There Is Still Hope

Writers: Eimi, Dana
Date Posted: 2nd April 2006

Characters: Daigoro, Cinale
Description: When night finally falls over the destruction of ACH, Cinale leaves the ruins of Vintner Hall to find Daigoro
Location: Amber Hills Hold, Vintner Hall
Date: month 11, day 2 of Turn 3

Cinale

Cinale was thankful that the clouds decided to break as soon as she'd made
up her mind to leave the Hall and go to the Hold. It was getting dark -
too dark for the men to keep on working. They'd done enough - as much as
they possibly could - in one day, and it was time for them to find their
families, friends and loved ones, and rest.

Everyone needed to rest - including Cinale herself. But she
couldn't...not without knowing if Daigoro had come back from the Hold yet
or not. And he hadn't. Not yet.

Cinale hurried faster down the lane, mindful of where she trod, passing
weary men on their way back to the Hall along the way. She knew that he
wasn't hurt - Wort surely would have acted strangely if he had been, so
that thought wasn't plaguing her. But he needed to rest...

And she needed to see him...

Daigoro stood in the middle of what used to be the great Amythest Cliff
Hold. The light of the large fires they had built around the parimeter
flickered across his face and eyes, but it could not illuminate the dark,
cold ruins that lay around him. They had to stop, he reminded himself.
They had to. It wasn't safe for the men to move rumble when they were
half blinded by the cold, dark night. They had pulled as many survivors
as they could out, but there were more dead bodies than live ones to be
found, it seemed. There was still hope. There was always hope. But the
longer they waited the more that hope faded.

The sight that lay before her made her stop short on the slight rise.
"Oh, Faranth..." she breathed in horror, tears pricking her eyes as she
took in the ghastly sight of what used to be one of the greatest Holds in
the south. Swallowing thickly and blinking back those tears of shock and
sorrow, Cinale made her way slowly down to the ruins, her eyes piercing
the darkness for any sign of Daigoro. As she approached the fires, she
saw a tall dark shape silhouetted against the flickering lights.

Daigoro.

Softly she called his name.

The Hallsecond turned. Seeing her stand there, he was filled a sense of
regret, frustration, and relief. He picked his way back through the ruins
and threw his big arms around her, pulling her close. "What are you doing
here, girl. You shouldn't be seeing this."

His voice seemed so strained... Cinale wrapped her arms around him
tightly, burying her nose in the curve of his neck and shoulder, inhaling
his familiar scent. The whole day had been heavy with despair - even the
night air seemed thick with it. It was having its affect on everyone, and
she could sense it in him. "I wanted to see you," she whispered in his
ear.

"I wanted to see you too," he admitted, kissing her forehead lightly.
Shards, he was so lucky to still have her, safe and whole. He knew he had
come close to losing her in the kitchen that day. Too many people had
died for him to doubt it was sheer luck that she was alive. A few steps
to the side, a quick stir to a pot in the back, a plate located on the
wrong end of the kitchen and she would have been lost to him. "I love you
Cinale. I love you so much."

The tears she had blinked away came back then. "I love you too, Daigoro."
She gazed up at him, knowing how lucky she was to have him here with her.
"Shards," her voice caught as she caressed the back of a finger down his
cheek, "if anything had happened..."

Daigoro stopped that thought with a fervent kiss. He didn't want to think
about it. The day had given him too many glimpses of what could have
been. He just needed to feel something other than cold and aloof and
hopeless. He needed a tactile reminder that they were _both_ alive and
well, they were in love and would have a future together that would not be
broken by shattered stone and splintered wood.

His kiss brought a warmth to her - comforting and familiar. All day it
seemed like she'd been so cold with dread and sorrow. The feeling had
been banished briefly with the birth of Miryene's fine baby boy, but it
had soon come back to settle on her shoulders. But now... Their lips
parted, and Cinale looked up into his eyes with a tender, sweet smile.

He reached up to brush back the hairs that had escaped her braid and
returned her smile, though it was twinged with sadness. Daigoro was
satisfied that she was all right, that even though his Hall was broken his
world was in tact. Taking her hand in his he whispered, "Please, let's
leave this place." If only for a little while...

She nodded, squeezed his fingers gently with her own as they turned away.
"I was able to set up a makeshift kitchen - with the help of some of my
girls today." Her voice was quiet, tinged with sadness. "There should be
some warm soup and klah waiting for you when we get back..."

Daigoro nodded. "I'm sure the Woodsmith Hall was greatful for a little
help with the cooking. It couldn't have been easy for them trying to feed
two Halls and half a Hold." A thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Miryene? Did she have her baby? Was everything all right?"

That brought a genuine smile to her lips. "A fine, healthy baby boy,
Daigoro. She's named him Mio."

"Mio, eh?" Well, it was appropriate to name the child after her new
husband. Afterall, he would be the one who had promised to raise the
child after the disappearance of the babe's _real_ father. "Well, Jio
will be happy to know that they are safe. I could tell he was beside
himself with worry for her, despite all the hard work he put in. I have
to say, it seems he genuinely loves her. I suppose maybe I was wrong
there." Maybe...

Cinale turned her face up to his at his words. "Miryene asked after
him... Is he home with her now?"

"Yes, he was one of the first sent back when it got too dark to see. I
thought it wasn't fair to hold him, for him or Miryene." It was too bad
that she had chosen this day of all days to go into labor.

"I know you couldn't have, hon... But I wish you could've come home
earlier. You look so worn..." Her fingers ran lightly over his.

"I'd no right go come home, love. Not with so many still missing." He
wasn't even sure if he felt right in going back now. But he did need at
least a couple hours sleep, or he would be no use to anyone the next day.
There was still so much to be done. "Amythest Cliff is lost, Cinale. We
will all be leaving this place. You must go with the others, but I must
stay behind a while."

His words made her pause in her stride, and she turned to stare up at him
in the darkness. The finality in those words...they struck her, made the
lump she'd been pushing down in her throat come back. "No. I'm not
leaving you."

He kissed her hand gently, giving it a tender squeeze. Daigoro didn't
like the idea of being separated from her either, but it was
unavoidable. "Some of us have to stay behind a while and keep searching,
and to salvage what we can. We need you to go on ahead with your girls
and help them settle into their new home."

Cinale looked away. She couldn't abandon her girls. Not after what had
happened. Some had lost a parent or both, she knew. Some had lost their
sweethearts. And she knew that they were looking to her now, depending on
her... "I don't want to leave you," she whispered.

"And I don't want you to go." But this had to be done. "But I will
follow as soon as I can. Of course once the spring comes, then nothing
will ever separate us again, love. We will be together always."

She gazed up at him, wondering. Then she gave him a small smile, though
it was a little forced. Shards...she would miss him.

Last updated on the May 3rd 2006

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There Is Still Hope