Welcome to Gaia! ::

Erionda’s eyes searched the glass cabinet. Orbs were filling the display rather quickly. All of them ranged from the simple Ysali, to the deadly Aeduan. Erionda had taken a trip into the cave of dragons the day Kilian had gone to turn in his orbs to his leader. She had been stricken with worry and the only way she could get her mind off a downward spiral of fear was to kill dragons. What she hadn’t expected was the injuries she had sustained to her shoulder. Three deep scratches, and another across her abdomen. She was still sore from that, even when she had gone out and about Eowyn in search of plants and seeds. She had stumbled upon even more Gaili and even a Diabi. She stared at the Diabi orb glistening in the center of the pile.

The Diabi kill had only happened yesterday, bringing back memories of Kilian and the way he reacted in the cave. Shaking her head, Erionda shrugged the thought away. Opening the glass door Erionda picked up the small Ysali orbs first. Carefully depositing them into a bag. Only a few things remained to be moved to Aisko. She had been spending days in the frozen world building and repairing. While the home wasn’t yet complete. It was warm and livable now. She had even managed to get a good start on the stables where her two Soudul Hastar would reside. One of which she was intending to present to Kilian as a gift. Even though she wasn’t sure if he had a desire for a different breed of Hastar.

Taking another set of orbs from the shelf Erionda continued to fill the bag with a sigh. She felt guilty for asking Kilian to move with her to Aisko. As if she were putting a burden on him. A larg part of her feared he would regret the choice. That like everyone else, he in time would leave her. That was her biggest fear. Another orb deposited in the bag. Now she was going to leave Eowyn behind forever. Live where she wouldn’t feel the death of heat. She shifted to her knees to begin lifting the orbs from the bottom shelf.

Lifting the last orb, a Diabi Erionda paused to study it dark surface. Outside Lanzecki and Uassae were waiting. Along with two Hastar. One already burdened down with many things from the house. Blankets and wood. Food and seeds from her garden. She would walk beside them to save the trip coming back. Taking a look out the window with her orb still held in her hands Erionda sighed. She had yet to find Tilawen as Junjie had requested, and she hadn’t heard from the Hybrid about having found her either. Erionda had wanted to give her this home. So she would finally have a place to call home. Turning at the sound to her left Erionda gave a soft smile.

“Kilian is that you?” She paused as her eyes fell on him. “Are you ok?”

He didn’t move towards her. He did however answer her. She could sense his anxiety about something, but she couldn’t quite put her thoughts on it. Did he think that she would be frightened of him, or that she would be appalled by what he was? Was he having cold feet now that everything about the move was becoming real? Her heart ached at the distance between them. Why wasn’t he covering the distance? Why wasn’t he hugging her? She flinched at the pain in her shoulder, stomach, and right leg. It was painful the way he managed to stay back. She wanted to be held in his arms. To be reassured that he was really here.

Blue and violet eyes drunk in everything she could see about Kilian. He had changed over the short time they had been apart. To her however, the time was long and painful. Too long for her liking. It created unease and fear inside her. Emotions she hated, they left her spinning out of control. There was something deeper about him. Something different, something new, stronger. Her eyes stopped on his forehead. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of something different. Almost like a scar in the way it marred his features.

Slowly Erionda stood and closed the distance between them, a slight limp as she walked. Her leg hadn’t had time to heal from her fight against a horde of Gaili the day before. While she had been tending to it carefully Erionda feared there was possibility for infection. So she had wrapped her leg in bandages. A fresh set of armor covered her body. She had to upgrade from her previous gear. It was no longer strong enough to protect her from a lot of dangers and the dragons teeth that had dug into her leg was proof of that. instead of boots Erionda’s feet were bare but there were thick plates on her legs.

She reached out carefully. She wasn’t aware if he move away as her fingers brushed over his forehead then returned, only to rub gently over the crack. This wasn’t a scar, it was something else. She had never seen anything like it before, was this special to his kind? Special to only Kilian? Something about this precious moment endeared him to her even more. Something so perfect passed between them, soothing what would remain untouched inside her mind forever.

Her hands lowered to his shoulders. Rising on her toes Erionda attempted to gain the height needed. Her lips brushed tenderly against his. Her arms snaking around Kilians neck, lowering herself back towards the ground. Her arms loosened, shifting and sliding down his chest before they circled around his waist. Pausing as they brushed against something else. Something familiar and yet, unpredictable. Startled Erionda broke the kiss her mismatched eyes searched Kilians face before moving her chin on his shoulder to get a better look at his back. She caught the faintest glimpse of something before giving some space between herself and her mate. Blinking twice Erionda attempted to shift to get a better look at Kilians back.

She hadn’t seen her Oblivionite in over a week. He had been gone when she left. And while she wanted to tell herself he was coming back, a part of her tried to convince her he was gone forever. She had returned early in the morning to finish packing her things. She had to keep doing what she had for the past few months. Working on the home in Aisko. Only a few things remained of hers. She hadn’t started on Kilians. Wanting to preserve as much of it as it was until his return. Now he was here!

Her arms wrapped around Kilian elbow. Her body leaning to the side. A gasp escaped her, as she noticed things about her Oblivionite she hadn’t seen before. Wings, and a tail! She felt him tense under her fingers. Her mouth dropping open in shock. She wanted to touch them. To know if they were real. Her right hand breaking away from it’s grasp on Kilian’s arm. Her fingers flexed as she tried to consider the consequences of what she wanted to do.

“C-can I touch them?” Awe filled Erionda’s voice as she asked her question. Was it rude of her to want to touch them? Where they part of him? She reached out hesitantly but held back as her eyes snapped to look Kilian in the eyes. What if they, like her wings, and horns. Were an intimate part of his body? If so, it would be more than an intrusion to be touching such places without consent. Mate’s or not. She respected Kilian. She would never intentionally do something to cause him any harm.

The stillness echoed through her head, through her brain, settled as a dull ache that pressed against her eyelids like an oppressive shroud. Didn’t he know they were more alike now than ever before? With gentle fingers, Erionda reached over and turned his face towards hers. Her thumb stroked his jaw line. She watched in mute wonder as his wings extended to their full length. He looked even more pained as he waited for her reaction, Erionda sighed softly.

A battle waged within her. She wanted to reach for him, to sooth whatever ache had made itself known on his face. She wanted to touch the wings as well. Held back only by the fear that he would reject her for not taking his emotions into account.

The Diabi orb slipped from her fingers and leay forgotten as Erionda’s eyes moved from face to wings and back. The sound was muffled as Erionda’s own new set of wings made themselves known. “I don’t think any part of you is disgusting, Kilian. I’m proud! It makes me feel like the line that separates us is blurred each time I discover something new.”

Erionda closed the distance between them. A strange intensity behind her actions as her lips rose to meet his. Pulling back she couldn’t help but let her fingers gently slide over the silky leather on his back. She marveled in the sight of Kilian before her. She had missed him so much while they were apart. Missed the way he often held her to him, offering her shelter and comfort.

Her fingers twitched slightly as they lingered on his wings. Her other hand smoothed back the thick locks of hair about his face. It didn’t matter what transformation he would undergo. Her own terrifying one had yet to happen. In sight of that, she could handle anything if he managed to ignore what was coming for her.

“I love you Kilian, I don’t see that ever changing. I would give you part of my soul to prove that I belong with you.” Erionda whispered.

She was Kilians.

Erionda smiled lovingly up at her mate. There was nothing like the comfort he gave her. Like a ward that protected her dual soul from the pains of the world outside. And somehow Erionda felt that was enough for her, because it wasn’t possible to split a part of herself to give to him. She forgot to breath as he responded to her. Even his voice had the power to stop her heart, cause it to skip unnaturally. She loved it.

Flexing her wings as she felt the lingering touch by their joint Erionda remained close to Kilian. Closing her eyes Erionda pressed her body as close to her mates as she could manage. “I’ve never denied you a part of me. Go ahead.” Taking in a deep breath Erionda shifted her wings so they brushed against where his fingers stilled. Waiting for the touch on her wings. The only person able to touch her like this was back. Erionda was lost in a wash of emotion, the lure of the unknown unfurling as an electric lethargy seeped into her bones. As though her body couldn’t move without his dictates. She was powerless as he took his time to explore her.

The pains on her leg and shoulder forgotten. Her task of packing the orbs abandoned in the intimate moment. Pulling her fingers away from Kilians wings Erionda paused, opening her eyes part way as she remembered something. It was important!

Tender hands slipped towards Kilians chest. Resting for a moment as she kissed him. “I… I brought you something. It’s more of a peace offering from Junjie…” Erionda trailed off as she stumbled back a step. Sifting through the pouch on her waste the hybrid drew forth a strange yet smooth stone.

“It’s called the Song of Stone. I found mention of it in my father’s books. And now I know why he had written about it.” Erionda could feel the heat rise into her cheeks. “Since you agreed to move with me to Aisko. I couldn’t help it, I had to find some way for you to stay warm.” The Aiskala hybrid’s blush intensified as she reached out to take one of Kilians hands first. Depositing the stone into the palm of his hand she reached out for his other. Guiding his hand over the stone so he could feel the warmth of the stones power fill his body.

Blinking Erionda tentatively smiled, searching her mates face for what he was thinking. Wishing she could read the emotions as clearly as she felt her own. “I-it will keep you from freezing.” Erionda whispered, lowering her head and letting her hair fall to cover her face. Hiding her growing embarrassment at the gift she had presented. Her fingers twitched nervously as small tremors ignited within her body. “You’re beautiful you know.”

The hybrids face continued to warm at Kilians touch. Looking up through her eyelashes before a shocked look filled her expression. Of course she thought he was beautiful! He was everything to her, so how could he not see how wonderful he was in her eyes? His chuckle stopped her heart and her breath. He was pushing her beyond her sanity with the emotions she could read from him. Molten lava coursed through her veins as he closed the distance between them. She felt weak in her knees, as if it took all her ability to just keep standing. And then a second chuckle followed his words.

Part of her couldn’t understand if he meant it to tease her, or if there was slight jealousy hinted in there. In the end it didn’t matter once his lips were on hers. Her soul ignited in a thousand flames under his touch, thankful for the way he was so willing to keep pulling her back to him. It made her feel alive.

She ignored where his hands went. Unable to comprehend the implications of what would happen if he discovered her injured body under the bandages. Her mind called out as he pulled away from her too soon. She wanted to show him how much she had missed him, how much he meant to her, just how much she needed him. The way her soul called out for him time and time again.

The moment was destroyed as he noticed her injuries. Shaking her head Erionda tried to pretend it was just a strange fashion choice for the moment. Turning away she bent down to collect the fallen Diabi orb. “I-it-it’s nothing.” Erionda lied, not wanting to cause Kilian unnecessary worry. The sharp reminders of the Gaili attack fresh on her mind. They had been ruthless in their assault, and she still had no idea why they had attacked in such a large group. “Just some scratches, really.”

Can’t we just go back to kissing? Erionda’s mind pleaded, pulling her wings tight against her back.They were harder to recall than her other set of wings, perhaps it was due to her Dovaa side that prevented their return as easily. She hated that, her wings were intimate part of her. One she meant to share only with Kilian.