The Journal of Dreams (The Tales of Tahana - Book One)

Chapter 5: Difficult Decisions

19-2-2-4012, Arang, Telama, Hilaraya

As soon as the Periji disappeared into the doorway to the Hall of Prayer, Asha held on to her husband's strong right arm again. Everything that had happened since she heard the strange stories from her neighbours earlier that day was starting to make her head hurt. She looked into her husband's eyes and saw that they both shared the same worries. They needed no words to know this. Ever since they first laid their eyes on each other at the busy harbour market of Kanay sixteen cycles ago, they had always been able to communicate with each other with their eyes. She felt the rough skin of Rami's left palm on her right hand and she felt a little relieved. From where she and her husband stood, she could see that the Sheriva was looking at them admiringly. She cleared her throat and let go of her husband's arm and turned towards the Sheriva.

"Sheriva, I will help you prepare the table. Dari is still soundly asleep and I reckon he won't wake up until much later," Asha said, taking a step towards the Sheriva, but the Sheriva held up her right hand.

"You should be resting yourself, Asha. I know that both of you had a rough day," Sheriva Gariana said as she looked at Asha and her husband with concern. "Besides, Mistress Ola and I can handle matters in the kitchen and in the dining room ourselves. No need to bother yourself with it, my child."

"If you insist, Sheriva. Thank you. Rami and I will stay here with Dari then," Asha conceded, feeling quite odd. She was not used to being treated as such and it was making her uncomfortable.

"Very good then! I will leave you now. I will call you when dinner is ready," the Sheriva said as she gave both of them another one of her low curtsies. She rose up gracefully and walked towards the doorway at the northern end of the corridor.

"I hope the Periji comes back soon. Oh! For Suraya's sake, let them give us this night to get some rest," Rami said, voicing out what his eyes were saying.

"I'm sure the Periji knows what to do. But Dari.... Oh Rami, what are we going to do?" Asha could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again.

Asha felt her husband move, facing her, then he leaned closer and took her in his big strong arms in a tight embrace. She could smell the salt of the sea in his shirt and skin. The feel of her husband's strong arms around her made her feel safe. Even if her mind was still troubled with thoughts about Dari's future, she felt a momentary relief from her worries in the arms of her loving husband. She felt his heart beating against his thick chest, and she felt her own heart beating with his in perfect time. She held him tightly with her slender arms and fought the coming tears with all her might. Then, she felt the low rumble of his husband's deep voice against his chest.

"It's alright, my heart. You can shed your tears if you have to."

Asha felt her husband's hand slowly stroking her long hair. With that simple gesture, she felt all her emotions crashing down like torrential rain and tears began to run like tiny rivers down her cheeks. Her sobs were muffled by her husband's chest as he held her in the corridor.

After a few minutes, Asha felt a bit better. She opened her teary eyes and looked up to see her dear husband's kind and handsome face.

"I can see where this is all going, Rami," Asha finally said as she kept her eyes locked on her husband's eyes. "My heart breaks to think about it, but we don't have much of a choice, do we?"

"No, we don't, my heart. I wanted to deny it myself, but the Periji only confirmed what I was dreading from the start. Dari would have to leave Arang, for his own good," Rami replied. His eyes were starting to fill with tears but his face looked steady.

"Oh Rami..." Asha could feel another burst of sobs coming but she held it in. "But where would he go? Have you talked to the Periji about this already?"