Ina'lan'ehn Abelas

Chapter 5

Sou'suin - quiet strength

Banal'halam - a word without a true translation in English. Meaning the concept of souls and memories travelling onwards throughout history within the minds and hearts of loved ones, thus meaning that everything -- in a small way -- is immortal. Buildings will remain, clues will remain of lost cultures, dead loved ones live onward in our memories. Nothing truly ends.

Alhasha vun - Wild sun

***

She was so small in my arms. But she smelled like spring, and she was warm. It had been a long time since he had held anyone, if ever, that he remembers.

Sou'suin she said. Quiet strength. Is that what he was to her? Could he be that for her? He held her closer and said softly, "Indeed. That is a nice name."

She held me closer, and we stayed that way for a long time, neither of us wanting to move. It was then it came to me, a new name for her, "Banal'halam. Nothing ever truly dies. They live on, in your heart and in your soul." I let my words sink in for a moment before saying, "Alhasha vun."

She looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy, and her face was streaked with tears, but I had never seen anyone so beautiful. She watched me for some time, and I felt her soul reach for mine. Then, she took my breath away. Her smile was bright. So bright.

She finally spoke, "So I'm wild, am I?"

I could not speak. Her smile, though small, made it impossible to think anything at all. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and I could not think.

I watched as she came closer to me, her small hands tracing my Vallaslin, and she said, "The Well likes you. They talk about you all the time, did you know?"

I shook my head. Although her smile was gone, her eyes remained lit with something I could not define.

"They were with you for so long, and you cared for them. To those in your charge, you take care of them wholeheartedly. Without reservations." She looked into my eyes once again, and I could feel her hesitance, "Am I just another charge? Will you one day let me go too?"

Her hesitance broke something in me, and I held her face as gently as she held mine, "I will not."

She just kept holding me gently and said, "Everyone leaves. Don't make promises you cannot keep."

I took in a deep breath and said, "It is true that things come and go. But, if you will it, I will not."

Her eyes got far away, and she spoke in a whisper, "The Well wants me to agree with you. They are always pushing me towards you. But I am afraid. Everyone I had ever loved is either dead or gone. And the one that I had given my heart to, my soul, left for things greater than I could give."

It was then I understood. She was afraid to get close to someone again. I brought our faces closer and lightly touched our foreheads, "I am but a servant. I do not have much, but neither do I seek for anything that you are not willing to give."

I could feel her breath upon my lips as she said, "And if I give you my heart?"

My breath hitched, and I was floored. This was so much more than I thought I deserved, "I do not deserve it. But if you give it, I will hold it gladly, and keep it safe."

She sighed and said, "And your own? Will you keep it hidden?"

I shook my head gently and said, "No. If you want to keep something of mine, you have but to ask. I will gladly give you the stars, you only need wish it, and it is yours."

Her hands held my face firmly now and she said, "You cannot take them back."

I smiled and said, "I would not want to."

I felt her smile, and then I felt something more. Her lips were soft, warm, and felt so good. I was shocked for a moment, before I slowly kissed her back. As we kissed softly, her hold on me grew until she was grasping me to come closer. I immediately complied.

I had never kissed anyone before, and murmured against her lips, "You are so soft. So warm."

She inched back and looked at me with mirth in her beautiful eyes. Her lips were swollen, and her cheeks were rosy, "Women tend to be warm and soft." Her eyes then hooded, and she said, "You are hard, and feel like lightening in my arms."

I smiled at her and said, "Lightening? How so?"

She tilted her head and ran her fingers gently down my cheek and said, "When you touch me, my heart pounds and it sends shivers down my spine. When you look at me, my soul cries for yours in a way I have never felt. When you kiss me, lightening dances behind my eyes, and the world falls away."

I brought my hands back to her face and said, "I have not felt this in my entire existence. All I have known is duty. But being with you is refreshing. You take my breath away and I want to always see that light in your eyes and your beautiful smile."

Her eyes danced and her smile was wide, "And in return?"

I held her eyes for what seemed an eternity and said, "I give you everything."

Her smile did not dim, and her eyes remained fastened on mine, "I want you, Sou'suin. Just you."

I brought our lips closer together, "Then you have me. Always." And I kissed her gently. She sighed on my mouth and kissed me back.

I did not think about how our actions would be perceived, nor what we would become in the future. I only thought about her lips on mine, our arms holding each other, and our souls healing and becoming something more.