Sanria wrote a note, this time to the entire family, and set it on the fountain open for view:
'Hello everyone,
I went on a walk and should be back within a few hours time.
Sanria.'
She studied the note, nodded, and grabbing her book and her pack, headed out the door. It was exciting to have a task - even if it was a small task to follow. Meditate. As she walked through the forests, her mind went back to Fenlauch. "Through creating balance, you find truth, and when you find truth, you will know how to create balance. When you can create balance, you can spread truth. And when you spread truth and balance, harmony is attained." According to him, harmony was achieved only when spreading truth and balance - but you couldn't have one without the other. Had she ever taken the time to actually *try* to make balance in her life? The only time she could remember were her studies in the Illuminati - and life was fabulous... until Thasmudyan died the first time. Then she went crazy and no amount of balance had been achieved since.
Sanria continued walking as she thought, paying no heed to where she was going until she found herself walking through the gates of Westbridge. Strange, that her feet would direct her here. Westbridge was still overrun by the Vectorians, and even though for a while it seemed TriPower was set to evict them, the rumors of war rumbled and died away. Rebellion seemed like an afterthought, and the people contented themselves to be under the rule of devious peoples.
With a sigh, Sanria passed the guards who shot dirty glances in her direction, sizing her up for troublemaking, no doubt. She walked into Market Square and sat down on a bench, looking at the fountain. There were many times in her past she would come here and usually each time, she would meet someone new. Now, the square was quiet.
Sanria pulled out her book/diary/book and wrote, "What is the first step towards balance?"
"Solitude," came a voice and Sanria looked up into the jade green eyes of a very exotic man. "But you won't find that here since anyone can just come up and see what you're doing."
Sanria shut her book quickly and stood up. "Well, I suppose that is true, isn't it?"
The man shrugged and sat down on the bench, stretching his legs out a bit. He seemed awfully comfortable, as though he'd been sitting in that same spot for ages. He looked older, but nowhere near decrepit.
"I don't make a habit of it, normally, but you were in my seat," he said.
"Oh... well... I didn't realize-"
"It doesn't have a name on it, but its mine none-the-less. I'm certain if you look hard enough, you might even find the print of my robes on the bench."
His smile made Sanria chuckle and she sat down beside him. "I'm Sanria."
"Kineada. WuJen. Shadow Bushi."
"That is a lot of titles..."
"They suit me."
Deeper Questions
Sanria sat in the night, but before she had even gotten a chance of getting up, a voice reached her, "Mom! Are you ok?" Orn. Sanria got up and greeted her son. With him she found Reggie - his newly befriended bear. He was growing up fast - but she kept such things as her pride in him to herself. The important thing was he hadn't shared with his father that he was gone- which was also the bad thing. Colin was going to be beside himself. She briefly told Orn where she was and of the man she had met and found it curious that Orn wanted to meet him. Then, she brought the three of them (Reggie included, for after Orn begged, Sanria couldn't refuse), back to the cavern.
Orn and Reggie headed out to the stream just as Colin walked into the room. He looked frazzled. "Sanria... I was worried sick. I had no idea where the two of you were. When you said you would take a walk I didn't expect you to be gone into the night."
"Colin... I'm an adult. I can manage. Orn... well... he didn't seem to read the note."
"It's just, after what has just happened..."
"Then... worry for Orn, after all, I haven't had anything happen to me lately."
It was true. The past year plus with Colin she had been here in the cavern, and certainly, it was nice, but all along in the back of her mind, she had harbored the feeling that she was being guarded in a sense. Things had been happy because nothing had happened. Everything was as Colin always wished it to be. The chance meeting was the first time in a long time that anything adventurous had happened to Sanria - and she had missed the feeling that trilled through her veins.
"I was just... pretty distraught when you were gone for so long," Colin said, interrupting Sanria's train of thought.
"Colin... if I choose to be gone for a long while... that is my choice. I left you a note. As, undoubtedly, I shall again."
"I just... didn't know what to expect. And Orn..."
"Orn I understand," Sanria said quietly.
And it was in this moment that Sanria felt in full the feeling that had been gnawing at the edges of her soul. Trapped. The child in her that she had planned on having grow at a normal pace suddenly seemed like a sentence, one that meant she would have to be with Colin for at least sixteen years while it grew. When she proposed speeding things along by having Thasmudyan heal her, Colin looked stung. "We aren't married anymore, Colin," Sanria said, "and I can't see how a slow growing child keeping us living together is going to make it any more comfortable."
"Well, what can I say?"
"You don't have to say anything."
"Right then..."
Sanria watched Colin walk toward the dining room and the garden beyond. It hurt her heart to see him like this, but she also knew that if she wanted this to be it - she would have to stand strong. She shouldered her pack and went into the library.
Orn and Reggie headed out to the stream just as Colin walked into the room. He looked frazzled. "Sanria... I was worried sick. I had no idea where the two of you were. When you said you would take a walk I didn't expect you to be gone into the night."
"Colin... I'm an adult. I can manage. Orn... well... he didn't seem to read the note."
"It's just, after what has just happened..."
"Then... worry for Orn, after all, I haven't had anything happen to me lately."
It was true. The past year plus with Colin she had been here in the cavern, and certainly, it was nice, but all along in the back of her mind, she had harbored the feeling that she was being guarded in a sense. Things had been happy because nothing had happened. Everything was as Colin always wished it to be. The chance meeting was the first time in a long time that anything adventurous had happened to Sanria - and she had missed the feeling that trilled through her veins.
"I was just... pretty distraught when you were gone for so long," Colin said, interrupting Sanria's train of thought.
"Colin... if I choose to be gone for a long while... that is my choice. I left you a note. As, undoubtedly, I shall again."
"I just... didn't know what to expect. And Orn..."
"Orn I understand," Sanria said quietly.
And it was in this moment that Sanria felt in full the feeling that had been gnawing at the edges of her soul. Trapped. The child in her that she had planned on having grow at a normal pace suddenly seemed like a sentence, one that meant she would have to be with Colin for at least sixteen years while it grew. When she proposed speeding things along by having Thasmudyan heal her, Colin looked stung. "We aren't married anymore, Colin," Sanria said, "and I can't see how a slow growing child keeping us living together is going to make it any more comfortable."
"Well, what can I say?"
"You don't have to say anything."
"Right then..."
Sanria watched Colin walk toward the dining room and the garden beyond. It hurt her heart to see him like this, but she also knew that if she wanted this to be it - she would have to stand strong. She shouldered her pack and went into the library.
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