Sahra's house was more of a hut than a house, made of little more than a few logs balanced carefully against each other, and covered by thatched straw. But it was more of a home than anything Raguna had seen in the past year. Inside it was small, but cosy, and smelled deliciously of spices. They didn't have a real floor, just the dusty ground, but it was covered by a hand-made rug, on which Sahra's daughter was playing, her eyes still red from crying.

Sahra had a big argument with her husband over letting two Resistance soldiers into their home. He was at least ten years older than she, and obviously had old-fashioned values. He called her a traitor, and said that she had killed her family, and she slapped his face and shouted about how they owed Raguna their daughter's life. Then she bustled Zavier away into a spare bedroom, leaving her husband, her daughter, and Raguna in the living room.

Raguna wanted to go with Zavier. He wanted to take off his helmet and brush the dirt from his unruly hair, to help remove his bloody clothes and wash his wounds, and hold his bony hand while Sahra stitched up the gaping hole in his side; but Sahra wouldn't let him. She said he would distract her, so he had to stay outside.

Raguna sat on a rickety stool, hugging his knees to his chest. He had washed in the stream behind Sahra's house. The water had felt cool and good on his burns, but he hadn't been able to enjoy it. Zavier had been unconscious for a long time, and he was worried. Worried that he would never wake up.

He felt a small tug on his sleeve, and he turned to see the little girl looking up at him with kind brown eyes and a gap-toothed grin.

"Don't worry sir. Mummy used to be a doctor before we left the city. She'll help your friend, definitely!" She said reassuringly.

Ragina smiled half-heartedly. "That's good to know." He said. "How are you feeling? I mean, you were trapped, weren't you?"

"Yeah," the girl said. "I'm okay though. I'm a big girl now. My name's Cobi, by the way." She added primly, holding out her hand and raising her nose in the air, trying to appear grow-up.

Raguna chuckled and shook her hand. "My name's Raguna. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Cobi."

Cobi giggled delightedly, fidgeting with her dress. "Daddy says you're a bad man, but I don't believe him. I like you very much." She smiled. "Don't worry about Daddy. He's been in a bad mood ever since we left the city. He says it's The Rester's fault."

"You used to live in the city?"

"Yeah, but we were moved out here because the bog people said so. They said it was so we could be safe. It's not very safe here at all though, I don't think." Cobi said.

Raguna nodded. "Yeah. I think you're right."

"Cobi!" A voice rang out sharply, and Cobi's father marched in from the kitchen. "Get away from there. I don't want you talking with him."

Cobi pouted. "But Dad-dy!" She wailed.

"She wasn't doing anything wrong." Raguna said in her defence. Her father's eyes widened.

"You speak Sech?" He asked suspiciously.

Raguna nodded. "Yes, sir. I used to be in the Sech army, a long time ago before... I used to be in the Sech army." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Cobi's father raised his eyebrows. He said nothing, but then he turned and went back into the kitchen, leaving Raguna alone with Cobi.

--

Raguna drifted in and out of himself for a time, as if in a dream. He didn't move from that stool by the door of the bedroom, not even when it got dark and Sahra and her family went to sleep. He stayed sat there, perfectly still, for a long time, watching Sahra scurry in and out of the bedroom in which Zavier lay. He didn't come to his senses until Sahra said:

"He's awake."

Raguna blinked, not quite able to take in the news. Then, slowly, he got up. His legs were shaking under his weight; he had not moved them in so long. He wandered into the bedroom, still half-dreaming.

Zavier was lying on a straw mattress on the floor. He looked so small, laying there, his chest and hand covered by blood-stained bandages. He was completely still, save for the steady rise and fall of his bare chest as he breathed. But at least he was breathing.

Staggering over to the mattress, Raguna fell to his knees beside his friend.

"...Zavier?" He hardly dared blink should he disappear right before his eyes. He held on to Zavier's one hand that wasn't bandaged, running his thumb over his knuckles. "Zavier, it's me. Raguna."

Zavier groaned. "I know who you are..." He grumbled hoarsely. "I've been awake... long enough..." His voice was croaky and impossibly quiet, but it was the most wonderful sound Raguna had heard in ages.

Raguna held Zavier's hand up to his cheek, smiling against his palm. He could feel a lump rising in his throat, and he knew he was going to cry again. Raguna always used to cry whenever he got emotional, but after what happened a year ago, he just... stopped. How strange it was that Zavier would be the one to wet his eyes again.

"You scared me." Raguna whispered. Zavier laughed breathily in response.

"Is he okay?" Cobi piped up, poking her head around the doorway. Raguna nodded, and Cobi shuffled shyly into the room. She knelt down beside Raguna, staring wide-eyed at Zavier, a little afraid of the clearly visible blood. Then she leaned over and hugged Zavier. Raguna saw Zavier wince in pain as Cobi squeezed her arms around his neck, but he raised his hand to pat her shoulder uncertainly.

"Thank you very much for saving me." Cobi said sincerely.

Zavier blinked.

"She said thanks for saving her." Raguna supplied upon seeing the baffled look on Zavier's face.

"You understand her?"

Raguna nodded. "Yeah. I used to be in the Sech army, you know. I didn't know I spoke the language until I joined The Resistance, though..."

Zavier sighed exasperatedly- then coughed. Cobi sat back, frowning. She laid a hand on Zavier's forehead experimentally.

"Oh dear." She said. "He must have a fever. Don't worry! I'll be the nurse, so you have nothing to worry about. Okay, Rag-na?"

Raguna began to smile. "Okay then, Cobi. You take good care of him!"

All the time Cobi and Raguna had been talking, Zavier had been watching them, and growing more and more worried with each word.

"Raguna..." He dared to ask. "What did she say...?"

"Oh, she says you're ill, so she's going to be the nurse and look after you. I guess I'll just leave her to it, then." Raguna said, struggling not to laugh at the horrified look on Zavier's face.

"Raguna, don't you dare..." Zavier said warningly as Raguna got up and walked toward the door. "Don't you dare leave me alone with her... Are you listening to me, I said- no, no, wait, Raguna!"

"See you later, Zavier." Raguna smiled sweetly. Turning to Cobi, he added "If he misbehaves, just pinch his ear. It always works." And Cobi giggled.

"Raguna, what did you tell her? Raguna, hey!" Zavier's voice caught in his throat as he began to shout, and he broke into a coughing fit. Cobi tutted and patted him on the back in what she thought was a helpful manner, though it caused Zavier to yelp in pain.

Raguna shrugged, grinning sheepishly at Zavier, who was now glaring at him. He didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for him. Maybe he could do both...? Ignoring Zavier's pleas of 'Help me!' he turned and walked out of the room, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Zavier was going to be okay.

--

Zavier was at his wit's end. His side was aching uncomfortably, and every time he moved it caused a sharp pang of pain so that he couldn't forget about it. His whole body was sapped of its strength- it had taken a tremendous amount of effort just to sit up, so there was no chance of him being able to stand, let alone walk. His throat was sore, and his mouth as dry as Mars, and though he needed to cough, every time he did so it felt as if his chest was about to come apart. Every time he tried to talk he felt as if his throat was being painfully grated, which proved to be a large problem for someone as talkative as Zavier.

And on top of all that, he'd been forced to put up with a hyperactive ten-year-old pestering him all day.

"Zav-yah!"

He grumbled under his breath as Cobi bounced happily into the room. Flopping down on the mattress- and almost breaking his legs at the same time- she happily held out a bowl of something that looked like it used to be rice. Then she said something he couldn't understand.

"Uh... What?" Zavier tilted his head to one side confusedly.

Cobi practically thrust the bowl under his nose, and Zavier raised his one good hand to push her away. She scowled at him, sticking her bottom lip out. Zavier sighed and shrugged at her.

Cobi rolled her eyes. Then she picked up the chopsticks from the bowl and popped some of the sloppy rice into her mouth, making exaggerated 'mmm' noises and smiling encouragingly. Then she held the bowl out to Zavier.

Up until that point, Zavier had been feeling quite hungry, but one look at the grey swill that was sloshing about in the bottom of the bowl and he completely lost his appetite.

"No thanks," he said hoarsely, pushing the bowl away. Cobi puffed out her cheeks in frustration and, setting the bowl down on her lap, proceeded to pinch Zavier's ear between her sharp forefinger and thumb.

"Ow! Hey- ow! Get off!" Zavier swatted her away with his uninjured left hand and rubbed his scarlet ear, annoyed. Cobi 'hmph'd' in a satisfied way and held out the bowl again. Begrudgingly, Zavier took it in his hand and set it down on his knee. Using his left hand, he swirled the slop around with one chopstick, a disgusted look on his face. Cobi clapped her hands impatiently.

Rolling his eyes, Zavier tried to pick up the chopsticks- and immediately dropped them as a stabbing pain shot through his hand. He hissed and held his right hand in his left, fresh redness spreading over the bandages, already blackened with dried blood.

Biting his lip, Zavier picked up the chopsticks with his left hand. But, being right-handed and not overly experienced in using chopsticks anyway, he dropped them again. He swore violently. Then he looked worriedly at Cobi- but then he remembered she could not understand him, and he relaxed.

Cobi frowned at Zavier's obvious inability to hold the chopsticks. Then she leaned over and took the bowl herself. She picked up the chopsticks and expertly scooped up some of the overcooked rice between them. Then she held the rice out to Zavier, hovering the food right in front of his nose.

"Ahhh..." She urged impatiently, prodding his lip with the end of the chopsticks.

Zavier stared down at the chopsticks for a second before raising his hand and moving them away from his mouth. He was twenty-two years old, and he did not need to be fed like a baby!

Cobi was unwilling to give up, however and she sprung the rice back up to his mouth. Zavier squeezed his lips tightly together in protest. After at least half a minute of still silence, each side too proud to give in to the other, Cobi reached out with her free hand and pinched Zavier's ear again.

"Ow-!" Zavier's yelp was cut off, as Cobi popped the rice into his mouth as soon as he opened it to shout. Cobi giggled happily as Zavier scowled, chewing and swallowing grumpily.

Looking very pleased with herself indeed, Cobi plucked some more rice out of the bowl and held it out to him. Looking at the rice, and then at the full bowl, Zavier sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long day.

--

Raguna was on his way to the fields with Sahra's husband. As he used to be a farmer, he had volunteered his experience to Sahra in return for her help. Sahra had accepted his help graciously, but her husband seemed less than keen on the idea.

"So... you're a farmer?" Raguna asked uncertainly, trying in vain to make conversation.

Sahra's husband wrinkled his nose, waggling his thick moustache in disdain, as if Raguna smelled bad. "No. I'm not a farmer. I am a teacher, forced to take on the role of a farmer by the like of YOU," he pointed accusingly at Raguna with his hoe.

"Me, sir?" Raguna asked innocently.

"People like you, who oppose the Empire's rightful place as supreme." Sahra's husband went on. "It is because of you that my wife and I were forced to leave our jobs and our home and move HERE," he waved his hands in the air dramatically, gesturing to the thick jungle, "to the middle of nowhere!"

Raguna frowned, feeling more than a little insulted. "I'm sorry sir, but... I don't see how that is our fault. It was your own leaders that decided to move you here, after all."

Sahra's husband shot Raguna such a look of disgust and contempt that Raguna actually flinched. "They moved us here to keep up safe! Safe from Resistance attacks."

"But..." Raguna struggled to comprehend with the man's way of thinking. Surely he could see that it was far from safe, living in the forest? The forest was what the Sech Empire was out to destroy, along with anyone who happened to be in the way. The cities were the safe places- the Sech Empire would protect them, and The Resistance had no intention of venturing into territory in which they would be sniffed out and slaughtered in less than ten minutes.

"Your friend deserved what he got." Said Sahra's husband coldly.

Raguna was suddenly uncharacteristically angry. "No. No, he didn't. You take that back!" Then his eyes widened at his own insolence as he realised what he had just said. "I'm sorry, sir... I didn't mean..."

"You used to be in the Sech Army." Sahra's husband interrupted. "Why did you betray them?"

Raguna fell silent. He lowered his head. "...They hurt me." He said eventually. "They took two things that were very precious to me, and... That was why I joined The Resistance. I know it must be hard for you to understand."

"What did they take that was so important that you would betray your own people?" Sahra's husband spat.

"...I had a wife, once, sir." Raguna said quietly. "And a daughter. Just like you." He didn't say anymore. He couldn't. Though it had been over a year since it had happened, it still hurt to talk about them.

For the first time, Sahra's husband looked at Raguna properly- as a person. Raguna could feel his intense stare scanning him up and down. He didn't look back at him- he didn't need to.

"I don't believe I ever introduced myself." Sahra's husband said eventually. "I'm Sachery." And after a moment of thought in which he appeared to struggle with himself, he held out his hand for Raguna to shake.

Raguna smiled. "Raguna, sir."

--

Sachery's fellow field workers didn't take too kindly to having Raguna work alongside them. Though he had the typical dark brown hair and tall stature of the Sech people, he was still wearing his Resistance uniform, and stuck out like a sore thumb. His arrival had caused a huge uproar, and one man had actually slapped his face, screaming that he had killed his cousin.

Raguna hadn't hit back, so the man had struck him again, and the riling crowd looked like they were ready to jump into the fray and tear him limb from limb at any second. At first it looked like Sachery would condone this violence, but then he shouted and shooed his friends away from Raguna.

"Listen to me!" He roared over the shouting workers. "This is Raguna. He saved my wife and daughter from being burned alive in the battle two days ago. He risked his life for them!"

The crowd fell silent in disbelief. The one man shouted.

"You've been brainwashed!"

Sachery's eyes immediately flamed, and he grabbed the man by his collar. "You think I would be indoctrinated?!" He bellowed furiously in his face. Throwing the man away from his, he shouted. "I hate The Resistance! But not this man." He voice softened and he march up to Raguna. "This man who saved my family. The Resistance, I despise, but this man... I am proud to call him my brother." And Sachery laid his large hand on Raguna's shoulder protectively and stared out over the crowd, as if daring them to object.

"Now let's get on with our work." Sachery said quietly, cutting through the silence.

Ten minutes into ploughing the five acre field, it was obvious that Raguna was by far the most skilled farmer there- not that this surprised him, as most of the other workers were at least ten years older than him, and from what Sachery had told him, he gathered that the men were not trained as farmers. When work had begun he had been soaring ahead the others, wielding the hoe expertly as he struck the ground with the grace of a swordsman- but then he realised that surpassing the Sechs at their own duties may not be the politest thing to do, and he modestly slowed down.

After a while someone tried talking to him, and the men were surprised that he could speak Sech. He told them of his time in the Empire, and his reasons for leaving and fighting against it. And all the time the men listened quietly, only ever speaking to ask a question. And though they would sneer and scorn Raguna's reasoning, every worker there- though they would never admit it- returned home changed men.

--

Don't worry; there will be a bit of romance next chapter! I promise! I just want to set the scene right now- I think pace is important to keep things believable. I'd like to know what you thought of it, so if you have any criticism, or just want to make a general comment, please review!