Sandstorm [ACOTOR series side story]

Forty-three

Kaimuzu found Nashira near the back of the Oasis estate in a huge room she'd reserved for the days she felt like training at home. Nashira was in the middle of pummeling a dummy with its filling escaping from the rip in its side. There were weapons scattered on the sand floor, instead of neatly sitting in their designated stands, that looked like Nashira had already used them. The room smelled like sweat as the fading rays of sunlight filtered in from the many windows and the skylight in the room. Kaimuzu just watched Nashira strike the dummy with kicks and punches as her hair flew everywhere encircling her. 

"Are you just going to stare?" Nashira snapped as she stepped back from the dummy and caught her breath. 

"I couldn't help but admire your hair since you rarely have it out, but that's not what I came for. Why don't you go wash up and then we'll talk?"

She grunted and walked out of the room towards their bedroom while Kaimuzu went to the kitchen. Kaimuzu took out a few sweets from a cupboard and set some tea to steep. The tea was finished by the time Nashira walked dressed into the kitchen and sat down at the table with a towel and dripping hair. Kaimuzu placed a mug of tea in front of Nashira and slid the plate of sweets closer to her.

"Eat at least half of those and maybe you could tell me what you're feeling right now as you do."

Kaimuzu watched as she stared blankly at the cookie in front of her with water dripping down her face, "No."

Kaimuzu just went behind her back while grabbing the towel to dry her hair gently for her. Against her words, Nashira grabbed a cookie and ate the whole thing in one bite. She shoved a few more cookies in her mouth but stopped to breathe and to drink some tea. She slowed down the pace of her eating, but still took a few minutes to speak.

"I'm reasonable, right."

As the question was rhetorical, Kaimuzu kept silent and let Nashira open up to him at her own pace. And after a few more cookies, she finally spoke again.

"If he had talked to me, I would've listened to him and let my objections be known afterwards. What possessed him to think to treat me how most of the people in my life have treated me? I have had my choices ripped out of my hands too many times to let it happen again. Though what can I do against my High Lord that wouldn't get me killed for my damn pride? But I saw how determined he was to have my word that I would help him. If I had refused, he'd have anyways forced me to do it like that option was always on the table. At least I now know the boundaries of my High Lord, they are non-existent," Nashira spoke bitterly.

Kaimuzu finished rubbing the water out of her hair and was finger combing the tangles out of it.

"But isn't that what you like about your cousin, the fact that you don't need to watch out for any pride or formalities that you would offend. Honestly, if you weren't his adoptive cousin or my mate, I know he would have convinced you to have slept with him centuries ago," Kaimuzu mused.

Nashira huffed and stuffed another cookie in her mouth, "If you weren't my mate, he'd have made a move on both of us by now."

"I always wondered why he hadn't asked me before. Did you put a claim on me or something?"

Nashira spewed her the sip of tea she was drinking and laughed at his words. She laughed herself hoarse and wiped tears out of her eyes when she had finally calmed down.

"Do you know why I started calling you a pretty boy, pretty boy?"

"No, but I honestly wish you'd stop calling me that and maybe something different, like handsome," Kaimuzu whined.

"Nope, you're stuck with pretty boy because it's what Helion had used to describe you at one point. He got drunk one day and talked about how your face was too pretty and how he always wanted to smash it for looking better than his own face. I'm never letting it go now because he lost any chance he had of getting the 'pretty boy' in his bed."

Kaimuzu made a face at the thought of it.

"No, thank you. After I became friends with you, I knew there was no one else possible for me. I'm surprised that the bond hadn't formed earlier than it did, that, and the fact that we waited for so long," he chuckled but Nashira stared blankly in front of her, remembering.

"I don't think I would have survived that beast if the bond wasn't there in the back of my mind tethering me to you. It was my only source of comfort when even the sun reminded me about all the loved ones I would never see again. But I think I knew deep down that I would return to you, that I would do what I do best, survive," Nashira admitted.

Kaimuzu's eyes were watery as he brought Nashira up out of her chair and took her hands in his. They looked towards each other with love and gratitude, until a sloppy grin appeared onto Kaimuzu's face.

"You know, Aki really loves when I dance with her even when there's no music around. So, my lovely mate, would you like to dance," he said and waved his arm in a flourishing bow.

Nashira looked amused at her mate's actions, who had somehow brought her out of her foul mood. Her stone heart was softening, making the storm of her existence calm at last and she didn't care one bit.

"Let me braid my hair first," she decided, but Kaimuzu wouldn't let that happen.

He grabbed her waist and twirled her around until she was too dizzy to do anything but laugh and let her mate dance her into oblivion. 

"Freedom!" he yelled as they danced into the evening desert sun and sand.