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66th of Fall, 514av
It was a brand new form of awkward when a Dek showed up looking for you in a slightly embarrassed and flustered manner somewhere other than where you were supposed to be living. Especially when that place was someone else's room. If she had managed to get out of bed earlier it wouldn't have been such a problem. She would have been out of Zhol's room and with the other game scouts and that would have been that. But no, she had lingered curled in a blanket on the bed even after Zhol had left for his own daily tasks once she had assured him she would get ready and leave shortly and more importantly that she was okay. Thankfully he hadn't pressed the issue. It was endearing when he did, and Khara knew it wasn't unfounded, but some days she didn't want to be treated like she was as fragile as she feared she had become.
It was hard to ignore the sympathetic and curious hints in the Dek's eyes as he looked at her once the door had opened. Was it really that obvious what had happened? Had rumors spread so quickly? Was the blacksmith out there bragging around Wind Reach of the fact he'd stumbled across some Chiet girl who hadn't been experienced in such things? Or was it worse? Did the Dek think that she was here against her will? The thought was enough to cause Khara to suddenly straighten and take on a more authoritative posture. Damn whatever Wind Reach thought of her, but she refused to allow anyone to think anything of the sort about Zhol. They had already labeled him an outsider, Khara wasn't about to tolerate any assumptions.
"Why are you disturbing me?" The question was shot out, emphasizing annoyance that didn't exist, not leaving any room for misinterpretation that she was being held against her will and he was offering a means of escape. It felt unnatural, over reactive, but Khara knew it was necessary in that moment.
The fleeting shocked expression that flashed across the drudge's face proved it worked, at least, and all hints of pity he had faded as he bowed his head just barely to her in deference. It wasn't nearly the rest that would be shown to any of the higher castes, but it was perhaps a bit much for addressing a Chiet. "Avora Azira has requested you meet her at the Sanikas Gates," he muttered.
It was enough to snap Khara into action and pull her away from whatever conflicting mix of pretended conceit and genuine mild anger at earlier conceived possibilities. A hand waved off the Dek as she retreated back into the room to quickly gather her supplies. Azira calling on her was exactly the sort of break her mind needed from it's constant dragging her back through the last sixteen days of her life. It was even enough to brush off the feeling of dread the warrens had begun to have when she traveled through them alone.
The effect was only temporary though. Elation and an objective sense of duty slipped as she reached the Gates to find herself alone. No Azira and late enough that there wasn't anyone else either except for Val who was enjoying a cup of tea and seemed to be deep in conversation with a blue jay that sat perched on one of his fingers.
Khara retreated a ways back into the tunnels as she began fretting over the possibility that the Dek had taken too long to find her, that Azira had left without her, that she had destroyed whatever small credibility she had in the huntress' eyes. As her back came to rest against a wall she found her arms wrapping around her, tugging her katinu tighter around her small frame as other thoughts began encroaching into her already anxious mind. She was here, alone, she had no idea where the other game scouts had headed out to. It suddenly dawned on her how empty the warrens would be if she tried to head back to Zhol's room and she didn't want to anger Hansi and go to the stables. Each thought quickened her breath and caused the girl to retreat within herself further and further until she became barely aware of her surroundings.
It was hard to ignore the sympathetic and curious hints in the Dek's eyes as he looked at her once the door had opened. Was it really that obvious what had happened? Had rumors spread so quickly? Was the blacksmith out there bragging around Wind Reach of the fact he'd stumbled across some Chiet girl who hadn't been experienced in such things? Or was it worse? Did the Dek think that she was here against her will? The thought was enough to cause Khara to suddenly straighten and take on a more authoritative posture. Damn whatever Wind Reach thought of her, but she refused to allow anyone to think anything of the sort about Zhol. They had already labeled him an outsider, Khara wasn't about to tolerate any assumptions.
"Why are you disturbing me?" The question was shot out, emphasizing annoyance that didn't exist, not leaving any room for misinterpretation that she was being held against her will and he was offering a means of escape. It felt unnatural, over reactive, but Khara knew it was necessary in that moment.
The fleeting shocked expression that flashed across the drudge's face proved it worked, at least, and all hints of pity he had faded as he bowed his head just barely to her in deference. It wasn't nearly the rest that would be shown to any of the higher castes, but it was perhaps a bit much for addressing a Chiet. "Avora Azira has requested you meet her at the Sanikas Gates," he muttered.
It was enough to snap Khara into action and pull her away from whatever conflicting mix of pretended conceit and genuine mild anger at earlier conceived possibilities. A hand waved off the Dek as she retreated back into the room to quickly gather her supplies. Azira calling on her was exactly the sort of break her mind needed from it's constant dragging her back through the last sixteen days of her life. It was even enough to brush off the feeling of dread the warrens had begun to have when she traveled through them alone.
The effect was only temporary though. Elation and an objective sense of duty slipped as she reached the Gates to find herself alone. No Azira and late enough that there wasn't anyone else either except for Val who was enjoying a cup of tea and seemed to be deep in conversation with a blue jay that sat perched on one of his fingers.
Khara retreated a ways back into the tunnels as she began fretting over the possibility that the Dek had taken too long to find her, that Azira had left without her, that she had destroyed whatever small credibility she had in the huntress' eyes. As her back came to rest against a wall she found her arms wrapping around her, tugging her katinu tighter around her small frame as other thoughts began encroaching into her already anxious mind. She was here, alone, she had no idea where the other game scouts had headed out to. It suddenly dawned on her how empty the warrens would be if she tried to head back to Zhol's room and she didn't want to anger Hansi and go to the stables. Each thought quickened her breath and caused the girl to retreat within herself further and further until she became barely aware of her surroundings.
"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"