"You almost beat Kahal that time, brother."
"There's always tomorrow." Kietnan said, trying to quickly end this conversation.
"We didn't see you during the rest period. Are you avoiding us?"
"Of course not. I simply had things to attend to."
"Things that involve your new alien friend?"
Kietnan stopped walking and turned to face his brother.
"Ah. I see I have your attention now."
"Othen, simply tell me what it is you need, so I may return to my dwelling to rest, eat, and study for tomorrow's trial.
"We want to meet her."
"We? Why would all of you be interested in meeting her?"
"Oh, so it is a her? Interesting. I will let you go rest and study for tonight, but on the next rest day, Kahal expects both of you to join us for breakfast in his dwelling."
Kietnan watched as his brother turned his back and walked away from him, a sense of dread filling him.
But nevertheless, he quickly turned and headed towards his dwelling. Using his last bit of self-control to keep himself from jogging there. When he reached it, he quickly opened the door and rushed in, his eyes scanning the tent. Only for his brows to press together, and his mouth to open. "Shima?" He called loudly.
No answer.
"Shima?" He called again as he rushed through the tent. He even looked through the chest where she had hidden before. "Shima!" He yelled.
As he scanned the dwelling again, his eyes spotted a slip of paper on the floor next to the door where someone had slipped it under.
Come to the medical tent
Is all it said. But it was all he needed. Without a thought, he rushed out the door and ran down the pathway.
~~~~~~
"That really happened?" The female medical attendant, Jal, asked in disbelief.
"Yes!" Ashima said, laughing. "I had to return home with a shirt full of holes from where all of the animals had been nipping at me. Ashima had told her a story when she was a young girl on a school field trip. She was so eager to have all of the farm animals' attention, that she had stuffed carrots, apples, and lettuce into her back pack. Once they were at the farm, she stuffed the vegetables in her clothes and climbed the fence where the goats were. It had ended up being a terrible idea. But she was six at the time.
"My father was absolutely furious, and my mother almost fainted. Yet I still begged them to let me have a pet goat afterward." She giggled, and she noticed the other woman smile slightly.
"OK, you win." The woman gave in. "You were a bigger animal lover than I was as a child."
Both women flinched as the door to the room flung open loudly. Kietnan barged in, his eyes roaming the room as his hands balled into fists.
His eyes met hers and she noticed his chest swell as he drew in a breath. He rushed to her side. "What happened? Are you injured?"
"I'm fine." She offered him a small smile of encouragement.
"Do not lie to me, Shima." He said angrily as he turned to the attendant. "What is wrong with her? Why is she here?"
"She will have bruises, and will be sore for a while, but she is otherwise fine. Perhaps she is not as fragile as I first thought." She turned to Ashima. Her voice sounded impassive, but she didn't miss the hint of a smile on the corner of one side of her lips.
"Bruising? What happened?!" He stared at Ashima, his eyes roaming over her.
"I...." She lowered her eyes away from him. Not wanting to tell him that he had been right. She should not have been outside the tent on her own.
"Shima." He said softer this time. "Tell me. I will not be angry with you."
"You promise?" He nodded. "I walked straight back to the tent, just as I promised. Or, I tried to, Kietnan. I promise I did!"
"Ashima. Just tell me what happened."
"A man chased me. He grabbed me, he said he wanted payback from you, for his brother's death. He said he was going to start by taking me! I fought him, and he kicked me in the stomach." She began to cry as she crossed her arms over her abdomen. "You were right, Ki. You were right, I shouldn't have been outside the tent on my own. If Milleck hadn't shown up and knocked him out, I don't know what would have happened."
"Shhh, calm down, it's all right now. I will not let him harm you again." He stood, and she could see that he was seething. His chest rose and fell harshly and his fists were clenching at his sides.
"You promised you wouldn't be angry."
"I promised I would not be angry with you, and I am not. I am angry with him. I am angry with myself. What he has done is unacceptable." He turned to the attendant. "Go. Send a messenger to Inform my brothers to meet me in Kahal's dwelling.
Then return here."
The woman nodded and rushed out of the room.
"What are you going to do?" Ashima asked, confused.
"We will talk about it later, for now I must know that you are all right. Are you truly OK?"
"Im not going to lie, it hurt. A lot. It still hurts but not nearly as bad. But they did scans and said I'm fine inside.
He motioned to her stomach, "may I look?"
She sighed, knowing that he wouldn't like what he saw. But she did as he asked, slowly raising up her shirt to reveal her abdomen.
She was surprised when he didn't move. He didn't react at all, actually. He just sat there beside her bed, staring at the big ugly bruise that ran diagonally across her abdomen, surrounded by dark red.
Eventually, his fingers moved to hover just above the bruise, being careful not to touch it.
"They found no injuries inside?"
"No, I told you. I am fine, it will heal."
"Anywhere else?"
She hesitated, but decided it was best to be honest. So she pulled up her sleeves to reveal the dark bruises in the shape of fingers that ran across her upper arms and around her wrists. After a moment she replaced her sleeves and lowered her shirt, bringing her blanket back up over her to return her warmth in the cold room.
He looked into her eyes but said nothing.
"It is done." Jal said as she entered the room.
"Good." He stared at the woman, making sure he had her attention. "Do not leave her alone. You are not to leave her side until I return." He said as he stood.
The woman nodded and with one last look to Ashima, he walked out of the room.
~~~~~~
"You better have a good reason for calling us here tonight, Kahal. I was studying for tomorrow's trial." His second eldest brother, Joreth grumbled.
"Calm yourself, Joreth." Kahal said as if scolding a child. "And it is not I who called this meeting."
"Then who?" Joreth turned to the third eldest. "Othen?"
"Wasn't me." Othen shrugged.
"Where is Kietnan?" Joreth demanded.
"I am here, brother." He announced as he entered their eldest brother's dwelling.
"What is the meaning of this?" Joreth demanded.
"Joreth." Kahal stood and the second brother stilled. "Enough. Let us all sit so Kietnan can enlighten us as to why you are all in my dwelling."
They all sat around Kahal's small dining table. "You all know of Racht, the man who attacked me during the sixth trial." They all nodded. "While we were at trials today, his younger brother, Qain, attacked the alien female. He claimed it was the beginning of revenge for my part in his brother's death."
The three brothers all began talking at once before Kahal held up a hand to stop them. "And the female?"
"She is in the medical tent, bruised from a kick to the stomach and from his hands clenching her arms." His jaw clenched and his hands fisted again. "She is smaller and more fragile than our people. He could have done much more harm."
"And are we to just take her word for it?" Joreth asked accusingly.
"She would make no false claim." Kietnan said confidently.
"These are serious accusations she is making, brother. She will need proof to make a claim against him."
"Milleck witnessed, she was the one who stopped him from taking her."
"And Qain?" Othen asked.
"Gone by the time Milleck returned with a guard. No sign of him."
"So he has fled." Kahal stated.
"He might as well have admitted his guilt." Othen added.
"The real problem is his threat of vengeance upon Kietnan. His family has already been shamed by his elder brother's actions, causing him to be removed from the trials. If he has decided to blame it all on our youngest brother, he will not simply stop here."
"He will be unpredictable." Joreth added.
"But he will also be sloppy." Othen offered and they all nodded.
"Unfortunately there are no guards here in camp, per rules of the trials. I would wish to have someone keeping an eye on Kietnan's tent at all times. For now, we'll all have to keep our eyes open. Qain has proven he is willing to try and get to Kietnan through others."
They all nodded.
"Let's return to our dwellings and prepare for tomorrow's trial. We mustn't let this hinder us." Joreth offered.
Again they all agreed and stood to leave the tent.
"Kietnan." Kahal called as he was about to leave the tent with his brothers. "A word alone."
He returned to the seat across from where his brother had remained seated.
"You are angry." Kahal stated, waiting for his brother to respond.
Kietnan stared at his brother a moment before responding. "He is threatening me and harmed another in an effort to harm me. Should I not be angry?"
"It is within your rights, of course. It is just unusual for you to let things rile you up."
"You speak as if I am unhinged." Kietnan scoffed.
"Hardly." Kahal responded. "But I know you. You are not as calm as usual when facing difficult situations."
"What is it you're trying to imply, Kahal."
"This alien is affecting you."
Kietnan simply stared and waited for his brother to continue, having nothing to say in response.
"You know you shouldn't get too attached."
Kietnan breathed deeply but didn't respond.
"Does she know?"
"Yes." He said bluntly before leaning forward with his arms leaning onto his knees. "Yes, she knows of her potential fate. That is why she was outside this morning. She wants to make the most of her days if they are to be her last."
"A valiant outlook."
"Yes."
"You prefer for her to stay hidden away?"
"I do not wish for her to be harmed."
"I can see the conflict within you." Kahal said. "You wish her safe but you also wish for her to be happy."
"She is right, hiding away in a small dwelling day in and out is no life." Kietnan sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
"Yes. We can only hope her people will come to retrieve her soon."
"Yes, we can only hope." He said absently.