Zida 60, Arc 721
The comment about Nashaki almost caused a grin to form, and yet the young woman controlled herself. Oberan didn't know about her unusual parentage or that her Immortal father was the High Merchant himself. Even if he had, would it have made a difference? Eztori were a funny lot when it came to Immortals, but something inside Natalia sensed that Oberan wasn't a typical Eztori. What would he think of the secret she kept?
Natalia considered him and realized she was paying more attention to his mannerisms and body language than words. Words could deceive, and for Oberan, more could be gained by watching him than listening. It wasn't that he purposely misled – well, maybe sometimes – but he seemed to relish countering her words. A little verbal jousting, as it were. For Natalia, something about conversing with him sparked a long-forgotten part of her, energizing from within. She pushed, and he prodded right back, locking them in a delightful campaign that both seemed to enjoy. Grayson argued for the sake of arguing – Oberan took it to a new level.
It wasn't until he explained the difference between what he had said and her version – nearly identical – that another similarity dawned on her. Both, in their own way, craved new experiences. She had left a life that would have seen to her comfort and needs for the rest of her days because she hadn't wanted that type of existence. Oberan? His need to push and poke anything and everything was unlike anything Natalia had ever seen. He wasn't an idle soul, from what she could tell. Again, his truth was wrapped within a cloak of actions and intentions; in maddening smirks and hearty chuckles. If she were a betting woman, the young mortalborn would guess that he realized, on some level, conscious or not, that they were kindred spirits.
Oberan admitted was an acquaintance but would budge no further on the subject. Again, his words hide what he knew to be the truth - Natalia was sure of it. There was no point in continuing to resist him on the subject, so she let it slide. He was the type that if you forced the issue, regardless of his personal views, there would be much digging in of the heels, just to rebel. That she knew for certain.
As their verbal chess match continued and the further they got, the surer Natalia was that he realized she wasn't a threat to him. His body language eased, and while Oberan kept an eye on her, it wasn't the critical, paranoid gaze of someone questioning the other person's presence. No, they were past that, much to Natalia's relief.
Trust? Well, that was another matter entirely – for both, it seemed. Natalia realized the error of her words the moment they were spoken, and Oberan simply watched as she walked them back. She might have let the statement stand with another, but that wasn't how she wanted things to be between them. Doing the same thing got the same result, and Natalia wanted a different outcome with him. There was something unique between them, but it couldn't be rushed or forced. Whatever it was, it needed to be allowed to breathe and manifest in its own time.
The conversation progressed to their joint venture, and she broke the rhythm ever so slightly with her amused outburst. Was it the first time he had ever seen her break down in laughter like that? Probably. It wasn't a state that often overcame her, but the paradox was just so absurd.
After calming down, she chuckled a bit more and addressed his comment. "Smoke and Mirrors. I'm quite confident that you understand the power of such. People see what I want them to see, and it's different for each person - giving them whatever illusion they wish gives me control. Nish and the others prefer to see me as the mysterious stranger from a foreign land. My cousin wants to see a confident, independent soul that relies on him for training and guidance. You, however…."
She let the words die out, casting a curious glance at him. "You require none of that. You know it's all a façade. So instead of illusion, I give you truth." The concept was simple, requiring no further explanation.
Then came the mistake - an unfortunate mix of overconfidence and brief lapse of focus.
As he questioned her use of "Grayson" instead of "Gareth," Natalia froze. The brief reaction, marked by unquestionable surprise in her body language, was there for one to see…if they were looking for it.
"Indeed. Gareth Grayson." She responded quickly, twisting the truth slightly, hoping it appeased her way-to-intelligent-for-his-own-good counterpart. Unfortunately for her, the ease of their conversation had prompted her to let her guard down and stumble. In the game of deception, one couldn't afford to do that. Oberan might play the part of a fool for the masses but was anything but – his catch of her lie being the perfect example.
Whether Oberan accepted her explanation or not, he let the matter be. In hindsight, the food had been a good call. Actually, a perfect call. His appetite seemed endless, which was something the young mortalborn noted for future meetings.
Before he left, they touched briefly on her apparent lack of a name and the enormous burden of being him – both subjects bringing the briefest of smiles to her lips. There was a lightness and play to his words that hadn't been present before, and he allowed her to be a part of it - an olive branch of sorts, whether he realized it or not.
As she watched the dramatic exit, the smile tugging at the corner of her lips finally won, but only then did she remember one last thing to tell him. Swiftly moving in his wake, she walked into the space beyond where they had been, but he was gone - just gone. How do you do that?
They hadn't planned for their next meeting, but that didn't concern her; they had a way of finding each other. Was it odd? Perhaps, but it was what it was. Natalia didn't question or deny it. Mystery and intrigue were part of the package, and who was she to ruin the enigmatic wonder of it all?
Walking back into the costume loft, Natalia's eyes fell to the unopened bottle of Darringtons, still sitting on the table untouched. Picking up the bottle, she turned to look towards Oberan's exit direction, whispering curiously. "Seems you didn't need this after all. Imagine that…"
Slowly, a grin formed.
"A draw this time, it seems. A most worthy opponent you are proving to be, my dear. I look forward to our next match."
