Welcome to Gaia! ::

Faolan hugged Ellandra instinctively, a soft reassuring noise rumbling in the back of his throat.

"Your mother. I see her clearly with you that day," Zia said, nodding. It looked a little worried, then, picking up that the young woman wasn't as happy as it thought it would be with the gift. "I'm sorry." It retreated under the blankets and curled up there.

Faolan rested a hand on the Essentic's back, soothing it. "It's alright, Zia. She's not mad. See? Just a bit of a shock is all." He looked down at Ellandra. "We really met as kids? I wish I could remember that better. I mean, its hard to remember stuff from when I was a boy anyway. Too bad we didn't get to be together then, eh?"

Zia hugged its wings around the woman's neck, snuggling close. "Your crystal necklace told me the story. You gave it to Fao . . . and later, he returned it." It looked up at Fao over Ellandra's shoulder. "I think you should think about some of the stuff you got up to as a kid and truly wonder if it would have been wise to let you two be together then as strong as your love is. You would've lost your virginity a lot sooner than twelve, don't you think?"

"Zia! Faolan yelped, trying to get the Essentic to be quiet, blushing furiously. Though it was good for the little creature to be coming back around, he wasn't too sure he wanted it spouting out rather personal information he wasn't exactly sure he was ready to share with Ellandra, if ever.

"What!?" was Faolan's first reaction to being yelled at by Ellandra, then he got up off the bed and went to sit outside, leaving the door open. He wasn't sure to be annoyed or happy with Zia at the moment, and he sure wasn't wanting to think what Elle thought of him now. Living in a place with loose morals, what was one to expect of a boy hitting puberty in the carnival? He rested his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. One thing was for sure--Zia was so very grounded.

Zia looked up at Ellandra. "Are you mad at him?"

Faolan let his hands drop, hanging limply between his legs, forearms resting on his legs now. He was quiet a long moment, before finally licking his lips and speaking. "You know how you told me about how you always felt so lonely, like something was missing in your life? That something was me, Elle. I was missing you, too. Grandmother made me forget, but she couldn't erase the link between us. I was kind of a wild kid, but none so much as when I was actively trying to fill a void in my life, in my heart that I didn't quite understand."

He finally looked at her, giving a small shrug. "I always figured you'd be okay that I had lovers before I met you, but I didn't really want to tell you how young I started. Since that's out on the table, you probably should know about other stuff I got up to as a kid, too. There's a reason the others around the carnival say what they do about me."

He moved so his head rested on hers. "I'm sorry, Elle. From the moment I met you, I wanted to tell you everything about myself, to lay it all out, but then I thought about it and . . . things that I never been ashamed of before made me hate that I'd been that way. I got scared you wouldn't want me, even with our link, if you knew the kind of man I was . . . that I am. It's not that I want to hide things, but you're so different and you aren't used to certain things."

Faolan looked ahead, watching the distant flicker of the bonfire where most of the carnival staff and performers were. It was the first official night in their new location, they were completely set up and had had their first shows. It was a night of celebrating. Normally, he'd be there with them, dancing and drinking, probably finding some partner for the night. Now he was more content sitting on the steps of his vardo with one woman, the woman he'd spend the rest of his life with. A much quieter lifestyle than he'd led, and yet, he couldn't be more at ease.

Faolan snorted a bit with laughter, light mood returning. "La, girl, were I to tell you all of it, we'd be here till we were very old. If you want to know specifics, just ask and I'll tell you." He rested an arm about her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side, content to spend time with her.

A moment later a young man about Fao's age passed by, double-backed and stopped before the couple. He leaned down and reached out, tilting Fao's face up to the light. "La, Fao, Korsin got you good, yeah? I'd heard about that fight, but, la, seeing the marks. Whatever possessed you to tangle with him, my darling?"

"The woman sitting next to me, Amir," Faolan answered calmly, used to the familiar ways of those who resided in the carnival and their lack of boundaries. He did, however move his head from the young man's hand.

"Ah, right. Heard about you finally settling down, too," Amir said, looking at Ellandra. He put a hand out. "Nice to meet you." After shaking her hand, he looked back at Faolan. "Pity, though."

Faolan quirked a brow. "Pity, eh?"

Amir nodded. "You're no longer available to snuggle with during cold nights. Not unless your girl doesn't mind."

"I mind," Faolan said firmly, though without malice. "Besides, that was years ago. I'd like to think I've grown out of that phase."

"Really?" Amir said, raising a brow. He looked at Ellandra. "Did he tell you that before you showed up, he was sharing a bed with Korsin?"

Faolan frowned and held up a hand, shooing the other man away. "Ay, ay . . . she doesn't need to hear about that right now, you jealous a**. Be off, Amir. I want to spend some time with Elle before bed."

Amir shrugged. "As you wish." He wandered back off, letting the shadows of the carnival after dark swallow him.

"Sorry about that, Elle," Faolan said quietly. "Guess you should know that I don't really pay attention to gender when picking lovers." He fidgeted a moment, then added even quieter, "And I was sleeping with the roustabout I fought with before I met you."

"I suppose, but it don't make what he said any more right," Faolan said softly, turning to kiss her back. He gave a soft sigh, resting his forehead against hers in a way that his horns weren't hurting her. "You're gonna be okay with all this, right? I can't guarantee that there ain't any other ex-lovers gonna be stopping by some time. I stayed good friends with most of them."

He sat up and leaned back against the steps, gaze focusing on the bonfire across the grounds. His ears stood up slightly as he caught the sounds of music and revelries. "Elle, do you want to stay here and settle in or go to the party for awhile? You could meet some of the other residents and performers."