17th Fall, 499AV
"She's very quiet, Braken."
Mea's husband said nothing, adding to the tense silence that clung to the Windstride family pavilion. Instead, he remained perfectly still, his face contorted into a pained expression as he watched the little redhead girl potter about his family home. She was, indeed, incredibly silent. In fact, the child had said nothing since Braken laid eyed on her five bells ago, in the bright morning as he hunted in the Sea of Grass. She'd been sitting on the ground, looping two blades of grass together to make a pretty little grass necklace for herself. She still wore it now, but the grass blades had started to dry and tighten their loops. Soon it would break off and the girl's last worldly possession of her life before Braken Windstride would crumble away.
"When did Parro say he would arrive?" Mea asked, her voice as quiet and delicate as she could muster. The girl paid no mind though, instead fascinating herself with a particularly bright purple cushion.
Braken shrugged. His wife's question had barely registered in his mind. Parro was the only Drykas that Braken knew could speak a word of Nari, but he was also Mea's loathsome cousin. If his need weren't so desperate, Braken would have liked to avoid Parro's company at all costs. "I don't know, love. He said he'd come soon." Was that a hint of irritation in his voice, or just concern?
Mea made a small noise to acknowledge his answer, but she too found herself now unable to speak. Watching that little girl broke her heart. She was a mother herself now, and the mere thought of one of her precious children in a situation even half as dire as the one this little Inartan girl had found herself in made Mea feel queasy. Self consciously, she glanced over her shoulder through the entrance of the pavilion. Outside, her three children played together gleefully, perfectly safe and happy. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"I don't understand how she's alive, or so healthy."
"And... she is healthy, yes?"
Yet again Braken sent his wife a disdainful look. He had not reacted well when Mea had earlier voiced her concern over lice and other health issues when he came home with the redhead girl. Even when she had explained that her worry was not for herself, but for their children, he had chastised her selfishness. "The healers at the White Lily examined her, and yes. She is perfectly healthy. But she is tired, probably terrified and most likely scarred for life." His voice was smooth and gentle, but his eyes hard. Braken's message was clear, and Mea gave another pitiful, but sorry dip of her head. Whereas motherhood had made her cautious and wary, fatherhood had turned Braken Windstride into a man whose heart had been opened up to all children. Mea could see now that any concern she felt over this child would not even be comprehended by her husband.
"I hear my multi-lingual services are required!"
The children outside cried delightedly at the sound of Parron's ostentatious greeting, but Braken could not help but flinch and roll his eyes. The other male's loudness had startled the Inartan girl, and she stared open-mouthed at the opening of the tent. Only when Braken stepped towards her and made a gentle shh sound, like he would do to a spooked horse, did she seem to calm. Mea hurried out to greet her cousin, and in those very first moments where he found himself alone with the child, Braken promised to do all he could to protect her.
"She's very quiet, Braken."
Mea's husband said nothing, adding to the tense silence that clung to the Windstride family pavilion. Instead, he remained perfectly still, his face contorted into a pained expression as he watched the little redhead girl potter about his family home. She was, indeed, incredibly silent. In fact, the child had said nothing since Braken laid eyed on her five bells ago, in the bright morning as he hunted in the Sea of Grass. She'd been sitting on the ground, looping two blades of grass together to make a pretty little grass necklace for herself. She still wore it now, but the grass blades had started to dry and tighten their loops. Soon it would break off and the girl's last worldly possession of her life before Braken Windstride would crumble away.
"When did Parro say he would arrive?" Mea asked, her voice as quiet and delicate as she could muster. The girl paid no mind though, instead fascinating herself with a particularly bright purple cushion.
Braken shrugged. His wife's question had barely registered in his mind. Parro was the only Drykas that Braken knew could speak a word of Nari, but he was also Mea's loathsome cousin. If his need weren't so desperate, Braken would have liked to avoid Parro's company at all costs. "I don't know, love. He said he'd come soon." Was that a hint of irritation in his voice, or just concern?
Mea made a small noise to acknowledge his answer, but she too found herself now unable to speak. Watching that little girl broke her heart. She was a mother herself now, and the mere thought of one of her precious children in a situation even half as dire as the one this little Inartan girl had found herself in made Mea feel queasy. Self consciously, she glanced over her shoulder through the entrance of the pavilion. Outside, her three children played together gleefully, perfectly safe and happy. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"I don't understand how she's alive, or so healthy."
"And... she is healthy, yes?"
Yet again Braken sent his wife a disdainful look. He had not reacted well when Mea had earlier voiced her concern over lice and other health issues when he came home with the redhead girl. Even when she had explained that her worry was not for herself, but for their children, he had chastised her selfishness. "The healers at the White Lily examined her, and yes. She is perfectly healthy. But she is tired, probably terrified and most likely scarred for life." His voice was smooth and gentle, but his eyes hard. Braken's message was clear, and Mea gave another pitiful, but sorry dip of her head. Whereas motherhood had made her cautious and wary, fatherhood had turned Braken Windstride into a man whose heart had been opened up to all children. Mea could see now that any concern she felt over this child would not even be comprehended by her husband.
"I hear my multi-lingual services are required!"
The children outside cried delightedly at the sound of Parron's ostentatious greeting, but Braken could not help but flinch and roll his eyes. The other male's loudness had startled the Inartan girl, and she stared open-mouthed at the opening of the tent. Only when Braken stepped towards her and made a gentle shh sound, like he would do to a spooked horse, did she seem to calm. Mea hurried out to greet her cousin, and in those very first moments where he found himself alone with the child, Braken promised to do all he could to protect her.
**
