Flower Gleam and Glow

[Artigas]

Artigas continued to smile as she complimented him "Trust is a funny thing, it takes a lifetime to earn and just a second to destroy" he told her as she spoke of her earning his trust, it wasn't something that she should assume that she had. He would admit that he trusted her, but he was still slightly cautious of her because of her obvious skill as a warrior. However he trusted her loyalty to the coalition and the Heda, it would be a breach of the agreement if they fought each other, the twelve clans were at peace for the first time in a long while and Artigas did not want to be the one to ruin that, he had to trust that Mari felt the same way.

Finally the girl decided to speak the truth and reveal her true identity to him and he was surprised at the revelation that she was to be the leader of her people, but he didn't think this was worth laughing about. Many of their leaders were female and he had been given no reason to doubt their abilities before, they were better warriors than some men that he knew. He nodded along to her words and the smile returned to his face "your approach certainly makes sense and I feel as if I must thank you for not killing me for trespassing on your land" he bowed stiffly to Mari in acknowledgement of her rank and despite the fact that they were from different clans, it didn't erase the fact that she outranked him and he felt a certain desire to treat her respectfully as he did with his own leaders. "I'm sure your people will come to understand your ways when they realise that peace is better than war, they will lose less people that they care about due to unnecessary war" he assured her, if he, a boy from a rival clan could understand the girls beliefs then he had to believe that her own people would come to understand her as well.

He flinched away slightly as she reached up with the scarf. Trust me. She spoke gently to him and strangely he found that he did, the next thing he knew, Mari had tied the scarf around his face making sure that he couldn't see a thing before giving him the instructions to count to ten before coming to find her. Artigas had certainly never played this game before, he found it kind of disorienting that he couldn't see anything and his senses heightened as he tried to listen out for any signs of danger, back in his own territory it would be seen as beyond foolish to relax like this. However he trusted that Mari would not allow any harm to come to him, he only hoped that his trust was not misplaced.

After he'd counted slowly to ten, Artigas slowly started walking forwards, hands outstretched and waving around slightly so that he could avoid a painful collision with a tree. He stumbled once over a tree root and spun around in surprise, unused to not having his eyes to look around and assess an area. The area had grown deathly quiet apart from the occasion chirp of a cricket and every time a butterfly brushed up against him the boy would flinch away, not expecting the sudden contact.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari leaned her head back against the surprisingly soft bark of the tree thinking on what Artigas had said to her before she hid. "Your approach certainly makes sense and I feel as if I must thank you for not killing me for trespassing on your land". Did it make sense? He was from Trikru…did it make sense is his land? She could never imagine killing someone for walking into another territory…especially if it was just to explore. She was an explorer herself.. it would be hard for her to not want to see the rest of the world and fear that she could be killed in the process. Mari kept her eyes below her on the ground and smirked as Artigas found his footing with now losing his eye sight. This was how her family had first come to realize that she had a shot at being an amazing warrior. She was out hunting with her father and brother and her brother had covered her eyes. She managed to take her bow and arrow and shoot a deer without even seeing it. It was then that Hartley knew he had to start to train her and protect her. Mari couldn’t help but laugh gently when he stumbled and each time he would flinch when a butterfly came near. She slowly jumped down from her tree and moved to the next one, this time staying on the ground. He was still a bit a ways from her, but close enough where she could see him. She giggled again when he jumped at the next butterfly to touch him. “They won’t hurt you…” She said softly, keeping her eyes on him. She knew her laughter and now her voice would start to give away her location, but she had to help him somehow. He wasn’t used to this game….so she had to give him a chance. She leaned her head against the tree and watched him carefully. Mari smiled to herself. He was much different than she expected other clans’ warriors to be. The ones she had come across had been cruel….But not Artigas….At least not to her. He was kind and funny..and Mari found that to be very attractive in a young man. Her eyes followed him as he walked. He was tall and strong. Mari knew that one day, he too would make a top warrior of his people, just as she would be. “You’re getting closer…” She whispered, her voice carrying with the gentle wind that swept through the trees…

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

His head snapped instantly in her direction as he heard her laughter and the sound of her voice, she was speaking about the butterflies and he immediately felt embarrassed at his reluctance to touch the insects. "What makes them glow?" he asked her as he changed direction and slowly began to walk in the direction that he'd heard her voice. He was fairly certain that this was not a part of the game, he was not meant to receive help in finding her and he wasn't sure how he felt about her aiding him. He was confident that he could find her on his own without her help but he was grateful that she had taken pity on him and wasn't going to watch him wander aimlessly around the forest for hours on end.

The fact that the butterflies glowed was weird but also strangely beautiful, there were a few areas in Trikru territory where things glowed but nothing to this scale. He smiled as he heard her voice again, closer than before and he stumbled forward in his eagerness to find the girl, having gotten absorbed in the game. Suddenly he felt the tips of his fingers brush against skin and his smile broadened "found you" he muttered, bringing a hand up to tug at his blindfold lifting it up over his eyes and squinting as he tried to focus on her face. Mari had roped him into acting like a child, he couldn't remember the last time he'd acted like a child or relaxed this much, if he acted like this back in his own village he would be cooled foolish and many would laugh at him and wouldn't take him seriously. He was amazed that here Trishana seemed to embrace the games that they played and weren't afraid to act like children sometimes.

"You play games like this every day?" he questioned her curiously and wondered what a life like that would be like, where he could act like a child instead of the man that he was expected to be. Running around the with the children in his village and fighting for fun, that was okay for a brief period of time, but there came a time when you had to question these games. He remembered when he'd received a black eye from a boy two years older than himself when he was a child and he wasn't even upset by the violence, he'd been excited and proud of himself because he'd managed to catch the boy in the face with his own fist. Looking at the games Trishana children played, it made him wonder if these were the right games he should've been playing when he was a child or if there was a better way to teach children how to become warriors.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari watched him and laughed to herself when she saw his reaction to her voice. He was getting better at following sounds. This was the entire purpose of the game. She always made it more fun than it was meant to be…but it was meant to train something other than your eyes when it came to fighting. She heard his questions and turned her eyes to the flying creatures around her. “Years ago…back when the earth was inhabited with billions of people, there was some kind of explosion…our clan has it written by our elders….the explosion that wiped out so all those people? Well there was some kind of toxic radioactive substance that made all of this glow…the trees, vines, butterflies…” She looked around her, smiling softly. “It’s amazing that something so peaceful could be created by something so destructive…I guess that might be why I am the way I am…” She watched as he got closer to her. She was peaceful...and yet many of her people wanted her to be destructive. Seeing him smile each time he heard her voice, brought a small blush to her cheeks. She hadn’t had a man smile because of her in a long time. Her eyes had adjusted well to the night time darkness mixed with the glow and she felt her breath catch in her throat when his fingers brushed against her exposed skin. She watched as he took off her scarf and she returned his smile. His words “found you” managed to bring a chill to her spine and yet flush her face at the same time. She laughed gently. “So it seems you did…” She kept her eyes on him, her bright orbs meeting his dark ones. “You did better than I expected…” She felt a smirk pull at the corner of her lips and winked. His words made her think back to all the years she played with her Trishana friends before being pulled into camp to train. “When I was young, I used to play these games all the time….it’s how my family knew that I was meant to be trained as a warrior from a young age.” She ran her hand over the bark on the tree behind her. “My brother, Hartley, he had blind folded me one day and gave me my first bow and arrow…somehow I managed to hear a deer behind me and I shot it simply by hearing her movements. To this day I am still unsure of how I did it…it may have just been luck…but that was the moment for my family. So I started to train and this “game” became a part of my every day routine. I would use it to train with Hartley…but then I would play it for fun when I was done for the day. It’s more fun at night….there are more sounds….more things to find.” She looked up at the sky. “The darkness hides many beautiful treasures to behold…” She turned her eyes back to him. “You just have to know how to look…” She smiled softly. Mari turned her head to the sound of trickling water and an idea popped into her head. “I know you have to go soon….” She said gently, watching as the moon rose higher and higher into the night sky, “But can I show you one more thing?….It’s too beautiful to leave without seeing at least once...” She wasn’t going to beg him, but he had to see it before he left her people. After all, he may never see Trishana again…or her for that matter…

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

He listened intently as she explained the reason behind the strange glow that the butterflies had, it amazed him that radiation from the explosions that the clan elders spoke of had caused all of this. Something so beautiful could not be the product of something that had cost millions of people their lives, something so destructive could not create something so beautiful, so peaceful. "Well you're an amazing person..." he muttered hesitantly, he wasn't just talking about the fact that she was an amazing warrior but also about her other qualities. "Our people are not the peaceful sort, we live and we die fighting... But you are different, you believe that there is a better way, a way that we can avoid all of this bloodshed" he explained his words to her, hoping that he wouldn't start to sound overly familiar with the girl, he admired her reluctance to accept their bloody lifestyle. Many of their people had died in wars that could've been avoided and he hoped that one day she would achieve her goal of peace.

He chuckled at her words, lowering his gaze as he handed her back her scarf "In Trikru you have to be observant" he muttered by way of an explanation, he knew that she hadn't expected him to be good at this game, it was something unfamiliar to him, there was no reason for him to be particularly good at it. However, in Trikru territory where Panthers lurked, you had to have your wits about you. From a young age he'd learnt to read the signs, tell when an animal had passed through the area and how long ago, he'd been taught how to tell when an area was simply too quiet and to pick up the slightest rustle of leaves on the ground. He noticed that Mari's cheeks were slightly flushed with colour and he wondered if he was the cause of this but he quickly pushed that thought from his mind. This girl was a leader of her people, he was from a rival clan, they couldn't even be friends and he certainly couldn't develop feelings for her. If his parents discovered that he had left Trikru territory then he would be in a whole heap of trouble.

"You seem to care a lot for your brother" he voiced his observations, the way that she spoke of her brother, it was clear that she cared a lot for her sibling. From what he'd gathered, he'd been her guardian and protected her since she was a child, trained her to be the warrior that she was today. He didn't know whether or not he should be cautious knowing that this brother of hers was nearby, he was obviously a talented warrior if he had trained this girl. However, he couldn't find the strength to feel afraid, not when he heard her speak of her training, shooting a deer blindfolded was no simple feat, he knew of many warriors that were older than her that could not do that, it was remarkable that she could do this. "I think it was more than luck" he breathed, smiling as he watched her "You're a talented warrior... You're special" never before had he met someone like her, she was intriguing, she was different and he liked this kind of different. She had a beauty that went far deeper than her external appearance, her soul was something else entirely.

Her words suddenly made him aware of the time and of how dark it had become, walking back over to where he had left his spear, he picked up the weapon before nodding "I guess... A few more minutes couldn't hurt" he gave a shrug of his shoulders as he spoke, he was reluctant to leave, not just because of the beauty of this forest that he had discovered, but also because of this girl that had offered him so much kindness when she barely knew him. He wanted to be a part of her new world once she achieved this peace that she spoke of, he'd allow her to show him the place that she now spoke of because he was curious as to what could be more beautiful than what he'd already seen, but he also had a desire to spend more time with Mari before he was forced to journey back to Tondc and his parents who would no doubt punish him for worrying them with his absence.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari felt her cheeks flush again at his compliment. She thanked the night that he hopefully couldn’t see the red in the dark. “I don’t know if amazing is the right word…but thank you…” She said, her words just above a whisper. She hated to talk about herself like that, but it was nice to hear it from someone else. His words about his own people brought her eyes to his. “I have seen bloodshed…and I know that much more will unfortunately be in my future…but I do my best….that’s all I can do.” She gave a soft sad smile. Even though Artigas was of an enemy clan, a non-peaceful enemy clan, Mari couldn’t help but see something different in him. He was clearly a warrior, yes, but he knew how to interact with someone of a different territory, and a woman no less…Never mind a woman of her leadership. Artigas certainly was different. She took her scarf as he returned it and wrapped it back around her small waist, bringing her gaze back to him at his words. His laugh made her smile. “If you can find your target with just your ears, imagine all you could do with all your senses.” She looked out into the darkness, her ears picking up all the sounds. “Now you are one step closer to being a better warrior…all from playing a game.” She laughed knowing he had no interest in games as he had said many times before. She was happy he had played with her thought…and despite their differences of clan and leadership, she hoped he would come back..and soon. It was nice to have someone in her life who made her laugh and smile…someone other than Hartley. Artigas mentioned Hartley just as the name crossed her mind. “Hartley has been my best friend and protector since the day I was born. He hardly leaves my side…” She smiles at the thought of her older guardian. “He trains me harder than anyone else could….he’s the only one that I think I would let train me the way he does.” She laughed quietly. “He’s tough…but I love him.” She turned her eyes towards where their camp was set up. It couldn’t be seen, but she knew it was there. “I can’t even believe he left me this long without coming to find me.” She knew he was probably worried, but she also knew he trusted her. Mari raised her eye brows. "I think it was more than luck, You're a talented warrior... You're special". She felt her smile perk at her face seeing his smile…and again, a soft blush colored her features. “I think then it may have been beginners luck,” She laughed. “But now…well now I think I have it down” She smirked and kept her eyes on him. "Perhaps one day I'll show you..." She smirked. She found her gaze kept returning to his. He was so interesting and she wanted to know everything about him. She watched him go back to his weapon and felt her heart sink, thinking he was going to leave because she had reminded him of the time. But when he turned back and nodded, agreeing to stay a bit longer, she felt her smile return and she walked back towards him. “I think you’ll really like it…” She said wrapping her small hand around his wrist gently and leading the way to their destination. “It’s my favorite spot in all of Trishana…I used to come here all the time to escape Hartley if I needed alone time…and I have been sneaking out of my tent every night these last few days to go and see it. But shhhh…don’t tell my brother.” She turned her eyes up to him and winked again. Artigas was much taller, so Mari had to take more steps to keep up with his strides even though she was leading him. After a few minutes of walking, she could see the glow already. She sighed happily as they opened up into the clearing, the sound of rushing water clear now. “This….” She said looking out at the site before her, “…is the Glowing Falls....my secret place" She bit her lip and looked out, a happy expression on her face as she gazed over the giant waterfall that fell into a wide flowing river. The rocks behind the falls and in the water glowed even brighter than the butterflies. She let go of his wrist and walked to the edge. She pulled her dress over her head, leaving on her pants and a scarf that wrapped around her chest and neck, covering everything, and pulled off her flat shoes. She stepped into the water, sighed, and turned to face him. “It’s warm….” She kept her eyes on him once more. “Just come in for a few minutes…it is so beautiful once you're in here...and I promise I will finally let you leave.” She smiled, knowing deep down that she didn’t want him to go…and she had a feeling he really had no interest in leaving either…. Mari reached out her hand to him….

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

"My people must know that war is not the answer to everything" he muttered as he thought about the kill marks that he had on his shoulder, the burns symbolised each person he had killed and although he had felt proud at the time, seeing his killing as a necessary thing to protect his people. Now that he'd met this girl, he felt a sickening feeling in his stomach, eight kill marks decorated his shoulder, each was considered an honour by his people. A sign to show that he was a brave warrior that was willing to protect his people. Each person whom he had killed had deserved death, they'd been a threat to his village but that fact did nothing to settle his stomach, if he had not met Mari then he doubted that he'd have realised that the killing was wrong. He'd been raised believing that killing was normal, it was the way of their people.

He couldn't help but smile at her words "Maybe games aren't just for children" he admitted, clearing his throat as he watched Mari, his hand tightening around his spear slightly as he glanced around at the looming shadows. The glow from the trees meant that it was not as dark here as it was in Trikru territory at this time of night, the only light that could be found in his own territory was from the torches that were lit in the villages. Still, he couldn't help but be cautious of the darkness and of the dangers that it could be hiding from them. He was unsure of what dangers Trishana territory held, but this place was so different to what he was used to and he wouldn't be surprised if they had other things to worry about, different predators other than Pauna and panthers. As she mentioned her brother, Artigas took a step closer to her "He must trust you a lot to leave you alone in the forest after dark" he muttered, he knew that their camp was nearby but he also knew that the world was a dangerous place and he was surprised that the girls brother had left her to wander around without coming to look for her yet, even if she was more than capable of looking after herself.

She mentioned her surprise at her brother leaving her for so long without checking up on her and Artigas nodded in agreement, the fact that he knew that her brother was so close to where they were talking put him on edge. Mariahya had been peaceful and welcoming to him, but he could not expect the same kindness from her older brother, he didn't want to be discovered by the man. Perhaps I'll show you. Those words brought a small frown to the boys face "If we meet again" he told her, he doubted that they would see each other again. They were just from two different worlds, she was the product of peace and play whilst he came from a world of war and violence. He wanted to see her again, truly he did, but he just didn't see how that would be possible.

Artigas felt her small hand wrap around his wrist and glanced down as she started to drag him away from where they had been playing, deeper into her territory. Usually if somebody had grabbed him in such a manner he would've tugged his wrist free from their grip, but he allowed her to drag him after her. As they walked, Artigas remained silent as he listened to her talk, chuckling lightly at her words "Somehow, I don't think you have to worry about me talking to your brother" he joked, knowing that he had no intention of allowing anyone other than this girl to see him in Trishana territory. He felt honoured that she was taking him to see her 'favourite place' in the whole of Trishana territory. Artigas was aware that as they walked further and further into Trishana territory, the light seemed to increase and he could see more easily. Suddenly they emerged into a clearing and Artigas felt his mouth fall open as he stared out at the sight in front of him in awe, it was beautiful. The water itself seemed to glow, he'd never seen anything like it, there was not such a place in Trikru territory, he was certain of that.

Mari let go of his wrist and walked forward to the waters edge, as she pulled her dress up over her head, Artigas was quick to avert his gaze, unsure of what she was doing. However, he looked up to watch her again once she started talking again and his heart jumped as he noticed that she was in the water and he took a cautious step forward "What about snakes?" he questioned her, eyeing the water suspiciously. There were certain places where swimming was foolish as the water snakes that lived within the water were extremely territory and wouldn't hesitate to snatch you if you were in the water. Slowly he put his spear on the ground, stripping down to his underwear as he debated whether or not to trust the water, he trusted Mari and maybe that was enough. However, the boy was already cautious having taken off his armour and now that the marks on his shoulder were clearly visible, he was wary about what she would think of him. They'd just been speaking about peace and one day living in a world where bloodshed would not be necessary and the marks on his shoulder each represented a life that had been cut short by his sword. He eyed her hand nervously, many people had been taken by the snakes that swam in the water in Trikru and he was unsure if Trishana had such beasts that lurked in waters such as these. After his initial hesitation, he reached out and took her hand, stepping into the water he was surprised to find that her words were true and the water was surprisingly warm.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari was happy to know that he could finally admit that games were not just child’s play. She knew would come around if he let her show him her ways. She was glad it worked. His words “if we meet again”, brought a sinking feeling to her heart. She knew it was unlikely that they would…but deep in her heart she hoped they did. There was something about Artigas that brought out something different about Mariahya. She felt different around him…a good different. Even though their chances of meeting again were unlikely, she would keep the memory of him in her heart…hoping one day maybe their paths would cross again. She just hoped it wouldn’t be on the battle field… Mari giggled at Artigas’ reaction to the waterfall. That was her same face when she first found it all those years ago. When he turned as she pulled off her dress, she smiled to herself. He was respectful, not only brave and kind. That was another point in her book. She saw him jump at the sight of her in the river and tilted her head at his question. “Do you think I would be in here if something was going to attack me?” She said gently, and she let a smirk pull at her lips. “Besides if there were snakes I would have let you go in first…” She winked and her smile grew when he took her hand. He was trusting her… She smiled fully when he stepped into the water. Her eyes tried not to look over his body…him being half naked didn’t help the clearly growing tension between them. Mari moved out a bit deeper, to where her feet just about touched the bottom to try and compose her thoughts. She swam back to him and she ended up facing his back. She looked up and saw the burn marks on the man’s shoulders, her eyes steady as she knew what they were. Standing up all the way, she let her delicate hands trace over each of the dark markings on his tanned skin. “Eight…” She said quietly. She waited a moment to say anything and then turned to face him. “Me too..” She whispered, her eyes never leaving his. “Come here…” She said taking his wrist gently again and leading him towards the waterfall. The giant rushing water got louder as they got closer, but before the water could really touch them, she guided Artigas under the falls, to where much of the glowing rocks emitted their glow. She pulled herself up onto a rock landing that was only a couple of feet off of the ground, and stood before 8 small rock formations, clearly hidden by the falls. Each of them formed from glowing rocks and had piles of flowers that were in various stages of dying. There was a bundle of three new glowing flowers on each of the rock piles. “Their people took their bodies for whatever ceremony they do with their dead…but I couldn’t let that be the end for me.” She felt her eyes dim as she looked over each of the memorial graves. “I came back here each time I killed someone and paid my own respects…because none of them truly deserved to die…but I had to protect my people.” She looked up at him. “Hartley never knew, but I would take my horse and ride out here to make a new memorial each time I killed…and whenever I could I would come back and leave flowers or just sit here and think of what their lives could have been like if I didn’t kill them.” She wiped the hair out of her face, tucking a few stray pieces behind her ears. “I’m not proud of having killed them, but I love my family and my people…so I had to do what must be done…before they killed someone I loved.” Her thoughts flew to Hartley. If he ever died protecting her, she wouldn’t know what to do with herself. Mari turned her body to face Artigas and looked up at him. “So even though I am peaceful and kind, I too know the darkness of death and I don’t think I will ever be able to escape it…” She looked down at the ground. “You are not alone in having taken a life...our only difference is that I don't wear mine on my skin....that takes much more bravery than I have...” She looked back up to him and gave him a sad smile. Mari sighed gently. “I didn’t mean to ruin the fun” She laughed softly. She sat down on the rock landing edge looking out through the falls. You could see the river perfectly through it, the water was so clear. She looked up at him, Artigas even taller now that she was sitting. She patted the spot next to her and waited to see if he would still stay even after hearing her own horror stories and breaking this perfect image of what he thought she was.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

She had a point when she pointed out that she wouldn't have entered the water if something was going to attack her and Artigas immediately felt bad for doubting her. She was too intelligent to go swimming in a river that was home to water snakes. Artigas smirked at her joke "I don't think I would trust water like this if you hadn't gone in first" he admitted, the fact that the rocks glowed made the water itself look like it was glowing. It was so weird to this Trikru boy, the most he'd seen glow were the strange butterflies that he had seen earlier and these rocks glowed even brighter than they did.

He wasn't sure how comfortable he felt with them both standing around in their underwear and he tried to stop his eyes from wandering, back in Trikru the warriors rarely removed their armour until they were safely back in their homes. The risks were too great to relax like this and remove their armour just for a late night swim, once the sun had gone down most of the villagers stayed within the village where it was well lit and safe from the dangers that lurked in the shadows. He watched as she swam away from him but she quickly returned to him and he felt his breath catch in his throat as he felt her fingers on his shoulder, softly tracing the marks on his shoulders and for a second he was worried about what she might say until he heard her voice in his ears. Me too. His gaze locked with hers as she took hold of his wrist once again and began to lead him towards the waterfall.

He braced himself as she led him underneath the falls, but the water didn't knock him off his feet as he had expected it to and his brow furrowed in confusion as he looked around the hidden cave that the waterfall concealed. He looked at the eight rock formations with curiosity and his eyes widened as he suddenly realised what they were "You remember each one that you've killed?" he asked her, his voice barely more than a whisper. He remembered the eight people he had killed in battle, each and every one of them. They did not haunt him, he didn't view their deaths as murder because killing was what he had been trained to do, it seemed that violence was all he knew. In his clan if somebody betrayed their people, they were tied to a tree and cut one thousand times for their crimes, this torture was even seen as a form of entertainment to some. Seeing justice being had was seen as something to be happy about and Artigas knew that he was guilty of feeling the same glee at seeing traitors pay for their betrayals once.

"Some people deserve to die..." he told her, confused by her words. She couldn't believe that they didn't deserve to die, could she? "If they try to hurt your people then they have to die, if they murder innocent people then they deserve to die" his tone became firmer as he spoke these words. He wanted peace, but some people could not be allowed to continue on with their lives after causing somebody so much pain. Her words made sense to him, but blood must have blood, that was the way, that was what he'd grown up knowing and what he had been taught. He believed that some of the people he had killed deserved death, others he wasn't so sure about. He'd once killed a wastelander that had come from the deadzone, their only crime was the facial deformation that they'd been born with, but his mentor had ordered him to kill that man. He'd said that he was a disgrace, a 'stain' on their bloodline and such an abomination should have died years ago. At the time Artigas had not questioned his mentors orders, he'd only seen it as protecting his people, but now he failed to see what he had been protecting them from.

Artigas felt guilty about once finding excitement in his training when all he was being trained to do was to kill "I used to be proud of those I killed, proud because I was protecting my people" he admitted, lowering his gaze "but you've made me question everything I once believe in, everything I have ever known now comes into question" he forced a smile as he spoke, he wasn't sure how he was going to act when he returned home to Tondc after meeting this girl, if he could change how he acted just because of a girl from a rival clan lived differently believing in peace. "These marks on my skin, it is considered an honour to gain them... But I see now that there is no honour in killing" the searing pain that came from receiving a new kill mark was not enough to erase the damage that was done by killing a person.  However the priority was to protect his people, he knew that it wasn't murder, not really if he was saving lives by killing somebody who meant others harm but he couldn't help but feel bad after meeting Mari and after she'd shown him that there was more to life than just killing, that one day there could be peace.

As she patted the spot beside her, he hopped up to sit upon the rock next to her "You didn't ruin the fun" he hurried to assure her "You're fun to be around, I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun" he chuckled slightly as he looked down at his lap. It was true what he said, he'd never done anything like this just because it was fun and he certainly couldn't remember the last time when he'd left his weapon out of reach, he'd left his knife and spear at the rivers edge so that he could swim with Mariahya and he found that it was strangely relaxing, not having a weapon constantly strapped to him.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari smiled to herself when he sat next to her. She was glad he didn’t decide to leave her after she told him her stories. "You remember each one that you've killed?" His whisper brought a chill to her spine. “Every single one…and yes some do deserve to die…but they were doing what I was doing…trying to defend their people.” She shrugged. “I killed a father or a brother….a son…a lover…” She looked over at Artigas. “I killed them and now their family and people will never see them again…that’s the part that will never leave my mind.” She looked down at her hands. She killed loved ones….someone else’s loved ones. As he started to talk about his marks, she turned on her bottom to face him. “I didn’t mean to change everything you believe in…you were raised to be a phenomenal warrior and a respectful man.” She placed her hand on his softly. “Yes…there is no honor in killing, but you did what was right for your people.” Mari kept her eyes on his. “Don’t disregard your triumphs because of my beliefs…you are still a strong man in my eyes…” She bowed her head gently to him. Mari was happy to hear that he didn’t think she had ruined the fun of the evening. His words about being fun to be around brought a smile to her lips. And his laugh again…that kept the smile there. “You too are fun to be around…” She looked down realizing her hand was still on his. She quickly removed it and put it back in her own lap. “I haven’t been around many people my age in quite some time…it’s been me and Hartley for so long…” She said looking back up at the face of the man sitting before her. “You have truly given me a reason to smile tonight…and for that I thank you…” She said, her voice just above a whisper. She didn’t want the night to end…something about Artigas made her want to stay under the waterfall and just talk…but she knew that soon enough he would be gone…and gone forever. “I wish we had met at a different time…I wish you were Trishana…I wish that we didn’t have to say goodbye…” She said quietly, her eyes not meeting his. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye, but the idea of it made her sad. She felt strangely connected to Artigas and him leaving was only going to make her realize that she may never see him again.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

"I've never thought of it that way before" Artigas muttered in response to her words, the people he had killed in the past were just nameless, faceless figures. He didn't know their backstories, their families, what sort of life they led. He never thought about the families that he had been tearing these people away from. "I guess everyone has a family, everyone has people that they love and when you kill somebody, you cause somebody somewhere heartache" it was easier to kill when you didn't think about things like this, if you didn't dwell on the people that they were leaving behind then it wasn't hard to kill somebody, life was fragile.

"Being a warrior is everything that I've ever wanted, it's all that I can remember" He told her with a  frown "I've always wanted to fight and to protect my people, it's all that I've ever known and I enjoy it, the excitement of battle... It's what I live for" letting out a sigh, he watched as she placed her hand on his and he made no attempt to move away from her "Should I feel guilty about liking it?" he asked her, unable to hide the timid grin that had appeared on his face. The killing was something else, he had realised that it was wrong, but the fighting and the thrill he got when he held a sword in his hand, that was something he enjoyed. He liked that she didn't have a negative view of him, that she thought that he was a good warrior, a brave and strong warrior.

As she took her hand off of his, he raised his gaze to look her in the eyes once again "I'm glad that I made you smile, but you don't need to thank me" he told her honestly, his grin broadening. He arched an eyebrow in surprise as she spoke of only having her brother for company "Did you ever get lonely?" he questioned her, the thought of her having nobody but her brother to talk to upset him a little, he got bored sometimes and he had a whole village of children his own age to talk to.

Frowning as she spoke about him leaving, he touched her arm lightly with a hand "maybe this doesn't have to be goodbye..." he ventured, he didn't want this to be goodbye. "Trishana life sounds so different from Trikru and I cannot stay here with you, but maybe we will see each other again" making the suggestion he was aware of how stupid it sounded. No matter what his feelings for this girl were, he had a responsibility to his people and to his parents, he was their only child and he knew how much he meant to them, abandoning his village and his people was not an option for him.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari watched Artigas as he spoke about how being a warrior was all he ever wanted. She smiled at his clear excitement of the thrill of fighting. "Should I feel guilty about liking it?" Mari shook her head, a smile on her lips. “No you shouldn’t…because I love it..” She laughed softly. “The thrill of letting my arrow fly through the air and seeing it hit its target makes my heart race…I would just prefer it didn’t hit a human heart…a tree is more my style.” She laughed, embarrassed that her idea of being a warrior wasn’t rooted in killing, but just the idea of using her weapons. When he didn’t move his hand from hers, she felt her heart flutter. Why wasn’t he pulling away? Not that she wanted him to, but she thought that maybe he would. Once she finally did move her hand and his eyes met hers, she smiled gently. His smile was infectious…making hers grow. “I always thank those who give me something to be thankful for…” She tilted her head watching him. She was thankful that he was there for her now…even if it was for a short time. At his question, she laughed sadly. “I always got lonely…but Hartley tries so hard to make me happy….and he does.” She looked at Artigas. “I love Hartley so much, but sometimes I just need other people to talk too…to interact with…and he is so protective sometimes so getting close to other people can be very difficult.” She raised her eyes to meet his dark ones. “Like this,” she pointed her finger between the two of them, “..This would never happen if Hartley was here….he gets nervous when I am around men…he fears they will try to become involved with me for the wrong reasons…” She kept her gaze steady. She hoped that that wasn’t what Artigas was doing…but she was sure he wasn’t. Mari’s breath caught in her throat when she felt his hand on her arm. Not out of fear, but rather surprise. She hadn’t expected him to be so forthcoming and comforting. "Maybe this doesn't have to be goodbye..." His words brought a smile to her face and a bright glow to her eyes again. “I wish you could stay here with me….” She said bringing her eyes to his hand on her arm. She slowly brought her hand and put it on his, and brought her eyes up to meet his. “Promise you’ll try to come back one day....” She whispered, but it was certainly loud enough for him to hear. She kept her hand over his on her arm as she sat up on her knees, her body seemingly moving closer to his but she didn't really notice. "Promise you'll come back and find me..." She said biting her lip. She was not one to ask much of people, but she just had to see Artigas again...the idea of him leaving now made her heart hurt.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

Artigas smiled as she spoke of how she loved being a warrior herself, he was glad that she didn't think him a horrible person for enjoying the fights that came with being a warrior, that she even enjoyed it herself. He even admired her for not wanting to shoot at other people whereas some of his friends back at the village would probably laugh at her for being unwilling to kill another warrior. He thought that she was brave, for wanting to change the way her people thought, to change their beliefs and to help them to see that living in peace was better than living a life of war and violence.

"I'm sorry that you were lonely" he muttered, offering her another smile. He felt sorry for the girl and wished that he could stay with her, to keep her company if nothing more. It was clear that she cared for her brother, but to just have him to talk to for all that time, it was not ideal for a girl of her age. She needed the company of other children, to talk to and to play with them like she had just shown him. "Everyone needs people to talk to, if I had to go every day with just my parent to talk to, I think I would go mad... I love them but I need the company of people my own age, so do you" he told her to reassure her that she was not alone in feeling like this and so that she didn't feel guilty for wanting people other than her brother to talk to when he had done so much for her throughout her life.

When she gestured between them, he couldn't help but frown. He understood that her brother was cautious, it was natural for him to be protective of his sister. Artigas obviously did not know what it felt like to have a younger sibling to protect, but he knew the loyalty that siblings had for each other "I would never use you..." he told her with a sigh "I can't believe anyone would" he could take a guess at what the wrong reasons were, maybe they would use her for her rank, to gain power within her clan. However he had no interest in her rank, he'd felt drawn to Mari before she'd revealed her true identity to him and the feelings that he may or may not have for her had nothing to do with her position within her people.

As he saw the smile light up her face, the boy couldn't help but smile himself "I wish I could stay with you too" he sighed, he wished that they had been born into the same clan so that they didn't have to say goodbye at all. "I swear that I will return one day" he whispered to her, his eyes locking with hers as he took his hand from her arm and gripped her hand in his "I swear that I'll come back and find you" he felt an ache in his chest as he thought of leaving her, but he knew that he had to return to Tondc, his parents would worry about him and he couldn't allow them to worry about him for long, they were too good to him for him to torture them like that. Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed her hand softly. Not thinking about whether or not his actions would make her feel uncomfortable, he knew how he felt about her and if this small gesture allowed her o know how he felt before he left her to return to his own territory then it was worth it.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Scars go deep, but they can't find it... Flame so bright make the daylight look dark... Artigas Mari was thankful for Artigas’ kindness. She had never come across a man who treated her like he did, besides her own brother, nevermind a man her own age. There had been a couple men in her life while she was training, but one had used her and another was not someone she wished to continue a life with. But Artigas was so different. If only he had been born in Trishana…and she knew she could see him again tomorrow and the day after that. It would make her so much happier at the idea of them separating when the night was over. “Don’t apologize….it isn’t your fault that I was whisked away to become a warrior before I even had time to make friends.” She laughed softly. “I had no choice…I was chosen for my destiny before I could choose it for myself.” She could feel the mark from where the blade had been before she had taken off her dress and armor. It was as if it had left an eternal marking on her skin and she could always feel it even if she wasn’t wearing it. His words made her smile. She knew he was right. She needed others to talk to…and she was glad to have Artigas….even though she would probably never have him again. “I would never use you..." Mari felt that familiar fluttering in her heart again. They had only met hours prior and yet she knew those words to be true. She trusted that Artigas would only use their friendship or whatever this was becoming as what it was…something perfect and beautiful…not to be tarnished by a need for power. His next statement brought about a sad laugh. “I wish I could say you were right…” She looked out at the waterfall for a few moments. “I was training during the last snow fall and a man, not much older than I was, got into my head and my heart…and I let him.” She turned her face back to him. “I couldn’t even be mad because it was my fault for falling for his lies..telling me I was the most beautiful girl...that he could never imagine being with someone else...that he would protect me..all of it was lies just to abuse my position. “ She took a deep breath. “But with you…it’s different. I believe your words…and I know that you mean it when you say you would never use me…and for that I am forever grateful.” She said hoping that she would never find those words to be untrue. "I wish I could stay with you too" The fluttering in her heart was back once more. Mari closed her eyes and smiled when he said he would return…her eyes flashed open when he took her hand into his. She smiled again. "I swear that I'll come back and find you". Mari watched as Artigas brought her hand to his lips, and she knew her cheeks were betraying her once more turning her skin bright red which would be much more visible now with the bright glowing rocks around the two young grounders. Looking at their connected hands, she did nothing to stop him nor to take her hand away from his. She liked the feeling it gave her. She knew it was getting to the time when he would have to leave…she had probably already kept him too long. She stood up and waited for him to follow her as she made her way back to where they had both shed there clothes. Stepping out of the water, she let go of his hand, reluctantly, and walked over to her dress. She pulled off the scarf he had wrapped around his eyes during their game and walked back towards him. Mari stood before him, keeping her eyes on his. She slipped her small hand into his large one and placed the scarf in his other hand. “Keep it…” She said softly, her eyes never leaving his. “My warriors will know you are a friend of mine if they see you with it in our territory…” She squeezed his hand gently. “And on the day you do come back…they will know to find me if you don’t get to me first.” She smiled softly. She knew that as she grew in rank in Trishana, she would be harder to find and more difficult to get to…but a symbol of her people would certainly help him. “And besides…you should always keep a good luck charm tucked away with you when you go into battle…that way I’ll always be with you.” She stood up on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his cheek softly. She pulled away, her face very close to his. She knew it was time to say goodbye…

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

"I just can't help but think of how hard it must've been for you" Artigas muttered as she spoke of how it was her destiny to go with her brother to train instead of growing up within a village like himself. "To only have your brother for company" he knew that the bond between siblings was like no other and that it was unbreakable for the most part, but he still couldn't see how that was a comfortable life. There must've been some things that Mariahya couldn't have spoken to her brother about, times when she needed a friend but didn't have one to talk to. "How long will you be staying in your village now?" he asked her, recalling that she'd spoken of returning to their mother now that her father had been taken by the mountain men, at least whilst she was in the village she would have other people to talk to. People to keep her company, that maybe could take part in her games and make her days enjoyable whilst he was with his own family. The fact that her whole life had been planned out for her even angered the boy, he'd had a choice. He could've trained to be a healer like his father, a scout, a hunter... But he'd chosen the life of a warrior, she had never had that choice.

He frowned when she revealed that a man had used her before, it saddened him to think that she'd been hurt by a man who just wanted to get close to her because of her position among her people. He'd never before been in love, he'd never even thought about another person romantically before. All of the girls in his village didn't look at him in that way and he hadn't thought about any of them like that either. He'd never had the opportunity to be hurt like she had and he had no desire to ever hurt like that either "I promise that you'll never be hurt like that again" he whispered to her, forcing a reassuring smile. He didn't know what the future had in store for them, but if he had any say in it then no man would ever use her like that, she was too kind to experience such heartache. "It isn't your fault, you did not deserve to be hurt like that and I meant it when I said that nobody will ever hurt you like that again, but he didn't lie about everything, you truly are extremely beautiful" he knew that there was a chance that they would never see each other again, he meant to keep his promise, he truly did, but the life of a warrior was full of risk and Trikru were used to war , it wouldn't surprise him if he lhe hadn't known her long, but he felt like they'd known each other a life time. A genuine smile appeared on his face when she said that he was different and that she believed his words, he hoped that he would never lose her trust.

He saw her cheeks flush with colour when he kissed her hand and he couldn't help but feel pleased that he had been the one to cause her to blush, he hated the strange feelings that he had begun to feel for this girl when very soon he would be forced to leave her and his smile disappeared as he watched her get to her feet. He knew that their time together was drawing to an end and he wished that he could just freeze time in it's place so that they could remain in this moment forever. He got to his feet after her and followed her reluctantly back towards where they had left their things, he felt her grip slip from his as she stepped out of the water and made her way over to her clothes. Stepping out of the water, he started pulling on his clothes and by the time he had fixed his armour to look like it had before they had gone swimming, he looked up to see her standing in front of him. He recognised the scarf that she held in her hand and felt her hand slip into his once again as she placed the scarf in his other hand. She wanted him to keep it? He was pleased that she wanted to protect him from her warriors if they found him on their territory and he was glad that he would have something to remember her by, even if he was sure that he would have no trouble remembering every detail of this girl that he'd met today.

He looked down at their hands as she gave his a soft squeeze and a sad smile appeared on his face as he slipped the scarf inside his armour, so that he could conceal it from his people when he returned to Tondc, his parents would question him if he suddenly gained a scarf that held Trishana colours. The fact that he knew she was going to one day be a leader of her people meant nothing to him other than the fact that it would make it harder for him to find her on the day that he chose to return to Trishana. Of course he knew that he could lose his life in battle before he had the chance to see her again. She told him that it was a good luck charm, for when he went into battle and the smile returned to his face "May your presence keep me safe" he breathed as she spoke of how having it with him meant that she would always be with him too.

As he felt her softly kiss him upon the cheek, the boy froze. He had not expected such an affectionate farewell from her, that was another thing that differed about them. His people, Trikru, they didn't openly display their feelings often. Hearty laughter and the occasional hug passed between families and friends, but nothing more than that. Mari seemed to be more willing to show her affection for those she cared about than anyone back in Tondc and for a while Artigas didn't know how to respond to it. It definitely wasn't unwelcome, he cared for this girl more than he cared for all of the girls in his own village and he'd only known her for a few hours. Turning to face her, her pulled her into a hug, holding her close to him, it was the only way he knew how to express his affection for her when public displays of affection were so rare within his own village. He felt that maybe, a hug was not enough for them to part with, but as he held her he knew that he'd have trouble letting go. She was this amazing, beautiful and funny girl and he couldn't believe that he'd gone so long without knowing her. "I will find you" he whispered as he held her, he was determined that this would not be the last time they saw each other, it couldn't be.

Mariahya