Chapter 2: Reunion
The next morning she heard a small rustling and found herself face to face with a huge snarling dog and two handsome men. "It's ok boy lay off." One of them said to the dog. The other helped Kiri to her feet. "Are you alright?" The smaller one asked. "Yeah I'm fine thanks. My name is Kiri Monarch what's yours?" "I'm Richard," said the smaller one "and this here is my friend Kevin. How did you get out here little lady?" On the way to their house she told them the whole story. "Wow that's some story miss." Rich said when she had finished. "When you finish eating and bathing we'd be happy to take you home won't we Rich?" "Absolutely Kev. Bathrooms upstairs on the right."
At the house they gave her a little breakfast and a hot bath. When she was done she came down stairs. "Feel better?" Kevin asked. "Yes I do thanks. I'd bet I've got enough strength to take on a bear!" "Good cause Rich here is as strong as one." He said and laughed evilly. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked eyes searching the room for her bow. "It means I hope you were telling the truth about how you feel or Rich here might hurt you on accident." "What do you mean?" As she finished her question she got the answer. Rich grabbed her and tied her hands behind her back. "What are you doing? Let me go right now." She screamed. At that very moment Kano crashed through the door and bit Kevin on the back. Kevin screamed in pain and fell to the floor bleeding next Kano turned his attention to Richard. "Let her go." Kano said calmly as he moved toward the boy, "Stay back," Rich warned as he put a knife to Kiri's throat, "I'll kill her right now." Kano chuckled, "No you won't Richard you know very well who she is and what she means to you is too much to harm her that's why you weren't going to let Kevin hurt her." "Ok but stay where you are and I'll let her go." He said as he put down the knife and released Kiri into waiting arms of Daine. "Don't go to far deary." The god warned, "I would like to have a word with you back at my house." She said pulling the boy with an invisible rope.
By the time they reached the house it was night and Kiri received a good scolding from Kano before she was sent to bed. As she lay in bed she could hear what Daine had wanted to say. "What in the world did you think you were doing tying her up like that? Kevin could have hurt her when you were out of the room!" The god asked obviously upset. "I don't know I thought I could get her out before Kevin hurt her. Even if I couldn't I still would have stopped him. I would never hurt her. She means too much to me, Daine you know that." Kiri could hear tears in his voice. "Even so you should have called me sooner Richard I would not have had to hurt Kevin if you would have." Kano told him dryly. "I know I know but I didn't think. I." "That's right you didn't think did you?" Richard was cut off by Daine and did not appreciate it. "Shut up! I know what I did and didn't do ok?" He took a deep breath and his voice softened, "I'm sorry she never would have got hurt." Kiri heard him move toward her door and she closed her eyes. "Look at her," he said softly, "She's so beautiful I missed her so much." She could feel him walk toward her and stroke her hair. He bent down and whispered, "I love you so much little one." He kissed her cheek and left. Kiri fell asleep that night puzzled by who Richard was and angry with Daine and Kano for being thought of as a child.
The next morning she was up before the sun. She was still upset about last night and decided to take a walk. She walked down to the river and as she bent down to get a drink a shadow appeared behind her. She turned as fast as she could only to find herself face to face with Richard. "Hello." He said coolly, "You're up offly early." "Hi." Kiri replied softly, "I couldn't sleep that's all." She begin to move away when he blocked the way. "Excuse me," She said, "I need to go back to the house." "No I need to talk to you please let me explain about last night. Ok?" "Ok you have 20 minutes. I hope you can talk fast." "No that's not what I mean. Can you get out at 10 o'clock to night?" She folded her arms, "Yes of course. Kano never asks where I'm going or why. So I can do anything." "Good. Meet me here to night at 10. Ok?" "Ok. Now will you please move?" Richard stepped a side and Kiri headed home.
That night Kiri quietly climbed out of her window and walked back to the river. As soon as she reached the spot Rich appeared. "Hello," He said so fast that it made her jump. "Oh gosh, you scared me." "Sorry but I wanted to make sure you came alone. Have a seat." He said motioning her to a near by rock. They sat there for a long time in silence until Kiri had had enough. "Well? What did you want to say to me?" "I'm sorry I was trying to think were to start. You were so young when it happened." "What? When what happened?" "It all started when you were four years old. Your ma was wed and cast out but she didn't care all she cared about was you. When you were four you became very sick and not just any sick, a magical sick where your powers were colliding and hurting you. So for your sake your mother," he heisted, "Your mother.Daine wanted you to be safe so she forced you to grow at the fastest way possible. That is why you don't remember your childhood, you don't have one. One day you were four and the next day you were ten. Your mother did the same for your twin brother but she kept him with her so that he might find you one day. When you were ten the wars around the palace were so bad that your mom sent you to live with that old man and Kano. She vowed that when you were 16 that she would find you because before she left you she gave Kano his special gift so she might find you again. So now you know. What do you think?" He asked finally finished. "I can't believe it I have a family and a brother!" She stopped, "But I still don't see who you are Rich?" Just as she spoke these words the sun rose and she needed to be home before Kano and Daine were awake. "Come to the house at noon and ask to take me to see the town. Then we can come back and finish our chat. OK?" "As you wish my lady. Good day." And he disappeared into the woods.
When Kano came to wake Kiri he found that she was already awake. "Well good morning my dear how are you?" he asked the girl "Oh good morning Kano I'm fine just thinking about some thing." Kano looked at her curiously and then decided that he should not know. "Well when you are ready come down for breakfast." In less then a minute Kiri was down the stairs and eating her pancakes. "Good morning Daine. How are you feeling?" "I'm fine dear how are you?" "I'm fine. This is great." Danie said she was fine but Kiri as well as Kano could see that she was not fine. She looked tired and sad. Kiri could guess why. "I'm sorry." She said softly, "I didn't mean to hurt your feeling." The god looked up surprised "Oh it not you dear it's Richard. He left the house last night at ten and he hasn't come back and it's almost noon." "It is isn't it? Well I'm sure he'll be back." As Kiri spoke those words the doorbell rang and Richard stood in the door. "Richard! Hello come in sit down." Daine told the boy, "Oh no I can't but I've come to ask if I could take Kiri out and show her around the town and I promise she will be back before dark." "I would love that if it's ok with Kano?" "Alright but you must be back before dark." "I will I swear. Bye!" Kano and Danie watched her disappear into town. Once they were out of site they took a short cut through the town and back to the same spot where they were the night before.
"Ok we're here." Kiri said but Richard would not look at her. "What's wrong Richard?" She asked worried. "It's just.you." Kiri was shocked, "Me? What did I do?" He took a deep breath, "Let me start from the beginning. My name is Richard.Salimin. I am 16 years old I was born on September 5,625. My parents are Danie and Numair Salimin. I was born here in Daywood and you're." He sighed and put his face in his hand, "I'm sorry you'll have to ask Kano and Danie to tell you the rest." He said and ran back to town. Kiri sat there not knowing what to do, after a long time of replaying what Rich had said she got up to leave. On the way home she looked into the pond and saw what she thought was a figure of her imagination, she saw a half beast half-woman thing in the water. She shook her head and the image vanished. Weird she thought as she entered the house, she saw that Kano had something in his mouth. "What is that?" she asked him. "It's my lunch." He said as he swolled the bird whole. "Yuck! Where is Danie I need to have a talk with both of you.now." "Oh dear Richard. Oh my gosh what did he do? No wait don't tell me wait for Danie so she can hold me back. Danie!" Kano yelled through the house. "What is wrong with you? That's loud enough to make the dead walk. What's going on?" "Kiri want to talk to us.now." "Oh gosh Richard. What did he do? Did he hurt you? Kiri tell me what happened." Demanded the god. "No you guys have the wrong idea. It's not what he did it's what he.said." She took a deep breath, "You better sit down for this."
The next morning she heard a small rustling and found herself face to face with a huge snarling dog and two handsome men. "It's ok boy lay off." One of them said to the dog. The other helped Kiri to her feet. "Are you alright?" The smaller one asked. "Yeah I'm fine thanks. My name is Kiri Monarch what's yours?" "I'm Richard," said the smaller one "and this here is my friend Kevin. How did you get out here little lady?" On the way to their house she told them the whole story. "Wow that's some story miss." Rich said when she had finished. "When you finish eating and bathing we'd be happy to take you home won't we Rich?" "Absolutely Kev. Bathrooms upstairs on the right."
At the house they gave her a little breakfast and a hot bath. When she was done she came down stairs. "Feel better?" Kevin asked. "Yes I do thanks. I'd bet I've got enough strength to take on a bear!" "Good cause Rich here is as strong as one." He said and laughed evilly. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked eyes searching the room for her bow. "It means I hope you were telling the truth about how you feel or Rich here might hurt you on accident." "What do you mean?" As she finished her question she got the answer. Rich grabbed her and tied her hands behind her back. "What are you doing? Let me go right now." She screamed. At that very moment Kano crashed through the door and bit Kevin on the back. Kevin screamed in pain and fell to the floor bleeding next Kano turned his attention to Richard. "Let her go." Kano said calmly as he moved toward the boy, "Stay back," Rich warned as he put a knife to Kiri's throat, "I'll kill her right now." Kano chuckled, "No you won't Richard you know very well who she is and what she means to you is too much to harm her that's why you weren't going to let Kevin hurt her." "Ok but stay where you are and I'll let her go." He said as he put down the knife and released Kiri into waiting arms of Daine. "Don't go to far deary." The god warned, "I would like to have a word with you back at my house." She said pulling the boy with an invisible rope.
By the time they reached the house it was night and Kiri received a good scolding from Kano before she was sent to bed. As she lay in bed she could hear what Daine had wanted to say. "What in the world did you think you were doing tying her up like that? Kevin could have hurt her when you were out of the room!" The god asked obviously upset. "I don't know I thought I could get her out before Kevin hurt her. Even if I couldn't I still would have stopped him. I would never hurt her. She means too much to me, Daine you know that." Kiri could hear tears in his voice. "Even so you should have called me sooner Richard I would not have had to hurt Kevin if you would have." Kano told him dryly. "I know I know but I didn't think. I." "That's right you didn't think did you?" Richard was cut off by Daine and did not appreciate it. "Shut up! I know what I did and didn't do ok?" He took a deep breath and his voice softened, "I'm sorry she never would have got hurt." Kiri heard him move toward her door and she closed her eyes. "Look at her," he said softly, "She's so beautiful I missed her so much." She could feel him walk toward her and stroke her hair. He bent down and whispered, "I love you so much little one." He kissed her cheek and left. Kiri fell asleep that night puzzled by who Richard was and angry with Daine and Kano for being thought of as a child.
The next morning she was up before the sun. She was still upset about last night and decided to take a walk. She walked down to the river and as she bent down to get a drink a shadow appeared behind her. She turned as fast as she could only to find herself face to face with Richard. "Hello." He said coolly, "You're up offly early." "Hi." Kiri replied softly, "I couldn't sleep that's all." She begin to move away when he blocked the way. "Excuse me," She said, "I need to go back to the house." "No I need to talk to you please let me explain about last night. Ok?" "Ok you have 20 minutes. I hope you can talk fast." "No that's not what I mean. Can you get out at 10 o'clock to night?" She folded her arms, "Yes of course. Kano never asks where I'm going or why. So I can do anything." "Good. Meet me here to night at 10. Ok?" "Ok. Now will you please move?" Richard stepped a side and Kiri headed home.
That night Kiri quietly climbed out of her window and walked back to the river. As soon as she reached the spot Rich appeared. "Hello," He said so fast that it made her jump. "Oh gosh, you scared me." "Sorry but I wanted to make sure you came alone. Have a seat." He said motioning her to a near by rock. They sat there for a long time in silence until Kiri had had enough. "Well? What did you want to say to me?" "I'm sorry I was trying to think were to start. You were so young when it happened." "What? When what happened?" "It all started when you were four years old. Your ma was wed and cast out but she didn't care all she cared about was you. When you were four you became very sick and not just any sick, a magical sick where your powers were colliding and hurting you. So for your sake your mother," he heisted, "Your mother.Daine wanted you to be safe so she forced you to grow at the fastest way possible. That is why you don't remember your childhood, you don't have one. One day you were four and the next day you were ten. Your mother did the same for your twin brother but she kept him with her so that he might find you one day. When you were ten the wars around the palace were so bad that your mom sent you to live with that old man and Kano. She vowed that when you were 16 that she would find you because before she left you she gave Kano his special gift so she might find you again. So now you know. What do you think?" He asked finally finished. "I can't believe it I have a family and a brother!" She stopped, "But I still don't see who you are Rich?" Just as she spoke these words the sun rose and she needed to be home before Kano and Daine were awake. "Come to the house at noon and ask to take me to see the town. Then we can come back and finish our chat. OK?" "As you wish my lady. Good day." And he disappeared into the woods.
When Kano came to wake Kiri he found that she was already awake. "Well good morning my dear how are you?" he asked the girl "Oh good morning Kano I'm fine just thinking about some thing." Kano looked at her curiously and then decided that he should not know. "Well when you are ready come down for breakfast." In less then a minute Kiri was down the stairs and eating her pancakes. "Good morning Daine. How are you feeling?" "I'm fine dear how are you?" "I'm fine. This is great." Danie said she was fine but Kiri as well as Kano could see that she was not fine. She looked tired and sad. Kiri could guess why. "I'm sorry." She said softly, "I didn't mean to hurt your feeling." The god looked up surprised "Oh it not you dear it's Richard. He left the house last night at ten and he hasn't come back and it's almost noon." "It is isn't it? Well I'm sure he'll be back." As Kiri spoke those words the doorbell rang and Richard stood in the door. "Richard! Hello come in sit down." Daine told the boy, "Oh no I can't but I've come to ask if I could take Kiri out and show her around the town and I promise she will be back before dark." "I would love that if it's ok with Kano?" "Alright but you must be back before dark." "I will I swear. Bye!" Kano and Danie watched her disappear into town. Once they were out of site they took a short cut through the town and back to the same spot where they were the night before.
"Ok we're here." Kiri said but Richard would not look at her. "What's wrong Richard?" She asked worried. "It's just.you." Kiri was shocked, "Me? What did I do?" He took a deep breath, "Let me start from the beginning. My name is Richard.Salimin. I am 16 years old I was born on September 5,625. My parents are Danie and Numair Salimin. I was born here in Daywood and you're." He sighed and put his face in his hand, "I'm sorry you'll have to ask Kano and Danie to tell you the rest." He said and ran back to town. Kiri sat there not knowing what to do, after a long time of replaying what Rich had said she got up to leave. On the way home she looked into the pond and saw what she thought was a figure of her imagination, she saw a half beast half-woman thing in the water. She shook her head and the image vanished. Weird she thought as she entered the house, she saw that Kano had something in his mouth. "What is that?" she asked him. "It's my lunch." He said as he swolled the bird whole. "Yuck! Where is Danie I need to have a talk with both of you.now." "Oh dear Richard. Oh my gosh what did he do? No wait don't tell me wait for Danie so she can hold me back. Danie!" Kano yelled through the house. "What is wrong with you? That's loud enough to make the dead walk. What's going on?" "Kiri want to talk to us.now." "Oh gosh Richard. What did he do? Did he hurt you? Kiri tell me what happened." Demanded the god. "No you guys have the wrong idea. It's not what he did it's what he.said." She took a deep breath, "You better sit down for this."