Redsand Canyon rain

tamar had heard that other women had gathered in mereo. overhead, the wind howled, though for now the snow had ceased falling.

tamar went out into the commons that accompanied their housing. she set down a few voles she had managed to catch, rolling them beneath her paws to keep them warm, her stomach yet too anxious to eat.

The smell of food drew him near the plebian's dens without him realizing. He wasn't yet used to their presence, nor did he understand why they were here.

It was too late to change his path when he realized one of the new women had the food that had lured him here. He paused and stared, unsure yet if he would continue or turn around and trot away with no explanation.

there was a glimpse of white fur.

tamar stiffened. her mind shouted that it was the pharaoh. but she forced herself to be still. it was not ramesses, just a tall and whitefurred young soldier.

"hello, auxillary," tamar murmured softly, unable to stop herself from adding a respectful bow. "the matrona has appointed me in charge of tending rooms here. is there anything you need?"

and

At first, she stiffened, and he wondered if his icy exterior had that much of an effect on her. He should have felt guilty, but he didn't, as shitty as that was. He was clearly holding on to some anger regarding the addition of civilian ranks. 

She eventually relaxed enough to address him, to which he offered only a curt nod in response. She was in charge of the dens here apparently; at least she had some purpose other than being one more thing to guard. 

An awkward amount of silence passed between them before the auxillary realized he hadn't answered her. I smelled food, he admitted. But I do not need anything. He was hungry because he had not bothered to eat today, but he could find a cache and feed himself. Still, he lingered, offering her a chance to say something or dismiss him.

he was hungry but he needed nothing.

"i caught these in the lower cliffs," tamar told the man softly, pushing the four voles toward him. for his height and strength they would provide nothing more than a temporary energy. "i ate my own there."

a lie, but it was not his fault. tamar was too nervous to eat.

He considered her offer for longer than was normal. He was hungry, but he wasn't sure this meal was worth being in the company of the civilian. 

Eventually, his hunger won out; he was a young soldier and often worked up a large appetite. He slowly made his way to the voles and lowered to the ground to pull one between his large front paws. Thank you, he said after a careful inspection of the food. 

The auxillary began pulling some of the hair away. I am Kallik, he offered between plucking.

kallik accepted her offering.

tamar perhaps had been spared the poor opinion the soldiers had of the plebians' existence, by way of being a wife. "i am tamar. arsenio's woman." she wondered if the auxillia had met the red wolf.

that was the choice of germanicus.

"you rise early and return late," the girl observed next, softly.

He had seen Arsenio around, of course, but never had a conversation with him. This was apparently his wife, which didn't necessarily excuse her from his irritation, but she at least had a reason for being here. 

He bit into his meal as she spoke of her observation. He might have wondered how she knew that about him, but the auxillary was usually busy with spars, or patrolling, or whatever else the imperator commanded; it wouldn't be difficult for her to notice that. 

Kallik nodded. Yeah. I like to stay busy. He took another bite, his sharp gaze studying her curiously. What do you do when you are tending the rooms? he asked after swallowing his bite of food.

"i try to gather pretty things for my den."

maybe he would think her too womanly. too shallow. but tamar was beginning to feel the pressure of being the only wife inside mereo aside from lady ruenna. "i clean the hallways that are often used. i hunt."

she gestured to the voles. "in akashingo, each day was carried out at the whim of the queen. i have much more time here. and i am not sure some days what to do with it."

tamar paused and looked at kallik, wondering if she had said too much.

It sounded like she also kept busy. He thought decorating a den with something simply because it was pretty seemed unnecessary, but she could do with her den as she pleased. He hadn't even wasted the time finding a den; he preferred to sleep outside so that he was always ready. It also helped him acclimate to the harsher weather conditions when they arose. 

She mentioned Akashingo and his thoughts drifted to Jawahir—it had been some time since he thought of her and his night spent at the mesa. It felt like another lifetime almost. Kallik wondered if she was even still there but kept the question to himself in case it revealed something about himself he didn't want to share. He started on another vole as his mind wandered. 

I have no den, but I'm sure you make those that do feel more comfortable, he said instead. He sensed some tension from her, though he wasn't sure where it came from. There are places, passageways in the canyon that are too small for me to explore. If you are ever at a loss for something to do, I can show them to you. Maybe she could find where they led.

tamar was quiet as kallik continued to eat.

she felt he had been more hungry than he was willing to admit. but she did not need this honesty from him. it was enough that she had provided something to a soldier of mereo. it reminded tamar of her own usefulness. 

he wanted to take her into unexplored corridors. the girl's pale eyes alighted thoughtfully on his handsome young features. was that all he wished? to help a plebian explore her new home?

"if i find myself without tasks, i will call upon you." her ruddy ears swept toward the man. "why do you not have a den?"

She would ask for his help exploring if she ever found herself with the time to do so. Kallik offered a curt nod, satisfied with tentative plan. 

When she asked about his den, the auxillary shrugged his muscular shoulders. I don't need one, he answered. I just sleep wherever I am. That way I can better hear what is going on. Suddenly wondering if he was being rude, he nosed a vole in her direction, nodding his head to indicate she should eat too.

for a moment tamar only wanted to refuse.

but her own hunger reminded her that she must eat.

and the way kallik treated her suggested that she deserved this. after another second of indecision she pulled the vole closer and ate it in a handful of bites. her pale eyes settled on the auxillary.

"you might sleep better in a den," tamar said lightly with a smile.

Kallik was quiet while she started to eat, his mind wandering a bit in the peaceful silence. Something about the plebian's presence was soothing. 

She suggested he might sleep better in a den, and the auxillary shrugged. I don't think I would sleep well regardless, he told her. The things I don't like to think about always seem to find me when I close my eyes. Maybe she would understand what that was like.

tamar nodded with understanding.

sleeping each night next to arsenio had done much to dispel her own anxieties. but kallik was unmarried and so this could not be an option for him.

"do you go outside the canyon?" she asked softly. "maybe seeing new things will help to soothe your mind."

she was finding that she rather liked the pale soldier.

Kallik shrugged a little. I do sometimes, he answered. But I wandered on my own for a while before finding the imperator; I saw new things all the time and still...struggled. he was still haunted by his past was what he was going to say, but he decided at the last second that it would share too much. The chaos of his mind might make the others view him as weaker, and he didn't want that getting around. 

But maybe here will be different, he offered after a second, attempting to gloss over whatever he had let slip before. Do you know any places around here yet?

tamar shook her head.

"i have not left the canyon since i came to live here." she shrugged her soft shoulders. "there is not a reason to leave." arsenio was here. her tasks were here. the routine was comforting.

she wondered if it was the same for kallik. the rites of the soldiers were different. their hours were harsher and longer. but it seemed that each man was content enough to return to it.

"these dark passages. is there a way to bring light to them?"

She thought there was no reason to leave, and maybe that was true for her. Kallik had to make sure no strangers wandered too close. But with her duties here, she would truly have no need to leave.

She asked about the dark passages and if they could be lit. The auxillary thought over her words for a moment. I am not sure, he told her. Once they take you within the side of the mountain, I don't know how you would bring light into them. His mouth twisted a little in thought. It would be helpful if we could, though.

"maybe we will discover that when we visit."

tamar smiled. a sigh touched her countenance. "i should go now, kallik. but thank you for speaking with me." her paletan eyes were warm. "it is good to have a friend. i am not used to it."

she stood with a graceful movement, lingering to hear his own words before she turned and padded back toward the den shared with arsenio.

Kallik nodded to her first words, intrigued by the idea of lighting the passageways.

But she needed to get back to work, and so should he. He stood and shook out his coat, dipping his head to Tamar as she thanked him. Thank you for the meal, he offered. 

And to her comment on them being friends. It is not something I'm used to either, so we will both be learning, he told her. Then he turned and trotted off towards the borders.