Tannilee's eyes widened, her mouth slightly ajar in bewilderment. "Oh, dear." She said softly, awed by this story. "Where do you plan to go from here? Surely you can't return home?"
"I must go to the Magistrate of the Nations. He's got the power to help my region."
"Stay a few more days," Tannilee practically begged. "Just a few more; I don't think you're strong enough quite yet to make that journey so far north. This place is rather isolated it may take days and days for the Outcastes to track you here."
Kelizya did not respond for a long time. She just looked with her own tired, worn eyes into Tannilee's bright, hopeful ones. "Don't underestimate those filthy Outcastes. I have already put you in danger by staying just these couple of days. They are brutal, Tannilee. They are not a scourge I would wish upon even my worst enemies."
Tannilee gulped. "You came out alive." She said, almost inaudibly. "Did they--? Did they... you know?"
Kelizya shook her head. "They only ever touched me to pull my hair or hit me."
They sat quietly until Kai could be heard calling Tannilee's name. "I'm in here, Kai!" She called back.
The door opened slowly, cautiously, and Kelizya saw Kai for the first time in her consciousness. He was well-built; she could tell he worked hard in manual labor. His dark hair fell into his dark blue eyes. "This is your betrothed?" Kelizya asked.
"Yes, this is my Kai. He's the one who carried you up here." Tannilee said. Kelizya sensed how Tannilee loved him; she was glowing, smiling at him in complete adoration.
"Feeling better?" Kai directed to Kelizya, his eyes cast downward, embarrassed to see in a mere chemise.
"Yes, I'm fine." Kelizya said with evident tightness.
Kai was a bit taken aback by her town. He hadn't any idea as to why she should be uptight with him. He glanced at Tannilee, eyebrows raised in question. She shrugged in response.
"Did you need something, Love?" Tannilee asked.
Kai shook his head quickly. "Just wanted to see how our guest was doing--YOUR guest, I mean."
"Ours." Tannilee corrected. "Someday soon, this house will be yours as well." She took Kelizya's empty bowl and stacked it in her own. "I'm going to take these down to the kitchen. You just rest up, now." She ordered Kelizya.
"I must go to the Magistrate of the Nations. He's got the power to help my region."
"Stay a few more days," Tannilee practically begged. "Just a few more; I don't think you're strong enough quite yet to make that journey so far north. This place is rather isolated it may take days and days for the Outcastes to track you here."
Kelizya did not respond for a long time. She just looked with her own tired, worn eyes into Tannilee's bright, hopeful ones. "Don't underestimate those filthy Outcastes. I have already put you in danger by staying just these couple of days. They are brutal, Tannilee. They are not a scourge I would wish upon even my worst enemies."
Tannilee gulped. "You came out alive." She said, almost inaudibly. "Did they--? Did they... you know?"
Kelizya shook her head. "They only ever touched me to pull my hair or hit me."
They sat quietly until Kai could be heard calling Tannilee's name. "I'm in here, Kai!" She called back.
The door opened slowly, cautiously, and Kelizya saw Kai for the first time in her consciousness. He was well-built; she could tell he worked hard in manual labor. His dark hair fell into his dark blue eyes. "This is your betrothed?" Kelizya asked.
"Yes, this is my Kai. He's the one who carried you up here." Tannilee said. Kelizya sensed how Tannilee loved him; she was glowing, smiling at him in complete adoration.
"Feeling better?" Kai directed to Kelizya, his eyes cast downward, embarrassed to see in a mere chemise.
"Yes, I'm fine." Kelizya said with evident tightness.
Kai was a bit taken aback by her town. He hadn't any idea as to why she should be uptight with him. He glanced at Tannilee, eyebrows raised in question. She shrugged in response.
"Did you need something, Love?" Tannilee asked.
Kai shook his head quickly. "Just wanted to see how our guest was doing--YOUR guest, I mean."
"Ours." Tannilee corrected. "Someday soon, this house will be yours as well." She took Kelizya's empty bowl and stacked it in her own. "I'm going to take these down to the kitchen. You just rest up, now." She ordered Kelizya.
