Stars of the summer night!
Far in yon azure deeps,
Hide, hide your golden light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Far in yon azure deeps,
Hide, hide your golden light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
[Family estate in Kir province, East of Shi'Kahr, Vulcan]
12th Day in the month of et`Khior , YS 9014
The fiery light of T'Khut was waning now, although the leaves in the garden still reflected some of the last scarlet and copper hues. The sky above was as a dome of black silk, broken only by the silver twinkle of stars in this clearest, coldest hour of the night.
Soon, Nevasa would rise in all her splendor, but for now there was only darkness in the gardens, and the quiet murmur of the fountains. Even the nightly breeze had fallen silent, leaving the scent of orchids and hla-meth herbs to linger as a dark shadow passed by them, barely breaking the all encompassing stillness with the rustling of heavy robes.
Soon, Nevasa would rise in all her splendor, but for now there was only darkness in the gardens, and the quiet murmur of the fountains. Even the nightly breeze had fallen silent, leaving the scent of orchids and hla-meth herbs to linger as a dark shadow passed by them, barely breaking the all encompassing stillness with the rustling of heavy robes.
The patch of moving darkness paused by a mighty Gespar tree, and long, supple fingers briefly moved into the light that shone from the terrace's lanterns, trailing across one of the rich, amaranth-red fruits that weighed the tree's branches. The shuffling of giant paws, set ever so carefully on the gravel path leading down from the house, was joined by a hopeful purr as the Sehlat recognized the scent of the fruit as ripe, near bursting with tangy sweetness.
"Kwoh-seh k'avaysu." the deep baritone had Warya's ears twitch with joy, for it echoed with affection and good humor, and indeed, no two heartbeats later the Gespar was plucked from the branch and carefully offered to his waiting fangs. There had been much joy in this house of late, and as far as the Sehlat was concerned, life was good.
Sovar watched the deeply content Warya crack open the Gespar shell and with a mild smile shining in his eyes went on to select another for she who was still sleeping in the room above. A brief glance to the dormant house, a graceful, sprawling outline against the silver starlight, confirmed that none but the watchful Sehlat had stirred as of yet.
Somewhat surprising perhaps, that even T'Para herself should not be wandering the ancient halls yet, but he knew well the sound sleep of his friend even and especially when the coming day would prove to be … extraordinary.
"Kwoh-seh k'avaysu." the deep baritone had Warya's ears twitch with joy, for it echoed with affection and good humor, and indeed, no two heartbeats later the Gespar was plucked from the branch and carefully offered to his waiting fangs. There had been much joy in this house of late, and as far as the Sehlat was concerned, life was good.
Sovar watched the deeply content Warya crack open the Gespar shell and with a mild smile shining in his eyes went on to select another for she who was still sleeping in the room above. A brief glance to the dormant house, a graceful, sprawling outline against the silver starlight, confirmed that none but the watchful Sehlat had stirred as of yet.
Somewhat surprising perhaps, that even T'Para herself should not be wandering the ancient halls yet, but he knew well the sound sleep of his friend even and especially when the coming day would prove to be … extraordinary.
Scratching the happily rumbling Sehlat behind the ears, his gaze sought one particular balcony facing the gardens, a shadow among others, were it not for the light shimmer of the ivory curtains behind the stone balustrade.
"Tra'ye'h-tor ait'lun t`na'veh" Sovar murmured and for just a second, Warya stopped munching while his ears turned towards this strange undertone in the Vulcan's level voice. To the wise old Sehlat, little was hidden and he briefly nodded his majestic head in agreement before returning his focus to the matter at paw. Oh, the words meant little to him, but he knew the tenor of longing for that which was not, and could not be.
Although sometimes, if one was bold enough, one could cheat the Powers themselves as Warya well knew, and as the scars hidden beneath his lustrous fur plainly told. Maybe on some quiet evening, he would rumble his stories to this silent hunter with the kind hands, and if he listened closely, he might even understand. After all, she with the voice like rain and wind could be made to understand very well indeed.
"Tra'ye'h-tor ait'lun t`na'veh" Sovar murmured and for just a second, Warya stopped munching while his ears turned towards this strange undertone in the Vulcan's level voice. To the wise old Sehlat, little was hidden and he briefly nodded his majestic head in agreement before returning his focus to the matter at paw. Oh, the words meant little to him, but he knew the tenor of longing for that which was not, and could not be.
Although sometimes, if one was bold enough, one could cheat the Powers themselves as Warya well knew, and as the scars hidden beneath his lustrous fur plainly told. Maybe on some quiet evening, he would rumble his stories to this silent hunter with the kind hands, and if he listened closely, he might even understand. After all, she with the voice like rain and wind could be made to understand very well indeed.
Just as T'Khut's last glimmer died on the horizon and the desert fell into deep darkness, Sovar soundlessly moved towards the house, one shadow among many, and Warya nodded once more in approval before he followed the scent of an even sweeter Gespar. Certainly, she could be asked to share.
The door, such as it was, stood open as always, and he knew full well that no sound had given him away. But with a surge of pride he realized that the lithe, still form under the silks was watching him with calm eyes, darker than even the nightly sky.
"Ha'tha ti'lu, Sakarra".
"And you, Sovar" she murmured, stretching lazily under the covers that shone as bright in the darkness as Seleya's snow capped peak must have in ages past.
"She still sleeps, yes?" there was a bit of amusement in the young woman's hushed voice, and Sovar could not help but respond in kind as he moved to the side of her bed and settled comfortably on the floor. "You are surprised? I should think T'Para perfectly able to sleep soundly the very night before Nevasa would rain death on her children again. What, compared to that, is a simple wedding?"
"What indeed." she smiled in the darkness, and he was wise enough not to comment on this but rather enjoy the wave of humor and gratitude that rolled off her like the warmth of her body, when she reached for the Gespar in his hands.
"You however seem to have resumed your nightly wanderings, although I would be ungracious to chide your appearance after you brought me a gift."
His appearance? Ah, well, yes. One could argue that desert sand and dust clinging to one's hair and robes were not suitable for a wedding.
"Still one full v'hral until sunrise. I should think I will be able to remedy this in time."
"What indeed." she smiled in the darkness, and he was wise enough not to comment on this but rather enjoy the wave of humor and gratitude that rolled off her like the warmth of her body, when she reached for the Gespar in his hands.
"You however seem to have resumed your nightly wanderings, although I would be ungracious to chide your appearance after you brought me a gift."
His appearance? Ah, well, yes. One could argue that desert sand and dust clinging to one's hair and robes were not suitable for a wedding.
"Still one full v'hral until sunrise. I should think I will be able to remedy this in time."
She nodded, causing the river of black hair to slide off her shoulders and reveal that again she had not bothered with any type of nightgown.
"Is this wise?" his question was stated in the most calm and logical manner, and if there was anything echoing in the light telepathic thread, it was merely mild concern for her health. He reached for the soft roundness of a shoulder, and permission was given silently, amusedly, long before his fingertips brushed against the smooth, thankfully warm skin.
"If one has spent many a night on Betazed, wrapped in every piece of fabric available, even the coldest summer night on Vulcan is too pleasant to bother with excess clothing." she murmured, and for a fleeting moment it seemed as if she would lean her head against the tender hand still resting on her shoulder.
"Logical." he managed to say, stoically and evenly, although just then his breath had nearly caught in his throat. Oh, that every time he thought he was in control of this madness it should surface unbidden and at the most difficult time.
"Is this wise?" his question was stated in the most calm and logical manner, and if there was anything echoing in the light telepathic thread, it was merely mild concern for her health. He reached for the soft roundness of a shoulder, and permission was given silently, amusedly, long before his fingertips brushed against the smooth, thankfully warm skin.
"If one has spent many a night on Betazed, wrapped in every piece of fabric available, even the coldest summer night on Vulcan is too pleasant to bother with excess clothing." she murmured, and for a fleeting moment it seemed as if she would lean her head against the tender hand still resting on her shoulder.
"Logical." he managed to say, stoically and evenly, although just then his breath had nearly caught in his throat. Oh, that every time he thought he was in control of this madness it should surface unbidden and at the most difficult time.
How could he not be tempted to follow the elegant curve of her shoulder towards the beautiful face, an image etched in gold by the dim firelights that shone through the door from the chandeliers out in the long gallery, and trace those features that haunted him day and night, until his fingertips would find the lips that still shimmered in the echo of a smile, for a kiss that would burn away the last shred of reason?
Madness indeed.
Madness indeed.
It was the Sehlat yet again who saved him from betraying that which he'd been able to hide for so long. The young woman's questioning gaze had rested on him for several heartbeats, seeking the reason for his stillness in unmoved features, and he knew it would have been only another second passing like a lifetime until a silent question would have floated through the ever so light mental thread between them. A question he could not answer, but that might well have let the last of his composure crumble to dust.
Now she turned to the massive ball of fur shouldering his way through the doorframe, and he could hear the silent laughter as clearly as if her voice reached his ears, the musical, heartbreaking sound of deeply lived joy.
"Warya." her deep, soft voice conveyed a greeting so loving, the Sehlat stopped his efforts for a moment to purr happily, like a rockslide in the mountains, and then his giant paws resumed scraping against the stone floor.
Stuck again.
"Losrak, iza'uh." Sakarra murmured, and the Sehlat rumbled agreement. A moment later, he broke fee and shuffled up to the bed, plopping down next to his friends with a heavy sigh. Surely, he deserved some fruit for all that he had hauled his old bones up the stairs and through the wicked door. And as if she knew - but yes, of course she would, Warya thought to himself - he heard the shell cracked open with great care. A full half of the fruit was offered to him and the Sehlat sighed again, grateful and content.
"Warya." her deep, soft voice conveyed a greeting so loving, the Sehlat stopped his efforts for a moment to purr happily, like a rockslide in the mountains, and then his giant paws resumed scraping against the stone floor.
Stuck again.
"Losrak, iza'uh." Sakarra murmured, and the Sehlat rumbled agreement. A moment later, he broke fee and shuffled up to the bed, plopping down next to his friends with a heavy sigh. Surely, he deserved some fruit for all that he had hauled his old bones up the stairs and through the wicked door. And as if she knew - but yes, of course she would, Warya thought to himself - he heard the shell cracked open with great care. A full half of the fruit was offered to him and the Sehlat sighed again, grateful and content.
"I shall take my leave, t'sai." Sovar's rich, level baritone sounded over Warya's happy munching. "As you correctly pointed out, my appearance requires … adjustment."
The young woman inclined her head, but not soon enough to hide the amused twinkle in her black eyes.
As swiftly and silently as he had entered, the Vulcan moved towards the door, trying not to remember how it had felt when his hand dropped away from her skin and brushed against the silken, fragrant hair, knowing that he would fail.
"Sovar."
He paused in the doorway, fervently clinging to his composure. There was a tender 'thank you' in her voice, nothing more. Whatever else he thought he might have heard, it had to be conjured by his desire for it to be so.
Turning around, he bowed, not able to look away from the image before him and wishing he could.
Silks, outlining a body relaxed but alert, and of a shape that would make a monk reconsider the truth of the universe, and emerging from the shimmering white fabric, … shoulders the warmth and smoothness of which he knew much to well for his peace of mind. Luminous eyes regarded him in silence and the open affection in her face was like a spear through his already wounded side.
"Ki`nam-tor dh'or eh sanosh, t'sai."
"H'eh nuhk'es, r'hi."
"Yeht'aya."
The young woman inclined her head, but not soon enough to hide the amused twinkle in her black eyes.
As swiftly and silently as he had entered, the Vulcan moved towards the door, trying not to remember how it had felt when his hand dropped away from her skin and brushed against the silken, fragrant hair, knowing that he would fail.
"Sovar."
He paused in the doorway, fervently clinging to his composure. There was a tender 'thank you' in her voice, nothing more. Whatever else he thought he might have heard, it had to be conjured by his desire for it to be so.
Turning around, he bowed, not able to look away from the image before him and wishing he could.
Silks, outlining a body relaxed but alert, and of a shape that would make a monk reconsider the truth of the universe, and emerging from the shimmering white fabric, … shoulders the warmth and smoothness of which he knew much to well for his peace of mind. Luminous eyes regarded him in silence and the open affection in her face was like a spear through his already wounded side.
"Ki`nam-tor dh'or eh sanosh, t'sai."
"H'eh nuhk'es, r'hi."
"Yeht'aya."
Another bow, and he disappeared into the shadows. The house would wake soon, and she who was going to bring home her bond-mate today would very likely need a friend to wake her as well.
Unnoticed by either of the young Vulcans, a Sehlat's golden gaze followed the receding shape into the corridor, a deeply thoughtful look in it's wise old eyes.
Unnoticed by either of the young Vulcans, a Sehlat's golden gaze followed the receding shape into the corridor, a deeply thoughtful look in it's wise old eyes.
[To be continued ... ]
Lieutenant Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helm Officer
USS Charon
Chief Helm Officer
USS Charon
