship had somewhat faltered as Wikus’ visits stopped, but nevertheless he trusted it was still there. Perhaps it could be healed and perhaps not, yet Wikus trusted this day would be the point of inflection. They had been through so much together, countless nights spent with only them in the heaven of a fireplace, as creatures unknown lurked in the shadows. They relied on each other to survive, and their existence was bound by something stronger than any kind of leash. Despite Wikus’ doubts, he held hope in his companion’s love for him, as he himself had perhaps a bit for his sojourn partner.

The walk to the Sanctuary had been somewhat frustrating, as the snow had covered the road and offered only clumsiness on Wikus’ feet. The boots bought and worn were so unnatural for his feet, almost giving the impression of a toddler with its first pair of shoes carved out of wood. Furthermore, the layers of clothing had proven to be very heavy on his flesh, thus not quite allowing him to move as freely as possible. On the other hand, however, he felt heat in his body and no numbness present on his limbs. There wasn’t much cold in his flesh, salve from the occasional gust of wind that threatened to freeze his eyes shut. Wikus wasn’t sure which was better: being free from rags or being free from cold. The added bonus of buying his current attire was the proper grooming he had given himself, and a rare bath he had also gathered the strength for. Standing in front of the Sanctuary’s main gates, he’d exhale deeply before gathering the knowledge to step inside.

At first, he feared finding the unpleasant Kavala within, almost convinced the first step he’d take would trigger some sort of alarm mechanism in her eyes, which would fix on his with that annoying intensity he couldn’t quite tolerate. Nothing like this happened, which was greatly appreciated by him. Slowly advancing, the Sanctuary had changed greatly now that the snows were covering the landscape with its white voluminous beauty. Icicles hanged from every corner, and the frozen paradise was complete. Not quite recalling where he should go, Wikus retrieved an apple from his coat’s pocket and gave it a generous bite. As he chewed with apparent difficulty, he somewhat feared the ink starting to filter inside him mouth – it had happened before, specifically when eating an apple. There didn’t seem to be much life around, something Wikus appreciated.

After some more steps, the horizon revealed two frames. One was of a female, which Wikus believed to be Kavala as only she would be only one obsessed with animals now that she could make them talk. The female’s dark hair, however, quickly dismissed that possibility. Not quite sure of whom it was, Wikus didn’t seem to bother to try and guess as instead his eyes laid on the creature behind the female. That creature Wikus would recognize even if his eyes were gouged, the grey hairs of the mythical beast being as known as his own hands. A man’s best friend and the best traveling companion he could ever wish for, the dire donkey immediately turned his heart around. Usually being cold and somewhat distant to his companion, the emotion got onto him as he brought his hands to his mouth and gave a dry shout: “Oi!”

Whatever drop of intelligence lied in the donkey’s thick skull shined greatly. Halting his lazy walk and turning its head towards the familiar shout, the donkey slowly laid eyes on the distant frame. The clothes weren’t recognized, nor was the now groomed haircut or beard, but something else seemed to trigger some sort of familiarity between the two. Both Wikus and his ass stared at each other, almost as if verifying each other’s identity or fighting a silent dwell of whom would last longer without being overpowered by emotion. The donkey, immobile at first, immediately shifted his ears back and opened its loud mouth, delivering a single yet extremely loud and long bray as it began joyfully trotting towards his owner. Pulling out of the female’s reach even by force, it was clear the animal had succumbed to his comradery first.

The loud bray didn’t quite bother Wikus for once, obviously in a good mood to have finally met his best friend as both ran towards each other. The donkey was faster, having met closer to Wikus than to the female. Trotting around him, circling him with its metaphorical hug, the donkey kept braying towards his owner. Wikus, being the loving man he is, began speaking joyfully in some sort of gibberish as if speaking with a secret language only the two understood. Delivering a couple of the donkey’s favorite harsh slaps onto the animal’s rear, Wikus bizarre kiss was finally delivered. The donkey kept braying on the man’s face, as now Wikus leaned forward and began scratching the donkey under its ears. Just this once, they would get along just fine. It was really emotional, indeed, as man and ass were finally reunited.

916 / 50000

[Kiva]

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When the donkey was released to the yard, Kiva watched it briefly before returning to her work. There were things to be done, snow to be shoveled, feeding troughs to be filled. She worked quickly, efficiently and retrieved a bucket of water and soap to scrub down the outward walls of the facility. Kavala always said she was doing too much, but to a Myrian who's mind was constantly seeking retribution for past wrongs, her hands must keep busy to prevent them from finding their ways around her victim's neck. She snapped the memory of her attack at the Kendoka Sasaran like twigs in her mind, preparing each to be burned in one last, glorious flame. As her fingers scrubbed at the walls and windows, the cold bit at her hands leaving them red and raw.

She paid no attention, sniffling through the sensitivity of her face and gave short, fast breaths. The cold was trying to nip through her coat, and she pulled it tighter around her as the donkey she had released began to bray loudly.

'What in Zinrah is that?" The words flowed in quiet Myrian and she threw down the rag in her hand, where it sloshed in the icy bucket. When she turned she saw the animal facing a man it appeared to recognize, and said man giving the animal slaps on the rump. Kiva had never seen such a reunion, let alone with such enthusiasm, and she began quietly meandering over. She purposefully kept her footsteps light, if not a bit cautious. The visitor was speaking gibberish, nothing like Kiva had ever heard.

Something was familiar in the voice, but the dark haired female couldn't place it. She did not recognize his clothes or hair. His skin was clean, but when she was close enough, her eyes widened. She knew this man. Kiva tried to think back on the memory, some weeks ago, but the details were fuzzy. Something about that day had felt... cloudy with emotion. She had not been herself, not fully. When the sun awoke after their meeting, she remember being horrified at her behavior the day before. She had chased after a man who was not Myrian, used an Akalak to do her bidding, and struck a deal with the person before her. He had a nasty habit of spilling ink from his skin, if she remembered correctly.

Kiva waited silently until the meeting of man and his ass seemed to come to a close, before she crossed her arms, "Where is the woman I gave you?"

She was thinking of the hideous thing he had taken to the house, and Kiva did not find the other woman's lack of beauty simply from jealousy. Thinking back with a clear mind, Wikus' woman had been vile. Kiva smirked, teasing the strange man, now all cleaned up and at her very place of employment. She had been very content to assume she would never see him again.

He may not remember her fully either, but surely he remembered what he had done. Those details were still a secret from the young woman, but she could take a wild guess, "Was my gift not enjoyed?"

★★★

[Wikus]

The donkey, as whimsical as his owner, soon got tired of running around the man. Whatever it was on his mind, it certainly was related to the man’s bizarre clothing, something the donkey clearly did not approve as it began taking a hold of the coat with its teeth and chewing on the fabric. Pulling and chewing, be it out of affection or some sort of irritation towards his owner’s new habit, Wikus hand came forth to harshly slap the donkey back into order. The animal, not quite useful for anything else, let go of the coat and instead brayed in protest. Despite their period away from each other, they still had constant conflict, that despite being something Wikus detested it was still appreciated as it at least proved his donkey remembered him. Someone else remembered him, as his gaze met Kiva’s. Her sight transported him back to that day and the anger that loomed over him, now trying to manifest itself within him in order to ruin his good mood.

With a grunt, Wikus would hand the apple to his donkey, whom devoured with a single bite and chewed on it with extreme ease. Meanwhile, Wikus would retrieve his pipe and his pouch of tobacco and begin filling said pipe and lightly compressing the tobacco with his pinky finger. Glancing up at the female, he said with a sight. “It was not gift. I earned her.” He didn’t give it much attention, nor did he feel much guilt for what he had done. The image of the female crying as he did his bidding flashed in his mind, and even so he didn’t feel any sorrow for his actions. For him, what he had done had caused him a lot of pain, yet the next morning he felt that whatever love he had felt had faded away. It was his actions and his suffering what had killed that forbidden love, for sure, and thus he would do it again if he were to feel betrayed once again. “You have been busy. First a weakling, then a blue, now a donkey. You must feel very alone without a man.”

His eyes raised from his pipe, mocking the female with his indifference and teasing her back with his blatant seriousness. The inappropriate suggestion could arise him some problems depending on the female’s psychology that he was unbeknown about, yet nonetheless cared not about. He didn’t remember her name, yet he did remember her features and the few words they shared moons ago. He had almost mounted her, a mistake that would have haunted him way more than the punishment given to his unmatched love. While her hips were still attractive and fit for childbearing, her lips were full of hidden truths if he recalled correctly. The context was lost in the wind and so were her words, yet that concept had wedged inside his brain for some reason. Glancing down at the donkey, he’d pat his head somewhat harshly. “Where do you take him?”

Raising his head once again, the blue eyes would jump from the female to the vicinity in which they looked for Kavala – almost begging not to find her frame or her undesirable facial expressions looking towards him. Thankfully, there was nothing but cold snow around them. Fixing his eyes on the female, he’d sigh as he raised his pipe. “Do you have fire?” Meanwhile, the whimsical donkey would change the target of his indiscriminate chewing, switching from the man to the woman as he began bumping his thick head against the female’s side. It was as if he was announcing an incoming bite on her attire, perhaps demanding something for that not to happen. Truthfully, being stabled in a place such as the Sanctuary, in which constant attention and care was given to animals of humble origins such as his had turned the donkey into a pampered and comfortable creature. That royal and noble creature now demanded instead of begged, getting irritated at the lack of attention he deserved.

672 / 50000

[Kiva]

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"It was not gift, I earned her."

A slow smile crept onto Kiva's lips, starting at the corner of her mouth and revealing bright teeth. "Oh, is that what you think?" Kiva replied fluidly in her own tongue, not remembering that this man did not speak the language of such a noble people. She cleared her throat, letting the amusement fade naturally from her face, and adjusted the gloves on her hands. Wikus' next words were just as surprising, did not cease in humor. Kiva laughed suddenly, shaking her head. The act caused her bruised nose to ache, "Not as lonely as you, I think."

She smirked and watched him pack his pipe, quickly losing interest and turning to shift snow beneath her boot. Her eyes followed the animal between them, and she shrugged at his question. It depended on the day, "Kavala watches the animals." Pointing, she motioned to where the mule had been stabled. "He wanted to..." Kiva trailed off, lips pursing as she tried to remember the word in common. She could imagine the animal roaming the yard, sniffing, grazing at the few shrubs that remained in the cold season. But the word was only in Myrian on her tongue and she gave up, dropping her hands that hand previously been trying to aid in her memory "... walk. So I helped."

The Myrian began to look for her cleaning supplies and felt the donkey's nudge on her arm and she lifted it away, just as Wikus asked for something else. "You ask me for a lot of things." she muttered, nodding and lifting a finger. "Follow." Kiva went to grab her bucket and rag, and returned. The donkey nudged her hip, and she sighed, looking down at the needy animal with annoyed eyes, "Stop." she commanded in Myrian, as if the could order all creatures.

Hai, it could understand Wikus and his jumble of words, it would surely understand her. It nudged her again, and she shot it another look, this time leading both man and mule to the door of the stables. Inside were a few voices now, but they sounded high pitched. Childlike.

Kiva pushed her way inside, not surprised when she found two of the children who frequented the stable chattering inside and petting a horse who leaned it's long neck from it's cozy gate and sniffed at their hair. Who were these children? Kiva could not remember. Savage children all looked the same to her.

When they saw her, they quieted, but Kiva took no notice. She began searching for the matches that lighted the lanterns, rummaging in a large chest on the far wall. If Wikus followed, both boy and girl would watch him with the same weariness, until the boy stepped forward, "Kiva," he began, kicking his foot, but steeling himself to look at the woman when she turned to him, "Can we get some apples from the kitchen for him?"

'Yes.' Kiva had to stop herself from agreeing. "Ask someone else." And by someone else, she meant Kavala. "These are not mine to spoil." As she spoke, she found the matches, and broke one free to give to Wikus.

★★★