[Solo] A Detour (Vadoma)

[Yayoi]

It had been a few nights since Vadoma had left Durga Sun’s Kumpania. The visions she had experienced there had shaken her. Not just the one that was a clear warning for all of them. But the personal visions as well. Seeing the small boy crying, his eyes so familiar to her. Rares, alone in that tavern. As if he were expecting someone at any moment to join him. But why, why was he there? Was it a vision of the present? Or one of the future? The past? It was hard to tell sometimes. The visions never really specified in what part of time they were taking place. You could only merely guess through small clues here and there.

She knew the small boy was the future at least. Her future. It pained her greatly to think and remember the sorrow in his cries. It tore at her heart. Made her eyes sting from the blood that would well up in the corners. But she had to fight the tears. She couldn’t allow this vision to color her outlook on the future. Vadoma wouldn’t be scared of what was to come. Because she had her family, her fathers and most importantly, Rares. She had thought about him constantly on this journey. Sometimes even dreaming of him, they always seemed so real. Like they were together. Vadoma could feel the touch of his fingers, the press of his lips upon her’s and the weight of his body. His arms wrapped around her and held her close as she breathed in his smokey scent. She missed him dearly. But she had struggled with the decision in whether or not she should tell him about any part of her visions she had had while with Durga Syn. Not wanting to worry him. They both had enough in their plates currently to worry about without being afraid of what else may lay ahead for them.

After speaking with a few other vampires she had met along the way, Vadoma had eventually found some good information that would lead her to the Crone and her Lhiannon. She was eager to get there so she could finish her journey. Remembering the Crone from some time ago when she was little. Her fathers had allowed her to have a tea party, humoring her as a small girl. She had written out her own invitations and Grendel had delivered them for her. Though eventually she came to suspect he had just sent them out randomly. None the less it had been an enjoyable time. Lilith had been there too. It had been a short while since she had seen her Grandmother. Perhaps sometime soon she would call to her, spend some time with the Dark Mother whose blood flowed through her veins.

As she made her way towards her destination Vadoma could hear howling in the distance. She paused, still as a statue. Her red gaze shifted back and forth as she tried to work out what direction it was coming from. Getting off the road she was traveling in was probably a good idea. As she glanced at the horizon she could see the faintest hint of sunlight lightening the sky over the treetops. Whatever was out there howling would be heading to ground soon enough. Vadoma needed to do the same. Roaming through the trees for quite a bit of time the sky began to lighten more, she was running out of time. Rounding a particularly large tree she saw there was a gash about a body’s length tall. Upon closer inspection it seemed to go into the tree pretty deep. Almost like a little cave. This would have to be as good a place as any. She broke off a branch from the tree that was thick with leaves and then squeezed her small form into the tree trunk. Pulling the branch over the door behind her. There was enough room inside for her to turn around but that was about it. Vadoma settled against the interior wall, settling her bag in which Pip rode in at her feet as she settled in to sleep and wait out the daytime hours.

Reaching into her pocket, Vadoma retrieved the pendulum that Rares had given to her for her trip. Holding out her palm flat so that the gemstone rested in the dip between her fingers. Examining it and that warmth that seemed to burn so bright within it. A smile crept warmly onto her lips as her eyes began to drool. Slipping the pendulum back into her pocket she slid further down to the floor so that she could lay down in a curled up position. Soon night would come again and she could continue her journey.  

[Yayoi]

When Vadoma opened her eyes she was no longer inside the hole in the tree. Instead she was back in her room at the temple. Had it been a dream? Had it all just been a dream?

Amber colored eyes that burned like embers gazed down at her from that familiar handsome face. A charming smile in Rares’ lips before he leaned down to kiss her. She felt a tightness in her chest as her fingers threaded through his dark hair. Kissing him with such a burning passion as he wrapped his arms around her. And she wrapped herself around him. Desperate to be in his arms again, to feel his bare skin press against her own as they lay there in the bed. Watching the stars and clouds roll across the enchanted ceiling.

“Am I really here? This doesn’t seem real.” Her voice was dreamy as her beautiful crimson eyes lidded half way before she turned her body to lay against him, burying her face against his neck as soothing words were whispered into her ear.This was exactly where she wanted to be. And if this was a dream she didn’t want to wake up. Because she knew the reality she returned to she would be, mostly, alone. Inside that cold, damp tree. No, she wanted to linger here for as long as she could.

‘Wake up!’ With a gasp Vadoma’s eyes snapped open. Still she felt as if she were in a dream-like state but she knew this one was reality. She could remember it all so clearly now. Her journey to find the answers she seeked from the Crone. Durga Syn. Her visions. When she shifted she felt something, or rather a couple somethings, shift against her stomach. Her gaze traveled down until they settled on two eggs. Their surfaces were smooth and shiny and she blinked. As if she couldn’t recognize what they were at first.

She knew how eggs came to be. They were a culmination of magic and love. Or so Ravnos had explained to her. To him they were a symbol of one’s great love for another. They embodied those two loves coming together to create something wonderful. But she also knew that wasn’t entirely true, eggs and children could be made without love. But the Ancient Disciple did like to fantasize things to a degree. Her Papa could be quite a romantic when it came to such things. But that was probably a result of his great love for Grendel.

Her hand came up to run along each eggs smooth surface. A flush of warmth ran through her. She knew right away that these were her and Rares’. There could be no other explanation. No one could have slipped in her in the middle of the day and left them. No, the draw of energy that lay within each let her know. They were theirs. Wrapping her arms around them she pulled the eggs close to her chest. Leaning her head down so that she could place a kiss gently upon each egg.

A sudden realization struck her. Should she continue her journey? Possibly putting these fragile things in danger? There was still a bit of a journey left in front of her and in that span of time anything could happen. She looked down at her eggs, a warm smile on her lips as she could sense the little lives within, restless. Her heart sank just a little. No, she couldn’t continue on. Vadoma would just have to find her answers some other way.

Loosening the fabric that wrapped around the top portion of her body she slipped the eggs into the sling of fabric she had created. The eggs pressed close to her as she tightened the fabric around them so they were safe and snug within. Gathering the bag with Pip in tow she pushed aside the veil of leaves that covered the entrance to her hiding place and stepped out into the night. Her crimson gaze piercing the darkness as she looked at the path that she would have taken, stretched out before her. No, there would be another way. She knew there was. Vadoma’s gaze turned back to the path in which she had taken, the direction she had come from. With a mother’s determination she set off for home. Scared for the journey, not only did she have herself and Pip to look out for but two little loves as well. Every sound of steps or a broken branch had her on edge. Her pace was a little quicker than it had been before.  

[Yayoi]

Upon her return trip home she had hoped that maybe Durga Syn’s Kumpania would have still been there. But unfortunately they had moved on. Not a surprise to her really. She knew Kumpania didn’t linger for very long. So she spent that night in the cave. Settled by a little fire she had managed to get going to help keep the damp and darkness away. Who knew what lingered out there in the darkness. A howl in the distance caught her attention and her gaze lifted to the forest out beyond the mouth of the cave. Was it the same one from before? It was hard to know. Thankfully as the sun would be rising soon whatever it was out there would be finding a place to hide as well. The cave was deep enough for Vadoma to not worry about sunlight reaching her.

As she leaned her back against the wall of the cave she pulled Pip’s bag close to her. Wrapping her arms around the eggs swaddled in the sling around her chest. Humming softly to them as she let her fingers trace over their smooth surface. The feeling of life within them stirring and she smiled happily. It wouldn’t be long until she got to meet the babes within. She didn’t know them yet but already she loved them. Because they were Rares and her’s. A symbol of their never ending burning love for one another and she could fully understand the way her father felt. It was so deep and so overwhelming but also a welcome feeling. One that wrapped warmly around her heart.

The fire died and Vadoma had slipped into slumber as the sun began to rise over the forest tree tops.

As the next night drew near she awoke. Tonight would be the last length of her journey. She would move as quick as she could to get home Knowing full well that the longer she took the closer to hatching those would get and being out here with two small babies was not something she planned on having to do. Leaving the cave with pip and eggs in tow she quickly made her way back in the direction of the temple. The draw of power that lingered there told her she was going the right way.

Hours passed until she finally could see the tall spires of the temple rising up into the night sky.

Home.

Vadoma was home. And as she slipped through the protective barrier she felt a huge weight lift off of her. A soft sigh of relief passed through her lips and she felt weak. As if all her energy had been sapped from her and she stumbled briefly as she took a step onto that path that led to the temple doors. But she couldn’t falter here, she was almost there. For the eggs and Pip she would draw up whatever strength she could to get them all safely inside and back to the room. Furrowing her brows she walked at a brisk pace down the path, trudging up those stairs and pushing her way through those large doors. She could tell her fathers were still not here. Grendel had an energy about him that you could only feel in his presence. So it’s absence here let her know he and Ravnos were still off on their own journey.

Making her way through the temple she hung close to the wall of the hallway that led to the family living quarters. Letting her fingers trail along the smooth stone, warm to the touch, before she finally made it to her destination. Quickly moving to her room, excitement welling up in her chest. Perhaps Rares had returned before her. That thought quickened her steps even more as her excitement mounted as she reached the door to the room. A wide smile on her lips as she pushed it open expecting to see her love’s handsome face but she was only greeted by silence.

Her excitement fluttered before disappearing at the realization that he wasn’t there. But as quick as the disappointment came it was replaced by hope. That just meant she could be there when he came home. She could run to his arms and cover him in kisses. Tell him how much she had missed him. And then surprise him with what she had brought home with her. Though the thought of the disappointment that she hadn’t reached the Crone gave her pause. No, she knew she could get the answers another way. This wasn’t a time to be upset over that, there was too much joy you look forward to.

Unpacking Pip she settled him back into his box on the shelf before her attention turned to her precious cargo. Moving to the bed she gathered some of the soft blankets into a pile before she carefully settled each egg into them, wrapping the blankets around them to keep them warm and safe. Her gaze turned to the doorway to the bathroom. The sun would be rising soon so she would grab a quick shower before she climbed into bed. Without Rares there it would be a quick shower as she scrubbed her pale skin and washed out her long hair. Dirt and grime whisked away by the hot water that felt so good on her aching body. The journey had taken a lot out of her. It was the furthest from home she had been on her own and most of it had been rough going. As she let the water flow over her her mind turned back to the visions. Should she tell Rares? It was hard to decide. She would prefer not to keep anything from him, but even so…..

Slipping from the shower she dried herself off, rubbing her hair vigorously as it began to dry and the natural curl returned. Vadoma slipped on a soft nighty that left her legs exposed. It’s satiny fabric cool against her skin before she climbed into that bed. At least she wasn’t alone, not really. Vadoma gathered the two eggs, bringing them close to her chest as she lay there in bed. Humming softly to them, their energy was growing stronger and the little ones inside she could feel were getting restless. It wouldn’t be long now. Perhaps a few more days. Hopefully she would have enough time to prepare a room for them. The one next to this one was empty so they would make a perfect nearby nursery. As her eyes slipped closed she went over a small list of things that she would need to obtain for them. But all of that could come later once she had rested.

Her mind slipped to thoughts of her love before finally Vadoma slept. Weary from her trip but full of excitement for the future. Even if something more ominous lurked there her joy was all she could focus on.