Strength in Differences

[Kaisaan]

She was innocent.

That was what Nik sensed about the girl before him. She was innocent. She didn't know how cruel the world could be, not truly and he found himself glad of it. What he'd meant about the wolves had gone completely over her head and he was grateful for that simple way she seemed to see the world just from this small conversation. It was refreshing and Nik knew in that moment that he never wanted to do or say anything to take that from her. And he'd have words with anyone who did.

"It is." he agreed softly, saying nothing more on the matter and then smiled, shaking his head a bit. "Well, in the same way you are impressed with my rock climbing, something I have been doing since I would walk, I am impressed with this story-telling you're going to show me. It's not like I can do it." he pointed out before looking to her people again, nothing that they were starting to gather and Nik tilted his head toward them. "Is that the cue for the story?"

If so, he'd follow her to wherever she led him to hear it.

 

[catalyst]

It was true the youngest daughter of the Suli family was innocent. Innocent, free-spirited, and a bit ditzy at times. But that's what made her so lovable and trusted. She watched as her people began to gather around her mother, and with Nik's words she nodded along with a smile. "Come," she said, and led him to the crowd before joining her mother.

Kaulu was at the drums with two other people. There was also a flute and rattle player, and as soon as everybody hushed, the story began. It was one shared commonly during weddings.

As the drums began playing a soft beat, the two relatives calmed their voices as they were taught. Chenoa had a clear, sweet soprano that was greatly honored among all Chaktawe. Japikoa was similar in talent and harmonized with her mother, acting as an accentuate. Both would change their tones and attitudes when it was appropriate, and use the correct body language. The Apayla began the story of Aka'ula.

"Many years past, the Wayhali of the Suli had a beautiful daughter named Aka'ula. She was the youngest of his children and strong-willed, a jewel among the tribe's women. She became a gifted healer by the time she was only fifteen, and spent many hours each day tending the wounds of the hunters and warriors who battled the Eypharians for control of the oases.

"One day an old warrior came to the Wayhali's daughter for care. He bore scars from battles fought decades earlier, his hair grizzled and white and his face deeply seamed. His body had betrayed him, as it often does to those who live long enough," Japikoa chuckled softly, "and he suffered from the swelling of the joints that often strikes those who spend their lives fighting. There is little that can be done for the pain, but Aka'ula had a gentle touch, and the warrior often said that when he laid his hands in hers it was as if his pains were stolen away." The start of a lovely pitch from the flute began.

"An entire season went by, and each day they spent together, sharing stories, sharing their hearts. Finally came the day when Aka'ula no longer looked on him and saw the snow-white hair or the wrinkles that criss-crossed his face. She saw only a man who held her heart in his gnarled hands. On that day she took his face in her healer's hands and pressed her lips to his, and when she drew back again and opened her eyes it was no longer the elderly warrior who sat before her.

Japikoa started to speak now, her mother acting as the accentuate. "It was Eywaat's face she held now, and his strange hazel eyes that met hers. The old warrior was the mask he wore to learn her heart, and once she gave it to him he let the mask slip away and revealed himself to her. 'My love', he said to her, 'Though you knew my heart, now you know also my face and my true name. Come away with me and be my wife, and I will love you for all of your days.'"

"But she was wroth with him. Aka'ula was infuriated that he would trick her, though it is well known that Eywaat will often disguise himself when he woos a mortal woman. She felt that he had lied to her, deceived her and broken the trust she'd given him along with her heart. And so she refused him - but she told him that she loved him, and would never give her heart to another but him.

"And so Eywaat, entranced by this strange turn of events, began to woo her in his own form. Every time he came to Aka'ula, they spoke for long hours. He would lay beneath the night sky with her in his arms. And each time before he left, he would ask her to be his bride. And she would always reply: 'Not yet.'"

"Not yet," the Apayla chimed, a little dreamily.

Japikoa smiled softly. "Weeks passed, and then seasons, and still he came to her, and still she replied 'Not yet.' The seasons turned to years, many, many years, and Aka'ula kept her promises to Eywaat. She loved only him, would stand no other man's touch upon her skin, but still she refused him." The main speaker switched back to Chenoa now.

"As the years passed, the girl grew into a fine young woman and an accomplished healer. More years passed, and more, and the sun and wind carved their own lines around her eyes. Strands of white began to touch her black hair, and then became streaks, and then there was no more black to be found. Her slim figure softened and sagged as it must when age encroaches," she chuckled dryly. "One day, Aka'ula lay beneath the night sky with Eywaat, and the tables had turned, for now it was the god whose body was young and hale and fit, and the mortal woman whose bloom of youth had passed. But there was no less love in their eyes as they gazed upon each other. And on that day, when Eywaat said, 'Come away with me and be my wife.'

Aka'ula said yes. And so the god, enraptured by her unbending spirit, took her as his bride. And they were together the rest of her days."

Then music ended as the story did. The two women were showered with praises and claps, and Kaulu searched the crowd to find her husband and see his reaction if he had one.

 

[Kaisaan]

Nik listened in rapt attention to the story, not having known what to expect and now completely enraptured by how the Chaktawe told their tales. He could see it. He could see everything as if it danced on the wind before him and a smile had curled the edge of his mouth as he absorbed the words, the music, the very story itself. A love like that...it was incredible to think about, to know existed in the world somewhere. It filled him with a strange hope, a feeling he did not get often and Nik put his chin in his hand, relaxing as the tale unfolded and came to an end.

He clapped then with the rest of the people and stood slowly as other did. He didn't realize tears were in his gaze until they slipped down his face and Nik wiped them away quickly, not even sure why he was crying in the first place. The story had just been...powerful. Far more so than he knew how to explain and he found himself taking a steadying breath before his eyes found Kaulu's and the white-haired Sidhe offered her a smile.

He could see the clear question in her eyes and gave a nod, smile widened just a little. He'd liked it. Very much so. He'd be sure to tell Iko that when he next saw her, too. But right now, his body was telling him it had done enough and his mind was telling him that the day was about over for him if he didn't want to go into an overwhelmed breakdown. That was actually the very last thing Nik wanted. He knew what happened when he did.

Not the best first impression to make.

He wasn't entirely sure how to know if the night was over though or how to excuse himself without being rude. There was also the problem that most races knew that Sidhe...they didn't sleep. They went into 'rest' cycles, but they didn't sleep. Most would probably assume he didn't need to and that could be a problem.

 

[catalyst]

(( Awe Nik!! ))

Kaulu had caught that quick slip of the tears but acted as if she hadn't. Not many people were touched by the story of Aka'ula as Nik was, not even most Chaktawe. It piqued her interest in him and flooded her mind with questions about him she wasn't sure she'd ever get the answers for. His nod had confirmed his liking of the story, though, and she returned the smile before leaving her space at the drummers' sides to go back to her husband.

Meanwhile, Japikoa triumphed with her mother before going directly to Nik, excited to hear how he had liked it since she paid more attention to the group as a whole instead of focusing on any one individual.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, eyes still bright as she approached the Sidhe.

 

[Kaisaan]

(( LOL You try living your whole life knowing you're a 'mistake' and lets see how stories affect you. Hehe. :D LOVED the story, btw! ))

Nik, despite his growing exhaustion, smiled down at the young girl even as he acutely felt Kaulu come back to his side. Her presence was known now, not familiar, but known and not unwelcome. The Sidhe gave another nod, though, there was no question that required it. "I liked it. It was...powerful, like nothing I've ever heard before and you and your mother told it very skillfully. There have not been many stories I could see so vividly. I'm impressed." he finished with a soft chuckle.

He looked to his wife then and a slightly gentler smile coming to his face, already a bit fond of her...or maybe it was that he could see himself growing fond of her, that seed being planted. "You played very well. All that practice shows." he complimented her and then he looked out to the desert for a moment before letting his eyes sweep over the people around them, some starting to trickle away back to their homes.

Nik stifled a yawn in that moment and looked back at the two sisters. "Is that all for this night?" He hoped so. Much fun as he'd had, it had still been a long day.

 

[catalyst]

(( I know hahah. What a moment. :3 And thanks! ))

Iko smiled happily once more, a bit of pride showing. "Thank you, I will let my mother know as well," she said and looked to Kaulu when Nik did. She could see the fondness that had planted in their relationship, even if neither of them was aware of it yet. Most likely Kaulu, though. She was probably still focused on just being as best a wife she could be, without noticing the planted seeds for a blossoming effect.

Kaulu thanked Nik for the compliment, and smiled slightly at his question. "Hardly. There will still be celebration going on for quite sometime, but if you'd like we can retreat back to my... our room." Our room. It felt strange to say, strange to have to share such a place with a man now. But as she had to remind herself again and again, she'd have to get used to it.

"I will be staying for a bit longer," Iko chimed in. There was a young man she was currently infatuated with, and who would she be to deny him a night like this one? She was shy about it to her family and others, so she believed it to be more of a secret than anything. But her family knew. They just didn't say anything, and let their young one experience life. With that, she excused herself politely before making her way to said man and Kaulu watched her with a sense of amusement before looking back to Nik, awaiting an answer. When one newlywed left, so did the other.

 

[Kaisaan]

Nik had hesitated to answer Kaulu but the effect didn't show as Iko had spoken up anyway, filling in the silence and he smiled after her as she left, not knowing about the young man she was interested in, but finding her sweet and endearing anyway. And it seemed there WAS something to be amused about as Nik glanced to Kaulu and saw the expression on her face. She looked up to him then, their eyes meeting and the Sidhe hesitated again, the emotion of uncertainty showing clearly in his gaze. It was as if he wasn't sure what he was allowed to do and his eyes flickered away from her black ones to look around again.

He didn't know if she wanted to leave or not and...he didn't want her to stop mingling with her people for his sake. But... Nik's hand came to wrap around his ribs without much thought, feeling the acute protest of his body. It was done. Very much so and the Sidhe finally sighed and looked back to his new wife. "I would like to go back, yes." he admitted quietly and then gave her a very serious look. "You don't have to come with me if you do not wish it."

He didn't want to pull her away from what she wanted to do and he wasn't expecting anything of her now or any time in the future. He'd meant the words he'd spoke earlier. Unless she offered it freely because she wanted to and there was true emotion and reasons behind it, Nik wouldn't accept her body anyway. He wasn't like that. Wouldn't be.

 

[catalyst]

The uncertainty in her husband's face was definitely there. He was probably not wanting to force her to go back with him, not wanting to pull her away from the celebration. But to be honest...

"I don't mind," she replied, meeting his serious look with a small smile. "I can see you are in pain and in need of rest. Sidhe don't sleep, correct?" she asked as she slowly started to lead the way back to their room. "They have... rest periods. Still as important?" Giving up her body to him wasn't what she was thinking in the first place, and she actually didn't even want to share a bed. But if there ever came the day that it was what he wanted, she would do so without complaint. Her main goal now was to keep him happy and to keep the peace treaty cemented.

"You can have the bed tonight if you desire it," she informed, the noises of the fires and people growing quieter now as they gained closeness to the palace.

 

[Kaisaan]

Nik merely nodded to her, grateful she'd not asked if HE had to rest, had asked nothing specific. Sidhe rested, yes. He...just didn't. But she hadn't asked about him, she'd asked about Sidhe as a whole so it wasn't a lie. They did rest instead of sleeping. But most Sidhe...well, no, all Sidhe weren't like him. He followed Kaulu on silent feet, telling his mind to shut up and stop over thinking this - even as he knew that wasn't going to happen - and when she offered the bed he chuckled softly and shook his head.

"I thank you, but no. I couldn't do that to you. It's your bed, Kaulu and it will remain yours. I don't mind the floor."

He really didn't. He was rather used to it, actually, but he wouldn't let her know that. No, when they got back to the room, the Sidhe asked where any extra blankets were and when he directed to it, he calmly set up a place on the plush rug, removed his shoes and set them neatly beside her own and then sat down on the bed he'd made. A slow sigh escaped then through his nose as he put his head in his hand, no longer stifling the yawn. His pale eyes looked to Kaulu with a slight smile.

"You can change first. I don't mind." He'd change after her.

 

[catalyst]

Kaulu shrugged. Well, if he didn't want it...

When they got back to the room, she directed him to the blankets and gave him a couple of pillows; her own bed was basically deluged with them so he didn't have to be shy to ask for more. There were also plenty of blankets for the chill desert nights, enough to plush the floor and also cover up with. She watched for the first few moments of Nik making his bed but then she collected her pajamas, simple white pants and a shirt that looked like it could be a nightgown but was cut short at her hips. When he said she could change first, she nodded and hid behind the same room divider. She always took her time changing, and when she was finished she put her clothes away and sat on her bed, hands running through her hair as she glanced to her husband.

 

[Kaisaan]

Kaulu had taken enough time to change, that Nik had done the same by the time she came out. He was far quicker with his changes than she was so he wasn't worried about her coming in on him. His own attire was a pair of loose brown pants that hung a bit on his hips and the same white shirt from the day...or it was for the moment. He was still debating taking it off when Kaulu came back out and when she glanced at him, he looked down. He knew it probably wasn't wise, but... He did need to see the damage BEFORE he slept on it and...some part of him honestly wanted to see how the woman on the bed might react.

Not because he wanted the attention. No, he would be much happier if everyone just forgot he existed most the time, but rather because her people, she had been so patient and different today than anyone he was used to. The Sidhe...they wouldn't care and the werewolves would just be angry but helpless to intervene. They were to protect the Royal Family...but what happened when it was members of the Royal Family hurting each other?

They were forced to stay out of it.

So Nik took the shirt off. It wasn't like she wasn't going to see a lot of this once he got back to the Sidhe again. At that point she'd realize what was happening, but until then, his body would be given the time to mend in a way it was never allowed to. Now THAT would be strange.

He looked down at his side when his well-toned physique was revealed and he frowned a bit at the livid bruises that littered his entire ribcage and some of his stomach. There were fainter bruise on other areas of his body, but they were in varying stages of healing, some weeks old, some days. He wasn't scarred, though, not more than one would see from battles, but then again...the Sidhe had very, very good healers. In Nik's case, any damage done to him that would scar and leave evidence was healed soon enough to keep such a thing from happening. His mind told more stories than his body did. Though, right now the purple and black bruises were telling a pretty loud story all their own as he studied the hurt impassively.

No wonder breathing hurt.

 

[catalyst]

When Kauluwehi glanced to Nik, she found that he had changed in the time she had and she smiled slightly. He had looked away though and she tilted her head out of concern. It seemed like there was something going on in his head but she knew there was no way for her to figure it out unless he so allowed it. But soon he was taking his shirt off. Oh, so that was what he was worried about? Wondering if it would be weir -

A shift in the sheets was heard as the woman leaned back, straightening her back out of shock. It wasn't modesty he was afraid of, it was his injury. The pain that was rendering him from breathing and moving properly all day was caused by such a horrible looking wound. From how black and blue and purple Nik's entire ribcage and part of his stomach was, Kaulu guessed that more than one of his ribs were definitely cracked if not broken.

She opened her mouth to say something, to ask who did this to him, but as her eyes found his face, she found him impassively studying them. Like this sort of thing had happened so many times before that he didn't care anymore. And this sort of thing did happen multiple times, as there were bruises covering the rest of his body. They were fainter, yes, but still very there. This was why he was so guarded? Why when she looked into his eyes, they held secrets that were utterly unfathomable?

To ask who did such a thing to him was a stupid question. She didn't know who had done it, but she knew that Nik would not tell her. At least not right now. Slowly, she stuck a leg off the side of the mattress, looking to Nik's eyes before back to his wound as she got off the bed. She walked to him, obsidian eyes glued to the livid bruises even as she sat down beside him with her calves folded underneath her. Her hands lay in her lap and she looked to him them. "It would be really wise to see a healer..." she repeated as earlier in the day, though this time she truly meant it, concern ridden in her voice. He had probably experienced much worse than this since he was so good at hiding it, but... there was no guarantee the ribs would heal fully with no treatment, and if they did, they might not heal correctly.

 

[Kaisaan]

When she'd moved, his eyes had come up, only meeting her own for a moment before he looked down again and listened to her approach. He would have taken a deep, preparing breath had he the ability but as it was, his entire body merely went still as she came closer and Nik finally looked to her again when he felt her eyes on his face and not his body. His pale blue gaze met her mirror-black ones then and Nik's expression was blank, so completely so that when she spoke of a healer and fear flickered through his expression it was clear as day.

He knew the emotion was the wrong one as soon as it streaked through him and the Sidhe regained control over them again before he nodded a bit jerkily, quiet. So very quiet. He shouldn't have done this. He didn't know how to react to her gentleness, the concern. Anger he knew how to respond to. No one caring he knew how to respond to. Taunts, insults, more pain, he knew how to respond to those. But not this kindness. This...this was foreign and terrifying in its own way.

Still, he couldn't take it back now and Nik rose with a fluidity his injured body should not have possessed, showing great practice in such things. The light hit his back then and there, shimmering faintly were three to five lines of what looked to be long scars, not caused by a sword. They appeared suspiciously like whip-marks that hadn't been healed soon enough, but one would have to investigate further to confirm.

His guarded pale eyes went back to Kaulu's then, questioning. "I'm sorry, I don't know where the healers are located." And he really, really didn't want to go, but he knew it was unavoidable now.

 

[catalyst]

Kaulu didn't know what was worse, the blank expression or the flicker of fear when she mentioned going to a healer. Nik's jerky nod let her know that he knew it was the right thing to do, but he was eerily quiet and something about all of this just felt wrong. Then he had suddenly rose and she looked up at him, feeling helpless in this situation. Even if she held no true or significant feelings for him, an injury like this hurt even herself.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of those shimmering lines and her eyes dragged away from his eyes to lock onto them. She reached a gentle hand out, fingers touching the suspicious lines and lingering on one for just a second before she quickly pulled back, fingers going to her lips as she looked up to him. "Uh, sorry. Sorry..." she said, not knowing how he'd react to that. She just sort of... did it, and her hand dropped back into her lap as her eyes looked away from his before finding his bruised ribs to settle on.

"If... for whatever reason you do not like healers, I can bring only the best ones we have. Here, so you don't have to go there directly," she offered, slowly meeting his gaze again, still sitting on the floor.

 

[Kaisaan]

He hadn't known what she was going to do until she did it and at her touch, Nik's breathing had hitched in a subtle way, his entire body going rigid and it was a good thing her eyes had gone away from his own, because his had closed, waiting for the pain his body expected. It didn't come and the adrenaline left him feeling completely shaky and lightheaded. Breathing would probably help with the latter and Nik forced himself to do so, drawing in a ragged breath that sent a jolt of agony into his side. He'd drawn in too much and now the pain throbbed relentlessly as he struggled to get two different reactions under control. No, wait, three.

Pain, fear and adrenaline.

The mention of the healer again didn't help anything and Nik took another breath, slower, shallower this time as he managed to get the fear under control and the adrenaline fading slowly. So when he met Kaulu's eyes again it was merely lingering pain that registered in his guarded expression and then even as they looked at each other, that disappeared too like it had never existed at all, though, logically it still had to be there, still felt.

"I...I will do whatever is more convenient for you, Kauluwehi." In time they'd both come to find that he'd only call her by her full name if something was wrong. At the moment, though, it was still yet to be learned and Nik didn't move to go to the door or to sit, his body still tense, waiting for her decision.

 

[catalyst]

That was the reaction she had was afraid of. Body going rigid, Nik expecting something that wasn't going to come. She had only caused him more pain and she felt guilty. His eyes showed pain before he was completely guarded again and she stood then, slowly though, and managed to take a step back as if putting space between them might help the situation. She didn't know what to do or what to say, but his answer actually... sort of irritated her.

"Which would make you prefer, Nik? What will make you happy? Be honest with me," she asked firmly. She didn't want him to do this for the sake of her. Well, she sort of did, but mostly because she wanted him to take what he needed when he needed it and not be so... concerned with another irrelevant person's wants.

 

[Kaisaan]

Her answer completely startled him and that was clear as his eyes didn't hide it. He genuinely hadn't thought to consider what he wanted or he hadn't thought it mattered. His question hadn't been out of anything false but rather completely instinctual on his part. That's the way he'd been raised, trained to think. He didn't matter and therefore what he wanted didn't matter. He didn't always blatantly think that way, but his mind functioned that way without having to concentrate on it. To be asked what he wanted - and he could tell she meant it - was truly unexpected to Nik and he opened his mouth and then shut it again.

He...didn't want to go at all, but that hadn't been an option.

So he simply chose one, neither going to make him happy, but knowing it would satisfy the fierce woman before him. "Someone coming here." he finally answered before slowly sinking back to the bed, a bit wary about upsetting her further and wondering if he could regain complete composer again by the time this healer got here. He'd need it. Any skilled healer would known how fresh these bruises were, especially with the swelling still around his ribs.

He could only hope no one put two and two together. Or just decided not to ask about it. But much as he was cursing himself for taking the shirt off, he also knew that this kind of damage didn't heal well on its own. Leave it to Cuchulainn to be that cruel and to know how much Nik hated healers and lying and now perhaps having to do both.

 

[catalyst]

It's true that she did not give him an option to choose not to see a healer, but it was what was best for him. Or, at least for his body. It would be so much easier and nicer to learn about the Chaktawes when you could, say, walk normally or, you know, breathe without trouble.

Everything Nik did created another question in Kaulu's mind. His startled expression made her wonder why he had reacted that way. She already had so many questions, and so many unanswered. It was bad for her not knowing anything, really. She felt restless and overwhelmed, wanting to learn the answers right away. But with Nik, her husband... only being patient would allow her to acquire some answers. Even then, she had a feeling that not all questions would become clear.

When he finally answered her, she nodded and grabbed a heavy mantle of feathers and fur and wrapped it around her body. She left the room, closing the door behind her quietly. Within fifteen minutes she was back with two of their greatest healers, Kisha the Great Solace and Chahel the Ameliorating. They were in fact a married couple, which made their joint effort of healing that much more effective.

"Niklomaus, this is Kisha," she gestured to the woman with a red band across her eyes, "and this is Chahel," she gestured to the stocky man. He was often used as a suppressor if any patients were to get violent or moved their bodies too much, but his healing abilities were top notch. The two revered healers looked to Nik and bowed respectfully, waiting for permission to study his injury.

 

[Kaisaan]

When she'd left, Nik had released a shuddering sigh, his breathing ragged as he brought his forehead to his knees, trying to calm the rapid pounding of his heart. He shouldn't have done this. Why had he done this? What was it about these people that made him so stupid? He should have just left it alone, let it heal on its own, endured the pain. It wasn't like he hadn't done that before. Why had this time been different? What, because he'd imagined that he saw something compassionate, deeper in those black eyes, in all their gazes? They were being polite for the sake of the alliance. They didn't really care.

No one could care that fast. No one would care that much about a race not their own and least of all him, he who wasn't even like a Sidhe to begin with. He was something wrong, something that didn't fit in right anywhere. And he'd thought that this was a good idea?

Why had he been so stupid?

Nik had managed to calm his breathing, replace the mask - at least he felt it was, time would tell - by the time Kaulu came back with two healers and he looked up at them with a calm expression, but a body that looked like it could take flight at any moment. "It is an honor to meet you both." he got out quietly and then hesitated, knowing what they wanted, but finally he moved to lie down, knowing from experience that prone positions worked better when studying the torso. When they approached, his pale eyes watched them closely and if they touched him, his body jerked slightly before going still again, controlled.

He just had one question and he willed his voice not to shake when he asked it. "How much will the healing hurt?" In Nik's experience, all healing hurt. He knew it didn't have to, he'd seen his own people heal each other painlessly often enough, but for him, it always hurt. The healers always let it hurt. Every single time and he didn't know any different.

 

[catalyst]

Respect seemed to be given immediately to the two healers and that was enough for them to know of this man's character. They healed all without discrimination because that's what they did. It was their duty, their passion to help those in need. They waited for Nik to lie down before they closed the space between them, both of them on one side of the bed with Kaulu on the other. They didn't touch him at first, analyzing all the bruising with their eyes, assessing the situation by its appearance before laying a single finger on him.

When he asked how much the healing would hurt, they looked at each other slowly for a few long moments before staring back down at him. Obviously, they were puzzled as to why he would ask such a question, and Kisha spoke first. "It shouldn't hurt at all," she answered and her husband supported this statement with a nod.

"I'm going to touch the bruising now," the woman informed lightly, meeting Nik's gaze before her slender, work-worn fingers settled on top of the most severe of the injury. Chahel silently went to Kaulu's side and began his own work on the other ribcage. Kaulu stood before she figured she was in the way and went to sit down on a chair on the other side of the room, watching with keen eyes and genuine concern.

The healing pair was a quiet bunch, but they always updated their injured patient on what they were going to do next, Kisha's voice sweet and coaxing and Chahel like a strong pillar to lean against.