Those words allowed me to finally sigh, pushing out so much fear and tension with the air. My muscles unclenched, but I didn't pull away. I knew this wasn't proper, but having him hug me like this made me feel safer.
"I was so scared," I told him. "Rymar, I thought the Devil was coming."
So he flicked his tail up and slid his stinger into view. "And if he did, I'd sting him back to Hell. I promised I'd have your back, right? I meant it, Ayla."
All I could do to show him how much I appreciated that was to turn and hug his neck as hard as I could. I hugged him the way Jeera had with Zasen, not caring about proper or lady-like. Rymar just held me, murmuring softly each time the flashes or booms happened, until the loudest of the crashes on the roof turned to something deeper and less intense.
Then he gently eased me back. "Want to see what a storm looks like now?"
"Is it safe?"
He chuckled and slid out from behind me. Once he was on his feet, he turned and offered me a hand. "It is now."
"Okay," I agreed, because I really did think he'd protect me.
Refusing to let go of my hand, Rymar led me behind him as we headed to the front door. There, he eased it open to show me a world filled with water. I gasped, pressing in against his back even as I peeked around his shoulder. Rymar glanced back to check on me, and then led both of us onto the porch.
"This," he said proudly, "is rain."
Outside, I could feel the water in the air, blowing on the wind. Huge drops fell from the sky, and the ground was covered in it. Little streams and pools had formed in the yard and on the street. As I was trying to wrap my mind around all of it, another flash of lightning happened, but this time I was facing the right way to actually see it.
The line of it zigged and zagged across the sky, branching off as it tried to reach for everything. The thunder came right after, making me jump, but not as badly as before. I turned in time to see another bolt, but this one reached for the ground somewhere in the forest outside the walls. All of this was so intense and amazing, but I hadn't expected it to be beautiful.
"You doing okay?" Rymar asked.
I nodded and moved from behind him to beside him, trying to take in everything. "This is weather?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, and then moved down onto the steps, holding out his hand in an invitation to join him. "This is just a normal summer storm, but I can't wait for you to see snow. Come on. It's completely safe now."
So I took his hand and let Rymar lead me barefoot into the street. The grass squished under my soles. The mud pushed up between my toes. The water falling around us was cool but not cold, and I could breathe in it! Everything that fell from the sky soaked into my dress, but it wasn't like being underwater in a tub or something.
Then Rymar stuck out his tongue and tried to catch a drop. I watched as it splattered on his cheek instead, and laughed. So he pointed at me. Doing the same, I closed my eyes and turned my face up to the sky as the thunder continued to rumble and the lights still flashed. Then a cold drop landed right by my teeth, tasting like nothing.
"Got one!" I squealed.
Rymar laughed, "Watch this!"
Grabbing my fingers to get my attention, he pulled me towards a puddle. I didn't expect him to splash in it, though! Still, my dress was already getting soaked, so I mimicked him. He was so close my splash completely soaked his legs. Rymar only laughed.
The pair of us ran from puddle to puddle, splashing each other and giggling like we were little children. At one point, Rymar picked me up and spun me around. A little later, I tried to do the same, but he was too heavy. Instead, he laughed, turning around to grab my arm. That put his back towards me, and he hauled my hand over his shoulder. When he reached up on the other side, I gave him that hand too.
Tilting and tugging, Rymar pulled me halfway onto his back and started walking, spinning, and all but carrying me in circles through the street. My dress flared out behind me. My entire body was soaked. Wet strands of hair stuck to my face, but Rymar didn't seem to care at all. He was just as disheveled.
"And this," he told me when he set me down again, "is called playing. It's another one of those things Dragons do."
So I ran over and jumped in a puddle with both feet, sending water and mud out in all directions. "Rymar? I think I like playing."
"Then we'll have to do it more often," he swore.
Sixty-TwoKanik
We'd been out in the fields behind the library, working on group tactics when the cold front hit. When hail had come on the heels of that, the entire militia had rushed inside to hide from the pelting precipitation, but it meant our practice was over. So, once the storm lightened enough to be safe to walk in, Zasen and I headed back home.
"Kanik, you know she's never seen a storm before," Zasen pointed out.
That made me stretch my legs a little more. "Shit, she's probably scared to death."
"Hopefully Rymar will explain it," he mumbled.
Yeah, but Rymar probably wouldn't even notice. He'd find the pattering of hail and rain relaxing. He loved thunderstorms. I wouldn't be surprised if the guy crawled back into bed and took an afternoon nap. Then again, he'd definitely check on Ayla first.
But when we reached our street, I did not expect the sight before me. Drenched from head to toe, covered in mud and who knew what else, Ayla was spinning in the middle of a puddle, stomping her feet hard to make the water splash even more.
And beside her? Rymar and Tamin. The boy was carrying a little toy boat, trying to make it float in rivulets that were much too shallow for it, so Rymar was digging them deeper with his toes. That made me laugh, but it wasn't any of the "kids" in the street who noticed.
"Oh, come to play too?" Saveah yelled from her porch. "You're soaked enough!"
Laughing, I jogged over, aware Zasen was still heading for Ayla, Rymar, and Tamin. "We were working on the defense," I explained, holding out my arms for the baby she was holding.
"You're going to soak her blanket," she chided just as Zasen roared out a laugh.
"And you know you want to go play with the kids too," I taunted.
She all but thrust her daughter at me, smiling playfully. "Just remember you offered!"
And then she was off. Chuckling, I eased myself back to where she had a pair of chairs. How many times had she and Tasult sat here, calling out baby names across the street at us? Now, the babies were both born, and Tasult wasn't here to enjoy it. I figured that meant Saveah should get the chance to have fun when she could.
"Your momma needs more time to laugh," I cooed at Taris. "Yes, she does. And you're a good baby, aren't you?"
