Fools

JP with Omni and Lorem

Voah considered Gonyaul's question, unable to determine an immediate answer. What COULD be done?

She didn't want war between the Arcadians and the Helians but it was already happening. Indeed, what could be done? Undoubtedly Gonyaul would see the wheels turning in her head but ultimately she concluded with one answer.

"I don't think I have enough information to make that decision... except that we must be very careful. I don’t know how much longer we will be tolerated here.”

There was no direct way to get answers without trying to ask questions of the people who didn’t want them there or perhaps confronting the dark robes in public. Something told her that both of those options were extremely reckless. No, the answers would only be found over time spying, infiltrating and learning the language. But what kind of time did they have? But maybe Gonyaul had a different perspective on the matter, after all he got closer to the general public.

“I could be wrong… what do you think?”

Gonyaul was undoing the braids in his hair and letting his long, black as a starless night, silken-tresses go free as he listened to her thoughts. It felt good, like relieving some tension from the day in preparation for settling in. If only unraveling this conundrum was so easy.

Her rationale made sense. He was glad to hear that she was actively considering risk this time around. Well, to be fair, she may have thought about it last time; however, considered it acceptable.

“I was think I was making way and people were begin to warm up to me. And in turn would warm up you. Now feel like we looking over shoulder always and careful of shadows.” He sighed.

Unlike Voah, he genuinely believed that things were going to workout with the locals and they would be able to settle in among them. It probably was very naive thinking on his part. But he did indeed believe it.

“You’re not wrong…”

By now, Voah had finished setting up a bed for them and was sitting with her back against the old cracked wall feeling like a liability and shuffling the stack of ivory cards as she listened to Gonyaul.

She turned over the first card and put it in front of her.

The card was facing Gonyaul and positioned upside down to Voah. Its image depicted a vagabond, wearing ragged clothes without shoes, carrying a stick on his back. Funny that it reminded her of Gonyaul. It was labeled: The Fool

It seemed appropriate. Both of them fools in love. Him: innocent, beginner, taking a leap of faith with her, improvising, believing in the universe.

And she: chaotic, foolish, rudderless, naive, with poor judgement.

“…perhaps I was foolish to hope we could escape and make a nice life far away from the past… But tell me it’s worth it…”

Gonyaul crawled up behind her and began kneading her shoulders as he peeked over to see the cards in her hands. “No foolish. Good to aim up towards better life. Not easy, but worth it…..”

He paused his massage and looked down at her, having raised upon onto his knees to get a better angle. He brought a hand up to her face. His fingers caressed up her neck, across her jawline and to her chin. He gently tilted her head up and leaned down for a kiss. “Yes, worth it.” He repeated and then continued with the shoulder, neck and upper back massage.

He could feel the tension in her jaw, the shudder in her mouth muscles as she held back the swelling of self-pity, staying with his attitude to let the positivity and confidence prevail. It was mostly a success as only a tiny bit of wetness lapped the corner of her right eye.

“Thank you…” she breathed quietly. “Why don’t you get some sleep, nnn? You’ll need your strength for work. I’ll keep watch for a bit tonight… just in case.”

He nodded and settled down into his side of the bed by habit now. He curled up into his favorite sleeping position, on his side.

“Thank you.” He was exhausted and didn’t need to be convinced or asked twice. As soon as he lay prone, a yawn emerged.

“What about map?” He said sleepily.

She was already debating the options internally.

“I see no use for it if we cannot translate it. And it’s a risk to show it to anyone unless you know someone who we can trust that can read Ozainae. We either hide it until we can read it, or be rid of it. I suppose I could leave it in a public place and see what becomes of it… any other ideas?”

She liked to include Gonyaul in all matters as he had a brilliant imagination and saw things from interesting perspectives.

Gonyaul was already very close to being fast asleep. His eyes closed and he was fading in and out of consciousness.

He mumbled, “make it into hat?” Another yawn cut off whatever that train of thought was becoming.

“Use as bait?” He curled up even more. “Catch bad person.”

She fought off a sniffle as she chuckled. He could make her laugh when he wasn’t even trying and she loved him for that.

As for bait, she was pretty sure beings foreigners was lure enough, especially with her fair skin, bright eyes, and sun-hair.

She would think on it. For now, the map would remain hidden, and so would she.

Gonyaul was sound asleep. He looked like an angelic being peacefully resting. If one were to zoom out to the greater context of the holy city, peaceful was the furthest thing from the truth. Things were undoubtedly going to start to escalate.