On the ride up, El'Jaid and Liara could not take their eyes off one another. The two other Marines still looked dazed, but had stayed silent on the ride up.
As the SSV Ardennes came in to view, El'Jaid started to appraise the ship. It was Normandy Class, not as large as the SR2, but larger then the SR1. Instead of having two vertical maneuvering vanes on the main hull, they had been made smaller and moved to inboard of the engines with two additional vanes of similar size added in order to compensate and even enhance the ships already stellar maneuverability; for it's class.
As soon as the Grizzly landed in the bay and the door had opened, El'Jaid and Liara disembarked along with the rest of the shuttle crew. The hold looked almost exactly like the Normandy's, complete with a Black Tip armored rover.
It was no sooner then she overheard the tell tale grunting and groaning of the two Marines as they struggled with El'Jaid's cases. With a sigh she walked over took the armor case and set it on the luggage carrier, then did the same with her weapons case. The two Marines just stood there wide eyed, while the pilot looked on with a mirthful grin.
"How old are you Corporal?" She asked canting a hip to the side.
The Marine went rigid as if it was an inspection. "20 years old Ma'am!"
"Next time lift with your legs and not your back..." El'Jaid responded tersely with a smile, Liara just let out a sigh.
"Ahh...yes Ma'am!" The Corporal responded as a trickle of sweat slipped down the side of his face.
El'Jaid took the carrier with her and Liara joined her as they walked towards the Elevator. She looked over to the shuttle pilot who was giving his shuttle a once over. The man was of medium height and medium build, he sported closely bussed black hair that contrasted well with his earthy skin color. He looked to be around her age, which was out of the norm for a simple shuttle pilot.
"Thanks for the ride up." She called.
He turned and gave them both a curt nod of the head. "It was a pleasure Captain, Doctor. Mind if I join you two for a ride up to the CIC? I doubt the Captain would want his navigator missing before we depart."
"Not at all." Liara replied with a smile.
Once inside El'Jaid punched the command for the CIC, and she turned back to the shuttle pilot. "So your the Ardennes' navigator as well as it's shuttle pilot?"
"The being the shuttle driver isn't the full time gig. The captain is nice enough to let me pinch hit every so often. By the way, the name is Kris Sangre." He extended his hand.
El'Jaid gave him a hearty shake. "So I take it you need to fly."
"The obvious huh?" Sangre smiled.
"I know someone else with the same bug."
"Eh, you don't say." Kris chimed. "During the Six year war I was your typical fighter jock. Loved flying the Typhon, but after the war age requirements kicked in, and it was either a desk job or take a position on a larger ship. But like I said, every so often the Captain lets me get out a play a bit."
"The Captain sounds like a fair person." Liara said.
"He is. He is." Kris replied.
At the elevator rose, El'Jaid felt Liara's silken hand quietly take hers. She looked over and Liara was still glowing. As the doors opened, she deftly drew it away. But El'Jaid gently grabbed her hand again, giving it a knowing squeeze before she let it fall.
"Officer on Deck!" Kris cried and all of the personnel stood and gave El'Jaid a crisp salute, which she returned.
The CIC looked the same as on the SR2 and very close to the original Normandy. The huge Galaxy map dominating the center of it, while work stations lined the parameter.
"Well you certainly haven't changed, Captain..." A warm voice came from her side.
El'Jaid turned and saw the commanding officer of the Ardennes. He was well built, telling of his long regime of training and experience. She could also tell that he was a career man from his stature. Yet his face was one of softness and sincerity. El'Jaid had to admit that he was handsome. He had a certain noir roguish look to him that made her think that he should have been in vids rather then in the Military.
"Captain Alenko." She smiled at recognizing him.
He bowed towards his former commanding officer and then to Dr. T'Soni.
"It's been a moment hasn't it." he said.
"Yeah..." El'Jaid responded.
"Captain Alenko, we are ready to set out for the Relay." Kris said informingly.
"Good to hear Sangre, please give the coordinates to your buddy upfront." Kaidan turned towards his guests. "Feel free to settle in. I have some duties to take care of but I'll stop by later and we can catch up."
"Sounds good." El'Jaid responded.
He waved two marines over. "Please take Captain Shepard's and Dr. T'Soni's personal belongings to the starboard and portside viewing decks." The two Marines came over, again with a look of shock and admiration of the two guests.
El'Jaid wanted to say something, but the two were already hauling the carrier away. Kaidan glanced over with a confused look and El'Jaid just shrugged, and Liara let out a quiet laugh.
"Mind if I go up to the cockpit?" El'Jaid asked. "You know I always enjoy the launch."
"Sure. In fact I recommend it." Kaidan smiled.
El'Jaid and Liara both walked along the catwalk leading to the cockpit. More than one person at their duty stations had done a double take when they saw them, quickly tapping or jabbing their coworker to their presence.
Sangre past them by and again gave them both a curt nod of the head and a warm smile.
El'Jaid saw the large leather chair turned towards the flight controls, two arms frantically at work. The only way anyone worked that fast is if they had a lot of prior experience at the helm of a ship, or rather THE ship.
"Give me more bleed from the number three power converter. That should help trim out the power." The chair's operator stated, with a very familiar tone. "And who was the idiot who trimmed the starboard vertical stabs like that? This is the fastest class of Frigate in the entire Alliance fleet. It flies like an overgrown fighter, not a dump truck."
"Corrections will be made." The electronic voice said.
The Chair turned around to face El'Jaid and Liara. Flight Commander Jeff 'Joker' Moreau looked back at then with a huge grin plastered to his face. El'Jaid's mouth was open is shock.
"Joker?!"
"Yeah it's me, Jokers back!"
"But how. I thought you still had classes at the Academy to take care of." El'Jaid asked slyly.
"The Ardennes' pilot had to get some proficiency training and was well qualified to play substitute for me. And in exchange I get some actual stick time." He settled back into his chair, relishing the feeling of being back aboard a ship, and at the helm.
"And you brought EDI to. What about the Ardennes' own VI?" El'Jaid asked.
"Well the Ardennes' was being built before they actually instituted the pilot and VI pairing 'solution' so one was never...added. But the ship has the systems to support a VI, so I brought EDI with me from the Academy. We have only been onboard for the last two hours, but we have already trimmed up the ship 100 percent."
"Actually we have attained an increase of 125 percent more efficiency with ship board systems." EDI responded.
"That's my girl!" Joker said affectionately.
El'Jaid was still in minor shock. "Next you're going to tell me that Garrus and Grunt are on board."
"Well Captain. Chalkwas is in the Medical bay, and Miranda is busy helping Kaidan file some reports. But everyone else, is well...'new'."
El'Jaid had been at Miranda's and Kaidan's wedding after the war with the Reapers. The perfect man had found the perfect woman. El'Jaid still shook her head in the disbelief of having so many close comrades around. She found it comforting.
"So I take it your here for the show Comm...Captain?" Joker asked.
El'Jaid smiled. "You know it."
Joker just grinned as he hit a few keys and the view port shutters opened.
The Ardennes streaked in toward the awaiting Mass Relay. The Rings twirling round and round like a giant gyroscope. Joker entered in a few commands and the ship shot away.
"Drift, just under 500k." Not perfect, but its getting better." He said as he gave a loving stroke on the Ship's console.
"500k! No way! The best we have done before was 3000!" came a call from on of the Ardennes's stations in the back.
"You just need a pilot who can dance with her..." Joker said, still having a huge grin on his face.
"Speaking of dancing. How do you know Navigator Sangre?" Liara asked.
"Who? Kris?" Joker smiled. "Flight school buddy of mine. "Best fighter jock in my class..." He smirked as he hit the intercomm key. "...but second best pilot!"
"Hey! I heard that ya clown!" Sangre shouted back.
E'Jaid shook her head. "Somethings never change."
"And why should they?" Joker grinned as he turned back around.
El'Jaid and Liara looked out and saw Esthasia's yellow sun glowing in the distance. Unlike New Ceylon's Relay which had been relatively close to the planet, Esthasia's was a much farther out.
"Why don't you two settle in? We still have a ways to go." Joker said.
El'Jaid smiled and slapped Joker on the shoulder.
"Ack! Watch it will ya?" He smiled back.
"Joker." El'Jaid said hanging her head in amusement.
Liara and El'Jaid walked back down the catwalk, and towards the elevator in the back of the CIC.
[][]][][][]
As El'Jaid finished stowing her gear, she looked about her room. Her observation deck room wasn't as large as she remembered it being on the SR2 Normandy, but it was still much grander than any other Alliance warship she had served on.
The doors opened. El'Jaid spun around half hoping it was Liara. Yet it was Kaidan who stood in the opened doors. He wore a warm smile.
"May I come in? I hope I'm not interrupting you." Kaidan stated warmly.
"No. Not at all. Please come in." El'Jaid responded returning the smile.
The door shut behind and El'Jaid walked towards the empty portion of the deck and leaned against an open beam.
"So what is it like commanding your own ship?" She asked.
"Oh you know; like herding cats some times. Long days of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror." Kaidan chuckled and took a seat. "Feels good to sit down and relax for a moment."
"I know." El'Jaid responded.
"It's good to see you and Dr. T'Soni again Ma'am. I'm sure you're not happy though with Commands decision to not let you leave." He looked at her warily.
El'Jaid closed her eyes, and let out a sigh. "News travels fast."
Kaidan's brows furrowed . "Being the Galaxy's big savior has that effect on things..."
"Not everyone feels that way..." She quipped
"What way?"
"Being the Savior."
"I know. People are still hurting, and there is a lot of rebuilding left to be done, and ..." Kaidan said.
"...they need leadership," El'Jaid finished for him. "I know."
"Look Shepard, for what its worth. I'm glad your still with us."
She looked out of the view port and in to space.
"Look I've taken enough of your time for now..." Kaidan smoothed as he stood up.
"Any idea of why the Council wants to see me on Esthasia?" She asked him still looking in to the vastness of space.
Kaidan stopped just before hitting the door, and he turned his head to reply. "No. I was just told that we were going to be picking you and Dr. T'Soni up at New Ceylon. We were heading toward Esthasia anyway. I didn't have any idea that the Council was holding a meeting till you just told me." He responded with slight surprise.
She turned back towards him. "Look Kaidan... It was good to see you again as well, thanks." She smiled warmly.
He returned her smile with one of his own and a nod of his head.
"Ma'am." He saluted her and left the room.
El'Jaid was alone. She now felt completely as a loss of what was happening. She felt like taking a walk. She looked down at her engagement bracelet, a warm smile running across her face. She knew Liara was busy unpacking and didn't want to disturb her. So she ventured out in to the Common area. The lay out of the Ardennes copied the Normandy SR2 to a tee.
Her feet led her right to the Medical bay. The doors obediently opened with a hiss and inside El'Jaid saw both Dr. Chalkwas and Miranda.
Dr. Chalkwas was still the same person El'Jaid remembered, but now she had more white hair from her temples contrasting with the gray. She liked how it looked on the Doctor. Miranda was still the breathtaking raven woman as she remembered. Though her dress had changed to be much more conservative since marrying Kaidan and joining the Alliance. The Alliance had given her the rank of Commander, obviously noting her vast skill and experience.
The two women turned to notice the intruder and they beamed when they laid eyes on her.
"Shepard! It's good to see you!" Remarked Dr. Chalkwas. She quickly rose and embraced the her.
El'Jaid and Chalkwas had kept their friendship up. Especially since Chalkwas had been stationed at the Academy's medical facility on New Ceylon.
The memory of seeing the doctor on board the Normandy SR2 came whispering back to El'Jaid. "I don't work for Cerberus. I work for you!"
"Doctor, what are you doing here?!" El'Jaid said, her smile bright and cheerful.
"Well when Jeff received the tap that the Ardennes needed a pilot, I had to go because he needs my care. Besides the doctor on the Ardennes was new, and wanted something more static for a while so we just traded positions. Oh it's so good to be back aboard a starship."
"It's good to see you Shepard." Miranda said holding out her hand for a shake.
El'Jaid gave her a playful sour look and rushed over grappling her in a hug. Miranda was at first caught off guard by her but then folded her arms around El'Jaid too. Protocol, and procedure had their place, but not among friends.
"How have you been Miranda?" El'Jaid asked.
"I've been well. Busy, but that's the life of a starship Captain's wife." Miranda spoke glowingly.
"How have you been Shepard?" Chalkwas asked. El'Jaid leaned back against the bulkhead and crossed her arms around her, the bracelet in plain sight. Truthfully she was having the old feeling of dread surfacing in to her stomach. She liked seeing all of her old crewmates again, but something just disturbed her as she turned the memory of the vid-call with Anderson.
Miranda broke in to her silence." So I see you have taken to wearing jewelry 'Commander'." She teased because she knew of El'Jaid's legendary dislike for jewelry.
El'Jaid's face bloomed with fire. "Its a...well...an engagement...bracelet." She said rubbing her hand on her neck. She hadn't even thought of telling anyone about the engagement. But no time like the present I guess. She thought to herself.
The two other women stood there in shock.
"It's 'bout time! I was thinking of just locking you and Liara up till it happened!" Joker came roaring over the comm.
Joker... El'Jaid thought.
"This is fantastic news!" Chalkwas beamed. "I just knew this would happen!"
"How did it happen? When? Don't make us interrogate you Shepard." Miranda just smiled.
El'Jaid looked down at the deck. "Well I had wanted to propose the day before, but, things just didn't work out..."
"Wait, but your wearing the bracelet...so Liara proposed to you?" Miranda queried sporting a cheshire cat grin.
"Well actually we both proposed to each other, at the same time on the platform back on New Ceylon before we came up to the Ardennes." El'Jaid quipped.
Miranda just continued to smile like a satisfied cat.
"So that's why those two rookies were gawking and squawking around like a pair of thunderstruck baboons." Joker came blaring over the comms again.
"Jeff. I didn't know you were keen on listening to conversations in the medbay!" Yelled Chalkwas up to the ceiling.
"I thought it would be good to tune it, you know for old time's sake."
"Joker..." El'Jaid retorted in her characterizing warning manner.
"Shutting up now! But IT was EDI's idea. She saw you leave your room and..." Joker responded in an uneasy manner.
"Jeff..." EDI retaliated before he could go no further down the rabbit hole.
"Sorry dear..." Joker said in a defeated tone.
The women in the medbay broke out laughing.
It's good to know that Joker hasn't changed over the years. El'Jaid thought and then smiled, but then her look turned serious.
Over the years... she thought.
"What is it Shepard?" Chalkwas asked as she noticed the change.
"How long do I have?" El'Jaid asked.
"What?" Miranda responded.
"How long am I going to live?
It had finally started to sink in that the person El'Jaid was going to marry would live for a thousand years. She of course knew that Asari live for 1,000 years, but only then did the true mortality of the situation strike at her. El'Jaid knew that 'normal' human beings would live to be between 110 to 150 years old. But that still even paled when compared to a thousand years.
Dr. Chalkwas sat across from her trying to think of something to say. She may have been a medical professional, but that did not help with the situation. All she could do was turn to Miranda, the woman who had led the project that had revived Shepard.
Miranda sighed. "Shepard, we've been through this before. I just don't know. You could live for only a few more decades, or for centuries. Where did this come from all the sudden?"
El'Jaid looked down at the bracelet with a face of defeat. She turned its plated statement over and over again in her mind. She understood what Miranda meant. El'Jaid was a one of a kind work. There should not be any reason that she was alive, but she was. She wasn't supposed to do even a tenth of what a normal person could do, but she was capable of so much more. Yet She couldn't help be feel helpless at the unknown.
Chalkwas came to her side and rested a caring motherly hand on her shoulder.
"Shepard...El'Jaid..." She spoke softly. "We never know how much time we have. All we can do is to choose what we do with the time that we have."
El'Jaid lifted her head up. The Pupils of her eyes illuminated and again mismatched. She smiled with knowing and understanding at Chalkwas' words. She bade both Chalkwas and Miranda good by and went back to her own room. She was tired, and her mind once again had her in a head lock.
[][][][][]
The past day's events still swirled around in Liara's mind and the bracelet on her wrist just caused her to smile.
So it's going to happen...it is a dream come true! She mused to herself as she strolled by the massive view port. Her eyes roamed over the pasting view. Most of it was empty space, and to her it was a sign of opportunity.
Her look turned through her cabin, and a chill ran thought her. The completely mechanical and astir decorum of a military ship had never been 'comfortable' to her. It reminded her too much of the Hagalaz. On her digs and university classes she had enjoyed being tied to planets. Even if the planets were barren, at least they provided visages of nature and feelings of openness. Starships, especially Military ones, gave off their one purpose to her as not more than tools of travel or machines of war. She understood the reason for such things, but that didn't mean she had to necessarily like them.
But it was the crew who really made this ship 'alive'. She remembered being aboard the Normandy. She smiled to her self as she thought. Perhaps it was the Normandy that had caused her to finally break out of her shell and notice the wider world around her. To have taken notice of El'Jaid.
A beep then sounded from her mobile terminal. She strode over to the near by desk and proceeded to take a passing glance at it. But surprise caught her and she delved in to the letter.
Dr. T'Soni,
I hope that this letter finds you well. It has been one that I have been desiring to write to you for some time but for reasons unseen, till now, I have been unable to. Now I have received the sign that it is time to do so. I want to wish you congratulations on your engagement. As my gift to you I give you these words.
You are an amazing individual. Your interest in studying the past had rightly safeguarded our future and you are certainly Matriarch Benezia's, and Aethyta's daughter. You encompass not only their beauty, but also their compassion, drive, will of force, and gift of foresight.
I remember meeting you for the first time many years ago when you were in the company of Captain Shepard. I could not help but see the admiration and desire you had for the human woman at the time. It was well placed for reasons that are known to the galaxy, and reasons only known to yourself.
I could see the great impact you would have on her life. Captain Shepard was a forceful individual when I first met her. Her past had forged her in to a driven person who inspired those around her, and crushed those who dared to stand against her. She has changed though since then. She has come to recognize that not only did she have to be strong but those around her had to be just as galvanized. She also understands the need for sacrifice. She has proven this by stopping the greatest threat known to us and continuing on in her service of duty.
But such powerful individuals are easily misunderstood, and made unfortunate martyrs. These times we are in are trying unlike anything before. There is still so much pain that has been caused in our world, and your Captain is apart of that. I sense a storm is coming. I fear that this is one storm that the Captain will fail to weather alone. Her skill with dialog and combat will be of no help to her.
Dr. T'Soni, she will need you to guard her through this. She will need your skills with the past to safeguard your future together. You cannot falter now; not when your so close to all you have desired. All strong leaders need a strong partner to hold them up when they stumble.
Be well,
Consort Sha'ira
Liara felt her heart hammering in her chest. Her mind racing. What does the Consort know? Where has she been for all these years? What is waiting for us at Esthasia? Liara wasn't surprised that the Consort knew of their engagement. She figured that if Feron had watch then whole thing, the consort would have soon known about it as well. But what troubled her was the idea of something coming after El'Jaid, blind-siding her that she couldn't fight. "What could it be?" she mused aloud.
She shook her head realizing that just sitting there pondering it wouldn't solve what was to come. "Sometimes all one can do is walk towards the door and answer." She exhaled.
She wanted to see El'Jaid. No, needed her.
[][][][][]
El'Jaid's room seemed cold to her. It wasn't the temperature that chilled her, but the view. The Ardennes was passing by a gas giant, the colors of which reminded El'Jaid of Alchera.
She remembered seeing the planet as she fell...
Remembering the surge of panic that filled her as her lungs gave out.
Remembering as her view just failed to dim as the planet continued to grow larger in her sight...
"Are you ok?" A sweet voice sounded behind her which shocked her back to the present.
El'Jaid turned to see Liara standing in the door way. She smiled weakly. "Yeah." She said softly, her eyes mismatched, clearly giving her away.
Liara gave her a lopsided grin. "Liar." She walked over to her Captain as El'Jaid continued to stare out in to space. Liara walked over and wrapped her arms around her love leaning her head against her shoulder.
Finally El'Jaid opened up.
"Its strangely unfair Liara. That I finally find the right place to ask you... and for all I know I could be going out on another mission." El'Jaid said quietly gripping the guardrail and she continued to look out in to the black.
"There has never been a perfect for us El'Jaid." Liara said consolingly.
El'Jaid sighed and turned to look at Liara. "But for once I feel lost and I...I don't know why, but I am. Its comforting having you here. I don't want to leave you... but I don't want you to be drug along with me..." She turned and sat on her bed.
Liara sat next to her placing a warm hand on her back. "El' your acting just as stir crazy as before. We both don't know what is waiting for us on Esthasia." Liara said.
El'Jaid just sighed. "I know your right. But alot of things are happening fast, really fast. I just...feeling like running. I don't have a target, I have nothing to chase or fight. I just feel like I have this...bogeyman of a sliver of a shadow in my mind that keeps haunting me. I hate not knowing." El'Jaid said.
"About what?" Liara asked.
"About everything. The Alliance won't let me go. I can't get a straight answer form the Council. Kaidan didn't even know there was going to be a meeting." El'Jaid looked longingly in to her love's eyes. "I don't know...Li...I don't know how long I am going to be around. I thought of it, but I can't stand the idea of leaving you..."
"El'...I know." Liara soothed. "I feel the same way about you. What ever happens I will be at your side, and I know you will come back to me. You always have."
El'Jaid leaned against her love, a smile crossing her face. She listened to the gentle heart beat of the Asari as Liara just stroked her hair.
"Can I ask you something?" Liara whispered.
"Sure, anything." El'Jaid responded.
"What was it like to die?" Liara asked with a whisper.
El'Jaid held her breath, and a shiver ran through her. She hadn't wanted to think about it, though it was ever present in her mind. She didn't want to relive it, but it was apart of the haunting ghoul that continued to be her companion.
Liara took the pause as a sign that it was not a topic open for discussion. But El'Jaid started to speak.
"I...I was thrown in to space, just after I helped get Joker in to the last escape pod. Maybe I was in pain, I don't know." She said softly.
"Why don't you know?" Liara asked.
"It was all happening so fast. Air was leaking from my suite. I panicked, struggling to find any way to stop it. Each breath I took felt emptier until vacuum crushed my lungs. I could couldn't breath. I was suffocating." El'Jaid responded mechanically.
Liara just continued to hold her, she couldn't begin to wrap her mind around it. She felt lost on how to help her...
"The part that terrifies me the most even still was the time it took for me to die. Even though I couldn't breathe, my mind still worked, and my eyes could still see. My suit was pumping medigel and stims in to me to keep me alive, but I was in a free fall in space. I could do nothing. I had no power to do anything. I felt so alone. The last thing I remember was the sun rising on the planets horizon below me. The rest, black..."
El'Jaid got up. She ran to the bathroom that was attached to her quarters. She gagged on the cold water as the nausea of the memory wafted over her.
"I'm sorry El...I didn't mean..." Liara said helplessly from the doorway.
El'Jaid wiped her mouth with a cloth. "No...don't be." She said firmly. She knew she had needed to go through that door. She went to Liara and gave her a warm hug.
She looked in to Liara's eyes and gently kissed her forehead. Silently thanking her Angel for the gift. But fatigue was taking her. She didn't want to be alone now.
Liara could sense her lover's weariness. "Maybe I should go..." she said.
"No, please don't." El'Jaid pleaded as she gently hugged Liara closer.
Liara led her Captain to the bed where they both laid down, El'Jaid snuggling close and she gently closed her eyes. Liara stroking her arm.
El'Jaid turned around to face her Angel. Her eyes slightly red from the tears, but again a grateful smile on her face. She reached up and pulled Liara in for a kiss, drawing their bodies close.
"I love you." El'Jaid said to Liara. She gently caressed Liara's neck, enjoying the warmth of her skin.
Liara shot her a playful smile. "You only say that when you want something..." She purred, stoking her love's back.
"Well, I'd just like to be with you, be a part of you." El'Jaid said.
Liara knew of her partner's desire, as it was hers as well.
"Come with me." Liara whispered as her eyes changed to Obsidian.
The world around them melted away. They just held and caressed each other as their separate identities faded. They each felt the other enter their mind, or rather the idea of their 'own' mind ceased to exist. They became one entity. A rose floating in a open blue tranquil sea that lapped at it's petals.
Liara caught the smell of the grassy plains on Mindior, and the smell of the salty sea, and the forests of pine. The sweet green leaves of the rose reached up to her touch caressing her face and kissing her neck as they gently enfolded her.
El'Jaid slipped in to the ocean. She dove deep through it. she had no sense of where the surface was. Was it even there? She could no longer hold her breath. She just exhaled, calmly resigned to her fate. Yet when she breathed again she felt warm moist air flowing in to her as she felt the gentle currents flow against her.
As Liara looked at the rose she saw that it was still closed. It pulsed with El'Jaid's life and energy. She warily approached it, lightly touching the fiery folds..
El'Jaid recoiled back away feeling Liara touch her mind's most sensitive place. Like a soft hand on a burning wound. Liara took back her hands. She knew that the rose would not open at this time as it quivered in fright.
Liara's voice softly rung in El'Jaid's mind. "You are safe with me. Be at peace." Comforting her, allowing to El'Jaid to settle again, and she nuzzled closer.
The world gently gathered itself around them. Liara's sapphire eyes looking in to El'Jaid's emeralds. El'Jaid lazily drew the bed's blanket over their clothed bodies and Liara nestled in closer to her fiancée. She noticed that El'Jaid's pupils had been black again after their joining.
They drifted off to an easy deep sleep as the Ardennes burned ever closer to Esthasia.