Once more with feeling/Logs/Small Group/In Denandsor/Nuwa and Dhiren (at the Dreamspire)

Nuwa: (I'm thinking this would be Nuwa returning from her self-imposed exile. If the expedition to the Imperial Manse starts on the third day, then maybe on the afternoon of the second)

Nuwa: (where do we want to set it?)

Dhiren: (The Dreamspire, probably)

Nuwa: The silence in the shared thought-space has become less complete than it was in the first day of Nuwa's absence. Even so the difference was one between nothingness and quiet white noise indicating a mind once more thinking along its normal paths. Only for a short time now Nuwa's presence has been becoming stronger than that as she has approached the Dreamspire where she knows Dhiren will be, each step physical step corresponding to a thought that returns her to the world. Seeing Dhiren coming to meet her she takes the last few steps off her metaphorical mountain in great leaps.

Dhiren: "Nuwa, you're back!" Dhiren comes to meet her as she approaches the Dreamspire, exactly as she left it.

Nuwa: "Yes, I am and happily so." Nuwa smiles, embracing Dhiren in greeting. A hint of regret still clings to her despite the time she has had to think over her flight from the council meeting (and indeed all company and civilization) and the incidents that led up to it. Though not with exaggerated strength she holds on to Dhiren as if unwilling to surrender the closeness of the embrace so soon. "I'm sorry I acted like I did," she says quietly.

Nuwa: She seems to weigh closing herself to Dhiren like that as worse than her perhaps ill-considered words at the council.

Dhiren holds onto her tightly. "I'm happy too," he says. "I missed you."

Nuwa: "I ..." Nuwa didn't, not at all, at least not for the first day or so. In fact, thinking back she actively banished everything about him from her thoughts. And that disturbs her. "I'm not sure ..." she begins, but cannot find the words to fully express her thoughts.

Nuwa: *I felt like I needed to get away from everything, even you. I felt like that was where and how I was supposed to be. To think clearly. But when I woke up this morning it was like the world had turned upside down yet again. I realized that I was being ... selfish, very selfish. And I missed you.*

Dhiren: *At least you've come back, in every sense. ... Do you think Anshu was right? That it we were starting to go mad?*

Nuwa breathes in deeply, drawing in the fragrance of Dhiren's hair and seeming to be grounded by the sensation, counteracting the detachment from the world. *I sought clarity at the expense of everything else. But that's not the middle path, that's not what I truly want.*

Nuwa pulls back a little, just enough so she can look Dhiren in the eyes. Her expression mirrors her plainly perceivable feelings: Surprise, uncertainty and fear. *I ... I had not considered that.*

Nuwa: *It's a frightful idea. When he first laid out his thoughts, all these months ago, I considered it a possibility. But privately I thought, that I might be ... if not proof against such then more resistant than most.* She frowns. *Pride, ignorant arrogance perhaps.*

Dhiren feels and looks the same way. *I don't know what we can do, if it was. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up."

Nuwa: *Today ...* She shudders and holds Dhiren closer again. *Today I am less sure.*

Dhiren: *We'll just have to be careful.*

Dhiren: Dhiren lifts his face to hers and kisses her.

Nuwa: *I don't know either. I should, but I don't. Perhaps speak to Anshu about it. In any case, you were right to say it.*

Nuwa: The bleakness that has come over Nuwa's thoughts lifts a bit at that and she returns the kiss. *Does that mean that, mad or not, you forgive me?* Humor seems to be the best way to escape the dark notions, but there is a serious core to her question as well. *And shouldn't we perhaps go inside? It's a bit cool out here ...*

Dhiren: *I do forgive you. And if you think this is cool, I hate to think what summers are like where you come from.* But Dhiren pulls away a little and starts backing into the Dreamspire.

Nuwa: *Thank you.* Nuwa's eyes are bright. She had not even realized she had been irrationally worried. Then she looks up at the Sun bathing the two of them in light and warmth and laughs. The world seems more beautiful somehow. "I spoke without thinking. Summers are not *that* much hotter where I come from. Though my father was, once upon a time, from the South, I believe. So, who knows what sort of strange preferences I have inherited?"

Nuwa: She laughs again and winks.

Dhiren: "Who knows?" Dhiren agrees, leading her inside.

Dhiren: Once they're indoors, he pulls her close and kisses her again.

Nuwa: "We'll have a long time to find out, I hope." Nuwa doesn't quite skip, but she is close, unaccountably happy for the simple reasion that she is disallowing negative thoughts to affect her.

Nuwa: As the door closes on its own behind them Nuwa impulsively turns to Dhiren and their faces nearly collide with more force than intended as he does the same. "Hey, that was my thought," she complains happily and somewhat out of breath when the kiss ends. "Or was it the same for us both?"

Dhiren: "The same, I think." Dhiren smiles, and undertakes to drive the negative thoughts further from her mind with gentle caresses.

Nuwa: "Two minds plus one thought equals one mind. How good that neither of us is a mathematician or we'd have to stop and give it serious consideration. And that ..." Nuwa can't finish the sentence as her lips are suddenly quite preoccupied again, every mote of sadness, fear or regret dissolved under Dhiren's attention. Her thoughts are slow and sweet, crossing over into his mind like body warmth from her fingers as Nuwa caresses his face before moving downward to rest one hand over his heart. *I love you, Dhiren.*

Dhiren: *I love you too, Nuwa.* He basks in the thoughts and emotions pouring over the bond, returning them in equal measure. *Are you ready?* he asks after a moment filled with loving thoughts and touches.

Nuwa: What could be greater than feeling in her soul the love of another and being able to share her own in the same way through the bond between them? There are thoughts of Nuwa's, imaginations and daydreams she has had about this day, their existence revealed without shame. Not greater perhaps than what they already have, but it is a new facet of the wondrous thing called love. And to explore it and express her feelings for Diren in this way as well is foremost in Nuwa's mind in this moment. *Yes,* she punctuates her thoughts with a fully formed word. *Yes, I am.* And her heart mirrors Dhiren's loving thoughts as her hands do his affectionateness.

Dhiren: Joyful anticipation flares inside Dhiren. *Here?* he asks, brimming with barely-restrained eager desire. *Or in bed?*

Nuwa: *The way is short,* Nuwa smiles. And so it is, for her manse has long begun to reshape itself in accordance with her desires spoken aloud and not.

Nuwa: And so it is, for her manse has long begun to reshape itself in accordance with her desires spoken aloud and not. To the two lovers, focused as they are on each other, the transition remains hidden but at some point the entrance hall has become the bedroom. Small enough to be comfortable though certainly large by the sensibilities common to the Age of Sorrows and pleasantly arranged its windows face East, overlooking the city - not that Nuwa has eyes for the splendor of the outside world at this moment.

Nuwa: The camera shifts through a few images of Dhiren and Nuwa together making their way toward the bed before fading to black entirely.

Nuwa: On the dark screen a point of light appears that is quickly revealed to be the sun rising over the horizon and shining through the large windows of the bedroom on our two lovers.

Dhiren stirs in the growing light, accustomed to waking at dawn from a life of farming.

Nuwa: Also one to rise with the eponymous dawn Nuwa is half-awake looking upon Dhiren with a sleepy but quietly radiant expression.

Nuwa: "Good morning," she says very softly, not wanting to wake Dhiren up entirely if he isn't already waking.

Dhiren: He smiles back, love radiating from behind his eyes. "Good morning," he answers.

Nuwa: "Are you awake?" Nuwa's tone is still sleepy. "Am I awake? Or am I just having a particularly nice dream?"

Dhiren: "I think we're awake," Dhiren says. "But if it is a dream, I don't want to wake up."

Nuwa: "No," she agrees. "It would be a good dream to dream forever." Nuwa rubs her eyes before opening them fully. "If we're awake that's better than a dream."

Nuwa: "Though in a dream there would be no serious matters looming on the horizon," she adds after a moment.

Dhiren nods slowly, not wanting to think about what lies ahead in the new day just yet. "You're beautiful," he says instead.

Dhiren: "I wish we could just stay here all day."

Nuwa: Nuwa smiles. Vanity was never one of her traits, but when Dhiren says something like this ... she likes it. "*You* are beautiful," she answers, idly tracing the contours of his muscles. Then she grins. "Or am I supposed to say that differently because you're a man?"

Nuwa: "Do you remember what you said to me when we first kissed? That we should take advantage of the time we have because there is no telling what the future holds, whether something bad might happen? I didn't fully understand you then but I think I do now."

Nuwa: "I was not considering the future much back then. There were things to do and a place where we were all going, but I did not see the holes where paths might end in emptiness."

Nuwa: "I did not have so much to lose then."

Nuwa: Despite not wanting her thoughts to go that way Nuwa is serious now.

Nuwa: "And I did not realize there was so much that could be lost, not for me personally but on the larger scale."

Dhiren nods somberly. "I didn't really understand how bad things were either."

Dhiren: "And I think you're supposed to call me handsome, but I don't really mind if you call me beautiful."

Nuwa: "So, now when I think of the future I'm afraid. There's death ... I didn't use to fear death, but now it would mean losing you. Or if it's not me but ..." Nuwa shakes her head, not wanting to finish the thought. "So that's why I now understand that you were right back then."

Nuwa: She sighs. "That was a very depressing way of saying that I agree with you and wish we could stay here all day. I'm sorry."

Nuwa: "Do you remember what I said in answer to you saying that we should take advantage of our time in that same conversation? That we should consider every moment together a gift to be cherished without greed? If we take both pieces of advice together we don't have to be afraid so much, I think."

Dhiren: "We would've had to face it sooner or later," he says. "You never want to get up and do chores on the farm, either, but..." he shrugs.

Nuwa: "Chores, yes. We do have some of those before us."

Dhiren nods. "Although we could probably stay in bed a little longer?"

Nuwa: "Yes, we probably could." Nuwa smiles impishly. "To take advantage of the time we have?"

Dhiren grins and nods, and pulls her into another kiss.

And the camera fades to black again.