Eight Years Have Past:
The tall man dismounted the horse he was riding and stretched out his long limbs
"Gods what a long ride!" he exclaimed. The man who had been dubbed Rezo the Red Priest looked around at Seyrunne, things hadn't changed all that much since he had left. Rezo glanced at the horse that had carried him and patted it affectionately. "Thank you Shab my dear friend." he murmued to his horse as he tooks the bridle off. Rezo walked through the streets and people parted out of the way of the very tall man dressed all in red with a fierce black horse following behind him like a pup. Rezo smiled slightly when the rings on his staff clanged together. It had been less then a week since he had been named one of the Five, the five holy men of the ages, the highest honor a mage can recieve. Rezo frowned, for dispite all of his sucess in magick, he still couldn't heal his eyes. A fact that ate at him like acid. Rezo could walk across an entire country healing people's ailments and blindness, yet her could heal his own. Maybe he was part a cosmic joke? Rezo frowned and turned down the street that he knew would lead to Dathan's house. Suddenly a young woman barrled into him, and Rezo's stallion reared up on his hind legs in fright. Rezo was knocked off his feet, but the girl fell right under Shab's hooves.
"No!" the girl screamed as the Shab started to come down. With his inner sight, Rezo saw what would happen. Shab's hoof would crush her skull like a grape.
"No!" Rezo cried as he tried to pushed the girll our of the way. He suceeded, but one of Shab's iron shod hooves landed n his outstretched left hand. Rezo cried out in pain as the delicate bones in his hand were crushed. Shab screamed as he sensed his master's pain. Amazingly, the girl climbed to her feet and grasped Shab by his long black mane
"Easy boy, steady." Shab immedietely calmed down and the girl knelt next ot the man who had saved her. "I'm so sorry sir.... I didn't mean to...." the young woman finally notcied that Rezo was cradleing his left hand against his chest. She reahce dout a hand, and Rezo hissed in pain.
"Gods' blood girl, are you trying to kill me?" Rezo shook his head as the girl's scent reached his nose. He had only met one person ever who smelt like that "Sieran?" he thought silently. Rezo cracked his eyes open and saw the girl kneeing front of him. He could only shee a blur, but the blue had long blue hair and green eyes. The girl chose that exact same moment to look Rezo in the eyes for the first time. The first thing that struck her about the man was that his eyes were closed and that a beautific smile was on his face.
"Niichan?" Sieran breathe dthe word. Rezo smiled and she trully did recognize him. "Niichan!" Sieran threw her amras aroung Rezo's neck and he held her with his good arm. Even without his sight, Rezo knew they were drawing a crowd.
"Minxlette, I think we should continue this someplace else. Sieran's eyes widened in horror.
"Oh Niichan I'm sorry." Sieran helped Rezo to his feet and when she bent down to pick up his staf, she finally noticed how odd it was shaped, and the odd garb he wore. Rezo took her hessitation as horror at oicking up his staff and swoop down and picked it.up.
"Well let's go home ne?" Rezo asked somewhat formally. "Shab, come on boy." Sieran lead Rezo back to the house and helped him up to his old room while she stabled Shab herself.
While she was gone, Rezo slowly and throughly berated himslef for his behavior towards Sieran. Well there went all his plans for a joyuos tearful reunion. rezo sighed and begain to cast a healing spell on his hand. But the time Sieran got back, he had healed most of the damage left by Shab's hoof, and the swealing had gone down dramatically.Sieran knocked on the door, and Rezo looked up with a smile on his face.
"Hey brat." He grinned as Sieran threw a pillow at him playfuly. She was more then a little impressed wehn he snatched the pillow out of thin air.
"Not bad dork." she replied as she walked in and sta down on the edge ogf his bed. Sieran looked at Rezo's hand and frowned. "You shouldn't have tried to heal that all by yourself." Rezo laughed.
"Minxlette, the day I can't handle a few broken bones is the day I retire." Rezo gestured at his robes. "You do know what these mean don't you?" Sieran flushed slighty, and all actuality, she hadn't paid much attention to Rezo's robes.
"Oh, but still let me help you." Sieran grabbed Rezo's hand with a warm yet light grip and begain to channel her energy into him. She healed his strained muscles and healed the broken skin. Rezo was tempted to take his hand away, but to be truthful, he was enjoying the attention. Sieran's hands were calloused and warm, and her mind was warm and bright like sunlight. Sieran finished healed Rezo's hand and glanced up at him shyly, but he seemed to be in a trance. What's the matter with me? Sieran silently wondered. I mean this is Niichan I'm thinking about here. The guys is practically my big brother. But still..... Sieran cut that unruly train of thought off before it got out of hand Rezo seemed to jerk out of his trance and noticed that Sieran had finished with his hand.
"Sorry, I was miles away." Rezo grinned the boyish grin he used to share with her, and Sieran found herslef grinning back. Now the feeling Sieran had for Rezo vanishe das he transformed back into her Niichan, her brother. Rezo smiled and reached out his now healed hand and caressed Sieran's cheek.
"I missed you Minxlette." Rezo reverted to calling Sieran by his childhood name for her. Sieran stood up to her wholy unimpressive heigth of 5'3.
"See I'n not a Minxlette anymore." she declaired loftily as she left the room. "Come one you must be starving, if I know you." Rezo followed her down the stairs and they had just reached the entryway when someone came in the door. The years had been kind to Shona, only a few wrinckles had gather around her eyes, and they were from laughing, not sorrow. Shona just stood there and stared at Rezo for a second before she emveloped him in a hug.
"My how you've grown!" Shona clucked at she stared up at the man who towered over her. "But still so thin! Don't they fed you at the Temple of yours? Well I'll fix you right up." Shona clucked as she strolled into the kitchen. "Now you young man had better march yourself right in here and tell me what has been going on with you." Rezo smiled slightly and followed Shona. The aging woman motioned at the two stood leaning aganist the counter. Rezo took one and Sieran took the other. Shona handed some potatoes to Rezo and a knife and she gave Sieran the onions. "Well I see you are wearing the robes of the Red Priest. We had heard rumors that a young mage was gonig to be named but I didn't think they'd choose someone so young." Sieran's hand slipped when she heard that Rezo was the Red Priest. Her knife sliced her finger and blood mixed with the onion juices. Sieran whimpered in pain and Rezo's head jerked up. Shona with a secret smile left the kitchen.
"I'll go get some badages." she murmured serenely as she forgot that there were two skilled mages in the house. Rezo wiped the blood off of Sieran's finger with the edge of his robe. Sieran's hand batted at his.
"Don't get your robes bloody!" she cried.
"A little more blood isn't going to kill me." Rezo cryptic comment went over Sieran's hand and Rezo brought her hand up to his lips and and blew on it. All the while he murmured as spell.
"There you go." he sais smiling as he droped her hand abruptly. "As good as new." Rezo suddenly stood up.
"Thank you." Sieran murmured.
"Just returning the favor..... besides, what are Niichans for." Rezo sighed. "I am very weary after my journey Minxlette, I think I'll got crawl into my bed and hybernate for the next week." Rezo tossed her a careles grin. "Kidding, but I really need to get some sleep." Rezo kissed her swiftly on the cheek and beat a hasty retreat up the stairs leaving a very confused Sieran to puzzle over new and unexpected feelings.
That night as Sieran went to her room, she opened the door and peeke dinto Rezo's room like she had that one night so very long ago. Sieran brushed a lock of violet hair away from Rezo's forhead and kissed his cheek.
"Goodnight Rezo." she murmured as she left the room. And once again, Rezo smiled slightly, then he realized something, Sieran had called him Rezo instead of Niichan. Rezo rolled over onto his side and used his arm as a cusion. He wasn't very sure how to handle this new development in his relationship with Sieran. While he had been at the Great Temple, Rezo had mercifully buried all his feelings for Sieran, but seeing her again, seemed awaken feelings he hadn't felt in a long time. Not sice word had reached him that Dathan had died, and that had been what? Four years ago. Rezo sighed, he had a feeling he wasn't gonig to get much sleep tonight. And of course he was right, but he wasn't the only one to lose sleep that night, someone else stayed up to the wee hours of the night pacing her room unitl she fell into an exausted slumber.