Ishar felt a light warmth touch on the naked top half of his body and a deeper warmth carrying with it some weight curled itself upon him. He cracked open one eye and met the burning ball of flames overhead. His gaze turned and run down the length of his sprawled body, there was a silky white haired head that lay at the center of his chest with dark-skinned hands clutching at his left side. Her breasts beneath her thin cloth pressed to the right of his chest and Niada's thigh sat perched across his legs, the green dress had risen up and her flesh glistened under the sun's glow.

With his right hand that was adorned with golden bangles, he pulled her closer, pressing her to him by applying pressure between her shoulder blades. Niada let out a pleasant sigh and snuggled deeper into his embrace. Ishar could feel the Centala flowers brushing the nape of his neck and those crushed beneath his back. They were out in the open and he had no recollection of how they'd gotten there let alone what had drove them to wander so far from camp. He could not hear the ceaseless commotion at camp neither did he want to turn his head to look around him for things were currently stagnated in a euphoric state, one he'd dreamed of for the majority of his short life. Niada lay in his arms and he would be mad to stir and put an end to their blissful state.

Niada's eyes glowing amber.

Ishar abruptly stirred, sitting up and forcing Niada to do the same. She sat and faced Ishar with half closed eye lids that were droopy with sleep. She blinked at him in confusion, peering at him beneath her lids with green eyes engraved in their almond shape. Ishar let out a sigh of relief, his eyes darted around where they lay. They were still in the Ganidan plain with the numerous tents spread out behind them, his gold hued shirt lay further to his left and he wondered what had led to it being there.

"What's wrong? I was having the most interesting of dreams." Niada said. She frowned at him. "Until you interrupted it!"

Ishar gave her a coy smile, he leaned towards her face, pushed his body up with his hands on either side and placed a kiss on her forehead. Niada smiled and closed her eyes. "I admit." She said. "The waking life seems to be better than the dream."

Ishar leaned back and laughed. "Of late I do not remember the dreams I have, but I awaken with something that might pass as knowledge or experience, as if in my sleep I work towards an objective-" A bird cried directly above them, its feathers brick red and its wings tipped in blue. Ishar stared up at the bird, anger rising within him.

"Would you like to hear my dream?" Niada asked. Ishar turned to her and regarded her worried frown that quickly melted to insurmountable cuteness beneath his gaze. Ishar nodded.

"I was in a dark place, with black sand that shifted beneath my feet. And you were there." Niada started.

Fear engulfed Ishar. "Was there someone else?" He asked.

"No, it was just you." Niada titled her head to the side. "Why would you ask that?"

Ishar shook his head from side to side. "No reason, continue."

"It was dark yet I could clearly see you. Your body was different though, you were taller with lean muscle stretched beneath your skin like rope." She blushed. "I could see the muscle because you wore only grey pants." Niada reached out one hand and placed it on Ishar's head, ruffling his hair. "Your hair was just as it is now but twisted into dreadlocks that rose and fell haphazardly around your head." Niada trailed a finger down Ishar's forehead, a smile on her face. "You had a scar here." She placed her hand beneath his chin, tilting his head higher. "You also had a silver tooth."

"What... what did I say to you?" Ishar asked. Ovek, why? Why bring her into this? His soul cried out.

Niada seemed to have seen something in Ishar's expression. Her hand dropped to her lap and her smile faded to a thin line. She lowered her gaze to her hand and spoke. "You said, 'Just as I am tethered to you so are you tethered to me.'" Her expression became more somber. "What do you think that means?" Ishar yawned and stretched his arms to either side. He got up and stretched out a hand to her, Niada took the hand and Ishar pulled her up. "It means that we should get married." Niada tilted her head back and laughed, earning a smile from Ishar. Gods! I can listen to her laugh all day.

"But sir, we have not gone through the proper procedure that leads to marriage!" Niada said.

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"And what is that procedure?" Ishar asked while heading to pick up his shirt.

"Well, several months of courting obviously."

Several months? I may be dead once Vayin comes! Ishar nodded at Niada, hiding his thoughts beneath his smiling face. "Obviously." He said and waved the shirt clutched in his hand.

"Then you'll have to meet my father, to discuss dowry and stuff."

"How much do you think you're worth?" Ishar asked. He counted the amount of wealth he had and realized he had nothing beyond the gold bangles adorning his arms, of which he was certain they were just metal coated in gold. I wonder how much a Telinete Rhino costs? He pondered. A brief memory of the happenings of the night started coming back.

"How much do you think I'm worth?" Niada asked as she started heading in the direction of the tents. Ishar lost track of the emerging memory.

Ishar hastened his pace past Niada then turned to face her. He matched her stride while walking backwards as he studied her. Ishar took in her beauty that nature complimented with the wind brushing her hair from her face and the sun glistening upon her dark skin. Her bare feet crushed the jade colored flowers adorning the Plain and to his eyes she resembled a Goddess striding upon a forest, crushed trees in her wake. "Gold ought to be changed from 'Vigon' to 'Niada'."

She snorted.

"If all the Leviathans in the Rankf sea were squeezed of their oil, it would match but an ounce of your worth." Ishar continued, all the while backtracking before her as they headed in the direction of the distant tents.

"That's so corny Ishar." She could not hide the smile in her voice.

"All the spilled seeds of a God that are spread out upon the night sky cannot measure up to your worth nor your beauty." Ishar said while pointing at Niada with his shirt wielding hand.

Niada stopped walking. A puzzled expression on her face. "What?"

"You know, the shiny things in the sky beside the moon." Ishar stopped too.

"The stars?"

"Yes, that's spilled God seed. I was surprised when I learnt of it too. I did not understand why a God would pleasure himself so much. It's probably Nielda." Ishar concluded with a hand to his chin.

"You're a peculiar one Ishar." Niada said. Ishar turned to her, his eyes meeting hers, he wanted to drown in what he saw beneath her gaze. Without knowing it he found himself pulled to her, a need to sink into her overwhelmed all else as he cupped her face in his hands and met her lips with his own. You are worth more than my sanity. He thought and felt as she leaned deeper into him. Behind him a loud bellow sounded followed by tremors upon the ground as a large creature charged in their direction.

Still, they did not break the kiss. In that moment he forgot about Vayin Vigon and his impending army. He forgot about his inability to match her dowry and he forgot about why that even mattered. All that was in his mind was her and that was enough. She pulled back from the kiss and looked up at him, her eyes glowed amber. Ishar felt dread rise within him, slashing away all he'd previously felt. Ovek, stay away from her!

"What are your thoughts? What are you feeling?" He asked while looking into those amber eyes.

"I feel.." She did not finish her words as a snort sounded behind Ishar. Niada's eyes widened and the amber glow within them faded back to normal green.

Ishar turned to regard Carrot who snorted again. "What?" Ishar asked the beast. Carrot let out a grunt and its upper lip lifted to expose naked gums. "I haven't abandoned you, you clingy beast!"

Carrot bellowed causing Niada to flinch and take a step back, away from Ishar's hold. Ishar turned to fully face the Telinete Rhino. "You're a big arse Rhino! What do you expect me to do? Carry you around on my back? I left you with enough cabbages to keep you entertained for a week."

Droppings sounded as they landed upon the ground with heavy thumps from behind Carrot.

"Real mature Carrot, real mature." Ishar said and turned back to Niada. Her eyes were fixed on Carrot.

"Don't be afraid of him, he won't hurt you as long as I'm here." Carror sneezed.

Ishar turned. "You're just saying that out of jealousy."

"You can.. You can understand him?" Niada asked. A tremor in her voice.

"I get impressions within my mind that form meaning. Mostly it's all about cabbages and Rhino sex." Ishar moved towards Niada and took her hands in his. "Don't be afraid." "I'm not." She answered.

"What are you then?" Ishar asked, puzzled.

"I'm in awe." She pulled her hands free off Ishar's grasp and walked past him, brushing gently against his arm. Niada walked towards Carrot who regarded her with sparkling amber eyes. She stood directly before the Telinete and reached out a shaking hand. Carror stood still, its breath blowing at Centala flowers close to its snout. Niada placed her hand on Carrot's longest horn and the beast grunted.

"He says I do not deserve a mate, that I am too dumb to know what to do with my.. Hey Carrot! That's not how one speaks before a lady." Ishar said.

Niada laughed and turned to Ishar, her eyes were alight with glee. "Can I ride him?"

"Sure, let me show you how-" Ishar didn't finish his words. He watched as Niada stepped onto Carrot's snout and maneuvered her way past his horns and head to come to stand upon the nape of its neck.

"Are you coming?" She asked.

Ishar stared up at her from where she stood. It was his turn to be in awe. There was no fear to her actions, he could not imagine anyone taking to Carrot in such a manner. It was madness to do so... madness. Ovek... What- Niada repeated her question and Ishar shook himself clear of his train of thought before it deepened his worry. With a mind elusive of thoughts regarding madness, Ishar sprinted towards Carrot.