A Beautiful Bloom and a Beautiful Memory

Writers: Ames, Eimi
Date Posted: 8th June 2019

Characters: Nadreh, Jihan
Description: Nadreh recalls the first time Jihan visited Emerald Falls.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 11, day 1 of Turn 9
Notes: Flashback

Nadreh had been bustling about their chambers tidying things up now
that everyone was gone for the day at work or classes. Dusting a bit,
she moved a small table. A small framed object wobbled on the edge of
the table. Nadreh stretched quickly to try and catch the item before
it fell to the ground.

"Phew," she said wiping her brow and placing the object back on the
table. Her eyes rested on the small pressed flower inside the frame.
She traced her finger over the flower and a smile filled her face. She
remembered the day Jihan had handed that flower to her many Turns ago.

~Begin Flashback~

Nadreh sat on a bench outside the main hold. She'd been anxiously
waiting to run into Jihan again. Their first meeting had been pleasant
and she found her heart fluttered a bit as she thought of him. She had
hoped that by sitting here she might catch a glimpse of him again. She
wasn't even sure how long he was staying at Emerald Falls. Had he
already left perhaps?

Their final meeting had broken up the candlemark before, but Jihan
could not rest. He had been wandering the halls since that time,
popping in to all the places he thought Nadreh might be, but to no
avail. It seemed she had all but disappeared. On his third trip
passed the main door, he finally paused and thought he might as well
wander that way next. If she was not there either, he could try to
catch her eye at dinner, but it was hard when her family was around.
Pushing open the great door, he squinted slightly in the bright spring
sunshine. Now... weren't there some walking paths over this way?

She'd sat on the bench for some time, waiting, until she got antsy. It
was nearing the dinner time and she knew her family would be expecting
her. Pushing up from the bench, she made her way down the paths back
towards the main hold entrance. A flash of black hair caught her eye.

"Jihan?" She called out, then wondered if she was wrong as she was
still far enough away to not be sure it was he.

The young steward's assistant turned at the sound of his name spoken
in that familiar voice with almost whiplash speed. "Nadreh? Thank
the Egg! I've been looking all over for you," he said with a relieved
smile. Perhaps it was unmanly to admit just how desperate he had been
to see her, but Jihan truly could care less. Their time was growing
shorter with each passing moment and he was not going to waste any of
it by trying to play it cool. He looked around. They seemed to be
completely alone, and it was highly inappropriate. But also perfect.
"Would you... I mean, if you would feel comfortable that is... I mean
I know it might be too much to ask... but would you... walk... with
me?"

"Sure," Nadreh remarked. She had liked Jihan since she first met him
at the feast. She knew it probably wasn't exactly proper to walk on
her own with him, but she also didn't want to miss the chance to spend
time with him. Besides they were still in public so long as they
stayed on the main walking paths. She fell into step beside him.

"So..." he said, setting a slow pace. Jihan didn't want the walk to
end too quickly. "We had out last meeting just now. We'll be leaving
at first light."

"Oh," she replied, her face falling a bit. "I wondered when you'd have
to leave." She kicked at a stone on the path and added quietly, "I
wish it didn't have to be so soon."

"I wish that too. I've enjoyed our talks," he said, looking down at
his thumbnail and pretending to extract some little bit stuck under
it. "I was thinking, if you found out more about that story you were
telling me in the Record Room about the first Lord of Emerald Falls,
maybe you could write to me and tell me about it. And if I find out
more about that disagreement between Red Rush and Top Creek, I could
maybe write you." Trading stories of the histories of their Holds had
been the highlight of is trip. Well, that and her eyes. Jihan would
always remember those eyes.

"Oh, yes, that would be wonderful," Nadreh replied, her eyes
brightening and her smile returning to her face. "I'd love to stay in
touch that way. Do you think you will be back to Emerald Falls in the
future?" She almost held her breath while she waited for his answer.
Would this be the very last time she ever saw him?

"I'm _sure_ I will be. Though," he admitted with some sadness, "I
can't say when that will be." Jihan stopped to pluck a rather robust
bloom growing along the path before continuing on. He twirled the
stem between his fingers
as they walked, wishing he knew what the name of the flower was.

She wished the answer could have been different. She definitely liked
being in his company. "We shall exchange letters then, until the time
you get to return here," Nadreh stated it with confidence, knowing at
least it would allow them to stay connected. What happened after that?
Well, only time would tell.

"That's a beautiful flower. One of my favorites," she remarked, when
she noticed Jihan twirling it in his hands.

He stopped once more and turned to face her. "Then you should have
it," Jihan said, slipping the stem behind her ear. "Something to
remember me by." **At least until the blossom fades...** He smiled
softly at the sight of her with a bright blossom in her dark hair.
Whenever he passed a bed of flowers in the future, he knew he
would look for this particular one, and think of her.

"Oh," she said happily, raising her hand to just brush the tips of the
petals gently. "Thank you. I will treasure it."

Just then voices could be heard coming down the path towards them. To
outside eyes, the pair would have been seen as being engaged in
harmless, innocent conversation, but the moment had felt so intimate
to him that Jihan instinctively took a small step. "Please write me
soon," he said softly.

She didn't want the moment to end and when he stepped back the moment
between them ended. "I will," she promised. "We best get back now."

~ End Flashback ~

Nadreh smiled as she recalled how connected she had felt to Jihan that
very day.

"And still do," she murmured to herself, placing the small frame back
on the table. Jihan brought her the flowers all the time now, but this
particular bloom would always be one of her favorites. Humming to
herself, she got back to the task of cleaning up their quarters.

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

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A Beautiful Bloom and a Beautiful Memory