The poem: Stargazing in His Eyes belongs to Jessica Olsen; I'm just using it. The song, done first in Ha'Shmla and then translated to English, belongs to me.
Later that day, they packed up and loaded everything onto a small covered wagon, pulled by the group. Lifting a rope and slinging it over his shoulder, Senka turned back, "Ready?"
The others shouted agreement and began pulling the wagon through the dense undergrowth, the wheels rolling easily over the bumps and dips of the land. Namid pulled her share as did everyone else and briefly glanced up at the hot sunlight that was beating upon her back. Sighing she grit her teeth and pushed.
A while later, as the sun rose higher in the sky and the heat worsened, they stopped for a water break. Rakab wiped his brow and accepted a ladle of water from Bialas and poured some on his head, sighing as the clean water refreshed him. The women had tied up their hair and loosened the laces of their shirts slightly to cool off. Namid laughed as Elita drank her share, the last to receive water, and dumped the rest on Bialas' head. With the bucket still on his head, Bialas tried to chase Elita around but instead accidentally bumped into a tree. The group had a good laugh after that.
Namid glanced at Rakab through her lashes and, quite embarrassedly, noticed how his well-muscled, and lean frame, showing under his loose shirt, looked rather good under the sunlight. She smiled as he grinned, her heart skipping a beat.
As they gathered up again to lift the wagon, Namid, who hadn't bothered with the water, stood but stumbled backwards to sit again. She took a deep breath and put her head in her hands. Sheila placed a hand on her shoulder, "You alright?"
"Yes." She mumbled, "Just…tired."
"Want to ride in the wagon?" the woman asked, her voice gaining a motherly tone.
"No thanks, I'll do my share." She mumbled, shakily standing.
Sheila nodded and went to take her side. Namid lifted the wagon with the help of the twin sparrows and as they began their walking to a nearby road, Namid felt her forehead grow hot and her grip loosening as the world spun a bit and her vision swam. She cursed as she stumbled and fell back into the grasp of Alida. "Elita, get Sheila and tell Senka." The twin ordered, "Hurry!"
As Elita rushed off, Namid felt herself being placed down into the soft grass and into some shade, provided by the wagon, "Sheila's comin' Namid. Just don't go to sleep, you hear me?" Namid nodded slowly as she heard footsteps coming.
"Alida, tell me what happened." Sheila ordered, slinging a bag over her head and placing it down. Kneeling to Namid's side she whispered, "You're going to be fine, Namid…"
As both Elita and Alida recalled what happened, Sheila nodded and turned to Yrel, who was holding Rakab back, to go fetch water. Rak glared at the crow's back and, as calmly as possible, asked the younger woman what was wrong.
Sheila, who worked as the healer in their group, replied, "It's just a case of dehydration, she'll be fine once she has something to drink and some rest."
"Rest?" "But we need to move the wagon!" Namid protested, but the emerald boa's sharp gaze silenced her.
"Fine. Just don't overexert yourself." she replied as Yrel came with the water. Namid took the ladle and drank its contents greedily. After about her second helping of water, she sighed, "I feel much better now."
Sheila frowned, "Don't scare us like that again!"
Namid nodded, "Trust me, I don't plan to."
The woman stood and Senka told the others to regain their positions, including Namid. Senka, while explaining to Namid about their journey, grinned and remarked, "You aren't what I expected you to be, princess."
Namid's eyebrows rose. "What did you expect?"
"That you'd treat us like…like the worthless thieves we are." He replied, laughing lightly.
"Why would I?" "I'm not the type to do that!" she laughed, patting his arm.
"Let's pray you aren't" Senka joked before walking away. To the entire troupe he ordered them to take their positions and continue on at his signal. Once the signal had been given, they continued on, at a reasonably slow but steady pace.
They stopped later that night and set up tents, near a steam. Taking turns to bathe, the group helped to get supper ready.
After her bath, Namid laid down a blanket and rested on her back, hands behind her head, to gaze at the stars that had gathered. The fire was burning brightly and the air was crisp and reminded Namid of home and of childhood. She remembered, on one cool summer night, when she and Rakab lay down near a cooking fire and gazed at the stars.
Rak laughed as he saw Namid and sat next to her, "Do you remember when we used to do this?"
"Yes…I remember that. Midsummer wasn't it?" Namid asked, turning to him.
Rak nodded, "I remember you were ten and I was thirteen…the dancers were just finished with the Hara' Jaud dance—"
"That was the dance we did a few nights ago, Rak." She giggled, "How ironic."
Rakab grinned, "The 'Echoed Moonlight' dance…that was four years ago…Wow!"
Namid smiled, "I remember some of the lyrics…"
Rak, chuckling to himself, and began, singing the song in Ha'Shmla:
La itil'under the jaud, veritas'searching'for'gen
La-found a'stanku a' awebre, a'stanku a toth'gen
La-found'gen
La rrasatoth la have-gah la face, nas la kiss upon la ferat
La heah la nasa-these floors; la heah la gah-a stanku
La nasa'this'cinca, la itil'this cincanon
Hehj-a gah'Anhamirak la gah
Hehj jas gen raviheah
La vehlar seems-a tin
La heah…
This is toth'under'the jaud
The jaud awebre a-us, of hara'sera ke'ke hatia sheni
La listen ke'ke la gah
Things la'pt have heah
Things la'pt will hatia
Ban toth'gen-la'cincanon
Would' be la'only aleya
A'gah'-las'cinca
Is all'la'le
This is mak'toth'under'the'jaud
La'toth'gen'tasashe
La'shre'hena'mak'a'gen
La'will 'hena 'with'gen
Until this'sheni 'is 'only-a'heasha
La' will-awebre' a-the hara' jaud'cincanon
La'will'itil'with'gen'in'sheni
Until'la'Brysh…
"Now let's see you translate." Rak challenged.
"Alright, here goes nothing…" Namid then rolled to her stomach, propping her elbow and resting her cheek on her fist.
"I dance under the moonlight, eyes searching for you
I've found a reason to sing, a reason to love
I have found you
My lover, I have seen your face, felt your kiss upon my skin
I know you walk these floors; I know you see a reason
I walk this day, and I dance this night
What a beautiful sight I see
What passion you tell
My heart seems to stop
I know…
This is love under the moonlight
The moon sings to us, of echoed dreams and lost times
I listen and I see
Things we have known
Things we will lose
To be able to love you tonight
Would be my only wish
To see you every day
Is all I desire
This is true love under the moonlight
I will love you always
I choose to be true to you
I will be with you
Until this time is only a memory
I will sing to the echoed moonlit night
Dance with you in time
Until my death…"
"Well done." Rak's smile suddenly faded, "You scared me today, you know…I thought something terrible had happened."
"Well nothing did." Namid replied.
"Thank the gods nothing did. Tomorrow, when we arrive at the Court, take me as your personal guard. And Bialas, he deserves to see his father."
Namid nodded, "I will…"
"The others will be situated outside the market, but Ginger and the sparrow twins will be in the She'ha'mehay. A dancer's nest." Rak explained, "And if ever things go wrong…you can always come back here."
Namid bowed her head, "I don't want to be a burden to you…"
"You aren't."
"If things ever did go wrong, they may send me home, back to the Alphess and the Lupine…" Namid replied.
"Don't worry about it now, love…you still need to meet this cobra prince." Rak said, taking her hand.
"You're jealous aren't you?" Namid asked.
"No."
"Yes, you are." She challenged.
"Alright, I am…but only for your own good!"
Namid nodded, "If I do bear him a child someday, or become queen of Wyvern's Court after Oliza…I want you to know this…"
Rakab leaned in to hear, as Namid's voice had gotten quiet. "I love you. Always have always will, I speak the truth…and if that won't convince you." She took the collar of his shirt, bringing him closer, and kissed him slowly and fiercely, "I hope this will…"
"I believe you, I always have." Rak answered, "You have no need to prove it to me."
"I do."
"No, Namid. You don't." Rakab shook his head.
Namid brushed strands of hair from his eyes and smiled, "I feel like this is our last night together…"
"With Wyvern's Court close, we could reach it on foot tomorrow." Rak replied.
I gaze into this blanket of diamonds
that reigns overhead.
The seemingly tiny particles of wonder
capture my attention.
My world seems to pause in intimate awe
paying my respects to stars that gave aid.
Namid yawned, "Look at the stars…"
Rak looked up with Namid and suddenly the news of the Court and of her duties sunk in. It left a sting in his chest and heaviness on his shoulders.
He stood, "Come on."
Namid looked at him, confused.
"Come with me." He told her, holding out his hand.
From the corner of my eye
I view a momentary image of true beauty.
A falling star, a promise of bliss,
a reflection of utopia.
I may not have known of this lonesome star,
yet it longs for my gaze.
And its only action to capture my eyes
is to fall away into oblivion.
Ceasing to glow yet etching a mark
on the lives of those who dream.
Namid groaned as she stood, muscles protesting the movement, and took Rakab's hand. Rak led her far from the camp, the velvet sky watching, as Rakab took her through a wood, and to a clearing. The moon glowed bright upon the face of a lake and the stars twinkled in their innocence.
As I gaze up above,
I feel insignificant, microscopic, trivial.
Am I alone in this world
that hangs under this painting?
Infinity is incomprehensible
and as I am finite how can I have meaning?
"Why'd you bring me here?" Namid looked at Rakab, who had sat by the lake, apparently deep in thought.
She went to stand behind him, boots making no noise as she walked. "Rakab?"
A squeeze of my hand brings me back
to this refuge where I lay looking up.
I glance to my side and his smile
warms my heart and tickles my soul.
The thief didn't look at her as he spoke, his eyes and voice distant. "I brought you here because I—I felt I should prove my love to you before I lose you again…"
As they sat by the lake in silence, Namid noticed Rakab had been acting strange by the way he kept glancing back at the sky to her face and back again. She ignored this and figured he was just looking into the distance. After a moment, she turned to him and asked, "What are you—"
Viewing back and forth from the stars
to his gaze I begin to see.
I begin to comprehend this existence
that hangs beneath the constellations.
But before she could finish the question, she felt Rakab's lips on her own, and her breath caught in her throat as her cheeks reddened and her heartbeat quickened. She felt the sweet heat, pounding through her veins and freezing her on the spot. Words choked themselves in her throat as she left herself become lost in the moment, vulnerable to the sparks of passion-fire as she wrapped her arms around Rakab's neck. She felt numb as he trailed kisses down her neck and collarbone and as he fumbled with the ties of her shirt. Rakab broke the kiss, eyes heavy with passion, as he pulled away managing a tightlipped smile, "Do you wish to?" he asked.
Namid met his eyes and shook her head, "Not tonight, Rakab." In the silence that followed, no words were needed as she glanced at Rakab's face, and saw his eyes were bright with emotion.
I have discovered a love incomprehensible
that surpasses forever.
I come upon true realization
that my life would not be the same
without his beautiful eyes to match the stars…
She would love Salem and give him an heir when he claimed the throne. A half-blood child, the heir, to the Lupine and Wyvern's Court thrones…
And she a future queen.
A future queen of Wyvern's Court and the future queen of Sheeva Intre…
Which life was she destined to have?