Forgotten Embers

65. Damascus

They had dismounted, resting their horses for a time as they sat upon the flat faced rocks of the stony hill crest watching over the darkened trees of the forest below them.

Eliezer sat a short distance away from the rest of them, looking out into the night as he watched the black monsters which circled the skies above Elkshire. He could see the fiery light which flared against the darkness as the city burned, and he looked on sorrowfully as he watched it, his eyes hurting for the solemn scene of flame and death.

He felt a hand touch against the upper part of his arm, gripping gently from behind him, and he turned his head to see.

"Why do you subject yourself to watch this?" the softly melodic voice of his beloved friend asked him, and he smiled as he felt his heart warm. "Come back where the others are and laugh with them," she quietly implored him.

He sighed. "Dorcus," he said softly, setting his gaze again upon the burning city, "look at this. All of this destruction, all of those people, all of them lost, and what am I to do for them?"

"Eliezer, you tried," she quietly assured him. "You cannot make them hear you."

"Perhaps," he said decidedly, continuing to watch the burning.

"Eliezer..." she said, and he felt the tug of her at his arm again, but she soon gave up and instead took her place on the rock beside him.

He glanced over at the lady's lovely visage. She sat to his right side near him, and he smiled.

"Dorcus," he said softly, and her eyes met him, twinkling in the moonlight. "Thank you."

She smiled, batting her eyes at him.

The laughter and storytelling of their company could be heard higher up on the hill behind them. Their companions' words fell on their ears mingled with the faint crackling of the small campfire they had kindled while together they watched the fire as it burned in the distance.

Dorcus sighed, some time passing. "Eliezer," she entreated, her countenance ever soft towards him.

He turned his face to her again and blinked.

"How is it in Damascus?" she asked in a voice hardly more than a whisper.

"Well, it's... small, wooded, and... there is a river which runs by it which floods quite a bit, but the town itself is not so near it that it should be effected much by it.

"That town has the... loveliest people there, and, at times, I've rather missed them. I was always well received and treated very kindly in Damascus. I very much enjoyed my time there in the years before this.

"Well, before you..." he sighed, his eyes soft with consideration, "and Jordan and Sebastian came to hear me, and then..." he shook his head, "that whole whirlwind of things, which... led me here." He grinned determinedly. "It has been a marvelous challenge. Absolutely marvelous, but... one that I would never trade." He paused, smiling at her fondly. "And you, my dear lady, are so very lovely," he said, brushing his hand gently against her soft, silvery hair. "You've been such a wonderful part of it all."

"Eliezer..." she muttered softly, putting her hand on his, "where will we go?"

"I have a house there in Damascus, a small cabin which I left in the care of my friend," he told her. "There we can stay until the time is met. But come," he said, standing and offering his hand to elevate her.

She looked to him curiously, and he grinned with courtly kindness.

"You had wanted to join the others, hadn't you?" he explained with gentle encouragement. "I'm certain that Phia will be glad to have you back."