The Reunion
Jez and Zij decided to meet just outside of the Crossroads in
the middle of the Barrens after a lonely several weeks without
one another. The brand on her chest was still slightly inflamed
and sore, but she continued on, despite the pain, with the
excitement of seeing her Zij once more in her mind.
He had been outcast, sure, but that didn’t matter to the little
troll girl who’s heart was swollen with love and desire. She
barely had time to notice there was a world besides her and her
lover. And for the eternity that they were separated, all of her
training and work was devoted to him. Her every move, her every
spell was cast in the desire of seeing him again.
Her mate, her best friend, her family, her world.
She spent the day she was to meet him primping, splurging on a
new blue dress she hoped he would love, fixing her hair, and
bathing in the chilly ocean water. The night before she could
hardly sleep in the cramped inn in Razor Hill, where they didn’t
even have a separate room for her to spend the night. She curled
under the linen covers, her right hand cupping herself as she
longed for the next day to come.
------
She arrived at the Crossroads promptly at eleven in the morning,
forcing herself not to break into an eager run when she saw
Zij’s red hair. Moving quicker than normal, however, she leapt
to Zij’s arms as soon as she could, covering his face with her
kisses. His arms wrapped her around her waist, holding her to
him tightly as he received and returned her affections. He spun
the girl around as though she were weightless before bringing
her back to his chest.
“Jez!” he half-murmured, half shouted, as though he had
forgotten how to properly speak upon seeing her. “Oh Jez…” Jez
giggled, playfully pushing at this chest, while drawing him
closer with her other hand. Allowing her fingers to trail on his
chest distractedly, she mumbled something in troll about how
he’s been. Zij grinned, watching her delicately touch his nearly
healed scar. He assured her that he was fine before grabbing her
hand in his and kissing her delicate fingers. He stopped at her
middle finger. “You're still wearing the ring?” Zij asked,
studying her eyes. She blushed and took her hand from his,
flinging her arms instead around his neck. “Hey, might be worth
something some day, and if you’re planning on marrying me, we’re
going to be needing some gold. Or, it might make a good ring for
the ceremony. What do you think?”
Zij laughed, and kissed Jez’s forehead. “Silly troll, we first
have to make a name for ourselves here, make some friends. Plus,
it costs a lot of gold to get married.” Jez frowned, reaching
for the coin pocket on her waist. Rummaging through it, she
counted the silver and copper pieces, her brow furrowed in
concentration. “Well… I have over a gold! Will that be enough?”
Again Zij laughed, holding her body close to him, with her hands
and coin purse stuck between the two of them.
“Oh Jez, I’ve missed you so much. How have you been? How has
your journey been?” he looked on with concern, holding her at
arms length. She waved her hand as she put the bag back on her
belt. “That’s not important, I’m here now!” Zij nodded. “They
didn’t… did they treat you badly?” Jez shrugged. “Nothing could
be worse than being apart from you. I’m healing fast enough,”
she responded, lightly rubbing the still inflamed brand she held
on her chest. “Has it been hurting?” he asked in the concerned
witch doctor way of his. Giggling, Jez pushed his shoulder
playfully. “I don’t care about that stuff when I’m with you!”
He grinned down at her, for he was very tall, and she was very
short, and kissed the crown of her head. “Well then, we have a
lot of making up to do then!” Jez flushed hot, nodding up at her
troll lover. “And you know, my little Jez… no one suspects a
thing. We can be wed here, and it will be perfectly fine. I can
have you as my wife,” he murmured as he pulled her closer to him
“and my lover. And...”
Jez giggled, pressed her forefinger to his lips, which he
promptly kissed. “You be quiet about that, or everyone will know
before you can wed me, you silly troll! But we have lots to do
before nightfall. We can’t afford much, but we can meet up at
the Crossroads Inn for a little celebration of sorts,” Jez
smirked up at him, practically purring those last words.
“Then that’s what we’ll do!” he exclaimed, bringing her in for
one last, long kiss, before they parted ways until that evening.