livingmyths | 096: Just Rain?

Current Location: at the river

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096: Just Rain?

I guess I have to think about things some more. Some people who are really important to me don't want to call me River because Rain is really important to them.

So maybe... maybe Rain is good enough. I have to think about it for a while.

[Private to Harry]

Harry? Is he all right? Can I see him?

[Private to Thomas[

Thomas... This doesn't change the way I feel about you.

I just want to help. Please let me? At least keep talking to me.

I'll be watching Orion and pretending I'm with you.

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"Definitely mine at least," she said with a smile.

"Well then it was mine too."

She looked up at him, face and eyes serious, despite her obvious happiness. "I'm glad about that. So glad you think so."

"I do think so. And I mean every word of it." Smiling gently now, he brought the horse to a halt. "Let's give her something to drink."

"Can she drink right here in the river?" Rain asked. "The water's clean and good. I've been drinking it for days."

He nodded as he got down and helped her down afterwards. "She can." Clicking again, he guides the horse over then keeps a close eye on how much she has to drink.

Rain stretched, entirely unselfconsciously, then lay down on the grass in the sun by the river to watch Mat and the horse. "So you've ridden lots of horses?"

"I have. I love horses. Teaching me about horses was one of the few things my da could do without me being lazy. The other was the quarterstaff." Guiding the horse away from the water, he talked to her softly as he tied her reins loosely to a tree branch. With a sigh, he sat next to Rain.

She curled into him, resting her head against one hip, with one arm draped around him. "Horses and quarterstaffs. What do they have in common that you should like them both so much?"

"They don't really. I like horses because I've always been good with them. The quarterstaff though. There's a story where I'm from about the greatest swordsman in all the land. No one could defeat him. And everyone tried." He smiled down at her. "One day he came across a farmer. A fight began between them and moments later the man with the sword was on the ground. He was stunned that this simple farmer with his quarterstaff had defeated him. I wanted to be like that farmer and my da is so good at it that I wanted to be like him too. He always wins competitions with it during festivals."

"Did you win competitions, too?" she asked. "I bet you could if you wanted."

"I haven't been in one since Two Rivers. And my da always won those." He grinned though. Against his father, he didn't mind losing.

"You should teach me sometime," Rain said idly, just enjoying having him close again. "Do you think I'd be any good?"

"Who knows? But I think you'd be pretty good at it. It would probably help you keep your mind quiet too. It helps me sometimes." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"That would be a good thing," she admitted, moving a bit to give him better access to her hair. "I didn't know it would be so hard and confusing. I thought if my mind was a little better it would be easier, but it just makes me think of more things and worry more."

"Sometimes I wish that I were better. But then there are other times when I wonder if it would be worth it. Maybe it's better if we are the way we are." It wasn't an answer he liked but he couldn't help wondering if that were the truth.

She was quiet for a minute considering that. "Maybe... maybe we're just supposed to be like this. 'Mana says my mind sort of stopped growing in some ways to protect me from what was happening."

"I think your mind is still growing in all ways but differently from others so that it can keep you safe." His fingers brushed her cheek now.

"It did a good job, huh?" she said. "I... now when I think back about things... it's scary what happened. But then... I didn't know how scary."

"You don't have to be scared, Rain. I'll protect you."

She turned to smile up at him. "I know you will. I always feel safe with you."

He smiled at her. "That's right. I will."

Rain shifted to be looking up at the clouds, without moving any further from Mat. "Tell me about where you grew up. It sounds so nice there."

Where he grew up. It had been awhile since he last saw Two Rivers. "We're farmers and herders there mostly so our home are spread out from each other. In some areas there are fields of vegetables and other places have fields of grass. And around us are trees of a forest that only we can manage to navigate successfully. We all usually live our lives separately but visit each other often. And on holidays, we all come together for celebrations with good food, good drink, conversation, dancing, and competitions. We're away from all the chaos of the world in our own peaceful little corner."

At least, that was how it was when he left. He had no idea what it was like now.

She sighed happily. "I would love to live someplace like that."

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