Vast Fields Of Light

Chapter 4

'The early breeze at dawn is the keeper of secrets.' - Rumi (Persian poet)

   Some hours later Tamina's eyes slowly flickered open. She turned over with a sleepy low hum, reaching out an eager arm - only to find that the space beside her in bed was empty, though the newly familiar scent of her husband remained. She sat up and blinked slowly, rubbing her eyes as she looked around the chamber before finally noticing Dastan out on the balcony. He was sitting on the ground and hunched forward, his figure a still shadow behind the white curtain which fluttered in the breeze from the open balcony door.

Tamina quickly located her nightgown on the floor and pulled it on as she crossed over to the balcony. She pulled the curtain aside and smiled softly at her husband who had not yet noticed her. Far in the distance at the mountainous horizon, the sky was shading from dense black to indigo blue.

She tapped a knuckle softly on the balcony door - only to be startled when Dastan inhaled sharply, jerked round in a flash and looked up at her with wild, wide eyes for a split-second. Then his eyes focused on her, he sighed and his brow relaxed a fraction.

"Hey!..." she murmured with a surprised tender smile that fell away as she searched his hooded eyes and noticed the tense hunching of his shoulders.

Dastan's eyes travelled carefully over her for a moment and he reached out a hand, smiling faintly.

"You startled me," he muttered as she took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Are you all right?" she asked, and allowed herself to pout a little. "I woke up and you were not there..."

Dastan exhaled and let his hand fall from hers; he returned to his earlier posture, sitting on the floor and hunched forward, face down.

"Sorry, I - woke up and couldn't fall asleep again, I came out for some fresh air," he told her in a distant voice she didn't recognise. "I'm fine, go back to bed."

She laid a gentle hand on his head and nestled her fingertips between the strands of his hair.

"Without you?"

Dastan glanced at her and gave the shortest of smiles. "I will be there soon."

Tamina furrowed her brow for a second before kneeling down on the floor next to him, both facing forward. She watched him for a moment but he simply sighed and remained looking down. Leaning close to him, she tipped her head and pressed her lips softly to the top of his shoulder.

"I'm surprised you couldn't sleep, my love," she murmured in a low voice she had never heard herself use before, and her lips curved. "Didn't I make you tired enough last night?"

This made Dastan smile and turn his head to look at her. Her skin tingling, she watched as the focus of his eyes fell from her eyes to her lips - but after a moment he simply looked down again, and she hesitated in confused disappointment.

"Come back to bed," she attempted again.

"You go. I will come soon," was his only response.

She continued to watch him. He had pulled on his trousers before leaving the bed and he sat there bare-chested and barefoot. There was a heaviness to his manner that she did not like, and the moonlight highlighted a greyness in his complexion and a darkness in his normally bright blue eyes.