True Meaning

“Well… as you may know. Hoi’s Ward, is traditionally a hope and prayer for fortune in love to come. But this one is special... It’s about lovers overcoming conflict in a forbidden romance… I’ve been troubled by a lot of inner conflict lately.“ she confessed, looking away for a second.

She didn’t want to say it just yet but their first meeting was very much a factor in that.

Gonyaul really didn’t know anything about this Hoi, save from the name and picking up a thing or two in passing. He had actively stayed away from anything to do with the Pillars as best he could since leaving home. That is what made being in the tent even crazier. He just went with it for now.

He nodded and affirmed her encouragingly. “Yes, blessing for unconditional love that grow and always blooms. Even in trouble. But not necessarily forbidden, just natural.”

He kindly asked, “want me show you?”

He also made mental note to come back around when the time was right to ask about these inner conflicts she was experiencing.

She was very curious how he knew so much about the dance.

"Yes of course... but... how do you know it? I was told this dance was known by very few."

Gonyaul smiled and leaned in and gently made sure both their drinks were safely placed down. He then took both her hands in his own, leaned forward and kissed her lips; it was his turn to steal a kiss.

He then rose to his feet, guiding her up with him. He let go of her hands. And began unwrapping his Arisha Ikeburer so he could take out his upper left shoulder and arm. As the fabric hung looser, she would see as far down as his left pectoral and left abdominals.

He had a very toned body, as would be expected for a dancer and athlete. But the most interesting thing were the markings. He was covered in Vauxian script, that looked like he was born with it.

“Ready?”

Oh Gods! WAS she ready for this? Voah was about to relive last not all over again. She could see the strength in his shoulders. He had a toned masculine physique under those robes... and those markings... Some kind of tattoos. They were reminiscent of the script in his letter. More questions.

"Ok." was all that she could manage.

“Love never forbidden. Love always good and right. But forbidden be because evil and selfish take root and try stop it. Love not a feeling. Is a multitude of actions from choices. This leads to all the feelings.”

He paused to think, “the dance teach two lovers that choose oneness, skills they need to overcome the forbidden. Remind how to love whole heart and true. Outside and inside problems no matter. It reminds that love wins in the end.”

Gonyaul nodded and started to trace the marking with his non dominant right hand just where the shoulder meets the chest. He looked to the marks and spoke as if reading them; however, from the amount of eye contact he was keeping with her it was obvious he didn’t need to look at them. He went slow, because not everything translated so easily into common tongue.

After he would do a little he would then take Voah up into his arms and guide their bodies into a pose from the dance last night. He explained how the pose represented the physical manifestation of the symbol on his skin. He tried to show the parallels to their movements and the calligraphic design. In short, the dance choreography was a part of his skin.

The Arbiter was even more stunned at this revelation. His tattoos were a representation, instruction and record of the dance... of love. She watched silently and let herself go to his every touch and guide. Maybe the tea before breakfast was a bad idea because her nerves sent her heart racing. This was giving her goosebumps.

“Grace; underserved love. Loving not because of actions but in spite of them.”

He moved them again. His breath falling on her neck.

“Humility; accurate understand of who you are, which leads to treat others as important.”

Their bodies interlaced and came back up into another pose.

“Forgiveness; decision to pardon offense and give up right to be repaid. Not forget, not reconcile, not condone, not a feeling, not just about hurting person. Forgiveness sets person free from prison and realize prisoner was you. It repairs bridge of relationships when burned by hurt.”

She was close to him again, enough to smell his scent. It was like a spice. She didn't want to be away from it but it was quickly drawn away by the next movement. Though she knew the steps well, never had she imagined another person, a lover... on the other side of the dance.

'Forgiveness'. That was a hard concept for her. She looked down, abashedly, he spoke so highly of it. It did seem logical, seemed right. But some things were unforgivable, weren't they?

Their poses were getting more intimate and closer together. These moves happened later in the dance.

“Covenant; a lasting internal decision to commit to each other. Will help you work through troubles and create deep stability.”

He passionately spun her around and stopped her right up against his body, his arms coming up around her and cradling her head but inches from his own; touching for heads.

“Truth; discover and measure all things by accurate scales to determine the truth. It is what it is, and you either bend to it or live lies.”

His blood was boiling with desire at this point and his breathing was flushed. It was getting harder to focus.

As their heads pressed together, she wanted to know his full mind then and there. To bare each other's souls like trees in autumn's end.

It was as if she had been reborn this natalday... well... this entire spring was like opening her eyes for the first time. And Gonyaul was like the first words, first song, first dance, pure and true. This was getting intense.

She put a hand on his bared chest, tracing the lines with her eyes.

Alexis arrived at the tent with Tarmen in tow. Still outside, she called out.

“Hello Voah, you there?”

Gonyaul felt like he heard something calling. He couldn’t make it out over the loud beating of his heart just below the surface of the skin she was touching. Like it was struggling to get free and run into her hand.

The Arbiter gasped, she wasn't there at all. The voice of Alexis drew her back down from the clouds.

"One moment!" she pulled herself away from Gonyaul, unwillingly and straightened her self out.