Hold and Home

Altan waits for me. He waits until I can't cry anymore, until every tear I have is dried up and my throat feels soar from sobbing. I can only imagine how awkward it must be. A man waiting for me to finish crying so he can kidnap me, no... An entire army is standing nearby to wait for me to finish crying.

That thought helps dry my tears a little faster.

I take a shaky breath, then bring myself to my feet.

There is nowhere for me to go now. I can follow Altan or... Or what? Kill myself?

No. I don't have the strength to do that.

I raise my red, tear-stained eyes to meet Altan's. It's the first time I have looked at him in so long. and these past few days have aged him. There is a deep crease between his eyebrows that tell of his recent distress, and the sides of his mouth pull down in an unnatural frown for him.

He stares at me.

~What am I supposed to say to him?~

'You got me?'

'You win?'

I sigh instead, "Lets go." but he doesn't move when I say it.

"I-" He begins, and I don't think I've ever heard him speak without certainty. "I'm sorry."

~What?~

He shakes his head and I think he feels guilty. He feels guilty for making me cry or maybe for kidnapping me again... I don't know... maybe he's just saying it to try to make me feel better.

"I promise." He says, and this time the certainty of a duke returns to his tone. "That I will make it up to you. You will want for nothing. You will find happiness as my wife."

I swallow and uneasy feeling ruminates my stomach. But again, what can I do. All I can do is go along with him. fighting will only uselessly exhaust us both. "okay." I say, but I don't sound convinced, and I'm not.

Finally he takes his eyes off of me, and we return back toward the Earth Nomad camp. He holds my hand tightly, and his other hand holds his sword. his grip feels like a hand cuff to me.

We crest the hill and armistice has taken over the space. Everyone watches silently as we re-enter the camp. The soldiers stand amidst the smoking black hills that were once on fire, and the Earth Nomads have crowded on the edge of their yurts; Lolo, Willard, and Aunty Ava are at the head of them and all eye are on us. The only sound is the dry grass cracking under our feet, and my breathing which seems far too loud for some reason.

I assume Altan will take me back toward the army, or maybe to his horse. I'm surprised when he leads us instead to the crowd of Nomads. He stops in front of Willard and steadily places his sword to Willards neck, "You bought my fiancé, and treated her as a slave." Altan speaks through gritted teeth.

Willard says nothing. He stands fierce and without fear of the blade at his neck.

"They did not." I break the silence, and Altan doesn't even look at me.

"I saw the way he treated you." Altan says, "The way he threw you on the ground. I can only imagine-"

I squeeze his hand. "They did NOTHING wrong." I say sternly, "in fact, these people saved me from a far worse state."

Altan's grip at Willard's neck loosens.

~I may be doomed because of Altan, but at least these people should not be.~

"I was being sold as a slave," I go on, "Aunty Ava saw me, and she recognized me." I gesture to the old lady who stands beside Willard, "She's a seer." I elaborate. "She and Willard bought me, and they've taken good care of me."

Altan withdraws his sword at this, and I see Willard take a slow exhale.

"It's true." Aunty Ava says smiling, and Altan looks to her for the first time. "In fact, we've been travelling slower these past few days, because I figured you were coming to get her."

My mouth gapes at this.

~Really? Jeez, Aunty Ava is selling me out.~

Altan looks over the people, then he looks back to me. "Then I suppose," He says, and meets Willards eyes, "That I owe you my gratitude. please allow me to gift you-"

Aunty Ava puts up her hands to stop him. "No need, no need!" then she comes closer and waves for Altan to crouch down to her height. Altan seems uneasy about it, but does anyway. "Just promise me this instead," She says, and she's looking right into Altan's eyes. I've never seen anyone do that. "That you'll end this damned war."

My eyes widen when she curses. and I hear Altan chuckle.

"I will do everything in my power to end it." Altan says to her.

Aunty Ava turns to me next. She reaches forward and takes hold of my hand that is in Altan's. She hold our clasped hands between her old ones and rubs them with her dry calloused fingers. "And Azul," She looks up at me, and I find myself marveling at her eyes again. "I want you to remember what I told you about home."

~Home?~