Can You Hear Me?

Aenwis brought me to a nearby stream so we could wash. I found myself parched, and drank from the sweet water for a long time, as did my lover. The Earth's energy had sustained us, but we still needed to replenish the loss of fluids. We then washed each other in the shallow stream, hands gliding over wet skin. These were comforting touches, and I didn't find myself aroused by them, though I relished them just as much as I had our previous, more carnal ones.

Once clean, we returned to the glade to lay in the sun to dry. The sun! It was halfway down in the summer sky. Not only had I missed lunch, but I was probably going to be late for supper too! A wave of sadness flowed over me as realization hit. "I can't go back, can I?" "No. They would not even see you, now". I felt tears filling my eyes, but they didn't overflow.

"I am sorry, Matthew. Would I could change it, give you a few more years..."

I turned and gave him a questioning look. He truly was sorry, though there was an intense longing in him, as well.

"For centuries, I have been alone. My soulmate had been taken from me when 'civilized' humans came to this land and killed him out of ignorance. Yes, we can die." I could feel the pain, the anger, at remembering this. "They were burning a section of the forest, to clear it for crops. He and I had been in a deep sleep, replenishing ourselves. When the flames encroached upon us it was too late. We woke in pain as our skin burned. And then we ran. I thought he was right behind me..." He blamed himself, and had carried that burden for hundreds of years.

"Lost in my own physical pain, I was unable to tell when he tripped. I kept running, trying to lead us to water. I heard him telling me to wait for him, so I slowed. And then... He was gone! GONE! The link shattered when he died, but not before I felt his life wrenched from him."

I gathered Aenwis into my arms, giving him what comfort I could as he relived these terrible moments. I didn't press him for more. Eventually, having regained control of himself, he continued.

"I would have walked back into the flames to join him in death, save for those last words. I knew then that he had meant for me to wait for him to return.

"And so, carrying the guilt of his death within me, I waited for his soul to be reborn. Each time it was, I felt his presence in the world once more and I went to him. My people had long ago stopped procreating, thus our souls could only be reborn in a human that carried the Old Blood, which was thin already by that time. But the humans had shut us out, no longer believing. He could not see or hear me, and my beloved grew and aged and died before my eyes. Time and time again this happened, and the Blood continued to thin.

"And then he was born once more."

Aenwis turned to me then, eyes beseeching. He cupped my cheek with his elegant hand, stroking it with a long thumb.

"I have watched you from afar, as you grew, longing for you. But I was so afraid! I would not enter the city, but when your parents took you away from it during the summers, then I could get closer. You were such a beautiful child. I forced myself to wait until you were older, though I longed for you desperately by this point. Had you not acknowledged me this time, I truly think I would have taken my own life.

"But then you heard me. I could not wait any longer... I have missed you so much, my beloved Thalmi..."

This time, the tears did overflow. We were clinging to each other, crying with each other, as everything came back to me. I remembered. I remembered! "Aenwis! My Aenwis! I'm so sorry! All this time lost! Please forgive me, my darling. I never meant for it to take so long! Please, don't blame yourself anymore. It wasn't your fault!"

Our minds, our souls, joined once more. We shared all the past grief and pain, worked through it together, and finally put it to rest.

Once we'd recovered, we discussed our options. That we would stay together was a given. But where? The world was large, but the humans were encroaching on more and more of it every day. In the end, we decided to stay where we were, at least until we were forced to move on.

Gradually, the Old Blood took over and with the help of the Earth's energy, my body transformed back into what it had once been. I've never looked back.

We spend our days living. We take joy in everything, now that we've found each other again. We're trying very hard to make up for all those lost years. Maybe, one day, we will have caught up. And then... Well, until it happens, I am enjoying every moment of being reunited with Aenwis.