Holding Hands with Heavy Hearts

JP with Bandorchu, Omni and Lorem:

The ancient frescos on the wall of the cave were not lost on Voah, she simply had no room in her mind to bother with trying to take it all in and make sense of it. She hurt both physically and mentally and should have probably be lying down just like Gonyaul.

The feeling seemed mutual as she and Tarmen both fell silent after a while and heard voices speaking in Ozainae. Alexis was awake and speaking to the girl. Voah may have caught a few words here and there but she was either too frazzled or didn't know enough Ozainae to understand the context.

Then Gonyaul stirred and called to her, asking about their friends in attendance. Voah felt the pain in his voice as he expressed his love for his chosen family, but sensed a change in him. For a moment she hesitated, feeling overly responsible for the changes in him, then wiped the wet from her eyes and crawled to a position where the two could see one another. She knelt next to him and took his uninjured dominant hand, locking her fingers with his. She needed to know the strength that was left in him.

"Yes, my love. We are all together again." she looked over to the side over her shoulder, ignoring the pain in her lacerated neck.

"I don't yet know how it is possible, but... Alexis and Tarmen saved us."

Voah met the mismatched eyes of the mercenary and mouthed the words 'thank you'.

Gonyaul took a deeper breath as his hand was taken up by Voah. Part of him wantonly longed for the meaningful connection, but there was this unexplainable involuntary urge to recoil from being touched.

His hand jerked lightly as if fearful of contact before relaxing into her grip. He squeezed her hand in appreciation. His grip was weak, at best the appropriate pressure level one might handshake an elderly person.

He tried smiling again at Voah’s comment; everyone together again, that was exactly what he wanted. It wasn’t working. He tried frowning and that easily slid into place. His expression went back to neutral and he looked and felt discouraged.

Gonyaul agreed how completely unexpected their rescue was. And it solidified further his trust, respect and admiration for the two friends.

He turned his head to face Voah. Then instantly turned it back, the angle caused the wound across his face to shout in aggravation. Facing upwards, he risked opening his eyes so at least he could see her and verify how she was doing himself. The fire light felt like small slaps right behind the eyes. He took a second, but was able to focus and make eye contact with her.

“You going be alright?” He whispered very concerned she might be as busted as he was.

The selfless question made her visibly melt a little and brought Voah's focus back on her own injuries which were far from mild. She looked at the tattered wraps that wound around her torso and the others that covered her arms. If they were white she would've beena able to see a hint of red underneath. The aches were prevalent and her bicep throbbed, but at least the stinging of the stabbing and lacerations were temporarily subdued due to the dutiful care of Alexis.

She wondered... Did the God of War take on each wound unto himself, a willing sacrifice to his most devout warriors? These new scars would mar her body for the rest of her life, however, short lived that would be.

For a second she silently lamented the loss of the boon that had once graced her and she felt cold and bereft without it. What was worse was that she felt so far from divinity. Shivering, Voah hugged herself tightly with her free arm, wishing it was Gonyaul's arm to warm her. This whole situation was another result of her lifestyle. The culmination of what she had feared since their departure from Aquilo.

"I... I think so... So long as I have help changing these and keeping the wounds clean and closed. Don't worry about me right now. We need to lower your fever and keep you hydrated."

The ex-Arbiter turned to Alexis and Tarmen.

"He's going to need water and nourishment... and there is so much we need to discuss."