Nhaka’s writings, continued…

Leaving the warm campfires of Clan Ayan’s caravan, I got up from my comfortable spot by Kashi and Ekaksh’s wagon and made my way through the forest path. It was, thankfully enough, a short enough walk in the cold! Enough, I’d say, to kick up an urge to enjoy a good smoke!

There, at the clearing that awaited me on the other end under the waning moon and the pale glimmer of the stars above, I saw Akasha Ayan. She’s lived for fifteen winters upon this world, her parents have told me, and now she was sitting pretty upon the riverbank by the cold stream running through the entirety of the Frostshade Cradle, her back turned to me and her bare feet dipped slightly and kicking about in the half-frozen water. I could hear her singing softly into the cold night, a melody to no one but herself and perhaps the heavens above, if the gods of old were still living upon Melodia.

I stood there for a while, listening quietly. It was beautiful, her singing, and I’d be foolish to try and put it in words! But what I can say about it here in my Chronicle, is that my heart quivered within my chest as I listened. And that when it was finally over, when silence returned to the ever-present cold, I felt an emptiness unlike any other well up within me that itched upon the tips of my eyestalks.

Without a word, I joined Akasha at her spot by the frozen riverbank. She turned to look at me, her bare feet still kicking slow ripples into the icy water below while her elvish ears remained taut upon the cold air. There was a serenity to her expression as her lips formed a smile at the sight of mine, and her eyes were so pretty and blue. Just like her brown hair, that was long and pretty as well. So very pretty!

“Hello!” I said as I took out my pipe and lit it with a little touch of fire magic. “It’s beautiful out here, yes?”

“Yeah, it is,” she said in reply with a rather thoughtful nod, her words soft and gentle like half-frozen dew upon the tip of my tongue as she watched me take a nice, long drag from my pipe. “I don’t know why, but every time we come here, I’m just… drawn to this place.”

“I can see why!” I exclaimed most cheerily. “It’s my first time here, and it’s so very pretty!”

“It’s more than just that to me, Archon.”

“How so?”

Akasha looked at me again. Her smile was wistful, and her expression as serene as ever as those blue eyes of hers gazed keenly into my many, many eyes.

“Call it my imagination, maybe,” she said after a while. “But I feel at peace, here. The sights, the sounds, everything just feels… right.”

She then looked down towards her feet. And as she gazed at the icy waters flowing below, she let out what sounded like a wistful sigh.

“Ah, but that’s enough musing for now,” she said as she closed those beautiful eyes of hers. “Are mom and dad… looking for me?”

“Right on!” I exclaimed with a smile. “They’d like to speak to you about something important!”

“Let me guess, if I may…” Akasha answered, her eyes still closed as she spoke her words slowly and gently. “Is it about my parentage?”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that. And so, I smiled at her as innocently as a Beholder ever could. She, on the other hand, seemed to know what to say next. From the way she continued treading her toes upon the water’s edge with her eyes closed, she didn’t seemed perturbed in the slightest!

“They weren’t being very subtle about it as of late… ever since we stopped by here to prepare for my wedding, I think I’ve figured it out at least four times within a single day,” Akasha remarked rather nonchalantly as she opened her eyes to notice my (admittedly) not-so-brilliant acting. “And neither are you it seems, now that they’ve told you.”

“So, um… how about it, then?” I asked her with the sweetest smile I could muster, as I remembered what I had promised Kashi and Ekaksh in light of what I had definitely not expected at all to happen. “Since you know that I know, that they know!”

With that sweetest of smiles upon my lips, I watched on with all my eyes and eyestalks as Akasha looked down towards the icy water. As what appeared like a smile, formed upon hers while she gazed upon our reflections glistening on its resplendent surface.

“Mom and dad love me,” she said. “And I love them too. It is what it is.”

“That’s great!” I exclaimed to her, with all the good cheer I had within me. “I’m glad you feel that way!”

“That’s the least of my concerns, though.”

“What do you mean?”

In response to my question, we sat in silence for a while, admiring the beauty of the icy trees around us while Akasha collected her thoughts. And soon enough, she did!

“Archon, do the people you rule get married… like this?” she asked. “There aren’t any forests like this near the cities…”

“Not really!” I said in reply. “You know of the Central Church?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, their devatas preside over weddings in Arcadia. You know, in their churches and abbeys, where the married couple get to invite their friends and family. Usually, there’s a banquet after that, and a celebration!”

“Just like us, huh?”

“I guess? Why the question, though?”

“Tell me, Archon. Do they get to choose who they marry?” Akasha asked me instead, her gaze looking forward into the forest beyond. “The people of Arcadia, I mean.”

“I’m not sure, actually!” I said in reply. “There are so many reasons and factors that compel mortals to marry, yes? True love, wealth, delusions of love, obligation and obsession…”

“Do they end up happy, though?”

“Maybe, maybe not? Love is fickle, yes? Weird as well, sometimes!”

In response to this answer of mine, Akasha turned to me and grimaced. She did that for a while, before her gaze returned to what lay ahead of us both, beyond the cold stream and the forest beyond.

“I’m thinking about Lavi,” she said. “I’m to marry him, and he’s to join our Clan as my husband and fellow weaver. I’ve met him before, when we were both ten years of age. He’s nice, a little shy, handsome…”

To that, I simply nodded in approval. Those were good traits for a mortal coupling, after all!

“And yet… will he love me?” she added quietly. “And will I love him, the same way mom loves dad? We barely know each other, you know? And we’re to spend the rest of our lives together, and start a family like our parents did… to have children of our own…”

I remained silent. It wasn’t sorrow in her words, but worry. The elders, and the rest of Clan Ayan, spoke happily about the wedding to come. But nobody asked Akasha Ayan, and I doubt anyone did the same for Lavi Jha. And in truth, I didn’t know what to say to her, or that if my words could even allay anything. She was, after all, a little young for a wedding! At least, based on the human and elven couplings and the weddings that I’ve witnessed over the centuries in the lands of my fellow Archons.

“But I suppose it doesn’t matter. Because I… I’ll love him,” Akasha said, her words slow yet certain like winter. “I want to love him, Archon. I’ll give him my all, and I hope he’ll feel the same way. As for our child… I’d want a boy as handsome as him. But if our child’s a girl, I’d love her too. Just as much, no less.”

“He surely will! He’d be silly not to!” I exclaimed in agreement. “And if he doesn’t… let me know, and I’ll make sure he does. Promise!”

Akasha looked at me again, once more. I looked at her with all my eyes upon hers. That is, until a smile formed upon her lips as she started to giggle most mirthfully. She covered her mouth with her hand, but it was far too late!

“I’m being very serious!” I exclaimed, puffing up my cheeks and my chest as I spoke. “An Archon’s word carries the weight of the world, I’ll have you know!”

She didn’t look very convinced, I’ll admit! And so, I took out the notebook and the magical self-inking quill that have both served me so well in my travels, and tore a blank page out from the former. There, I wrote my address back home in the Ancient Cathedral. It is, after all, given priority in the Empire’s postal service, I’d like to think!

“Here!” I said, handing her the piece of parchment. “No matter where you are, I’m just a letter away! When I’m gone, write to me whenever and for whatever, won’t you?”

“I definitely will!” Akasha exclaimed with that very pretty smile of hers as she accepted my favour. “And thank you, for listening to me. I never get the chance to talk about things like this… to get it off my chest. How can I ever thank you?”

“Well, if you’re to have a child with Lavi…” I said, choosing my own words carefully while I put on my best smile. “May I have the honour… of being their godmother?”

“Godmother?”

“Yes, indeed!” I exclaimed most enthusiastically. “You know, like a guardian of sorts! When they’re born, they’ll have an Archon’s favour!”

Looking back, it’s admittedly a rather strange request! Maybe, considering the animosity of the past between her kind and mine. I want to say that it’s for some noble cause, to perhaps bring the Wild Elves and the Hellbourne together. But at the same time, it really isn’t!

“Because that’s what friends do, right?” I added, smiling as I looked into those beautiful blue eyes of hers as she gazed puzzledly into all of mine. “And we’re friends, yes?”

When Akasha nodded in approval to that, I let out a squeal that made her smile as I reached for both her hands with both of mine!

“Though I have to say…” she remarked most wryly. “I’m not sure if the elders would approve of a Hellbourne doing something like that… not even sure if my parents would, actually.”

“But you would, right?” I asked in response. “It’s all perks having me as your child’s godmother, I’m telling you!”

“Why, though?”

“Because… I like to think that we’ve got something special between the both of us!” I answered most succinctly. “That, and your family has been so kind to me! As an Archon, it’s the least I can do for a friend, you know!”

To that, Akasha nodded again. It was all I needed for an answer!

“Then it’s our little secret!” I declared triumphantly. “Don’t tell anyone else!”

It was with this, that Akasha and I left the clearing together. Hand-in-hand, like best friends! When we got back to Kashi and Ekaksh’s wagon, I sat back and watched with a smile as the three of them came together as a family. There were tears, but more importantly, there was love! Just as it should be, like all things right and good with the world of Melodia!

 

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At dawn just before the wedding, when Clan Jha’s caravan had arrived the night prior, the preparations for the big day had already been done! My gown was finally ready, being everything I had ever wanted!

Lavi Jha was indeed, rather handsome! He smiled so sweetly when Akasha smiled at him, and I could not help but smile as well as I sat amongst the members of Clan Ayan at the wedding, watching alongside them as the newlyweds exchanged their nuptial vows in the ways of old that honour Sophia. After that came the wedding reception, and a whole lot of revelry and feasting!

Yes, yes indeed! May the married couple have a happy life ahead of them!

~ N.M