The next week gave Karigan an opportunity to strengthen her magical practice. She continued her afternoon training and Somial would sit next to her, playing the role of observer only now instead of assisting her with wards. She grew more confident in the practice and was glad of the opportunity to do so unassisted since her re-entry into the world of humanity was looming. She spent longer with Somara each morning, enjoying the last of her company. She would really miss their breakfast stories.
As saddened as Karigan was, with each remaining day drawing her closer to an end of her time in Eletia, it became more and more apparent that this was the right decision. Although Enver was very polite she noticed after a day or so that he was quickly falling back into the tendencies that had made her uneasy towards the end of their time north together. He slowly spent longer and longer at each meal with them. He would arrive at the same time to meditation practice. When talking about Karigan's back his hand would land on her shoulder gently. And then he started walking with them to her training, always standing between her and Somara or next to her. At that point she grew desperate; she definitely did not want to start issues in the last week of her diplomatic mission but there was no way she was bathing or performing her healing rites in front of him. What could she say? She was feeling worried and frustrated. Enver was talking to Somara as they entered the training clearing and Karigan was filled with relief to see Somial and she walked straight over to him. She had also noticed Somial spending more time with them as her time to departure drew near, so maybe he could act as a bit of a shield just to get her through the next two days.
"Would you settle into your forms, Karigan?" came Somial's voice, calming her as he took his place in front of her. She concentrated hard and managed to get through without too many errors, her focus unnerved as she heard Enver at intervals. They finished and to her surprise, Somial clasped her hand.
"It has been a great pleasure training you. Would you prefer a walk on this sunny afternoon to celebrate before I escort you back to your apartment?"
She could have kissed him!
"That sounds wonderful, I have not seen much of this area."
"Father, have you not toured Karigan through our paths and glades?" came Enver's voice to her left. She was irritated, detecting almost a challenge in his voice.
"Our focus has primarily been on improving her health in her short time with us. This was a most worthy objective, and we have time now to enjoy the wonders of Eletia," came the calm, dismissive reply. Karigan fell in beside Somial and he took her walking for the rest of the afternoon, followed by Enver and Somara deferentially. Soon curiosity and wonder got the better of her and she became intensely interested in the information he had to impart as he showed her flowering blossoms, tracks of little lizards and wild guinea fowl, and the medicinal and dietary herbal plants that grew all around. She was particularly fascinated to learn the food and medicine lore he shared as she had often been camped on the open road and curious to know if any of the plants would make her hard tack soups more tasty, but wise enough not to try unless she knew for sure.
"I did not realise lovage made such a good soup accompaniment. I'll remember that for my next errand," she said to him with a smile.
They wandered back in companionable silence and as promised, Somial dropped her at the apartment. She suspected he was aware of her discomfort around Enver and was providing her with a reprieve, to which she was very grateful. Somara and Enver were a step behind.
"Shall we join you for tea Karigan?" he asked her.
Before Karigan could reply, Somara shook her head and interjected.
"Nay brother. This is the time that Karigan and I enjoy together. You must find someone else to keep you company until dinner."
Karigan smiled at her and nodded to both Somial and Enver before leading the way up to her apartment. She was sorry that her last training session had ended strangely but equally glad that she had avoided having to tell Enver to go away in his own home. Come to think of it, it made sense Somial assisted her; he was the one that had initially warned her about showcasing her eye and Enver didn't know about her injury and at this point, he had been too polite to ask. Better to avoid those practices when they would reveal her eye; missing a day or two wouldn't hurt her progress after all.
Somara followed her inside and they began her hair bathing ritual. Karigan looked forward to the distraction. This time however, it was her turn to be peppered with questions about what her life would look like when she returned home. Over their time together Karigan had been surprised to realise how peppy Somara was, always interested and animated. She was similar to Enver in that regard, although more muted as was normal for full Eletians.
"Where will you return to?" she asked.
"I'm not sure, but I suspect I will return to the palace and will join the Riders there before the king sends us out."
Silence followed as Somara softly stroked and massaged Karigan's long hair. Afterwards she left Karigan to enjoy soaking and she did so, thoughts of Enver leaving her mind as the sun splayed across her skin and she was lulled to a light doze. When she awoke, she felt a pang of sadness at leaving; at least her baths here stayed the perfect temperature when she took a surprise nap, unlike the ones at home. With a sigh, she eased herself out and dried before selecting a deep blue gown. She closed the silk ties around her waist and at the front, and frowned in the mirror. It was a beautiful dress and she looked stunning, but the gap in her décolletage was deeper than she felt comfortable with around Enver; truly, she would have felt most comfortable in a stiff, neck covering gown like the ones the old widowed dowagers wore at court parties. She sat on a cushion at the edge of the window and watched the sun set over the forest canopy as her hair dried and bounced into very soft, silky waves. She felt so peaceful with the warm fresh air on her face and the sound of birdsong all around her as they dove for their evening meal of insects.
As twilight settled in she stirred and got to her feet with a very un-magical groan. She passed the mirror on her way to the door and took one final look, blinking with astonishment. To her surprise her cleavage was more covered and the sleeves extended down to her wrists. The finest of gauzes draped over her neck, although she then worried it looked more alluring. She shivered at the idea of her dress responding to her 'desires' although as a merchant's daughter, she considered this a very practical way of managing clothing. Still. Spooky.
She walked alone to the dinner area and enjoyed the sight of fireflies dancing prettily along the path. There were more Eletians than normal and it seemed to her that they were present to say gentle farewells, although they didn't say as much in words; it was more a vibe she felt. Somara brought her food to eat and she had the most incredible pilaf's, broth, dressed salads, berries and refreshing crisp wine. She felt sated and very delighted with her meal; she was in a pleasant mood, partly aided by having her hair washed, which she loved, and not having to pay very much attention to Enver, who had to converse with the brethren he hadn't seen in a while. Somial was not present at dinner to her surprise and equally to her surprise, she missed him. After all, it was their last dinner and the ones preparing food had gone to extraordinary lengths to have light, fresh, delicious food for her to enjoy. She smiled and spoke warmly to those who came to wish her well and talk about their favourite foods and trails. She talked for hours, even surprising herself with her social exuberance. Reflecting later, she realised that part of her trepidation for leaving had been the likelihood of a formal banquet or the like, as would be expected for a leaving emissary. In retrospect she had no idea why she thought they would conduct such an affair; not once had she been treated like a 'proper' emissary, or at least according to what a human would expect. She had simply been welcomed into their culture and that was the height of kindness and respect from an Eletian to a simple human. That meant her last night was just as lovely as every night prior, albeit with even tastier food and longer conversations.
She savoured every moment and after they had taken their fill of fresh berries and honey, Somara clasped her arm gently and they joined the trail of females walking towards a large patch of grass that was ringed with muna'riel. The full moon shone and their skin gleamed with milkiness. Karigan was in awe to watch them as they assembled themselves and noting Enver was drawing near, she wandered next to Somara in a bid to avoid him. She took her place and closed her eyes and then the music drilled into her bones and she lost all sense of thought and time as her body responded and moved into the dance. It was soft and sensuous, but energetic and full of pleasure. She ducked, weaved and flowed, feeling the males eventually enter the dance and enjoying the strength of their presence as they flowed around her. The male circle trailed around the inner female circle as they often did, weaving in and around the sacred women. She felt hands trail her arms and encircle her waist with reverence for fleeting seconds before they moved on. She came to the end of her energy and opened her gaze softly. She saw Enver on a diagonal right and woke up out of the trance. Right, time to move. She was about to step out when Somial moved into the space in front of her, looking large in her vision. She felt calm and immediately re-entered the dance, glad to share one final practice with him. He swooped around her and for a moment she felt cradled, held. Calmed and healed. He smiled at her as he twirled her around and she gazed back at him through a dreamy expression. She spun once more before gracefully landing to the side and offering a deep curtsey to those within the dance. The music continued and she felt a shift in the circle to one of peace and welcome. She sighed, awed and amazed and not quite believing the incredible opportunity she had been given to join these folk in their home.
She sat and watched for her favourite part, when the music shifted and the men took over the circle, and the sound grew deeper and steadier. She yawned widely as the rhythm sang through the clearing with a profound, solid cadence. The females gracefully exited to stand with her at the fire as the men joined together. Enver danced at their centre, his chest bare, as they paid homage to his welcome. As much as she wanted to keep watching, Enver was trapped. What better time to leave?
She got to her feet and kissed Somara good night. To her surprise, Somial stood at her elbow as she rose, with an expression of serene joy on his face, which accented his beautiful, lithe body. Karigan blinked as that thought strayed into her head. Ok, I need to leave, she thought, a bit dazed.
She started towards her rooms and Somial escorted her. They enjoyed the silence companionably as the music still played in their minds. As she reached the tree, her heart began to pound slightly and her mouth felt a bit dry. She was confused, what was happening to her? She turned to face him and bid him good night but he arrested her with a hand clasped softly on her forearm.
"Karigan, I would ask you a question that you may choose not to answer. Has there been intimacy between you and young Enver?"
Woah, Karigan thought. Where did that come from? She shifted her eyes to the left uneasily and considered her reply, stalling as long as she could before it became more awkward.
"I was very injured Somial, as you well know. Enver and I developed an intimacy, as I was wholly dependent on his care to live. As I grew stronger I feel that perhaps, on his part, an attachment grew, born out of his care and tending of me. We departed on terms of mutual respect, however," and here she hesitated again, "I suspect it is ideal timing for me to return my people." She hoped that this was a delicate enough reply. She didn't want to lie to Somial. She had formed a very deep, special relationship with him and unlike Enver, she had an inkling that they could forge something even more profound if she stayed. She also didn't want to get Enver into trouble, not really knowing Eletian society and the intricacies of their rules and structure. But she also really didn't want to be alone with Enver, and was hoping this would ensure she was safe. She waited with bated breath.
Somial stared into her eyes for some time and then nodded with a gentle smile. "I understand." He nodded and she curtseyed, murmuring her goodnight.
"Sleep well, Karigan."
He waited for her to ascend the steps and she made it into her apartment without further comment, her mind filled with what just happened. Did she say the right thing? Would Enver be ok? Why would he even ask those questions? What did his look mean? Why did his look excite feelings deep within her? She sighed as she returned to the mirror where the clothing hook was, her hands already at her side to untie the robes, and froze.
Her reflection stared back after a night of dancing with Eletians under the milky moonlight. Her skin glistened with the faintest sheen of sweat in the starlight and her hair was lustrous. Her plump figure was full of vitality and strong, her lips and cheeks rosy, her eyes sparkling. She looked, well, magnificent. And her dress had not only stripped itself of the gauze but it had reshaped itself to accommodate her dancing figure and was positively beckoning. She couldn't take her eyes away from the beauty before her. But it wasn't a beauty of the flesh, it was a devotion and reverence that the Eletians and thus she had lavished on what she ate, how she thought and moved her body. This loci of vitality now streamed through her and she could feel the care and gentleness they had tended her whole being with. A few tears at this overwhelming tenderness dropped onto her face and she wiped them away with the back of her hand and sniffed in a very human, non-Eletian gesture.
"Time to go home," she whispered to herself as she climbed into bed and nestled into the covers, feeling depths of gratitude for the healing she had received on her incredible trip to the Elt Wood.