Darkest Light

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He nodded slowly. "The heat is the same for me. When...when you touch it, I can feel it, like it should burn, but it doesn't." he supplied before looking back down at the mark and her fingers. Some part of him was glad she'd not drawn back. He actually liked her touch when he hadn't tolerated it from anyone in years - and for good reason when one looked at his scars - and while Kana found that strange, he found his body's changes stranger still.

Wait...it wasn't just his reactions...it was his reaction to HER.

The male elf frowned, thoughtful at that revelation and he reached out slowly, his fingers coming to touch the mark beside her own fingers. The effect was instant as the tattoo started to glow again and Kana got the impression of a high summer, trees and a meadow, a stream and the sun beating down pleasantly. It was a complete opposite of his nature and yet Kana found himself enjoying it, seeing the beauty.

What he didn't know was that Elidi would be getting the same kind of flashing image in her mind, but of the opposite element, winter, cold.
 
Elidi smiled softly at his answer, wondering just what this mark could mean. Without realizing it, her other hand came to rest amongst his other markings and trailed along the designs. She liked the slightly intimate way they were working with each other at that moment, the way Ekanath's flesh felt against hers. It was nice. She felt... safe with him. And her trust grew for him with each passing day.

Her gold eyes followed his hand as his fingers touched the mark beside her own fingers. She stared at the mark as it began to glow again and while Kana felt the warmth that Elidi ever so loved, she felt the coldness that comforted the prince. She saw lands covered in snow while it fell from the sky gently, no sun in sight as it was replaced with the night sky and its decorations: the moon and stars. It was a new comfort she found herself appreciating and becoming fond of. When the impression was over, she slowly looked up to Kana and met his eyes. "Did..." she paused. "Did you see something, too?" She was slowly getting an idea of what this mark might mean.
 
The touch of her other hand, her tracing fingers over his skin made the male shiver with neither heat nor cold, but something else entirely, a pleasant tingle that swept through his body. He'd never felt that kind of feeling before, had never had this kind of contact with anyone and Kana found himself lulled by her touch, his heart rate slowing, his body relaxing in a way it hadn't in years. He was surprised by that, but accepted it.

His eyes were softer than normal, still cold, but not so jagged when they met her warmer gold ones. "I did." He didn't explain what he'd seen, feeling she would already be able to guess just as he had guessed as to what she'd seen.

The Prince didn't feel so worried anymore about the marking even as he could still feel it pulsing, a separate beat from his heart, but so much like a heartbeat itself that he couldn't help but think of it as such. He'd moved his hand away from his chest now, but didn't make any attempt to stop Elidi's touch, not minding it.
 
She felt the male's body relax underneath her touch and she was glad she could be somebody Kana could trust and just be himself around, not having to fight certain actions or thoughts or words. When his eyes met Elidi's and he confirmed that he did indeed see an impression, she smiled as she continued to feel the pulsating mark. It was just... so extraordinary.

Soon, she pulled back completely and sat in front of him on her calves. "Kana, I think... I think this marking means we were supposed to meet each other," she said as her back became warmed by the fire. "I mean, look at it, it's connecting the moon and the sun. You've heard the rumors of me being a gift from the sun, right?" she shook her head as her mind was in a bit of a jumble, not knowing if she was correct or not but having the feeling it was so. "And you, you're like the moon. We're complete opposites like the two."
 
He found himself missing her when he pulled away, but didn't say anything. Gah, that would be extremely awkward to say the least. No, he was going to keep his mouth shut, that Kana was sure of....and then he didn't really seem to have a choice in the matter as Elidi started speaking and he found himself staring at her with wide eyes, some flicker of understanding starting to ignite in his gaze. It was only a spark at first but with each word she uttered it became more solid, a flickering ember of knowledge that he couldn't escape.

Kana felt as if his lungs had been compressed, the air hard to breathe and he'd grown tense again, not hearing Elidi's voice anymore but one far older, deeper, harsher. The voice of an Elder Elf, an elf who'd thought it would have been better had he died at birth, who honored his King's wishes about his son, but who held no love of the Crown Prince himself.

You belong to the Sun. The Moon and the Night will never be your home. You will serve the Sun and die with the Sun. You are no Prince of the Moon.

The words made the Dark Elf close his eyes and he battled the hurt the memory caused before opening them again, taking a deep breath and letting it out shakily. He reached up, covering the mark with his palm and feeling the unnatural heat surge through his body, a pain that seemed to ground him as he looked at Elidi, solemn.

"I think you're right."
 
The princess watched the prince's face as she told him what she thought the mark meant, and his reaction helped her solidify her feeling. But with her keen eyes, she could see him tensing but wasn't sure what it was from and could only watch. Maybe he was seeing another impression, but a bad one? When he opened his eyes again and looked her, telling her he thought she was right, she smiled slightly.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, motioning to the mark. That also might have been what tensed his body. She shivered from the chill of the cave adapting to the harsher weather outside, but ignored it as she waited for Kana's answer.
 
Did it...oh, crap.

Kana took his hand away, looking faintly guilty and he ducked his head, grabbing his tunic and slipping it back on to stall for time before he had to answer. But he did answer, running his hand back through his white hair and letting his eyes flicker up to Elidi before looking away again. "Yeah, but only....when I touch it." So the fact as to WHY he'd been keeping his hand over it firmly even though it caused pain was up in the air.

Seeking to distract Elidi from such a lingering question, the Prince honed in on her shivering. "Come on, you need to get closer to the fire and wrap up." He stood, moving the few steps it took to get wood and added more to the flames, moving back away from them rather quickly when the heat intensified. Gah, he hated fire.
 
Elidi waited patiently for Kana to answer, letting him put his tunic back on as she used this time to do her own thing as well. She stood and walked over to her own bedding, sitting down in it before looking back to him as he answered. If it hurts when only he touches it... why did he keep his hand there for so long? She cocked her head slightly as she wondered if she could continue asking him about it or not. But he seemed to not want to answer any more, so she left it at that and let him tend to the fire.

She wrapped herself up in the blanket and laid down on her side, facing Ekanath and welcoming the quiet that took over. She wasn't sure what else to say, so her ears adjusted to the flickering of the flames and the hushed wind coming from the entrance of the cave.
 
The silence was both welcome and oppressing all at the same time and Kana, after a time, stood from his bedroll, saying something about checking to see how bad the storm was as he walked to the entrance of the cavern. Once there, the wind hit him strongly and the Dark Elf smiled a little as it pulled at his hair, teasing like a good friend, coaxing him out into the snow. He found himself taking a step and then another, completing four of them before common sense got the better of him and he stepped backward without turning, knowing that was the surest way to get turned around and lost. When he felt the stone at his back, then Kana turned his head, making sure he could see the fire glowing against the cave walls before he turned back to the storm again.

It whipped around him in a fury, snow soaking him through, pulling wildly at his hair but doing nothing to cool the warmth of the mark on his chest. It was strange and he was unsure as of yet if he was okay with it all.

The thought of warmth, though, made him move his way back into the cave, having been standing there a lot longer than he'd thought, to check on Elidi. He didn't want her getting too cold even if he enjoyed it himself. It wouldn't be good for her.
 
The Light Elf watched as the prince stood and mumbled something about the storm, her golden eyes following him as he made his way to the entrance. Her eyes went back to the fire after a few seconds and her mind went back to everything that had happened; the new mark on Kana's shoulder and what it really meant... why it seemed to be alive on the elve's dark skin. She felt like her guess was right, at least to an extent, but she wanted to know more. Maybe... maybe they could have it read once they visited Ekanath's home in the mountains. Would Kana agree to it?

Elidi waited for him to return so she could ask him, but she soon found herself tire and her body succumbing to rest since the prince took longer than expected. When he was back, she was sleeping soundly in her bedroll, the blanket(s) being clutched lightly in her fist as the orange light from the fire danced along her face.
 
Kana found a smile growing on his lips at the sight Elidi made and something in his heart softened toward her. She had already gained a place of trust in his mind, but now he knew he was growing fond of her and while the Prince was not sure that was wise seeing as she was a Princess and he was an prisoner at the moment, an enemy, he couldn't help but feel it was too late to back up and distance him now.

The male stooped down, picking up one of his blankets, something he wouldn't need and he went around the fire to Elidi's side. Kana crouched, pulling her own blankets up securely around her shoulder and then taking his own and laying it on the female elf as well, carefully tucking it in to keep out the chill. He stayed then, head tilted as he watched her - and as he dripped onto the floor - and without really knowing why, Kana reached out and gently brushed her hair away from her eyes, careful not to touch her skin with his cold fingertips.

"You truly are special."

It was a whisper before he stood and moved and added more wood to the fire. He found his own bedroll then, but proceeded to remove his shoes and change his clothes before sitting down. He didn't bother with a shirt right now as the cave was already a little warmer than he liked - a good thing for Elidi - and she'd already seen his scars so he wasn't hesitant about revealing them anymore. He laid down on his stomach then, head pillowed in his arms and watched the flames he hated so much.

He'd be awake for a little while yet, but he'd probably be asleep come morning.
 
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Elidi was already fully unconscious when Kana knelt next to her, her eyes closed and chest moving up and down slowly with her breath. Her body subconsciously welcomed the blanket given by the male elf and shifted in it ever so slightly to feel the warmth it brought. But that was all that her body took notice to, her ears surely hearing the words from Kana but not letting them register in her mind during her slumber.

The horses were sleeping soundly, had been ever since they were able to lie down and rest. In the morning, Elidi was waken by newer sun rays lighting up the cave as best it could. She blinked slowly as her vision came through and she stretched through her blankets before turning around and seeing her male companion still sleeping, but without a blanket. A little confused, she looked around when she finally came to her own bedding and saw his blanket lying with her. She smiled slightly as she looked back to him and then sat up, the blankets pooling around her and in her lap. The cave was cold enough to let her see her breath coming from her warmer mouth and she wrapped her arms around her as she quietly stood and walked towards the entrance, wanting to see what it was like outside and if it was still snowing. As she neared it, she could see the land covered in snow, and a soft snow was falling from the sky in a delicate dance. She reached out her hand from inside the cave and let the cooler air ripen around her as a few snowflakes hit her hand in at random. She smiled, because even though she rather hated the cold, she also kind of liked it. It was calm at times like these and... well, it was lovely.
 
It was the mark that woke him. It surged with heat, nearly burning for a moment and Kana sat up quickly, a hiss exiting his mouth as he looked down at the now black tattoo, but it was already cooling again, pulsing steadily. He silently cursed the damn thing and then looked around, wondering why it had woken him....wait. It had woken him? Why did that sound less insane than it should have?

Deciding he really didn't want to know the answer right now, Kana stood, his eyes catching on Elidi and he sighed, shaking his head as he went to pick up a blanket. He came behind her on silent feet and draped the thing over her shoulders. His voice was quiet, patient.

"You need to stay wrapped up. Storm's not over yet and it's only going to get colder."

The male elf leaned against the opposite side of the entrance, crossing his arms and his breath didn't come out in a fog like Elidi's did. His temperature was actually pretty cold right now, but regulated and there wasn't much warmth for him to expel into the air. The mark on his chest however, had some steam rising from it, not that Kana had taken notice. He was scanning the landscape, the white snow making him smile a little.

"Did you ever have winters like this in Senasia?" In all the years he'd been there, he'd never seen a winter like the ones in his land.
 
Elidi heard the hiss since her ears accustomed to quiet noises through their rather quiet journey. She looked behind her to see Kana stand and she offered him a small smile as a greeting before she looked back to the landscape and pulled her arm back from the cold. She hadn't expected him to come beside her and give her a blanket, but she looked to him when he did as she secured the blanket in her hands.

"I just wanted to feel it when I could possibly enjoy it..." she explained although she nodded to him in thanks. She continued watching the snow fall. "No, never like this," she answered. "Usually we have strong rainstorms, sometimes we get some snow. But nothing like this." She looked to him then. "How long do you think the storm will last?"
 
He nodded, having witnessed that himself and having experienced the longing for a proper winter for years, and looked thoughtful at her question, scanning the skies and the wind that blew a freezing chill past them. "A few more hours. It won't go on into the night, though."

It seemed even as he spoke that the snow was picking up, swirling about and Kana smiled a little, but moved toward Elidi and without really thinking about it, her pulled some of her hair in a slightly affectionate way. "Come on, sunshine, time to get back to the fire."

The Dark Elf chuckled a little and it seemed despite being woken, the storm and the cold had put him in a good mood. Mountains usually did that for Kana.
 
Elidi was glad that the storm wouldn't last for another day; she wouldn't know what to do if they had gotten snowed in or weren't able to trek in deep snow with the horses. The rate of the snow seemed to be picking up as they were talking, though, and when Kana moved towards the princess, she turned towards him and only watched as he pulled her hair lightly - perhaps somewhat affectionately? - and told her to get back to warmth. She was a little surprised at the action, but it hadn't bothered her and her lips curved into a smile.

"Okay, starshine," she retorted back, walking back to the fire and digging around to find some breakfast. "You hungry?" she asked as she found some, also pulling a waterskin out to drink from.
 
Starshine. Oh, better not let his sisters hear THAT one! Well, if he ever saw his sister in the presence of Elidi...or ever again. No, no that that was too gloomy and it didn't fit the atmosphere right now. Kana shoved it back and instead moved back into the cave with the female elf, getting more wood for the fire and moving toward the horses to feed them their own breakfast. He answered over his shoulder as he saw to them.

"Famished."

And he really was. Not eating for days because of the heat and then getting back into his own climate had made his body remember that yes, it did need food and Kana finished up his task and came back to Elidi rather quickly, giving her a smile as he took the food she gave him and then sitting down, not to far from her instead of on the other side of the fire. He felt the oddest surge of cold come from the mark on his chest, almost as if it approved somehow and the Prince decided to simply ignore it for the time being as he glanced at his companion.

"You excited to get back home?"
 
Glaweth and Darkstep gave their neighs of approval for the food, munching down on their breakfast as they continued to rest. Elidi smiled at Kana's answer and gave him what hearty meal she could before tending to her own. She also mentally took note of the way he sat rather close to her instead of on the other side of the fire, but she didn't say anything of it as she nibbled on a slice of bread.

"Yes," she answered honestly after swallowing, looking to the male elf. "I'd like for my family to stop worrying, that's for sure." she smiled a little bit as she thought over a question, the one from last night not coming to mind even though it was around the same subject. "I say we stop and visit yours though," she said, wanting to give him the chance he could see his family.
 
Kana had been nodding, having already anticipated her answer to some degree, but at her last words he froze completely and his gold eyes were wide as they stared into her own. Disbelief was the first emotion to wash unhindered over his features.

She wasn't serious. It was a joke, some cruel joke. Only Elidi wasn't sadistic in the least, the farthest thing from that. She couldn't be serious, though. It wasn't...he couldn't.....wasn't allowed....was she serious??? His eyes studied the Princess' face almost frantically, sharply and that's when the first flickers of hope came to Kana's expression as her own showed no lie or laughter.

He opened his mouth to speak and found his voice had gone. He closed it again, swallowing hard and tried once more, even his voice faint, hardly daring to believe she meant it. He'd not seen his family in almost fifty years. If one thought of that, his reaction would make more sense.

"R-really?"
 
Elidi watched Kana closely and she saw how surprised he was. She kept her expression serious as his eyes searched hers, letting him know that she wasn't trying to play some mean game or trying to pull a cruel joke. She waited for him to answer and was patient in his mind trying to find the right words. She smiled when he finally asked if she really meant it, and she nodded.

"Of course," she answered before taking a sip of water. "I mean, we're practically right next to your kingdom. And you haven't seen them in so long. I've only been away from my family for about a month and I already miss them so much; I can't imagine what you feel." She looked towards the entrance of the cave, watching the snow swirl and create a hazy white view. Then she looked back to Kana.

"It isn't like the guards can say much about it. I'm their princess - they will listen to me."
 
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