Midnight Revelation (Valorian/Jya)

[Valorian]

Valorian had tried to sleep after that insanity with Jya. But as much as he willed it, sleep eluded him. The left side of his mind was thinking about what they'd agreed on today. Assassinations...killing corrupted people seeking only power and violence. The right side of his mind, however, was distracted by a far more dangerous thought process.

He wouldn't deny that his eyes had rested on her sleeping form as he lay on his back in the dark room. But he just couldn't help it. It wasn't lust, that was simple and he'd felt that before. This was something different. He didn't want to believe it was love, he'd thought that before and it had cost him his life. What would it cost him if he acted rashly now?

He leaned up in the bed, letting the blanket slip down from his bare chest as he sat up. He ran his hands over his chest, feeling the scars that marked his history.

Something had to be done about this...

[Jya]

Jya was resting peacefully up in the dark corners. She wasn't quite fully asleep though, she was still relatively aware of the room. However Valorian sitting up somehow managed to attract her attention. He can't quite sleep today either it seemed. She let the blankets fall against the support beams and began to climb down into the room.

"You alright?" she asked across from the bed, her voice was laced with earnest concern.

[Valorian]

Val was aware of Jya as soon as she moved, but remained quiet until she was down the beam.

"I'm sorry Jya, I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just thinking is all. There is a lot on my mind lately. The work we've done, the work we will do, what's going on out there, you..." He cut himself off there, instantly wishing he hadn't just said that.

Well, if they were both awake there was no sense in sitting here in the dark. He wrapped his his fist around the wick of the bedside candle and whispered a word. As he removed his hand, the dim light flooded into the dark room. Kind of inspiring how much light a single candle can make in a pitch black room. Of course, Jya was still in a shadow. She seemed to have a knack for that. If he didn't hear her voice he might have thought he was talking to nobody.

"I don't know." He said. "Sometimes I wonder, what comes after this? After the war stops, these creatures vanish, after everything ends and the world has some peace again...what then? I think we've both been in so much conflict we don't even know what to do without it..."

What a sobering thought. He'd become so used to this lifestyle of blood that he never thought beyond it. Well he had, but those were dreams, not reality.

"What is your dream? What do you want to do when all the fighting is over?" He asked her.

[Jya]

Jya leaned against the wall closest to her. She kept to the darkness as to remain as far from view as possible. She listened to Valorian's statements and questions like usual but she found them even more difficult than usual. Her plans? She never planned far ahead and her dream was a bit embarrassing to tell. Her job as an assassin was hardly in her dream.

"When it all ends...?" she questioned it quite a bit. She never knew when exactly it began. It would have been better if she stayed out of this war.

"Alright, but don't laugh," she warned her friend. Jya wasn't sure what she would do if he dead but it wasn't bound to be pretty.

"I want a little house in the woods, live out in the forest," she began. That was as far as she thought about but it was the most important part of her dream so far.

[Valorian]

When she warned him not to laugh, Valorian became seriously interested. The girl had no shame, so what could possibly be embarrassing to her? When she finally gave her answer, he found no humor in it. He merely smiled at her mention of a peaceful house in the woods.

"That sounds rather nice." He said, smiling brightly. "A little house out in the woods. Peaceful and without all the worries and troubles that come with a crowded city life." He imagined it himself...it wouldn't be bad, that was for sure.

"I always wanted to just live out the rest of my days quietly. Maybe take on a student or two to pass on my knowledge, and then relax and enjoy life. Maybe a kid, I'd probably prefer a daughter." He confessed.

He fell silent for a moment, and realized where this conversation was going to go, if it continued at all.

"Have you ever thought about starting a family some day?" He asked her.

[Jya]

Jya was stumped on the family question. A family? What exactly would a family be like? Her friends were the closest thing she had to a family. Now that she thought about it, Alcibie was like a mother to her in the past.

"No, not really, I don't think I'm fit to be a mother," she shrugged but she went on.

"I don't even remember my parents very well, not their faces or the town I was born into," she said. It was something that really troubled her.

"Do you plan to have kids?"

[Valorian]

Valorian swung his feet out of the bed, standing up and walking over to the shadows where he knew Jya was residing. He found her easily enough and sat down next to her, easier to carry on a conversation this way.

"And what makes someone fit to be a mother, exactly?" He asked. "You care about people, that is what is most important. Everything after that is just learning. " He replied, looking over towards the young girl for a moment. "You mentioned a friend of yours that was like your mother, so I think you already have a pretty good idea of what a mother should be." He said, resting his head on the wall they sat against as he spoke.

"Well...maybe...I'm not sure. I'd like to, but I'm not sure it's in the cards for me." He answered honestly.

[Jya]

Jya shrugged not sure how to respond much further. She could never picture herself being a mother or anywhere in the conceivable future for that matter. Then where did children come from anyways, sure they grew from babies but...where did babies come from?

"Well for one I don't even know where the babies come from and I can barely take care of myself at times," she answered, thinking about all the points where she was dirt poor.

"But I'm sure you'll make a great dad, you're...hmm...all wanting improve things right?" she asked questionably.

[Valorian]

Jya's comment should have surprised Val more then it did. But he honestly wasn't surprised that the girl had no knowledge of anything like that.

"Well I guess I am, but I don't think being a parent is that simple. It's hard, but nobody goes into it knowing what to do. My mom used to tell me that raising a child is more the parents learning then the child learning."

He paused for a moment, sensing something. The conversation was dying, and he knew they had a lot more to talk about. He couldn't keep taking these moments of peace for granted, who knew how long they'd last?

"Say Jya. Forgive me if you think this is inappropriate but...ah...have you ever been in love?" He asked. Talk about an embarrassing question...

"I mean, I just ask because you travel a lot, and meet a lot of people, so maybe you met someone special or something? Just wondering..."

Rambling...yes that would work fine.

[Jya]

Jya's eyebrow raised a bit as she listened to Valorian. She honestly did not mind the chat but the questions weren't really easy for her to answer or relate to in her experience. Love. That word was something she never truly understood. She has definitely experienced admiration and friendship. However love was on a completely different scale she was used to.

"No, I can't say I have," she answered contemplatively. It was simply incomprehensible for her.

"I've been told that I will many times by others, the only thing that I ever felt was and always been a sense of wanderlust."

[Valorian]

Valorian chuckled a little bit at her response. But he was slightly worried that she felt she didn't know what love is.

"I don't think that's totally true." Valorian said, though he wore a smile. "It's just that there are many kinds of love. Like, enjoying a food or drink or a song, people will often call that love." He started. "But there are personal relations like that. A parent and their child, that relationship is another kind of love. I'm sure you know that, if not from your own mother, then from your companion those years ago." He spoke, though his voice started to drift.

"The third kind is what I was referring to. It's what people call romantic love. The idea that..." He paused. "Someone so dear to you that you care more about their well-being then your own. It's difficult to explain, but I think it might be the most important of all." He said, looking to the other side of the room.

"Some people show it in different ways. Do you remember those two we met back in town? The cavalier and the archer? They were in love, but it's different for every couple. Everyone experiences and shows it differently."

It felt odd to talk about this with Jya, but he had to try and help her mature mentally at least. Maybe that would lead to something. "They've told you that you will experience it because of an old saying. I believe it goes 'There is someone for everyone'."

[Jya]

"Alright I think I got it..." Jya lied to both herself and Val. Those words felt empty to her and she found little to no feeling towards them. In her experience it was best to just nod and agree through such conversations.

"What about you Val, have you found someone?" she asked, trying to change the subject away from her. She even teased him a little nudging him on the arm.

[Valorian]

Val was quite sure she didn't understand it that easily, but let it go. When she nudged him and asked if he'd found someone, he chuckled lightly.

"I thought I had a long time ago. But that wasn't love, that was just desire. You can mistake one for the other, and sometimes it leads to tragedy." He said, looking up into the rafters with a somber expression.

"And recently I found a girl that I thought I was in love with too. Friendly and cheerful, beautiful, would do anything for her friends, and strong. But I don't know if it's love or not, and of course I haven't told her how I feel. Guess I don't think I should, I probably don't deserve her." He finished.

"She's one of a kind, and I'd like to see her find someone who would treat her as she should be. Though I'm afraid someone would take advantage of her naivety."

He silenced himself after this, watching Jya from the corner of his eye. He doubted she'd realize the truth of what he said, but her reaction to it would shape the future. Now...what would happen?

[Jya]

Jya took all of the Valorian's statement in and thought about it. She was completely unsure on how to respond, besides she wasn't the wisest person down the block. When it came to naivety she understood that quite well. In some ways she was far more experienced in the world than the average Joe but she was lost in some human aspects.

"I think you should totally tell her if you still can," she advised, puffing up a little.

"I mean, if you don't and something happens you'll always regret the what if," she continued, remembering some of her own regrets.

"I'm sure you'll treat her right."

"And if she doesn't feel the same way than...move on, I heard time heals all wounds after all," she finished up her little speech. She was hoping that whoever this girl was, would make Valorian happy to be with. He was a very nice fellow she determined after travelling so much with him.

[Valorian]

Valorian listened to her silently. So...he should tell her... He remained silent after she spoke, filling the room with an uneasy dread. When he broke the silence, his voice was steady.

"If something happens...yes. The idea of something happening in the future is very likely. So maybe I should just throw caution to the wind and take a chance." He said. If only saying that was as easy as the next thing he had to say.

"You are right, of course. I should just be a man and tell her how I feel. I'll never know by sitting here and being afraid." He turned his head towards her, and met the gaze of her deep blue eyes.

"J-Jya....It's you." He said, trying to maintain his own conviction. It was crumbling fast, but he couldn't leave it half said. "You are the one I've fallen in love with, the most important person to me in the entire world."

He was quite sure that his heart was beating so fast that she could hear it slamming against his ribcage. If it went any further, it might just burst out of his chest.

"I know." He said, continuing. "I know I'm being stupid telling you this right now...but I can't help it. We've had so many brushes with death already...and I couldn't take the idea of losing you without telling you."

And said once again, so his own ears could hear it.

"Jya, I love you."