Third Visit
839


He'd always been adept at hiding his true feelings. It was a skill he honed in an attempt to keep his father from seeing any sign of nervousness in him. Any sign of weakness, in a sense. Over time he'd gotten rather skilled at keeping just about any serious emotion out of sight of anyone else but himself when he looked in the mirror.

Still, his eyes were generally the dead giveaway.

Much like his mother--except for the fact that he had his father's eyes--Ashur's eyes were bright blue and expressive. Uncontrollably so, they hid no emotion if one looked carefully enough. In his youth, before the war and everything that came with it, they were lively and vibrant. Calming and friendly and filled with an almost insatiable need to see and experience all things new and fresh and exciting.

In recent months these same eyes were filled with conflicted thoughts. Confusion. Exhaustion. Frustration. Hurt. It was all there for everyone to see, but no one did.

So there he was, back at his wonder. Feet heavy, and not because it was sand underfoot. Emotions clouding those bright blues, the Squire walked passed the gate and closed his eyes the moment both feet were within the city, then took a deep breath.

"I hope you have a good reason for not visiting for so long," he heard her say, and he opened his eyes to greet his ancestor.

Her voice was as melodic as the first time he'd heard it, and her smile softer if that was even possible. Dominic fixed his gaze on the woman just a few feet ahead, blues clashing with vibrant greens for only a second before he softened his own expression.

"I don't," came his admission, and he could see a look of disappointment cross her features for barely a second before a look of concern took its place.

"Then why are you here now?"

Dom shrugged; he honestly didn't know. To find sanctuary, maybe. Reprieve from the troubles of his life on earth. Maybe he was just looking for an unattached individual to vent to about his problems involving knighthood. Or maybe he just liked the relaxed atmosphere that took hold of him when he came to the city he was sworn to protect. All these possibilities but all he offered Alya was a shrug, a small frown, and a grumbled, "Not really sure, actually."

He looked to his ancestor with an expression she would later describe as "puppy-like" and sighed. She returned it with a knowing smile.

"You know you remind me of someone," she said almost too quietly for him to hear. "Perhaps I know of a place that might help..."

Dominic didn't have any time to ask when she meant, as she'd turned and started walking through the streets of Ashur without saying another word. He might have asked for her to stop, maybe to at least have her slow down her pace a bit, but he didn't. He kept his mouth shut and followed.

He weaved through the streets after her, brushing his hand along the sandy mud-brick walls whenever they passed through a shaded area or building. The coolness was soothing, and occasionally on longer stretches he would close his eyes, grateful for just that moment of silence. When the turmoil in his mind melted away in favor of focusing on just the cool touch at his fingers and he felt, even in just that moment, relaxed.

They seemed to walk for ages, but the longer they went the less he thought about it and the more he enjoyed meandering through the streets. He let his mind wander for the first time in days--months even--to the possible sights and sounds that might have filled the city. His city. To the types of people he might have encountered; from the riff-raff all the way up to the highest class of citizen within the city walls, he would have loved to meet them all. His thoughts wandered to the buildings; to the markets and the shops that filled them; to the temples and the gods worshipped within them. He pondered on empty stalls and broken statues and fading murals, and on the ruins left behind by a people he would never meet nor be truly one of yet he felt somehow connected to in a strangely deep and meaningful way beyond being just the Ashur Knight...

The more they walked, the more he took in, the further from his troubles his mind got, up until an hour or two had passed and they finally came to a stop and he looked at her, eyes curious if slightly confused.

"You said you knew a place that could help."

She wore an expectant look on her face as she nodded, smiling. "And did it?"

It dawned on him slowly, as did the small smile that followed shortly after. Dominic sighed then, long and almost contentedly as he looked past his ancestor and to the city just behind her.

"Yeah...it kinda did."