Whilst she waited with her silent, broken companion, Ife paid close attention to the young woman's face and body. Her skin was puckered with scars, blisters and sunburn. Even her hair seemed burnt in it's frazzled, knotted state.
And then the Inarta noticed the prominent bump from the woman's abdomen. This was not a sign of health: the girl's cheeks were as hollow as the others', her wrists as dangerously skinny. This was pregnancy, rape. Unable to control herself, Ife gasped in horror and recoiled away from the poor, girl who subsequently touched her stomach in a sorrowful manner.
"I'm so, sorry." Ife stammered, utterly ashamed at herself for her reaction and forcing her hands to once again reach out for the blonde girl. "I just-- I didn't--" Her voice died away. There was no excuse that could come close to explaining her volatile reaction to the woman's pregnancy. Yet again guilt washed over the redhead, but Ife swallowed it down. She would not turn herself into a victime here.
"You speak Pavi, yes?" She asked again in a falsely bright tone.
To her surprise, the blonde girl drew her response in the sky: Yes. Home. Ruby Pavillion. Her skeletal fingers touched her chest, making a dull, hollow sound. No name. But now home.
"Yes." Ife said gently, "you're home now."
What else could she say? The silence between the two young women stretched on for an eternity and Ife could feel herself growing hot and panicked. She needed to say something, to be a welcoming face for this girl who had finally returned home after far too long away from the worse circumstances Ife could possibly imagine. Added to this was the manner in which she had been drawn to Ife, tagging onto her hand like a lost child.
Sheis a lost child.
So Ife would not ask her any more questions. She did not expect this girl to unload her traumas, not unless she was the one to start it. Instead, the Inarta started to discuss things of hope and happiness: "I'm getting married." Her words were cautious. Was it wrong to discuss her upcoming marriage to a girl who had been raped and possibly tortured? But the blonde girl was smiling now, nodding along to Ife's tale. "I've started calling myself Ife Whipmane instead of Windstride, to get used to the name change."
The girl gave a light, airy laugh that was quite possibly the nicest sound Ife had heard in a long time. The two shared a smile, and for the briefest of chimes they were nothing but two young women celebrating marriage.
And then the Inarta noticed the prominent bump from the woman's abdomen. This was not a sign of health: the girl's cheeks were as hollow as the others', her wrists as dangerously skinny. This was pregnancy, rape. Unable to control herself, Ife gasped in horror and recoiled away from the poor, girl who subsequently touched her stomach in a sorrowful manner.
"I'm so, sorry." Ife stammered, utterly ashamed at herself for her reaction and forcing her hands to once again reach out for the blonde girl. "I just-- I didn't--" Her voice died away. There was no excuse that could come close to explaining her volatile reaction to the woman's pregnancy. Yet again guilt washed over the redhead, but Ife swallowed it down. She would not turn herself into a victime here.
"You speak Pavi, yes?" She asked again in a falsely bright tone.
To her surprise, the blonde girl drew her response in the sky: Yes. Home. Ruby Pavillion. Her skeletal fingers touched her chest, making a dull, hollow sound. No name. But now home.
"Yes." Ife said gently, "you're home now."
What else could she say? The silence between the two young women stretched on for an eternity and Ife could feel herself growing hot and panicked. She needed to say something, to be a welcoming face for this girl who had finally returned home after far too long away from the worse circumstances Ife could possibly imagine. Added to this was the manner in which she had been drawn to Ife, tagging onto her hand like a lost child.
Sheis a lost child.
So Ife would not ask her any more questions. She did not expect this girl to unload her traumas, not unless she was the one to start it. Instead, the Inarta started to discuss things of hope and happiness: "I'm getting married." Her words were cautious. Was it wrong to discuss her upcoming marriage to a girl who had been raped and possibly tortured? But the blonde girl was smiling now, nodding along to Ife's tale. "I've started calling myself Ife Whipmane instead of Windstride, to get used to the name change."
The girl gave a light, airy laugh that was quite possibly the nicest sound Ife had heard in a long time. The two shared a smile, and for the briefest of chimes they were nothing but two young women celebrating marriage.