Scarlet Kiss

I knew it was not going to be easy explaining the amalgamation of the brush to Seveya. And I felt bad .. responsible ... that I had been so careless. It just had not occurred to me that the two symbols would attract to each other has hard as they had. But what was done was done and there was not much I could do about it now .. so the next step was to take the thing to her and attempt to explain myself as best I could and take whatever consequences came with it.

I found her by the kaiila pens .. leaning against the railing and watching the kaiila. With a hunter's step I came up behind and I placed my hands on the rail to either side of her and said her name in her ear .. at the same time bracing for the surprised elbow that I figured would find a home against my ribs. But she caught herself at the last moment and instead turned within my arms to hug me.

I am not sure why .. or how ... but I felt her. For the first time I felt the impact of her .. energy ... life force. It is not often that I can feel someone but when I do it is very intense and .. attractive. But I was also concerned .. what had happened? Had she been injured again? Had something happened to her heart? Her mind? It was not just a flicker .. it was a full blast against me and I needed to know why.

She answered that .. she had killed someone. It was her fault .. he was dead.

figures

I started making plans to accommodate for such a thing .. Fonce in laundry mode. I asked her where the body was.

Then she attempted to explain .. that Yew was dead and Karvek was lording that over her with great pleasure.

huh

That repainted the picture I was getting .. quite a bit. I asked her if she had found him .. she said not yet but she would leave to do so. She was crying now and .. that was just making everything a little harder to catch up on and understand.

Long of it was complicated and took a few false starts before we got anywhere .. short of it was she decided that knowing for sure what had happened to Yew was not as important as remembering him the way she knew him .. running across the plains with the wind.

Once that was decided I asked her if we could speak of something else for a moment. I really was trying to be sensitive about Yew .. I knew he was important to her ... but there was another burden on my shoulders and I could not help but wish it to be cleared up ... one way or the other. I expected her to be upset and even angry with me. But I did not have a lot of investment in the result .. I simply wanted to clear my conscience .. I would take what might come as natural.

I had wrapped the brush in a white cloth before shoving it into my vest pocket .. by the time I retrieved it to give it to her the thing had bled through leaving a scarlet stain. I told her what had happened .. I told her about the vulo and how it had escaped my hands once I had pulled it from my dream. How the two had .. connected ... and were now one. I told her I did not know what that would mean or how it had changed the brush .. only that it had. That I could not stop the brush from .. bleeding.

She explained to me it bled the color she would have painted with it .. that it was meant to be. I am not sure about that .. that it was "meant to be". I do not have a lot of faith .. let alone faith in destiny and fate. They are not predictable and rarely work in my favor. But at least she was not angry with me .. she took it well ... considering. I was thankful for that. Thankful that she was not disappointed as I had expected her to be. I had not wished to add any more loss onto her ... she had suffered too much all ready. Some might argue it was her own doing and I suppose it was .. but the moment I start judging anyone for their mistakes I usually get judged even more harshly so I was reserving any such thing at the moment. Besides .. how could I truly fault someone for trying to find me so hard .. when that is something I need so badly?

Perhaps that is why I kissed her. Because she found me .. because I felt her find me. I do not know. I know that I did though .. and I kissed her hard enough to break the seam of her lip loose from the hold of the stitches ... the click of our teeth a herald for the exploration of her mouth. The heavy-sweet metallic taste spread over my tongue before I realized what I had done and leaned back .. examining her lip to make sure I did not tear a stitch completely away. But it was a small break and it would heal over again. Relieved .. I wanted one more taste of her before I let her go. At first I was concerned she would be shocked .. embarrassed ... perhaps even disgusted by the gesture. But she was not .. and I knew she was not because ... I could feel her. Feel the ebb and flow .. the rush of emotions like a life pulse that throbbed through her entire body ... leaking energy from every pore. It is a thing .. intoxicating ... to me. Something I have experienced only a few times in my life. Certainly something I find great value in. Something that makes me feel alive .. makes me feel ... real.

The brush? I do not know what will come of the brush now. I do not know what it is meant for .. if anything at all. I know I am responsible for the change .. whether good or bad. Perhaps she is right and the destiny of the brush can not be swayed by such an insignificant thing as the carelessness of a human. Perhaps she is correct and the brush will fulfill itself despite me .. or anyone or anything. Her belief and faith is something that I am drawn to .. it heals a little of my soul in contact. I do not know what that means.

One thing I do know .. the brush is back where it belongs ... in the hands of the Artist.

And in turn .. I envy the brush ... and the knowledge of where it belongs.