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Post by Jenny on Jul 18, 2013 13:17:26 GMT -5
"One human is bad enough let alone two," Fahla said more to herself than to Sinjun. Fahla glared at Sinjun and then turned on her heel, stalking away. She would not bear being called a schemer by the both of them.
Yisha let out a deep sigh as she left. "That could have gone better." He turned his eyes on Sinjun, trying to gauge her feelings. It had been clear that she had been cross with Fahla, but he had a pang of dread that it may be the same with him.
He shifted nervously, lowering his eyes. He did not know what to say. What could he say? His words were truth, but he knew Sinjun was upset. "I am sorry this happened. I enjoy our relationship very much. I am in no way ashamed of our intimacy, in fact it makes me very happy..."
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Post by KD on Jul 19, 2013 0:01:58 GMT -5
Sinjun glared right back, keeping her gaze on her until she was certain Fahla was gone. She turned her head to look at Yiska and gave him that sad smile again. Even if she was ever cross with him, it never lasted long.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 19, 2013 21:50:48 GMT -5
She looked sad, even though she was smiling at him. Yiska let in and out a deep sigh, scratching the back of his neck. He felt awkward, but for all the wrong reasons. There was truth in Fahla’s accusations and her words undoubtedly drove a wedge between him and Sinjun. Reality hit dreamers the hardest and he was reeling. He thought that they should be careful for the next few days lest Fahla’s wagging tongue condemn their intimacy, but he didn’t want it to be so, after all he had just returned from the canyon after a week of lessons. This was all Fahla’s doing, and he hadn’t thought Sama to be the underhanded kind seeing as she was so quiet and shy. It brought a blush of anger to his cheeks.
“Perhaps we should return to our home.” He squatted and began to gather up their tools, wrapping each jar into a soft cloth so they would not break upon one another. It was a common routine between them, so Sinjun would know where to place everything in the satchel when she bent to assist. Their hands touched and he froze, a sad look crossing his face. He did not withdraw his hand for a few moments, and drew it in slowly, lowering his face so that she would not see the look in his eyes.
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Post by KD on Jul 20, 2013 7:23:30 GMT -5
Sinjun would be the first to admit her anger at Fahla had been so sharp because she was speaking truthfully on several points. Anyone but her. Sinjun thought fiercely. They didn't deserve him. Yiska couldn't be hers but as long as Fahla and her daughter didn't get a chance to use him the way they intended to, without caring about him in the slightest, she thought she could take that. Maybe. Not that there was much to worry about. Tahki couldn't stand Fahla and while his father would be the one to ultimately decide, he'd take a good hard look at the benefits of such a match before he would upset both his wife and Yiska that much. And she was pretty sure Moraji wouldn't see much worth in connecting his family with Fahla's. Especially since it meant he'd have to deal with Fahla constantly if that came about.
The thought very nearly made her smile as she carefully tucked medicines away. She could have done it in her sleep, she knew how Yiska kept them organized. The simple act soothed her a bit, at least until Yiska's hand brushed hers, making her breath catch when he went still. She lifted her head to look at him and found he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Yiska?" Sinjun reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder, too distressed to be cautious. She couldn't stand to see him upset.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 20, 2013 21:25:21 GMT -5
Yiska looked up at her then, his eyes shining with tears he choked back before they could come to his eyes. He felt so forlorn and his face showed his sadness. "I don't think it is fair, what Fahla said about us, about you. The fact that I show no interest in her daughter but instead have good feelings about you makes her angry. She will try to drive us apart and will try to alienate you from the tribe in any way she can. I cannot see why my people would think any less than you, but rumors will spread all the same. I don't want things to change, I want to be with you here, but I am also afraid that if we are close it may mean bad things for you."
He paused a moment, hating to have to blurt this out. "Maybe I should go away for a little while, allow the dust Fahla will kick up to settle. I know I just got back, but..." he shook his head. "I don't want to make things worse for you."
Then Yiska blinked. "Or you could come away with me," he said suddenly, his eyes shining with hope. But it fell quickly. "Or perhaps that will make the situation worse as well." He folded the satchel shut and secured it. "I can't stand Fahla. She is a devious, grasping woman, and now her daughter is doing the same. How can I stand up to two Fahla's?"
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Post by KD on Jul 21, 2013 1:21:48 GMT -5
"You leaving won't make a difference, it won't settle down until Fahla has what she wants. Which she's not going to get" Sinjun's duel colored eyes had taken on a hard light, a steely anger that rarely showed up in her flashing through them. She would have simply dismissed any insult Fahla or her daughter tossed her way but with Yiska it was an entirely different matter. She would have cheerfully throttled Fahla for the slightest bit of distress she caused Yiska, so the fact her manipulations were clearly upsetting him was intolerable.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 21, 2013 1:34:26 GMT -5
"How do we persuade her that she isn't going to get what he wants?" He was willing to try anything.
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Post by KD on Jul 21, 2013 1:39:28 GMT -5
She shrugged. "Your parents will probably have to give her a flat out no on the whole arranged marriage thing, but that doesn't mean she won't start spreading rumors out of spite."
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Post by Jenny on Jul 21, 2013 1:43:25 GMT -5
Yiska wasn't afraid of talking to his parents, but a shiver went up his spine when he thought about talking to him mother about this marriage business. What he was most afraid of was Tahki somehow taking Fahla's side. "Do you think they would do that? Give her a flat out no, I mean." He knit his brow, worrying.
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Post by KD on Jul 21, 2013 1:46:15 GMT -5
"I don't know how that works, Yiska. I know Tahki really doesn't like Fahla and she certainly doesn't want to give you over to that family but I don't know if your father would find that a good match and how much control he has over it." She spread her hands helplessly. "No one told me anything about how marriage rituals and deals work." That stung a little bit because she realized it hadn't occurred to any of them because, obviously, it wasn't going to apply to her. The sting faded because she could....albeit a bit reluctantly....understand that point of view.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 21, 2013 1:52:35 GMT -5
"Arranged marriages between prominent families have happened in the past," he admitted. "There hasn't been a new shaman for decades now, so this is a special case. Mother knows I have no intent to marry among the tribe out of love, there is no one that ever caught my eye. I also left young, so I could explore the outlands." Which is when he met Sinjun. "I had no sweetheart. Perhaps it alarms mother that I have no interest in marrying. Who knows, perhaps she desires grandchildren." He winced a bit at that.
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Post by KD on Jul 21, 2013 2:24:36 GMT -5
"She still doesn't like Fahla, though....." She shrugged a bit again, frowning. "I guess if you mentioned how much you don't like Fahla or her daughter they would tell her no...."
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Post by Jenny on Jul 21, 2013 2:30:55 GMT -5
Yiska shook his head slowly, then let in a deep breath and released it. "Come on, let's get home." He picked up the satchel and pulled it over his shoulder. After pausing for a few moments, he reached out and took Sinjun's hand in his. They would talk all they wanted to, but he wasn't going to let it bring Sinjun down. Wanting to be beside her was the truth and he wasn't going to lose a minute of it.
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Post by KD on Jul 21, 2013 8:57:17 GMT -5
Sinjun smiled at him, squeezing his hand gently as they walked. She blinked as they came near his family's tent and a couple of little ones came running up, almost tumbling over each other in excitement. One of them, a young boy who clearly hero worshiped him, spotted Yiska and bounded over, tugging on his arm. "Did you hear? Yiska, did you hear?"
The other young one, a little tomboy of a girl who was constantly spying in on the hunts and running off to explore with her friends, danced around in front of them. "We saw a monster!"
"It was walking over the dunes heading deeper into the desert!"
"But we could still see it! It was so BIG!!"
"And Old Paws said he saw another one and it was made of rock!"
"It's not polite to call Hahji 'Old Paws', you know he doesn't like it," Sinjun said mildly. The two pups had the grace to at least pretend to be ashamed, at least for a couple moments before they were babbling about monsters made of metal and stone again.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 21, 2013 19:17:17 GMT -5
"Monsters of metal and stone?" Yiska looked perplexed. "I have never heard of such a thing. Tell me what they looked like?" He squatted down so that he was more level with the children, and made a note to talk to Hahji.
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