Yasha stared out over the waves as the Ball Eater drifted closer and closer to Nicodranus. They were heading away from Uk'Otoa…and Fjord's past. To say the past weeks had been challenging would have been an understatement. She was used to challenges though…after all that had happened, she could afford to be…unprepared. Not after Molly…not after Zuala.
She sighed, clenching the railing tightly as memories started to crash against her barriers. She rubbed the back of the hand she'd used to grasp…had it been the soul? The heart? of that creature the Stormlord had set against her…she wasn't sure. She still felt the nip of electricity in her arm…numbness followed by a soft buzzing…it felt odd, she had to admit but it reminded her of her triumph…if she had, in fact, triumphed that night. She was still uncertain and telling the truth to Jester and Caduceus had only allowed more memories…both wonderful and painful to seep back to the surface. She wasn't sure why she'd laid it all out before them…yet in there presence she'd felt so secure…so safe, had it been their faith the one thing they shared in common that had spurned her on…or had it been Jester's wide blue eyes filled with concern, and Clay's disarmingly delicious "dead" people tea.
"Molly would have loved to meet him." Yasha thought, staring up at the sky as several gulls winged past, also making their way to the coast.
She stood there silently, staring into the waves, as a memory…a beautiful one this time sank its hooks into her and dragged her back…back to Xhorhas…back to Zuala.
"Look there!" Zuala exclaimed excitedly, pointing deeper into the swamp, "Do you see it?"
Yasha wasn't looking where she was pointing, finding herself lost in the excited smile that had split Zuala's face in two, her eyes glinting excitedly in the moonlight.
"No…I," Yasha fought to say something, anything as Zuala turned to her, her eyes drawing her deeper into a stupor, "No, what is it?"
Zuella smiled softly, and then pointed ahead, this time Yasha managed to pull herself free of the snare she found herself in and turned to spot a massive mushroom, glowing a deep alluring blue in the darkness.
"Doesn't it look amazing?" Zuala asked, taking a cautious step forward, though why she was nervous around a mushroom Yasha couldn't figure.
"Uh…yes." She agreed, "Would…would you like me to grab it for you?"
"No!" Zuala had exclaimed grasping Yasha's arms tightly before she could have even take a single step, "It is very poisonous, you could get hurt."
Yasha smiled slightly, "I'm sure it can't be that bad."
"Ah yes, nothing scares the Orphanmaker." Zuella taunted, "No…it is quite beautiful…but it is incredibly dangerous…somewhat like you."
Yasha had taken the leap at that moment, kissing her deeply, excitedly, honestly…the first of what would be many, a truer love she had never known before.
"And one…I will never let go." Yasha muttered to herself, as she turned from the sea to spot her comrades coming to the deck, all of them filled with nervous energy as they got closer and closer to the city.
Looking over them all, she felt the same feeling of dread, that now dogged her every step. There would never be another Zuala she had promised…and then she had lost Molly. She couldn't bring herself to make another promise of protection…for fear of the universe, luck, fate whichever seeing it as a challenge.
Their disappearance had hit her harder than she yet to admit to them, perhaps that was a reason she'd finally spoken of Zuala.
The first day she had been slightly worried, as Marius had raced over to her saying the "Captain" and the others were nowhere to be found, nor was that mysterious little gnome girl.
The second day they were lost within that strange ball, that had been decided to be the culprit, she had begun to feel the first true feelings of fear, as flashes of Molly's grave taunted their way across her mind.
With each following day, she worried more and more for their safety…and if they would ever return, and if when they did…she'd have another hole opening in her heart.
A tear stained smile, a whispered "I love you.", Rage, Fear, Running. Thoughts of pain and remorse had begun to consume her…until an unexpected relief had found its way to her.
"You alright chere?" Orly asked, his remaining eye looking her up and down.
"I…I'm worried…the last time I wasn't with them…we…lost someone." Yasha had muttered out, staring at the sphere, it's strange clicking her chipping away at her self control, as part of her raged to grasp the thing in her hands and force it to bring them all back to her.
"I..I'm sorry m-miss." Orly stated, turning to stare at the ball, "But…I get the feeling that things will turn out alright."
"You do?" Yasha had asked, turning to face him.
"This has been a crazy ride, I will admit…but I don't think this is the last you've seen of your friends." Orly stated, "You've done some m-mighty crazy shit in the time I've gotten to know you…whatever this is…I'm sure they'll find a way out of it."
"You are sure?" Yasha asked, her faith returning.
"As sure as I can be with y-your friends." Orly stated, smiling slightly, "Get some sleep, chere, we can't do m-much to help the captain and your friends at the m-moment, that's true…but letting worry eat away at you isn't going to do any good."
And they had come back…beaten, depressed and tired…having not even realized how long they were gone, Nott and Jester desperately clutching each other, and the others looking utterly consumed with guilt…but they hadn't said a word to her, all going there separate ways to unwind…and rest.
They'd survived a dragon without her…but it definitely hadn't been easy…and the next time she could at least swear she would be with them, whatever came next.
Staring up at the gulls wheeling overhead, she caught sight of a Raven, heading in the opposite direction out to sea, though it seemed to pause for a moment as it sailed above the ship.
There was a light caress across her cheek, and she felt her hand tingle once more, though this felt different, somehow familiar, and then as the raven flew away it disappeared.
"I…I love you," Yasha stated softly, she turned to face her friends, spotting Clay smiling at her warmly, his eyes flicking towards the Raven as it flew away.