Walk On Mountains - Chapter Seven

Marienda shielded her eyes as she looked out over the valley.  She could see the line growing closer as the darkness approached, and estimated that it would reach her domes in around three days.  She wasn’t sure when it would reach the mountains, but was told that it was approximately a week after the domes.1

She had always assumed that everyone went inside before the dark came, and was surprised to learn that the people who lived in the mountain actually remained outside for a few days longer.  The sunlight had heated the ground enough that it remained comfortable for about three days longer.  Then the people would retreat into the mountain for the eight months until the sun once again peeked over the horizon.  They would stay out for about a month, then go back in when the sun would get too hot and bake the landscape in an intolerable oven.2

She jumped slightly as a body pressed against her back and smiled as two strong arms went around her waist.3

“Sorry,” Grydin murmured into her hair.  “I was wondering if you would care to talk a walk with me?”4

She leaned back slightly against his chest.  “Anywhere in particular?” she asked.5

“Anywhere is fine,” he said in a low voice by her ear.  “As long as it’s with you.”6

She smiled at the compliment and turned around in his arms to face him.  “I have an idea for a hike.”7

“Where?”8

“Oh, I was thinking of maybe a little cliff climbing, too,” she stepped back out of his hold and started to walk down the incline.  “Followed by resting on a large stone,” she called back to him.9

Grydin’s eyes widened momentarily as he caught her meaning, and he hurried to catch up with her.  10

~~~~~~~~~~11

Marienda smiled and ran a finger over Grydin’s bare chest as she lay beside him on the rock where they had first met.  “What was your life like before?” she asked.12

“Before?”  He kissed her lightly. 13

“Before you came here.  What did you do for a living?”14

He smiled at her.  Ever since Grydin realized that Marienda was staying, his personality had become more relaxed, more in sync with his normal feelings.  “Architect.”15

“A what?”16

“I design and build things.” 17

She propped herself up on an elbow and looked down at him.  “You still do it?”18

“Only during the times we are in the mountain,” he explained.  “Have to have something to do to ward off the boredom that hits at times.”19

“What do you make things out of?  I mean, there’s not much here to work with.” She paused. “Is there?”20

Grydin shrugged.  “That is what makes it interesting.  Designing something and then trying to find a way to build it.” He smiled.  “I’ll show you some of the things I’ve designed and built.”21

She smiled and leaned towards him.  “Later?”22

“Yes,” he said slowly as he pulled her to him.  “Later…much later.”23

~~~~~~~~~~24

The tall woman sat slightly behind a rock on the top of the mountain, far enough away from the camp to keep from being noticed, yet close enough to see all.  She frowned as she watched Grydin and the new woman walk across to the cliff and climb up.  She could not see where they had gone from there, but could imagine what they were doing.  She did not know the new woman’s name, nor did she really care to know.25

She had been sitting in the same position on the day the new woman had first appeared, and took an instant dislike to the way Grydin had held her…the smile on his face, and the way he finally looked happy.  She knew she no longer had feelings for the man, regardless of the history they had shared, and knew she did not want any part of his emotions.  Not any longer.26

They had once been together, sharing all on the other side of the mountain.  She knew he did not belong there, with them, but it did not matter to her.  She wanted him, and he was more than willing to oblige her every whim and wish.  She shook her head as she remembered what had made her lose it all.27

The three of them had been the best of friends, or at least the best of enemies joined by a common goal.  She had a powerful man at her side, and an equally powerful man in the leadership of her little clan.  Although she had made her choice between the two, she always harbored little desires for the other man, the self-proclaimed leader.28

She complied without question to the rules he had made for those to show their loyalty…they all had.  He wanted uniformity, and that meant looking a certain way from clothing to short hair.  She had cut off her luxurious tresses to please him, and then blended in completely with all the other newly shorn individuals.  He wanted them to strengthen their inner powers in a way that they had not been permitted to when living with the others in a single community.  Now that they had left the fold and settled in the caves on the other side and end of the mountain, they were free to use and abuse each other as much as they wished.29

Grydin’s inner energies were new, unrestrained, and intense when focused in anger.  The woman had little fantasies of Grydin taking over the new clan and leading with her at his side, so she subtly tried to keep him in a permanent agitated mood.  Since she slowly worked on the insecurities that Grydin had tried to keep hidden since he first arrived a few years previous, it was easy to convince him that she was only looking out for his feelings, and even easier to convince him to follow her and the others when they left.   30

Ultimately, she had misjudged his integrity, for he only lasted one dark cycle with them before his conscience won out.  He had wanted to apologize to those he had left, mainly Yanuia and Dorran, and set off over the mountain to talk with them.  He was there when the rest of his people, led by Pontage, decided to come and take what they wanted.31

Grydin had taken his friend aside, asking that they only take what was originally theirs and leave, but Pontage would hear nothing of it.  He wanted it all.  The woman could not remember just how it started, but soon both groups were involved in a massive fight, with some people using energy.  The one thing she did remember clearly was the image of Grydin standing against a wall, watching everyone with a confused look on his face.  It quickly turned to anger as he raised his hand and sent a blast of energy into the crowd, sending Pontage flying out of the group and into a wall.32

Things seemed to move in slow motion as the people he had been living with for the past eight months stopped in shock.  33

“Leave,” Grydin said, his calm voice in direct contrast to the anger in his eyes.34

“Grydin?” she said as she approached him.35

“I don’t belong with you, Isiru,” he said without looking at her.  “I never did.”36

Pontage picked himself up from the ground, anger blazing on his dark face.  He raised his hand in Grydin’s direction, only to be quickly tossed against the wall again.  He stood slowly and glared.  “I won’t forget this, Grydin.”37

“I don’t expect you to.”  Grydin took a step back and stood near Yanuia and Dorran. Isiru turned away in disgust as Yanuia put a hand on Grydin’s arm and squeezed lightly.38

The woman blinked as she brought her mind back to the present.  That had been a little more than three years before, and she still found herself dwelling on the betrayal her lover had dealt them.  Pontage had not taken the events well, and it seemed to hang over him like a cruel cosmic joke.39

She closed her eyes again, and began to partake in one of her most recent forms of entertainment as she brought up memories of her and Grydin together.  Isiru had worked for years to obtain the mental capacity to send her images into other peoples sleep fogged brains, and had become a master at it.  She had no real reason for what she was doing...only that it amused her.40

Her fingers unconsciously started to caress her own body, following the same lines seared into her soul by the long gone lover, as her images sought their intended target.41