The End of Ice pt. 2

It was dark, and the spicy smoke from the fire had long since ceased its lazy circuit around the rapidly cooling interior of the Kofi when Caden's mind slowly dragged itself back into awareness.

The strong herbs her Kennari added to his fire usually pulled her mind in strange directions, and it was their comfortable habit to sit, holding one-another, as her thoughts followed the various paths laid out before them. Caden tried to concentrate on the day's lesson as her Kennari instructed, but often the paths her mind followed would explore the relationship that had developed between the student and her teacher. She loved him and suspected that he harbored similar feelings for her. The comfort they shared, the softness in his voice and eyes when he spoke to her, had to mean something...She stirred against the hard chest of the man snuggled behind her and, as usual, glanced up to find the time by the light that filtered through the smoke-hole at the top of the small hut. The small pinpricks of light tickled at her foggy thoughts, pulling some meaning from the recesses of her mind where clarity was slowly taking hold again.

Stars. Caden knew them all, of course. One of the first lessons from her Kennari had been learning to read the stories that were played out against the velvet-black backdrop. Her favorite was the rider Eamron who, as a last, desperate attempt to save his people from destruction, had bargained with the Horse God to carry him and his warning of imminent doom to his homeland. The Horse God had flown with Eamron on his back, faster than the wind, and they'd reached the great city of his homeland with the vast armies of the enemy on their heels - the city would have no time to prepare for battle. Just when all seemed lost, the Horse God leapt to the top of the City wall and reared up as Eamron drew his sword and held it aloft, blue flames climbing the magic-wrought blade and reflected in the polished steel of his armor, and drew upon the power of the Horse God. His voice rolled forth from the wall like thunder, a great cleft opened beneath the boots of the enemy, and they were swallowed by the earth. For his part of the bargain, Eamron had pledged himself in service to the Horse God. Together they took to the skies and still, thousands of years later, they patroled the skies each night.

Night.

Caden's mind finally cleared, and she realized that it was indeed night. She'd stayed far longer than ever before. Her father would surely be in a rage. Caden had begged him to allow her to learn from the Kennari when she was small. Once she began to go to the Kofi for more than just the daily history lesson, she'd lived in terror of the King finding out. If he ever did he would forbid her lessons, perhaps even kill her Kennari. Caden stiffened at the thought, and finally disentangled herself from her teacher. The warmth he had been against her back was quickly replaced by the cool air, making shivers travel the span of her spine, adding to her fear. Her father would have sent someone for her. Caden cast her eyes about, as if looking for a way out of the predicament, then settled her gaze on the dark eyes of her Kennari who, as usual, seemed able to read her thoughts.

‘Dared has not sent anyone to collect you. I told your father that I would be accompanying you back to Ebon this night. He has granted me an audience. I must speak to him of the magic...'
‘He will not listen!' Caden interrupted, slashing the air with her hand to emphasize her point. ‘You told me yourself, he fears the magic.'
The Kennari reached out to take the hand of the young woman kneeling before him.
‘I must try, Nemi. Even if he will not listen, I must do what I can to save them.' He pulled her to him.

‘I will save you, Caden.' And then he was kissing her. The shock of her Kennari using her name faded into the heat and desperation of the moment. He seemed to be seeking her very soul, desperate to make a connection, holding her as if his arms alone would save her from the fate of their world.

A millenia or just a moment later, the kiss was ended. Her Kennari's gentle hands caressed her cheek, his thumbs tracing the slope of her nose and the bow of her lips as his crystalline blue eyes gazed deeply into her her honey-gold ones. Emotions flitted across his face, until determination finally took hold there.

‘I will save you' he whispered again. He stood, extending a hand down to help her up. As she rose, he pulled her to him. Her temple nestled securely against the hollow at the base of his throat, Caden was, for once, glad of her height. Held against her Kennari, she didn't feel lanky and awkward. They fit one another - hand and glove, lock and key. He tangled his fingers for a moment on her sort, dark hair before his hands dropped to her shoulders. He gently pushed her away and turned her so that he faced her back, then trailed his slender fingers down her back to grasp the hem of her linen shirt and tugged it upward, exposing the dark, soft skin of her back. He tucked the hem of her shirt into the collar to hold it in place.

His thumbs traced a burning path from her shoulders down either side of her spine, and up again, then arced out to either side. Caden's heart raced.

‘Be very still...' he murmured.

The pressure of his thumbs steadily increased as he traced along the inside edge of her shoulder blades again and again, murmuring soft, strange sounding words. The path his thumbs traced chilled, turning icy, until it felt like chunks of ice were trailing along the bones. The Kennari's hand trailed up her shoulders again, grasped the hem of Caden's shirt, and pulled it down to cover her back once more.

Caden turned to face her teacher. The icy lines still burned, deep in the flesh of her back. Her Kennari saw the question in her eyes.

‘When the time comes to fly, you will know.'