In a way, it’s similar to shield -the hands crossed over the chest. She’s had Kazi teach her the signs, has practiced the motions in her mirror. This is one thing Janai knows the name of. She reaches out and takes one of Janai’s hands with her own, pulling up to press Janai’s knuckles against her lips. Some relief has settled over her, that’s plain to see. Her gaze flickers up to Janai’s and her pain eases her lips pull up at one edge. Janai is no fool and Janai watches-she’s been watching General Amaya longer than she’s known her name (and longer still than she’s known this one)-but it doesn’t take a careful eye to see the way Amaya’s expression shifts. I don’t know anyone more deserving to bear that name.” “I failed her,” she signs, hands shaking. Then, she crosses both hands over her chest-palms out and A’s. You carry her heart in your chest and nurture it. Amaya’s eyes fall to her lips, tears hanging at the edges of them, ready to fall. “You are your sister’s guardian,” she whispers. What she wants to say, Janai knows she doesn’t have the signs for. In the gap between them she signs, Good name. She leads Amaya’s fingers to open, palms facing down. I should have protected her, and I didn’t. She continues, “I wasn’t when it mattered. Blocking out her senses, stopping her from seeing Janai’s response. It seems almost reflexive-her hands form the A’s, then drop them. Her shield.” Her arms rise again, crossed and pumping out. “Even as a child, I was Sarai’s protector. She takes a long breath before she responds. Janai thinks she’s seeing something far away, some memory. “Why don’t you use it now?” Her hands are slow, unsure.Īmaya shrugs, but she’s not looking up, just staring at a spot past Janai’s collarbone. Her hands each take the shape of an A-her arms cross over her chest, palms out, then shove out once.Īmaya’s arms shake as they drop from the name sign. She hesitates for a moment, expression pinching, then makes a sign Janai hasn’t seen before. Her hands rise to respond, and Janai regrettably lets her own fall back to her side. She only needs one to do this sign.Īmaya sighs, and the huff of breath dances across Janai’s fingers. Her eyes say challenge me, but the broken quality of her expression says otherwise. Her thumb caresses across her jaw, tugging just a bit to get the other woman to look at her.Īmaya’s eyes slide to her. She reaches out, fingers finding Amaya’s chin. They can be lover’s hands and wield a sword all the same. But Amaya has reached in and found the gentle touch within her. She’s always had the hands of a warrior over the hands of royalty-even now, as queen, that hasn’t changed. She doesn’t grab, not like she has before. It’s an effective way to end the conversation-to show that Amaya won’t be doing any more speaking or listening-but Janai has never given up when she wants something (she got Amaya, didn’t she?) and now she’s burning with the desire to know. The general’s arms cross over her chest and her head turns further away. She knows she’s supposed to raise her eyebrows with a question, but now she can’t help but furrow them.Īmaya presses her fingers against her shoulder then waves behind her again. A worm of worry nestles in Janai’s gut.Īmaya’s hand waves backwards over her shoulder. Janai loves that about her, that her hands twist and twitch in time with her racing thoughts. She’s always worn her feelings on her face, and besides that, in her hands. Her sister considered it her worst quality.Īmaya looks away again. Perhaps it’s a topic better left unbreeched. Her eyes glance away, and her lip dimples as if she’s biting it from the inside.įor a moment, Janai feels as though she shouldn’t ask, that perhaps she should drop the topic completely and they can go dine together in the great hall of Lux Aurea or spar outside where the sun can shine down on them. They told me it was a great honor to receive one.”Īmaya nods her fist. It hits her in a flash, and she moves to replicate the motion. She can’t remember the signs the other elf had used to describe it. Name signs.”Īmaya’s hands twist together in lieu of a response. Janai’s fingers tap together like a little beak. Her hands find each other, holding on for a moment before she responds. She takes note when the general’s expression shifts and her hands still for just a little too long.Īmaya’s smile looks strained. Her hands aren’t used to doing the talking-they stutter like lips, and more than once she has to push her mistakes away and start again-but her eyes watch. Her job was to watch the breach, to watch the human general as the general watched her back (she never did get over the fire in those eyes), and Janai thinks she’s still, to an extent, doing just that.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |