Closed Seeking Answers (Waisana)

[Lian Windrunner]

Timestamp: 1st Day of Fall, 514 AV Lian stared at his captive, silently cursing the dim early morning light. To his eyes, her exposed belly was slightly rounded. The soft, gentle curve of the flesh was barely visible in the dim light, but it was there...or was it? Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was he simply seeing what he wanted so much to see - an unborn of his own seed growing within the young girl...the promise of a future for his people. How could he be certain one way or the other? The most obvious way is to ask Seirei, of course. But the girl is too stubborn for her own good. She'd tell me that she wasn't pregnant whether she was or not, just to spite me. I suppose I can't blame her for her defiance...were I her, I would defy my captor in every way I could, too. That doesn't make my need to know any less real, though. With the way that she resists me every night, I could injure an unborn child by accident before I ever knew it was there. Worse, what if I accidently caused Seirei to have a miscarriage? he grumbled to himself. Lian gently placed a large, calloused hand on his captive's abdomen. The girl was seemingly asleep, but at his touch, she shrank back. Lian didn't pursue her. In his brief touch, he thought that he had felt a small swell in the girl's belly. But it was hard to tell. Is she...? Have I finally succeeded in planting a child inside her? he wondered. Or am I seeing what isn't really there because I want it so badly? Lian frowned, his eyes straining to catch every detail he could in the dim light. It didn't help much, and his frown deepened in his annoyance. This is ridiculous! I won't know for certain one way or the other until the signs become more pronounced...or they don't. I can't wait that long. His rapidly thinning control wouldn't allow it. I'll have to track that healer friend of Seirei's down, and get her to tell me. Assuming that I can. She refused to tell me before. Well, I just won't take no for an answer this time. I'll have to convince her that it's in Seirei's best interests if I know whether she's pregnant or not. Surely the healer won't refuse to tell me then...right? With that decided, Lian altered his plans for the day. He had been planning on going hunting, but he would make a visit to the Healing Tents instead. That would have to wait, though. Judging by the dim light within the tent, the sun couldn't have been up for long. Lian didn't know how early Seirei's healer friend was likely to start work, so waiting til mid morning or even early afternoon was likely the safest bet. That gave Lian enough time to enter the Web, and follow up on something that he'd noticed a while back. Lian sat back on his bed roll, and made himself comfortable. Then he closed his eyes, and allowed himself to enter the Web. The glowing blue strands of the Web, and the soothing melody of life that surrounded Lian as he entered the Web relaxed him greatly. His fraying temper and increasing impatience suddenly felt more manageable. Lian felt as though he might even be able to approach Seirei's healer friend calmly and rationally rather than rushing over to demand answers like a petulant child who had been denied a treat. Lian always felt better when he was in the Web. But that wasn't what he had come for. He wanted to investigate an unexpected connection he had discovered last season. While all Drykas were tied together as a people, individuals usually only had ties to their blood family, their spouses, and those friends they had the strongest bonds to. And through those people they were tied to others. Who were tied to still others. And so on. But Lian had discovered a very faint bond tying him to Seirei...which should have been impossible. Although Seirei was tied into the Web now, she wasn't a Drykas. So they should have nothing tying them together. Lian sought that tie out now, half thinking he had imagined it. But no, it was still there. In fact, it was a little stronger than it had been when Lian first noticed it. Lian could see the bond more clearly now. What had caused it? And why was it getting stronger? Lian studied the bond tying him to his captive closely. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The tie felt similar to one that might be found between two people that shared blood ties, but there was a flavor of distance that didn't belong to such a tie. It wasn't the bond found between siblings. That was one that Lian knew well, having enjoyed very close bonds with his brother and sister. Nor was it the bond between an ankal and a member of his pavilion. It shared some things in common with the tie between parent and child...but that made no sense. Seirei was his captive, not his child. Lian wasn't even old enough to have a child Seirei's age! Then a thought occurred to him. What if the bond wasn't connecting him to Seirei at all? What if it was a tie between himself and an unborn child? Was such a thing possible? Would an unborn child have enough of a presence to be felt in the Web? Lian had never heard of such a thing, but he was the first to admit just how much more there was for him to learn when it came to Webbing. And maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see...again. Lian thought irritably. There was another possibility as well. Strong emotions could forge a bond bewteen people. That was the reason that ties existed between the closest of friends. Following that reasoning, it seemed likely that a powerful fear or hatred could form a bond as well as feelings of friendship and respect. That seemed far more likely a cause for the bond. Did Seirei hate and fear him enough for those emotions to form a bond between them? It was certainly possible. It seemed likely, even. And Lian couldn't blame her. I'd feel the same way if I were her. But perhaps working with her healer friend, and slowly learning the ways of the Drykas might show her why it is necessary in ways that I can't. Lian wasn't certain how long he had spent in the Web, but he didn't think that he could learn much more about the strange bond tying him and Seirei together by studying it more now. So he allowed himself to fall back into his body. Stiff muscles cried out in protest as he stood, and stretched. The light was brighter within the tent now, and Seirei was nowhere to be found. Lian poked his head outside the tent for a moment. Judging by the sun's position, it was mid morning. It was also a beautiful day. Not too hot like so much of the summer had been. But not cold, either. It was the perfect weather for a hunt...but Lian needed answers even more than he needed to hunt. If he didn't find out if Seirei was pregnant or not soon...the constant wishful thinking, and second guessing himself might well drive him mad. It didn't take Lian long to get ready to go. After taking a quick sip of water from his canteen, and taking the time to pull a few handfulls of grass, and offer them to Talise as a treat, he was off. Lian walked towards the healing tents quickly, moving through the maze of tents with the ease of one long practiced in such things. Once he arrived, the real search began. He knew that he would be able to recognize Waisana easily enough once he saw her...but actually finding her in the midst of the throng of people was a challenge. He wasn't the only one visiting the healing tents by a long shot. Mothers with injured or ailing children, pregnant women, and men with minor injuries that might have happened while hunting, or tending the herds of ziberi and bisen were seeking aid as well. Some of the pregnant women were accompanied by worried looking men that were likely their spouses, or women that might be sisters or friends. Others were alone. There were several that wore the same haunted look that Lian saw in Seirei's eyes so often. Lian know that they must be captives too. Seeing their misery gave Lian a twinge of guilt for his own part in Seirei's misery. But he squashed it ruthlessly, and continued on his way. After a while, a man dressed like a healer approached Lian, and asked if he needed assistance. With a feeling of relief, he asked the man where he could find Waisana. Rather than simply giving him directions, the man offered to guide him. Lian took him up on his generous offer thankfully. It was far better than searching for who knew how long on his own. As he followed the healer, Lian took several deep breaths, bracing himself for what was likely to be a very unpleasant conversation.

[Waisana]

Waisana seemed to be seeing more and more pregnant women lately. The tent had begun to throng with them over the last season and the Drykas couldn't understand how they could all be carrying children at the same time. Humans didn't have a breeding season after all, they weren't animals. They were all at different stages though so it wasn't too strange but there were still so many! They preferred the female medics and healers if they could get them and Waisana's youth was no deterrent, not that the women had too much of a choice in who treated them.

It was becoming something of a routine to do some of the simple checks and ask the mothers some basic questions. It was in no way difficult for the girl although the women themselves were sometimes a little tricky. Some grew paranoid that things were going wrong, particularly first time mothers and wouldn't take no for an answer when she tried to explain that they were really fine; nothing was wrong with them.

A captive woman had arrived a little after Syna's rising and had waited patiently until Waisana could see her. She hadn't asked for the teen specifically but the two were acquainted. Every time the medic had gone in search of a new patient she'd seen the red head waiting quietly and staring at the floor. She'd been glad to finally have the chance to examine her. It wasn't fair for her to be left all alone for so long and so the Opal woman was keen to send her on her way. The woman wasn't too inclined towards conversation and her grasp of Common was sketchy at best, her Pavi all but non-existent. Waisana didn't mind working in silence as she felt that it somehow helped her work go quicker. The captive wouldn't hinder her anyway.

"Big now," she commented as she felt the curve of the woman's stomach, fingers searching for the shape of the womb beneath. The woman was more than two seasons along so her size was to be expected but she felt that she had to say these things. "Soon baby come," the captive murmured sadly. The medic squeezed her hand reassuringly, trying to stop the woman from dwelling on the negatives of what her life would be like after the birth. "Good. Happy day. Baby will bring joy. Your baby." The blonde held her hand until the captive raised her sad eyes to meet hers and smiled faintly. Once the woman seemed more content, the teen went back to her examination.

One hand was rested at the front of her bell, the other at the side as she felt for any movement from within. Different babies were active at different times so this one might not be active just now but the medic still had to check for herself. She adjusted her hands to new areas as she continued her search, forehead creasing slightly in concentration as she searched. "Baby moves often?" she asked softly. The woman nodded drawing Waisana's right hand to a new section. After a few ticks, she felt the movement beneath the skin and smiled. Her hand remained there for a chime feeling the repetitions with a sense of awe and wonder.

No matter how many women she saw to the teen was still fascinated by the life that these women carried. She didn't intend to do her duty just yet but she was still awed by the idea of carrying a new life inside her one day and feeling it grow and live like this one. It was something to look forward to.

Satisfied with the baby's level of activity, the young woman moved onto the woman's breasts checking their level of development for milk bearing before checking her feet and ankles for signs of swelling. Once that was done she gave the woman a chance to dress before leading her out, murmuring reassuringly in her ear until she saw a sight that sent a thrill of remembrance through her and she let the woman go.

A season ago she'd been met with the same sight. Lian, Seirei's captor was being led to her by an Opal man as his guide. There was only one person that he could be coming to see: her. Waisana stared at him with a feeling of dread as her mind whirled through possibilities for him paying her such a visit. Seirei was far enough along to start showing more obvious signs so what was he doing? Coming to gloat that he knew? She had no idea, none at all but she was due to find out soon. Her arms crossed over her chest to form a barrier between herself and the unpleasant man. Let him throw at her what he may, she would remain coolly disdainful for him for the duration of his visit and when he grew tired of such treatment he would go away.

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian studied the healer carefully, his eyes darkening in irritation and his mouth thinning into a scowl as he did so. The blond woman...if one could call her that since she didn't look that much older than his captive...really didn't look all that imposing. She was rather pretty, actually. Or she would be if her bright blue eyes weren't filled with disdain. There really wasn't anything about the healer that was imposing, or threatening...so why did Lian feel so tense? Just the sight of her made him tense and wary. Did he really feel that uncomfortable around healers? Apparently so. The thought irritated Lian to no end. He was a grown man, and yet in this woman's presence, he felt like a little boy who had been caught doing something wrong, and trying to place the blame on someone else. The fact that this was the second time he had sought the healer out, and the feeling hadn't diminished in the slightest irritated him even more. "I want some answers, and you're going to give them to me." he stated flatly, his hands flashing curtly through the signs that meant certainty, determination, and a suggestion of "or else." Yes...that was going to so go well. As soon as he'd spoken the words, Lian wished he could take them back. Demanding answers from this woman seemed likely to inspire her to stubbornly refuse to tell him what he needed to know. Cursing himself inwardly for his outburst, he took a deep breath and tried to rein in his irritation. Then he tried again. "Please? I need to know if Seirei is pregnant. I've seen some signs that make me think that she might be...but that might just be me seeing what isn't really there because I want it to be true. Most of the time it's early morning, or in the evening when I see the girl. The light is dim within the tent during those times, so I don't often get the chance to get a good look at her. So it's possible that the light is playing tricks on me, making me see something that isn't there." Lian hesitated. "I could ask Seirei...but I know that she won't tell me. She's stubborn enough to refuse to tell me the truth if I do. So I'm asking you. Is she pregnant? And if not, will you tell me when she is? I'm no healer, but I'm pretty sure that I could hurt Seirei or the unborn child by accident if I don't know that I need to be more careful of her. As a healer, surely you know that it's in Seirei's best interests as well as mine for me to know when I succeed in getting her pregnant?" Lian paused for a moment. "Besides...you're her friend, right? So as a friend, wouldn't you want to spare her more suffering? If Seirei is pregnant, then I don't need to keep trying to get her pregnant, now do I?" The implication there was obvious in Lian's mind. He hoped that the healer would see reason and tell him what he wanted to know.

[Waisana]

Before he'd opened his mouth he was on edge but then again so was she. Waisana could see a confrontation coming or an interrogation and while she would wait it out she had no idea how long it would take for him to grow too irritated and frustrated to remain. She sensed that she had the upper hand though. He'd come here looking for her rather than the other way around but yet he was already wary of her and her disdainful looks. Good.

His purpose for coming was made quite clear although it wasn't come to directly as yet. He wanted answers and considering her mental calculations of Seirei's progress the girl was surprised that he hadn't come sooner. He would have noticed before now, he should have but maybe he had doubted or maybe he wanted to know what to expect. Knowing what to expect was more Seirei's business than his although it might be beneficial for her friend. Evasion seemed the best course for now even with the implicated threat that accompanied his words.

"If I have answers to what you want to know then I might part with them," she told him coolly, her gestures casual and unhurried. Let him know that his threat hadn't perturbed her. There was nothing that he could do to her and if he tried he'd regret it. He didn't frighten her. He couldn't threaten to harm Seirei either because if he did she'd be kind enough to point out that he would be doing more harm to himself in the long run.

His change in approach surprised her but she regarded it with suspicion. He was trying to appeal to her and he obviously hoped that that tactic would work more favourably. Waisana was no fool, she could see what he was doing or at least what she thought he seemed to be doing. His explanation of his doubts made her raise a brow however. Maybe he honestly wasn't sure. If he only saw her in dim lighting, didn't pay attention then maybe he could miss it. She had no idea how much weight the girl had put on as yet but even if she was heavier than she had been her captor might mistake it for improved eating. Evasiveness was still a possibility, still something that she could make herself be.

Until he probed at her weak spot.

She actually winced. He was bringing up a good point, one that wasn't quite a threat. It was threatening though. He was making her an accomplice if anything happened. If anything happened to Seirei or the baby then it would be Waisana's fault because she'd stubbornly kept her mouth shut. It was true that the girl could be hurt at any time but it was also true that she could lose the baby if too roughly handled. She was at a stage where a miscarriage would mean that she'd give birth, not to a fully grown baby of course but she'd see her child, underdeveloped lump though it might be. Not that underdeveloped at that. If she was right in her estimates then, while small, the baby would have noticeable features, fingers, maybe even hair. That would be incredibly traumatic for Seirei even if she hadn't wanted the child in the first place. It would be on her head if she said nothing.

He had her squirming now but he continued to dig the knife in, offering an additional incentive to speak. If she told him then he'd have no reason to rape Seirei anymore. She'd have to give in and tell him. It wouldn't be long before it became too obvious to hide anymore. It should already be obvious but he just hadn't seen it. A sigh of defeat before she closed her eyes. When they opened again, the disdain had died and she looked more worried and resigned than anything else.

"You'll discover it soon enough even if I don't tell you. It could be only days before you find it out for yourself so why stay silent? Yes... she's pregnant. She's been pregnant for awhile. More than a season, maybe a season and a half. I can't be certain there were other... factors. Stress can affect cycles so my timing is very vague," she told him, her gestures betraying her frustration at having to tell him anything. "What more do you want from me?" the Opal snapped out.

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back again as he waited for the healer to speak. He felt horribly uncomfortable in the woman's presence, but he was determined to get the answers he needed. When Waisana finally did speak, Lian scowled darkly. She might tell him what he needed to know? Might? How dare she! Lian had a right to know if his captive was pregnant or not! And if this poor excuse of a healer was going to try and deny him what he needed out of some misguided feeling of spite, then he... Lian paused. He...what, exactly? What was he going to do about it? What could he do about it, for that matter? Lian quickly counted to ten, and shoved his rapidly rising anger back into the depths of his mind. When he felt a bit calmer, he carefully schooled his expression back into a more neutral one. As he watched, the healer flinched. Lian realized that his words might have struck home with her. He saw further evidence of this when she sighed. It was a quiet sound of defeat, and when the healer opened her eyes again, the disdain had shifted into resignation. So. Lian's greatest hope was right. His captive was pregnant. He would soon have the family he so desperately longed for. Lian felt like shouting in joy and triumph. He resisted the urge, but only barely. He wanted to laugh in sheer delight like a little boy. He wanted to grab the healer and swing her around out of pure joy and happiness at the news she had given him. Lian resisted those urges, too. Somehow, he didn't think that the healer that seemed to hate him so much would appreciate such a gesture. Especially coming from him. But even though he managed to refrain from doing anything drastic, Lian's pure joy and relief shone through his eyes like a beacon, and he smiled happily. Lian listened carefully as the healer told him that she thought that Seirei was roughly a season and a half prengant. That meant that the girl would give birth some time in winter. right? Maybe around the middle of that season? Lian forced himself to pay attention to the rest of the healer's words. Stress could affect cycles? Lian wasn't sure what that meant, but the rest of what the woman said implied that her estimate on when his captive had conceived could be affected by the amount of stress Seirei was under. Lian wasn't sure how that could happen, but he didn't question it. Stress affected a lot of things negatively. He knew from personal experience that he couldn't concentrate well when he was under a lot of stress. And that had a huge effect on how successful he was during a hunt, as well as on anything he might be trying to do while in the Web. So he guessed that it was something similar to that. The healer's angry question snapped Lian out of his thoughts. "What should I look out for? Are there warning signs I should look for if something goes wrong? What is normal, and what isn't normal for a pregnancy? Are there things my...Seirei should be doing? Or shouldn't be doing? What can I do to help make sure that my child is born safely? What needs to be done to keep Seirei healthy so she won't lose my child?" The questions came out in an eager jumble of words. Lian hesitated. There was more he wanted to know. The problem was that he didn't know what questions he needed to ask to learn what he wanted to know. "How..." Lian broke off, feeling frustrated with himself. He made a sharp gesture of frustration with his hand. Then he closed his eyes, counted to ten, and looked somewhat calmer when he opened his eyes once more. "What do I need to know?" he asked simply.

[Waisana]

It was clear that her initial answer had displeased him but Waisana wouldn't have expected anything less. He thought that he was owed this information and if it wasn't offered readily, of course it would irk him. He didn't allow his reaction to show for long however, perhaps not wanting to give her the satisfaction. Her victory was short lived though as their positions were reversed, Lian drawing a reaction out of her too. The truth had to be told to him and that meant that the healer had lost. She'd given him what he'd wanted as well as what he'd been hoping for. The teen doubted that she could say anything now to put a dampener on his spirits but at least something good would come out of it, or so she hoped. Hopefully, he'd stop raping Seirei now, especially if the Opal girl emphasised the harm it could do to her and the baby. It was the baby he cared for rather than his captive so naturally, she'd focus on that more than anything else.

His expression of pure joy at Seirei's nightmarish situation caused the young woman to snap. It couldn't be avoided given the circumstances. It was unfair for her, for the captive, for the child that was as yet unborn and this man couldn't see it. No, he didn't want to see it and that made all the difference. Her abrupt tone led to some positive results, however, seemingly bringing some gravity to his features as he realised the seriousness of the situation. A torrent of questions burst forth, his eagerness easy to judge by his gestures and his tone. It was immediately apparent that he didn't require most of the answers he was seeking. Most of them concerned Seirei herself and as a result, she could see no reason why he should be told. Seirei would know and that was all that mattered. She would pick up signs if things went wrong far more readily than her captor would. Lian would need her to tell him what was abnormal in order for him to work it out so it was a waste of time to tell him. She felt that only the last of his queries in the flood of words was relevant to him.

She waited for him to say more, hoping that he would take the time to think and formulate better questions but exasperatingly, he only succeeded in asking a single vague one. The healer sighed, lacing her fingers together in front of her so they wouldn't give anything away while she thought. The teen also tried to keep her expression neutral, steeling herself to deliver her answer in a calm manner rather than allowing emotion to cloud her speech. Her budding friendship with Seirei had led to this personal connection, this lack of impartiality that was preventing her from being strictly professional about it. Being anything other than nasty to the hunter would be difficult but not impossible if she tried hard enough.

"You want to know what you can do?" she began slowly, freeing her hands from their prison to allow them to speak for her. "It does not matter that your child grows inside her. From now on Seirei's body must be her own. She knows how to look after it, knows what may go wrong and how to see it. I will help her as her pregnancy progresses and explain the meaning of things that you won't feel but which she will. You must leave her to it." She paused to allow that much to sink in before launching into the main point that she wanted to get across, her hands conveying a small amount of glee despite her attempts at controlling herself.

"You cannot force yourself upon her anymore. You've completed your aim and if you continue to force her needlessly, you'll undo everything you've achieved. Forcing her would cause damage. You might already have caused enough damage by forcing her that she might not be able to carry a child for a full term. If you harm her then you harm yourself," Waisana finished triumphantly, glad to have an opportunity to have at least a small victory under the circumstances. She had heard of such things happening in the past so it wasn't precisely a lie but an assumption she had made based upon hearsay. There had been whispers before about young girls forced and their bodies being damaged but it was not something that was discussed openly. The stories she had heard had concerned girls who had not yet undergone the change into womanhood. She could not be certain that the same thing would apply to Seirei who was a woman, young though she was, as her body was fit to bear children. She would just have to hope that he would not question her on it or ask for a second opinion but trust to her knowledge as a healer, even if she was the junior of many of the ones here. Hopefully he would not take her for someone too inexperienced.

[Lian Windrunner]

The healer asked Lian if he wanted to know what he could do. Lian tried not to scowl in irritation. Of course he did! Hadn't he just asked mere ticks before? But showing his irritation likely wouldn't be helpful in gaining the answers he wanted. And he also didn't want to let Waisana know that she was getting under his skin as much as she was. So he carefully schooled his expression into a neutral one, and nodded impatiently. "Yes, I do." he said firmly. The answer came, but it was not the one he wanted to hear. He was to stay out of it. Lian wanted something he could do so he could feel involved with the whole thing. His child was growing inside Seirei, so he should have some role in making sure that everything went smoothly. Otherwise, he would feel helpless. Lian hated feeling helpless. What if something went wrong? What if he lost his child before it was even born because Seirei did something to endanger it out of spite? Would she do that? Would she go that far to seek revenge for his planting his child within her? The healer's next words were alarming. Taking his captive by force as he had been forced to do by the girl's own defiance might have rendered her unable to carry a child? But what else could he have done? Seirei had refused to submit to him. He had expected her to try and refuse him of course. So he had steeled himself against the pain he knew he had caused, and bred her anyway. She was a captive, after all. It was what she existed for now. Lian tried not to show just how much Waisana's words worried him, but his eyes and his hands betrayed him even as he tried to shrug nonchalantly. "It won't be any kind of hardship for me to stop using her. As you said, I've accomplished what I said out to do." His words, expression, and tone were defensive, and there was more than a little hint of guilt mixed in there as well. His hands further reflected his feelings, and suggested that he knew that Seirei should have been treated better than he had treated her through signs of regret, defensiveness, guilt, and loss of self respect. Lian wasn't proud of what he had done, or the way he had treated his captive. But he couldn't admit that to the healer. Not outright, anyway. The woman infuriated him too much for that. And if Lian were to admit it to him self, deep down, he knew that that was his fault, too. Their hostility stemmed from his treatment of his captive, after all.