Darkness

[Jairdain]

The past month or so Jairdain had spent on Carida with Solan had been some of the best days of her adult life. For once she did not feel she needed to worry about anything. What had happened in her recent past before meeting him was slowly being washed away. He had accepted her as fully as she accepted him.

After they were picked up from that ice world, he had brought her here. Claiming he wanted to make sure she recovered fully and then ensured he would be there any time. She did the same for him as much as he did her and they both made sure their healing was full and complete.

During this almost constant together time, they grew exceptionally close. Those initial butterflies she had in her stomach remained and at certain times flew around still.

She was also quite tired and slept as often as she could. Assuming this was part of recovery, Jairdain did not think too much more into it than that. One morning after waking up and eating breakfast, they were together and talking. Some of what Solan told her she couldn't fully understand because she couldn't see.

He appeared to think on this for a moment and came up with the idea of travelling to Myrkr so she could maybe find herself one of the little wolves. It could provide her sight through the telepathic bond they would share and then she could understand what was being talked about. Along with that, she could also learn how to read, maybe write and actually see art and colors. A whole new world would be open to her and she agreed to take this journey.

With a small sense of being nervous, they went there and she was as ready as she could be. Totally trusting in Solan, he would be her guide here when she lost her connection with the Force.

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Solan Charr]

[member="Jairdain"]

Solan drew his ship down to the planet's surface, setting the autopilot down into a place he had seen before. They would only have a minute before Jairdain's sight went dark and he turned his eyes to the back of the shuttle, his features softening as he looked at her. The middle aged man pushed towards the ship and towards her, moving with far more ease than he was used to thanks to the healing his body had been able to attain with the reliance on the past shattered.

It was that soft featured face that came and knelt down infront of her as she sat in the back of the shuttle. He reached up and pushed some of her hair back and spoke, smiling at her and leaning his head forward.

"Hey there, hope you are still ok with this... I promise, if Kira is anything to go off of, you will be seeing by the end of the day." He looked over her face, knowing what worry she might be feeling, how blind she will be on the planet.

While yes, she was blind now, she still had the force to provide her with sight. On Myrkr though, that sight would be gone and until they left, or she bonded to the ashlan wolf and was able to link her sight to its. This could still take a few days to tell the truth and Solan would not lie that the process would be instant. So until they returned to the ship, she would find him to be her sole guide.

"If at any time you want to turn around and leave, tell me. You aren't at all forced to do this Jair."

 

[Jairdain]

Solan was the only person to know how much she wanted one these little wolves. He had explained what would happen when they arrived on this world. With just how much relied on the Force, Jairdain was going to be almost helpless without it. Having taken a few lessons and then lived without the Force for the better part of a year, she had learned some things on getting by without it.

Having made it through those trying times, she was confident she would be fine this time. To another person, his words might have sounded like he was trying to talk her out of her choice. She knew him better than that though and she nodded when he double checked to make sure she was okay with what was going to happen.

As he brushed some hair from her face, she took a hold of his hand and squeezed it before letting go.

"I am looking forward to this and you know that, Solan. It will be fine and I know I'm not being forced into this. You will be my guide, eyes and everything. I trust you."

Nothing more true couldn't have been spoken and she returned his smile. He would see that and with as empathic as he was, would know she was telling the truth.

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Solan Charr]

[member="Jairdain"]

He smiled at her and knew that she trusted him to do the very thing she spoke about and knew that it would not be hard for him to be her eyes on the planet while she needed it. None the less he held onto her tight as the ship came to land, knowing that her world would become dark and looking out the doors as they lowered and raised. The planet was just how he remembered it and Kira was even shouting excitedly to be home once more, the wolf normally so quiet but now railing like a child in a candy shop. Solan in the meantime looking down at it before looking at Jairdain who he was sure would be lost now.

With one hand outstretched, he took her arm and drew her close to him, walking forward and bringing her with him as he stepped from the ship. He was sure she would still find walking to be a bit of a challenge, considering she had no way of measuring terrain, things in her way, or even just the surface of what she stood on but he would be there for her for that reason. His hand held her's tight, running his thumb up and down to keep her focused on that if she needed something to focus on.

"I can't wait for you to be able to see the world around you... even if you don't see it as soon as you connect. I know that it will take time for things like sight to be traded, and even the bond itself takes time to create if you don't find a bond-mate with the first community of Ashlan Wolves... But I know you will find one. Any Ashlan would see that you are worth being around." He smiled and let his voice be another thing for her to latch onto.

It was all of this that he gave her, and he would give her more if she required it.

 

[Jairdain]

It was a good thing Jairdain had been severed from the Force before. The world went dark around her and she had to rely on her other senses to get around. Solan was both a blessing and curse right now. What she needed was a moment or two to get a feeling of the area around her. Allowing him to guide her from the ship safely, she kept their touch, but stopped walking after it closed behind them.

Her other hand she held out in front of her and attempted to touch nature around her. It was of course fruitless. With this many lizards around her, there was no way she could even dream of touching the Force. Quickly lowering her hand, she turned her head in the direction of Solan to listen to what he had to say.

"Does Kira share that view?"

Giving his arm a squeeze, she kept her grip on the upper part. He would need to be her guide and the best way to accomplish that was for her follow in his steps.

"I want to see you again."

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Solan Charr]

[member="Jairdain"]


Solan smiled as she looked distantly in his direction, unable to see where his face was but keeping her head in the direction of his voice. It was her first question that drew a smile from him as he held her arm just as tight, leaning a bit against her and letting her know that he was right there for her. In the mean time, his eyes went to the form of a small dark blue wolf, moving through the forest without an issue and leading them to where they need to be.

"She does, after all, shes the one leading us there and the one handling contact between them and us. Who knows, she might have one picked out by the time we even get there knowing the girl..." He smiled as Kira gave him a look, knowing that isnt how it worked but also knowing that was for comfort.

It didn't matter much to Kira though, the young wolf knowing that the woman was a good one and she should find a wolf to connect with quite simply. Sometimes it took some time though, and if they needed to move onto another colony of wolves, that would just mean an extra hour of walking for the two she was leading. But she hoped that the first attempt would work, knowing that it was offputting to not be so quick and simple.

Solan in the meantime reached up and stroked Jair's hair with his free hand, smiling at her.

"You will see me again, both with your eyes and through those of another."

 

[Jairdain]

She moved at the pace Solan set for them. Or maybe it was the pace Kira was going at. Jairdain did not know, but she was able to hear the very faint movements of the little wolf as she traversed the path in front of them.

Her world might be dark right now, but it was very much alive. The smell of nature around them, hearing the sounds of everything, she smiled. Though she could not see or feel the life here, the sounds she received were quite clear. Letting out a sigh, Jairdain leaned into her guide and breathed in.

The fact this really made no difference to Kira was unknown to Jairdain and that was probably for the best. Right now she had some time to do a little thinking. Having complete trust in Solan to not lead her down a rough path, she did just that.

On that crashed ship, they had shared pretty much everything. Bared their souls to each other and fell in love quickly. She would never deny that feeling she had for Solan and didn't think he would either. After they were rescued, they had spent as much together as they could and now they travelled here. There was something else she couldn't deny and that was the remaining love she had for Yuroic.

His words brought her out of her thoughts and she smiled at the comfort he offered.

"I look forward to that moment. She can pick out one for me?"

Leaning her head onto his arm for a moment, she tilted it up when she asked her question.

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Solan Charr]

Solan listened to Jairdain and her breathing as they walked, providing as much of a shoulder to lean on as possible, both literally and figuratively. He knew there was something on her mind but did not press it, letting her come to say what she needed to say when that time came. For now he would be there as her guide and more if she required.

Her comment about Kira picking one out made him smile though, eyes focusing in on Jairdain again before laughing and speaking to her as they walked.

“Not quite how that works, if it did, it would be far simpler. Your companion won’t so much as be chosen, and instead be drawn to you... I don’t know how to explain it and Kira is as usual not very helpful when it comes to explanations. I can tell you this though, you won’t be able to talk to your companion, not immediately. The Ashlan can’t speak Basic and do not understand it, their form of communication is far different, akin to simply sharing emotions and ideas of an object or topic, rather than through words.”

He reached up, pushing some of her hair back and smiling a bit wider.

“I’m sure you will fine though, Kira took a liking to you pretty quickly and you know how well I latched onto your mind. I doubt you will have much issues.”

 

[Jairdain]

It felt odd to be so helpless and Jairdain did not enjoy the feeling. However, the company she was with reassured her that she was in safe hands. Some of her past came up haunting her, but Solan's laugh brought her thoughts back to the present.

She did her best to keep her spirits up but started to fail. Jairdain did trust him and Kira as well. Something bothered her and she stopped walking. Listening to what he told her, she nodded only slightly and failed totally in keeping down what was bothering her.

"I'm scared, Solan. But I don't even know of what."

He tried to reassure with her words about how well he and Kira took to her, but that wasn't what was bothering her. As she had said, she didn't even know what she was scared of.

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Solan Charr]

[member="Jairdain"]

He knew her mind was not in a strong place, not speaking for a moment and then stopping, Kira doing so too as the two settled on something. With little more than a simple hug, Solan embraced Jairdain and held her still, closing his own eyes and smiling.

“Whatever it is in your mind, I am here to listen. You are far more important than most anything else, and i will be here when you figure out what it is that has you Jair. Everyone is scared of something, me especially so considering everything and how limited my life is as far as what is left of it. But I know you will beat this fear of yours.” He paused, letting his forehead touch hers and just standing there for a few moments.

When her mind settled, even if only just a small bit, did he give Kira a nod and they would start moving once more. He would not push Jair to keep walking, standing beside her and helping her navigate, but he would not push her forward. This was part of her growth as a being and he knew he could not choose for her.

He did hold her tight though, giving her something to hold on physically and mentally.

 

[Jairdain]

Solan had indeed proved he would listen to her. They had talked for hours and hours before and she had been able to speak about anything. More importantly, he had expressed anything negative about her past and just accepted it and her for what it was. Nothing could go back and change their pasts but if that was possible they would be different people than what they were and it served no purpose.

In all their conversation, she had never touched on what her fears were. There was very little that did to her now, so for her to have this feeling, it was odd to her.

"You have a long time left to live Solan. Another chance has been granted to you and if needed there will be more. It is something I can do for you."

She said this as they stood together and took what comfort she could from him. There was no sense of hurry coming from him and Jairdain took the time she needed to regain her mind and push that feeling to the side. When proper night came and she could spend time thinking about what she was afraid of, then she would attempt to get to the root of it.

His hands on her helping to guide gave Jairdain a sense of peace, but somehow she knew a change was going to happen. Something here was going to cause that. What the change was she couldn't figure out...same as that fear she was feeling. This world was doing odd things to her.

[member="Solan Charr"]