Nighttime banter light and heavy

Jp with Lorem and Bandorchu

Not long after everyone had settled down for the night and Alexis took her watchful post, did Gonyaul wake. It wasn’t easy to sleep on his stomach exclusively, he was more a sleep curled up on his side person. Yet with the wound on his back it was basically uncomfortable most of the time. The young man slowly crawled to his feet and shivered in the cold night air. He took his blanket with him and went in pursuit of something to quench his thirst.

With the blanket around his shoulders, he tiredly found the skins with the water they had prepared and took a rationed drink. He was still half asleep until he noticed Alexis on watch. Knowing her she would have just let him go straight back to bed; however, Gonyaul had not talked to her all evening and was about to remedy it.

He walked over to her, smiling in hello with a bow. His hands were holding the blanket around him so he couldn’t sign at the present. “Want company?”

Alexis cocked an eyebrow at the approaching Gonyaul and chuckled.

“And here I thought we would have to carry your sleeping form to the wagon tomorrow with all the running about you did tonight. What has you up?”

Gonyaul laughed quietly and took a seat near her. He paused to think on her question.

“I not seen you smile today?” He jested, or was he being serious. It was hard to tell when he did that adorable innocent expression.

He then motioned to his back. “It hard to get comfort.” He missed a few letters on that last word.

“I see. Yeah, that can’t feel good. Wanna get a little bit more tired so you don’t care anymore?”

Alexis gave the bandages a cursory look, but they seemed fine for the time being.

He nodded. While she was checking his wrappings, Gonyaul asked, “you have good time tonight?” He assumed she did since she was always looking to be socializing.

“Mostly, I guess? It got pretty awkward down the line. Not sure I am quite cut out for this diplomacy thing.”

She shrugged.

“Why awkard. Arzkard. Awkward?” He was able trouble with that word.

“Awkward. Yes, well, at some point this guy showed up, asking me to marry him in exchange for five horses and five deer. I spent most of the remaining evening trying to explain why I wouldn’t without offending them. That and trying to explain why we want to go to the Fang despite the dangers.”

Gonyaul was surprised on both accounts. He leaned slightly forward and pretended to ponder something while rubbing his chin. “Not bad. You worth at least 7 each though.” He chuckled trying to be silly.

He wanted to come back to the danger topic, but he was curious. He knew she was older than him, though wasn’t sure by how much. It was peculiar she wasn’t married.

He asked, “Why not married already though?”

Alexis inclined her head in thought.

“Hm. Haven’t met my prince on a white steed yet, I guess. Gotta admit though, haven’t been really looking for ‘em, either. What about you? Are you married?”

Gonyaul looked confused, not getting the reference to Prince Charming. He would have to be on the lookout for a prince on a white horse and notify Alexis should he ever find one. It seemed very specific.

He shook his head no and stared briefly into the campfire as if looking into a different time and place.

“No. Would have arranged marriage ceremony dance in one year. But sent away before it. Now, never going happen.” He knew after nine years away from home all the women were married.

Which confused him more why someone like Alexis, who had so much value to bring to a marriage was not looking when she actually had the opportunity to do so. “Why you no want to look? Harder to find things when not looking.”

Alexis chuckled a little.

“I think… I think it has never been a priority. Haven’t really been thinking long term much, being a mercenary, and all. Not the safest of occupations.”

Arranged marriage dance? Huh. Sometimes, despite all the personality Gonyaul brought to table, she couldn’t help but wonder how much choice he really had.

“You could look, too, you know, if you wanted to.”

Her thinking made sense. If you choose not to prioritize something the likelihood of it happening is rare.

He looked doubtful. “I not think I find anyone from home out here. Worse chance now that ocean apart.” It was uncharacteristic to see him not think hopefully on something. Little did Alexis know that to a vaux he believed he could only marry a vaux.

“Is that a must were you come from, that you can only marry someone from there?”

It wasn’t a foreign concept even though she personally didn’t really care about it. There were plenty of Garrahns who would take ridiculous pride in only having ‘pure blooded’ Garrahns in their family line.

“Yes” he was quick to reply. He even considered the necessity of it, with so few left. But it seemed lately that kagim flowed in ways he never thought possible. He would have to meditate on this matter.

He changed gears, “You mention earlier danger. What danger they tell you?” He figured it was more than just Luger attacks.

“You remember what I told y’all when we left? The people living in the Fang treat women pretty badly. He wanted to warn us about that.”

Alexis looked towards the mountains with a furrowed brow.

“But they also think that there is some kind of threat lurking beneath the mountains. Couldn’t really explain what exactly, unfortunately.”

He had forgotten, but she had just jogged his memory. It made no sense to him why people behaved in such deplorable ways.

“Why going there again? So many nice places.”

“A common vice of men - curiosity.”

Alexis smiled a little.

“There is much to learn. About this lands and its history.“

“True. But is a lot learn anywhere. Ashen Hoof we can learn too. Could just go with them instead.” He was thinking out loud.

Alexis expression darkens.

“I doubt we will be welcome much longer. War is coming, and we are on the other side of the battlefield, regardless of how we feel about it.”

Gonyaul grew more serious.

“It is unclear me if we even on right side of right.”

“Depends on who you ask. But in the end, war is people killing people. Is there even a ‘right’ side to be had in something like that?”

‘I’ve become pretty jaded with the years, haven’t I?’

Alexis thought to herself.

He paused to think, looking up at at the stars as if the answer was there.

“People only know what they know. There is better way. Will need to show.” He said to the sky.

Looking back to Alexis he smiled, his hope peddling light was back from wherever it went during their previous topic.

“They see and then will know too.”

Alexis returned the smile, though much more subdued. She, sadly, had not quite as much faith. But…

“I would like that.”

Gonyaul supressed a yawn. He could feel his eyes getting heavier, but he was fighting it like a child not wanting to go to bed.

“Good. We need world where your pretty smile may visit more.”

She snorted, gently nudging her friend.

“Looks to me like you might be tired enough now to battle the discomfort, ay?”

He nodded reluctantly. “I think yes.”

He stood and pulled the blanket around his shoulders tighter. Then bowed to Alexis.

“Night. I keep both eyes look for white horse rider.”

And upon being excused, he made his way back to his makeshift bedding to retire for the rest of the night.