Reach to the Winds .. For Love

I have seen a hint of something between Sahli and Jaella. I am not one to presume but when they approached my wagon today I .. knew. It was obvious. I have never seen a more tortured man outside the view from the mask. It was great .. I loved it. Made me feel not so alone out here in this mess. Let love visit that scalpel on someone else for a change.

HA

He said he had to speak to me .. he let go of Jaella's hand and I thought they would both fall apart. As he was wiping his sweating palms on his breeches I sent T'zuri to Jaella with a gesture.

I forgave Jaella every bit of her hesitancy with T'zuri when she looked so forlorn and lost as she stepped away to allow us men to talk. Poor kid. Too bad I enjoyed it so much .. I should really think about my sadism. Sometimes it just is out of control.

The two of them looked like they were either going to scream .. dissolve into dust ... or vomit. Or perhaps all three at once. It so worked for me as I waited to hear what Sahli had to say.

He said he had come to tell me of his feelings for Jaella and to ask for her bride price. His shoulders squared .. his tone was a little shaky but he looked me right in the eye ... and I respected that more than anything. He said she had told him that I was her guardian. That he probably was going about this all wrong .. for he had lost his father very young ... but he had no better words to offer me than he wanted her for his mate.

So I asked Sahli if Jaella had given him the idea that this would be agreeable to her. Yeah .. right ... like I had to ask. But it was so much fun. How could I not?

He said that yes .. she had given him that idea. And so I told him there were no better words than that. And I meant it.

But then .. it all just got the best of me. And with a strait face I scratched my jaw in deep .. deep thought and told Sahli I was not sure I could let her go ... seeing as she was so valuable to me.

Sahli hung his head ... HA .... torture is so much fun. Then he drew a blade and handed it to me ... telling me to just kill him now because he could not leave without her. And he said this to me without a single waver in his tone.

well damn

no shit

So I fingered my scars some more and I told him we had a problem then because I needed him at the First Fires .. preferably alive ... so we were going to have to problem solve this a little. Laboring really ... there had to be a solution ... somehow.

Sahli asked me then .. what would I have him do? He spoke of being Tuchuk and hearts belonging to the Harigga .. and being kin with the plains .... so I said to him ....

I really could not think of another way out of it .. I would have to have a white bosk for her.

I am damned at this point so I am making the best of it and enjoying that road to hell. For you see .. I knew a white bosk had been born .. they tell me these things first ... but I had yet to announce it to the Tribe ... so you see .. I had inside information no one else had. It can be thousands of years sometimes between the birth of white bosks ... that is why they are considered so sacred among us. As far as Sahli knew ... it would be another thousand years before he could claim the woman he did not intend to leave my wagons without.

I think I crushed him. It was fantastic. He said .. but Ubar I love her. And then that Tuchuk spirit rose from the ashes .. and he said to me ... as you wish Ubar.

That is right .. get out there and make one if you have to.

So I told him .. go to the herds and look for a white bosk ... if there is one there you may have the woman ... if there is not ... you must wait to claim her until there is one. Knowing .. as I did ... that he would indeed find the little fellow.

Sahli glanced at Jaella and I could see it all there in him. Everything .. but spreading wings in the middle of it all was his intent to make it work .. to do whatever it was that would get him what he wanted. Her.

I think Jaella is the luckiest woman in the Harigga right now. Sahli deserves her .. deserves everything he wants because of that spirit within him. I saw the epitome of Tuchuk today in that boy. It made me proud. He was willing to reach to the winds .. in the face of what appeared to be insurmountable odds ... for love.

Right the fuck on.