"Their shadows intertwined dancing to a different beat."
Lukas crossed the clearing, before the god stopped short, releasing his grip on Dai's wrist, glancing around the camp. All of the brightly colored tents looked the same to him. He had no idea where he was even supposed to be taking Dai. Said Mutare was looking at Lukas, amusement in his golden eyes.
Lukas had to wonder just how drunk Dai really was if he could still make that smug expression. Hopefully, he was drunk enough so that his memories of the night would become a blur. Yet, knowing Lukas's luck, Dai would be able to recall every last detail.
"Greetings Fire God and Golden Eyes," an elderly voice called as an ancient woman approached Lukas and Dai. She approached them slowly, but that didn't stop Dai from wrapping his arms around the vagabond, a stupid grin on his face.
"Danna!" Dai said, laughter lacing his tone.
"So the Ice Prince lives up to his reputation as being the worst drinker in the history of the Wild Woods," she commented. "Although I must admit, I like you better drunk. You have a nice smile," she told him, before turning to Lukas. "It seems your friend has enough sense to take you to bed before it gets any worse," she said, her tone suddenly frigid.
Lukas was beginning to feel as though the vagabonds didn't like him.
"Not you too," Dai wined. "I'm fine. I just want to stay up a little longer. I haven't been here in twenty... thirty years," he complained.
Danna let out a slight chuckle herself. "You may always return," she said. "But for now you need rest. You are still injured, no?" she asked.
"Yes," Lukas said, cutting in. "Where should I take him?" he asked.
"I already said I was fine," Dai snapped.
"Well, then you clearly lied," Lukas said.
Danna let out another good-natured chuckle before she pointed at one of the numerous small tents. This one, however, seemed a tad bit smaller than the others and was the only tent made from a lush golden cloth that matched Dai's eyes. "That tent is yours, as it always is, Golden Eyes," she said.
Lukas gave a curt nod to Danna, before grabbing Dai by the wrist and once again dragging him towards the small tent. It was on the outer edges of the camp, set up further away from the fire as if the vagabonds weren't expecting to use it.
The inside of the tent wasn't much better. It was completely dark, with just a simple mat laid out on the ground with a small purple flower resting on the pillow. Lukas had no idea what the flower meant, but he carefully moved it out of the way and placed it on the ground beside the mat. Dai sat on the mat, muttering under his breath and looking slightly annoyed.
"Are you going to be okay, now?" Lukas asked, cautiously.
"I'm still fine if that's what you're asking," Dai said. Lukas nodded once more before he began to close the entrance of the tent. "Lukas, wait!" Dai chirped, causing the god to freeze. Slowly Lukas pulled open the entrance to the tent again to see Dai looking at him, eyes wide with something between fear and desperation.
"What's the matter?" Lukas asked.
"Could you...could you leave that open?" Dai asked, his cheeks tinted a light pink as he shifted his weight uncomfortably as if he was nervous to even ask.
"Why?" the Fire God asked. "Are you afraid of the dark?" Lukas had meant it as a joke. Something to tease Dai with. Yet the Mutare's cheeks went scarlet with his words and Dai looked down, as if ashamed. "Oh gods, you are?" Lukas asked, the shock dripping from his voice and causing Dai's face to go even redder if it was even possible.
"No," Dai mumbled. "You wouldn't understand."
Lukas slowly pushed his way back into the golden tent, sitting on the hard ground next to his familiar.
"I've heard you're good with stories," Lukas said, slowly, thinking of his time with the vagabonds before Dai had woken. The vagabonds were found of Dai, but what they were truly fond of was his stories.
"Eleven years," Dai said, looking down. "I went eleven years without seeing the sun. I was left in shadow and darkness and most of all fear," he stated. "You're a god. You live in the heavens, the land of light. You would not understand to live without it," Dai said.
"Make me understand, then," Lukas insisted.
"I can't," Dai snapped. "It's like trying to explain night to someone who doesn't know what darkness is," he said, his tone dry. "Besides. My stories would bore someone like you," he said, a blush still prominent on his cheeks.
Something about seeing Dai so flustered, so vulnerable, brought a smile to Lukas's lips as he looked at the Mutare before him. "Why do you think that?"
"Because you've probably heard them all," Dai murmured. "I like stories about ancient things. It's boring to hear a story when you were there yourself," Dai stated.
"Then how about I tell you a story?" Lukas asked.
Dai's eyes widened with what Lukas could only describe as a childlike excitement and the seemingly young Mutare nodded his head. "I would like that very much," he said. "I find that gods have the best stories if you can get one to reveal them to you," Dai said a grin on his lips as he rested his head on his pillow and looked to Lukas expectantly.
Lukas just rolled his eyes, a smirk on his lips. "What do you want to hear about?" Lukas asked.
"Anything. Everything. Something I haven't heard before," he said.
"Gods you sound like a kid," the god said. Dai simply made his usual tsking sound, rolling his eyes but saying nothing, just looking at Lukas expectantly. "Seven years ago, back when I was still searching for the Rose Book, I was fortunate enough to meet a young Mutare. She couldn't have been more than ten, but she knew more than all of the Lekki scholars put together at this time," Lukas said. "She was admired by her people for her beauty and grace, but what she truly craved was to be admired for her intelligence," he said, looking at Dai, cautiously.
Dai's eyes were wide, his mind completely in Lukas's tale.
"I sought her help in finding the Rose Book, as she was the most intelligent mortal alive at this time," Lukas said. "She offered her wisdom in exchange I help her whenever she called upon it," he stated.
"Why do I have a feeling this story doesn't have a happy ending?" Dai asked, his voice small and concern lacing his tone.
"Don't interrupt. It's rude," Lukas snapped before continued to tell his tale. He wasn't the best storyteller and he already knew that. Yet, Dai remained focused on him until the Mutare's eyelids became too heavy for him to keep open and he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Lukas stopped talking after that. His story was only halfway done but it was the story of how he had found out where the Rose Book was, a task that had been deemed impossible by all of his elder siblings. Yet Lukas had never given up. If anything, their doubt had given him the strength to find the Rose Book.
Yet this was also the tale of how he lost one of his closest friends.
Lukas didn't blame Dai for falling asleep. He wasn't angry, simply content in the darkness of the tent. The god's own eyelids were beginning to weigh heavy. Lukas realized he was too tired to move just a moment too late, his mind already drifting off into the land of sleep.
A U T H O R ' S N O T E
I'm so tired but here's the chapter!
Happy (very late) New Years!
2019 here we come!
Until next time!