I want to say sorry to those of you who have waited long for a new update. I can't promise to be better in the future but will do my best. Now Tess will finally meet Jeck again!
I don't own the story or any of the character. Dawn cook is their creator and my inspiration.
Chapter 10
Jeck! She didn't shout it out loud, but inside her head she was screaming his name when she saw the dark silhouette she knows so well at their meeting point. It had been so long, both the separation and the travel. Right now they were at the border between the both countries. An unwelcoming place with a road, rocks, only small bushes and a annoying wind. The silhouette waited down to the right, toward the dry riverbed with its back next to its horse.
Tess silently sat of and stretched out her sore muscles and slowly walked toward him. Finally he mowed and looked right on her. His familiar and beautiful eyes and smile shock her. She had promised herself this whole day to not embarrass herself when they met but now it was like a stream dragged her closer and into his arms. All while she cursed herself in her head without any luck.
"Hello there, missed me" he whisper softly in her ear and gives her a close hug.
They stay like that fore a while both unwillingly to move. He sniffs on her hair and put his head next to hers for a second before they slowly steps away.
He says as far as he knows it is safe here, but he can't be certain. His camp is only a short walk away and there he has water for the horses and some food if she wants. She only nods and follows him. They help grooming the horses, and give them food and water before they sit down on the rocky ground next to the small fire. He poke the last food away from the flames and throw on a big heap of twigs she discovers is wormwood by the dousing smell. Jeck carefully swirl the smoke around. She understands what he tries to do and gives a small swirling wind to carry the sleepy smoke around their camp. He smiles at her and finally seems to relax
"Thank you, that is so much harder for the rest of us." He says with a smile
I cant stop taking in the picture of him speaking, him moving around, him being just over the fire from me. who whould had thought it would affect me this much. I had thought I was stronger. As I tries to watch for changes and traces of how he feels I take comfort in that he seams just as affected. Not able to completely hide his feelings under his mask.
"Should I start?" I ask.
"Yes maybe that is a good idea, I has found a lot here we need to discuss. Maybe your rapport is shorter." He says
"I don't know that" i reply, thinking on the dead priest and Kavenlows story.
I send out another zephyr to carry the smoke around the rocks and tuffs of vegetation.
"Maybe we would be careful anyway" Jeck says as he sees what I do. A heartbeat later he has mowed from his place by the fire and slid down next to my side. By further closing the distance he puts his arm around my back to protect from the knobbly stone I have been resting against.
I froze for a moment and then decided to surrender, feeling his body warming my side and back feels great. After all it is a good idea to sit like this to not need to talk so loud.
I start to mumbling, telling of Kavenlows story first. I feel a bit unwilling to talk about the dead priest. Because then I have to give him my last secret. Somehow it feels like surrender.
Halfway thru my story he starts to slowly rub my back with his hand humming of healing energy. It feels so incredible good and I let the story drop. Putting my own hand on his leg and letting it start humming and radiating heat in return. For a moment we both get distracted from the story, enjoying the motion of touching each other. It all escalated in a longing kiss. Afterward I can not say who of us had initiated it.
Embarrassed I realise I have given myself a small dose of venom in the emotional rush. We still sit close together, his hand on my back and my on his leg. I easily finish Kavenlows story. But look strait forward when I start to tell him about my experiment to venture into humans minds and dreams, and the tragic fate of the priest I accidentally meet in the city.
He froze for a second then softened, feeling my guilt and discomfort in my stance.
"I don't know of any else who can do this, I feel abnormal." I say tensely.
Jeck started rubbing my back again.
"Don't, I already know you can. Remember I was the first it happened with. I am just amazed you could teach yourself how to control it to this extent. You don't dose yourself up for it?" He asks curiously.
"No not often" I answer honestly
"But it is a good outlet when it happens by accident, better than the prophetic dreams at least." I add ironic
When I say that, I suddenly remember the episode with the bloody stone, and start to tell about the intruder, the message and the strange dream. He just listens and hums, holding on to me closely. We then discuss the dream and different meanings in it. He promise to not letting himself be caught and tortured. I think he take it all to lightly.
"Can you try to access my mind?" he suddenly asks
The question totally surprising me
"Why" I have to ask him
"It is so I get a chance to recognise the feeling if you or someone less friendly tries it" he explains carefully.
I hesitate, not knowing how much of myself that would be readable for an alert player. When I try to read his expression I can not understand it. He seems scared, exited and doubtful all in one go. Like shadows of sun and darkness flashed over his face, his usual mask completely gone.
I bit my lip, and then remembered how childish it made me look, released a breath I had not known I had hold and agreed to try.
The first try went bad; both I and he was tense, and he held up a guard around his mind to protect himself with. He looked surprised when I told him so.
"Of course you would try to but up barriers even unconsciousness I explain. A humans mind is the most private place she has. Are you really sure you want me there?" I ask uncertain, almost wanting him to say no and blow of this whole experiment.
He hesitates then answers surely.
"I rather have you there than whoever else".
I feel surprised but his honest eyes are convincing enough, filled with a unusual warmth.
I make a new try, closing my eyes, breading in the familiar pattern looking for his familiar mind. I find it almost completely open this time, to be with him like this when he is conscious and aware of it is hard, trilling and a completely new feeling. He is thinking on me and feeling the places I touch him mentally, emotions seems to flow directly into me.
When he took up me in his lap and kissed my hotly I had to quickly let go of the connection to not accidently dose myself up even more this evening.
I guess he could feel my uncertain emotions when we were linked. I felt vulnerable. Not knowing what to do to regain my composure, and how to act around him. He played me like a jester on his flute. Chu pit to it all!
After a moment of silence I asked if he had got the feeling, trying to sound businesslike.
First he didn't answer, seemed to think, and then said:
"I think I will always recognize you if you is as open as just now. Other players, I don't know."
He looked at me and added a thing that surprised me.
"I didn't know it was so easy for you to dose yourself up. Just a slipped thought and it's too late. Even your kisses have a hint of punta venom in their taste."
"They do?" I was thinking that he had probably gotten the thought of the risk of dosing my up on venom from me just when I had to end the experiment. I answered with a levelled voice, trying to keep myself in check:
"Usually it is not so hard to keep my punta-levels in check but the venom is connected to strong emotions…" Here I stop, unsure to how to continue.
"Basically my presence is a hazard for you" he says with a witty voice.
"No" I exclaims, then,
"Well yes, it is a hazard for my emotions" I then say and blush.
"But I has to learn how to control them." I end with
He smiles, gives me a soft kiss and says:
"We better start training right away then!"
I hold up both hands in front of him and ask if he really think this is the best time and place fore those lessons. I try to sound stern. I'm still determined to try to change the subject.
"Sure he says with played causality and set himself in a more comfortable position and starts to tell me what he has been thru instead…