AARYN

"Stop trying to convince him, Aaryn. I've already told him all this. He's just had his ego bruised and he wants to keep finding a reason to blame me."

They both snapped their heads to find Elia emerging from the trees with that uncanny silence she'd mastered over the years. Approaching them from downwind, neither of them had heard her.

Reth's first glance at her was admiration and surprise—then, as if a storm cloud rolled over his features, he frowned and snarled something about smug females, and started stalking back towards his home. "Thank you for explaining your perspective, Aaryn," he tossed over his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

They both watched him go, Elia sighing heavily.

Aaryn frowned with worry. "Are you two going to be okay? This is hard to watch."

"We will be… eventually," she said. "He just needs time. This transition out of power has been harder for him than he's letting on. He needs something to blow off some steam about, and this is it right now."

"I thought he wanted her to take it?"

"He did. But just because something is good doesn't mean its easy, Aaryn."

They looked at each other then and Aaryn's chest swelled with appreciation for these two who'd been more parents to him than his own for most of his life.

"Aaryn, even with this between us, you know we're both excited that you're finally joining the family, right?"

He smiled. "I know."

Elia squeezed his upper arm. "I know these are difficult times for both of you, too. And our crap doesn't help with that—I'm sorry. But we're still here for you two. We can put our own shit aside to help you when you need us, I promise."

Aaryn sighed. "Elia, I'm so sorry that I said that to him. I shouldn't have. It was selfish of me. I've held that secret for so long… I'm sorry."

She shrugged, but dropped her eyes. "I think… I think it's better that he knows. I never felt good about it. It was just necessary. Once we get through this it will be better that he knows. I'm certain of it. The Creator will bring us through this."

"I hope so."

She growled. "Don't you start with the discouragement."

Aaryn put his hands up, palms towards her. "Sorry, sorry."

She smiled, but there was pain in her eyes. "You're fine. I'm teasing." Then she looked down the trail in the direction Reth had disappeared. "And I have to go back to that cold house… Creator, help us both," she murmured.

"Can I ask you one thing, before you go?"

She looked at him quickly. "Of course. What's going on?"

"Nothing bad!" he reassured her quickly. "I just don't know when I'll see you alone again, and I've been thinking… I want to do something for El a… gesture, asking her to walk the Flames and Smoke. But she's as human as she is Anima and I wondered… what do your people do for something like this? Is there a gift, or a tradition, or something?"

Elia's eyes welled and her chin trembled. "You're a good male, Aaryn," she whispered, then closed her eyes and sniffed, wiping her eyes and breathing to get herself under control. "I think the best thing you can do is create your own tradition. Something sacred. Something that will mean something to both of you—something maybe only you two will understand, or remember."

"I've been trying to come up with something, but I'm kind of at a loss. Do you have any ideas? Any human traditions? You told me that walking the flames was like getting married in the human world. What do your people do for that?"

"Trust me, you don't want to mess with all that, it isn't as meaningful to most humans as it should be," she said dismissively. "But one thing the humans do is give what they call an engagement ring—something that won't die or wear away. Usually gold and diamonds. And the female wears it for the rest of her life."

Aaryn frowned. "Elreth hates rings. She says they stop her hands working properly."

Elia nodded, chuckling. "Yes, she does. So, that's what I mean. Make up your own tradition. Give it some thought. I'm sure you'll come up with something."

"Okay, thank you," he said, a little discouraged, but he would keep thinking in case he could—

"Oh, wait… you know… there is one thing… if you can make it happen."

"What's that?"

Elia smiled. "Back when it was normal for humans to wait until they married to complete the bond, they started a tradition called a honeymoon. They would go away from their family and home for a few days, maybe a week or two, and just spend time together, getting to know each other. Making love and… resting. It's the one thing Reth and I never had that I wished we'd gotten to do."

Aaryn was surprised by the wistful grief that appeared on her face then as she looked back down the trail.

"That's a great idea," he said. Could they do it? Would the elder let Elreth be gone even for a few days? "But I'm guessing the reason you never did it was because… where would you go that was safe?"

Elia raised an eyebrow. "Don't believe Reth doesn't have little hidden spots all over this Kingdom, Aaryn. He and Behryn were bachelors once, remember—plus, the way they used to travel. They always needed a den if the weather turned or something delayed them. I've heard them talk about their 'fishing spots' and thinking they're so subtle." She rolled her eyes and Aaryn stifled a laugh. "If you want to make this happen, you talk to Reth. I'd gamble that he's got the perfect spot for you somewhere."

"That sounds great. I'll talk to him. And if he does, I'll talk to Lhern and see if the elders will let her disappear for a day or two."

"Make it at least two nights," Elia warned. "You'll be so wound up after the flames, you'll need the first night just to get your breath back."

Then her scent rose and her cheeks colored, and Aaryn grinned as she shook her head and looked away. Her human embarrassment about sex and nudity had never ceased to make him laugh. Elreth had it too, and he'd always found it charming—though it complicated life at times.

He patted her shoulder and smiled at her. "Thank you, Elia. You're a true mother, and a true friend. And I appreciate you."

"Well… now you're going to make me cry!" she wailed, dropping her face in her hands. "And I was doing so good at keeping myself together!"

Aaryn chuckled and pulled her into a hug. She sobbed once, but clung to him, shaking a little. That was when he realized, she was hurting a lot more than she was letting on. So he squeezed her tight, and made a note to talk to Gar and Elreth about going easy on her.

She, like the rest of them, just needed a break.

"Thank you, Aaryn," she sniffed a couple minutes later. "You're a good male."

"I'm not sure if the fact that you keep saying that is a good thing, or it means you weren't sure before," he laughed.

She snorted. "Trust me, we've all known how good you are for a long time."

As they farewelled and he walked towards his home, praying that his own mother would be able to find her feet soon, he was touched.

He stored the memory away in his mind to take it out and remember it on the days he was feeling uncertain.

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