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This was good.

Bereck smiled slightly and allowed himself to relax back against Alina. “Glad you approve,” he said, giving one of her hands a squeeze. He didn’t quite have the bulk in muscle (or fat) that he’d had before... things, but while he would like a little more in the way of muscle he was content enough. He looked like himself again, clothed at any rate. He hoped Alina didn’t mind the appearance of the scars beyond an initial balk; he didn’t imagine she would though, and would in fact be rather annoyed if she did. They were pretty horrific and of course he hated the effects of them but he was proud of them too. There weren’t many people who could say they’d wrestled a wher and lived to tell the tale.

“Ready to go then?” Bereck asked after a brief silence which, to him at least, felt warm and comfortable. She wouldn’t care, he was sure.

Bereck sucked in a sharp breath at her sudden more inmate touch and then sighed it out contentedly. "Yes. I do feel like myself." He did. He felt like himself with pain and weakness, but no longer a shadow of himself. He had purpose.

"Hold tight my Star, and trust me. We'll come out into sunset."

It was cold then, cold and black and pain!... And then it was sunset, brighter than in Trine and warm. Bereck relaxed and turned his head to Alina. "So, here we are! Point to a beach and Berath will take us down."

How had she become more beautiful over the last twenty or so turns? That wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to make him feel more incapable than the first time he had asked her to dinner with him.

Bereck's eyes crinkled with a smile and his battered body relaxed against the woman as best as he could make it. "Fifty more with you at least, I hope." He loved her quick kiss, the nudge of her nose. His heart hadn't picked up so in decades unless you counted flights and he did not; the function of the physical blood pumping organ was not the same as the feeling of a soul. Berath's wants were not his. In Flight she sought... whatever she pleased to seek. His mind always drifted to a corona of blond hair and lips that were soft, willing, welcoming at any time.


Berath seeing the wave of the hand Berath angled her wings and started a gentle descent towards the indicated beach.

Twisting around to look at her was getting uncomfortable so Bereck gave up on that and just lent back against her, soaking up the affection she offered like a dessicated sponge. Would they be together then, if they were still alive at such an age? He wanted to believe it, and almost could, but there was still that niggling worry in his mind that something would go wrong and they would part again. He wouldn't worry about that today though, today he would just make the most of the present.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, and don't worry; if you sink I will rescue you. Well, Berath will anyway." The sea looked beautifully calm; none of Ista's infamous storms today, just gentle little wavelets lapping against the sand.

Berath warned as she made the final approach. The tide was on the way out, leaving a nice large stretch of damp sand to land on; damp was preferable to dry only because her powerful wingbeats didn't stir it up so much and bother her passengers. Not famed for her grace the thick muscled green touched down with quite a thump and lumbered forward some distance to lose momentum.

Bereck shook his head and tsked. "Berath, you are ridiculous." As he spoke he gave the green's neck a pat, letting her know that he loved her anyway.

Bereck's descent was rather slower than Alina's. Once he had unfastened the straps he shifted his right foot onto the ladder and then carefully swung his left leg over Berath's neck with a slight grimace. Once he had both feet on the ladder he started to climb down, getting both feet onto each rung before taking another step down with his right leg, gripping onto the harness firmly and taking some strain on his arms each time his weight went onto his left leg.

Eventually however he made it to the ground and turned to Alina, who had already kicked off socks and sandals and removed her jacket and pants too. "It is," Bereck agreed with a smile, nudging his glasses back up his nose. "I haven't been here in... must be eight turns or so. I was going to a series of lectures from a very distinguished Master, found this place on the first night and came back every day. It's peaceful, never seen anyone else here. The black sand gets remarkably hot in the middle of the day, so wild Istan firelizards bury their eggs deeper than anywhere else in the world to keep them from overheating. In the evening though the sand keeps its heat for quite a long time, so it's pleasant underfoot. Should be pleasant under blanket too." Shifting the cloth bag on his shoulder Bereck gestured up the beach. "Shall we head away from the water a bit? Put the blanket on dry sand?... I could do with an arm lent, canes tend to sink in sand." He didn't like asking for help, but better her than anyone else at least.

He lent into the kiss willingly, pulling back only when she did. Today was a good day, very good. Maybe he should take days off more often to spend with the people he loved... but the thought of the pile of work that would be waiting for him when he got back weighed in his mind against that. He couldn't just go running off to Ista whenever he felt like it, he had responsibilities and people relying on him.

"Good, I do too... near you that is." He didn't much fancy poking around for firelizards but he didn't say so as he set off up the beach with Alina's support. "It is," he agreed, "a little coarser in general than Malvren's sand but I remember Berath thought it was good for rolling in."

The green, padding along just behind the humans and addressing both of them, gave a chirp.

"Mmh? Oh yes, that would be fine," Bereck agreed with a nod; he wasn't complaining about not having to stretch all over Berath's bulk to undo the buckles. He didn't intend to bend and stretch to set out the food either. The firelizard contingent set the basket down on the sand and then Sanguine, Marrow, Cap and Scalpel each in turn took a corner of blanket from the healer. Flying with enviable synchrony they spread it out and then set it down on the sand beside the basket. With this done they began to empty the basket, setting things out neatly in the middle of the blanket.

Bereck watched proceedings with his arms folded across his chest and a little smirk on his face; not that he was mildly smug or anything, or showing off how well he could direct his faire. Of course not. Who would accuse him of such a thing?

"Am I ever anything other than inventive?" Bereck asked with a little smile at the kiss on his temple. He had been about to say something else, something about the importance of keeping his flitts' skills and training scalpel sharp, but he was rather sidetracked by Alina's abruptly shedding her dress.

Her swimsuit was modest; it even had a little skirt. He had quite forgotten how long her legs were. She was... different now. Of course she was, she was twenty turns older. She wore the years rather well though; softer now than then but not gone to seed.

Berath put in, seen as words didn't seem to be immediately forthcoming from Bereck.

Thus shaken from his inspection of the tall women Bereck made eye contact again, flushing slightly as he realised he had been staring. "Yes, it ah... it suits you." Once again he felt that his attempt to compliment her had rather fallen flat. He cleared his throat. "I mean... you look good.... I'd forgotten just how long your legs are." On that last observation a smile returned to the healer's face, a little grin, but his cheeks remained rather pink. "I did bring something to change into... and I suppose I might as well do that now?" There was no point putting it off after all.