Another World

Lucien let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding. Talk about nerve wracking. As soon as the soldier left the bus and the doors were closed he opened his eyes just a little bit more to look out the windows. There weren't a whole lot of them outside at the road block but enough to cause trouble if they really wanted to. He didn't hate lightly but he was beginning to get very agitated with these particular people. He looked over at Leila, she looked absolutely exhausted, probably a combination of the time and the stress. When she asked if she should move to another seat he shook his head. "Not necessary."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, turning her as he turned himself in the seat, leaning back against the window with her in his lap. He encouraged her to lean against him as his hands went to her neck. He ran his thumbs up the back of her neck in a soothing manner, running his fingers through her hair gently massaging her scalp. He reached her temples and circled them lightly. Her hair was so soft it almost tickled his hands. He closed his eyes and breathed her scent in deeply. She smelled like sweet sunlight. He wasn't tired at all. His people didn't really sleep, meditation for a few hours but that was pretty much it and he could do that later when they were safe. "Go to sleep zar-rey lyndza," he whispered in her ear, "All will be well, you are protected."
 
"Are you sure? I really don't mi-" Leila began to protest as he said it wasn't necessary for her to move. She cut herself off as his arm snaked around her waist, too tired to really process what was going on until she was already sitting in his lap with her legs turned toward the aisle. Actually, it was incredibly comfortable. She laid back against him without really thinking about it, lulled further into relaxing by his hands massaging her. Oddly enough, she had absoutely no fears about him taking any sort of advantage of the situation. It was like she trusted him completely, even though she barely knew him. If she were awake, the feeling may have frightened her. As it was, she found it only to be a comfort.


"Goodnight, Lucien. Thank you," she murmured, closing her eyes. She wanted to ask what zar-rey lyndza meant, but she couldn't get her mouth to work anymore. Too much effort. She'd just have to ask when she woke up.. if she remembered. 'You are protected.' Her body relaxed and she fell asleep easily laying there. She dreamed peacefully, of the world when it was a better place and the only war was in stories. The bus continued on, stopping only once to give the awake people a bathroom break before continuing onward.
 
Lucien smiled down at her, whispering good night and continued to massage her scalp until she was in a deep sleep. He gently wrapped his arms around her to keep her secure in his lap while the bus turned corners and stopped and started again. When the bus stopped to let people stretch their legs he politely declined. He was comfortable right where he was at. She was warm in his arms, something he never thought he would experience. He did keep a watchful eye out for any other disturbances. He had a sinking suspicion that this war with the soldiers was not over but he was relieved when the rest of the ride went by peaceful.

He watched as the bus pulled up to the new settlement. It was beautiful even in the darkness. The sun had not yet risen even though it had been several hours. He nuzzled the side of Leila's head and whispered in her ear, "Leila? Zar-rey? We are here. Your new home." He ran his hands up and down her arms lightly to help rouse her. It had been a peaceful couple of hours with her in his arms but it had come to an end. He doubted he would ever get the chance again.
 
Leila didn't stir the entire time that she slept in Lucien's arms. Normally she would toss and turn restlessly and roll all around if she were in bed. She was used to waking up several times an hour from nightmares, but this time she didn't wake up a single time, not even when the others were whispering to Lucien and asking if he'd like to get off the bus. Not a single one of them batted an eye at their unconventional positioning, but that was just the type of people they were. If people were happy, they didn't question it. When she did awaken, it was to the sound of Lucien whispering in her ear. She stirred and slowly rubbed her eyes, too warm and comfortable to want to move away from him.


"I don't wanna," she murmured indistinctly, curling into him for a few moments until what he had said actually sunk in to her more wakeful portion of her mind. "We're here?" she repeated, sitting up and looking out the window. She could see all of the houses, even in the dark, thanks to streetlights. This place was more of a city than the small town they had lived in before, but it was almost all water people. A few ungifted humans and a couple air people, but that was it. She smiled and looked at Lucien, sliding down from his lap with a faint blush. "Thank you for letting me sleep. What does zar-rey mean?" she asked as she picked up her bag and stood, ready to get off the bus with everybody else.
 
Lucien chuckled softly when Leila curled back into him not wanting to wake up. He waited patiently for her to get her bearings. He watched the people sleepily start to exit the bus, wondering exactly where they were all staying. He didn't have any currency with him. He could only hope that the villagers at this settlement would be as gracious to have them here as the others had welcomed him. His smile dropped only for a moment when she asked him to translate. He replaced his genuine smile with a tentative one as he busied himself gathering his things from under the seat. "Rough translation, sunshine," he muttered, scolding himself for using a term of endearment to a woman he hardly knew.

Changing the subject he thought would be the best diversion. "So, where is everyone staying? This world is so much warmer than mine I could very easily sleep outside seeings how they weren't expecting me," he said. He looked around at the plethora of houses lining the roads. Surely there would be enough room but he didn't want to overstep himself. He still didn't look her in the eye, instead looking at the people and then getting in the line to leave the bus. All at once he felt claustrophobic.
 
"Oh," she replied with a smile, about to add more, but pausing as he spoke again. His question was a good one, and the response to his language was lost in her mind as she began thinking about housing instead. "Well, preparations have been in the works for a long time for this shift. Many homes that you see are empty and new for the families we are bringing with us. The family that I used to live with told me that something had been arranged for myself, but I'm not sure what it is. A hammock between the trees would be good enough for me," she said, walking down off the bus with a soft laugh.


The sun was just cresting the horizon, splashing golden light onto the streets of the city. It lit up the stones used in the houses, showing multiple shades of greens and blues, with streaks of yellow and white. The roads were newly paved, the sidewalks clean. People were coming out, both to open their businesses for the day and to greet the newcomers. Leila couldn't help but smile. It was a beautiful sight. They would be safe here, finally. No more soldier troubles.


"Come," she said, taking Lucien's hand and leading him over to a couple that was trying to manage four small children. The man tossed her a key and pointed to a building, all while wrestling a tiny girl off his face. She laughed and walked over to the building, glancing at the key. "Number six. I wonder if this is like a hotel?" she pondered to herself, glancing at Lucien for input. The building had a rather nice lobby with a small fountain in the middle, and the stairs were marble. She went up, noticing that each floor had a number and a locked door. When she got to six, she unlocked the door and stared.


It wasn't a hotel, it was an apartment. The entire top floor was hers. It had a massive living room with a nice sized kitchen, plus an entryway and an elegant bathroom. Two bedrooms and one balcony finished off the rooms. She just stood there and stared, finally dropping the key to the floor with a soft clatter in disbelief. From one room to.. this? This was hers?


"Whoa.."
 
Lucien followed Leila quietly but with a smile on his face. He was relieved to see such a warm reception. He tilted his head slightly to the side when she mentioned a hotel. Another word he was not familiar with so he shrugged. He nodded to the man that threw her the key, chuckling at the fierce attacking little girls. He followed her through the first floor, marveling at the decorative fountain in the center. Climbing the stairs he wondered if she had been put on the very top floor of the large building.

As she unlocked and opened the door his jaw dropped. Living quarters were so much more comfortable here. Even she looked amazed. Everything looked brand new, but then again he wasn't sure if he'd know what older decor looked like. Everything was extremely open and spacious, the balcony catching his eye the most. He kneeled down and picked up the key she dropped and then took her hand and lead her there. He swiped the long deep blue curtains to the side to reveal what looked like glass doors. After maneuvering the handle a bit he figured it out and opened it, pulling her out with him.

The view was amazing. Since they were so high up they could see the entire landscape laid out before them. The sun was just rising making the trees and the water look so much more vibrant. He knew that if she allowed him to stay with her he would be out here every morning just so he could see this. He twirled her around and then pulled her back into him, wrapping his arms around her slight waist so that he could share this moment with her. He whispered in her ear, "Even with the hues of the sun rising, the beauty does not compare....." He trailed off there. He just couldn't stop putting his foot in his mouth.
 
Leila was barely able to form a single word, let alone walk. So when Lucien took her hand and tugged her into the spacious apartment, she offered no resistance. She dropped her bag by the low, sapphire blue couch and walked with him out the beautiful glass doors onto the balcony. The view was breathtaking, even if it was of buildings and people instead of her beloved trees and sky. She smiled as he spun her, hugging him gently as he whispered to her. Nodding in agreement, she pulled away and went over to the edge to peer over the railing.


"I agree, but nothing can ever compare to the secret spot," she remarked with a sigh, then looked back over her shoulder at him with a smile. "But I bet there is somewhere just as good around here, if we just go find it. What do you say? Just leave your stuff on whichever bed you want and then we can go have ourselves an adventure. We might as well explore the city anyway, right?" she asked, tugging him back inside. She examined the whole apartment, delighted time and again with the simplest of things. "So beautiful," she murmured in awe, watching the crystal hands of a clock move and toss rainbows on the ceiling like a prism.
 
Lucien paid very close attention to her as she looked over the rooms of the apartment. The bedroom she favored the least he dropped his belongings on the bed. He was relieved that she didn't seem to catch his meaning of the beauty of the place. He was excited to be here with so much to discover and so many to meet. He couldn't wait to start. He watched her go over every detail of her new home, the splendor in her eyes making them sparkle. She'd only had a short nap but he had the feeling that the excitement of being in the new town had her adrenaline going.

He smiled at her as he leaned against the wall beside the front door until she finished. "I'm ready when you are," he said. He wasn't sure if she wanted to bring anything with her or not so he waited. And once she was ready he opened the door for her. Once outside he handed her the key she had dropped and waited for her to lock up before running down the stairs, anxious to be outside again.
 
"I'm ready, I'm ready!" she declared, running out of the apartment. She smiled and locked the door, then attached the key to her belt and took his hand to run down the stairs. "Oh, it feels so much better to be out here. I don't know about you, but I start feeling claustrophobic if I'm inside for too long. The bus, then the apartment.. It's nice, but you just can't beat fresh air," she said as they emerged back out on the street, smiling up at him. Where to go first? She looked all around, not spotting anybody from their town but seeing plenty of others walking around.


"You decide where we go and what we do today. Explore anything that interests you. I'll just follow along for the ride," she finally suggested, unable to decide which way she wanted to go. On one side there was the downtown area with a spawling outdoor marketplace, and on the other side there was a mountain that likely had trails and such. Somewhere nearby, she could sense a lake, but she wasn't really sure which direction it was in since she wasn't concentrating on it.
 
"Alright, you asked for it," Lucien smiled as he plotted. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted the hustle and bustle of downtown right now. After the long trip on the bus he really needed to stretch his legs. Still holding her hand he guided her towards the mountain. As they walked through the streets he smiled and greeted all that spoke to them but made a bee line straight for the small path he could see leading up the side of a small hill before they would hit the treeline. Once clear of the houses he felt better, he wasn't used to being so crowded. The trees here were tall and a very brilliant green. Moss and ferns covered the ground. He followed the trampled footpath as to not disturb anything else. The air was clean and fresh.

He slowed down his walk so that they could both enjoy the scenery. Wild flowers grew everywhere and in all different colors, ruby red, sapphire blue, amethyst purple, citrine yellow. He wondered if it would be alright to pick these but since he didn't know at present time he would ask later. The sunlight hit the ground in patches, shining through the leaves of the trees. He continued with her up the trail until it came to a 'v'. He looked up both directions and then just closed his eyes and listened. He listened to the wildlife, the birds and other small animals. He tried to reach out further with his senses but it was difficult as he had not yet meditated today. His mind was tired. So he just picked to go left and hoped it wouldn't lead them into trouble.
 
Leila smiled and followed after him as he set off for the mountain, fully approving of his decision. As much as she wanted to explore the city, she wanted to unwind first. That would either be accomplished by sleeping, which seemed silly as she had just woken up, or getting some real exercise. It felt like it had been days since she played with water instead of just a few hours, but she had no doubt that they would find a stream on the mountain somewhere. If not, she could always pull moisture from the air for a toy. She nodded and greeted people along with Lucien, but was just as impatient to get started on their hike.


"I bet you can see the whole country from the top of this mountain," she proclaimed, though she doubted it. She plucked a bright yellow flower and ran over to him, sticking it in the pocket of his shirt. "Very pretty, Lucien," she said, laughing a bit as she teased him playfully. She skipped along up the path, looking all around at the sun shining in through the trees. It was gorgeous. She smiled to herself and continued on, then paused as she came to a small wooden bridge over a brook. "Oh thank goodness," she said, pausing in the middle and drawing some water from below with one hand up into a ball on her palm.
 
Lucien chuckled as she placed a yellow flower in his pocket. Forgetting about asking permission he plucked a ruby flower and placed it in her hair just above her left ear. As they continued on he heard the rush of water. He laughed when she immediately picked some up. He focused on the water and wrapped some of it in a globe of energy, effectively making his own ball of water and brought it to the palm of his hand. "See, I can do that too," he joked. He tossed the ball between his hands gauging the temperature. It seemed to be luke warm and the day was only going to become warmer. He tossed the ball of water above Leila's head and held it there, playfully threatening to drop it. He knew if he did there would be a war. He was wearing someone else's clothing but it was only water. He waited for about thirty seconds before letting his magic dissipate and watched the water flow down her hair and over her face. Unable to help it he fell to his knees laughing.
 
"You wouldn't dare!" Leila exclaimed as he held the water ball over his head. She was quickly proven wrong when he dumped it over her head, making her blink and laugh. "Oh, that's it!" she announced, moving one hand and pulling all of the water off of her skin and hair and adding it to her own ball to make it larger. She hurled it at him, giggling as it splashed into his belly. Sticking her tongue out at him, she turned and raced up the path, determined not to make it too easy for him to catch her and douse her again. The path twisted and she rounded a corner, caught off guard when the ground dropped out from beneath her.


"Lucien!" she yelped automatically, landing with a light thud in a pit that was only about four feet deep. She sat there and looked around blankly. It was a hunting trap, she realized. Well, now she felt very silly for walking into it. She laughed and stood up, resting her hands on the edge. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she assured him since she had yelled for him. She brushed the dirt off of herself and shook her head to get it out of her hair, still smiling at her own clumsiness.
 
Lucien laughed as he was splashed with her water ball and playfully fell over backwards. He knew she'd take it in fun stride. He watched her run up the path with a smirk, turning to his side slowly gathering another water ball. It took quite a bit more effort and concentration for him to do it than her because he had to focus on encapsulating the water in energy, whereas she could just pick the damn liquid up. All was forgotten when he heard her screech his name in panic. He kipped up and started zipping down the path. He had just gotten to the hole she fell in when she yelled up that she was fine.

The hole was only about four feet deep which wasn't bad at all. If he would have fallen in, he could have stood up and still had two feet of his body exposed. "Are you sure you're alright? No injuries?" he asked as he knelt down and wrapped his arms around her upper body. He slowly pulled her up and out of the hole, setting her on her feet. He then began a meticulous examination of her body, expelling the dirt from her skin, hair, and clothing as to get an accurate look. When he finished he was on his knees in front of her. She had no surface wounds but he still had to ask, "Does anything hurt? Your feet, your ankles, any part of your legs or back? You had quite the jolt."
 
Leila laughed and nodded as Lucien asked if she was alright, holding on to him as he lifted her up out of the hole. She scrunched up her nose and watched him with amusement as he looked her all over, making her feel as though she had fallen into a lion pit instead of a dirt hole. As he asked if anything hurt, she smiled and patted him on the head since she felt rather tall with him on his knees. It wasn't an experience that she got too often, since she barely hit five foot two usually. She fluffed up his hair while she was at it, too amused not to.


"I'm fine, you worrywort. Come on, it's time for an adventure, not time for worrying! We're almost half way there, don't you think?" she said, turning to eye the pit. She wondered why it was there, what animal it was supposed to be catching. Maybe it was supposed to be deeper but just wasn't finished. She skirted around it carefully and stood on the other side, forming another water ball in her hands.


"Oh Luuuuucien," she teased in a sing-song voice, hurling the ball at him, this time hoping to drench his face. She laughed and turned to continue to run up the path, hoping that he would continue to chase her since it was a fun game to pass the time walking. At this rate, they'd be at the top before they knew it.
 
Lucien couldn't help but worry, part of the way he grew up learning to heal. The healers always worried the most. When he looked up at her she was damn near laughing. Maybe he was treating her like a child, perhaps he should back off a bit? He didn't ask the question out loud though, smiling up at her as she ruffled his hair. He stood up to his full height and made his way around the hole. He looked over at Leila when she called his name just in time to get a ball of water splash against his face. This meant war.

He took off after her, chasing her up the twists and turns of the path. Why couldn't anything just be straight? He didn't cheat and use his speed, he could very easily catch up to her in a second but he wanted the game to last. They were both laughing and having a good time. The scenery was absolutely beautiful with all the colors. The sun rose higher making the air warmer. At one point he stopped to give her a little bit more of a lead and took off the shirt, folding it in half and tucking it into the side of his pants. He understood why they wore very little clothing now.

At one point the trail got really steep and difficult to move quickly on, the loose dirt making their feet slide. He tread more carefully here and hoped she would do the same. "Can you see anything up ahead besides trees yet?" he called up to her. The small patches of grass were disappearing and the ground around the trees turned mostly to moss. How high up were they?
 
Running up and around the twisting and turning path, Leila giggled as she heard Lucien chasing after her. This was fun, she had to admit. After a while, the path became more stone than dirt and the trees thinned out. She knew that meant they were nearing the top, so she began carefully climbing up over the hills and boulders. The sun beat more clearly up here, so she wiggled out of her sleeves and wrapped it around her waist with her skirt after rewrapping her skirt to be shorter. Now she basically had on a strapless bra and a miniskirt that fluttered around her thighs, but it was a lot cooler on her skin. She smiled and turned to look back at Lucien, nodding.


"I can see the top, I think! Just a little more of this rock climbing and we'll be up there!" she called back, waving him up to follow her. She clambered over a larger boulder and made her way up a slope that was covered in scree, taking careful steps to avoid slipping and sliding her way down over the edge. After a few long minutes, she made it to the very top. She gasped with delight and sat down, letting her legs swing over the edge as she stared out at the lush green world. The city looked tiny from up here, and she could see at least three rivers and a large lake. Most of all were the trees and endless sky.


"Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" she asked Lucien as he joined her, completely at peace.
 
Lucien carefully climbed up the last of the rocky path, finally coming to the top. He stopped right behind Leila and looked out over the cliff. At last they had found the tranquil place they had been looking for. He smiled and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He had become accustomed to touching her in some way that it was almost natural. He could barely see the city from here. Everything sparkled and shined in the sunlight. He wondered if they could make it to that lake he saw by walking. It would be nice to take a swim.

He smirked over at her, "Guess it depends on what you are looking at," he said, mentally kicking himself for foot in mouth syndrome and tried to recover by quickly adding, "Think we could make it to that lake by foot?" He pointed off in the distance. "We could probably have a real fun time there. Pack us some food, a blanket to sit on, and a couple towels for after our swim. Whatcha think?" He was serious about the offer. And if she couldn't walk there he could use his magic to speed them there. The thought of being stuck inside one of those cars or trucks was even more distasteful than being on that bus again.
 
Leila glanced at Lucien oddly when he spoke, already settled against his side since it was comfortable. She honestly didn't think anything of the fact that they were constantly touching or close to each other in some sort of way. It just felt natural and instinctual, more so than it did to be close to her own people. She looked down at the lake and attempted to judge the distance based on how high they were and how small the city appeared. It'd be a full day worth of walking, probably more. Maybe two or even three. She shook her head a little, doubting that he'd want to spend a whole week traveling there and back just for one day of swimming and picnicking.


"I don't think so. It's quite far and even running it would take over a day. A bit much just for a picnic, don't you think?" she asked with a smile, though she had admittedly walked farther just for a swim. "We could always ride there, though. And I don't mean on a bus again," she said, poking him in the side teasingly since she knew that he hadn't really liked riding the bus. She enjoyed it, though for more reasons than simply the ride. "What else would you like to do? This is your day, remember?" she reminded him, looking up at him with a smile and thinking how much he looked like one of her people now that he was topless. A few markings and he'd blend right in.


"How do you feel about tattoos?"
 
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