Lavender & Ice

21. A New Danger

"Straight back to the tent. I promise."

He nodded but his jaw remained clenched as he looked around them, his hands forming fists at his sides.

"Go, Kietnan. I know you will do well, but please be safe."

His lips pressed into thin lines as he looked at her once again.

"Go." She said firmly before stepping back a few steps away from him. He stared at her for a long moment before nodding then turning to jog toward the check-in tent.

Despite all she had told him, all she had argued, she did feel scared without him beside her. She looked around and noticed no one was paying her much attention. It seemed most people that were in camp were either trial participants or laborers needed to run the camp, only a handful of people stood around as she did, waiting.

She looked around and realized she was near the medical tent. There was a group of people in the off-white linen-like outfits she had seen the woman wearing the day she woke up inside the tent, and she found herself approaching them. When she drew closer she was happy to see one of the people was the woman who had provided the water for her that day.

The woman may not have been overly friendly, but still she had attended to her needs and provided shelter when Ashima had needed it.

"Greetings." Ashima greeted the group of people. Removing her goggles and face covering, she fought back the urge to make a face as the cold air hit her face. Two people to her left gasped at the sight of her tan face and hair but the woman and the man on the other side of her remained impassive.

At her greeting being ignored, she simply pressed on. "I wanted to thank you for caring for me when I first arrived here." Addressing the woman specifically.

"Does it speak our language?!" A man to her left spoke in surprise.

She tapped her ear. "I have a translation device that allows me to communicate in many languages. Yours wasn't stored within it but it has learned much of it over the past several days."

"Ah." Was all the man said, his eyes wide.

She turned to the woman. "I wanted to give you my thanks."

"Thanks?"

"Yes, my gratitude for helping me when I needed it." The woman simply stared at her so she offered her a small smile. "I am doing well now and wanted to thank you for your part in that." Her smile fell as the woman continued staring at her. She eventually took a step back. "Well... I must return, I don't want to miss the start."

"Jal."

She turned to see the man who hadn't spoken or reacted to her at all yet, addressing the woman, who must be Jal. The woman blinked and looked at him before turning back to Ashima. "Oh. You're... you're welcome."

Ashima's smile grew wide and lit up her face. She nodded before saying. "I wish all of you a good day!" To which they all nodded in return. She returned her goggles and face mask to their places and was thankful for the shelter from the cold air.

As she stood in the spot where Kietnan had placed her, the crowd slowly began to grow. People were leaving their work to come stand and view the festivities. She spotted an empty crate on its side beside a nearby tent and rushed to it, placing it open side down and standing on it so she could see past the tall natives.

She jumped slightly when a loud horn blew and her body tensed in anticipation. She spotted several men coming out of a tent across from the crowd but it was one particular man that her eyes locked onto. A loud voice sounded over the crowd, as the men found their starting positions.