The next day brought tears of sadness to Westa. Gabriel and Rena had made final preparations to leave and travel north. Regis had given Gabriel a crude map of the continent and had told him how to reach the city of Cross. Rena had stocked up on herbs and food, cramming her travel pack full before meeting Gabriel at the gates to the village.
Rena hugged her mother. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."
Westa returned the hug. "I'll worry until you're safely back."
Rena nodded slightly. "I know, but I'll be fine."
Gabriel looked away from the mother and daughter. He surveyed the plains that they would have to cross to reach Salva. They were getting an early start, but he knew it would be dark by the time they got there. "Rena? We should go." His voice was soft as he turned to leave.
Rena pulled away from her mother. "I'll be going now."
Westa nodded and stepped back. "If you see Dias, give him this." She handed Rena a small package.
Rena nodded and took the package. "I will. Goodbye, mother." She turned and walked out of the village by Gabriel's side.
*********************************
Gabriel frowned, as they had to make camp for the night. They weren't that far from Salva, but Rena had started to complain about how tired she was. He lit a fire and sat down. He glanced at Rena across the fire. "Why did you want to come with me?"
"Huh? Oh. I thought I could help. I'm sorry I'm slowing us down." Rena pulled her knees to her chest. "I just need some time to rest. We can make it tonight, but I need to rest first."
Gabriel shook his head. "We'll stay here tonight, then try and find some kind of transport to Cross from Salva tomorrow." He glanced at the pendant hanging around Rena's neck. "Could you take that off for a while?" He motioned to the pendant.
Rena took the pendant off and put it in her pack. "Alen may be willing to take us. I'll ask him tomorrow."
Gabriel nodded as he stood up and walked around the fire. He sat next to Rena and put an arm around her. He half smiled as she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're cold." He pulled away for a moment to open his robe. He pulled Rena against him and wrapped his robe around both of them. "Better?"
Rena nodded and rested her head on his shoulder again. She pulled back just enough to move without losing the warmth Gabriel was providing for her. She shifted to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his back as she rested her head against his shoulder. She pressed a light kiss to his neck, but didn't even realise she was doing it until she heard the soft gasp from Gabriel. She pulled back and looked at him questioningly.
"You didn't have to stop." Gabriel's eyes were closed. "I… It's been a long time since…" He broke off and turned his head away.
Rena frowned and moved one hand to press against his cheek and turn his head toward her. She met his eyes. "A long time since what? Since you've been cared for? Loved?"
Gabriel nodded. "Something like that." He sighed softly as Rena returned her head to his shoulder and kissed his neck again. He felt her hand curl around the back of his neck, underneath his hair. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations. "Rena? We should get some sleep."
Rena shook her head. "Not now." She moved her head and pulled Gabriel's head down so she could kiss him.
Their lips met with a hesitation at first. He remained still and she was afraid of breaking the spell that held them together. After the initial shock wore off, he began to kiss her back insistently. Rena opened her mouth to his advances and the two of them fell on to the blankets spread out on the ground.
Rena hugged her mother. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."
Westa returned the hug. "I'll worry until you're safely back."
Rena nodded slightly. "I know, but I'll be fine."
Gabriel looked away from the mother and daughter. He surveyed the plains that they would have to cross to reach Salva. They were getting an early start, but he knew it would be dark by the time they got there. "Rena? We should go." His voice was soft as he turned to leave.
Rena pulled away from her mother. "I'll be going now."
Westa nodded and stepped back. "If you see Dias, give him this." She handed Rena a small package.
Rena nodded and took the package. "I will. Goodbye, mother." She turned and walked out of the village by Gabriel's side.
*********************************
Gabriel frowned, as they had to make camp for the night. They weren't that far from Salva, but Rena had started to complain about how tired she was. He lit a fire and sat down. He glanced at Rena across the fire. "Why did you want to come with me?"
"Huh? Oh. I thought I could help. I'm sorry I'm slowing us down." Rena pulled her knees to her chest. "I just need some time to rest. We can make it tonight, but I need to rest first."
Gabriel shook his head. "We'll stay here tonight, then try and find some kind of transport to Cross from Salva tomorrow." He glanced at the pendant hanging around Rena's neck. "Could you take that off for a while?" He motioned to the pendant.
Rena took the pendant off and put it in her pack. "Alen may be willing to take us. I'll ask him tomorrow."
Gabriel nodded as he stood up and walked around the fire. He sat next to Rena and put an arm around her. He half smiled as she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're cold." He pulled away for a moment to open his robe. He pulled Rena against him and wrapped his robe around both of them. "Better?"
Rena nodded and rested her head on his shoulder again. She pulled back just enough to move without losing the warmth Gabriel was providing for her. She shifted to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his back as she rested her head against his shoulder. She pressed a light kiss to his neck, but didn't even realise she was doing it until she heard the soft gasp from Gabriel. She pulled back and looked at him questioningly.
"You didn't have to stop." Gabriel's eyes were closed. "I… It's been a long time since…" He broke off and turned his head away.
Rena frowned and moved one hand to press against his cheek and turn his head toward her. She met his eyes. "A long time since what? Since you've been cared for? Loved?"
Gabriel nodded. "Something like that." He sighed softly as Rena returned her head to his shoulder and kissed his neck again. He felt her hand curl around the back of his neck, underneath his hair. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations. "Rena? We should get some sleep."
Rena shook her head. "Not now." She moved her head and pulled Gabriel's head down so she could kiss him.
Their lips met with a hesitation at first. He remained still and she was afraid of breaking the spell that held them together. After the initial shock wore off, he began to kiss her back insistently. Rena opened her mouth to his advances and the two of them fell on to the blankets spread out on the ground.
