Declaimer: I own nothing-everything belongs to the wonderful Lois Lowry, and frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.
Rated: T, just to be safe.
A/N: I went to see The Giver, and came back with the itch to do something inspired after it. These short-shots are for those of us who found the lack of Jonas/Kira at the end of Messenger to be disturbing. This is the first time I've ever attempted to write a FF in this world, so forgiven any OTC or other oddities-and yes, they're may be a couple of spoilers for the movie ahead (but like that's going to stop you:P)
Enjoy, and if you like it, please let me know. You know what to do.
{DJWind}
..:V:..
I wasn't there when it happened, but I felt it. I felt the trimmer in the ground, and the sudden wind that rose up and brush against my flushed face. Then I saw it, how the darkness, the sickness suffocating Forest seemed to recede and I was allowed passage. A part of me wishes I'd been there—with Matty, but a part of me doesn't. I don't like seeing death, and although it's only a natural cycle of life, I still don't like it, I never have ever since I first beheld it with the Giver in my childhood community. I came out of the retreating Forest, bloodied and bruised from its attacks, but still standing strong—I've been through far worst—and then I stopped.
Matty was there, lying on the ground, pale and lifeless, and I know he was died. I knew it would come to that, that he would be the Healer that would give his life away to save Forest and the Village. I didn't dwell on it, I don't dwell on such un-pleasantries though it's part of my job to keep the memory of war and battle and cruelty alive to use for wisdom so they don't happen again. Beside his prone body, a young woman sat paralyzed by what had happened. I already knew her; she was Kira, Seer's young daughter, and I went to her and laid a hand on her shaking shoulders. I didn't say anything as I looked down upon her and the body of Matt, my throat was too tight and too dry, and the tears were coming too freely to be stopped. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but finally Kira moved, and my eyes shifted to her with the sudden movement.
Since I first beheld color, I've ever completely been able to resist the emotion of joy to run through my like fire will through a dry forest. Really, it doesn't take much for me to start grinning like a twelve-year-old schoolboy. I've tried to contain the emotion, but I've found—Villager's have commented—that my happiness and joy is contagious, and really some emotions can't—shouldn't—be hidden. That same feeling of happiness suddenly rush through my blood veins when I saw Kira for the very first time.
She was the most beautiful woman alive.
Mind you, she was pale and exhausted with twigs in her thick, long dark hair and dirt on her flushed cheeks, but she was beautiful. Her eyes were the perfect combination of blue-grey I'd ever seen, and I couldn't help but momentarily stare at her….
"W-who are you?" She suddenly asked, attempting to stand. But her bad leg was too stiff and injured to keep her up, and I had to grab her arm to steady her. She wanted to pull away from my touch—I could feel her skin tingle and her muscles stiffen—but she didn't.
"I'm—Leader," I said. "I saw you and—Matt were in trouble. I came to help you."
Kira nodded, her eyes glazing over at the mention of her died friend's name, and for a second I was afraid she would start crying again.
"T-thank you," was all she managed to say.
I nodded, then said, for Forest around us was once again turning a tone of hostility, "We have to go. We can't stay in Forest any longer." I took her hand, and pulled her gently away towards the trail that lead back through the woods to the Village, but Kira stuck her cane in the muddy dirt and stubbornly stopped. I was surprised at her behavior, and quirked an eyebrow in explanation.
"What—" Kira's voice stammered, "what about Matty?"
"We'll come back and get him," I said. "But we need to go," I urged, feeling the hostility around us intensify with each passing minute. Though Matty had healed the Forest with his sacrifice, it was still very unfriendly to outsiders, and it wouldn't take much for it to become irritated and dangerous with our presence.
Kira finally moved without question, and I breathed a sigh of relief; I was very anxious to be back in the Village before long, and definitely before nightfall. Because I knew that we would go extra slow due to her bad leg, as soon as we were upon the trail and out of sight of Matt's body, I offered to carry Kira. She refused—a bite of pride getting in the way—but she didn't complain when I decided to wrap my arm around her wrist and help her along. It was nice feeling, beginning able to contact with another human being—a warm, pleasant feeling that sent shivers of excitement and fear through my whole body, such a feeling I've never experienced with another person since Fionna. I had to prevent my implosive thoughts from distracting me, and willed myself to focus on the task had hand—getting us to safety—and not the beautiful young woman practically in my arms. It was difficulty, I won't deny that, and by the time we reached Village, I was thoroughly exhausted. I don't know how Kira went on feeling the way she was, but when we finally reached the outskirts and Forest no-longer held us prisoner, she collapsed. I knelt by her, checking her pulse, and making sure she was still breathing. I stood, and gathering up the last of my strength, I carefully picked her up and carried her through the Village to Seer's home.
By then, the villager's had been alerted to my presence and were quick to fetch the Herbalist. Seer also somehow sensed my approach, for he was standing on the deck of his home when I arrived.
"Is that you Leader?" He asked slowly, a hint of worry edging his voice.
"Yes," I gasped out as I mounted the last steps to the deck and crossed into the dimly let home. "I have Kira."
"H-how is she? And where's Matt?" The unavoidable question came.
Because I don't like to lie—even when it's absolutely necessary—I decided I would tell him the truth, though I already knew how much pain it would bring the elderly man.
"Matt's died," I said bluntly, tears spring to my eyes at the memory. "He sacrificed himself for Forest—and for Kira."
Seer bowed his head, weeping freely. I laid Kira down on the nearby couch, then returned to him and wrapped him in a reassuring hug.
"It's alright, Seer," I assured him. "This was what Matt was chosen for."
"I know," Seer sighed deeply through his tears, "I know. But I don't like it."
"I know," I answered. "It was Matt's choice, and it was the right one."
"What about Kira?" Seer asked after a short pause wherein I left him and went back to his daughter's side. The Herbalist had already came and was looking over her wounds inflected by Forest. They were nasty and would take many days to properly heal, I watched as the older Herbalist whipped away the dried blood intermixed with dirt and mud.
"She's injured" I finally answered, looking back up at Seer who hovered above me, "but she's alive."
Seer breathed a sigh of relief and staggered over to the nearest chair, slumped down into her, tears flowing down his wrinkled cheek in happiness and sorrow. My heart reached out to him as I could almost visualize Seer's hurt and sadness, so I stood up, allowing the Herbalist better access to his patient, and went to the older man, laying I a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm leaving now," I explained in answer to the puzzled look that crossed his sightless face. "I'll come back in the morning to see how you and Kira are doing."
"Thank you," Seer said. "Thank you—for everything, Leader."
I gave him an assuring pat on the shoulder, then left, turning my weary steps towards my own home place and the long desired bed awaiting me there.
..:V:..
I made sure to drop by Seer's house every day afterwards. It quickly became an established habit with me. Before Forest's sickness and Matt's journey to retrieve Seer's daughter, I didn't really venture outside, not that I didn't like it, I love nature and all her seasons and colors, but I just didn't have time. Now, I found time. I felt how much Matty's death hurt Seer and Kira, and I wanted to ease a bit of their suffering and grief, thus I made sure to take a hour or two out of my busy schedule to go see them—bring them a meal or perhaps pick them some flowers I found along the path. I've found that those in suffering need such things, and it shouldn't be beneath us to give them that.
In the week following Matt's death, I sent some of the Village's strongest men into Forest to retrieve his body. The Village was already keening for him by the time they returned. The funeral was simple and memorable; most of the Villagers attended, with the exception of Mentor who was still affected by his Trade. His daughter, Jean, was there, and I made sure to keep a close on her during the whole event, she was very sad and didn't saying anything to anyone. In fact, I really haven't seen too much of her since then…
After the funeral, I decided to accompany Seer and Kira back to their home. It was dark night and the stars were out—bright twinkling gas-spheres—and the air was layered with frost, for Winter was coming. The same frost had harden the ground and crunched under my boot as I walked with Seer and Kira on either side of me. We went slow, for my part to saver the cold silence in the dark night and to allow Kira not to overwork her leg—it was the first day she was up and standing since we met. Seer was silent, and I could hear the pitter-patter of Frolic's feet behind us, the puppy now followed Kira around as much as he'd done with Matt.
"Is it always so cold this time of year?" Kira's soft voice asked through the darkness.
I raised up the lantern in my hand and turned to her beside me, she was bundled head to foot in a long, black coat, it's hood drown up over her hair which tumbled over in unruly waves.
"Yes," I answered. "It's almost winter now. We'll probably get the first snow-fall in the next week or so," I added, unable to detain a bet of happiness from sipping into my voice. I loved winter—strange, I know, some people dislike the biting cold and wet, but I've always been parshal to it. I think it's because me and Gabe came to Village in the winter, on the eve of what they call Christmas.
"Do you like winter?" Kira asked.
"Yes, very much."
Kira said noting in reply, as if she was contemplating my answer, and we three continued on our way.
Seer bade me good-night once we'd reached their home. I helped him across the threshold and turned on the inside lights before him, then turned back to Kira who stilled lingered outside, leaning heavily upon her cane. I reached out a hand to help her across the rough-hawed floor-broads, but she didn't take it.
Instead she asked, "Why do they call you Leader?"
I'll always remember this first really conversation we ever had because this would be the first time I'd every really told someone other, then those that had first found me and Gabe, about what happened.
I leaned back up against the deck railing, and said, "I came to Village over ten years ago, with the boy Gabriel. My Community was going to releas—kill him, and I just couldn't let them do that, so I left. I traveled months, and I almost gave up in the end, but then I found a sled that brought me here. I'd defined so much so save Gabriel's life, and had the gift of seeing Beyond, and possessed memories of the past, the Villagers elected me to be their Leader once I'd matured enough to take the responsibility."
"You—" Kira looked at me with a strange glint in her eyes, "you can see Beyond?"
"Yes," I answered. "You can too, can't you?"
"I see things—sometimes—when I sew," she confused slowly. "I could see Forest growing dangerous, and later…I could see you—coming for us."
"I know," and I had. "I saw you." I straightened from the railing and picked up the lantern where I'd placed it with slow, precise movements; I was suddenly very reluctant to leave Kira for a reason I didn't quite understand at the moment.
"I must go," Kira finally broken the heavy silence between us. "Father may get worried."
I nodded, understanding that in this painful time for him—having lost his adopted son—Seer felt most secure and himself in Kira's comforting presence.
"Go," I urged, "he needs you."
Kira turned her cane around, then paused, and glanced back up at me. She looked at me with the eyes of someone seeing me for the very first time, and I looked at her with the gaze of someone thoroughly smitten; I will never trier of looking at her.
"Thank you," Kira whispered, her voice soft and sweet. "Good-night—Leader."
"Please," I reached out and briefly touched her wrist, "call me Jonas."
"Jonas?" She looked up, a little bit of confusion in her eyes.
"It was the name I was given," and the name only Gabe called me, for he was the closest family—a brother or a son, whatever one you want—that I'd ever had. Why I wanted Kira to call me by that name, I didn't entirely know at the time, but it simply felt right, certainly better than the title of Leader.
"Good-night then," said Kira. "Jonas," she added ever so softly, and I thought my heart would burst with the sudden current of emotions that raced through after I'd heard my name spoken from her lips. I watched her disappear into her home with the suddenly longing to go after her, push her up against the nearest wall, and kiss her, revealing and displaying all the passion I so suddenly felt for her in one swift swamp. But I restrained myself, and turned away.