An Ebony's Weavings (Alternate Universe) Story
Chapter Two
by: Yuuki Miyaka
When Ebony woke again, she felt lost and alone. Her hosts had left the room, and the sense of silence pervaded every corner. She rose unsteadily, finding herself clad only in a large white shirt, a shirt whose long sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled up, whose neck was open down to the middle of her chest. Its hem reached her knees, and the slits in each side, allowing the shirt to be worn comfortably tucked in, rose as high as mid-thigh. She smiled softly. It certainly wasn't Ekuar's shirt, which left one other person whose it could possibly be.
Certainly, it was soft enough to be his. It seemed to be made of either linen or silk, so soft it was sinful, and utterly wrinkled. She wondered for a long moment whether they even had clothes for her yet, or whether she'd have to make do with what they could find. Well, any t-shirt Rayek might possess would easily become a dress for her. And though she disliked dresses, they would do well enough. But she wondered if Rayek ever allowed himself to be casual anymore.
Wandering around the room, she wished that she dared to disturb one of her hosts. But she didn't need anything. She only wanted company. Why she wished for companionship was beyond her. She could remember countless times in the past when she had spent days, if not weeks, by herself. So why would she be afraid to face her own thoughts now? It made no sense, but very few things made sense these days.
Glancing at the books provided no surprise. There was an eclectic collection that reflected the number of years her hosts had lived. The collection was well-organized, and Ebony found herself marvelling at the books so intently, she didn't hear the door open, or the soft footsteps that approached her. She jumped as a warm hand softly gripped her shoulder, and she spun to face Rayek's warm amber eyes looking down on her. She flushed slightly, mumbling apologies.
"No," Rayek said, smiling. "I'm glad you're looking around. If you're interested in anything, feel free to borrow it." He glanced her over, his eyes dark gold with concern. She glanced down, and saw the dark bruises for herself. Her eyes looked back up to his, and he sighed for her. "Are you feeling better?" She nodded gently, moving back to the couch, and he followed her.
"So why did you leave the Wolfriders?" he asked, wishing he understood what would prompt her to do such a thing. The Ebony he remembered would never have parted from the Wolfriders, and would never have let anything happen to them. But her dark eyes told him not to pursue the question, and he let it drop, just keeping her company. He had no real duties today, and Ekuar had mentioned that she would be disoriented and lonely. Not wanting the spirited Wolfrider maiden to lose the fire within her soul, he'd put off all his meetings in favor of helping her.
She took one of his hands, sitting beside him as she watched the view out of the window. The silence between them was companionable, as companionable as any he'd ever shared with Ekuar, though Rayek didn't realize it at first. He felt no need to force speech between them, nor did he feel any need to pretend to be other than what he was. And something within him couldn't understand that. Even with Leetah and Winnowill, he'd had to pretend. But not with this maiden.
Eventually, she lay her head on his shoulder, wincing slightly at the pressure on her bruises but needing the comfort. And he . . . allowed it. There was nothing he understood here, and part of him enjoyed that. When he finally noticed her light snores, he pulled slightly away, taking her with his floating skills and slipping her into the covers of her makeshift bed. Before he left, he touched her temple, a protective feeling drifting over him. It was accompanied by admiration that she could deal with the pain without becoming bitter. He doubted that he could be so understanding or forgiving.
Ekuar walked into the room silently, glancing at the couch where Rayek bent over Ebony. He saw Rayek's eyes trace her features, and a soft, knowing smile lightened his bright features. "Brownskin!" he called quietly, pulling Rayek's attention away from the pretty Wolfrider maiden. The two walked outside where they could talk freely.
"I've been able to track down the humans that did this to her, Brownskin." At Rayek's look of shock, Ekuar chuckled. "It was simple enough. I have friends who heard them crowing about their victory over one of our kind and reported back to me. From there, it was easy enough to get a description of them and send more friends out to visit them personally." Rayek shook his head.
"And people wonder how I get my information. Ekuar, only you . . ."
Ekuar merely grinned. "They're friends, Rayek. You, of all people, know how nice it is to have friends." Rayek flushed at the words, smiling at Ekuar. "At any rate, it seems they were paid to do it, though three of the five crowed that they would have done it for free." He nodded at Rayek's scowl. "Whoever bought them knew what to look for."
"If someone paid them to, then we'll have to be sure to protect Ebony better," Rayek muttered. "Perhaps a bodyguard, since I can't very well lock her up in here."
They both started as Ebony's voice drifted to them. "Or you can leave it alone. Whatever happens to me is hardly your concern." Rayek looked up guiltily, feeling somehow as though she'd caught him at some crime. She met his gaze levelly, a frown on her delicate features. "You can't protect someone who wants her freedom more than your protection, Rayek. You, of anyone, should know that."
He walked to her, reaching out a gentle hand to prod at one of the bruises. She winced, but continued to stare at him. Her eyes were dark, unreadable pools of blackness. She caught his hand as it fell away from her face, holding it between two bruised yet strong hands. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Blackhair. But I have to live my life, without a cage around me."
He scowled at the nickname, but let it drop. There were more important matters. "Whoever is out there has it in for you, Ebony. I can't let you blithely walk into more pain. Next time, they may be out to kill." His eyes pleaded with her to understand, but she merely shook her head, wincing when she saw stars.
"I want your promise that when I decide to go, you won't stop me. What I need from life is not to be found in here. If it were, perhaps I'd be content to stay and let you guard me for the rest of my existence. But I need more than that. And I have to find it on my own." As she spoke, Ekuar approached, laying his single hand atop the two that gripped Rayek. He held their hands together, his brown eyes sad.
"You have it," Rayek ground out, knowing that if he did
not promise that, she would only leave then. Ekuar nodded
sadly, wishing she would stay. The three stared at each other,
the moment too intimate for mere words. At last, their hands
fell to their sides, still feeling the grip of the others.
Rayek swallowed, watching as Ebony turned back to the library.
Ekuar glanced at him briefly, then followed her. Rayek, left
behind with his own thoughts, scowled. She was a fool. But
even as he watched the door close, he knew she was right. He
may be content to live here, but she could never be. He headed
toward his garden, wondering why the idea was important to him.