Two

Chapter 23

The morning was bleak, filled with relentless rain and Nima was only slightly less annoyed by it because she could listen to it hitting the roof. It was calming, so she sat on the bed, closed her eyes, and started her daily meditation.

Once she was finished, Nima headed down to the lake to bathe and clean her clothes before cooking food again. The same happened the next day. Bleak and rainy and Nima was left to return to the hut alone after spending some time outside when the rain stopped.

Opening the door to the hut, warm air hit her skin. Odd, she hadn’t cooked anything that morning, she’d had some of the local fruits instead. Then she took a moment to look at the fire, at the pan above it and the person sat by it.

“You’re back,” she whispered, a smile spreading across her face as she quickly shut the door behind her. “What are you doing?”
“I thought it would be nice to cook you something.” Not sure what to say, Nima moved to sit beside him on the floor. He offered up the knife with a small strip of meat on the end of it. It looked spiced, and had turned a wonderful crispy brown on the outside.
“This is nice,” she said while chewing. “Really nice actually.” She was surprised, since he never had to spice his own food.

“I have some presents for you, they’re on my ship.” She hadn’t seen it land, and she’d spent the last hour or so walking by the lake. “I can get them for you now.”
“I don’t mind having them later,” she said. In truth, she was just happy to see him again and she didn’t want him to leave her sight so soon, even if it was just to go to his ship. “I’d like to just spend time with you.”

He stared at her. “You’ve missed me?” How did that surprise him? He was almost as surprised as when she told him how he felt, except missing him should have been less of a surprise now.
“Of course I have.”
“I have too.”
“Missed yourself?” Nima said in an attempt at a joke. He huffed and shook his head slightly, but he smiled a little.
“Missed you.” She knew what he meant but hearing him saying it felt completely different. Her heart grew warm and so did her face.

Maul moved to sit somehow closer to her, his leg pressing against her own and she smiled, as she ate.
“Have you eaten?” He nodded. He must have been back longer than she thought. “I know you’re not fond of spice, but I think it’s worth trying this.”
“Why would it be worth it?”
“Because it tastes great, and you cooked it. Food is always better when you cook it. At least, it is for me.” There was something satisfying in getting to eat what you’d put the effort into cooking.

“I will try a small portion,” he said after a minute. Nima offered him the knife she had been using to eat but he shook his head to refuse and picked out a piece with his fingers. Some of the spice stuck to his nails and he looked hesitant for a moment before eating it. He chewed and stayed quiet before taking another piece. A smile spread across Nima’s face.

“You like it,” she said as he reached for his third piece. She figured she better carry on eating too, before he ate more than she did.
“I don’t hate it.” He spoke quietly and Nima laughed.
“Close enough,” she said as he took a fourth piece. She just smiled and ate a little quicker. “Maybe you’ll have to cook more sometime.”
“Perhaps.” He stopped taking pieces of food from her now, not that she minded too much. She’d eaten most of it anyway.

Once she was finished, Maul insisted they head to his ship together, so that he could give her the gifts. A fluttery feeling in her chest almost took her breath away as she headed inside the ship. She’d wanted a surprise, but he had gotten her several.

The first thing Nima noticed was a staff, a gleaming silver staff, taller than her by half a foot and
“That’s for you,” he said. “And what is next to it is yours too.” Nima hadn’t even noticed the box next to it. She gasped and looked at him, watching as he picked up the staff from where it rested.
“It’s mine to keep?”
“Yes, like everything else I have given you.” She smiled and watched him spin it effortlessly, and carefully avoided the ship’s walls. He then slowed it, stopping it easily, and held it out to her.
“I feel I should head outside with it,” she said as she took it from him. He might be able to avoid the ship’s walls, but only narrowly. She had no chance of doing the same.