Timestamp: 35th Day of Winter, 515 AV
Two days. It had been two days since the attack that had left Endrykas reeling in its wake. Two days of desperate searching to find family and friends that had vanished. Some few had been found, hiding. Most had not.
Two days of burying the many dead that had been left behind after the pirates left. The entire city was in mourning. To Seirei, it seemed as if very few had not lost someone. Either to death in the attack, or to the unknown fate that lay before those that had been taken. She was no exception. Shahar was like a brother to her. After being raped in "punishment" for not bearing children as fast as some would like, and being owned by Lian for a year and a half, most men made her nervous. Men were creatures to be feared, save for a rare few. But Shahar was different. He had never shown any sign of wanting payment for his hospitality or his protection. Instead, he had given her a home, and a family. And now he was gone.
Seirei didn't know if it was better or worse that he had been taken by the pirates. On the one hand, it meant that he was alive. And it seemed likely that he would remain that way. If the pirates had wanted him dead, they wouldn't have taken the risk of capturing him alive. But Seirei was painfully aware that there were fates far worse than death. And she was terrified that such a fate had claimed the man she had come to love as a brother. The uncertainty made the situation even worse. Unless by some miracle, Shahar managed to escape, and make his way back to Endrykas, Seirei would never know for certain what had happened to him.
Lukar stirred fitfully, waking from his nap as uneasy dreams drove him from his rest. Seirei moved to pick him up, grateful for the distraction from her terrifying thoughts. She exposed her breast, and offered it to him absently. As he fed, Seirei watched Lira sleep. She knew that her daughter would be up soon as well. And as though that thought had summoned Lira from her dreams, the tiny child's eyes blinked open, and met her mother's.
Seirei shifted Lukar so that she could pick up her daughter and feed her, too. When they were finished, Seirei glanced at the entrance to her tent. Without even needing to go look, she knew that Naiya was grieving for the loss of her husband. Seirei wanted to help the woman she saw as a sister, and a friend, but she didn't know how. What could she possibly do or say to ease the suffering caused by the loss of Naiya's husband? Nothing. There was nothing she could do, or say. Seirei felt helpless in the face of what they had lost.
Knowing that there was nothing she could do for Naiya, Seirei bundled her children up, and left the tent. She was desperate to do something. She couldn't bear feeling as helpless as she did. Since there was nothing that she could do here, she decided to go see if there was anything she could do to help her friends. Seirei hadn't seen or heard from Terrin, Teisaia, or Rytira, since the attack. And she was terrified that she might have lost them, too. So she left the camp, and began making her way over to the Sunweaver pavilion.
.
.
.
Two days. It had been two days since the attack that had left Endrykas reeling in its wake. Two days of desperate searching to find family and friends that had vanished. Some few had been found, hiding. Most had not.
Two days of burying the many dead that had been left behind after the pirates left. The entire city was in mourning. To Seirei, it seemed as if very few had not lost someone. Either to death in the attack, or to the unknown fate that lay before those that had been taken. She was no exception. Shahar was like a brother to her. After being raped in "punishment" for not bearing children as fast as some would like, and being owned by Lian for a year and a half, most men made her nervous. Men were creatures to be feared, save for a rare few. But Shahar was different. He had never shown any sign of wanting payment for his hospitality or his protection. Instead, he had given her a home, and a family. And now he was gone.
Seirei didn't know if it was better or worse that he had been taken by the pirates. On the one hand, it meant that he was alive. And it seemed likely that he would remain that way. If the pirates had wanted him dead, they wouldn't have taken the risk of capturing him alive. But Seirei was painfully aware that there were fates far worse than death. And she was terrified that such a fate had claimed the man she had come to love as a brother. The uncertainty made the situation even worse. Unless by some miracle, Shahar managed to escape, and make his way back to Endrykas, Seirei would never know for certain what had happened to him.
Lukar stirred fitfully, waking from his nap as uneasy dreams drove him from his rest. Seirei moved to pick him up, grateful for the distraction from her terrifying thoughts. She exposed her breast, and offered it to him absently. As he fed, Seirei watched Lira sleep. She knew that her daughter would be up soon as well. And as though that thought had summoned Lira from her dreams, the tiny child's eyes blinked open, and met her mother's.
Seirei shifted Lukar so that she could pick up her daughter and feed her, too. When they were finished, Seirei glanced at the entrance to her tent. Without even needing to go look, she knew that Naiya was grieving for the loss of her husband. Seirei wanted to help the woman she saw as a sister, and a friend, but she didn't know how. What could she possibly do or say to ease the suffering caused by the loss of Naiya's husband? Nothing. There was nothing she could do, or say. Seirei felt helpless in the face of what they had lost.
Knowing that there was nothing she could do for Naiya, Seirei bundled her children up, and left the tent. She was desperate to do something. She couldn't bear feeling as helpless as she did. Since there was nothing that she could do here, she decided to go see if there was anything she could do to help her friends. Seirei hadn't seen or heard from Terrin, Teisaia, or Rytira, since the attack. And she was terrified that she might have lost them, too. So she left the camp, and began making her way over to the Sunweaver pavilion.
.
.
.
