Ash and Fire [Obi love story]

Chapter 10 - Heat, Cool, Rest

Chapter 10 — Heat, Cool, Rest

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Shania wakes with a start, laying in damp, cold sheets, her legs and arms tangled dangerously among them. Her eyes flicker furiously around the room, surveying every inch for any danger, any light, any fire. But she finds nothing and when she hears the steady snoring of Mare sleeping in the next room she feels her heart calm. It grounds her within seconds and she realises she is no longer in that god-forsaken nightmare.

Driving herself from bed, Shania tries desperately to get the nightmarish images out of her mind. She paces across the room, stumbling with eyes half-squinted until she reaches her door, swinging it open and making her way down to the forge below. There she dons her gear and starts to heat the fires. Hammering away with no remorse, time flies by quickly, hour after hour. Shania ends up so lost in her work that she doesn't notice a figure drop down into the sweltering room.

"You're never up this late," Obi calls across the room. Shania flinches but doesn't lose her momentum. Instead, she continues to pound away as the male approaches.

"What are you doing here, Obi?" She replies, her eyes not leaving her work. The lacklustre tone of her voice is rather strange.

"I saw the smoke from the castle walls. So I came to check if anything was wrong."

"Nope, just me."

"You haven't given me an answer."

Shania places down her hammer, pacing precariously over to the fire again to regain the white colour of the blade, eyeing the flames constantly. "I don't remember you asking a question."

Obi resists the urge to groan in annoyance. Why is she so difficult all of a sudden? "Why are you up so late, and working. Won't you wake the owner?"

"He's a heavy sleeper. He'll be fine." The female paces back to the anvil, finally looking over to Obi, who leans against a worker's bench. "Anyways, I couldn't sleep."

"I don't think that's a good idea. It's dangerous to work tired."

"It's fine."

"Nia—"

"Obi, I'm fine!" Shania turns, voice raised. But, as soon as her eyes lay on Obi, she recoils. Although it's not obvious, she can still tell she has startled the poor man. "...Sorry. I just can't go back to sleep right now. This is the only way I know how to deal with it."

Obi's brows furrow, his eyes scanning warily over the woman before him. Her hands now swing heavily at her sides, her head hung low, bloodshot eyes averted. After a moment of study, Obi lets out a breath and strides over to Shania. He takes her gloved hand and removes the fabric, careful not to touch the burning tips. He does the same with the other hand, Shania watching on curiously. After removing the leather apron, Obi sets the gear aside and turns back to the female. He smiles broadly and gestures for her to follow him.

"I know a way to help," he says before rushing out of the room.

"Wait—Obi?" Shania calls after the man as she races out of the room after her companion. She tries to avoid making any loud noises, but she cannot prevent the slamming of the front door. So, she ignores the loud crash and continues down the street after Obi's tail.

—

"Obi!" Shania calls for what feels like the millionth time, feeling a stitch pulling at her side. She has done her best to keep up with her companion, who she knows has slowed his pace for her convenience, but she is not the long-distance traveller type. "Where are we going?" She glances around her carefully as she memorises the unfamiliar surroundings. They've been moving for some time now, having left one town and entered another not far out and she is definitely regretting following Obi all this way.

"Almost there, Nia," Obi replies from up ahead before rounding a shop corner.

With an almightly sigh, Shania follows suit before her eyes land on the glittering surface of open water. She looks over the quiet port before her where a handful of fishermen are busy with their ships and a small group of birds chatter nearby. Obi is sitting on the arm of a bench just ahead, the gentle light from over the horizon making him glow.

"Wow..." Shania lets out breathily. She has never been to this port town before, even on jobs outside Whistal and the glittering sea before her is oh so hypnotising.

"I thought the exercise would wear you out," Obi explains when Shania sits beside him. "...But I really wanted to show you this." He gestures towards to horizon where the sun is beginning to rise, changing the dark blue sky into a watercolour dream of oranges, pinks and purples, and the few clouds scattering the sky are eluminated with a yellow ring of light, soft rays shining through them. The once gently rippling water is now dancing with diamond flecks of sunlight. Shania sits mesmerised.

"Beautiful..." She breaths.

"It really is," Obi replies, his voice softer than she has ever heard it. When she glances over, it's as if her breath is taken away once again. His usually cat-like eyes are now molten gold, gently rounded as a smile pulls at the corners of his lips.

It doesn't take long for Obi to feel the prolonged stare of his companion and he looks down at Shania, his own eyes widening momentarily before softening once again. He lifts his hand slowly before second-guessing himself and dropping it to his lap.

"Close your eyes," he instructs. When Shania raises a brow in uncertainty he lets out a chuckle. "I'm not going to do anything. Just let them close." She still hesitates as she holds Obi's gaze but eventually does as instructed. "Listen to the sound of the sea. Hear the waves hitting against the dock, the birds talking, the wind blowing."

Shania allows herself to stop thinking for just a moment and listen to her surroundings. She tries to key into each thing Obi says, hearing each sound and each change around her. The waves, the birds, the trees. Allowing herself to drift further, she smells the salty sea air as the wind picks up momentarily, mixing with fresh bread from a bakery nearby. She doesn't even remember why she's here in the first place as Obi's voice drifts through her head, his warm arms enveloping her as she is lulled into a peaceful sleep.