Amir's hand on his shoulder felt oddly heavy and Bao wondered if his maker was trying to reassure him or himself. But, these were things that were never spoken. He inclined his head and refused to let even the faintest shadow of worry cloud his expression.
"As you say Cha."
After all it always had been before, why should it be any different this time. Perhaps they were worried over nothing. Yes and perhaps it had been a wise well thought out decision for Amir to go out hunting during the full moon.
Bao sighed to himself. Nothing to be done now but wait. Amir's words had also been a dismissal, not being good at emotion he could only bow more formally.
"We shall wait for your safe return. Please do not hesitate to call if you need us. We will come."
Both he and Mara, without a second's hesitation. Bao had also unconsciously included Jin in that statement.
It was as close to 'good bye good luck and we'll miss you' as Bao would ever get. He did have other business that evening, and felt certain his sister would appreciate a more private farewell so Bao simply excused himself, marking Amir's estimated return date on his calendar as he did so.
((OOC... Bao out pending response))
Foresight (private: invite only)
Amir had done what he'd needed to do with Aishe. Odd, that he had taken care of that angle first. But it had been the easiest, in its way.
Now he needed to speak to the remaining few that he considered his family, possibly his friends. This would be the hardest to do; not because he was going away. He'd left on business before. But what Amir knew, and what they couldn't know, was that he might not be returning.
He planned to... but he couldn't guarantee his own safety. However, Amir had reached a point where he couldn't deny what Mara had tried to tell him for so long, now that it was right in front of his eyes. He was used to being a weapon, someone's tool. That didn't bother him. But Amir would have taken a walk in the sunlight, he admitted to himself, before using his own pawns as carelessly and recklessly as Subira was now using him. And it wasn't just him. His meeting Connor had proven that. It was many of her children, the elder children, the ones who, of all of them, she should have relied upon but for some reason felt she could not.
Amir waited in one of the smaller studies at Heolfor for Mara and Bao, suspecting Mara would bring Jin along. Even if she didn't he would find the Nightsman himself before leaving. He had things to say to Jin that should likely be for Jin alone.
Bao
13 years ago
Jin
13 years ago
Jin listened to Bao and Amir as Mara's brother took his leave. He nodded to Amir and then looked down at Mara, giving her a small hug before returning his gaze to her Creator.
"Please be careful. Let me know if you need anything and come back in one piece." Or bring the pieces with you. Amir was a Huntsman, danger was part of the job and while this seemed to be something different he concluded that there was still plenty of danger involved if Amir didn't want his children accompanying him.
"We'll see you in a month then." Jin said it as a statement but he was watching Amir, hoping to find that the man believed he'd be coming back. Jin didn't want to believe this was some suicide mission and that Amir was giving them all a farewell.
He reached out and shook Amir's hand and then stepped back so that Mara could say her goodbyes. Perhaps he should leave and let Mara talk to her Creator in private? Jin decided that would be for the best. Giving her cheek a little kiss, he said. "I'll be in the kitchen when you're done."
((OOC: Jin out pending response ))
"Please be careful. Let me know if you need anything and come back in one piece." Or bring the pieces with you. Amir was a Huntsman, danger was part of the job and while this seemed to be something different he concluded that there was still plenty of danger involved if Amir didn't want his children accompanying him.
"We'll see you in a month then." Jin said it as a statement but he was watching Amir, hoping to find that the man believed he'd be coming back. Jin didn't want to believe this was some suicide mission and that Amir was giving them all a farewell.
He reached out and shook Amir's hand and then stepped back so that Mara could say her goodbyes. Perhaps he should leave and let Mara talk to her Creator in private? Jin decided that would be for the best. Giving her cheek a little kiss, he said. "I'll be in the kitchen when you're done."
((OOC: Jin out pending response ))
Mara
13 years ago
Mara bade farewell to Bao as he left, watched Jin as he shook Amir's hand, leaned into his kiss as he passed. She turned her head quickly to brush her lips against his and nodded. "I'll be right behind you."
When she and Amir were alone Mara crossed the room to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He returned her embrace, standing firm and strong, arms encircling her comfortably.
She looked up into his very dark eyes and said, "You can't tell me where you'll be?"
Amir was looking down at her, an expression on his face that rarely made an appearance. She recognized it as regret. He shook his head.
"No rohi, but you know I'm never far."
Mara nodded. She felt overwhelmed by turbulent emotions. She loved Amir. She had always loved Amir. But at the same time there was a certainty in her heart that told her just as strongly, just as fervently, she loved Jin too. It might be a newer love and it might not have the power of sixteen hundred years behind it but she knew it eventually would, if Jin wished that. She wouldn't leave him, didn't want to part from him.
"Promise me you will be back."
Amir's dark eyes were pained. His arms tightened around her. "I'll do my best," he said.
Mara's face fell and she felt her heart sink. "I knew it," she accused softly. "This is something outside of the Clan. Something for her. She will kill you, Amir."
This time he smiled wryly. "No," he said with much more confidence than she'd have expected. "She won't."
He grinned cheekily at her and she ignored it. It was false bravado; Amir was as worried as she was. But there would be no changing his mind, she knew. "Go," he told her. "Find Jin. Tell him I said thank you."
Mara pulled away from Amir. She could love two people equally, she thought. Maybe it wasn't normal. Maybe they wouldn't want her to do that; maybe each one wanted her alone. But she could, and did, love them both. Completely.
Having turned to leave Mara whirled back around, gently grabbed the front of Amir's shirt, and pulled him close. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly, before releasing him.
"You have one month."
She turned and left the room, her heart pounding, wanting nothing more than to bury herself in Jin's embrace.
((ooc: Mara and Amir out))
When she and Amir were alone Mara crossed the room to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He returned her embrace, standing firm and strong, arms encircling her comfortably.
She looked up into his very dark eyes and said, "You can't tell me where you'll be?"
Amir was looking down at her, an expression on his face that rarely made an appearance. She recognized it as regret. He shook his head.
"No rohi, but you know I'm never far."
Mara nodded. She felt overwhelmed by turbulent emotions. She loved Amir. She had always loved Amir. But at the same time there was a certainty in her heart that told her just as strongly, just as fervently, she loved Jin too. It might be a newer love and it might not have the power of sixteen hundred years behind it but she knew it eventually would, if Jin wished that. She wouldn't leave him, didn't want to part from him.
"Promise me you will be back."
Amir's dark eyes were pained. His arms tightened around her. "I'll do my best," he said.
Mara's face fell and she felt her heart sink. "I knew it," she accused softly. "This is something outside of the Clan. Something for her. She will kill you, Amir."
This time he smiled wryly. "No," he said with much more confidence than she'd have expected. "She won't."
He grinned cheekily at her and she ignored it. It was false bravado; Amir was as worried as she was. But there would be no changing his mind, she knew. "Go," he told her. "Find Jin. Tell him I said thank you."
Mara pulled away from Amir. She could love two people equally, she thought. Maybe it wasn't normal. Maybe they wouldn't want her to do that; maybe each one wanted her alone. But she could, and did, love them both. Completely.
Having turned to leave Mara whirled back around, gently grabbed the front of Amir's shirt, and pulled him close. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him softly, before releasing him.
"You have one month."
She turned and left the room, her heart pounding, wanting nothing more than to bury herself in Jin's embrace.
((ooc: Mara and Amir out))