PM to join A Surprise Addition (Naiya)

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian rode as quickly as possible through the crowds. He was careful not to run anyone down as he moved through the throngs of people, nor did he push past people rudely. But he rode with an urgency that had some moving out of his way as he passed.

As he rode, Lian checked the Web every few ticks. Seirei was still in the city now, but if she left quickly, Lian would need to be prepared. Talise seemed to pick up on his mood, because she became tense, and anxious. Her ears flicked back and forth constantly as stray sounds caught her attention, and every time someone got too close to her, she would toss her head, and snort sharply. Lian patted her neck gently in an attempt to calm her, but she could sense his own anxiety, so his attempts met with limited success.
Before long, Lian found himself at the edge of a camp near the edge of the city.

Venturing inside, Lian found Seirel standing near two Drykas. One, a red haired woman looked familiar to Lian. He had met her in the caves under the summer grounds. As they had worked together to get out of the caves, she had earned Lian's respect. Why was she with Seirei now? She wasn't helping Seirei in her attempt to escape, was she? And what about the man? Surely he knew how important the captives were to their people. Why would he be helping Seirei? Lian noticed a strider mare and a young colt nearby, But he thought nothing of it. It was obvious to him that they belonged to the owner of this camp.

"What are you doing here, Seirei?" Lian demanded in annoyance.

"You should have been home bells ago! And you know the consequences of following my rules. Or have you forgotten?"

Lian's tone was mild, but filled with a hidden promise of punishment for Seirei's defiance when they got back to his tent. When he'd finished speaking to his captive, Lian turned to the man, assuming that he was the ankal of this camp. It didn't look as though many families lived here. Or even a single large one. So it was a safe guess that this man was the leader of the camp.

"I apologize for any trouble my captive may have caused you. She will be sternly disciplined when we get home, I assure you. The girl has no right to be here causing you and your family problems. She should have been home bells ago, and she knows that. Don't you?" Lian asked with a dark look towards Seirei before he turned back to the man.

"If my captive has tried to steal anything, or caused any damage, I would be willing to meet with you to discuss any reparations she owes you and yours another day. If nothing else, I will see to it that she gives you and your family an apology for bothering her betters. For now, though, it's best that we get back home."

Lian turned, fully expecting Seirei to follow him. When he didn't hear the sounds of her footsteps, he turned back with a scowl to see what the delay was..
.
.

[Colt]

While the woman didn’t appear to get any worse at his words, she certainly didn’t appear to ease much, either. She was tense, and beyond that, she was afraid. Afraid of Shahar.

She watched his signs uncertainly, although there were flashes of comprehension at the more clear and obvious ones. She was not fluent in Pavi, then, although she did appear to possess enough of an understanding of the language to receive the basic gist of what Shahar was trying to say.

The silver chest, she told him. That was what had led to the colt, and to her strider.

Shahar blinked, then nodded in understanding. “The chest,” he replied. “I, too, visited it.” He looked down to Snow and placed a comforting hand on her head. “This one came to me in the same way.”

The woman accepted the offer of shelter, and Shahar didn’t press for more. There was no commitment in her staying for one night, no great debt that would weigh on her tomorrow; it was a simple, polite courtesy that would not follow her when she left. It was a deliberate offer on Shahar’s part; it was always easier to accept support when nothing was accepted in return. Perhaps it would encourage her to stay longer, and to recover from… whatever she had been through. Shahar didn’t know, and he knew better than to ask.

But she warned him of her master. Lian. She feared that he would come and punish her. Or, more absurdly, that she had stolen her strider.

“Striders go where they please,” Shahar said, certain in his posture. “Your strider is free and unbound. She cannot be stolen. She is yours. You are hers. You are Drykas. You are free, and you go where you please.” Determination, unwilling to yield. “If you are denied, I will say otherwise.” Whatever necessary. “You are safe here.”

Shahar cast an open glance to Naiya, searching for her approval on the matter. If it came, he would nod, then turn back to their guest and gesture deeper into the camp. “We have food. We can stir the fire and pitch a tent for you, if you wish.”

The center of the camp was also more protected, and would be a better place if and when her Lian came for her. Until then, however, they could do their best to feed her and give her a secure place to rest. Shahar made his way to the fire pit where he stirred the embers and added enough kindling to ignite a brick of pressed dung. It was an old, dry brick that caught fire immediately, and soon stray branches and brush were added to return the fire to a healthy size.

The day had not been the most fruitful in terms of hunting, as a large portion of it had been taken up by the chest and the pup that came from it. Said pup was lingering just inside the edge of the firelight, marveling at the warmth.

Not close, Shahar warned. Fire bites.

It was a warning Snow heeded, crouching down where she was to stare at the mesmerizing flames while Shahar retrieved the pot, some water and a bag of dried goat meat. Tonight they could dip into their stores.

It was just as the hunter was hanging the pot over the fire that their guest’s warning came true.

Akaidras was first to notice, letting out a nervous whicker as the strange man approached the camp. Shahar was immediately on edge, a though he hadn’t meant to give to Snow but that she responded to all the same; the pup tensed worriedly, quickly surmising that it was attached to the stranger that was now in their home. She tucked herself behind Shahar’s legs.

The man the hunter assumed to be Lian barked at their guest––Seirei, was that her name, then?––condemning her for her tardiness. He did not speak loudly, but his words were edged; he had more things in mind than his words promised.

The tone of his voice disturbed something buried deep in Shahar’s memory, stirring up the ghosts of another voice, one that had yellow eyes and––

––no, there had never been such a thing. What was he thinking? This was no time for daydreaming. He needed to focus on the present.

Lian turned from Seirei to address Shahar directly, apologizing for any trouble his captive may have caused them. No trouble, Shahar replied cooly. Lian demanded that Seirei follow him home and turned on his heel, marching out of the camp with the clear expectation that she follow.

Shahar knew better than most the importance of personal space, but right now he couldn’t afford to be cautious with it; he stepped close to Seirei, within arm’s reach, although he did not move to touch her. He knew that he would be uncomfortable with a stranger getting so close to him, but he needed her attention and he needed to be able to speak quietly, where Lian would not be able to hear.

“You are Drykas, Seirei,” he said, [i]“and you are free. You can go with him, but you do not have to. You go where you wish. If you choose to stay, we will not let him harm you. He is only one, and we are more. We can protect you. Tell me you wish to stay, and you may stay for however long you decide. We will not let him take you where you do not want to be taken.”

[Naiya]

Agreement, support she told Shahar when he sought her input, her signs coming without hesitation. He continued to invite her into the pavilion proper, and Naiya waited only a moment to judge the feel of the scene before moving about the camp with the beginnings of a plan.

She gathered a few leaves of mint from her stores, dropping them into the kettle she had purchased for herself not so long ago. Her waterskin filled the kettle, and she placed it beside Shahar as he began to bring the fire back to life. "Shahar," She spoke to gain his attention, Polite request, when fire is ready, heat the water? The tea would tide them until food was made, and the mint would help calm and relax Seirei. It would relax everyone, but Seirei was the one who really needed it. That was the first step, the next would be to prepare a place for her to sleep.

She had taken to sleeping in Shahar's tent with both him and Khida, so her own tent was empty, bundled neatly in the wagon. She set to assembling it, digging in poles, securing folds of fabric, pulling the entire product into a tent in what was only chimes of work. She tacked the tent down, making sure the pegs were flush with the ground so they would not trip anyone.

The tent hadn't been used since early spring, but it was not worse for wear from the lack of use. All the same she opened the flaps and folds of the tent to the fullest to let it air out before anyone would have to sleep in it. When she was finished she peeked back out of the tent to find that her kettle was warming in the embers of the fire, and a pot of water hung over the fire. She smiled, reminded of her luck to love and live with such a kind, supportive man.

Her eyes sought him, finding that he looked out of the camp, alerted by something she had missed while inside, Snow was hiding behind his legs. She followed his gaze to a man, the one from the caves. Lian, she recalled more from Seirie's warning than their meeting. She moved to stand beside Shahar, the aggressive behavior of the man leading her to seek his support.

His demands were insulting, and Naiya bristled, even knowing he thought Seirei a captive she could not find any forgiveness for his attitude. He turned to leave, fully expectant of Seirei's cooperation and Naiya was ready to step in.

Instead Shahar moved, quick but nonthreatening as he spoke to Seirei, his words quiet, delivered with speed. It was surprising to Naiya that Shahar had taken to the role of protector for this other woman so quickly. She had thought he would be angered, or perhaps dismissive of their concerns. She always expected such things, and every time she did he reminded her that he was not such a man, she loved him for it.

One day, she hoped, she would expect all men to be as good as Shahar, and be surprised by their shortcomings. It would be a happier world to live in.

She came back to her senses, watching the exchange for only a moment longer before she turned to assess the threat that was Lian. The man that inspired fear of death in a woman who had just been given the greatest gift available to the Drykas people. Instead of joy she felt terror because of this man. The man who Naiya had fought beside against a zith, who had provided much needed tools for their survival in the caves. She had respect for him, but her distaste for him was quickly growing to rival that respect.

She was in agreement with what Shahar said supporting his words in silence as she watched the man, waiting for him to notice that there was action happening at his back. She was defensive, protective as she angled her self to stand between Lian and Seirei.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

A delicate bloom

It was comforting to know that the beautiful white dog had been a gift from the chest as well. If others had indeed received animals from the silver chest, perhaps it wasn't so unbelievable that Thunder had appeared in the chest for her. Shahar seemed to believe her, at least. Seirei had little hope that Lian would, though.

"She's beautiful." Seirei murmured softly.

"What's her name?"

Shahar's promise of safety, and offer of food, and a place to rest were very welcome, and Seirei thanked him sincerely, accepting both with gratitude. It had been a good day. A wonderful one, even with her fears about Lian's reaction to her striders. But the events of the day had wearied her. A good meal, and a good night's sleep sounded like exactly what she needed. Maybe she would actually be able to sleep well without Lian there, making her wonder if he was going to choose that night to start forcing himself on her again. Between that constant fear, and the needs of her children, a good night's sleep was a very rare thing.

When Shahar gestured for her to move deeper into the camp, Seirei was quick to obey. Growing up in a trade caravan as she had, she knew that the center of a camp was safest spot within the camp. But Lian's arrival shattered any frail sense of safety she might have gained. His words, mild sounding, but full of threat left her pale, and trembling with terror. Normally, it would have frightened her when Shahar suddenly moved within arm's reach. But his earlier promise of safety, and his promise not to let Lian take her away now soothed that fear, and gave her hope.

Seirei nodded.

"I want to stay. I'll stay as long as you let me."

Her words were simple, and quiet. But her tone conveyed gratitude and a desperate relief at the offer mixed with a deep, powerful terror for the man who had once been her captor. She held herself so tensely that her muscles ached with the strain. Her eyes were wide with fear, as she braced herself for Lian's fury.

The strider mare sensed her rider's terror, and snorted sharply as she paced over to stand behind Seirei protectively. Her ears were pinned back against her head as she watched what she had determined to be the source of Seirei's fear intently. If she were human, her intentions couldn't be any more clear. Seirei was hers, and a threat to her would not be tolerated. The colt, which Seirei had already started thinking of as Thunder, peeked out from behind his mother nervously.

[Lian Windrunner]

It didn't take long for Lian to notice that something was wrong. When he didn't hear the sound of Seirei's footsteps behind him, he turned with a frown to see what the hold up was. The man was standing beside her, saying something he couldn't quite hear. Nor could he make out Seirei's quiet response. But the tone of her voice betrayed her terror, and Lian couldn't help but feel some satisfaction in that. He wasn't normally the type to take pleasure in another's pain or fear; but in this case, his annoyance at the entire situation, and the lingering fury he felt when he believed that Seirei had been trying to escape made him more than willing to instill fear in his captive. It would remind her of the punishments that would be hers if she dared disobey him.

The woman, Naiya was standing next to the man as well, offering support. From their stances, Lian guessed that they might be married. But he dismissed the thought as unimportant. What was important was the way they seemed to be protecting his captive. For that matter, the strider mare he had noticed earlier seemed to have taken a protective stance around her as well. Lian has little doubt that if he were to grab Seirei and drag her away, the mare would attack him. It was almost as though the mare had decided that Seirei was her foal, or something.

Lian eyed the strider mare in bemusement. It was almost as if...but that was impossible. Simply impossible. Seirei couldn't have bonded to the mare. She was too much of an outsider for that to ever happen. So what kind of hold did Seirei have over the mare? Or the Drykas couple, for that matter. What interest did they have in a disobedient captive?

"What, exactly is going on here?" he asked slowly.

"Why are you trying to protect my captive from her well deserved punishment?".
.
.