Burden .. of Love

So I parked myself with an arrogant lean and my arms braided over my chest. Dark gaze following Sahli on his trek to the herds. I really should have been ashamed of myself for the dirty trick I played on him .. but being Tuchuk ... I was not.

I could not hear what T'zuri and Jaella were speaking of ... but I thought Jaella was going to turn inside out and rip apart at the seams before she just raised her chin in that female defiant little gesture. I had to turn an exaggerated yawn into my shoulder to hide the smirk. You can not play a dirty trick like that and then just give it away so easy. Keep a strait face.

I was really having trouble though .. with the looks I was getting from the girls. Then I heard a "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" and that did it I broke into deep chuckling. It was rather obvious to me at that point Sahli had found the white bosk.

You could hear his boots hitting the ground in a run long before he came around the corner of the wagons. I thought for a moment he was going to trip on his laces ... and people wonder why I do not wear boots with laces .... ever. That is one of the reasons .. been there done that.

"There is a white bosk .. Fonce ... a white bosk!"

I liked that he used my name finally. No.. I said stunned and shocked ... there could not be. Really? Are you sure?

"A male"

A male? No way! I smirked.

I told Sahli I had no idea how that happened .. but ... that I there was not much I could do now .. seemed that I had to give up Jaella. I had no choice but to honor my word. Darn. As if Sahli had trumped every move I had made to keep Jaella from him ... as if she was his by the sheer will of the Sky.

I was going to hell twice for that. Maggots and all.

"She is mine then?"

I told Sahli that she was indeed his .. in completeness.

"She is mine .. then"

I wanted to tip him over like a sleeping bosk. Just a nudge at the shoulder would have done it at that moment while he stared at Jaella and all the visions of all he wanted danced in his head. But I refrained .. because I am not all evil.

Instead I clapped him on the shoulder and told him congratulations .. and that I wished the two of them all the best and .. that was nearly as catastrophic as the nudge because for a moment there I thought he was going to bug right out of his skin. Then he asked me ..

"Ubar" .. I was back to being Ubar again ... "One more thing .. I would not wish to intrude any further but I have no other to ask. What do I do now .. is there? I have never claimed a woman."

And I replied to him .. nothing Sahli .. take her and make her yours in every sense of that word. And I added on at the end because I suddenly got the flicker of an idea I better ... that he should do so

without clothes on.

Now by this time Cana had been caught sneaking around to leave me some honey .. and unfortunately did so when we were all there. Well unfortunately for her since she wanted to do it as a secret .. great for me though. Mine.

When Sahli walked to Jaella and swept her up into his arms and spun her around yelling "HE SAID YES!" Both Cana and I chuckled. She leaned to whisper to me that she was not sure he would know what to do next. I leaned and assured her I was not going to be the one to tell him.

She said she had to go spend some time with Lochlan and I asked her to tell him Tal for me. I had not missed the crease on her brow when she saw T'zuri. I think that probably set me up for some of my paranoia later. I guess if she wants to share an opinion about it she will come to me. At least that is what I would expect of my friend.

Jaella came to me and kissed my cheek .. I almost felt bad for enjoying her discomfort. Almost. I told her to be good to him. I meant it. Probably more than anyone really understands.

Then she said I was getting new pants soon. Pants? What was wrong with my pants? Was something hanging out of them I was not aware of? Seems I would know in this kind of weather. There was nothing wrong with my pants .. why was I going to get new ones? What the hell? I liked my pants .. They were well worn and comfortable. Really well worn .. really comfortable.

I watched the two of them leave .. with T'zuri thrown up on my shoulder. I watched the burden of love settle down on Sahli's shoulders .. but what I saw was not a man laboring under a weight .. I saw the burden lift him up and make him stronger. I saw his back straighter .. his shoulders level ... his head higher. He looked like a man who had just picked up the Central Fire for his very own and instead of it being heavy .. it just became a part of him ... shining out of every pore.

And let that ... be a lesson on love.