Sands In The Darkest Night

The Reform

*Look there! It's the sun...the breaking of a new dawn.*

Aria laid on her little hay bed.

She watched Tarzah go about his usual business in the cottage.

Aria's heart swelled just by looking at him.

He was very handsome, but Aria didn't care about looks, she cared about who he was on the inside.

He was kind, loving and Aria knew she wouldn't have been able to survive the pain from the loss of her parents if he hadn't been there.

She'd told him all about-

Aria's throat clenched as she remembered his name.

His name brought death, sorrow and indescribable fear.

Telling Tarzah about him hadn't been easy, but she'd open up to him.

Tarzah made her feel loved, made her feel safe, something she'd never felt with...

She sat up.

"Tarzah." She called softly.

He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.

He probably noticed her sullen expression and was by her side in a second.

He knelt on one knee beside her checking if anything was wrong.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly touching her shoulder tentatively.

"Can we go outside for some fresh air?" Aria's eyes pleaded with him.

Tarzah looked behind at the work he was still halfway through with briefly.

He looked back at her with a heart-stopping smile.

"Okay."

They walked out of their modest cottage and they were greeted with the sweet scent of nature.

They sat by a lake near their cottage and just basked in the sound of nature around them.

Aria leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

Comfortable silence passed between them for a moment.

They sat there enjoying each others company and the scenery before them.

Aria sighed.

Tarzah looked down at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly, not wanting to break the tranquillity of the moment.

"What do you know about God?" She asked quietly.

She felt him let out a breath after a moment.

Then he spoke.

"I know that he's all-knowing."

"Patient...loving." He started.

Aria raised her head and turned to him.

"Loving?" There was a hint of doubt in her voice.

Aria averted her eyes.

"I don't think he's so loving." She said softly.

Tarzah turned to her fully, not really surprised by her answer.

"Why? Because he took your parents away?" Tarzah asked already knowing the answer to his question.

Aria looked at him tears brimming in her eyes.

"How could a loving God kill such good people? Why would a loving God burden his people with so many laws, laws that are impossible to follow?"