EquinoxSol x Dedtoo

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"How can I have questions about somewhere I've never been to?" Evelyn asks. She didn't mean to sound so sullen about it, but once it was out of her mouth, she couldn't help it. Trying to recover from her slip, she continued, "Though I'm sure once I've had a chance to see it, I'll have many..." A flutter of excitement stirred within her, at the prospect of visiting somewhere other than the area within the valley, though it was swiftly soured by the thought of knowing that she was leaving the place she had lived in for so long.
 
"Yes, I suppose you're right. I just figured you might wonder... I don't know... What wildlife to expect or something?" He asked, feeling a bit stupid at her reaction at the question . "I mean, I figured you might want to know something so you aren't so surprised when we get there. But I suppose seeing it, then asking might be quite a bit more thrilling. A bit like hearing the ending of a story before the story itself." He smiled awkwardly.
 
Noticing how Zar'Le was acting, Evelyn quickly said, "I'm sorry...that sounded insensitive. I am still sort of in shock," she says, biting her lip before continuing. "I'm nervous about the marriage, to be honest...and it scares me, too," she knew that it was nowhere near a proper reason, but hoped that it would suffice, at least for now. "B-but, I'm really excited, too..."
 
"No, no, it's fine." Zar'Le quickly said. "It was a stupid question. I just... I'm scared too. I mean, it's not every day I bring someone home who's never been in the swamps before, especially not someone I'm going to marry. And I guess I was trying to impress you or something..." He looked away for a few moments, afraid that he had made a fool of himself.
"I guess that's at least one thing we have in common though. We're both exited, yet scared, about the same thing." He said, turning towards her again, slowly, with a slight smile.
 
As Zar'Le said that he had been trying to impress her, Evelyn quickly turned away, hoping he wouldn't notice the obvious blush upon her cheeks. Thankfully, she noticed, he was looking away as well, and couldn't have noticed the redness that had creeped upon her. Once she had gotten her face under control, she turned back towards him to find him talking about how they were both afraid and excited at the same time. She returns his smile, feeling slightly more comfortable now. Feeling the terrible sensation of being pitched forward, Evelyn instinctively grabbed for Zar'Le, taking his arm and squeezing her eyes shut. She can't help but whisper, "Stop it, stop it, stop it!" hating the feeling of not being horizontal. Though her mind was telling her that it was supposed to be fine, but inside she was convinced she was going to fall.
 
For a moment, Zar'Le was confused, as Evelyn suddenly leaned forwards and grabbed his arm. He was rather distracted by that, so distracted that it took him a few seconds to realize why she had suddenly done it. He put his arm around her to hold her in place, and took her one hand in his other, both to steady and comfort her. "Don't worry. I've got you." He hissed over his shoulder towards their rider. "Warn us next time you do something like that would you?!" He didn't let go of her, not thinking of it, as he asked her "Are you okay?"
 
Still trembling under Zar'Le's careful hold upon her, Evelyn was silent as he spoke to the rider. When he asked if she was alright, she nodded, but didn't answer verbally, her heart still pounding in her chest. When she felt her own shaking begin to cease, she gradually pulled away, taking her arm from his, still feeling her heart jump when the spider would move unexpectedly, yet remaining in Zar'Le's hold, keeping her hand in his.
 
Her fear was obvious, even to one so unlike her, and Zar'Le couldn't help but to feel for her. He kept his firm, yet careful hold of her as he started speaking. "It's okay. It's your first time riding anything, and probably your first time being vertical like so. But I won't let you fall on your first ride. Nor any other ride." He spoke with confidence a slight smile for her. His tail had also gotten free during the event, and once more went for her leg. This time, he let it gently wrap itself around her ankle.
 
Her hand held in his...it felt so unlike holding the hand of another Nymph. The scales instead of skin, the length of his fingers, even how his bones seemed to be structured were all different. Evelyn wondered how his people had came to look that way, but didn't say anything, deciding that there would be plenty of time for her to ask every question she could possibly have. As Zar'Le told her that he wouldn't let her fall then or any other time, she nodded before shakily saying, "I don't think I'll ever get used to this..." and wondering how his people could have possibly learned to live with giant spiders. Feeling reassured by him holding her, she doesn't move, still feeling shaken.
 
"You don't have to, unless you want it yourself." Zar'Le said simply and reassuringly, still holding her in his arms. She felt so... Soft, compared to those of his own kin. The skin of her hand felt smoother than a hand with scales, somehow. A softness he certainly could get used to. He thought for a moment about how her kind looked without clothes, yet he stopped himself before he truly got started. Instead, he tried to calm the woman in his arms some more. "You can get anywhere in the city on foot. You won't even have to get up or down from the trees with a spider. And as long as you don't want to, I won't force you."
 
Evelyn felt slightly reassured by Zar'Le's words, and said, "I want to learn to get used to the spiders, so I don't have to walk, but I'm...afraid of the thought of falling. Nymphs live on the ground. While we can climb trees, falling is something every Nymph is afraid of..." she smiles, thinking of her mother's mortification when she found out Evelyn was climbing trees as a child. After a moment, she pulls away from him, still holding his hand unconsciously. She wanted to learn to get used to the spiders, but knew she would have trouble with it, given her fear of falling and the size of the spiders. Feeling much more calm now, Evelyn was able to breath normally, and wasn't feeling the need to hold tightly onto Zar'Le now.
 
Zar'Le smiled at her. "We've got a saying that fits for that. "Zhee na'soaz sarh? ah'zha zazana". Um..." He thought for a moment how to translate it so it still made sense. "Why do we fall down? So we can learn from it and rise again." You will most likely fall off the spiders quite a few times. Hopefully not too many though." He smiled in an attempt to not scare her about it. "But I'll be there every step of the way. And of course, we won't start off with vertical climbing. First you learn to ride, then you learn to climb." He gave her hand a squeeze, and in the process, her ankle as well.
 
Evelyn is thankful for Zar'Le's words, glad that he would help her grow used to riding the spiders. His words about how she would probably fall many times sent lances of fear through her, but his hand squeezing hers, and his tail upon her ankle, took those away. Smiling, she asks, "How long is it to your home? I'm afraid that I've never been anywhere that was more than an hour away, and within walking distance..."
 
"Um... That's a good question..." He answered. He had been distracted so far on the trip, so he hadn't been paying attention as to where they were. He turned forward, to try to spot any landmarks of some sort. And what he saw made him smile widely. The tops of the giant swamp-trees. "We've got about an hour left until we're there. Unless something is in the way, that is. But most likely, an hour. Then you will finally see my home." He announced with a wide grin.
 
"Good," Evelyn said, smiling. She had an impatience about her, always wanting things finished immediately, and had already decided that she couldn't wait much longer. Turning her attention from him to the landscape, she marvels at it. In the valley, she knew the position of nearly every tree and bush there, it was all extremely old news to her. But now, with new trees and hills and even mountains in the distance to marvel at, she quickly decided that she wouldn't become bored very easily.
 
"Good indeed." He said, as he too turned forwards, looking at the scenery in silence, still holding her hand.

They sat there mostly in silence, as they approached their destination. The trees had grown on the horizon the whole time, but now they finally com to the outskirts of the swamp. The ground had gotten soft and wet in many places, with rivers going across many other parts of it. The trees around them were huge already, and only grew bigger as they got further in. The undergrowth was thick, yet there were trodden paths through it, which the spider followed with ease. There was quite a few bugs flying around, yet most of them ignored the party.
"Welcome to the Loh'Roz swamps, Evelyn!" Zae'Le announced loudly with a wide smile.
 
After a while of taking in the scenery, Evelyn looked towards the trees getting larger, a smile rapidly growing upon her face. As Zar'Le welcomed her to the swamp, she couldn't help but look around in even greater amazement. "Zar'Le, it's so beautiful..." she says, looking to him. His home was so fascinating and breath-taking...My home now, she told herself, nearly ecstatic. The trees were all so large and strong, she knew that she would have no trouble in finding a proper tree to bond with, a thought that made her more happy. It would also be a lovely place to raise children, she thought with a blush and a soft smile.
 
"I told you so, didn't I?" He asked, still with a wide smile. "And in only a short while, we will be under the city, where there will be many of my kin, and of spiders." He was glad to see her smiling so much at her new home.
As they got closer to the city, they passed the occasional Lizardkin, some riding spiders, some leading a pack-spider, and others still simply walking. Some of them greeted them as they passed, while others stared at the passing Nymph. Most "outsiders" were lone traders with some form of pack animal, not riding along on a spider.
 
Evelyn calmed down a bit as she saw Lizardkin walking near the city. She still took in all that was around her, but wasn't as noticeable with it as she had been earlier. She didn't mind the stares, knowing that she was secretly staring at them as well. Most traders that passed through the valley were Nymphs from another valley, mountain, or sea. Rarely would any caravans pass through that had Lizardkin in them, and when they did, they never would be able to talk to Evelyn, as either there wasn't any time or they spoke very little of her language. Looking up at the trees towering above them, she couldn't keep the smile off her face.
 
It wasn't long before houses and walkways started appearing above them, greatly varying in size, yet mostly at the same height. And as they got deeper, more Lizardkin were walking along the ground, climbing the trees or doing something up in the city.
The spider slowed down and approached one of the larger trees and by extension, one of the larger houses in the area. It was obvious that the spider was going to climb the tree, at least it was for those who had experienced it before.
Zar'Le put his arm carefully around Evelyn again. "We're about to go up to our home, so hold on tight." He said happily, only moments before the spider started it's ascent.
 
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