[P] the breath of summer

[Eik]

"Good enough. I have much to learn still." He nods silently, pleased by her response. The more you know, the more you realize you don't know- in war and most everything else, it seems. Only two-bit soldiers believe there is nothing left to learn.

She continues, speaking of the rest of her education. It makes sense that she would be drawn to fighting, and given her size it likely comes easy. He is tempted to give her some life advice, but refrains-- telling her to climb a mountain in winter seems like enough wisdom to impart for one conversation. So he simply bobs his head in understanding. It is not the life he would want for his daughters, if they had been born here-- but if they chose to walk the path of blood, he could not say no.

And anyway, there is nothing you can do to prepare someone for the shock of taking a life. So he leaves Jaxis' path unmarred by his comments-- no doubt she needs no guidance from this old bat. She seems to relax as the topic of conversation switches to himself, and this too he understands. They are starkly different creatures, and yet there are glimpses of understanding. He doesn't really want to like the youth, but for some reason he does.

"It is." He grins suddenly, thinking of all the poor fools who would disagree with them. "I'd go mad if I had to stay here." Though some could argue he is a bit mad (just a bit echoes his mind). The grin fades but its warmth lingers as he thinks of the open sky and the endless horizon. "It isn't for everyone, though." Apparently it's not for most people-- if it was, surely Seraphina could have found a better man for the job.

Their conversation has become a lazy, winding river, and onward they drift. Jaxis seems proud of her heritage- he wonders what that must feel like. Araxes-- the word has an ancient ring to it, a heft that makes him wonder how many have walked this earth with that name. Were they all the same person, born time and again? And then he wonders- How many Eiks have there been, how many Jaxises-- or are they the first of their name?

(First has no meaning anyway-- unlike the river, time is directionless. The ringing in his ears grows louder)

The pointlessness of his wondering settles in, and his attention returns to the matter at hand as easy as blinking his eyes. "A blind man could see your father in you," Amusement glimmers in his dark eyes. "But I do not know Araxes." He has not heard her name before, but in booming whispers the court has spread tales of the Warden and his night court fancy. It caused quite the scandal among the ignorant majority of Solterrans, the ones who could be born, live, and die here happily without ever feeling the rain on their back. "From Denocte?" He is curious, now and always, "Why are you here, and not there?"

-     -     -
There is no better way to know us
E I K
than as two wolves, come separately to a wood

@Jaxis