Welcome to Gaia! ::

Virain kept to himself during the boatride, eyes glued to the land around him. It was similar to and yet totally different from anything he was accustomed to, and the quiet was soothing. Only when it was time for V'denri to depart did Virain look away from the waterpaths to wish her well and to convey his hopes that he'd see her again before he left the isles. Then it was the three of them and Virain started to feel the first stirrings of unease.

He grimaced as Dem spoke, licked his lips, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm used to nasty looks. So long as none of them actually try to do anything I can ignore them." He murmured, "It's as you say, they simply want to keep your mother safe." He took a moment to lean into her, needing to feel the solid warmth of her body before pulling away. The boat had landed and all they were doing now was delaying things. It wouldn't look good to the others if he simply...sat there.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for this." He said, "It's not every day someone asks to become a parent."

"No love, no." Virain murmured and reached over to cradle her cheek in his hand. "It's not what you're thinking, not at all. I want to have younglings with you. I'm just afraid of how I'll be around them. My parents aren't the ideal role models when it comes to parenting and, well, I'm afraid that I'll end up taking a page out of their book." He gave her a lopsided smile, "But I know you'll keep me straight if I ever end up doing some of the things that they did."

He let his hand drop and stood, cautiously hopped out of the boat and offered Dem his hand. "Shall we head off before I say anything else stupid enough to make you doubt me?" And it was true, thinking about what he'd said, how he felt, it was all silly. He wouldn't ever resort to the things his parents did, because his children wouldn't have to grow up the way he did. He would do everything in his power to make sure of it.

Already doing a fantastic job? He pondered her meaning as he laced his fingers with hers, feeling only a surge of affection when he realized just how small he was compared to her. If their younglings only wanted his love, then they'd have it, because love was the emotion that came most easily to him. He hummed happily at her at looked down the path that he was most certain they'd take.

He hoped Aisha would like him enough to grant them younglings and that her love was big enough to blanket all younglings and not just her own. "Shall we my love?"

It was hard keeping his spine straight under the weight of so many stares. He had to remind himself that none of those present would bring harm to him so long as he was polite and adhered to their rules, their law. He hoped that'd they'd give warning before doing anything, he wasn't certain as to what rules the Alkidikes upheld other than the ones pertaining to their mother tree.

He felt his shoulders relax a little, the closer they came to Aisha, the closer he was to her magnificence and beautiful blossoms. He felt a smile curl his lips without his consent and couldn't help the feeling that bubbled up in him. This was it, he really was going through with it and there would be no turning back. He wouldn't forgive himself if he lost his nerve now. He'd be letting both himself and Dem down, and he just...couldn't do that. V'denri would have his head.

"I wonder if she's seen Matorians before." He murmured, "And the birth of the other tribes." How old she must be and how much she lived through. He wished he could listen to her speak because he was certain that the stories she must know were filled with all sorts of things.

He let out a soft sigh and leaned Dem for a moment. "What happens now?"

He watched her, the hand on her heart, the want in her voice, the tone. He could feel his eyes start to burn with the tears that welled up in them. He blinked them back and turned to look at the Great Mother, the literal heart and life of the Alkidikes. One hand rose of its own violation and placed itself over his heart, fingers relaxed. Dem made it seem so easy, so judgement free and he couldn't help but hope that it was. "Great Mother Aisha, I stand before you with my mate, the one who holds my heart to ask for your blessing. I know I am not one of your children and I have no right to ask for younglings of our own, but here we are. Even if you deem us unworthy of younglings, please, watch over us, please accept our love, our devotion to each other." He opened eyes that he was unaware of closing and shifted just enough to look at Dem from the corner of his eye.

Even if you do not accept me, please, Great Mother, please grant her her wish.

"If only speaking to all mothers were that easy." He joked, reaching out to link his hand in hers. "This has to be the smoothest meeting I've encountered yet, when speaking to a mother." He thought back to the three women who stood out prominently in his memory, and was amused to realize that they were all Alkidikes. "I'm glad I was given this chance, that your sisters allowed us here. " He brushed the back of her hand with his thumb.

He was at a loss as to what happened next, but he suspected that he might be starting to wear his welcome a bit thin. "Should we head back? I'm sure your sisters are antsy with a stranger so close to the Great Mother."

V'demhe's excitement was infectious, to the point where Virain felt his cheeks heat up and a grin stretched his lips. Even if the Great Mother chose to deny them, something had changed for the better between them. He felt settled, elated, and loved like he'd never been before. Life could only get better and it wasn't as if they couldn't try again, later on. But that was if they were denied, if they were blessed.

He didn't think his heart could swell any bigger with the amount of love that was straining inside it.

He tightened his grip on Dem's hand a little and let her lead him back to the boat. "Do you want to spend the night with your mother?" He asked, "I'll be fine by myself tonight if you do."