Back Story
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After a few moments of resting and actually cleaning each other’s bodies, we get out and dry each other off. I hand you your robe and put mine on. You look at me curiously as you expected to go to bed, but you put it on. I take your hand and lead you to the fireplace, lying down in front of it and pulling you down to join me. As we lay there and enjoy the fire, I have another thought. "Pachu is on my mind love." I hear you laugh heartily and comment, "After the evenings activities, that’s not who I expected to be on your mind." I join in laughing before responding, "That’s not what I mean! I mean their village. It’s so desolate now. And it’s a lovely area." I roll over to face you. "You know... I was thinking... yes, dangerous, I know, but what if we had a home here? Once all of this is over? I want to sail the seas with you, but we could have a place to come home to. We could set up a trading post here, give the crew constant work and step away from looting. A place that we can dock at and not have to get our children settled into rolls but into beds. I don’t want to give up our life at sea... but make it so we can have the best off both worlds as well as create an opportunity for our crew, our family, and this village. I know this is dreaming big and it’s usually your thing to do but... what do you think about it? Honestly?" I stare into your eyes, obviously nervous for your thoughts.
I was nothing more than a pretty face. A place card for a first mate. But I knew something about her just by looking. She was a trickster and trusted nothing. Her experiences had tainted her decisions and haunted her fears. She was desperate for the power to free herself of it all.
I thought about being the rogue, the typical pirate, who would flirt with her and be dangerous. She would have enjoyed that. I could have used her before she used me, which she clearly meant to do, maybe to get my position or vie with me for the captain’s attentions I thought about being the Puritan and be a taskmaster. I thought about being a warlock jealous of your potential. But still, I saw she needed something for which she did not seek. Out of my darkness, I fashioned from memories I do not know from whence they came, a young boy, heartbroken already, easy for her to abuse should she choose it. He had the experience of many lost loved and painful situations, a damaged tiloni. I became the fallen Paladin, not able to love anymore because love had dashed his dreams, driven him from his sister and family, made him give up on his studies and oath and future. He was wallowing lost as a pirate under a vampire. While lost and scared, he seemed a master of a pirate ship, full of charisma and good cheer and jokes. I became him again for you.
Never would I have dreamed that I would become your Paladin, your protector, your husband. The lost girl that I saw on that ship has become captain, warlock and now lady. I have learned to conquer my darkness, but my darkness was what drew you in. You saw me and tried to help me. You saw my light and tried to see by it. But still, there was always the darkness deeper inside that you hid too. One night, you allowed me in. To see the darkness. And I was not afraid. I left my shiney armor and sword and shield behind and walked in. I recognized it. It was own darkness too. It was intimate. I was her Paladin no longer. I was just me again, the same pretty face on the ship. But I loved her. And that was enough. I had my experiences to protect myself. I could not help her. Others wanted to tear her away from the darkness. Even though she wanted to protect me from that darkness, I stood and watched as she found defenses so that she could stay there with me.
It will take time. But we have eternity, to learn the darkness and how to use our defenses. To use our darkness. To dream again. I believe in her like I believe in myself. I believe in us.
There's so much darkness that you saw the marks of and fortunately never had to see first hand. You never had to see the marks of my desire to harm myself. You never had to see the light drain from my eyes and voice when the man took advantage of me and my nature like my family and friends did. You never had to see the trepidation that he created when I would go dancing and come home feeling guilty for going or for enjoying myself and the crying that I did when I endured days of being ignored because of it. You never endured the conversations about how I just wanted to be rid of this bind between my tiloni and my body. And there's so much you haven't seen either. You haven't met the guilt demon. You haven't seen the lack of hope or happiness. You didn't see the value that is placed on me by myself. And I hope you never have to, despite how much I know you'll want to.
I never knew Quezali, but I know that going to live in an institution would scare me too. I tried to announce my need for help before to someone who could help me, someone I trusted. They told me I was just seeking attention, but if I was serious, then I could go to an institution to live until I'm better. And I was a young adult when that happened and it was terrifying! I wasn't a danger to them and I obviously hadn't been a danger to myself. But I wanted help addressing the desire, and it was presented with a horrifying situation instead as the option. So I learned not to say that. I learned to hide it, for the most part. I won't explain that right now. It becomes statements that's handled through a veil of dark humor jokes and commentary among those who are like minded in that area. It's not something that's openly addressed but once a blue moon, but we all know it.
I've side tracked as I tend to do, sorry love. But here you stand, saying you can handle it and that you want to help and despite not having a reason not to, it's still so hard to believe. I gave you permission to touch me after we came out and the second you hugged me and expressed your love, I felt every muscle tense and the urge to run for the mountains rose up inside me again. I know when you awaken and your eyes meet mine, you'll most likely want to talk more. And if we're able to be away from our party, then I will be fine with that. I know you have many questions still.
I know you're not love, but I am sorry that you had to experience that. I wish I was the fully happy, dreamer, unreserved wife that you deserve. I hope you will continue to love me despite it not because I wish for it, but because you do. Sleep well love.