A Chance Encounter - Akasha

[Guest Celes]

The afternoon sun warmed Nights as he walked through the dense forest trail. Leading his horse rather than riding it so as not to risk a broken leg on this uneven terrain he stopped for a moment. Looking up through the trees he judged the time to be nearing noon and the rumble of his stomach told him it was time to stop and have a bite to eat as well.

 

Nights was traveling back home to the mountains of mist checking on a rumor of a lost Wolfkin in the mountains east of Cairhien. The rumors had turned out to be just that and empty handed he headed home. He was nearing the city of Cairhien and in doing so had taken to the more dense woods to avoid encounters. Skirting the city to the North he was nearing what appeared to be a ranch estate. The wolves sent him images of horses and minor activity in the area but no dangers to speak of.

 

When he broke free into a clearing finally he found himself on top of a hill over looking the ranch. Seating himself he began to dine on a lunch of dried meat and cheeses while washing it down with cool water from his skin.

 

~Nightsfire she who haunts your dreams draws near~

 

Quickening’s sudden message confused him until and imagine of a young woman with short black hair was shown to him. She smelled of injury and boredom and Nights noticed the bandage around her middle.

 

Mixed feelings filled the Ranger at that moment. The passion and desire the two had shared and possible love? He did not know if he truly felt like that about her but he had wanted the time to find out. Akasha had not given him that time though and she had left him in the dead of night without goodbyes.

 

Putting away his food Nightsfire rose and after hobbling his horse he walked in the direction Quickening told him Aki was coming from. When he got near a bend in the trail she was following Nights climbed a near by tree and sat in one of the branches and waited. Soon the sound of Akasha’s humming reached his ears followed moments later by her footsteps on the soft ground.

 

When she came into view Nights body began to tingle. How could the fool woman still get that type of response from him after she disappeared without a word. As she neared the tree he sat in Nights called out. “A leisurely stroll or are you trying to open up that wound you have bandaged Akasha?â€

 

The woman stopped in her tracks and in a flash had a dagger in hand and turned toward him. Nights smiled down at her. “A knife is it? I was hoping for a kiss not to have to disarm you.â€

 

John Dunbar

Nightsfire

Ranger

 

***

 

Nona had given her leave to move around a little, after she had finished the dress with the extra pouches in it on the front, Aki found that there was not much to do around the house for someone like her. She could not lift, not stand for too long and certainly not haul anything heavy. Until she was fully healed, she was of little use to anyone and it bothered her that they did not care. They asked her to mend their shirts and the odd sock and maybe clean some vegetables for supper but other than that, she was left to rest and heal. Today was no different and Akasha decided she would go out and get a breath of fresh air. Maybe she could find some herbs that Nona had promised to teach her about, it would be good to learn a new skill and Aki felt rested enough from all the bed rest they had forced on her. Her muscles were soon warmed from the walk down the training field and Aki continued to walk until she found a broad green patch that held the most beautiful yellow flowers.

 

She took out her knife and started to cut some of the stems off, to make a nice bundle and was quite busy when she heard a voice behind her that belonged to a man she had tried to forget so many times. Twice they had met, the first time a passionate encounter of one of her selves with him, but he had found her again and the second time he had not been angry for her leaving him. Instead, he had asked her how she had been, John Dunbar, the man with the golden eyes who kept showing up in her life. As if he belonged there, or at least some force of the Wheel wanted to test if he did. Akasha raise the knife she had just used on the wild flowers, it was an instinct since the man in the inn had attacked her. She felt her hand move over the bandage as he commented on it. She tucked the knife in her belt and took a few steps closer to him, her eyes shying away from him while her feet wanted to go near him with each step they took. “I have not seen you in a while,†she finally said and stretched out a hand which he took, a butterfly kiss on the back of her hand brought back very fond memories of times passed and she had to catch her breath for a moment.

 

“How did you find me here?†she asked as he smiled back at her, her free hand moved through her hair. A gesture she had come to use to calm her senses a bit, a gesture that gave away the tension she tried to hide from her face. She was not alone at this ranch, what would the family and Nona and Cari say about John Dunbar and his wolves companions? For now it mattered little, he was here and would soon be on his way again. They kept meeting, for some reason they kept finding each other, or rather he found her. And she was not yet ready to admit she liked being found, his fingers ran over her cheek as he came near her and she took a step back. “I’m sorry, I can’t†she stumbled over her words and wanted to apologize for acting like a silly wench. This was the first time she could not open up to him or flirt her way into his bed, the attacker had found his way into head even after his death. “How have you been?†she asked John to pass over the familiarities for a bit, to stray from physical attention, a flirt, a kiss, she could not understand why, but she did not feel comfortable with him so close near her.

 

Aki

[Andular]

Nightsfire could smell the apprehension and tension radiating from Akasha and squinted in concern. “What has happened to you that that you shut yourself away so Aki?†The young woman avoided his eyes and stared at her feet for a moment.

 

The feelings he had when he was near her surfaced anew and he wondered how he had let this woman captivate him so. “It is nothing John you should go.†Nights reached out and lifted her head so she had to look at his face.

 

“I will go when I am ready Akasha but for now I would like to talk with me.†Taking her hand in his he lead Aki to a pond he had passed and they took a seat on the edge staring across the placid waters.

 

Silence hung over them as they sat there the sound of birds chirping and insects buzzing filled the air. Nights looked at Aki who did her best to avoid his gaze and felt his heart race once more. “I want you to come away with me Akasha. I need to sort out my feelings for you and I can only do that if you are with me.â€

 

Akasha shook her head but Nights knew part of her wanted to do just what he suggested. They could not have shared so much passion if the desire to run away with him did not exist. All Nights needed to do was find the words to convince her.

 

“I don’t know what has happened to you Aki but if you tell me I will try and make the hurt disappear.†Stroking the side of her face Nights wiped away a tear that appeared in the corner of her eye.

 

ooc: if the tear is too much let me know and i will edit

 

John Dunbar

Nightsfire

Ranger