Spirits of the Earth

There was a pool in the temple in which Sahar lived, and it was there that she chose to do her scrying. While it was not the only way in which she could use her gift--fire and glass worked just as well--there was something pure, cleansing, and calming about water, and she felt connected to it in a way she didn't with the others. Water was in her veins, after all; it was part her and everything else.

Some days, people visited the temple for answers and guidance, and she put her skills to work to, hopefully, set them back on their rightful path. Sometimes, her mother visited her and warned her of the dangers that came with counsel.

You've got a gift, but don't be too free with it, she'd say. It might catch someone's interest, and not in the way you'd hope.

Sahar pretended to understand and didn't ask what she meant, because it made no difference. She was a servant of Hakeshna and she was given this gift for a reason.

It was early morning and the city was waking, and no one had come to the temple yet. But after a rough night's sleep, Sahar had woken early and gone out to the pool to meditate and reflect. She trailed a hand through the water in a spinning motion, causing whirling ripples and scattering the fish swimming beneath, and peered at the shapes the ripples made. But it was just water, no visions for now.

She had no questions to ask for herself; she knew she was on the right path. Besides, the gift did not work that way.

She was still watching the fish, their easy movements lulling her into a calm, relaxed state that was bordering on drowsy, like bed might sound good, when something fleshy landed with an audible plop on her shoulder.

Sahar went rigid and, slowly, turned her head to look.

And found herself staring into the beady eyes of a snake.

Whatever calm tranquility she had been going for shattered in that moment.

With a blood-curdling scream to wake the dead, Sahar jerked to the side as though trying to get away from it--even though it was on her--and, still screaming, smacked at it to dislodge it--

Right as that jerking motion sent her toppling over and into the fountain with a splash.

Tien heard many crazy stories while sitting in taverns, and though he didn't pay any attention to the majority of tales told by drunken fools, he was desperate enough to try this one. He had heard of a priestess in Essyrn that could see visions of the future or something like that. Perhaps this priestess could tell him what it was he should do with himself. And so, he found himself traveling all the way to Essyrn. It wasn't like he had anything else to do with his time anyway. After having to force himself to ask around and find out where to find this priestess, he found himself standing in front of the temple  where she supposedly resided. As he stood there he began to question himself. What was he even doing here? Did this priestess even exist? It was probably just some old hag with a crystal ball or some nonsense like that.

Tien's thoughts were interrupted by a scream coming from within the temple. It certainly didn't sound like an old hag. Whoever it was, they were in trouble. Though he didn't like talking to people, he couldn't just let someone die. Sitting by while Inima's gift of life was stripped away from someone was not something to be taken lightly.

Tien rushed into the temple just to find of girl in a pool of water. Well, that was anticlimactic. Tien approached the girl, but did no more.

"Are you hurt," he asked simply.

Sahar came up sputtering, her sheer robes transparent after getting soaked in water and her tiny braids all in disarray. She flailed as she tried to get her footing, choking in a most undignified way as water came out her nose and sending water splashing at the poor man that had asked if she was okay.

Wait. A man! He could save her!

"No, not hurt!" she coughed, grabbing the fountain's edge and hauling herself up to her feet. She climbed up onto it, balancing, crouched, on the edge, and stared into the water with wide eyes as she shook with fright. She just. She didn't even know if it was venomous or not, but it didn't matter! Snakes were terrifying!

"But there was a snake! Do you see it anywhere?! I-is it still on this one?" And at the thought she spread out her arms to check herself, wobbled--and with a cry she went toppling back into the fountain.

Tien was unfazed by the water splashing him, but he did sigh. There was no way this was the priestess he had heard about. She was ridiculous. She then started freaking out about some snake and then fell back into the fountain which just made Tien sigh again. He then saw the snake at the edge of the fountain trying to escape. Tien took off his glove and grabbed the snake.

"You can stop now," he told her showing her the snake.

Sahar scrambled upright again--and came face to face with THE SNAKE as the man showed it to her! With a cry, she flew back and away from it, and landed on her ass with a splash.

"W-what are you doing?! Get it away!"

Tien facepalmed and sighed again. He carried the snake outside and let it free before returning to the dripping wet priestess.

"Are you done now," Tien asked putting his glove back on.

Sahar watched him the entire time, and it was only when he returned without the snake that she relaxed again and could breathe easy.

It was also at that moment that she realized how ridiculous she must look, sitting in a fountain, all soaked and...un-priestess-y.

Oh dear.

She cleared her throat and rose to her knees, then laid her arms on the edge of the fountain and pushed a few wet braids back from her face. "Ahem. Ah, yes. This one is, er, done now. Thank you. For the snake. Er, that is, for getting rid of it."

Another awkward clearing of her throat, and she bowed her head respectfully. She was quite aware that her attempt at a dignified recovery was falling very, very flat. Especially considering she was still in the fountain.

Tien raised an eyebrow, though it was hard to tell because his hair was in the way.

"You're obviously a dancer with how gracefully you fall into bodies of water," Tien said laying the sarcasm on thick. "Do you plan on staying in there?"

"This one does know how to dance," Sahar said with a sheepish smile and a slight waggle of her eyebrows. She could hear the sarcasm, but chose to take it gracefully, even though her cheeks heated with a blush because...wow...this was embarrassing...

She climbed to her feet, clothes clinging to her, and took a seat on the fountain's edge. She reached up and began to wring out her braids, one at a time. "Ahem.  This one apologizes. Snakes, ah...this one can't handle them very well. As you no doubt noticed!"

"Clearly," Tien said. "Well, does this one know where I might find the priestess?"

Please don't let it be her. Please don't let it be her. Please, for the love of Inima, don't let it be her.

Sahar tilted her head curiously. "This one is a priestess," she said as she started to wring out her robes. "But there are many priestesses here. Which one do you seek?"

Oh, Inima, please no.

"The one that can see the future."

"Ah! Really?"

At that, Sahar perked up and beamed a smile his way, dropping the folds of her robe and smoothing out the creases. "Then it seems this was fated to be, and that the snake was perhaps only Hakeshna's messenger."

Sorry, snake! she though with a repressed wince. I still really dislike you, though.

"This one is that priestess, Sahar. It's a pleasure to have you here," she said with a small bow of her head, braids swinging forward with the motion and still dripping water.

DAMN!

All well. Beggars can't be choosers. An old hag with surer footing might have preferable though. At she was far more attractive than an old hag.

"I'm Tien," he told her, fighting the urge to return the bow. "You probably know why I'm here."

"That's why this one didn't ask," Sahar said with a smile, and put her bare feet back on the ground. She straightened and tossed her braids over her shoulder.

"You have questions and want answers, of course! Why else would you come? The question is, what are you seeking? Insight into the future? Advice on what course to take? Relationship issues? How much to bet on tomorrow's gladiator match, and who to bet on?"

"I want to know if I even have a future," Tien replied solemnly. "I want to know if my life even has purpose."

Sahar's brow furrowed at that, concern creasing her forehead.

"You don't need a visionary to tell you the answer to both those questions is yes, of course!"

"Just look," Tien snapped. "I didn't come all this way for a one word answer."

Sahar flinched when he snapped at her, and struggled to recover.

"Ah...oh. Apologies. This one just thought..."

She cleared her throat. "Very well. What you want, then, is to see future possibilities? The branching paths your life might take you, based off the choices you make?"

"Yes," Tien replied simply.

It figures that this priestess would be pathetic. Tien was only a little harsh and it looks like he had just slapped her. Hopefully her visions were of better quality than her company. Tien hadn't even been there for 5 minutes and he already couldn't stand her.

This man...really wasn't pleasant at all. And it was something Sahar wasn't used to in the least! Most of the people who came to see her were humble and kind, and maybe a little desperate, but certainly none of them snapped at her! And they would have helped her out of the fountain, too! Not just stood there and watched. Though maybe he just hadn't wanted to get wet.

This man, though. He just seemed moody, and not at all appreciative!

Still, she fought to remain graceful and poised as she turned and motioned for him to follow. "Come along, then. Inside, where the light isn't so bright."

Tien followed Sahar to wear he assumed she would do her vision....seeing.....thing. He didn't know how it worked, but he was about to find out apparently. All he wanted to do was get this over with as quickly as possible so that he could leave.

Sahar lead the man down the temple halls and to the small chamber that served as her living quarters. It was a warm, cozy room that smelled heavily of incense--which made sense, because she had left a stick of it burning in a holder on her table, and there was still a third of it left. It was lush inside, with a thick, plush rug and pillows for sitting, and a simple bed covered in more pillows. Its legs were designed to look like the hooves of cattle.

The room had no door, not in the usual sense, but instead had curtains. Holding the curtains aside, Sahar motioned Tien to go on ahead and get seated on the cushions.

"Please, go ahead and get comfortable," she said as she let the curtains fall behind her. She bustled about the room, locating a deep black bowl that she filled with water from a small jar. Carefully, she carried it to the rug and sat down on one of the cushions, then set the bowl on the ground in front of her.

"This works best if we can get very specific," she said. "Do you think you can narrow your question down to something a little less broad? We can work with broad, if that is all you have, of course! But if there is something more specific you'd like to know, that will be helpful. And you don't have to limit yourself to just one question. The powers that be can be fickle; sometimes they'll answer some questions, but not all. Time is...wobbly."

Tien took a seat on one of the cushions. The room seemed quite cozy, but the smell of incense was a bit too strong for his liking. He could practically taste it. Sahar then asked him to be more specific, but he didn't know what to ask. He thought about it for a moment, but then just sighed.

"Broad is all I have," he said solemnly.

Sahar nodded at that, and watched the water, waiting for it to stop rippling.

"Then we'll work with that," she said. "But you need to speak your question now, in your own words, so that this one may repeat it. That way there's no room for misinterpretation. It's important to be exact."

Tien thought for a moment about how exactly he would phrase his question. After a short while, he made his decision.

"Why do I exist," he asked. "What purpose do I have being on this earth?"

Sahar frowned at that question, finding it a rather sad one, but it wasn't her place to judge. And so she cleared her throat and repeated the question out loud, speaking to the still, black water, and then leaned over the bowl and gazed into its depths.

And gazed.

And gazed some more.

After a few long minutes, she squinted, her brow furrowing and head tilting as she peered closer at the water, looking quite intense in her staring.

"Well," Tien asked. "Anything?"

Sahar held up a finger, indicating he should be quiet, and stared a few more long moments. There was nothing in the water. Nothing at all but her own reflection. But with as moody as he was being, and with as depressing as a question as he was asking, she didn't want to tell him that. If he was feeling hopeless, she didn't want to dash his hopes.

And he might take a lack of answers as meaning his life was meaningless. Which wasn't at all what it meant! But Sahar felt a certain amount of responsibility toward the people that came to her, and she didn't want him to do anything drastic!

So, after a few more minutes, she sat up again and pushed back her braids. "There were several images in the water," she said, looking into his eyes. "Several possibilities. Keep in mind, nothing is set in stone. The future is yours to make, and your choices will decide your path, so what this one saw were just a few of those possibilities. There was an image of you, several years older, holding a child with your eyes. There was another image of you holding a sword, fighting off a man much larger than you. And there was another image, of you on a ship, traveling to a distant land."

Tien was a bit skeptical. None of those things sounded very likely to him, and there was no way he'd ever be going anywhere on a ship. He couldn't go back home.

"What do they mean," Tien asked. "None of those make any sense."

Sahar smiled at him. "This one sees visions, scenes and possibilities from the future, past, and even the present. Meaning is...a different story completely. This one can try to interpret and guess what it means, but meaning does not come with the visions."

And that was true. Often, she got flashes of visions that she had no idea what it meant or even what it was. She might see a person from some random time or place, but not know who they were, where they were from, or even if they were past, present, or future. It was the nature of her "gift", which was at some times a curse.

"But," Sahar continued, knowing he wouldn't be satisfied with that, "if this one had to guess, it looks like it means your purpose may be to one day find love and have a family, or travel the world to learn and grow, or to become a hero. What choices you make now will determine the road you travel. And even these visions were just a few possibilities--they could change. The future is difficult to predict because nothing is set in stone. Just by telling you this, this one may have influenced your future, if you see these possibilities and decide to actively defy them. However..."

She rubbed her chin. "If you want to know of your destiny, what Hakeshna wrote in the stars for you, perhaps the results will be a little more clear."

Tien listened to what Sahar said closely. Find love? A family? Travel? Become a hero? That didn't make any sense. The only thing that made sense was the boat because that's how he got to the mainland, but that was past not future. A thought then crept into his mind. Was she lying to him? Did she even see anything? Was it all just a trick? Tien decided to play along for now, just to be sure.

"Clarity would be nice," Tien told her. "What is my destiny?"

Sahar nodded at that, then took a deep breath and peered down into the water, repeating his question in her own words. The water was still and black before her, clear and pristine, and still no visions were coming to her. Nothing but the bottom of the bowl and her own focused expression.

This was...this was odd, to say the least...why wasn't she seeing anything? At least some image should be coming to her by now!

And so she stared harder, and longer, and waited...

And waited some more...

Tien began to grow impatient staring at Sahar's staring.

"Well," Tien asked. "What do you see?"

"A-ah..."

Sahar rubbed at her brow, where a thin sheen of sweat had begun to gather. This was something she couldn't lie about. Vague future possibilities that may or may not happen, that could describe any person, were one thing. Something such as this...why, that would be blasphemous.

Finally, when it was apparent that no visions would show, she looked at Tien and bowed her head. "This one deeply apologizes," she said, bracing herself because he had already shown himself as having a poor attitude, "but, ah, it seems the powers that be are being quiet."

"What are you saying," he asked. "You don't see anything?"

Sahar nodded slowly, clasping her hands before her in her lap.

"Well then what good are you if you can't see anything," Tien asked angrily. "Do you ever see anything?! Or is this just some cheap way to attract attention?! Because if it is I am not at all amused!"

Sahar recoiled, stung, and her face colored with shame and embarrassment. "This one can see things! But it is not this one's place to know why nothing showed now. Something should have appeared, but it didn't, and..."

She bit her lip nervously. "There must be a reason. This must mean something..."

"What does it mean then," Tien asked still obviously mad.

Sahar swallowed hard and met Tien's eyes, knowing this probably wouldn't be taken well. "This one...isn't sure..."

Tien shouted in anger, his voice echoing within the temple.

"This whole trip was a waste! And so are you! And so is your stupid water that ain't even worthwhile to piss in! I came here for answers, not more questions. Thanks for nothing!"

"A-ah!" Sahar made placating, waving gestures with her hands, trying to indicate he should lower his voice! Her face paled, not quite used to dealing with angry people like this! After all, she spent much of her time cloistered away in the temple, and generally her gift was reliable!

"Please, sir, don't shout!" she said, reaching for his arm.

Tien immediately jerked away the moment she made contact with his arm.

"Don't touch me!"

He turned his back to her and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighing deeply. He felt a slight pang of guilt for blowing up like he did to someone who was only trying to help him. It wasn't her fault that he was in this situation. She shouldn't be punished for it. Tien took a deep breath and turned to face Sahar again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "You didn't deserve that. I'm just....just......I don't know."

When Tien jerked away and snapped, Sahar flinched back away from him like she'd been struck, and then she just stared at him with wide eyes. She had no idea what to do, no idea if he'd turn his anger on her and hit her, so she shrank back and chewed her lip nervously, her heart beating fast. Hakeshna! She tried to think, tried to channel her sister's bravery--what would Nasrin do? Well, Nasrin would no doubt punch the man, and that was definitely not Sahar's style!

And so she waited, shaking a little and feeling tears sting her eyes (both from fear of his aggression, and because he'd called her worthless!), before the man turned back to her...

And apologized.

Sahar let out a slow, shaky breath.

"It's...it's okay..." she said slowly, and sucked in another breath before bowing her head low. "You're disappointed, and...and...this one truly isn't sure what happened. Please, sir, accept this one's apology. This...wasn't meant to happen this way."

"Hardly anything happens the way we plan it to," Tien told her.

Tien turned and started walking out the door, but before he left he paused.

"I'm sorry."

He then walked out and sat down on the temple steps....and started to cry. She had seen nothing, which probably meant that he did in fact have no future. Tien drew his sword. Since he didn't have a future, there was no reason for him to suffer anymore. He stood and held the sword in front of himself fully prepared to fall on it.

Feeling terrible for him, and confused by her own failed reading, Sahar hedged for a moment before she rose to her feet and followed after him. Perhaps it was foolish. Maybe she should have let him go. He might grow angry with her again! But after his apology, his remorse obvious, she knew there was something else going on, something deeper and terrible. Maybe it was intuition speaking, or maybe it was her own precognition tugging at her in another way--

But she just knew, in that moment, that she needed to go after him. That it was important.

And it was as she headed for the main door that she saw him, just outside on the temple steps, and at first she thought nothing of it...

Until she drew closer, saw the sword he held--and saw that he was angling it toward his own chest.

Her heart leaped in fear, and she sped up into a run.

"Tien, NO!" she cried, and grabbed him from behind, her arms wrapping around his chest.

Sahar's sudden intervention started Tien, causing him to cut the palm of his left hand drop the sword. Tien frantically tried to catch the sword, but Sahar's grasp caused him to miss and left his sword to clatter down the stairs.

"Why not," Tien sobbed. "You didn't see anything! I have no future! Why should I prolong my suffering?"

Sahar's grip on him only tightened, as though afraid that if she let him go, he'd grab the sword and finish the job.

"I didn't see anything, but that doesn't mean you have no future!" she said desperately, slipping from her formal speech in her fear. Hakeshna! If she had been only a second late...

"What does it mean then," he asked desperately.

"It...it means..."

Sahar faltered, knowing this was a life or death situation. That was a lot of pressure!

"It just means that, for whatever reason, Hakeshna does not want to reveal it to you just yet," she said, still holding him tightly.

Tien took the glove off of his left hand and looked at the cut on his palm.

"Why," he asked softly. "Don't I deserve to know? Have I not suffered enough?"

"I-I don't know," Sahar admitted with a wince, and slowly she released her hugging grip on him, though she still kept a hand curled in his shirt. "But I do know you'll never know if you kill yourself, and that your life is a gift. As cliche as it is, Hakeshna works in mysterious ways. I--ah. This one is simply her servant. Her messenger. That is all."

Coming to stand in front of him, she winced again at the sight of his bleeding hand. "Please, sir. Come back inside? Your hand needs tending..."

"I need to get my sword first," he told her. "It's very valuable to me."

Tien walked down the stairs and retrieved his sword before returning to the top of the steps. When he reached Sahar he stopped and didn't move or say anything as if in a trance.

Sahar watched him retrieve his sword uneasily, ready to vault down there and stop him if he decided to do anything stupid. But instead, he only returned back up the steps once he had it in hand...

And then just stood there.

Reaching out gently, Sahar took his arm in her hand and gave him a small tug. "Please, come this way," she told him. "Back to this one's room. Okay? It's only a short distance. Please..."

Tien sheathed his sword and went with Sahar. He still said nothing, but was obviously very depressed.

Once they were in Sahar's room, she bade him again to sit on the floor cushions. "Please, get comfortable," she said, as she gathered up her wash basin and a fresh cloth. Bringing it down on the floor, she took a seat and frowned up at Tien, her brow knotted in worry.

"Talk to me," she finally said, all pretense of formality gone. "Tell me, what's...what's going on? Why did you try to kill yourself? Over my reading?"

Tien sat down like Sahar had asked.

"You could probably see everything you want to know with your ability," Tien replied. "You probably won't enjoy what you see."

"Probably," Sahar agreed with a small nod. "If Hakeshna wills it. As you've seen, it's not always reliable. I am but a humble messenger. I can't deliver a message my mistress would rather withhold. Besides..."

She smiled and pat Tien's knee. "If I could just scry everything, there'd be no need for conversation, and there's a lot lost when you don't talk to people. I want to hear it in your words."

Tien sighed sadly.

"I was framed," Tien began. "I was punished for a crime I didn't commit. Then the same men who framed me were plotting to kill me, so I had to flee my home if I wanted to live."

Though he did tell his story, he left many things, such as his heritage, untold because he still wanted to hide his identity.

"So you fled so you could live," Sahar said, judgment absent from her voice and from her eyes as she watched his face.

"Why, then, are you trying to die? After you fought so hard to survive?"

"Because I have nothing now," Tien told her. "I left everything behind when I escaped, and now I'm lost in a strange land with nothing to my name."

"You don't have nothing," Sahar said, head tilting. "You have your life, and that's everything. I...can't pretend I understand what it's like to lose your family and your home, Tien," she continued. "Or what it's like to be betrayed. But you're alive. You can make a fresh start."

"Where," Tien asked. "How?

"Ah..." He was sure asking a lot of tough questions!

"Well...I mean, first I suppose you would have to find somewhere to settle down. Somewhere you wanted to live. Then you could make friends, maybe find a wife or two, find something you're good at and make a job of it. That would be a start. you just have to figure out, I suppose, what it is you want out of life. What do you want?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Everything I wanted, everything I worked for is back in Thanatos."

"And it's gone now," Sahar said. "Part of starting anew is letting go. You can't move forward if you spend all your time looking behind you. You can't live for today if you're living in the past."

"But where do I start," he asked. "How am I supposed to fit into this new world?"

"I think you've already begun, haven't you?" Sahar said, watching him curiously.

"You haven't stopped living, so technically you've already begun, if we want to be literal. But I suppose first you have to figure out what it is you want. You say everything you worked for is back in Thanatos. What was it you wanted out of life back there?"

Tien thought for a moment. What did he want back then? All he had in mind was moving up within the ranks of the Temple, but to what end? What had he been after?

"I....I don't know," he admitted.

"Well," Sahar said, reclining on her cushions. "What makes you happy?"

"Nothing," Tien replied. "I haven't known any happiness since I escaped. I'm not sure I even remember what it feels like."

"Oh..." Sahar bit her lip, not quite sure how to handle that one! That was...complicated. If someone didn't even know what made them happy and hadn't experienced it in ages, how do you give them advice on how to find it?

"Well..." she said after a pause, thinking. "It sounds to me like you are burdened by the past. So burdened by it, you can't see what you have in front of it, because your heart is still back there. Your first step, if you are to move forward...I think it would be to let go of your past. Realize it is the past, and you will never have it again. Don't forget it! Never forget where you came from. But you have to leave it behind. It's okay to look back fondly on the good memories, and to learn from the bad. But clinging to it and hoping to relive it...you'll never be able to be free if you keep doing that."

Tien sat quietly and mulled over what Sahar had said. She did have a very good point. To be honest Tien was surprised at how wise she turned out to be.

"I don't think never forgetting will be a problem," Tien told her.

Tien then did something he had never done in front of anyone before. He pulled his mask down off his face.

"I have a constant reminder."

It...was a painful, jarring sight, to be sure.

And though Sahar tried very hard not to gape or stare or startle, though she tried to maintain a politely neutral, respectful expression, she wasn't sure how successful she was. She felt her eyes widen, felt her mouth drop open, and felt her stomach twist at the sight of his disfigured left cheek, scarred like the flesh had been melted from his face.

Sucking in a breath, she averted her eyes and sat back. "What happened to you?" she breathed, before her mind caught up to her and realized how rude and forward that might sound.

Tien was not offended by her reaction. In fact, he had been expecting it.

"I did," he replied. "I was an Untouchable, and had the Thanati symbol for dishonor branded onto my cheek. When I escaped I wanted to erase every last bit of my life back on Thanatos. But you can't just erase a brand, so I burned my cheek entirely to cover it up."

Sahar didn't understand all of what he was telling her; she had no understanding of Thanati culture. But she did understand the dishonor and the concept of branding. There were women that had such marks branded on them to shame them--adulterers.

Covering her mouth with her hand--he'd burned himself? That badly?--she let out a shaky breath.

"That must have been unbearably painful..." she said quietly, still somewhat horrified.

"Only physically," he replied sadly. "Physical pain subsides, but leaves a mark. Emotional pain persists, but remains hidden."

Reaching out to him, Sahar placed a hand over one of his.

"Even emotional pain heals with time," she said. "You just have to give it time, and give yourself permission to grieve and heal. Nothing lasts forever, Tien. Not even that."

"I just don't understand why all of this happened," he told her. "Why did I do to deserve this? What's wrong with me? Why great sin have I committed that caused me to lose everything I know and hold dear?"

"Hakeshna only gives a person as much as she thinks that person can handle," Sahar said, and squeezed his hand. She leaned forward a little, seeking his eyes with hers.

"Hakeshna would not give a load she didn't think you could bear. It can be hard for us to know what Hakeshna's plan for us is, but we just have to find solace in the idea that it's bigger than us, and there's a greater purpose at play. You don't deserve it, and there's nothing wrong with you. It's simply how the webs of fate were woven when Hakeshna created the great tapestry of the stars. Grieve, but don't fall prey to self-pity. There comes a point where you have to rise from your knees and face the world."

"Well, this 'Hakeshna' obviously overestimated me," Tien replied. "Is living every day wishing for death what passes as 'bearing it'? If there is a plan in all this, I deserve to know what is. After everything I've been through. I burned my own face because of this 'Hakeshna's' plan. I have a right to know why."

"That does pass as bearing it," Sahar said, "because you didn't die. You kept on living. Even now, you're listening to me instead of taking up your sword again, aren't you? Surely there's a reason you're choosing to listen over choosing to end everything."

"Well that's only because....."

Tien stopped mid sentence and sighed deeply.

"I've never really.... had anyone to talk to before," he admitted. "No one ever makes time for me, or cares. You're the first person to ever listen to anything I have to say. Most disregard me as some pathetic sob story. Maybe I am."

"You're not pathetic," Sahar said with a frown, brow furrowing with concern. "You're hardly that. You've been through a great deal, and you're reacting as anyone who's been through a great trauma might. Feeling pain and showing it isn't pitiful--it's human."

Sitting back again, and resting her hands in her lap, Sahar cocked her head. "Speaking to you as myself, rather than as a priestess of Hakeshna, I will say...I don't have all the right answers, and I can't relate to what you've been through. I've never experienced anything like that. I can't even say how I'd react or if I'd even follow my own advice! So just...don't feel ashamed, and...well..."

She motioned to her humble quarters. "Stay as long as you like."

"I've never heard those words before," Tien mused.

He sat silent for a moment, staring at the floor.

"Do you think you could maybe.... Nevermind. It's not important."

"It's important enough you started to ask it!" Sahar said, and watched his face curiously. "Go on, now. You can't just start to say something and then not finish it! That's the quickest way to drive a person mad!"

Tien continued to stare at the floor looking ashamed.

"It's just....I haven't eaten anything for quite some time....."

Sahar blinked, surprised by his answer. The way he was acting, the way he'd deliberated and hesitated, he was acting like he'd been about to confess something shameful! She was not prepared for something so mundane as a request for food.

"We have plenty of food here," she said, rising to her feet as she did so and brushing off her sheer robes, which were still wet from her tumble into the fountain. It was a good thing it was a hot day; the cool cloth actually felt good. "Perhaps a little sustenance will make you feel better? When was the last time you ate?"

"Yesterday," Tien replied. After a short pause he then added "Morning."

The reason Tien was so ashamed was that he was reduced to begging for food. He had been on his way to becoming a Khan, and now he couldn't even feed himself. He had eaten the morning prior only because he had stolen food in his desperation to fill his stomach. He was nothing but a lowly criminal now.

"Yesterday morning! That explains a lot!" Sahar said with a good-humored laugh, though she decided it was probably wise not to outright state that she thought hunger could make one very grumpy and irrational. Not that he didn't have plenty of reason to be moody and upset, but hunger definitely amplified those things, adding extra misery to misery.

"I know I always feel worse about everything on an empty stomach. Come! Let's get you fed. Maybe that will help clear your head a little."

With a smile, she held her hand out to him, offering to help him rise.

Begging for food still didn't sit right with Tien, but he took the hand that was offered and got to his feet.

"I can't eat any meat," he told her. "It doesn't agree with me."

While Tien had forgone following many of the Thanati traditions, such as not eating meat, he found that he could not even if he tried. After having not eaten meat all is life, when he tried it his digestive system was not ready for something so tough and it left him with a terrible case of upset stomach. He had not tried eating meat again since.

"Oh, that's fine," Sahar said with a wave of her hand. "We have plenty of food still that you will be able to eat. How do you feel about falafel? My friend Fatimah makes the best falafel."

Tien cocked an eyebrow.

"Never heard of it," he replied. "What is it?"

"You've never had it? Ah, they're fried balls of fava bean. They're really good! you can eat them in pita with other vegetables. Does that sound okay?" Sahar asked, and quickly added, "If you have any preferences, I'm sure we can accommodate."

Well, that didn't really help. Tien still had no idea what she was talking about, but he wasn't about to turn down such a kind offer.

"That's fine," Tien told her. "I'm sure it will taste great."

"Excellent!" Sahar said, and swiftly lead him along, deeper into the temple, into the places only the temple devoted went.

"It's fairly easy to find meals that should work for you. I don't eat much meat myself. It's just so heavy in your stomach, you know?" She paused, and laughed. "Well, you probably don't."

"No, I don't, " Tien replied.

He looked around at the interior of the temple as she led him in. There was nothing even remotely like this back in Thanatos. It was interesting seeing the architecture of other places, even if it did remind him of how far he was from home.

"So, how long have you lived here? Have you been doing this all your life?"

To be frank, Tien sucked at small talk, but Sahar seemed to be the talkative type. He was certain all he had to do was get the conversation started and she would do the rest.

"Oh, gosh...how long have I been here?" Sahar rolled her eyes toward the ceiling in thought, doing the math in her head, and then smiled at Tien. "About six years, since I was twelve. My gift manifested when I was very young, you see, but my parents didn't realize what it was until then. All those horrible headaches, all those horrible attacks..."

She shook her head. "The temple, of course, knew what to do. They've helped me greatly--and I do love it here. So no, not all my life, but a good portion of it. And how about you? How long have you been in Essyrn?"

"I just arrived this morning," he replied. "I had heard that there was a priestess here that had visions and could see things, like the future. I thought that if I came here that she, well you, would be able to give me the answers I've been searching for."

Sahar visibly winced at that, and averted her eyes. "This one...apologizes for being unhelpful," she said quietly.

"It's not your fault," Tien told her. Though sadness could definitely be heard in his voice.

"You don't have any control over your gift, it seems. You are helping me now though. You have no idea how much a simple meal means to me living the way I do."

"My gift works at Hakeshna's will," Sahar said, though the guilt still ate at her. "I wish I could help you more, honestly, but that's not to say I can't still. My gift, it's not something that can really be summoned--it's something that comes when it wants. Sometimes I can help it along, though."

They soon reached a large room from whence the smell of rich foods wafted, and already many bowls and platters of food had been brought out and set on the floor. Some of the priests and priestesses were already settled down on cushions on the floor, for it was dinner time now--though not everyone dining was part of the temple. It was obvious that some were worshipers, poor, hungry people brought in to be fed, for her temple often did charity work.

"We don't have to eat here," she explained as they entered the room. "We can always escape back to my quarters if you prefer the privacy."

When Tien saw all of the people in the room he immediately pulled his mask back up to cover his face before anyone saw. When Sahar offered to go somewhere more private he immediately jumped at the chance.

"Privacy would be good," he said quickly. "Thank you."

He didn't mind eating in front of Sahar. She had already seen his face, but he wasn't going to show his face around all of these strangers.

With a reassuring smile his way, Sahar pat his hand. "Wait here. I'll make you up a bowl. No meat, correct?"

And without waiting for his reply--for had only asked the question to show him that she still remembered, and would be careful--she headed off into the room. She was quick, collecting two bowls and filling them with food. She was sure to select a variety: falafel and stuffed grape leaves for the both of them, and dried fish for herself. Juggling the bowls in her arms, she headed back to Tien and offered his out to him.

"There's also beer, if you'd like some," she said. "I just didn't have the hands to carry everything!"

"Thank you,"Tien said accepting the bowl. "Where is that private place you were talking about?"

He really didn't want to eat in front of these other people.

"Oh, just back at my room," Sahar said, and turned to lead the way back. "I know it's not exactly proper, but no one's going to yell at me here for taking food to my room."

Tien followed her immediately, checking over his shoulder to make sure no one was looking at him. He hated being around other people, but Sahar was different somehow. No one had ever treated him with such kindness before.

Once back in her room, Sahar bade him to sit. "Get comfortable," she said with a smile. "Don't worry about spilling. I'm not worried about crumbs."

She settled down on one of the cushions and folded her legs beneath her. "How are you liking Essyrn so far, anyway?" she asked. "Have you had much time to explore all its wonders?"

"The heat is a bit harsh for my taste," Tien replied. "And I came straight here, so I didn't really do any sightseeing either."

Tien looked down at the food before him. He pulled his mask back down and took an experimental nibble before cautiously chewing. After a moment of contemplation he devoured everything before him as though he had never tasted food before. It was nice to be able to eat food that you didn't have to steal, especially when it tasted amazing.

Sahar watched the food vanish in amazement, and decided not to state the obvious--that he'd really been hungry!

Instead, she took dainty bites of her own meal and decided to make small talk. This was good. Already she had taken this poor man and not only prevented his death, but gotten him to eat. That seemed like a good sign. He just needed patience, hope, and kindness.

"What a shame! Well, if you're still here tomorrow, I did want to go into the market. Perhaps you could accompany me? I could show you around, show you the parts that true Essyrni know about but travelers pass up."

As soon as he realized how fast he had eaten everything set before him, Tien blushed, though it was only visible in the cheek that wasn't horribly scarred. Sahar then offered to show him around, which surprised. Most people wanted to be rid of him as soon as possible, but Sahar seemed to want to spend more time with him.

"Are you sure," Tien asked. "I don't want to be a burden. I've caused enough trouble as it is."

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered," Sahar said with a smile, before she took another bite of falafel.

Tien looked down at the floor and thought for a moment.

"Well, it's not like I have other plans," he said. "I suppose I could accompany you."

With a beaming smile, Sahar clapped her hands. "It's settled, then! Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we'll go into the city and I'll give you a tour. Now I suppose the question is, do you have a safe place to stay?"

"I think the answer to that is pretty obvious," Tien replied sheepishly.

"Well, you know what they say about assumptions!" Sahar said, and with another bite, she finished off her meal. She licked her fingers daintily and gave a small shrug. "I just wanted to be sure. In that case, if you're comfortable with the idea, you can stay here. People with nowhere else to go often seek temporary shelter in the temple, so you won't be out of place. We have a communal room for guests to sleep."

She paused, and looked at him, "But I'm going to guess that would make you uneasy?"

"It would," Tien told her. "I'm not too fond of being around other people."

Because what if they were still looking for him however unlikely that might be. He knew mainlanders would do anything for money, including hunting people down.

"Then if you're not opposed to it, I'd be more than happy to let you stay right here."

Sahar gave a small shrug and a smile. "It gets lonely, and it's been a while since I've had anyone in my quarters. It's kind of nice to get to talk to someone new."

And besides, if he stayed where she could see him, she could be certain he wasn't off hurting himself!

Tien was silent for a moment and looked down at the floor before lifting his gaze back to Sahar.

"Why are you being so kind to me," he asked. "I mean, it's that I'm ungrateful for your help, but I just don't understand. I'm a complete stranger, an armed stranger, and you've showed me nothing but kindness. Please understand that it's not something I'm used to."

Sahar cocked her head curiously, blinking several times at his questions.

"This one is a priestess of Hakeshna," she said with a smile. "Her humble servant. While you stay within Her temple, you can do no harm. Hakeshna protects us, after all, and this one has faith that She'll continue to do so. Besides..."

She reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't seem like the hurting type. You seem like the type that is hurting. It doesn't matter that you're a stranger; this temple sees thousands of strangers. And besides, you're not a stranger anymore." She gave a small shrug. "It's my calling to help people, Tien. That's why I became a priestess. It's why I was born."

For perhaps the first time in ages, Tien didn't flinch when someone reached out to him.

"It must be nice to be so sure of your purpose," Tien said with a sad sigh.

"It is," Sahar said, and frowned slightly. "But it's not without its cost. Having a purpose can be both great and terrible. Don't forget that. Either way, it seems you were meant to come here. Who knows? Maybe your purpose lies with this very temple."

"I'm not sure about that," Tien said skeptically. "I know nothing of your gods. I know only Inima."

"You have a brain, yes? And you're still living. That means you can learn! You just have to keep an open mind. Maybe your purpose has already smacked you on the head, but you rejected it. Stop thinking 'I can't' and start thinking 'I can'!" Sahar said, giving him another light pat before withdrawing.

"I wish it were that simple," Tien said with a sigh. "Everyone I meet is a stranger. Everywhere I go is a foreign land to me. I have no idea where my next meal is even going to come from one day to the next. My life is uncertainty." 

"They're only strangers because you haven't gotten to know them," Sahar said with a shake of her head, making her braids sway. "It's only a foreign land because you wander. And your next meal is coming from this very temple."

Tien sighed.

"You have an answer for everything don't you," he asked with a small grin.

Sahar barked a laugh at that and promptly slapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment, her cheeks coloring. But she couldn't help it! She...she supposed she was sort of a "fixer" personality, always looking for a solution.

"I...I think if I answer that, it'll kind of prove your point!"

"So it's a 'yes' then," Tien said with a slightly bigger grin. "It must be nice having all the answers."

Tien found Sahar's laugh kind of cute and he smile a bit bigger still. Then as soon as he realized that he had thought that he blushed himself and turned his head away in embarrassment. He had never thought something like that before. Why did he think it now? and about Sahar? Surely it would be inappropriate to think such things. She was just a kind priestess that was trying to help him out. No more.

Another smile! And Tien's smile brought a brighter one to Sahar's face as she thought that, YES! She had succeeded. She didn't know what she'd done, exactly, but getting Tien to smile felt like a personal victory--and made her feel like there was hope for him yet. Maybe she wouldn't have to sleep with one eye open to make sure he didn't hurt himself after all.

And not only that, but when he smiled, he was pretty cute. Sure he was horrifically scarred, but looking past that, when he smiled, it was like she got a glimpse of the person he must have been when he had everything together. It didn't last long, though, for he suddenly stopped and looked away. Did he not think he was allowed happiness?

"You know," she said, never one to not speak her mind, "smiles suit you much better than scowls. You have a really nice smile. You should do it more."

That didn't help Tien's blushing situation at all. It only made it worse.

"Well, I've been at a loss for reasons to smile for quite some time," Tien told her facing her again. "I thought I had all but forgotten how to by now."

"And I gave you a reason to again, hm?" Sahar asked, noting his blush--which only enticed her to tease him.

"Well...uh...I uh....um...you...uh..."

Tien felt his face get even hotter as he tried to talk past the lump that was now in his throat. He didn't know what to say. He had never been teased like this before. He even considered pulling his mask back up to hide his face, but at the moment his body was unresponsive.

With a delighted giggle at his reaction, Sahar reached out and gave his cheek a gentle pat, marveling at how warm he felt. "It's okay!" she said. "I'm just teasing you! Though I wasn't kidding when I said you look cute when you smile."

And ugh, she should probably go easy on him, but she couldn't help but add, "And when you blush."

Sahar had him and he knew it. However, he didn't feel right not firing back with something. Without thinking, he just blurted something out.

"Well, maybe I think that you're cute too."

Then he realized exactly what he had said. At this point his face was so hot he feared that it would all be burned as badly as his cheek. He couldn't believe he had just said that.

"Maybe?" Sahar asked, and scooted in a little closer to him. "So does that mean you do, or you're undecided?"

If there was one thing Sahar was a sucker for, it was flattery.

ABORT! ABORT! ABORT!

"Um...uh....."

Well that didn't work. Now he was in an even tighter spot than before.

"What if I do," he asked.

"Then I'd tell you that you have good taste!" Sahar said, and leaned in to press a kiss to his scarred cheek.

As soon as the destination of the kiss was realized Tien turned away a brought up a hand to cover his cheek. He was ashamed and embarrassed by his disfigured appearance.

Sahar missed when he turned away, and she pulled back with a sheepish look when she caught his reaction--the shame in his face, the way he covered his cheek.

Maaaybe she'd gone too far.

"Oh. Er. Sorry," she said, and flushed with embarrassment of her own when she realized how presumptuous she'd been.

"It's not your fault," Tien said turning to her but not removing his hand. "I did this to myself. It's just hard to not be self-conscious when half of your face looks as bad as mine."

"That's understandable," Sahar said with a sad smile as she scratched behind her ear, still feeling a bit awkward. "I won't tell you it's not as bad as you think, but I will say that, honestly, it doesn't bother me. I'm not sure whether that's any consolation, of course.  It doesn't really matter what other people think--what matters most is what you think."

Tien shrugged.

"I'll take any consolation I can get I suppose," Tien told her. "Still, I suppose that it's good to know that there is someone who thinks that I could be.....well.....cute."

"Really? Has no one ever thought that of you?" Sahar asked, cocking her head curiously.

"Not that I know of," Tien replied. "Especially not after I burned my face."

"Well..." Sahar grinned at that, a teasing glint in her eyes. "I can't imagine why, when you've been walking around all sour-faced. You look terrifying when you do that, you realize. Like you've got murder on the mind! Of course that scares the ladies away!"

With a light laugh, she nudged him playfully. "You scared me at first. But now look at you. You've got a personality! A smile! A laugh. And it's all very attractive."

That just made Tien start blushing again. She sure didn't beat around the bush.

"To be honest, you're not quite what I was expecting."

"Oh? How so?"

Tien shrugged.

"Some old hag with a crystal ball, I guess," he replied. "But instead I found a young and beautiful, if sowhat clumsy, young woman."

Tien wasn't exactly sure where the sudden courage to say that came from, but he just with it. He was done being one-sidedly teased.

Sahar snorted a laugh at that, tucking some of her braids behind her ear. "Then it seems both our assumptions were proven false," she said.

Reaching out, she took his bowl from him and stacked it with her own then set it atop her table. She'd deal with it later. Stretching her arms over her head, she let out a soft yawn. "It's getting late, and we have a busy day ahead of us. Are you tired?"

"Always," Tien replied.

Though he had gotten used to not getting much sleep, that didn't mean he never felt tired. It was rare that he ever got to sleep in an actual bed, so sleep was more of a commodity to him than anything else.

So blunt! Sahar shook her head, an amused look in her eyes.

"Good, because I am, too. Not that it hasn't been lovely entertaining you!" she said as she rose to her feet.

"My bed is large enough for two, but if you're more comfortable, you can take the floor. Or I can. I have enough pillows it's not an issue either way, and spare blankets--not that we'll need them." As she spoke, she prepared for sleep, plucking the decorative ornaments from her hair, taking out her earrings, and sliding her sheer robe off her shoulders.

"That'll be fine."

Once Sahar starting removing things, Tien froze. How far was she going to go? Was she going to take all of it off?

Sahar did indeed shed her clothes completely, thinking nothing of it, and when Tien spoke, she turned to look at him with a laugh.

"Which will be fine? I brought up three suggestions!"

Tien peeled his eyes away from her body and focused his attention back on her face.

"The bed will be fine," he replied.

That caught him off-guard. He hadn't been expecting for her to disrobe completely, but fortunately he was used to such a thing since he was from Thanatos. Still, it's been awhile since he had been there. As stood there, still not moving, his eyes began wandering lower once more. He couldn't help it.

Sahar's amusement only grew as she noticed how he eyed her, and that he'd picked the bed. Of course, he also hadn't stated whether he wanted to share it or not--for he seemed rather distracted. Which Sahar didn't mind; she enjoyed the attention, and it had been a good week since she'd worshiped Hakeshna with her body.

With a wink his way, she began to take off her necklaces. "It has been a while since I've had a man in my bed."

"It's been awhile since I've been in a bed," Tien remarked.

Tien then began removing his own clothing, but he left his pants on. He moved to the bed and sat on the edge, enjoying the rare sensation of softness and comfort that a bed provided.

Sahar took a cloth and dipped it in her wash basin to wash her face, removing the kohl from around her eyes, and once she was clean and prepared for the night, she settled down onto the cushions beside the bed. After all, he seemed self conscious and uncomfortable with contact, and despite their flirting, well, she didn't want to be presumptuous. Unless invited. Foreigners, however, could be pretty strange about this stuff!

"Well, Tien, I hope you enjoy it, and that Hakeshna grants you beautiful dreams," she said, plumping a pillow. "And if you do have trouble sleeping, let me know." Another teasing smile. "I know several pleasant methods to relax you."

Since Tien hadn't been facing Sahar's direction, he didn't see the teasing smile. But he did here about the pleasant methods of relaxation.

"Like what?"

Sahar listed them off on her fingers. "Massages, tea, hookah, and sex, to name a few," she said. "I'm rather well versed in all of those."

Sex? As a relaxation method? To be fair, the Thanati had a very lenient view of the subject, but it was about enjoying the gift of life given by Inima. It was not just for relaxation. Or maybe it was? Tien didn't know. He had been away from home for quite some time. Still, he found himself getting slightly aroused at the thought. Sahar was very attractive.

Tien stopped himself. What was he thinking? She obviously wasn't opposed to the idea, but still.

"A massage would be nice," he told her.

Surely nothing would come out of a harmless massage.

"I thought you might say that," Sahar said as she rose from the pillows to climb onto the bed with him. She crawled behind him and took a seat, cross-legged, and put her hands on his shoulders.

"You seemed like you might need it, wound up as you are! And carrying so much pain and bitterness...that takes a physical toll on the body, you know. Tenses you up, knots up your muscles, makes it more difficult to get a good night's rest. You have to let all that go and live in the now," she said, as her hands began to work--and she "tsked" quietly when she very quickly encountered knots.

"As I thought. Now, tell me if it hurts too much, because I'm going to have to really work at these if we're to loosen them up."

As Sahar got to work, Tien released a massive sigh of relief. Sahar's hands were magical. As the tension in his shoulders lessened, his eyelids started getting heavier. Tien never felt something so amazing. He hoped she didn't stop at his shoulders and worked her magic on all of him.

Which, well, was exactly what she planned on doing!

For as Sahar kneaded Tien's muscles and felt the knots relax, she gradually began to move further down, thumbs digging into him to work out the kinks. She moved from his shoulders down his arms, silently appreciating the musculature that no doubt came from swordplay, and then trailed her hands over his upper back to start working on the large muscle groups there.

"Ah, there. You're doing much better already," she commented, stroking him more gently to give him a break from the harder, deeper massage she'd been giving him--and to give her fingers a rest, too! She trailed her hands back up his spine and over the back of his neck, fingers trailing through his hair as she began to gently knead his scalp, as well.

"Lay on your belly for me?" she said.

Tien did as she asked and laid down on his stomach. He felt like he was melting, and it was wonderful. Sahar was definitely well versed in massages.

As she continued on he moaned softly in pleasure. 

"You're amazing," he mumbled.

Though he was referring to her massaging skills being amazing, he was too relaxed to bother forming all of the words, so only those two came out.

"So I've been told," Sahar said, mirth in her voice, as she moved to lightly straddle Tien's legs so she could work down his back. She leaned into her hands to work out  a particularly stubborn knot in his lower back, then started to work on his glutes.

Tien couldn't move even if he wanted to. He was completely in Sahar's power. While he did become concerned for a second when her hands ventured below his lower back, he told himself that it was just a harmless massage and just let her go. It would only be weird if he made it weird.

"Are you sure that scrying is the only magical gift you possess," he asked lazily.

"Mm, not at all!" Sahar said as she worked lower and began to knead the tense muscles of his thighs, trying hard to hide her amusement as he turned to water in her hands. "I've been told I have other gifts far more magical."

"Like what?"

Sahar actually stopped, and burst into laughter at such a question. Either he was truly oblivious, or he was deeply curious and hesitant to admit it. He'd definitely blushed and sputtered earlier, which lead her to wonder if he was a virgin--which wouldn't surprise her, from what he'd told her, if insecurity had kept him from pursuing relationships and had him pushing people away.

"Well, if your moans are anything to go by, I'd say my hands are quite magical," she said with a grin as she moved back up up his body and shifted to straddle his thighs. She leaned over him, close enough to speak into his ear, her breasts brushing against his back. "I've been told my mouth works wonders, too."

Tien shuddered beneath her. He was getting aroused, and there was no denying it. It was also apparent that it was exactly what Sahar was intending to accomplish. The fact that Tien came from a very sexually lax culture, but had never done anything of the sort and was feeling deprived didn't help either. All of these factors combined led into what he said next.

"Show me."

Well! That was...actually kind of a surprise! Sahar had expected more flustered blushing, not agreement, but there was also actually the possibility that he didn't know what he was agreeing to. While Sahar was all about surprises, this was definitely not the sort of thing one just sprung on a person!

She lightly caressed the back of his neck. "You're sure?" she asked, and sat back up, rolling off of him to kneel beside him. "And you do know what I mean by that, don't you?"

"Don't give me the opportunity to second-guess myself," Tien replied. "I'll never make up my mind if you do."

"I'm going to take that as a yes, then," Sahar said, and lightly tapped a finger to his nose. "But if I'm to do anything, I can't do it while you're on your belly with your pants still on."

Tien followed his own advice about not giving himself time to think. He immediately got off the bed and stripped completely. He stood before Sahar completely naked, and fully aroused. It was now very apparent that Sahar's teasing had been quite effective.

Sahar watched Tien undress, eyebrows rising as he just went for it, quickly like this situation was a pool of cold water he needed to dive into. And then her eyebrows rose even higher when, finally, he stood before her without a stitch--and her eyes dipped lower before widening appreciatively. He was certainly ready and rarin' to go!

Which she was certainly not complaining about. There were few things more arousing than being wanted, and she bit her lip in anticipation as she rose from the bed.

"Someone's excited," she teased, as she slid a hand along the back of his neck and curled in close to him, pressing their bodies flush together. Her other hand cupped his unmarred cheek as she brought their mouths together in a kiss to break the ice, lips nibbling on his and tongue tasting him.

Tien was more than a bit anxious when Sahar approached him, and became even more so when she pressed her body up against his. Just the sensation of her bare flesh against his own felt marvelous. She was soft and smooth all over. When she kissed him he froze. As she nibbled on his lips and tasted him he felt like his heart had even stopped beating.

As he got used to all of the new sensations, Tien began regaining mobility. His arms tentatively moved to Sahar's hips, and then wrapped around her lower back. He then began slowly replicating Sahar's kissing, gradually becoming better until he was able to match her. His heart was beating a million times per minute, but it felt wonderful. He had never done anything so intimate before. The fact that they were both completely naked only added to the excitement.

"Relax," Sahar murmured between kisses, feeling his excitement and nerves as his heart beat rapidly against her chest.

He was growing bolder, that much was true, and he was doing well thus far, his kisses growing less awkward and more refined--though Sahar didn't expect much from him, either way. If he was new to this--and he certainly seemed it!--then she was quite prepared for this to be a short session, indeed! She'd never laid with a virgin, but she'd heard from the other women that their...excitement...could make them...release...before they even got inside the lady! No matter! This was more for him than for her, fun as it would be--and maybe he'd get a much needed confidence boost out of the deal.

Kissing him passionately, teaching him how she liked it, she slowly turned with him to put his back to the bed. She feathered kisses along his jaw and down his neck even as she placed her hands on his shoulders and guided him to sit--and those kisses soon went gradually lower as she knelt before him and smoothed her hands over his thighs before trailing a hand over his cock.

Despite wanting to relax like Sahar had told him to, his body had no intention of doing so. He did his best to take every hint she was giving to him and did his best to give her what she wanted. As she sat him down on the bed, his anxiety only grew. He shuddered with excitement as she kissed her way down his body and his member twitched in anticipation as her hand trailed over it.

"You definitely seem to know what you're doing," he managed between breaths.

"I should hope so!" Sahar said with a playful laugh as she took him fully in her hand and began to stroke him, slowly and languidly from base to tip, her eyes on his face as she watched his expressions and gauged his responses. "I have had a little practice."

And then she pressed her lips to the head of his cock in a teasing kiss, before she gave him a long lick up along his shaft, hand still stroking all the while--before she took him in her mouth and nursed along the tip, tongue swirling around him. Time to show him exactly what she'd meant when she told him her mouth was magical, and hopefully by the time she was done with him, he'd be able to say as much, too.

Tien's anxiousness increased as Sahar began to stroke him. He couldn't believe this was happening, but at the same time he wanted it to. His entire body shuddered as her tongue ran up his length and a soft involuntary moan escaped his lips as she took him in her mouth. The sensation was indescribable. The inside of her mouth was so warm and moist, and what she was doing with her tongue made it all the more heavenly.

Sahar paused just briefly in her ministrations to look up at Tien, even as her hand still worked over him. Oh, she'd caught that little moan, all right! Clearly she was doing something right.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked with a smile, but she didn't wait for his reply. Without skipping a beat, she took him back in her mouth again, sliding him in deep, sucking gently and working her tongue over him even as she slid him in and out.

Tien had been about to reply when Sahar resumed her 'relaxation technique' and turned is pending reply into another moan. She most definitely knew what she was doing, and she was very good at it as well. Tien could feel his climax fast approaching. It was coming admittedly faster than he would have liked, but it wasn't like he could stop it with how good Sahar was.

"I can't take much more," Tien warned her.

It was only fair that she knew in advance to avoid any surprises, but she was probably already aware of just how close he was.

Sahar didn't humor him with a verbal response, but she did give him an oral response, all right! At his warning, she didn't ease up--if anything, she got more focused, more intense, hand and mouth working quicker as she sought to drive him over the edge. She took him deep, again and again, before teasing the sensitive tip and rolling her tongue over him, and even slipped her hand down farther to massage his balls.

All the while she raised her eyes to his face, watching him, feeling the signs of him drawing closer and bracing herself for what was to come.

Tien could barely stand it. She only grew more determined when he warned her what was to come, and she only drove him closer much faster. What finally did him in was her looking up at him as she worked him over. He didn't know why, but that act alone over all the others finally drove him to release a surprisingly substantial amount of seed into her mouth with a groan. He then fell backwards on the bed panting, but was miraculously still stiff and ready to go again even though he wasn't particularly aware of that fact just yet.

Sahar knew what was coming, and when it came--quite literally--and flooded her mouth with his warmth, she kept her lips wrapped around him and swallowed what she could, a little escaping at the corner of her mouth. She waited until his spasms died down, then drew back with a satisfied grin, tongue darting to catch what had escaped her mouth before she leaned in to clean the excess from his cock.

Which was still surprisingly hard.

Huh!

Rising from her kneel, she stretched out onto the bed beside him, laying on her side and propped up on an elbow, and watched him struggle for breath.

"Not too bad, was it?"

"I've never felt anything quite like that before," Tien told her between breathes. "You are very skilled."

Sahar laughed at that, trailing a hand absently over his belly. "Oh, my skill doesn't end there, by any means."

"I'm very tempted to ask what other skills you possess," Tien said. "Are they similar to the one you've already shown me?"

"They're better, if I do say so myself," Sahar said, and leaned in to kiss his cheek, then his jaw. "Little compares to the pleasure of lovemaking, Tien."

Tien was silent for a moment as if he was pondering something before speaking again.

"Perhaps you could show me what it's like."

Sahar didn't answer him with words, but rather with a passionate kiss, capturing his mouth with her own even as she rolled lightly over. She crawled atop him, straddling him with one knee on either side of his hips, and cupped his face between her hands as she deepened the kiss, tongue slipping into his mouth and teeth nibbling his lip.

Finally she sat up straighter and gently grasped his hands so she could guide them to her full breasts. "Don't be afraid to touch me," she told him as she lowered her hips to his, trapping his cock against her warm sex but not yet sliding him inside her. "Anywhere you like. I'll teach you..."

Tien was feeling anxious and breathing heavily again as the situation heated up once more. When his hands came into contact with her breasts he froze for a second until Sahar spoke to him so soothingly. He began experimentally kneading and feeling her breasts. They were so soft and malleable, yet firm. The next thing he noticed was the heat he felt on his groin as Sahar touched her sex to his now throbbing cock. It was an intense moment, but also soothing. Not knowing what else to do, he just continued doing what he was doing until Sahar moved things forward. She was the expert here.

Tien was a little clumsy with his handling of her, but Sahar expected as much. Still, there was something very exciting about being someone's first (was this how Ihlsepar had felt when he'd taken her virginity?), and she still sighed beneath his touch and let her eyes flutter shut. Gently she reached for his hands and started to guide them over her body, showing him how she liked to be touched, trailing his hands over her breasts.

"A woman's nipples are the most sensitive part of her breast," she told him, even as she began to rock her hips to slide their sexes together, her breath hitching at the sensation. Still she didn't take him inside her, opting first to tease and build up the heat, and hopefully build up his comfort. "Play with them, but gently. Unless she likes it rougher. Which I do." She bit her lip, head tilting back and braids tossing, and slid his hands down her belly and over her hips.

"Don't be shy about guiding me," she panted, and leaned down to press a hot kiss to his throat. "To make me move how you want me to move. And when you want inside me," she added, and moved so he prodded against her entrance before slipping away, "you need only take it."

Tien was becoming more relaxed by Sahar's coaching for some reason. It allowed him to focus on her rather than the situation. How exactly do you play with breasts though? After some deliberation, Tien tried moving the tip of his finger in circles around her nipple to see where that got him. He was aware that she had informed him of other things, but he wanted to take it one step at a time so that he would have it all figured out should he find himself in this situation again.

That simple caress got Tien good places indeed, as Sahar let out a breathy sigh of enjoyment and let her eyes flutter closed. "Mm, good..." she whispered. "Like that..."

Sitting up fully again so she could grind against him a little harder, she let her hands rest on his chest to brace herself. "Move your hips a little..."

Tien couldn't help but feel a small amount of satisfaction when he saw how good he made Sahar feel. She told him to move his hips, but didn't really say how. Sahar was moving her hips in a rocking motion, so he assumed that that was what she wanted him to do, so he tried doing that.

Now that his hips were in motion, he went back to her breasts. She seemed to like having them played with. Making circles seemed very effective, but perhaps he could do something more. Noticing how stiff her nipples were, he wondered if he could do something with those. He lightly pinched one of her nipples and started rolling it between his thumb and pointer finger. Maybe she would like that too.

Sahar gasped as Tien, too, began to move with her, adding more delicious friction to their coupling. She sighed and arched her back, head tilted back, and closed her eyes to let him know he was doing well. Perhaps it wasn't the most exciting romp she'd ever had, or the most pleasurable or intense, but he was new to this and she wasn't expecting fireworks! She wasn't even expecting him to get her off (she was aware she might have to handle that herself!), as virgin men rarely lasted long and lacked technique. But it still felt good and she still wanted this--

And hoped he'd learn something here, and be able to please many ladies in the future!

You're welcome, future ladies.

Breath hitching as she rocked a little more urgently, she grasped for one of his hands and drew it down, over her belly and between her legs. Manipulating his fingers, she pressed his index against her clit. "Rub here, but gently," she breathed. "Women love it. You can bring a woman to climax from that alone."

Tien listened closely to all the instructions that Sahar gave him. He was not nearly as experienced as Sahar, but he was trying his best. When Sahar told him to start rubbing the spot that she placed his hand, he began rubbing the spot gently but he made sure to apply at least some pressure. According to her it could bring a woman to climax, and that was something he was hoping to accomplish.

"Ah...yes..." Sahar gasped out as Tien's fingers moved, her eyes fluttering shut and head tilting back, her skin flushed and breathing growing sharper. Her hips jerked as he moved and soon she was gently rocking against his hand, reaching down only once to adjust his fingers and show him the pace and pressure she liked.

And when she found it, a visible shiver went through her. Lips parted, she slipped her hands from between her legs and instead slid them up along her body and over her breasts, whimpering as she kneaded them and rolled her nipples between her fingers.

"Just like that..." she purred, a breathless moan in her voice. "That's perfect, Tien..."

After seeing just how much pleasure he was giving Sahar, Tien couldn't help but feel a small amount of male pride that he was capable of making a woman feel so good. Now that Sahar was being properly pleasured, Tien also began to focus on himself as well as her. He started to move more and get more into it, providing more motion to their grinding hips. The combination of how good he was making Sahar feel and how good it felt on his end, Tien was now beginning to approach orgasm. However, he was determined to get Sahar there as well, so the only option was to step up his efforts in order to get Sahar to the same point that he was at.

Indeed, it was obvious Sahar was growing close, from the way her cries grew, muscles tensed, and back arched, and she could hear the telltale changes in Tien's breathing that told her he was probably drawing near, too. Hakeshna, she was so painfully close, the sensation of his fingers on her and slow grind of his cock against her sex driving her wild--but she wanted more, and wanted Tien to get the full experience, too.

True, he had recovered quickly from his last release, but would he last through two? It seemed unlikely to her--but he had surprised her before!

"W-wait," she managed to gasp out, voice a near squeak, and it took every ounce of willpower for her to lift her hips off of him. She shivered, practically dripping, and sucked in another shaky breath before she leaned in and kissed him, needy and demanding, her tongue slipping past his lips to dance with his before she broke the kiss and put her lips to his ear.

"I want you," she panted. "Inside me. Please."

Tien was disappointed when Sahar lifted herself off of him, but his mouth was invaded by Sahar's tongue before he could express it. Tien returned the kiss in earnest, sensing the need behind it. She then leaned forward and asked for him to be inside of her.

For some reason or another, Tien became empowered. Whether it was male pride, animalistic desire, or the notion of Sahar wanting him; begging for him. Tien rolled over so that he was now the one on top with Sahar beneath him. Wasting no time, Tien moved to enter her. After a few clumsy tries, Tien got himself lined up with her sex and slowly slid himself in, relishing the flood of pleasant sensations that came with it.

Tien, copying what Sahar had just done, kissed Sahar and began wrestling her tongue with his own just as she had done to him. As they kissed, Tien began slowly moving inside of her. He had no intention of rushing this amazing moment.

Well!

That was unexpected!

Sahar let out a little yelp when Tien suddenly took charge where before he had been timid, rolling her beneath him before she even knew what had happened. She stared up at him in surprise, face flushed with passion and a bright blush and braids making a wild halo around her head, her eyes wide and lips parted--because, dear Hakeshna, she was actually impressed!

And incredibly aroused. She was not at all opposed to being in control, but it drove her wild when that control was wrenched from her, when the other person just threw her down to have their way with her, and to have that come from Tien, the most unlikely person ever?

She let out a shaky breath as she felt him press against her, seeking her, and she squirmed and lifted her hips to try to help him, needing him right now. She was about to just reach down there and help him out when, abruptly, she let out a sharp moan and a shudder when she felt that teasing press grow into a wonderful stretch, felt him sinking inside her, and she wrapped her arms around him and spread her legs wider to take him as deep as she could.

"Sweet Hakeshna," she moaned against his lips, nails lightly clawing his back, as for a few seconds she just relished the sensation of him moving within her before, finally, she began to roll her hips into his thrusts, slow and tantalizing, still letting him control the pace.

Tien's body had completely taken over, his mind too focused on the woman beneath him to concern itself with anything else. She felt absolutely incredible inside. While he had been satisfied with his slow pace, her tantalizing was taking hold and soon it wasn't enough. His speed gradual began to increase along with the burning need to satisfy himself and his partner. You only get to have your first time once and he was going to make it count.

"Oh god...oh yes...!" Sahar whimpered as she clawed at Tien's back and writhed beneath him, pressing kissed to his neck, his shoulder, whatever skin she could reach. He picked up his pace and she only cried out louder, not at all shy about who might hear--and people would, considering her door was nothing more than a curtain.

Virgin or not, he felt good as he moved inside her, and she had been so close to release before that it felt even better, her body singing with pleasure as she shivered and bucked into his thrusts. Trailing her hands back up his back and shoulders, she tangled her fingers in his hair and threw her head back, sharp cries and moans escaping her each time he slapped against her.

"Oh Tien, oh goddess, I'm so close," she managed to get out between panted breaths, even as she drew her legs up higher, wrapping them around his waist as though to keep him right where she wanted him.

Tien was completely oblivious to the outside world. The fact that they might be heard never occurred to him. All that mattered was the immense pleasure he was both giving and receiving. Sahar's cries and moans only encouraged him to keep going, and her informing him that she was close was the final push he needed. With what energy he had left, he went at it with all he was worth in order to drive them both over the edge. His thrusting became even faster and more desperate as he drove to bring their session to a satisfying close.

Soon enough, Tien could hold on no longer. With a mighty grunt he drove himself as deep inside Sahar as humanly possible and released every last bit of seed that he had left after his first orgasm. As soon as he was finished, he collapsed on top of her still conscious, but exhausted.

As Sahar had predicted, he didn't last as long as an experienced man--but it didn't matter. She had worked herself up to the verge of release before he'd thrust inside her, and she had planned it that way for a reason, and all she had needed to reach it was a few extra pushes, so to speak. And when Tien really began to pound into her--Hakeshna, it didn't take much! Inexperienced he might be, but he certainly made up for it with enthusiasm and vigor!

Her cries soon turned into screams as she clung to him for dear life as he took her so fiercely, and she knew she would be sore later but she relished the feeling, relished the lack of control as each thrust hit her just right, building that glorious pressure deep within her. And then she felt him push hard and deep, felt him pulsing as he came, and it was that barrage of sensation that drove her over the edge.

She gasped and cried out, a sound closer to a squeak, and clutched him harder as her body trembled and her sex clenched around him, waves of pleasure and heat flooding her clear to the tips of her toes. Finally she flopped back down with a panted breath, legs still wrapped around him as she fought to catch her breath.

Which was a little difficult, with his weight on her chest!

"Oi...Tien...?" she tapped his shoulder, wiggling a little beneath him.

Tien managed to muster enough energy to roll off of Sahar and flop down next to her.

"That's all of it," he panted. "There's nothing left of my old life."

Still feeling wonderfully relaxed and blissful after their romp, with all those feel-good sensations flowing through her, Sahar stretched out on her belly with all the languidness of a lazy, contented cat. She was making a mess of her bed, she knew; she could already feel Tien's seed leaking out of her and creating what she knew would be an annoying wet spot. But right then she couldn't be bothered to care.

She propped her chin up on a hand and looked at Tien, head tilted curiously. "Oh?"

"I had been saving myself for someone back on Thanatos," he explained. "It was the one thing I was still holding onto, but now I've gotten rid of everything."

A solitary tear could be seen running down his cheek as he remembered his home and the one who his virginity had been meant for.

With a slight frown, Sahar reached out and wiped away that tear with her thumb.

"You didn't lose anything, or give away anything," she said, watching him as she spoke. "You only gained something--new experiences and new pleasures."

"I guess," Tien said with a sad sigh. "I don't know what to do next."

"Sometimes, you don't need to know," Sahar said. "Sometimes, you just need to live each day as it comes. One step at a time, taking nothing for granted and enjoying each precious moment."

With a smile, Sahar scooted closer and curled up against Tien, an arm around him. "Like this. We just did something beautiful, and you just experienced something new and pleasurable. Don't worry about the future. Just enjoy the now."

"But every now you enjoy inevitably comes to an end," Tien said. "Once now is over, the future is all we have."