The Cycles of Revelation Series
Artifact of the Dawn: Honeymoon (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)
Episode 85: Ardyn and Jevan celebrate their new bond and spend some time alone together on their way to visit friends and family.
Shouldering their packs, Jevan and Ardyn set out early the next morning. A small group gathered in the observation tower to wish them farewell, including Takyra, Aerys, Mathias, and Taeglyn.
“Here, take a couple of spare communicators, in case you damage yours,” Takyra offered, handing them to Jevan.
Slipping them in his jacket pocket, Jevan smiled in thanks. “You don’t have to worry so much about us. We’ll be fine.”
“You gave us quite a scare during your bonding ceremony,” she reminded him. “What you both have been through is unprecedented, and we want you to return safely.”
“Thank you,” Ardyn said gratefully.
“Give my best to your father,” Taeglyn said, pulling him aside and handing Ardyn a written note.
Everyone followed them outside, and they both turned around and waved at them as they made their way toward Maala’naa. The trek on foot would take them around three days, and they promised to check in with the Rahn’naa regularly and let them know once they had arrived.
Most of the encampment around the Rahn’naa had dispersed, the people returning to their settlements. However, there were some who remained, either because they feared another attack or remained curious about the Rahn’naa and the Athla’dor. It took some time for them to pass the last of the encamped Athla’bhat, and even then, there was now a well-trodden path through the woods that clearly led directly to Maala’naa.
“I don’t think we’ll get lost,” Jevan joked.
By this point, Ardyn and Jevan were conversing both telepathically and verbally, as they were still working out what felt right. As thoughts of the last time Jevan had been in Maala’naa filtered into his mind, Ardyn spoke up. “This time, I will give you a proper tour of our settlement, and show you the hut my parents raised me in.”
“It will be nice to not have the threat of death hanging over me. Hopefully, that will give me a better appreciation of my surroundings,” Jevan joked. Ardyn gave him a gentle punch in his arm as they both laughed.
The weather was turning cooler, and they had asked Keryth not to change the weather just for them, explaining how they’d spent their entire lives living in these forests. However, they appreciated some guidance on warmer clothes to replicate. It wasn’t winter yet, but the nights were going to be colder, so they wore pants and jackets that were slightly insulated.
Not needing to blend into their surroundings as they once did, they also chose different colors than the browns and greens they usually wore. Ardyn wore gray pants with black boots, with a dark blue shirt and a jacket that had blocks of both blue and gray. Jevan loved the look and made something similar but went with a combination of tan and red instead, with dark brown boots.
Some of their friends on the Rahn’naa also suggested they bring a tent with them, and they showed them how to replicate one. They liked the design, but it seemed too bulky to take with them when one tech from the Wah’kah’ria showed them the latest in tent designs from Aria’naa. When collapsed, it was around the size of a tray of food, and after pressing a button, it unfolded itself into a tent easily large enough to sleep two people.
When they’d reached their planned campsite for the evening, they called into the Rahn’naa and let them know they were both doing well, before setting up their camp for the night. Sitting by the fire, Jevan smiled when he realized Ardyn was replaying memories of the consummation of their bond in his mind.
Ardyn’s ears went flat when he realized Jevan knew what he was thinking. “This is going to take some getting used to, never having a private thought from you.”
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to invade your thoughts,” Jevan apologized. “I’ll try to find a way to not intrude on them, but this is all so new. We need to keep practicing so we can learn how to control it better.”
“Agreed. We’re bondmates, but we’re both entitled to some private thoughts.”
“We are, but… since you were having those thoughts, does that mean you would enjoy being intimate with me again?” Jevan asked, giving Ardyn his most charming smile.
Ducking his head, Ardyn nodded, before holding a hand up to keep Jevan from following through with the current thought he was having. “But first, we should eat something.”
“Alright, eat first, ravish later,” Jevan agreed with a laugh.
The next day and evening were peaceful as they made their way through the Aria’una and past the bhat’laa’arh. “Hey look, the sensors are gone!” Jevan noted as they approached the ancient trees.
“I guess my people took them down,” Ardyn thought to him, flooding his mind with memories of the last time they’d come this way. “I’m almost disappointed that there’s no hunting party to greet us, either.”
Jevan laughed. “Don’t remind me.”
After the incident the night before, they practiced both communicating and blocking each other’s thoughts. One thing they both realized was the more emotional the thought was, the harder it was to keep private.
“I guess that’s not always a bad thing,” Jevan thought. “At least if one of us is in distress, the other will immediately know, even when we’re not together.”
“Good point, but will we still be able to communicate if we’re far apart?”
Jevan thought about that for a moment. “Maybe we can test that? Keryth could beam one of us up to his ship and we could try to communicate.”
“That couldn’t possibly work, could it?”
“Why not? These communicators we wear work across vast distances, don’t they?”
“I guess we’ll have to find out.”
