[20:29] Eruadan (Drega) bowed to the male Djinn warrior after they finished their daily sparring match in the sandy desert of Taure Emata. As the other Djinn walked away, Eru holstered the short sword he had been practicing with and looked up at the rest of the warriors as they said their ritual farewells to their partners. The crowd began to disperse as the dark and glistening skinned Djinn headed into the cave to have their evening meals in the tavern. Eru strayed behind the crowd and jogged up to Jain who he noticed at the back of the line. "You looked pretty tough out there today... you know... for an Air Djinn," he smirked.[20:35] Jain Fhang: without a moments hesitation she jabbed towards Eru's throat with her training-armor clad elbow. The rough obsidian shell fell short, however. To her surprise Eru's tanned hand had met her strike with a frightening amount of speed. She stared at him for a moment, her elbow in an awkward clasp with his hand, before pulling her arm back. "Thanks..." was all she said. Her tone was quick and cold, masking a quick grin as she turned away from him. "You have a lot of gall talking to an elder like you do..." her paler skin reiterating her age...she was almost 75 years his senior...but to him, this obviously wasn't a hinderance.
[20:41] Eruadan (Drega) had expected to receive some kind of blow and had braced for it. He could only smile with great amusement as she pulled away from his grasp. "Elder? My dear, you hardly look a day over 100," he cooed as he snuck a leg out near her ankle in an attempt to trip her. Given her Air-blessed grace, he assumed she would practically dance over his footing.
[20:45] Jain Fhang: She does not. Graceful as she was, Jain stumbles against his wrapped feet. His playful game was unexpected, and had caught her mid sentence, "By THE..." ...her words met an abrupt end as she hit the warm, fine sand. She scouled, half embarassed and half fueled by surprise. She quickly unclasped her tangeled cape as she rose to her feet to face Eru.
[20:52] Eruadan (Drega) expelled a hearty "Ha!" as his foot caught on hers and she thudded against the sand. The laugh stopped short as he found her abruptly on her feet, derobed. He swallowed hard, more from the sight of her form than from any sudden rush of fear at the upcoming spar. With a grin and a quick movement of his hands, he unclasped his cloak with one hand and unhooked his sword with the other. With a wrapped foot, he slid the sword far behind him and beckoned her with his hands. "Want to hit me?" he grinned with anticipation.
[21:00] Jain Fhang: Face remained stoic with his question. She slowly tied her hair up into a knot in preparation. With a heavy kick against the sand she launched herself into the air. Like a gust of wind she was head over feet above Eru; her outstretched arms didn't tangle, they were flexed in anger. She quickly punched down against his body with a loud 'THUMP'. Her fist contacted him square between his neck and shoulders on both sides. A complete rotation in the air, and she landed on her feet again, now facing his muscular back.
[21:08] Eruadan (Drega) watched as the graceful Jain soared over his head and prepared for the contact her hands would undoubtably make against his body. A hiss of air escaped his lips as her fists smacked muscle and bone. When she landed behind him, he turned quickly with his right arm outstretched in a chop. His aim was on her bicep as he did not really wish to cause her arm, but intended to weaken her muscle for the next blow she'd send his way.
[21:12] Jain Fhang: He contacted her arm. 'Damn he is quick' she thought to herself as she stepped back, cradling her right with her left. She waited for the now dancing sands to settle around them...her gaze flirted against his as she tried to mask the pain she felt on her face. "Why do you toy with me, water Djinn?" The element hissed from her lips like a torrent of air hitting against a shear rock cliff.
[21:19] Eruadan (Drega) kept his distance from her as she backed away. He remained in stance, bobbing slightly on his toes as they sunk slightly into the hot sand. His dark eyes glistened like the sweat on his tan skin when he looked upon her. The corners of his lips curled into a mischevious grin as he brought his arms up to massage at the pain in his shoulders and neck. The sharpness of her words only egged him on. "Why do you enable me, dear Jain?" he asked with words that gently flowed over the distance between them.
[21:25] Jain Fhang: Face reddened, though whether it was from subject matter or his choice of words she didn't know. A gust of emotions circled in her mind: anger, embarrassment, intrigue, and ... one emotion that she hadn't experienced before in her time on the land of Taure Emata. She let go of her right arm, the sharp pain subsidding. Perhaps, she also let down her guard...despite Eru's defensive stance. "That..." she stumbeled over her words, causing her face to redden even more, "...I do not enable you, young one."
[21:35] Eruadan (Drega) continued to rub at his sore muscles. Frankly, she had him more sore in that blow than the entire day of sparring with the warriors. "What ever you say... wise one," he jested with a smirk as he took a step closer to her. The defensiveness melted from his form as he neared her. After his last remark it may have been unwise to let down his guard, but there he was... taking another step towards her. There was no denying what he felt, despite his lack of knowing how to properly express it. He enjoyed being able to spark an emotional response from her, even if it was anger and irritation. "Your cheeks are pinking. Too much sun?"
[break]
[17:29] Jain Fhang looks up towards Eru, her eyebrows flexing in tension. Her mind raced with consequences...consequences for continuing whatever this was with Eru. Or, moreso, consequences for letting him continue on this path for her affection. She crosses her arms, letting her weight fall back upon her heals. "I am not free of ties..." she said, her expression softening. She ignored his jest, her tone turning towards his true aim.
[17:39] Eruadan (Drega) thought perhaps he had begun to overstep boundaries and he truly did not wish to cause her discomfort. He refrained from taking any further steps towards her since his attention suddenly felt unwanted. The sudden spar had caused him to think that stood a chance, and perhaps he had but she was reminded of her ties. "Oh," he said simply, a touch of defeatism in his voice. "I did not know... you were spoken for," he continued with honesty. "I certainly hope that whoever holds your heart is worthy of it."
[17:44] Jain Fhang moves her right arm to rub her left in momentary uneasiness...."Forgive me for being so caustic..." she looks down towards Eru's feet, her eyes welling with what could be perceived as the beginnings of tears. "I am ...not at ease, Eru." she turns, her back now facing him....she did not want him to see the torrent of emotion that now plagued her face. "I am not spoken for by my desire...nor want..." her voice trails off as she looks towards the orange horizon.
[17:51] Eruadan (Drega) did not see the tears, but he felt them and could not keep himself from stepping to her side. He reached out to her, taking her left forearm in his right hand - not strongly, but gently. If she turned towards him, she would see that his was face riddled with concern and even a bit of confusion. The corners of his mouth upturned and his brow furrowed as he questioned the state she was in. "How..." he nearly chuckled, "Surely you could beat anyone who gave unwanted advances to a bloody pulp."
[17:56] Jain Fhang lets her left forearm relax in his grasp...her heart beats fast with his touch. It was rough and coarse, but the unspoken was powerful to her. She turned to face him, letting her figure move towards his soft pull....her eyes were strong but swollen with the recent onset of silent tears. She stared deeply into his, silently focusing on what was behind them. A deep breath released, she said, "You must know...I struggle against you...for fear of hurting you...beyond the physical". She spoke quietly, but with great passion.
[18:07] Eruadan (Drega) kept his hand on her arm and, because she did not pull away from him, he lifted his other hand to gently cup her face. His skin was rough from a fighter's life in the sun, but his touch was soft and enveloped his feelings for her. When he spoke again, the words were heavy, but flowed easily from his lips. "You will not hurt me," he smiled as he looked into her reddening eyes. As a tear continued to roll over her soft cheek, he brushed it a way with a simple movement of his thumb. "No one should dare to chain your heart. I will stand in the way of it - even if you will not have me." As he ended his promise with a bit of a smirk and an uneasy glance at his feet.
[18:16] Jain Fhang lets her face melt into his hand. She kept it there, longing for the touch. She let his words fall to the breeze...as she kept staring in his eyes. Time passes until his smirk registers on her emotions. She can't help but smile softly at his coy demeanour. "I shall tell you Eru...I shall tell you why I stray from your advances...." she looks downwards again. "But, you must promise you will not act upon my words...do not react...for that is what I fear'
[18:31] Eruadan (Drega)'s brow raised once again at her words. Perhaps, judging by the weight of her words, the situation was more grave than he assumed. His gaze returned to focus on her dark eyes and he would grin at her again. The protective nature of his very essence made him a little more cocky than he probably should have been. He assumed the one who sought to steal Jain's unwilling heart would have sworn the warriors' oath. Stubborn and determined creatures, they were. He could take any of them. "I can take it," he said with the grin he wore to combat her sadness.
[18:41] Jain Fhang's eyes return to meet Eru's. She lets her body fold into his embrace upon seeing his grin. She let her remaining hand fall upon his bare chest. She exhaled, the hot air hitting against the sweat on his body. She says quietyly, 'It is the Ashera...he has made his intentions known." Her voice trails off. A mixture of emotions flitterd in her mind, like a storm brewing in the atmosphere. Respect for the Ashera. Yet a distaste....a fear of his wrath if she denied his advances....."I do not know what to do, Eru..."
[19:22] Eruadan (Drega) warmly accepted the troubled Jain into his thick arms. The first time he would hold her and it was in the openness of the desert, in the middle of the training grounds, and unhidden from the eyes of others. The feeling that radiated from his heart to his limbs was like electricity sparking each cell with pure Life. And then she said the deadly words - the Ashera had His eye on Jain. Once burning passion was now chilled like the desert air when the moonlight illuminated the old rune stones. He froze in mind and body. A warrior was sworn to uphold the Ashera's Will, for upholding His will was upholding Djinn Law. To go against one's oath and the Nomos was asking for curses and death. Though Eruadan was not old enough have seen past Asheras, he knew that this Ashera was the most unforgiving being in the land. Though his brain screamed the lessons of his upbringing and his obediance begged him to remember his oath, Eru could not disobey his heart. He was a young Djinn who was still naive about many things and still held on to that sense of rebellion. After some time passed with his arms protectively around Jain's form, Eru finally spoke with a whisper against her slender ear. "Jain... I have no answer other than what I feel." He paused to rest his head against hers. "It may be reckless for me to feel for you the way I do, but I can not deny my heart. I will accept the consequences... I cannot live a lie, but I will not put you in harm's way."
[To be continued.... Again]
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