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Date Posted: 18:05:06 03/24/02 Sun
Author: Erlic Eastlore
Subject: As always, too soon
In reply to: Jade 's message, "Imminent departure" on 13:29:50 03/24/02 Sun

"I should leave as soon as possible. I have a portal stone which will transport me to my client's home." She looked down at the book and ran a hand over its cover. "As for returning..." she smiled softly, looking back into his eyes. "If you wish it, darling, I will return as quickly as I can. My client is a mage of some considerable power. Perhaps, with some convincing, I can persuade him to make me a return portal."

It would have been easy for Erlic to simply tell her he wanted her back as quickly as possible, too easy. But being many things, ninja, assassin, thief, adventurer, and now guild master, he knew the consequences of that statement. He had struggled hard to achieve the status he now held, and not without sacrifice. How many times had someone asked him to stay, only to find out that a loner was always a loner, whether he or she traveled alone, or with a group? Nothing bound them to any one locale, rather, they became a seed in the growth of life, flirting from one area to another, doing various jobs, gathering more information, making more money, finding what happiness they could, before continuing onward to their next destination.

She placed her hand on his cheek, and pressed her lips to his. She kissed him softly with an almost painful longing, deepening it to something more before breaking the kiss. She looked into his eyes, smiling warmly. "It might cost a bit, but I believe it would be well worth it."

Her deep gaze rooted him to the spot as he realized her answer, but only on the condition that he wished for it. He didn’t know if such a question had ever been posed to him before, and he didn’t exactly know quite how to answer it. Yes, he did wish for her to return but that in itself was greedy in nature. He could not, in good faith, promise anyone anything, that much he had come to realize. He could only speculate what could happen if such an undertaking were to be made. He was bound to no one, and no one was bound to him, he owed no one, and no one owed him. Only his theological teachings, and philosophy kept him somewhat grounded to his roots. Yes he had done favours for many people, but it was just a part of life, never expecting anything in return.

But Jade was different, and he did want her in his life, but what kind of life could that possibly lead to? They barely knew each other, let alone each other’s life history. Neither of them knew anything about the other’s likes or dislikes, all they did know was that they had taken the time from life’s rigorous journey to engage in a pleasurable act of solitude that had brought both parties immense ecstasy.

He pulled her close to him, and kissed her passionately, wanting to savor her aroma, and her lips once again. She had somehow managed to excite a part of him that had laid dormant for so long, and he wanted to make sure he remembered the passion they shared, and the camaraderie, albeit short forever in his soul should she deem it unnecessary to return.

When he broke off the kiss, he stared longingly into her eyes. “An old man by the name of Kwan-Yee,” Erlic whispered, “Once told me not to use words carelessly. Not to make promises casually. A word, once spoken, cannot be retracted. However, people love to waste words. He also told me to mean everything you say. When you give your word, always keep it. When you make a promise, fulfill it.”

Erlic hoped that Jade understood his dilemma, and not think him a coward for not wanting her back. He wanted her back very much, but not at a price that would jeopardize their own friendship. “I understand,” Erlic stated, “that you have work to finish, and that such work requires time. It is by your own endeavors that you have proven yourself to your clients, and proven it well, otherwise you wouldn’t be here in search of a book. It is quite obvious that you take your work seriously, as do I, but I cannot tell you what to do, just as I’m sure you couldn’t tell me what to do.”

He stopped momentarily as he took in her radiant features, and the penetrating gaze of hers. “However, I would be lying to you if I told you I didn’t want you back. I cannot force you to return. I can only hope that there is some aspiration between us that would warrant your return possibly with the endeavor to mutually seek out the other, and learn more about his, and her ways.”

Erlic realized as a prime example from Laurel that he sometimes spoke in parables, or as Marz would state, riddles, making no sense whatsoever to any of them. It had been the only way he had learned to speak, and if it jeopardized his situation with Jade, it would fault only him, and no one else, and he would have to live with the consequences.

He stroked her face trying to etch the figures of her beauty into his mind. He enjoyed Jade, and the company she provided very much, and it would pain him if she chose not to return. But that was a fact of life that he had to deal with, as did other people. His eyes spoke the words he harbored deep within him as he looked pensively into her magnificent eyes. But, he also realized that almost everything in life that an adventurer undertook was a business, and the business was a means to an end of making money. He realized that as did probably Jade, Isobel, Ravin, and all the others. True, they were out for experience, and adventure, but in the end one had to worry about monetary priorities as well, because without money, one couldn’t survive, eat, sleep, or do any of the necessary activities needed for sustaining life. Although money was important, friendship was even more of a priority, and it was rare, when a very good friend came along. Someone like a Jade.

“I hope you do decide to return, whether your absence be short, or long. I will gladly hold a position open for you, and will continue to do so unless I hear from you otherwise.” With that he handed over his share of the gems they had found, hoping that it would help cushion the cost of her return.

The guild master could only hope his emphasis for wanting her back had sunk in. Like her namesake, she was a very rare gem indeed.

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