A Face From the Past (Mdu and Lion)

[Anonymous]

"What about you, Randver?" she asked him softly. "If you would be willing to go to an outpost for me, then there must be something I can do for you."

Randver was probably as tough as anyone came, but it didn't mean he didn't have things he wanted. Hopefully, she could help him with something he wanted.

[Anonymous]

He never considered what he wanted. Randver had always done what needed to be done and acted on what he wanted when he wanted it. He never thought much about anything he was more an emotional being, which usually meant anger.

Not realising how it would sound, he said, 'there is nothing you can do for me. If I go to the outpost, that will be enough.'

[Anonymous]

"You don't want anything? I mean, you're sure? Children? Financial security? Anything at all?"

She wasn't convinced. And Randver had probably known her long enough to know when she was convinced and she wasn't. But she also knew better than to argue with him. She kissed him again and started to climb on his back. "All right then. Let's get out of here. Did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?"

To her, he was. He was the most wonderful man in the world. Wonderful enough to forget his own needs almost entirely in favor of hers. But he had to need something. One couldn't hurt the one they cared about most in the most horrible way possible and not need anything.

She would help him through that, she promised herself. Even if it turned out that she couldn't help him very much.

[Anonymous]

'I don't go around desiring everything. Things are the way they are. You fix them or you don't. If you can't have something then it's a waste of time yearning for it,' he grumbled. Hopefully that would get her off his back about it... not likely. She never believed him when he said he was happy with what he had.

'Yes. You used to say it a lot. Then I'd say, "you outshine the stars, you're so wonderous."*'

'Do you want a ride?' he asked when she hopped on his back, a grin appearing on his face and a spark flickering in one eye.

*My fail.

[Anonymous]

"Of course I do," she said, grinning widely. She hadn't missed the sparkle in his eye. "I've missed it." She sighed happily. Maybe things weren't perfect, but they were as good as they could ever be right now. That suited her just fine.

"I love you, Randver. " She had been so stupid to run off. With all she had been through, it was probably understandable, but still stupid. Celine would likely spend the rest of her life making it up to him.

[Anonymous]

Randver wanted to say it too. He wanted to say "I love you" but for now, it would not come out. Too much had happened and he was still too sore to say it. He did love her, he just couldn't say the words. Not yet, soon maybe, but not yet.

Instead, what he said was, 'thank you.'

The fireballs moving around him joined together and formed a line across the ground in front of him. The line of fire was prefect. It had no hotter, thicker or flickering areas. As Randver began trotting forward the line started moving: a thick line of senses in a blind world. Everytime a rock passed through it, it would heat up, so that it too could be "seen".

'Hold on tight, Celine. I'm about to gallop,' he said. His hooves pushed harder and his body bent forward as he galloped towards the Hivan Ocean. The water steamed and bubbled around his line of fire, creating a cloud around the two riders. It would have been good if they didn't need to ride through sauna-like steam but it was the only way Ranvder could tell where he was going, if there was anything he needed to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Randver wanted to say it too. He wanted to say "I love you" but for now, it would not come out. Too much had happened and he was still too sore to say it. He did love her, he just couldn't say the words. Not yet, soon maybe, but not yet.

Instead, what he said was, 'thank you.'

The fireballs moving around him joined together and formed a line across the ground in front of him. The line of fire was prefect. It had no hotter, thicker or flickering areas. As Randver began trotting forward the line started moving: a thick line of senses in a blind world. Everytime a rock passed through it, it would heat up, so that it too could be "seen".

'Hold on tight, Celine. I'm about to gallop,' he said. His hooves pushed harder and his body bent forward as he galloped towards the Hivan Ocean. The water steamed and bubbled around his line of fire, creating a cloud around the two riders. It would have been good if they didn't need to ride through sauna-like steam but it was the only way Ranvder could tell where he was going, if there was anything he needed to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Randver wanted to say it too. He wanted to say "I love you" but for now, it would not come out. Too much had happened and he was still too sore to say it. He did love her, he just couldn't say the words. Not yet, soon maybe, but not yet.

Instead, what he said was, 'thank you.'

The fireballs moving around him joined together and formed a line across the ground in front of him. The line of fire was prefect. It had no hotter, thicker or flickering areas. As Randver began trotting forward the line started moving: a thick line of senses in a blind world. Everytime a rock passed through it, it would heat up, so that it too could be "seen".

'Hold on tight, Celine. I'm about to gallop,' he said. His hooves pushed harder and his body bent forward as he galloped towards the Hivan Ocean. The water steamed and bubbled around his line of fire, creating a cloud around the two riders. It would have been good if they didn't need to ride through sauna-like steam but it was the only way Ranvder could tell where he was going, if there was anything he needed to avoid.

[Anonymous]

She held tightly to him, breathing in the steamy spray as they rode through it. As they rode, her eyes were closed, not because she felt scared, but because she felt completely safe. Sometime, she would have to tell him how scared she had actually been living on the beach. If he ever asked. She would have to give him time, just like he would have to do for her.

It hurt her that he hadn't said he loved her, even though she knew he did, but she supposed he did have reason to be angry at her. Leaving without letting him know where she was was something she had never done. Her anger at him had been just as real until she'd realized he hadn't meant to burn down her house.

[Anonymous]

Even the galloping didn't seem to block Randver's feelings. He couldn't do this. He couldn't be with Celine. He would have to return to Ketra soon and he couldn't bring her with him. She'd chosen to leave him before so she was obviously strong enough to be on her own. He sighed and let his shoulders droop then slowed to a trot and left the water. Steam rose off his and Celine's body.

'Celine, is there anyone you know who you could stay with, anyone you know who could make you happy?'

[Anonymous]

"Well..." Celine faltered at this. "There's someone I'd like to try to make happy. As for whether or not I will, only time will tell. He has suffered a great loss, a loss even I have no idea how to handle.  But...are you saying what I think you're saying? You don't want to be with me at all?"

There was no way for her to conceal her shock, or her embarrassment. She went pale again and then blushed. "I should have never expected you to be with me after what I did," she whispered, her eyes lowered.

[Anonymous]

Randver had no idea what to say to this. He did want to be with her but at the same time he knew that being together would cause them both sadness. He wouldn't become a deserter to the Adelan Empire and he wouldn't watch her become depressed living in Ketra. All he could do was make this as painless as possible, something he should have done in the first place.

'We can't be together. If you have a close friend you can stay with or have your eye on anyone else, go to them.'

It was lucky for Celine that Randver was blind so he didn't see her face turn red. He did however notice the slight change in heat. This close to his body, it was easy to tell.

[Anonymous]

"Fine, be that way. Even though I still love you, you should never have made promises you can't keep." She didn't know what else to say. She felt so used. She buried her face in his back one last time, the way she always had after a ride, memorizing the smell of him. Then she climbed off his back, walked back to shore, and boarded the ship.

[Anonymous]

Randver had never thought of himself as a coward, but for some reason that was how he felt now. The muscles on his back twitched as the girl burried her face in his back. She was taking it rather well, something he would hopefully feel good about later.

When he was sure she was far enough away not to feel the heat, the sand around him exploded, turning the area into a glassy crater. His hair singed a bit though  none of the molten glass hit him, he was in full control of the destruction.