Hike back to Ostiarium

JP by Alexis and Gonyaul

Not but ten feet into their hike back, did Gonyaul ask Alexis the same opening question he asks everyone, “what’s your story?”

Alexis glanced at Gonyaul with slight surprise.
Now that came out of the blue.

“What do you mean?”

He got that response a lot. Sometimes the way he constructs the common tongue doesn’t come out the way he is actually thinking about it in his native language. He tries again to be more clear.

“You story of who are you?”

He was genuinely interested which made the question sincere in nature, lacking any hidden motives. To make it more disarming, Gonyaul’s naturally had deep dark doe-eyes behind parallelogram framing. In addition, he was always curious how different people responded differently in what they said, focused on, or didn’t say. All of which painted a better picture of who they are.

Alexis chuckled.

“Do you always ask strangers about their life story?”

There wasn’t any malice to her question, she sounded just amused.

Gonyaul smiled, “Yes, evey time.”

He did indeed. It was more efficient that way and the results were more effective because he didn’t lead them in a particular direction as the other person now gets to volunteer to their own choosing; whether it be a lot or a little, detailed or vague.

“Somehow, I am not surprised.”

A small smile stole itself on her lips. What a curious person that man was. But endearing, undeniably so.

“Hm. Let me think.”

She took a few moments to think about how to answer his question in a simple and short manner.

He was very pleased that Alexis was going to choose to answer. That was not always the case. He waited patiently, curious as to what dots she would decide to connect and share.

There it was again, an elusive smile stealing across her lips. Gonyaul made it a thought, that if he caught it again he would have to say something about it before it had time to hide again.

“So let’s see. I grew up with my mother, but she died when I was still quite young. At that point, my father took me in. He was, hmm…”

Alexis assumed that the concept of a ‘mercenary’ might be something Gonyaul would not be necessarily be familiar with.

“… he was part of a group warriors that travelled and offered their services to people who couldn’t or wouldn’t fight for themselves. And so, I became such a warrior, too, and travelled with them for a pretty long time.”

There was hint of melancholy tinging her voice and she paused for a moment.

“My father died in battle. So did, over time, many of the other older members, that had been the heart and soul of what that group had been. And with them gone, the group started to change. In a way I felt I could not change with them. I didn’t feel at home with them anymore. So I left, and came here, looking for a new one I suppose.”

she ended with a shrug.

Gonyaul empathized with her as best he knew how as she explained. He did not know what it was like to lose loved ones, aside from natural old age; however, he did know what a broken heart could feel like and being alone.

“You honor me with your story. I carry it with me.” The way he said it was like she now had the option of not having to carry that information alone as long as he was alive. Back home this was a ceremonial gesture, which he didn’t enact in its entirety here, because it involved an interlocking of complimentary signs used by both parties hands.

“I lament for your father and old friends, the heroes.” Gonyaul deemed them all heroes because they helped the helpless and downtrodden.

He smiled reassuringly, “I not meet many hero’s. But I meet several in you.” He was referring to all the shared experiences, lessons, etc. that those influential people/family nourished into her developing life.

He asked a follow up question, “You find a new home here?” He knew the difference between home as a place and home for the heart.

Alexis readily assumed that she did not really grasp all of what he was saying, given that he clearly came from a very different place than herself. But considering what she had learned of him so far, she was quite sure all of it was meant in good spirit and she accepted it as such.

“Heroes, hm? Don’t think they would be referred to as such. Neither would they have thought themselves to be. But thank you.”

To his question she answered.

“I am not sure yet.”

It made her think of Zane’s offer. Despite her own indecision on the topic, outside forces certainly started to show interest in tying her down.

He nodded in understanding. He knew what that was like. Overtime, and due to his culture, Gonyaul learned to be more comfortable with being uncertain, emotionally exposed, at risk, and not in control of this thing called life. He wasn’t nearly as good as any of the elders, but he grasped the concept and was starting that journey. He also knew full well how frustrating, scary, or annoying not being sure could feel like too.

He replied, “What are you sure of?”

That is where he always started when he was unsure. He figured you only know what you know. And if you don’t know, you don’t know. So instead of focusing on building on the side of the uncertainty of the unknown, it was best to build a bridge from what you know to the unknown.

Now that was an interesting question, wasn’t it?

Well, here and now she could give an answer at least.

“Right now I am sure I want to find my friend. And help this girl stop whoever is killing people if I can.“

Gonyaul flexed both fists in triumph and grinned.

“That a good start.”

Alexis chuckled at his enthusiasm.

“I suppose. So…”

She looked at Gonyaul with a friendly expression.

“… fair is fair. What is your story?”

She was right, fair is fair. He thought that was an amusing thing to say and it made him smile as he thought of other applications of that logic. Apples is apples. Happy is happy. Tired is tired. It worked every time?

He answered, “about seven year ago elders of my tribe needed me to help a lost man home….. I was unsure. No go home because someone new now needed help. Then after, unsure, and then someone new needed help.”

Gonyaul looked up at the sky as if he had inside jokes with the air, “I keep doing this. It take me all over Helias. Meet good many people. And now it take me here.”

Gonyaul gestures to all three of them, “and I now favored to meet three new good people.” He figured being uncertain is good based on how it has played out in his life.

“Hmmm.”

That seemed a strangely fitting way of life for this peculiar man. Just letting the wind take him wherever it may. She could see the appeal, even if it wasn’t for her.

“Then may your path always lead you to people worthy of your help.”

“Thank you.” He understood it as a compliment; however, he hoped he would continue to be worthy and able to help others.

He would be living out his purpose as kagim flows if he had the fortune to keep doing just that.

Gonyaul paused for a second wondering if he should ask the next thing on his mind. He decided to go for it.

“How you get hurt Alexus?”

He had not said her name in while and so he felt like saying it. Two reasons: it had an x in it, which makes a pretty common sound used in tying words together in Vauxian… and … he was trying to get his tongue to do the gymnastics of x to i. Yet for now it kept sounding like a u.

Alexis clearly didn’t mind his quirky way of pronouncing her name as she didn’t bother to correct him.

“I was recently send to explore a place. It turned out be a pretty dangerous one.”

she answered truthfully , but without going into detail.

Gonyaul wondered what type of place this must be, other than dangerous. Was it near or far? Was it contained or open? Who or what was there? Since that is all she offered, he felt it prudent not to delve deeper.

The group had cleared the forest a while ago on their way back to Ostiarium. Their next stop was Cagliostro’s apothecary.

There was enough time for one more thing to say before they would be at the shop door. And Gonyaul had been biting his tongue on it for the majority of their trip.

Gonyaul, in all seriousness, smiled at Alexis. He spoke slower because he was choosing to use some bigger words than usual.

“Alexus, I seen wonders of both earth and skies, but no miraculous creation yet so captivate my eyes like your smile.”

His compliment did not have a trace of ulterior motive. Gonyaul was just stating a fact.

They all arrived at the shop. Jiyn, ever the gentleman, opened the door for the rest to enter. Gonyaul thanked him and entered; the interior of this place was so intriguing to him.

Alexis almost stumbled over her own feet at that.

Blinking, she watched Gonyaul entering the shop before just shaking her head with a chuckle. By the five, for someone speaking in a tongue not his own he certainly had a honeyed one.

And the funniest thing was that he probably wasn’t even aware of that.

Focusing back to the task at hand she followed her new companions into the apothecary.