When And How Did it Begin?

To think back on when he first noticed her, it is hard. At first, her face seems to melt into the crowd of others that all came around the same time. In fact, his first conscious memory of her is in the company of that drummer, who seems to have outgrown his leathers, or maybe it is that he is trying to wear leathers that are too big for him, yet.



It is not like someone, or something, yanked him up, pointed to the spex and said......Look at that one there! Look at her closer! But he did listen as others spoke of her. Her father was killed in the same attack as Asria's mate, and she was now under the guardianship of Fonce.



Maybe it was that night she tossed the stone to him. The moment he caught it, he could feel a warmth radiate from it. Was that from simply having been in her grasp? But the warmth lingered. Again, was it from the warmth of her fingers, or was it from the fire that seemed to burn in the stone, the reds, golds and ambers that shimmered there? All he knows is, that there was just something so elementally right about holding it in his hand, running his calloused fingers over it. His hand extended to give it back, but her hand lifted to block its' return and she told him to keep it.


Probably if anyone else had told him that, he would have refused, but there was just something about this stone, something that felt right about it. For the briefest of moments, a thought flashed in his head that the stone was where it was supposed to be. In his possession.


Since receiving it, he has kept it with him constantly. Often he unconsciously takes it out, fingers moving along the smooth, polished surface which still seems to hold that warmth. Now of course, that is foolish, but that is how it seems to him. The stone has become almost like a talisman, something that he worries with his fingers as he things and ponders thing.


But, that is not what is important. What is important, is that is when he truly took his first, long look at the young woman, seeing an amused intelligence dancing in her eyes. Something that he did not see in everyone. In fact, something that he saw only in a few.


She caught his eye and his interest, so he took the next step, being the "honorable" Tuchuk that he is. He spoke to her guardian, Fonce about being allowed to speak with her more, to get to know her better. Permission granted.


That is how it started. He thinks.