[Complete] Closer (Attn: Marla)

[Craig]

Ravak

Being the Master of Training had some drawbacks. That did not surprise Ravak Darrow in the slightest. After all, it was a great duty and a great honour to be put in charge of the education and advancement of the Warder Yards' recruits, especially as he had so recently been one of them.

But there were advantages too. The near-black of his uniform aided in highlighting the golden pin of his office, and that opened doors. Not literally, of course, but it meant he was able to wander the grounds and hallways with a freedom he hadn't known. It was possible that this freedom was shared by all Gaidar and Gaidin, but the pin may have also had something to do with it.

No duty led him through the corridors of the Novices Quarters, however. This place wasn't as unfamiliar as one may have expected - he had had chores here, and there had been a single midnight foray. He bristled at that memory, although none of it showed on his face. Not that he was getting too much attention from the women and girls in novice white that scurried to and fro. Some eyes tried to linger on parts of him other than his face, but the shimmering fancloak made him an indistinct form below the neck.

A short walk brought him to a well-remembered door. Not that he had been to this room before, but its location had been drilled into him. He gave a short knock on the door, waited a few long seconds, then pushed the door open.

The left side of the room was clearly Elia’s half. Everything had its place; neatly arranged books on the desk and well-turned down sheets on her bed. It was also noticeable missing Elia.

The other side of the room was a chaotic mess. A circle of loose papers and piles of books surrounded a novice sitting on the floor. Not any novice, of course. Sinead would have been remarked upon for her height alone, and for her fiery red hair. But it was their previous encounter that make her stand out in Rav’s mind. As he straightened from the surprise of finding Sinead and not finding Elia, she raised her head. A wide ink stain stood out on her nose, and some of her fingers were also blackened. Her voice worked for a few moments before she stammered “I see you, Ravak Darrow.”

He recovered from his surprise smoothly, pressing his hand to his heart. A far too formal salute, from a Gaidin to a novice, but he noted that too late. “Greetings Sinead.” He still had a hand on the door, but he had already stepped into the room. “Apologies for the intrusion, I had thought Elia would have been here.”

He lingered in the doorway until the silence stretched out uncomfortably. Eventually, with the feeling of novices’ eyes on the back of his neck, Rav pushed the door closed slowly. That did nothing to end the silence, however.

“The way things ended up,” Rav reluctantly began, “I feel like it didn’t end well. Did I do something to… offend you?”

[Sunny]

Sinead

Sinead sat in her room, her lunch forgotten on a plate tucked under the bed behind her, and her hair a mess of gold curls held back from her face by a strip of white cloth. She had a copy of A Study of the War of the Shadow spread on her knee, and her writing desk on the floor before her. She read another passage, scribbled on the paper before her, then carefully folded it, ran her finger along the crease, and then tore it along the fold. The piece she had written on, she placed to the right of her body above a piece of paper with a sketch of a raven, and below another piece covered in writing on both sides. Then she returned to reading, losing track of time in her pursuit of the key to the puzzle that had so grabbed her interest.

Some time later -it might have been minutes, it might have been hours, she heard someone knock on her door. No one knocks on our doors, she thought absently. Deciding it had to be a wayward servant or a prankster, she turned her attention back to finishing the line she had been writing. The door opened without further warning and the person outside walked in. She glanced up with the intention of giving whoever interrupted her the rough side of her tongue. I still have at least two hours before anyone will miss me in classes!

Whatever she had been about to say died in her throat. Her eyes first caught the fancloak, then traveled up dark grey breeches and grey coat, snagged on a gold pin -what did that mean?- and at last settled on the face of Ravak Darrow. Oh! He seemed older than the last time she had seen him, and jis uniform fit him much better than the old one. Elia had told her he had been raised to the fancloak, and then almost immediately to Master of Training. She tried to speak, and nothing came out. She took a breath, and tried again. "I see you, Ravak Darrow." What is he doing here?

He put his hand to his heart, and she sat up straight, surprised. One could not spend eight years at the Grey Tower without knowing which gestures meant what. That one....she in no way deserved. “Greetings Sinead,” he said "Apologies for the intrusion, I had thought Elia would have been here.”

Would he stay for Elia to return? Sinead simply watched him, uncertain what to say. She did not like to think of their last meeting, especially since it had become more and more obvious that her assumption about Accepted Aikaterine had been incorrect. At least he didn't seem as bothered by that as he was by the rest...and the rest is true. She was making excuses. She dropped her eyes, realizing with sudden clarity exactly how big of a mess she had made in her rabid search for clues.

The door clicked shut. She looked up and to her surprise Ravak still stood there. The room abruptly felt far too small and far too quiet. Light, what am I- a Maiden or a silly child? The thought gave her enough strength to tilt her head curiously. “The way things ended up,” the Gaidin said slowly. “I feel like it didn’t end well. Did I do something to… offend you?”

The Aielwoman rubbed her ink-stained fingers absently on her skirt, her mind running through every calming exercise she had been taught upon her arrival to the Grey Tower. She had known her share of men and none of them had had that kind of effect on her! Finally she was able to meet his eyes. "No," she said shortly, "you did not offend." She resisted the urge to touch where he had put his fingers that day. Instead, she reached for her papers, and began to straighten them mechanically.

"I told you something terribly upsetting," she said, "and I- I thought you might need space to think." Gray eyes, red hair, a touch to the face....silly reasons to run from someone whose hopes she had crushed. "I have toh for running, but as you are not Aiel, I cannot repay it the way I normally would." Would you spend another year and a day in white to regain your honor in the eyes of this man? A corner of her mind asked, laughing hysterically.

"Elia told me you fought that man," she commented, her eyes carefully avoiding the two -two!- swords he carried. "In my eyes, you have earned much ji for that." It was not the way in the Three-fold Land, but wetlanders were odd, and the way it had been explained to her, she thought she understood. "I heard, also, that you had been made Master of Training. Such honor, for one so young."

She blinked, then stared at him, eyes growing wide as she scrambled to her feet and gave him a quick curtsy. "You are Gaidin- I did not mean- I should have-" she tripped over her own words, until finally she managed to say "I meant no disrespect, Ravak Gaidin." At least this time she had remembered his title, but.... Light, why did I mention his age? He certainly did not seem all that young.

[Craig]

Ravak

Rav watched silently as Sinead unwittingly smearing fresh ink stains into her novice's dress. He would have said something if he didn't feel like an intruder, and even a little unsure of himself from being here without Elia present. It was one thing to talk to your sister in private; it was another thing altogether to be alone with a novice you barely knew. That Sinead was Aiel made things trickier. The Aiel had a funny way of viewing things, as he understood it, and her mannerisms and speech in the library proved that. Saying something about the way she worked black into her skirts could result in her embarrassment or outrage, or with a thousand spears in his side. Her eyes met his, emerald green seemingly thoughtful. "No. You did not offend." She spoke those words curtly, then continued in a strained voice. "I told you something terribly upsetting and I- I thought you might need space to think."

As she elaborated on that point, the disconnect between her flight from the library for his decency, and her owing an obligation to him jarred. It didn't quite sit right with his recollection of events. Had she left immediately after he'd started to get upset instead of afterwards, then her words would not be ringing hollow in his ears. Despite himself, he sniffed the air for some hint of deceit. There was nothing there, of course - Elia wouldn't do anything against the rules, and Sinead didn't seem the type to scheme. Not if he interpreted her little speech about honour correctly.

He had to ignore the comment concerning Dax. Let's leave that incident firmly in the past. It was the one real blemish on his record, and it still rankled that he drove himself into such a lather over the affair, literally and figuratively. Neither of them - Dax or Katrie - were worth the effort. Instead, he focused on graciously accepting her compliment and watching her sudden curtsy with a little bit of amusement.

"Please, don't worry about disrespect. It's still strange to hear Gaidin after my name." He gestured back at her ring of documents. "Please, sit. I've interrupted your studies." It could have been studies, although several sheets of paper depicted some intricate lattice work that didn't look like regular notes. He wasn't about to go prying. "You haven't seen me since my test, and yes," he touched the golden pin with the wreath and sword, "it is a great honour. A very unexpected honour." And for someone so young. Rav wondered why Sinead had added that, although his chest swelled with pride all the same.

The difference in their heights were noticeable when she stood, and more so when she returned to the ground. Rav moved to the chair by Elia's desk, and turned it around to face Sinead. Resting his elbows on his knees, they were at eye level with one another. He pulled at his cloak, draping it carefully over his sword hilts and scabbards. The way she was pointedly not looking at them reminded him that the Aiel did not use swords. He made it seem like a casual gesture, instead of one meant solely for her comfort.

He meandered back towards the original topic of conversation. "I don't quite understand what you mean by ji and toh. You certainly don't owe me any obligation. Despite everything, I'm much better for knowing the truth of... Aikaterine and Dakson than I was without." He didn't know how much Elia had let on, or if there had been rumours and gossip about their brawl in Hama Valon, but he still wasn't going to get into it. "And there was no... ji earned from it." The word sounded odd on his tongue. "It is over, and I am over it." He put an edge of that gravelly hardness into that last, making the words conclusive.

He scratched at his beard, thinking of something else to say. Now that he was seated, he wasn't about to bound out the door again, even if that was the wisest move. Elia spoke of Sinead fondly, and Rav wanted to know more about his sister's roommate. He wasn't the sort of sibling to make judgement calls about his sister's friends, but if the relationship was important to Elia, he could make an effort. And if things didn't work out, he would leave Elia and Sinead well enough alone.

It helps that she's attractive, a little voice remarked. A little too tall, perhaps. But attractive. The corners of his lips curled in a satisfied way. He had earned the right - the privilege - of becoming a Warder. In his earliest days he had started to look for a suitable bondmate, and he was still looking. It was unlikely he would still be an unbonded Gaidin by the time Sinead earned the shawl, but it wasn't outside the realms of possibility. "My sister speaks fondly of you. If it pleases you, if you're not too busy studying, I would like to know more about you myself." It may pay off, getting to know Sinead, beyond merely currying factor with his sis. Just don't make a mess of this like you did with Berana, a different small voice reminded. It would be very awkward if he caused a rift between the two novices.

He treaded carefully. "I had questions about your dreams. About the World of Dreams." He had pulled a number of books out of the Library on the topic, but not much time to read them. Also, a living source of knowledge was better than any tome. "How did you-?" Tread carefully. "I mean, how can someone enter another person's dream? Is it possible to enter my dreams?"

[Sunny]

Sinead

Sinead returned to her spot amidst her research at Ravak's request, crossing her legs beneath her skirts. She absently tugged the hem down to hide her ankles as she settled; she had learned long ago that wetlanders had odd ideas about such things, and did not wish to make her unexpected guest uncomfortable. She leaned forward to touch her notes, taking comfort in the smooth parchment and giving her a moment to smooth ragged nerves before looking up again. Ravak had settled in Elia's chair, his cloak masking the blades at his waist. Why would a person carry two swords? One alone was bad enough, but two? At least she did not have to look at them anymore.

The memory of a Ji'alantin curled up in a chair with a book suddenly superimposed itself over the armed man in dark gray, and her lips curved in a warm smile. She appreciated the set to his shoulders and the light in his eyes when he spoke of his new title, and yet there was a certain appeal to the vulnerability he had displayed in the Library, as well. Had that version of Ravak vanished when he passed his test, or had he simply hidden it behind fancloth and a gold pin? There is a way to find out.

"I don't quite understand what you mean by ji and toh," the Gaidin said, sitting forward in a way that brought their eyes level. She appreciated the gesture, though found it odd that he did not simply join her on the floor if it was important to him. "You certainly don't owe me any obligation." She stared at him in consternation. You have no right to tell me what I do or do not have, she thought, but there was no heat to it. He was a wetlander, and he didn't know any better. He touched briefly on the Treekiller and her lover, and Sinead's lips twisted despite herself.

"It is over, and I am over it," he finished, his voice suddenly hard, and she turned her head slightly to the side, watching him intently. Elia had told her about his fight with Dakson, and she had later heard the story for herself. That kind of anger could not be so easily dismissed. It is perhaps a good thing that the Tairen is at the Citadel, she thought. Perhaps it will give time for wounds to heal. In the mean time...if Ravak had moved on from Aikaterine, then perhaps her reaction to his presence was not so terrible as she had thought. And he is here, speaking to me, when he could have left.

She realized the silence had stretched on a moment too long, and scrambled for something to say. Apologies, sympathies, even agreement...they all seemed inappropriate. Before she could find something suitable, he spoke again. "My sister speaks fondly of you. If it pleases you, if you're not too busy studying, I would like to know more about you myself."

"I had questions about your dreams. About the World of Dreams. How did you-? I mean, how can someone enter another person's dream? Is it possible to enter my dreams?"

Sinead carefully piled three of her history maps together and squared the corners with her fingers. She had spoken to him in the Library as if she knew everything there was to know about Dreamwalking, her own pride preventing her from explaining what had actually happened. The papers were perfectly aligned; finally, reluctantly, she looked up at him.

"To answer your question: yes, it is possible for a Dreamwalker to enter a sleeping person's dreams. They are like....bubbles...in a vast emptiness, and you need only touch one to be transported within." She shifted uncomfortably; there was concern in those gray eyes, as well as a type of solid honesty that far too few wetlanders possessed. He deserves the truth. She pushed her legs out in front of her in an effort to relax, paying no heed to the skin exposed as she did.

"I did not know what I was doing when I spied on Aikaterine's dreams," she admitted reluctantly. "I fell asleep that night wanting answers to the questions I had, and woke up- in another place." She found a small piece of paper, and began to rip it to shreds. "It took me to the Three-fold Land, to a spot I enjoyed when I was a child. When I thought about needing to know the truth, I went to other places- I will spare you the details a second time. I was not in Aikaterine's dreams at first, but that is where my need took me. I do not yet know how to get back there, even if I wanted to."

She looked down, but ji'e'toh required her to continue. "I told you the truth about the Treekiller, but I would not have known it to be so if Wise Ones from my clan had not found me that night," her voice firmed a bit. "They told me about my Talent and extracted the price for breaking the rules. The experience was not- pleasant."

It had not been so terrible to tell him after all. She let the paper pieces fall, and lifted her chin to meet his eyes once more. "You asked about ji’e’toh earlier...in this instance, I abandoned my honor because I wanted you to think well of me, and were you Aiel, I would need to repay my toh to get it back.”

She felt her cheeks begin to burn.

[Craig]

Ravak

The description of the World of Dreams made less sense to him than the One Power did. He nodded, not really understanding but accepting what Sinead said as truth. To be honest, it was a little hard to focus on something so otherworldly with those ankles on show. Was it intentional? Did Aiel not care? Did Sinead not care? He felt a soundless growl building in his throat, and it wasn’t in anger for once.

Rav watched her tear up some of the paper that covered the floor. It seemed like a subconscious action. From someone else, he would have considered it fretting. From Sinead, Light knew what that meant. Eventually the scraps of paper fell from her fingers and she looked back at him.

“You asked about ji’e’toh earlier. In this instance, I abandoned my honour because I wanted you to think well of me, and were you Aiel, I would need to repay my toh to get it back.”

Rav shifted in the chair, a minute movement. Light, I really am becoming one of these stone-faced Gaidin, aren’t I? He scratched at his beard. How had she abandoned her honour for informing him about Dax and Katrie? He had called him an honourable man, so surely telling him had also been an honourable action? Peace. I’m trying to reason out Aiel logic. Female logic. Those two may be one and the same in their lack of rationale.

“Sinead. I don’t know, well anything about ji’e’toh, and of course I’m not Aiel. But you never did anything dishonourable. I’m in your debt, not the other way around.” He really didn’t want to get into this, but if anyone had earned the truth... “Elia told you about the... the Treekiller and myself. You had no reason to help me, or tell me what you knew, but you did.” He raised a hand to his heart. “You freed me from... from an oath. I owe you toh. Or ji?” He lowered the hand, and straightened. Light, all of this talk of honour whilst trying to make sense of Aiel reasoning was muddling his mind.

[Sunny]

Sinead

"I’m in your debt, not the other way around.” Sinead's head tilted to the side as she stared at Ravak in unfeigned shock. How could he dictate the debt she owed for her cowardice? How could he so easily discard her dishonesty? He had asked about ji'e'toh, but seemed to discard her explanation. Does he value my honor so little? “Elia told you about the... the Treekiller and myself. You had no reason to help me, or tell me what you knew, but you did. You freed me from... from an oath. I owe you toh. Or ji?””

Her irritation at his butchery of ji'e'toh and his belief that he could dictate the worth of her honor began to fade. He seemed both uncertain and determined, a combination of feelings that seemed at odds with the formality of his uniform. It occurred to her that Rav did not have the same benefit of association that Elia did; like any wetlander, he could have no true concept of Aiel culture. It did not excuse the insult, but the explanation took the sting away. It helps that he's attractive, she thought, bemused by her own perplexing feelings.

He only looks a little like the boy I know, now, Elia had told her in the halls some time before, her eyes sad. Sinead smiled at the memory, once again remembering Rav curled up in the Library. Ah, Elia, he's still there, she thought, the boy who left Fal Dara in the night is somewhere beneath all that steel and grit, and he cares just as much now as he did then. Why did he hide it?

Those gray eyes were still watching her, waiting for a response, and there was nothing childish about the way that made her feel. She did not want him to leave, and searched for something to keep him longer. "Your ji is your honor, Ravak Darrow," she said, "and no one can take that from you. Your actions alone determine its worth." She realized how much skin she had unwittingly exposed, and pulled her legs beneath her. If the cloth of her skirts got caught in the bend of her knee and left her ankles bare again, well...she chose not to notice. "Your toh is that feeling inside of you that led to you leaving your home to seek training. You felt obligated to fulfill your duty to your family, and thought that you could do that better than you were, yes?"

The Aielwoman paused, rubbing absently at her nose. When her finger came away, it was smeared with black, and her hand flew to her cheek. "How long have I had ink on my face?" She demanded, laughter in her voice.

[Craig]

Ravak

There was an spirited light in Sinead's green eyes as she answered. "Your ji is your honour, Ravak Darrow, and no one can take that from you." From that expression on her face, she evidently thought that he had much ji. And from other things. She tucked her legs beneath herself, but in such a fashion that plenty of bare skin was left revealed when she settled. For my ji, I'm simply going to look her in the eye, and nowhere else. It was an effort; Sinead had such well-turned ankles.

"Your toh," she continued, "is that feeling inside of you that led to you leaving your home to seek training." Rav scratched at his beard as she carried on. Light, he was having a hard time reconciling the fact he'd pledged himself to the Tower, because that meant Shienar was further away. Does one duty outdo another? Is service to the Grey Tower more worthy than service to Shienar? It was a question he had put off, and he would continue to do so. He also didn't want his mood to sour.

Sinead was moving a hand away from her ink-stained nose and noticed the black streaking her fingertip. Quickly she tried to cover her cheek, which had been unmarked until dark fingers added new smudges. "How long have I had ink on my face?" There was laughter in that outburst; amusement at her own blunder, Rav thought. He grinned slightly at her very wetlander response. He had known girls who would have made similar reactions back in Fal Dara. She was making things worse, not better too, hiding her cheek like that. Rising smoothly, he crossed the room to the washstand in three long paces, sidestepping her paperwork.

Wringing out a towel, he made his way back to the chair. Emerald eyes watched him with a inquisitive expression, which turned into something else. He leaned forward, taking her hand in one of his as he wiped her fingers with the moistened cloth. "You ought to be more careful. I believe you've marked your dress as well." He glanced down to verify that, and not just because she was still showing skin. "I may need to lend you my quill at this rate."

[Sunny]

Sinead

Sinead's amusement cut off as the Gaidin stood and went to the washstand. She noted that he stepped around her notes, gathering his cloak to keep it from disrupting her work. She should have expected no less from one who spent his spare time with books. Does he read to learn, or read for pleasure? Her fascination baffled her. Why did it matter what he did with his spare time? She was a novice, and he the Master of Training. While she might think the trappings of rank ridiculous, the Grey Tower did not. A novice who showed too much interest in the doings of a man might find herself scrubbing pots for months.

She heard the splash of water; when he turned, he held a towel. The tall woman reached for the cloth, her lips forming words of thanks, but he ignored or did not see the gesture. Instead he skirted around her studies once more and returned to his seat, leaning forward slightly with eyes on her. She tilted her head, hand still outstretched. Curiosity and confusion warred in her mind. Why won't he-

Oh!

His fingers wrapped around her wrist, turning her hand palm up, his left hand carefully wiping at her fingers with the Towel. The touch to her face in the Library had made her heart stop; this….this was so much more. She stared at him with wide eyes, her mind first absolutely still, and then suddenly whirling. Of all the men she had met in her life -tall algai'd'siswai, steady blacksmiths, wetlander warriors and trainees at the Tower- none had had this effect on her. How did a serious-faced Shienaran she had only just met have such an effect on her? Suddenly scrubbing pots did not seem so terrible a fate.

"You ought to be more careful. I believe you've marked your dress as well," he said. His tone was different now. No confusion, no uncertainty, simply a statement of fact. Her eyes followed his to her dress, and she realized he was right. There were inelegant blotches and streaks of black across the white wool where she had scrubbed her hands. "I may need to lend you my quill at this rate." She liked the sound of his voice without the uncertainty, but found she struggled to find words to respond, her attention completely captured by his hands on hers.

"The ink will come out," she said finally, tilting her head with a smile. If the words were a little breathy, she hoped he did not notice. "I've had a lot of practice since I arrived." Self-deprecating humor tinged her tone, and her voice steadied. She reached with her other hand, resting her fingers on his hand and the cloth he held. "I can change my dress. My face, on the other hand, I am stuck with." Green eyes on gray, she wrapped her fingers in his and guided his hand and the towel to her cheek. "You can consider it part payment of toh if you must."

[Craig]

Ravak

"The ink will come out." The Aielwoman's words were a little hoarse. He thought that odd, but dismissed the feeling when she looked up from her marred dress with a smile. Such a good-looking smile. If anything betrayed his thoughts, it was his eyes. There was something playful in her voice when she next spoke. "I've had a lot of practice since I arrived."

Rav didn't get far with any other thoughts as Sinead's other hand covered his. He felt a blistering radiance of warmth emanating from her fingertips, alongside some colder slickness. The ink. This wasn't the same feeling he had cleaning her fingers. Her hand was firmly on his, but gentle all the same.

"I can change my dress." Unbecoming thoughts flickered through the Shienaran's mind. "My face, on the other hand, I am stuck with." Her touch started to guide him, so that the cloth and his hand was against her blemished cheek. Those emerald orbs fixed him with a look that almost seemed tender. "You can consider it part payment of toh if you must."

He tried not to focus too much of the feel of her hand against his, or of her cheek, or her legs by the Light! Rav almost adopted the ko'di, to push everything but reason out of his mind, but Sinead's presence pricked at his calm. Part payment of toh? I owe her an obligation? Evidently for illuminating me on the situation with Dax and Katrie. Sinead was subtly working his hand against her cheek. Her eyes still burned with a fondness.

Slowly. Everything. Started. To click. Into place.

My hand against her cheek. Her fingers against my hand. Changing her dress. The baring of her ankles. Her laughter and playfulness about the ink stains. There were other recollections. "I wanted you to think well of me." "Such honour, for one so young." "I would not come to any lesser man."

Rav let his hand be guided as he slotted together his thoughts. Despite the sometimes strangeness of her words, Sinead was still a woman underneath all of the Aiel, and he was a man under his responsibilities to the Tower. If she wasn't Aiel, but a so-called wetlander? Well, then her actions would be telling. His hand upon her face twitched slightly as he tensed. No, no... He tried to reason that he could be wrong. Just Aiel oddness. But then, Elia also had a proclivity towards matchmaking. Could all of this have been her suggestion?

Slowly he took control back of his hand, rubbing at the worst part of the stain against her nose. "Ink should go on the paper in future," he teased. Rav hoped it sounded like a tease, not as some wry wetlander comment. He leaned in a little closer, both to inspect his work and... to move towards her. "I owe you toh, mm?" That was a considering noise. "How else can I pay it off, aside from scrubbing at your face?"

[Sunny]

Sinead

As Sinead pulled Ravak's hand across her cheek, something changed in his demeanor. Her people did not show emotion; a flick of an eye, a touch of the wrist, was as good as wetlander tears or a heartfelt hug. Touching Rav in the way she had....she might as well have thrown herself at him. He could not know that detail, and yet- something did change. He looked at her differently...considering, almost.

His fingers moved of their own accord a moment later, but rather than pull away as she had half expected, he took over the task of removing the ink from her nose, his touch gentle. "Ink should go on the paper in future," he commented. The Aielwoman stared at him in shock, and then her lips curved upward at the joke. He leaned forward, head tilting as he examined her, and she realized she had caught her breath. The former Maiden exhaled quietly, carefully forcing herself to continue breathing.

"I owe you toh, mm?" There was definitely a different tone to his voice now, and that noise he made... her lips curved up in pleased acknowledgement of his question. "How else can I pay it off, aside from scrubbing at your face?" A thousand options rolled through Sinead's mind, each more absurd than the next, but with the shift in his tone her confidence had returned, spurred on by the feeling in her gut when he looked at her.

"I see your eyes on my body," she commented, as calmly as if she discussed the color of the sky. His hand jerked on her face, and she cocked her head, looking up at him. "You are not so subtle as all that, Ravak Darrow. I am quite certain that neither of us would complain overmuch if you repaid your toh," a ripple of amusement marred the word, "by putting your lips right here." She raised her other hand to put one finger on her lips. He was blushing, she noticed with wicked delight.

Her hand still rested on his; she gave it a squeeze, then dropped both to her lap. "Unless you would prefer to continue to talk about sand and wind while pretending not to look at me?" She asked.

OOC: I had way too much fun with that. #sorrynotsorryatall