I don't remember how much time me and Carliah spent together after that first night. The next day we barely moved we slept, ate a little and enjoyed one another. Long afterwards even as we resumed other tasks, we still ended up enjoying ourselves not even just in our cave.
Once it was by the bank of the river as we splashed water over one another. Another time it was amongst the trees as we moved through a forest. Another as we'd stretched out in the sunlight on the slopes above the cave. We were enjoying ourselves and each other and everything else was put aside.
Most people in the courts rarely spent more than a few consecutive nights with someone else. It was just rarely done. Not that you didn't form bonds or attachments just that everyone was usually so busy building other alliances or courting guests or else just exploring new things.
In contrast me and Carliah spent months together alone with no one else apart from ourselves. Whether it was just the fact it was that, or just who we were who would ever know for certain. Even much later with a court of our own we still spent more time with each other than anyone else.
For months maybe the two of us existed together in our own little world in our sheltered valley and cave. It was far from comfortable, it was a rough rugged life we led but together at least there was plenty of solace in each other's companionship. It had to change eventually of course Carliah was restless.
She was already thinking ahead, planning, considering, mulling over what we might do and looking towards the future. I had never really done that myself. Surviving day to day and avoiding any contact with the courts had been the best that I had looked for. What else might be possible hadn't even crossed my mind at that point. Even then it was some time before I gave it much thought. Carliah on the other hand was always thinking, was always strategizing.
She had already turned her mind towards what lay ahead for us. Not just survival, not even just existing and staying together. She was looking for more. Building something new, something different, something that would change the future, not only for the two of us but for many more we met in the future. It was at an early stage still of course. Her mind hadn't yet formulated everything but it was working, it was thinking, it was plotting a course for us to chart.
This then is a small tale, but one that must be told, nevertheless. The two of us alone together was never anything more than that. We were isolated, alone, easy to ignore. This however was the first step in making our own way. It was when two became three and the first steps in founding our own future were made.
...............
We were sat out early one morning when she'd said simply, we needed to travel to town. That wasn't completely unheard of. We needed supplies from time to time. We traded there exchanging food and furs for things we needed. We never stayed long only trading what we needed before we had left once more.
For several days I'd known she had been restless. I'd seen it, sensed it in her. This time she'd merely sighed and given herself a shake before she turned and looked at me and simply said we needed to head into town, she needed to send a message.
I'd had an inkling as to what it was about. I was born in a court. I grew up in one. Every person born in a court wasn't considered a full-blooded member until they had been verified by at least two people usually many more. In most circumstances this was also backed up with an accompanying chart of their makeup. The blood they carried, their parents a full genetic ancestry to share with other courts when it came to making alliances swapping power or joining a court. Ironically, I had one in the court I'd been exiled from. There was a record there but the newly acquired power had to be tested and verified by another.
This was what Carliah was suggesting, and I didn't like it at all. But we set out walked to town and she'd sent her message to be passed on. I didn't ask who she had messaged. I hadn't wanted to know. With that done we retreated to our valley home and continued.
For a week we were alone doing everything we normally did. Then one morning things changed.
We were sat on the slopes under the cave entrance both just doing some chores when I'd suddenly jolted my body feeling like it had been shocked. The awareness I'd always had of Carliah was there only I felt another presence another person making their way into the valley.
"Someone comes." I murmured softly turning to look at Carliah frowning as I concentrated trying to track their progress as they advanced, she arched an eyebrow curious as to how I knew before she shrugged.
"They would get here eventually. Now we just wait make sure of who it is." She murmured. She was far calmer than me far more patient. She went back to work while I stood and paced nervously following their progress as they advanced.
We still had some time before they made it to where we were. It made me more nervous just having to wait and not be able to do anything especially not knowing who it was that was coming or what this would all entail. Carliah in contrast was the picture of serenity.
I kicked at a stone grumpily, watching as it tumbled down the slope below. "Remind me why we need to do any of this?" I hated the fact my voice even sounded disgruntled.
Carliah barely even moved focused on what she was doing. "Because it needs to be done." She replied simply.
I bit back the first retort that came to mind and just breathed. In and out slowly exhaling letting my eyes close as I considered the situation. "Weren't you the one that said we should make our own rules though?" I murmured softly my eyes still closed as I spoke.
