I awoke in what I first thought was some sort of barracks. Based on the fact it was filled with beds, with each bed having a wicker trunk at the foot of it. I myself was in one of the simple, straw mattress beds and Almari was dozed off in a chair next to me. As I leaned up to look around the room, Almari stirred. She let out a yawn and stretched, "Hey" she said in a tired voice. "Hey" I responded in kind.
Almari filled me in on what had happened while I was down with my fever. We had made it to Mister Yusri's village, with little trouble after the succubus incident. They had to chase off a few Plate Rats and avoid a humongous scorpion, but no real fighting happened and everyone made it back safe. We were all taken to the village matron but when she saw my condition she decided to postpone her judgement. So we were instead put up in the dorms. It was currently midday and everyone else in the village was probably having lunch or working. "Where's Timothy?" I asked, curious as to where the little brat was. "This is the girl's dorm." she said. "He's not allowed in here." I indicated for Almari to continue explaining and she told me that Mister Yusri would come get us later today to speak with the matron, if I was well enough. At the end of her explanation I nodded in contemplation.
After I had gotten out of bed Almari helped me dress in some fresh robes and wash my face. The wounds I had sustained two nights before, now were sore and my magically healed skin felt stretched over the wounds. As I grimaced putting the robes on, Almari put on a worried look, but I waved off her sympathy.
The village outside consisted of two dozen buildings, placed around to give the village an obligated donut shape. In the center was some sort of communal area, where people were sitting at tables covered by several large tents. They were eating their daytime meal but they took a moment to stare at Almari and I as we headed towards the food station. The food smelled savoury. It seemed to be bread and what resembled a thick beef stew. Almari greeted the two older women who were handing out food and retrieved us both half a loaf of bread alongside a bowl of stew. Then she navigated us to a table with open spots. The table had several girls between mine and Almari's age who all giggled at our approach. Now that I looked around I noticed there were no men eating. Instead I saw some working with some animals in a pen, just past the buildings but there were no men in the immediate area.
Sitting down the girls said something to us and giggled again. I raised an eyebrow in question, but as it was pointless to try and talk to them, I decided it was best to just start eating. Almari on the other hand tried to communicate but the attempt just ended in more giggling. In stark contrast to Almari and I, these people here were darker skinned. They nearly all had dark brown or black hair with brown eyes. As we ate I wasn't sure whether it was my looks or what they heard about me that drew everyone's eye. I could hear whispers and more of the incessant giggling among the girls and not just from our table either. Halfway through my stew and bread Samara came over to our table with a smile. I don't know what she said but it sounded like a "Thank You" or a greeting. She didn't stay long though, instead moving over to what became a cleaning station. Several other women went over with her. Eventually the girls who had finished eating got up and followed, carrying their empty bowl and spoon.
The stew was decent enough that I forced it all down, but in the end I couldn't justify stuffing myself with the bread. Almari had finished before me and seemed to be making funny faces at a couple girls in a bid to communicate. After I informed her I was full, we both got up and headed towards the cleaning station, dropping our bowls and scrapes off. When I dropped my remaining half of bread into the scraps, Samara gave me a stern, scolding look before saying something and shaking her head. I let out a "Sorry" as Almari and I wandered off.
Almari took the chance to show me around. First taking me to where I had seen the men before, tending to a herd of camels. There were no horses around but they did have a few cows, goats and chickens. Some of the women who had been eating before, were now tending to the chickens and goats. On the other side of the village was a small garden, including a fairly large section devoted to grapes. The primary crops in the garden seemed to be a type of maize and a sort of root vegetable, not unlike a carrot. Each place we went Almari greeted people. She was sure making a good impression. Near the garden was an oval shaped fenced-in area that seemed to be a practice arena. As we passed by, three sets of boys and a set of girls were sparring with wooden swords. We seemed to catch one boy's attention, who proceeded to get bonked on the head fairly hard by his opponent. Almari and I couldn't help but let out a girlish giggle at that.
On the other side of the area was where we found the archery range and Timothy. He was watching some boy, probably just a few years older than him practice with a bow. Timothy's back was turned to us as we approached and Almari's sudden "Hey Timmy." sent him a foot in the air. After Timothy recovered he got close and looked me up and down. "Are you okay now?" he asked. I nodded and he quickly wrapped me in a hug. "Oww oww oww" I said, his arms pressing into my still sore wounds. He jerked back "Sorry sorry sorry" he said. Almari laughed and I gave her a look before telling Timothy "It's alright. I'm fine now, really."
The rest of the day passed agonizingly slow as we waited for our judgement. Almari continued to drag me around camp till my legs were sore, while Timothy stayed near the training area. Everywhere we went Almari tried to talk to people with little success. They at least seemed friendly enough I suppose. Eventually there was an end of day meal where we had to wait for the guys to finish eating before we got our chance with the rest of the women. Mister Yusri waved to us when we changed over for dinner but didn't stop to talk.
Finally, after dinner it was time to talk to this matron. Mister Yusri came by our table as we were finishing our meal. He had brought Timothy with him. "Good evening little ones." He said, smiling. "It is time for you to meet our matron." "About time" I let out, just for Almari to gently punch my arm and give me a disappointed look. With that Yusri escorted us towards a modest sized building near the center of the village. Pushing through the curtain, Yusri said a greeting in his native tongue and went forward to bow to a woman sitting on the floor cross legged. The woman was older, probably in the second half of her sixties. Her hair was grey from age and her right eye bore a scar and was dull. She was smoking a pipe which left an acrid smell in the air. Sensing it would be polite, Almari, Timothy and I bowed before sitting down, while Yusri stood behind us.
It felt like an eternity as the three of us sat quietly, while the women stared us down. Meanwhile Yusri made no move behind us. Finally as the women flicked the ashes from her pipe into a brass spittoon, she spoke. "I am Matron Shala." her voice was gravely as she continued. "I am in charge of the children, the women and the village." When she finished the matron looked at us expectantly. Almari took the hint first "Uhh I'm Almari Redwolf, this is my little sister and little brother. Victoria and Timothy Redwolf." she said, indicating to each of us. I bowed my head slightly as Almari said my name. "From what my son told me." She began "You three somehow ended up alone and in this desert." We nodded and Almari gave a "Yes ma'am." The matron then continued "You are lucky a man as good as my son found you. Do you know this?" I was first to respond "Yes, we realize this and we realize how precarious our situation is." She raised an eyebrow, just as Yusri always did "Such big words from such a little girl." Nodding, is if agreeing with herself she continued "Yusri also tells me that when he found you, you told him you are from the Fittoa region of the Asura Kingdom. You find yourselves far away from home. Yusri also told me he found you near a dead Sand Worm and two dead Plate Rats. Care to explain that?" I looked at Almari. I could explain myself, sure, but Almari was much better at coming off as an innocent child, given that she was one. As if understanding Almari began "When we were young our mother taught us magic. We used magic to defeat them." Almari surprised me. I didn't think Almari would try and spin this another way. I wasn't sure the lady was going to buy this though, she seemed to not believe us. "Ahh so what my son told me was inaccurate? Very well." she said, squinting her one good eye at us, suddenly making me feel very small, well smaller. Her look softened as she spoke up again. "Now my son also says that on your way here, that this one." she said pointing to me. "Killed a Succubus and over twenty Giant Bats. Or perhaps you mean to tell me your magic helped her out then too little Almari." as the matron finished Almari and I shrunk down. I would have to remind myself to teach Almari how to lie sometime. Right now though Almari seemed frightened and was sweating. Still it was sweet she tried to defend me and hide my abilities, not that Almari even understood them. Straightening up I decided to take command of the conversation. "I was the one who defeated the Sand Worm, Plate Rats, Succubus and Giant Bats ma'am. I'm sorry we tried to mislead you. It is my fault." I bowed as I spoke, trying to take responsibility. When I looked back up a grin had spread across her face. "It is good to be honest with me. Know I am not angry. In fact I am grateful that you saved my foolish nephew Raihaan from the she-monster." she nodded for emphasis. "I also understand why a women must keep her abilities hidden, less she be taken advantage of." She paused for a moment, looking us over again. "Also I have decided you will stay in this village as our children." I was surprised that she accepted us so readily. Each of us gave a "Thank you".
From there Matron Shala asked my siblings and I many questions. Her personality changed from strict to that of a loving grandmother. She asked each of us how we were feeling and things about home. Almari and Timothy cried a little while talking about our parents and Renault, but the older women pulled them to her chest and pet their heads. She thanked me again and asked details about my fight with the succubus, which I provided in a censored fashion. She then went into asking us what things we liked, if we were afraid of anything and just general questions to get to know us.
Finally she took on a serious tone. "So, are you going to stay in the village?" Almari and Timothy answered immediately with a "Yes". It was hard not to, after she just spent an hour empathising with us and getting to know us. She felt like a genuinely kind person who cared about us. It was a better situation than I could have hoped for, especially for Almari and Timothy but… I didn't want to stay in this village. As if sensing my hesitancy she looked me in the eyes. "Do you not want to stay here child?" she said directly to me. Almari and Timothy each gave me a nervous look. "Yes and no" I began "I am thankful for the offer, and your village and its people are very nice. But I want to go home." My words weren't the entire truth. I didn't care that much about home. I just wanted out of this desert. She seemed to regard my words for a minute before replying "I thought you, being as feeble as you are, would want to stay for sure. I don't think you'd survive a journey across the desert and to an entire other continent." She might be right of course. If I was a normal child she would be right for sure. "Perhaps you should stay here for a time and grow strong?" She suggested. "You will have freedom to leave whenever you choose. Or you may stay a part of our village to the end of your days. That is your choice to make, little child." Almari was looking at me worried but at this point Timothy was crying. "Don't leave me sis." He said, tackling me in an embrace as tears streamed from his eyes and he began to sob. Ugh, don't do it. I told myself. Don't fall for it. But I just couldn't do it. The last straw was when Almari began crying, "If… if you don't want to stay we'll… we'll all go Victoria." she said joining the embrace. "I don't want to lose you." Her words cut deep. I had to remember, to these two kids I was their cute fragile sister. Someone they had grown up with and loved like family, because I was family to them. "Ugh… fine." I said, trying to push them off of me. "Fine fine fine" I repeated. "Just get off of me!" They didn't seem to listen, and both Matron Shala and Mister Yusri laughed.
