Conor had been sitting outside with Keara, an arm around her with her head resting on his shoulder. Just a few feet from them was a small group of children playing. Among that group was where Maeve and Kern could be found. On a whim, Catlin went outside to find Conor. Surprisingly, Tully wasn't far behind.
"Conor," Catlin stated, "we need to talk."
Keara started to get up feeling like it wasn't her place to stay for this. She could always got play with her children but Conor seemed to pull her back to sit with him again. "No, stay," he urged her with a smile.
"It's about Marika and Moira," blurted Catlin.
"What about them?" Conor asked.
"Something's telling me trouble is soon to follow."
"Who will Queen Diana send for them?" Conor replied. "Another slave will opt for keeping his or her freedom. A guard would be too obvious. Who's left?"
"Who indeed," Tully added. He shot a glare at Catlin now. "I don't get what your problem is. They've done nothing wrong."
"Longinus will come for them," Keara softly announced. She wasn't sure it was her place but she knew it was true. "He's the only one left that Diana can trust to take care of this."
Conor's face grew dark at the mention of Longinus's name. "That ..."
"Don't," Keara interrupted. Her voice was gentle and she seemed to give Conor a small smile. "He's not worth the wasted breath."
"Keara, can we talk?" Tully suddenly requested.
Keara stood, nodding, curious to see what Tully might want to speak to her about. For the first time in three months, she was wearing a dress. She had come to feel comfortable in the pants and midriff tops she often wore that the dress seemed less comfortable than she had remembered. Keara extended one hand to Tully and allowed him to guide her away. "What's wrong?" Keara asked as they started to move away from the group.
Tully continued to hold her hand. He looked a little nervous about talking to her but he had something he needed to get off of his chest and he knew he could trust Keara above all the others. "Catlin's talk is getting to me," he replied. "I'm beginning to doubt Marika and Moira myself."
"You didn't seem like it back there."
Tully half-smiled and chuckled a bit. "I don't want the others to know. If they found out I doubt the women, Conor might make them leave."
Keara squeezed Tully's hand and nodded a bit. "We all have our doubts, Tully," she reasoned. "Don't think that you're the only one."
Tully nodded but didn't make eye contact with Keara right now. "I know but I was so sure before. Now I'm starting to wonder."
"Do you remember having a little sister?"
"Yes, vaguely."
"Maybe Marika knew her or maybe she is her," Keara stated with a little shrug. "You'll never know unless you ask."
He seemed to think about it for a long moment. "My sister had this phrase she'd always say," Tully explained. "It was the first thing that she learned to say so she'd parade around repeating it over and over."
"Do you remember it?"
"I - I think so," Tully said with an uncertain nod.
"Next time you see her, ask Marika about it."
"And Moira?"
Keara lightly laughed, giving Tully's hand a little squeeze. "I've seen the way you look at her and the way she looks back at you," she said. "That can't be faked."
"Like your feelings for Conor?"
Keara closed her eyes momentarily. Then she smiled and nodded, looking at Tully. "Something like that."