A splash of cold water refreshed her with a sudden cold and she smiled as the warm towel comforted the cold cheeks and rubbed off the water that had woken her up. She had just awoken after an incredibly long night’s sleep and was almost glad to have awakened. Aki was not used to sleeping this long, but after the three days of almost non stop traveling back to the Rashad Ranch, she had needed it. Her body would not take ‘no’ for an answer, nor would it allow for Aki to wake up before it was fully rested.

 

She put on a white long-sleeved shirt, a pair of brown breeches and her boots and with an apple in hand moved out of her home to sit on the bench outside her door. She bit into the apple when she noticed that it was very quiet outside, was it that late already? Not a soul around to talk to, not a single child singing or yelling as they often did when the lazy ones tried to catch that extra hour after sunrise. It was not a school day, was it? Aki had been gone too long to notice and settled back on the bench, confirming that all three children living in Cari’s house were indeed off somewhere.

 

Aki looked up when she heard a door in the house next to her, she could not see who it was and as she threw the half eaten apple in the back of her garden, she went to look for Cari. It had been too long since she’d seen her old friend and she wanted to tell her stories of travels and hear Cari’s stories of what had happened here in her absence. Who had moved in, who had gone off and if she had heard any news from Tar Valon. Since Fawne had moved to the Ranch, Aki had the feeling that the bond with her old city had gotten stronger for Cari and she wondered if the other woman ever considered moving back to the city of the White Tower. Aki did not know much of the life that Cari had had in that city, but she knew that the woman had children born there and a life to leave behind. She knocked on Cari’s door, thinking about what it must be like to belong somewhere all your life and then suddenly needing to leave. What could have driven her?

 

When nobody answered, Aki moved around the house to the back door and knocked again. She waited a few minutes and then pushed the door to find it was not locked. She thought maybe Cari was cleaning or dozing in a chair. Not very like Cari to do that, she was always very alert to people knocking and was sometimes even near the door before Aki had knocked. She did not wonder about these things, Cari was always on her guard it seemed, even when she was having fun with the children in her garden. “Cari!” she called out, “It’s me, Aki... are you in?” and then took another step to see where her friend was hiding. Maybe up the stairs? She was about to take a step towards the stairs leading up to the next floor when she heard footsteps in a room close to her. Aki smiled and said, “Cari, are you there?”

Aki

It wasn't the first time he'd been in her place when she wasn't there and it wouldn't be the last, he knew. He'd found one of the kids toys at his place and decided to return it before heading towards other work today, but the morning had passed him by quicker than he had realized.

 

He was on his way out when he heard a knock. A voice followed by the time he had come out of the room and he looked in surprise to find a woman walking in Cari's house. He gave a quick smile but crossed his arms over his chest as he stopped before her. "Sorry, not Cari. What can I help you with?" He asked.

 

Demus Nolorean

The man introducing himself as Demus seemed comfortable being in Cari’s house, when it was evident to Aki that her friend was not home. She chose not to pursue her curiosity too much and decided that this was just something that had happened when she was not around. It stung lightly that people’s lives always moved on while she was traveling and working, nothing ever stayed the same. She nodded and introduced herself as Cari’s neighbor, Aki – no need for last names when none were given to you. She was not sure who he thought his Allegiance belonged to, so it was better to remain calm and a little shallow in this contact.

 

“Actually, I was looking for Cari since I have not seen her in some time, I was traveling south and I missed her.” She tried not to sound too desperate, missing a friend or missing a lover were two very different things. And to keep things smooth on the Ranch, Aki kept it light and said, “we often talk at night over a cup of tea and I sometimes watch the kids for her,” that had been quite some time. It seemed to Aki that she had been away long as a memory passed over. She liked the kids, Aiden and Kate were sweet and curious and could always get themselves in enough trouble for Aki to have her hands full. “You don’t know where she is, do you?”

Demus unfolded his arms as he figured the ladies visit was nothing but what she spoke of. He could be wrong and she could be here to snoop, but if she lived here at the Ranch then it was unlikely that she would do something like that. If she did, Cari would have to deal with it herself. He didn't know their relationship and it was better not to upset Cari. There were times when she wasn't..well... quite herself and he didn't like to think he would someday cause that in her.

 

"You've been gone for some time then Aki." He said as he smiled at the woman. "I live just back here." He said, waving to the general direction of the back of Cari's house. The house he lived in was directly behind hers and if Aki was a neighbor, we'll he'd never seen her. "Good to meet another friend." He said the word lightly so that it could mean anything but he watched intently to see if she responded to it. "I'm not sure where Cari is, but she's around the Ranch somewhere today. If I see her i'll let her know you're looking for her." He shrugged. "Or if you like, you can come to my place and we can wait together. I wouldn't mind getting to know my neighbors." He said, offering a little hospitality to learn more about the unknown that had suddenly stepped into his world.

 

Demus Nolorean