"Are you alright, Kira? You seem tired this morning."
Kira looked up at her mother's question at breakfast, noticing that both she and Marko were staring at her. "I... yes, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep much," she answered, in her mind reliving the heat of Drev's lips on hers, his hands exploring her body, the way his eyes had burned bright as he'd released himself deep inside her...
Kira pushed her plate away, not finished but too distracted to eat anymore.
Her mother frowned at her. "Are you sure you're not falling ill or something?"
"I'm fine, really." She was sleep-starved and exhausted from yesterday, and yet, all she could think about was the next time she could go back and be in Drev's arms again. Until either of them could figure out a way for him to come live in Litur Cas without inviting everyone's hatred and anger, they would not be able to be together.
"I'm done too," Marko announced. "Thank you for the food, Mama Berma," he said with a smile, and her mother beamed. He got to his feet, starting to gather the plates, but her mother stopped him.
"Please! I can do that! I know you have a lot to do so you go on ahead."
"Alright, alright," he relented, raising his hands in surrender. "Yes, I'm going to go see Shay and Father and then make my usual rounds."
"You see them every day, don't you? You've such a good heart, Marko."
"I try to," he murmured, looking a little embarrassed. "Anyway, I'll see you both later," he said, moving towards the door.
"Wait, Kira, why don't you go with him?"
"Huh?" she went, drawn from her thoughts.
"A walk and fresh air might do you some good."
"No, I'm fine, really. Besides, I should help you wash up - "
"Don't be silly. I can manage this. You go on." She came over and pulled Kira to her feet, practically pushing her out the door with Marko.
Afterwards, Kira and Marko stood outside, exchanging a look. "You don't have to come with me if you don't want to," he said dryly.
"It's alright. Maybe a little exercise wouldn't be such a bad idea," She fell into step beside him as they headed towards the cemetery together. As they walked, there were the usual greetings from the villagers, but also, cheeky smiles at the sight of the pair of them.
At one point, Kira spotted her friends from The Five walking together and carrying laundry, and Derri nodded at Kira as if in approval.
All we're doing is taking a walk. Why are people getting so excited about this?
Afterwards in the cemetery, Kira hung back a bit while Marko said his prayers for both his late sister and father. Her heart went out to him more than ever in that moment. Here was a man who had lost his entire family but somehow, he was always smiling, always took the time to listen to people and to try and help wherever he could.
She could see why her mother (and just about everyone in the village) adored him. Once, Kira might have been jealous over that sort of thing, but the truth was, she was glad someone had been there for her mother in her absence, had helped to keep her from falling apart.
In a way, that was what Drev was to me in my time in the mounts. But now? Now that everything's changed, does that mean what we had is gone?
She snapped out of her thoughts as Marko ambled up to her on his long legs, his hands sitting in his pockets. "They're already waiting," he remarked, looking past her at something.
Kira followed his gaze, noticing a small group of people waiting patiently outside the cemetery gates - villagers with concerns for him to settle.
"Do you ever get tired of it?" she asked him.
"No, just that I wish there was more I could do for them sometimes. Some things are just beyond my control, after all."
"Still, I'm sure they appreciate you trying, even if it's just to listen. You'd be surprised how much that means to people."
"Absolutely. I'm glad I have you to listen to me. You and your mother. I don't know if I'd be able to do all this on my own."
Kira thought for a moment, then gave him an encouraging pat on the arm. "Well, then, for today, I'll join you. I may not be able to do much but maybe I can give some moral support."
"Thank you," he said with an appreciative smile. "I'd like that."
For the rest of the day, Kira accompanied him as he settled arguments, made suggestions and even helped some villagers fix a lady's broken fence. He really was the sort of person to try and help everyone, perhaps to a fault.
Later that evening, after dinner, Kira went out onto the front steps, looking over a village falling quiet beneath the moon. Past the fence and down the path, Drev was out there, waiting for her. She was impatient for everyone to go to bed so she could sneak out and see him.
Just then, the door opened behind her, letting someone out. It was Marko, so tall, he had to bend over slightly so as not to hit the door frame.
"Kira. I want to thank you again for today," he told her.
"I didn't do anything, really, just tagged along and watched you work. It was interesting to observe things around here. I like that people always try to help each other in Litur Cas. Even in our old village, we weren't as close-knit as you all are."
"You can thank my father for that. It was his way, and I'm just trying to follow in his footsteps."
Kira laughed softly. "Humble too. You really are a good person, Marko."
She was surprised to see a shadow come over his features as he folded his frame up to sit down on the steps. "I'm really not."
"What are you talking about?" Kira returned, sitting down beside him. "You're always thinking of others instead of yourself, in both your words and actions. I don't know how you can say a thing like that."
Marko was quiet for a moment as he ran a hand through his thick, pale hair. "Kira, there's something you should probably know about my sister."
"Alright?" she prompted, leaning forward and listening intently.
"Shay and I had different mothers. My father and Shay's mother - it was short-lived. After things broke down between them, she chose to live away from him and raise Shay on her own. But when Shay was little, her mother fell ill and passed away, so Father took her in. She and I were raised together, and even though she was a lot younger than me, we grew close. Very close. And over the years, I, um... " He hesitated, looking away. "I started seeing her as more than just my sister."
Kira's jaw dropped but she didn't say anything.
"And she felt the same way about me. Of course, we never told anyone. We knew nothing could ever come of it. I tried so hard to fight my feelings, telling myself that I was just confused - no, we both were. I told myself to just wait, and eventually, hopefully, it would just be a phase for her and she would go on to marry someone else. I figured once she was out of the house, it would be easier since I wouldn't have to see her every day."
"Marko... why are you telling me this?"
"Like I said, I'm not such a good person. I know how wrong it was but she's the only one I've ever loved. I don't think I can ever feel that way about anyone else." He paused, drumming his fingers atop his knee. "That being said, I do have certain responsibilities. Right now, all I care about is keeping Litur Cas and its people safe. But it's a lot to do and I'm going to need someone to help me. It would be even better if it were someone from the old village, someone who could be a sort of representative for them and to help them fully settle in. And in time, I will need to have a family so that someone will be there to take over for me when my time is up."
"W-wait, are you saying what I think you are?"
He turned, holding her gaze. "It wouldn't be a marriage of love so much as a partnership for us, Kira. But I think a lot of good could come out of it. We wouldn't have any illusions or unrealistic expectations of each other. You and your mother already live with me, and in fact, I almost see her as my own mother now. And I think you and I get along well, don't we? We understand each other, we understand what the other's been through."
"Well, yes, but..."
"I know this is a lot to take in," Marko said calmly, patiently. "So, of course, I'm not expecting an answer so soon. Take your time, Kira. All I ask is that you keep what I told you about my sister to yourself."
"Of course. But why? Why did you want me to know about her and you?"
Marko got to his feet, shrugging his big, broad shoulders. "Maybe to let you know that a big part of my heart is already gone? To help you understand just what she meant to me?"
"You're putting a lot of trust in me."
"And that," he pointed out with a nod. "To show you that I trust you, and to let you know that you can trust me in turn."
It was quite a risk, Kira thought. "Anyway, I'm going to go to bed," he said, one hand on the doorknob. "It's been a long day. Goodnight, Kira."
"Goodnight."
After he'd gone inside, she just sat there, his words going around and around in her head. Eventually, she realized how late it had gotten. She pushed herself to her feet, suddenly feeling heavy as if burdened by Marko's story.
She looked out over the trees wistfully, then with a sigh, went back inside to go to sleep.