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Jade and Amethyst (Chapter 6)

By

3669AD and BlazeLucivar

A week or so had passed, and Giada found a beautiful piece of coral on her latest dive. The day was nice, so she decided to take her work outside. She smiled and greeted other villagers as they passed, but most of her attention was focused on the piece of coral, finding angles and facets to bring out whatever design was hidden at its core. After his breakfast in the ocean, Alaric decided to look for Giada. He went in and got dressed in a long, flowing purple coat with golden thread trimming and matching pants. He became his hybrid form and took flight for the village, only transforming back when he reached the city limits. He walked through Soma, the village of Giada's residence. The dragon found her working outside on a piece of coral. "Hello, Giada." Giada looked up as a shadow darkened her field of vision. "Oh, hello Alaric. I apologize for not coming by this week. I was a bit overwhelmed with my duties here in the village, and today was the first day I got to myself." "I understand. Then I shall leave you to your work, I do not wish to disturb you." Giada shook her head. "Oh no, you're not disturbing me. Come, sit. Perhaps your company will actually help me figure out what to make of this piece of coral," she smiled. "Be a muse? I suppose I could do that." He sat down next to her on the bench and watched her create. Giada smiled and returned her attention to the coral in her hands. As she worked, the tip of her tongue pressed its way through the corner of her mouth, and she seemed to chew on it a bit. Alaric's presence actually did aid in her creative process, and she'd soon sculpted a tree with two tiny human figures sitting in the boughs on either side of the trunk. Two figures that, if looked at very closely and carefully might actually look very familiar. After nearly five minutes of taking in the beauty of the tree and understanding who the figures under the tree were, Alaric heard a large group approaching the village. It did not sound to be a friendly horde. "Gather all able bodies and prepare them for battle, now!" He became his hybrid form and steeled himself for the inevitable battle. "What? Alaric, what is it?" Giada asked, straining to hear what Alaric heard. "There's no time. GO!" The changed physiology of his body amplified his voice, making it ring out through the village when he yelled out. People stepped out of their homes to see what was happening, and Giada sped through the village, calling out, "All able bodies prepare for battle! All untrained villagers and children stay inside your houses!" The call was taken up, and she returned to her own house to grab a sword from the mantle. "I need a great axe, Giada." Ten minutes after he received his weapon, the horde had just become visible on the horizon, and Alaric pointed at them. "That's what's coming, and they are not here for a banquet." "Dear gods!" Giada gasped, then steeled herself for battle. "We can't let them reach the village." Alaric swept Giada up in his arms and began to fly toward the band of barbarians. He counted on the gathered people to follow along. Within five minutes, they were near enough for him to smell their would-be attackers. He lit and set her on her own feet. "Are you prepared?" Even if the horde were to run at them, it would still take a few minutes. Giada was startled when he suddenly picked her up, but she hid her surprise and took up a battle stance. "As prepared as I can be, given the circumstances." She glanced behind and saw the other armed villagers following their lead. The militia of Soma arrived nearly a minute after the army of the barbarians, and Alaric had already began attacking people. Giada whirled and leapt, clashing with the barbarian warriors almost as if she were simply dancing to one of the dances she would teach the village children. Following her and Alaric's lead, the Soma militia fought fiercely, determined to defend their home. Because of his immense strength and size, cutting through the barbarians was very simple. He almost wanted to play the neutral card so that the others would be able to partake in the battle more, but he was already involved. He also did not want to slow down because of how much like a dance he and Giada were performing. Giada grinned, enjoying how fluidly and unison she and Alaric were fighting.

Soon after the conflict began, the fifteen barbarians in the raiding party were on the ground, dead or dying. Alaric turned to Giada. Giada wiped her sword on one of the barbarians' shoulder, then smiled at Alaric. The other villagers were already moving about the battlefield, getting rid of the bodies and taking the few of their own who had been lost back to the village for burial. "Well, Alaric, it seems I must thank you yet again. You've saved me and my little sister, and now you've saved Soma. I don't think there's anything I could make to give you that would be worth the deed this time." Alaric, seeing all the moves he had taught Giada mixed with her own, on top of all she already had a mastery of, decided then and there that she would be his mate. "I do not believe that a reward would be yours to give, Giada. Should I require one, I will request it of your elder, but we shall see about that." He began rummaging through the possessions of the barbarians to see if they were carrying gems or anything else he could put into his treasure room. He found a couple gems, a few small sacks of gold, but other than armour and weapons, nothing that captivated him. He pocketed the few gems he had found and left the rest for the villagers. "You have a point there," Giada conceded. There was a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to face one of the villagers who had fought alongside her and Alaric. Giada wasn't a military leader or person of high status in the village, but after the role she'd taken to defend Soma, it appeared the others were waiting for her orders. "Take whatever armour and weapons you wish from the dead. We may need them in the future. And prepare a separate funeral pyre for the invaders' dead. They deserve as much respect in death as our own even though they didn't give us that respect in life." Alaric wanted to go to her in that moment and embrace her, but he resisted the urge, there would be a more appropriate time for such an action. Her compassion for her fallen enemies was on par with what he would have done had they been on his land. When the field had been cleared of bodies and weapons and two funeral pyres had been set for the dead, Giada brushed back her hair from her face and tied it with a leather thong that had been wrapped around her wrist, then she turned to Alaric. "Would you care to join Nashita and me for a meal? I bought some fish from Jett just this morning and was planning on cooking it this evening. I always seem to make enough for more than two people and end up sharing it with the neighbours, so there ought to be enough that we won't go hungry if you join us." The hybrid became the human and Alaric smiled at Giada, there was no way he could say no to a fish dinner, especially after such thirsty work as battle. "I would be honoured to join you for dinner." He held out his arm for her to take and allowed her to lead the way to her home. Giada smiled and linked her arm through his. Upon reaching her house, Giada was immediately tackled by a the ball of energy that was her little sister. "You're safe! Giada, I was so scared!" Nashita cried, squeezing her sister's waist. Then she turned to Alaric and, after a moment's hesitation, gave him a quick hug as well and ran back into the house. Giada chuckled and held open the door for Alaric to enter. "It looks like she's taken a liking to you, Alaric." "So it would appear," he said with a chuckle. Alaric entered Giada's house after her, and took a seat at the table. He was slightly disappointed because in some places his clothes were torn and sliced open. Nashita was setting the table and grinned at Alaric when he took a seat. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked. "'Cause we're going to be waiting a while for the fish." Giada chuckled. "She's a better hostess than I am, that's for sure. But Nashita's right. It will take a little while. Not too long, though." She headed into the little kitchen off through the side doorway by the table, and soon the air started to fill with the scent of cooking fish and herbs. "I would like some berry juice, if you have some." He sniffed the air as the fish cooked, and he was made all the more hungry. Nashita nodded fervently and rushed into the kitchen, returning with a jug of juice and pouring some into the mug she'd placed at Alaric's seat at the table. She also poured some into her own mug and Giada's. A few minutes later, Giada returned to the table with a platter of fish and served Alaric and Nashita before taking some for herself. "If you want more, you're welcome to take it," she smiled. Alaric thanked her and prayed to Bahamut before eating his meal and drinking his juice. He found speech during gestating was vulgar and rude, so he only answered questions out of politeness while eating. Nashita chattered like a chipmunk, wanting to know about Alaric and about the battle with the barbarians. Eventually, Giada told her to focus on eating her dinner or she wouldn't get to go to the village bakery for dessert. Immediately, the little girl turned her attention to her plate. After Alaric finished his meal and drink, he leaned back in his chair and smiled. "It was a lovely meal, thank you, Giada." Giada smiled back. "Thank you, Alaric. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Nashita went to put her plate and mug away, then she returned and tugged at Giada's sleeve. "May I go to the bakery now, Giada?" she asked. Giada chuckled and stood. "Pardon me for a moment, Alaric," she said, and left the room, returning a few moments later and handed Nashita a few silver and copper coins. "Don't forget to bring something back for me, too, all right?" she smiled. The younger girl nodded and rushed out the door, giggling. Alaric watched as Nashita ran out of the house, then looked at Giada and smiled. He was unsure how to continue, he had never been in a situation quite like this before. Whether it was just him or not, there was no real way of telling, but Alaric felt as though there were a string connecting himself and Giada, and the string was pulled tight. Giada took her and Alaric's plates into the other room then returned and leaned against the doorway. "What a day, huh?" she said. Her voice sounded casual, but beneath it there ran a slight undercurrent of nervousness and uncertainty. Alaric wasn't the only one feeling the tension in the room. Alaric nodded at her statement, unable to find words. He wanted to tell her of his decision, but was totally unsure as to how articulate it. He also wanted to stand up, he wanted to go to her, he wanted her to come to him, but he couldn't make up his mind, so he just sat there, gazing up at her. "Is something wrong, Alaric?" she asked, moving to the table and sitting at the chair across from him. "You look like you have something you want to say." Alaric stood from where he sat and stepped over to the woman he wanted to have as his life mate. He took her hand and brought her up, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Giada? I have decided. I want you . . . as my mate." He leaned his head down and breathed in her scent, of the sea, and of battle.