Redsand Canyon Chionóptosi

Another patrol livened the man’s spirits.

As he ventured through the canyonland, Arsenio drew his gaze upward to watch snowflakes flurry down from overhead. High along the canyon rides were blankets of snow, startlingly contrasted against the russet color of the rock. It was a lovely territory, though he could not say if that was because the Pharaoh was miles away and Tamar was safe nearby. It likely had a great deal to do with it.

Arsenio prowled along the terrain’s edges and marked it as often as he could manage. He searched the distant terrain with a sweep of his gaze, seeking to catch any movement in the snowfall.

it was only germanicus. he pulled from the snow and fell into step with arsenio. he felt that the red wolf was settling well, and so he did not engage in small talk over it. "i think soon you should meet the other soldiers."

he had not forgotten the man's pledge. but he did not want the greek to feel as though he had traded one servitude for another. "you are free here. do not forget."

Ah, the Roman.

Germanicus approached and Arsenio drew his head up to greet the man with a toothy smile. The soldier was a stiff fellow, but even the Greek could find pleasure in that. After tasting the air of the canyon, clearing his nose of the smell of fermented fruit and lust, he had found many things to take pleasure in again.

I will meet them all, yes, he answered with a nod.

You helped me to free Tamar. I will serve you until I feel that debt has been repaid. It is only right, after all.

Arsenio regarded the man carefully. He wondered how long the Roman would remain in the canyon, serving as an extension of the Pharaoh.

germanicus did not miss the subtle way that arsenio set his own terms.

mereo would not be part of akashingo. likewise, their contract in the palace no longer existed.

"do you mean to have children with her?" the imperator asked, facing into the cold confines of the red canyon. he expected the answer would be yes, but wanted to hear this for certain.

The Roman did not beat around the bush.

Arsenio grinned and chuckled. There was something to be admired in his directness. Though, he had not spoken with Tamar about such things, and he did not feel as though it was his say in that matter. It was not he who would carry them, would birth them. The redstone wolf did not laugh at the work of a mother – it was a strength he could not comprehend.

If she wishes to have children, yes. It seemed the safest answer.

The mercenary regarded the soldier with a careful stare.

This is a military outpost, hm? Would children be welcome in such a place?

A beat.

You brought your wife here, after all.

The Greek smiled.

germanicus let himself smile at the humour shone between them. "lady ruenna attended the wedding as emissary for redhawk caldera. it was there that she indicated to me she would trade her sovereign title there to be my wife and help to build mereo. she sought me here for my answer."

she had pursued him. he realized with a jolt.

"it was she who led me to see the benefit and the importance of civilians here. they would be welcome, only separate for a time."

the imperator still did not care for the idea of babies born inside the canyon, but he saw little way around it.

What a curious arrangement, the Roman had made with his mate. Arsenio nodded his head, understanding but not in his heart. It seemed a strange business ordeal, to shed a title in exchange for another. To become a wife to a man who was so clearly devoted to his duty. Would they not have children of their own? Ah, but this was not a question the Greek could ask of his Imperator.

I congratulate you, then, Germanikos. You are a married man! A great thing. Perhaps we should share dinner hm? With Tamar and your wife, the lady Ruenna…

It seemed to the redstone mercenary that it would make for a pleasant evening.

You will not seek to have children with her, then? Or is that something you have not discussed?

"thank you, arsenio," the imperator murmured. "i would enjoy that."

it was odd, to be alone and now suddenly be one of two married pairs within the canyon. it did not seem as if the greek minded. he was jovial as ever.

"she wants the opportunity to have her own family. her own children. i desire the same."

was it a lie? was it the truth? and if it were the latter, from where did it come: the concept of lineage or his own soul?

he supposed he would discover this later.

The wording of the man’s answer had been odd, though it took Arsenio a short time to figure out why.

You wish for her to have children and a family, as well?

The idea of the Imperator fathering pups was a funny one. The Greek could not help but to imagine a series of grey-scale pups, stern little eyes, unreadable features. Would they all grow to become soldiers like their father? Would they have a true family with Ruenna and Germanicus, together? The redstone wolf knew that his mind was nosier than he ever would be, but the conversation that they shared was nothing short of curious.

I must admit, you would make a charming family man. My own father was as stoic as you so seem to be. And he had been a monster. Perhaps hiding one’s emotions was a wise choice, Arsenio thought to himself. Germanicus could have been anyone – a man smitten, a man scorned – but he did not reveal it about himself.

crowfeather's face flowed into his mind. he had not been able to see the shadow when he brought arsenio and tamar back to mereo. and he was not certain if further visits would be acceptable.

the idea of not seeing him again was beginning to wrench breath from his lungs.

germanicus would not break in front of arsenio. "my father was a horrid man," he said quietly. "i will be better than he was."

he cleared his throat. "it will be a good thing if our children grow together."

Most fathers are, the Greek remarked solemnly.

Were all men the same?

No, Arsenio would not allow himself to be as cruel as his father had been. His children would know peace and happiness. They would be raised to make the gods proud. They would be strong and loved. If Tamar would be the mother to his young, he would never stop working to keep them protected.

They will have playdates, yes! They will grow to be strong together. Young ones are a blessing. A family is a blessing. One that many do not get to experience.

Such serious talk had started to make the mercenary feel guilty. They had left the Pharaoh and his monsters behind; they had formed a new land, all was good.

were all men the same?

he hoped that he would not discover it for himself. his thoughts circled those that arsenio considered in his own mind. their paths crossed for an unknown moment. 

playdates. strong children. germanicus allowed himself a rare flash of humour. "i had not considered becoming a father until the day of the pharaoh's wedding," he revealed. it was a glimpse into himself that he felt arsenio was trusted enough to know. "that was the day that lady ruenna offered me her presence in a marriage that would help to build mereo."

Arsenio felt that the information Germanicus had shared made him wiser, though he had also become confused in other ways.

The Greek chuckled softly.

You are a strange man, Germanikos.

The redstone figure walked beside the soldier with a cheery bounce in his steps. He could not imagine doing what he had interpreted the solder to be doing. It seemed to be a cheerless and dry existence to one who had known the fire of love in his heart.

I know what this is. You have a contract with the lady, your wife. You make her a wife and she will birth children to fortify your claim. If I did not know better, I would think you were Greek. Spartan boys were plucked from their mother’s teats when they were still fresh and worked into men. They were made bloodthirsty and savage before they could even speak their names. Good soldiers, good numbers to fill armies.

Where is your passion, Roman!? Where is the burning of love that you feel for the woman you have wed? Arsenio chuckled again. Ahh… a noise of confusion, retaining his good humor.

the roman did chuckle this time, blowing breath from his nostrils. "pistéveis óti tha ginómoun kalós misthofóros?" he teased, using the language he had not for a time.

but in his mind he thought of arsenio's words. the man burned for tamar. it was apparent in every look he gave to her. it was in the determination to protect her that he had carried as a guard. and it bloomed now in the way that he spoke of passions. of love's flame.

he remembered how his heart had thrummed the night that he told the shadow he would not be returning in the same capacity. the agony of it tormented him. moreover, it had been the sound of crowfeather's voice. "such emotions have a sword hidden in them. i bear much respect and affection for lady ruenna. i have faith it will become more."

Aha!

Arsenio tossed back his head and laughed warmly at the man’s question. Yes, he would have made a fine mercenary. The Greek could not help but to imagine that if they had met some years before, the two young men would have likely caused a great deal of trouble. Those times were further behind him, though. He had a wife, after all.

When the Roman spoke again, saying that he bore a good deal of respect and affection for the lady he had chosen for his wife, Arsenio’s smile faded and softened into something smaller. The laugh slipped from his features. The redstone wolf nodded his head.

I hope – for you – that it does. Arsenio meant this. He saw a great treasure in love.

After all, it might be nice to see a smile on that greying muzzle you have there.

The Greek’s spread and he bumped his shoulder to the Roman’s in good spirits.

greying indeed! were they not the same age? perhaps not. there had always been a good deal more jubilation in arsenio than himself.

he flagged his plume with a small show of amusement. "i will use my old bones and race you to the end of the canyon," he told the greek.

his yellowpaint eyes were alight with something like pleasure. arsenio was the closest thing to a companion that he had.

crowfeather was in akashingo.

Age did not matter, not to Arsenio. He was a demigod, after all. The redstone wolf walked with jubilant youth in every step. Germanicus acted as though he was marching to Charon, ready to be ferried on to the afterlife. There was an aged staunchness to him. He was not a man who struck Arsenio as being joyous or buoyant. Any glimpse at emotion was something of a surprise. In fact, the Roman reminded him a great deal of his father. It was business with Germanicus, with hints of his heart if one paid close enough mind.

Arsenio was sharp with his gaze and happy to assume.

The Greek laughed, jumping to a start with the swiftness of a spring hare. He did not wait for Germanicus to begin their race. He was a man who seized opportunity. Besides, he wished to see how swiftly the soldier could run. Arsenio swept his gaze over his shoulder to search for the man.

germanicus had built his stamina carefully over the years. when arsenio ran first he did not burst to catch the scarlet wolf. his strides instead widened bit by bit. he sought to slowly overtake the man. their canyon was wide and long enough to prolong the race.

at last he ran at the flank of the mercenary. the roman's voice rang out in a sudden laugh, joyous. rare. unused.

demigod arsenio would be. germanicus was content to be cupbearer to such a man for a time. his respect was great. and while for the sake of fairness he would require that arsenio work his way through the three cohorts, he knew the fierce fighter to be the most trained among his ranks.

onward he ran.

The Roman gained his speed in lengthy strides.

Germanicus’ laugh filled the air around them. Arsenio was thrilled by it, throwing back his head to howl until his own voice echoed through the canyon and sent birds scattering to the skies. The Greek laughed too, toothy and joyous.

As the Roman approached at his flank, the redstone wolf nipped playfully at the man’s shoulder. He could feel his heart racing with the Imperator beside him. The rush of the air as they ran across the canyon grounds was bitter, invigorating. Arsenio howled again, whooping into a chuckle.

fade? <3 they will need a new one!

it was good to run with another soldier. it was good to laugh. 

the greek's voice sundered his own. the winds whistled through the canyon and filled his lungs with a great draught of cold air.

he would return to ruenna air-swept and in good humour, jovial, perhaps even more affectionate than his reticent nature usually allowed.

The run had been good for Arsenio, too. Each stretch of his body released tension that he had been holding for many months.

By the time the duo had concluded their sprint across the canyon floor, the Greek man felt hungry. He believed it would do well to allow Germanicus time to be with his wife. The thought of Tamar sent an eruption of butterflies through his stomach. In Mereo, they would be permitted to sleep together. The thought of a warm den shared with his lovely autumn leaf carried him to where she was.

Arsenio slept well. His dreams were unclouded by thoughts of Akashingo.