☽Love is Forgiving☾
➳Akara’s gaze flicked out over the ocean. THe small piece of paper, with Rinn’s location, was crumpled up in her hands. She chewed on her lip, contemplating on what she should do. It had been a couple of days since their fight and all of Kara’s anger had all but dissipated. It was replaced with a curious warmth that Kara didn’t quite understand. Each time she thought of him, Kara’s stomach felt as if it were doing flip flops inside of her. Was this what it mean to be in love? Kara wasn’t quite sure but was determined to find out.
She turned away from the ocean and moved into the house to gather a few things. Kara left a note and headed out, followed closely by Lyari. It didn’t take long, thanks to her hastar, to reach Taliuma and in no time she was exploring the city, trying her best to locate Rinn without asking for help. The day was still early and there was already a healthy crowd milling about. Kara dismounted and stuck close to Lyari as they moved about. Who, in turn, kept his attention focused between Kara herself and those surrounding them.
’Why are we doing this?’ Lyari asked through their bond, not wanting others to overhear their conversation and become a little too curious. They shouldn’t even be here.
Kara blinked, a little surprised at the sudden intrusion of Lyari’s voice. Though they used the bond, to talk privately, quite often, she had not expected it at that very moment. Usually she was the first to initiate such conversations. ’Because...I just can’t leave things as they were. I should have never stormed off away from Rinn.’
Lyari huffed but left the conversation at that. Who was he to tell Kara what to do? He could give advice but how good would it be when he’d had no experience with situations like this himself? All he could do was be there with her just in case things went bad.
Eventually, after finally caving and asking a merchant about the address Rinn had wrote down, they found their way to a small house, tucked away from the market and even farther away from the city gates. The neighborhood wasn’t spectacular but at least, Kara thought, it wasn’t a terrible part of the city. She tied her hastar’s reins to the fence that lined the small yard, that contained a garden that held what looked like mostly vegetables and fruits. Kara eyed the garden curiously, only having ever seen such a thing rarely in the desert town.
Lyari sniffed the air and then the ground, rumbling out an appreciative sound. “Ysali magic,” he said as he confirmed Kara’s own inner musings.
“Yes, Rinn’s mother, most likely.” Kara turned back towards the house and took a deep breath. she let it out slowly as she moved forward, Lyari still sticking closely by her side. As she reached up to knock, her arm wrapped around his neck and his tail pooled on the ground, curled around her ankles. Finally, she let her hand fall and the knocks sounded louder than she had intended. She waited and waited some more before frowning. Maybe he wasn’t home? After another moment, Kara turned to leave stopped only by a tug from Lyari. “What is it?”
As she turned around, the door opened and her gaze met with Rinn’s. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by his voice. “Akara…” He took a step forward but hesitated, unsure whether he would be welcomed or not. “I didn’t think…” He trailed off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “You’re here,” he said as he opened his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Kara, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Kara shook her head and stepped forward, fingers grazing over Lyari’s head in a quick scratch. “No. I’m sorry, Rinn. I shouldn’t have blown up at you and ran off. We should have talked. I do understand why you kept it a secret. I would too, if I could.”
Rinn opened his mouth to respond but closed it as he stepped forward, closing the rest of the distance between them, and tugging her in close. “I love you, Kara. Do you forgive me?” he asked as he tucked his face against her hair and inhaled her scent. She smelled of the ocean and the desert — a smell he would never tire of.
As Rinn tugged her in close, her arms moved around him and held tightly. She could only nod in response, fearing that if she spoke, she might cry. Finally, after some time they parted, smiles on both of their faces. “Want to go for a walk?” He glanced past Kara, eyebrow raising. “You too, Lyari?” After both of them agreed they set off, the conversations fading in and out as Rinn told Kara more about himself and his family.
Word Count: 829
