Zasha's Capture (manxman)

Chapter 13

The other half of his heart was waiting on him, staring with those huge purple eyes. Gowron had longed for this moment for so long, and now that it was here he could only speak one word.

"Zasha."

Beautiful. That was all Gowron could think of as he walked towards his beloved. The one he had been fighting to get back to for these long cycles. The one he had forsaken all other desires for. Those enormous purple eyes opened wide as they watched him approach. So very beautiful, and yet he was different than he remembered. It had been a long time.

"Gowron."

Ah. That voice. Once he had been more than happy to let it sooth him as he lie dying. How he had yearned for it. It washed over him, pulling out his need to claim Zasha as his once and for all.

He could see the questions rolling through Zasha's eyes. Questions he longed to answer as soon as they were alone. The fight to get back to his beloved had been a hard one. For fifty three cycles he had thought of nothing but returning for his mate. However, it felt as if the universe had conspired against him, preventing him from being reunited with the other half of his heart.

No more. He was here now and nothing and no one would stand between him and Zasha. He had returned despite the odds stacked against him. It was time to solidify their union in the eyes of all others. Soon, none could deny the bond between them. 

He allowed himself a moment to take in Zasha, in all his glory. His clothing complemented his unique skin and hugged his small, soft form pleasingly. His hair was a beautiful weaving of sparkling braids. A testament to their coming union, toes peeked out from the silken leggings.

According to Tsa'tsay tradition, the pair to be married always came to the place of joining with bare feet. Once they reached the place where they would become one, the dirt gathered on the journey was washed away by the other. They would each wash the others feet as a symbol that they no longer walked on separate paths. It served as a tangible reminder that from that moment on, the path they took was traveled together. Unlike the pair being joined, the feet of those standing as witnesses would be unwashed. This was to show that they would continue to walk beside the pair, supporting them on their new path as they had the old one, carrying past memories and being there to create new ones as well.

Gowron knelt before Zasha, it was the signal the Priestess had been told to look for. She had been informed of the ritual that Gowron's people followed during their unions. He glanced at the Priestess as she bent, reaching beneath the altar to pull out a bowl filled with water, along with a soft cloth. As she turned back towards them, Gowron looked up at Zasha from his kneeling position on the temple floor.

He nearly lost his balance as Zasha launched himself into his arms, catching him by surprise. The serene silence of the temple was broken as the tiny frame shook, sobbing in his arms. Zasha clung to him, burying his face in his neck as he wept. Gowron's heart constricted, aching in his chest with indefinable emotion.

He cradled the small form in his arms, gently encasing him with his own body, using his tentacles to wrap around them and afford them some tiny measure of privacy. He held Zasha and rocked him gently back and forth as he stroked his braided hair, feeling the feathery antennae that were laid back and quivering. This being was so precious to him, he wished there was no one else here to witness this moment.

He soothed Zasha with soft shushes and caresses, despairing the weight that his beloved must have carried all these cycles. Slowly, after a few minutes, Zasha seemed to become calmer. He tried to set him back on his feet, but the grip around his neck tightened and Zasha made a small noise of denial. For a moment he thought Zasha had scratched him, only to realize that it was from the bundle Zasha was holding.