A Rough and Windy Night

The first night Gonyaul was permitted to sleep in one of the Odsier tents. Now he had had time to setup his own camping tent, next to it, and within the security of their perimeter. He was now discovering why these experienced plain nomads had very different tents then his from Ostiarium.

The wind that night had picked up and his less stable tent was moving as much as the tall grasses. At times it would start to come undone and he had to rally to rescue its integrity.

This kept him awake and made him toss and turn even when he did find moments of sleep. His tent was noisier, colder, and less comfortable in comparison. He would have to pay closer attention to their tent structures tomorrow and see if he could remedy it, because his experience inside one was most agreeable.

Since he could not sleep consistently, he used that time to reflect on his thoughts and friends.

His positive imagination couldn’t have been more wrong in the picture it painted for each one of them. It gave him comfort though and brought a smile to his face: the smile of Alexis and her noble stubbornness, the fiery red hair of Islana and her magnanimous heart, the capable presence of hunter and his impressive expertise, the crassness of Tarmen and his relentless persistence. The memory of Boyce with his entertainers spirit and keen intellect. The novelty of good Wim and his friendly advice. Even Nicolaus, Alcuin and Markus made the cut.

And then there was … Voah. Gonyaul wiped a tear, that was forming, from his eyes. He had made his move and intentions known. He observed her response and it honestly felt like their growing relationship was true and good. The kind that would continuously grow two into one. But then, it ended abruptly. His attempts to hold it together rejected and his affections placed lower in priority to things which were tearing her apart instead of building her up. Was he to wait in the hopes they may meet again? Could he be waiting forever, whether it was an internal or external reason for Voah? Is it wise to live according to a fantasy future or in the present reality?

He stared at the moving ceiling of his tent. He missed her very much and the wound was still healing.