Zion: Light of the New Moon, Myrh's Post Milestone
Zion - Light of the New Moon
Myrh Changes
Yearl is forced to create a new strategy for the few survivors of the destroyed caravan to make it safely to Zion. More importantly, however, he will have to figure out how to handle the role strain of protecting the caravan and trying to protect his lover at the same time. It isn't as easy as one might think.
"Alright... NOW let me look at your forehead." Thera announced, following Yearl into their half-standing pavilion.
"It's fine." the lion countered, fur highly ruffled, "just a spell."
"You're bleeding." the mouse pressed the issue.
"It's fine."
"Out of your eyes and ears." Thera argued.
"It's fine!" Yearl bellowed.
"No, it's not." Thera countered with finality. "Now sit." she ordered, pointing at an overturned chair.
Yearl picked it up and sat down, "You didn't listen to me when I told you to stay put." he grunted.
"I was worried about you." she noted.
"And I was worried about YOU." he added, "That's why I told you to stay put."
Thera began to dab at the blood on Yearl's muzzle, "Well... I figured the safest place would be next to you." she offered, her voice smarmy.
"I'm not kidding, Thera... I want you safe." Yearl noted.
"I'm not a princess that needs saving," she responded, her voice steady, but obviously strained by the discussion, "and you're not my knight in shining armor.
Yearl sighed, waiting patiently as she swabbed the blood away from his nose, "I wish you'd think of me as one... then maybe you'd stay back where it's safe while I slay the dragon." he offered her a faint smile, and Thera's harsh posture softened slightly.
"I've never been very good at waiting off to the side, Yearl. After all these years I figured you'd know that about me by now. I'm no damsel in distress... I'm the streetwise whore that keeps a knife in her bodice and doesn't stand for any back-talk."
"I still remember what you did to that one wombat who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer." the captain chuckled to himself, closing one eye as Thera began to blot the blood away from around it, "And that's one of the MANY things I love about you." he noted, adding quickly, "BUT!... These aren't the streets, Thera... and it's important to me that I know you're safe."
"That's a little unfair, don't you think?" she countered, swabbing his other eye, "You get the comfort of knowing that I'm out of harm's way but I have to hold my breath every time something comes up, wondering if you're going to get yourself killed?"
"That's it exactly." he confirmed, "If I have to worry that YOU are going to get killed then I won't be able to focus on dangers at hand." the lion explained.
Thera smirked, "You always said you wanted to feel inspired, so bring me out onto the battlefield and you'll feel inspired-- you anything happens to you then you know I'm as good as dead."
"That wasn't the kind of inspiration I was talking about." the Captain noted flatly.
"Probably not... but it makes for a good argument." she responded, slapping him several times lightly on the side of his cheek, "Alright tough, man... you're all cleaned up." She balled up the cotton and moved to discard it, but Yearl reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Thera..." the lion spoke softly, pulling her down to sit beside him, "I don't want to lose you."
The mouse let out a sigh, offering a faint chuckle as she lowered her head, "Then we're both at a loss, because I have no intention of losing you either."
"Please stay out of danger... it's important to me." he requested earnestly.
"Not unless you do the same." the mouse answered resolutely, still looking at her paws which she rested in her lap.
"It's my job to protect these people." Yearl noted.
"The caravan is destroyed, Yearl... Chase blew the whole thing to oblivion... right now, it's your job to stay alive." Thera pointed out.
"There are still people here and they're counting on me." he noted, "I can't let them all down."
"You don't have to. You can lead from the back. Besides... you're worth more to them alive than dead... and to me too." she stated, tears dropping off the tip of her muzzle.
The lion let out a deep breath, and pulled the mouse to him, embracing her with both arms, "I don't take undue risks, Thera... I'm careful, I plan ahead, and I consider all my options--"
"Like facing off with an insane dragon holding two swords the size of me?" she countered.
"Sometimes certain split-second decisions don't look as good upon review as they do at the time." Yearl offered helplessly, "I thought I would be able to talk some sense into him."
"I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe." the mouse spoke into his chest, "And that was planned ahead and after I considered all of my options." she added.
"I've been a regular feature on the battlefield for over thirty years, Thera..." Yearl noted, "you don't have to worry about me."
"But I do anyway... I might not have to, but it's MY decision, and I choose to worry." she stated with finality, "You're the only person in this world or any other I'd brave the Wild Lands for."
"Oh?" he questioned, "And was that careful, planned ahead, and well thought out?" he questioned.
"Consider it my insane dragon." she countered, and they both shared a chuckle. The two remained quiet for several minutes, the only sound in the room was their breathing, and the occasional soft caress of a paw against fur. Thera was the one to break that silence, "You're the reason I'm still alive, you know" she noted.
"Brother Farstrider took care of you after the tower." Yearl noted, "But you could say I was encouraging inspiration."
"Not now... not recently." the mouse countered, "I mean at all. For the past 20 years, you're the reason I'm still alive."
The comment made the lion pause and look down at her, having taken notice, "I don't understand." he flicked an ear, "I know I saved you and those other girls on the road when--"
"I don't mean just that instance, Yearl..." Thera rested her paw on one of his, "Those other girls? All three of them? They're all dead." she noted softly, "And do you remember that cute little sugar glider girl, Vani?"
"The one you demanded that her madam keep her off the roster because you wanted her first customer to be someone gentle and considerate." Yearl spoke, "You made her wait until--"
"Until you got back in town." the mouse nodded, "Yes... eight years ago." she sighed, squeezing the lion's paw, "She took her life two months back."
"What did Madame Quinthe say about that?" the Commander asked quietly.
"Nothing... the Madame died two years ago." Thera spoke, gazing at the far side of the pavilion, "People think the life of a Myrhean prostitute is supposed to be so glamorous... full of riches and excitement... but it isn't." she noted, "Most girls either find a way to escape after a few years, or else they find a way to make the pain stop." she looked back up into Yearl's eyes, her own filled with tears, "Drugs... suicide..." she offered a pained smile.
"You didn't." the lion pointed out.
"Because of you." she explained, "Every day you saved my life just because you were you... because I knew you, and knew that you'd be back. No matter how long I had to wait, that you'd come back to me. My life has been little flashes of living within a sea of existing. Whenever you were around I could do more than just be alive... I could LIVE and, for as long as you were with me, the world was the way it was meant to be."
"I..." Yearl breathed, "never knew."
"Because I never said anything..." Thera acknowledged, "Regardless of my feelings, I've always been a professional." she reached up and wiped the tears from her cheek, "But... can I tell you something now?"
"Anything." he responded, giving her paw a comforting squeeze.
"Despite everything going on... the danger... the fear... the death and the hardships... I wouldn't trade this trip for anything." she laughed, "That must sound crazy."
"A little." he acknowledged, "I could have done without so much death and destruction myself."
Thera smiled softly and nodded, "Well, despite all of that, you're here with me... I'm here with you." she laced her fingers with him, "and that means that every day that goes by may as well be a year that I would have waited to see you again."
Yearl pulled the mouse close, enveloping her in his embrace... and said nothing. The two remained in one another's arms without a word passing between them. Thera gave herself over to her emotions and sobbed; Yearl held her tighter and made no attempt to hide the moistness in his own eyes. "Thera..." the lion finally said at length, "...it IS possible that neither of us might survive this trip..." he exhaled slowly.
"That just means I'll get to enjoy every last day of my life with the lion I love." the mouse answered, still holding him close. They remained there for several more moments until Yearl spoke up again.
"If I ask you to stay out of danger, you're not going to listen... are you?" he inquired. He didn't really need her to answer-- he knew what she was going to say.
* * * * *
Well folks, here it is: the bridge between the Milestone and the first Chapter afterward.
The plot was chosen by the readers involves Thera and Yearl having a meaningful conversation and provides a little more background information on Thera Vaan.
The Post Milestone chapters this week constitute my contributions to the character bonus for the involved Author-Contributed Characters. In this case, I'll be giving a point to Thera or Yearl. Go ahead and make your choice known!
One final note: Watch for an upcoming Journal vote regarding the expenditure of experience points-- that's coming up VERY soon!