A Flowerful Tree...Stunted

Posted on Sun Jan 31st, 2016 @ 6:49pm by Eldren Tohr & Indra Nyyar
Edited on on Sun Jan 31st, 2016 @ 6:57pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Archadia III

* Archadia III *

Nyyar did a slow turn, taking in the sumptuous decor of the small apartment. Upon arrival at the house, she and Eldren had been escorted through the large structure, upstairs, and finally to these rooms at the end of a hallway. The young woman had assured them they wouldn’t be bothered, then departed, closing the door behind her. They had passed a few women on the way up and they left no doubt in Nyyar’s mind exactly what sort of ‘house’ this was. She decided it didn’t really matter if it kept her safe but there was still a hint of a blush in her cheeks.

She stepped into the bedroom where the large bed was covered with silk and she fought the urge to fall back onto it to see if it was as comfortable as it looked. Inside the closet she found a (very) sheer robe along with several outfits in the native Archadian style. They revealed a lot more than she was used to revealing but she had to admit that dressed as such would make her less noticeable if they went out. Assuming she worked up the nerve to wear one of them.

She peeked back into the sitting room where Eldren stood. “So? What do you think?”

“These Archadians dwell on useless luxury and… erotic dresses. It is quite clear they’ve never known a war and ruthless oppressors as we did.,” was Eldren’s stern comment at first, then he cast a sidelong glance to Nyyar “Well.. the place’s quiet and comfortable…” he conceded in the end worrying, for the first time in his life, that his assumptions could possibly be found oppressive for people around him. Especially for Nyyar.

“No way I’m going to wear one of these.” he said in the end holding in a hand, with clear distaste, a piece of Archadian garment. “Can’t hide a weapon with this thing on,” he muttered to himself. “Can’t really hide anything indeed…”

Nyyar laughed for a moment. “As I understand it, where Archadian males are concerned, that’s the general idea. You should see what’s in the wardrobe. Come.” She motioned to him to come into the bedroom. “Take a look.”

None too convinced Eldren walked to the bedroom to peek into the wardrobe where Nyyar was pointing. His eyes widened in disbelief. “This must be a culture of perverts. At home things like that would be considered outrageous.”

Nyyar smiled in response. “Well, the robe is not for public viewing. These,” she indicated the dresses, “as little of them as there is, if we go out, wearing one would help me blend in with the rest so I am not so easily noticed.” Her cheeks flushed once more. “You’ve now seen me in less anyway.”

“That was an intimate thing for two souls alike,” He replied with great conviction. “...And not a show to be brought around amidst the street in the full light of the sun as these Archadians seem to be used to do.”
With a dismissing wave of the hand he moved away from the wardrobe to check the window of the bedroom. “Suresh’s been generous but I’m sure he’s got his own motives in doing that. Perhaps we could just content ourselves of this bucolic place he’s given us. Away from the ruckus of civilization.” And while he said that his hands deftly searched the window frame for some security device. “Damn.” He muttered to himself “Suresh must surely have set some kind of security to avoid unwanted guests…”

“Perhaps the place is enough,” Nyyar mused. “Who would think to look for me in a house full of….of paid women? Zikar certainly wouldn’t. He never…..” She paused a moment and shook her head. “Never mind.”

Eldren stopped his activity on the window with Nyyar’s words and she couldn’t avoid noticing the stiffening of his broad shoulders with her naming of Zikar. “It is only for the better for him to avoid searching for you here… Or anywhere else.” Despite his low husky voice Eldren’s tone was full of bitterness and of an anger barely held in check.

His tone caught Nyyar’s attention and she crossed to rest her hands on his shoulders. “I’m sorry, it’s habit. His name seems to spring to mind so often, even though now the recollections are not sentimental. They will fade in time.” She left it at that. A lot had changed in a very short time and she was uncertain what exactly this was with Tohr and where it was taking them. “If that matters to you.”

Tohr breathed deeply then turned to look her in the eyes, his hands taking hers. “What matters is you,” he said, resentment still present in his voice, a deep one for all that the Cardassians had stolen from them. “I’ve been forced to fight all my life because of them, robbed of a normal life… And then they pampered you in lies robbing you of free will and of a life worthy to be lived with your loved ones.” His grip on her hands tightened as he spoke with growing emotion, stopping suddenly when he saw her wince. “I’m sorry,” he said leaving her hands. “He’s not going to bring you back to a cage should this be the last thing the Prophets allow me to do.”

“No, he isn’t,” she agreed. “This means more to me than you may ever truly know. I just sort of...exploded in your life and yet you don’t seem to mind.” She smiled up at him. “For that I am grateful as well. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I suppose things will work themselves out as they are meant to be.”

A soft sad smile lined Tohr’s lips as he listened to her words. She said to have exploded in his life and he realized now that things had exploded in his life much before her. No matter how he tried to look back, the only thing he could find were only shards of a life. With pieces that wouldn’t match one with the other. He turned then to look out of the window:

“Yes. Things will work out as they’re meant to be.”

She watched him for a moment, suddenly overcome with the urge to find Zikar, speak her mind and shove him onto his ship. She wanted him away from 900, out of her life, and far away from the possibility of striking out at Tohr. The rush of protectiveness didn’t surprise her, though she suspected he was far more capable of dealing with Zikar than she was. His tone when she mentioned Zikar prodded at her now.

“Tohr?”

“Yes?”

She took his arm and turned him back to face her. “This craziness will be over soon. My decision has been made and there’s nothing he can do. He’ll grow tired of it and go home, where he can curse getting involved with a Bajoran and his friends can tell him it’s all for the best and time to get on with his very important life.”

Tohr took her by the shoulders. “He won’t let go of the bone... Or he would have stayed back in Cardassia Prime in the first place. No… He won’t let you go until he’s able to breathe. But you don’t have to worry about that now. Suresh has granted us one of his refuges, we’re safe here, for a while.”

“When do you have to go back to the station?” She slipped her arms around him and hugged him close. “Not today I hope?”

“When Suresh calls,” He replied sternly, “Albeit I’m not looking forward to it. And even if he does I’ll do everything I can to be back as soon as possible.”

“Good. Shall we go out and get dinner?” she asked. “We have a little time yet, so perhaps I can get used to the idea of the native dress.”

“No matter how much time we have I’ll never get used to their native dress. But we’ll go out for dinner.”

She reached up to trace his lips with her finger. “Soon.”

“Even sooner,” He responded holding her tight and lifting her to stamp a kiss on her lips.

* Later *

Nyyar stirred and slowly climbed towards waking. A low murmur came at her ear and she froze, frantically trying to recall where she was in the confusion of semi-sleep. The voice sounded again and she came fully awake now. The arm wrapped around her was hard with muscle, the skin tan. The sight brought immediate relief. Tohr. Little by little her breathing returned to normal. The urge to flee subsided and she rolled over beneath his arm.

“I am so glad to see you.”

“Mh?...” He grunted still deep in slumber, while his arm tightened its hold a little around her “So am I.” He ended with a mumble.

A soft laugh slipped from Nyyar. She was relieved that he still slept, which meant he likely hadn’t noticed her momentary panic, at least on a conscious level. She tilted her face up to brush a kiss to his lips, then carefully began to slip from beneath his arm. as Tohr mumbled some more, too incoherently though, to be understood.

Her feet hit the floor and she sat for a moment, reveling in the soft carpet beneath her feet. Finally, she rose and eased open the door to the wardrobe. She stood debating, then took the sheer robe and moved silently into the bathroom. She considered closing the door but was afraid the noise might wake him. Moments later, the hushed pitter patter of the shower began and she stepped inside. The hot water felt utterly delicious and she realized that, for the first time since her flight from Cardassia, she felt completely safe and out of Zikar’s reach.

Tohr stirred and, coming to full consciousness, brought himself to sit on the bed. a part of his mind centered on the muffled sounds coming from the bathroom door while the other one becoming alert as it had always been.

“Couldn’t we have dinner brought here?” he said aloud. the idea of dressing like an archadian and especially going out in their streets awful to him.

“Wear your normal clothes?” Nyyar suggested. She appeared in the doorway, wearing the robe and drying her hair with a towel. “None of them know what you look like so you will be perfectly safe.”

“Good idea.” he said smiling “Yes my normal clothes will do just fine.” relieved by being exempted from the archadian attire he stood from the bed and started searching in his bag.

Nyyar returned to the wardrobe and a few minutes later she took a turn before the mirror. She now wore one of the Archadian dresses in a sunny yellow. To call it a dress was being generous. It more resembled a bra and skirt cut low enough to barely ride her hips, with a gauzy piece draped over one shoulder.

“What do you think, Tohr? Good thing it’s warm out there,” she joked.

“Becoming warm in here too…” he muttered taking a look at her “Er… You’re splendid.”

She quickly braided her hair and would it up on top of her head, then slipped on a pair of flat sandals. “Now I’m ready. I think.” She took one last look at herself and laughed. It was short but then another came and another until she had to wipe her eyes. Being in disguise as a paid ‘escort’ was both perfect and extremely funny. “Alright, let’s do this.”

“Yes, let’s go. Hope their dinner plates are more abundant than their dresses.” Tohr responded jokingly, then regarded her some more “But I warn you. If their gaze lingers on you a moment longer than necessary I don’t know how’s going to end…”

“I’m flattered.” She took his hand and then led the way out of the apartment.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and passed through the expansive lobby. It was crowded now that it was evening, with men and women congregating here and there or lounging on sofas deep in conversation. Nyyar had been right. Given her outfit, she blended in perfectly and could have been one of the many women there escorting her client through the premises. They gathered no attention from the usual residents of the house but one visitor in the corner did take note. It wasn’t every day that one saw a woman on Archadia wearing a Bajoran earring. He sat up, shifting a woman off his lap, surprise evident on his face.

“Excuse me a moment,” he murmured. “I’ll be right back.” She nodded and the man hurried to a quiet corner of the lobby and pressed his comm badge. “Samir here, sir. You won’t believe what I just saw.” He described the couple passing through the house. “Yes sir, I did say I am in a whorehouse. Yes, she was with a Bajoran but not the one I incarcerated on the ship. I suspect this one is the real Bajoran issue.” He listened a moment, wishing the tiny earpiece he wore hadn't been so close to his eardrum. “No, I don’t think she works here. I think someone has hidden her here and dressed her like one of the women to make her inconspicuous.” He listened another moment. “Understood sir. I’ll report in soon.”

Samir closed the channel and returned to his entertainment for the evening. He pulled her to her feet and smiled. “We’re going out.”

“Sure but that will be extra,” she informed him.

“No problem. Let’s go.” He took her arm and the pair hurried out the door.

* * *

Nyyar and Eldren stepped out into the main square in the early evening sun. Before them the palace sprawled along the far side of the square and in the center was the large fountain that seemed to be the meeting place for the locals.

“It’s lovely!” she exclaimed as she stood surveying the view. “Come.” She tugged on his hand as they hurried across the square and when they reached the fountain, she bent to dip her fingers in the crystal-clear water. “Everything is so bright and beautiful. Compared to Cardassia it’s breathtaking.” She let the water drop from her fingers, then reached out to put her hand beneath the falling waters from the fountain itself.

Carefully checking the people around them Tohr immersed his hand too into the water “Perhaps this strange people has love for things beautiful, after all.” He avoided an easy comment on how little effort was required to have things and views better and more appealing than those on Cardassia.

“Color,” Nyyar answered, as if reading his thoughts. “Things there are so stark and grey. I really stood out, as you can imagine. No matter where I went. My hair especially fascinated everyone.” She raised her hand and playfully flicked water droplets at Tohr.

“I have no doubt.” He smiled trying, too late, to screen himself from the droplets. “This place is exposed we should move down that street where I see a restaurant.” He added belatedly realizing he was behaving like on a mission. An aspect of his character he was apparently unable to turn off.

“Certainly. I am ravenous. Maybe it’s the fresh air, hmm?” she teased him. Stepping closer, she took hold of his shirt and pulled him down for a kiss. “Ready when you are.”


To Be Continued...

***********
Eldren Tohr
Indra Nyyar
Samir