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This makes sense to me, and I like the idea of it very much. A few days with my Grace all to myself. If we are successful at mating or not, it will be a great pleasure to have this time alone to get to know one another. To learn the shape of her spirit. Yes, it is a very pleasing idea.
“I think this sounds good. Your chieftess would be willing for you to travel away from the village?”
“I think so,” my Grace says.
“Then this is what we shall do.”
I meet my Grace as she emerges from her hut and in the brief moment before her thoughts catch up to her feelings, she gives me a dazzling smile.
She has her youngling with her, the little female giving me a suspicious look as I approach. I incline my head to her in greeting first, placing my hand over my heartspace.
“Calran,” I say, then gesture to her.
She thinks about it for a moment, her thoughts racing behind her eyes. Yes, I shall have to work hard to win the trust of this youngling as well, I think. Both my females have been hurt in their pasts, and both will require gentle treatment. But it is a thought that invigorates me, that I might help to heal not only my Grace, but Molly also.
A daughter.
“Molly,” she says eventually, mimicking the way I placed my hand over my heartspace.
I incline my head again.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Molly. Daughter.”
I like how the word tastes in my mouth.
I turn to my Grace. Instinct drives me to reach for her, and though I am wary of pushing her beyond her comforts, I am also encouraged by the smile she gave me. So I reach a hand out towards her, slowly, giving her time to shake her head or back away. When she does not, I grip her shoulder lightly, the kind of touch any of my brothers would have given and meant nothing more than friendly encouragement by. I know the fact that the touch comes from me gives it greater weight, and I am all the more thrilled that my Grace accepts it so readily because of this.
“Good morning,” I say to her.
I do not know how many raskarran words she has learned in her time here, but she smiles at me, repeats back what I have said to her.
“Good morning.”
Her tone is soft, warm. Further encouraged, I do not remove my hand from her shoulder as we walk together towards the fire.
My brothers are keen to hear of my mating and soon surround me, firing questions at me from all sides. I know they are disappointed not to be so blessed as I am, and eager to find a mate of their own, so I do not begrudge them their interest, or their probing questions, answering as much as I can without telling anything I think my Grace would not wish for them to know. It does not satisfy them much, but my mate’s needs come first over theirs, which is something they would understand were they not so caught up in their own interests. They are not bad males - these are just strange and wondrous times for all of us.
Eager to make arrangements for this sweet moon my Grace wishes to have, I seek permission from both Shemza, to whom she is apprenticed, and Gregar her tribe chief. Both are pleased to grant it to me, delighted for my Grace and myself both, I think.
Throughout my conversations with her tribe brothers, I feel my Grace’s attention on me. Whenever I look over, catch her gaze, she smiles again, and there is happiness in that expression - growing more bright, more obvious with each smile she gives me. When we return from this sweet moon, I would have her smile like that always. I am hopeful this is a thing I can achieve.
“It is a good day,” Darran says. “A very good day.”
He has been reserved in his joy for me, and I understand this. My joy is only reminder of his own pains. I grip his arm.
“I wish that Lahven were here to celebrate this day with us. That little Mellah and Fallah could have shared some teasing words with their uncle. It is the only thing that makes my joy in this moment incomplete.”
“They wait for us in Lina’s embrace, brother,” Darran says, his voice rough. “I am glad to say I will have some new joys to share with them when we are reunited.”
After we have eaten our morning meal, I pack a tent and a bag full of the supplies my Grace and I will need to sustain ourselves alone in the trees for a few days. I speak to Vantos, seeking advice for which direction to travel to find a good spot for our sweet moon.
“There is a place not so far from here - half a day’s walk at the pace of the females - I will explain to you the path so you might find it,” he says.
“Half a day’s walk would be a good distance,” Shemza says. “Grace is keen to be here for the birth of Sally’s youngling. Half a day as the females walk would be close enough for someoneto run and fetch her back in ample time, should Sally’s birthing start.”
“Good, this place will be pleasing to my Grace then.” I give both males, my new brothers, my thanks, and they send me on my way with warm wishes for my mating.
Then it is time for us to leave. I find my Grace speaking quiet words with our youngling. I wish I could speak the human words to add my own reassurances. Then I spy the female, Sally, who speaks raskarran words so well.
