Of Winds And Quakes

53. The Promise And The Hurricane

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Highlands
Altsas

Alysia

WHEN THE SUN SITS high up in the sky and the fullness in my stomach I got from eating the rabbit dissipates, I lose my patience and turn to Kyan who is lying face up on the ground. "I want to have a bath." I jump up from my favourite spot under the tree. I grab my bag and start tramping through trees, leaving footprints in the soft earth and scaring of birds from their perches as I go.

Kyan's heavy footsteps follows closely behind, he doesn't say anything but follows humbly which I'm utterly surprised at. When I stop confused on which path to take, he drapes his arm around my waist making me flinch and he steers me to the right path. We walk in silence letting only our breaths and the calls of the bustling forest be the sounds we hear. The familiar rush of the river grows louder and I quicken my steps not minding that I might come face-to-face with an aggressive mammal. My steps halt as my sandaled feet sinks into the sticky sand of the bank of the river. The current is strong enough to wash away a full grown person, I gulp my heart dances frantically in my chest.

"Let's go downstream," Kyan says and he grips my wrist making the bracelet lie flat on my wrist. I imagine the patterns the links have embedded in my skin.

Our feet sinks into the soft earth as we push forward. I stare into the water, the vibrant splashing water and its white sparkling foam mesmerises me. As we walk down the length of the river, its aggressive flowing reduces greatly until it's as calm and still as the river back at Kintil.

I watch Kyan strip to his dark blue briefs and ambles confidently into the water, he saunters in like the owns the river, the muscles of his back gliding smoothly under his tattoos as he goes. He swims a bit, playing like a child. I watch for a while like I'm in a trance.

"Aren't you coming in?" He grins brightly," the water is wonderful!"

Of course it is. I don't mind taking a bath myself but the only problem is how can I undress in front of him?

He notices my hesitation, then his features soften with understanding. "I can turn the other way if you want."

My scars would have been an issue too. I'm glad the henna does a great job of covering it up.

He turns around displaying his adorned back to me. Sucking in a breath, I pull the dress over my head and shiver as the breeze rolls over my skin. My pinkish-brown nipples tighten so they are like hard beads and my breathing becomes ragged. I waddle into the water, the chilling waves pulsates through my body making me shiver. Goosebumps erupt on my skin like a disease, I use one hand to cover my breasts in an ancient pose. The water rises to my knees and then to my  waist until I am submerged to my neck. I struggle to maintain my balance but the water sloshes around me and I mistakenly gulp some.

"Kyan... The water is too high." I cough a little.

"Can you swim?" He asks.

"Y-Yes," I stutter.

"Follow me." And he is slicing through the water like a dolphin doing long strokes with his strong arms.

I try my best to keep up with him, I bump into his back and he turns to look at me. The water is lower here, just below my breasts. His pupils dilate growing so big it almost consumes his whole eyes, he looks at me like he has never seen me before.
"You are... Beau-"

"You don't have to say anything," I snap. I don't want him to feel he has to compliment me, I don't need it. Confusion flickers in his features; his brows scrunching then it fades and only something like anger or shame is left. Maybe I have embarrassed him but I don't care.