Maleah

Kain read over the words again and again, struck dumb by the message. We're coming for you!
"When did this letter arrive, Othello?"
"Well...yesterday, Kain..."
"So...", Kain reasoned, "The letter got here yesterday, it came all the way from Coorhagen...and...Othello!"
"What?" grumbled Othello, standing up and rubbing his sore backside. (He'd landed on a chair.)
"It's possible that they could be coming today!" Kain whooped, and he dashed out of the room.

"There's another crazy one..." muttered one teacher to the other as Kain whizzed past them, running as fast as he could to the main gate of the University. Would Maleah be with them? What did she look like now? Did she still think of him as her friend? He thought about her as he ran, the mere memory of her bringing on emotions he'd never really noticed before.

He was stopped by Tybalt, one of his favorite guards, at the gate.
"What's your hurry, Kain? Term's not over, yet...you still have one more day of examinations, don't you?"
"Yes...yes, Tybalt...we do...I was just wondering..."
"Slow down, there son, and catch your breath, you look like you ran all the way here!"
"I did!" Kain panted. When he caught his breath again, he asked Tybalt if anyone from Coorhagen had come in.
"No...there's been nobody in here all week, except the postman...you weren't expecting anyone, were you?"
"Not at all..." Kain murmured. He turned to walk away when an idea struck him.
"Tybalt...can I wait up with you?"
"What for? That group? Don't you have examinations tomorrow?"
"Well...yes...but..." There was such a look of pleading in Kain's eyes that gruff Tybalt could not refuse.
"All right. But just until my shift is over, you understand?"
Kain said he did, and settled himself down to watch the road.

"Kain...Kain! Wake up, kid! Is this the group?" Tybalt practically shouted in Kain's ear.
"I'm up, I'm up..." muttered Kain, rubbing his eyes. He looked around just in time to see the last member of the caravan of wagons, horses, and mules that had gone through the gate.
"Was that them, Kain? They said they were from Coorhagen..."
Kain stood faster than one could blink when he heard that. He looked at the wagons making their way into the guest area, then looked back at Tybalt. "I don't know." Kain murmured.
"Ah, well, you'll probably find out tomorrow, because my shift is over. And Lucentio had a bad day, so you can bet that he won't let you stick around."
Kain nodded, bid Tybalt goodnight, and turned to go back to his quarters. On the way he saw the most extraordinary young woman.

She couldn't have been much older than he was, and as she walked her lavender silk dress swished around her and brushed against the ground. Her long black hair hung loose behind her, tumbling over her shoulders and stopping, Kain thought, at the small of her back. A veil made of some translucent lavender material covered her hair. But what caught Kain's attention the most were the girl's eyes, deep violet and expressive. They seemed familiar to him, somehow...

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for someone..." the girl said softly, stopping him. There was even something familiar about the lyrical way her voice flowed, but he couldn't quite place it..
"Excuse me," the girl said again, coming closer to Kain, "But I'm looking for...." She stopped speaking and scrutinized Kain's face more closely. Then she threw her arms about him.
"Kain! It's you!" she cried out, as she hugged him tightly for a moment and then pulled away from him and touched his face.
"You've changed, Kain. I almost didn't know you..."
"I don't know you," Kain snapped, turning to walk away.
"Oh, Kain, let's not fight again...I haven't seen you in three years..."
Kain stopped in his tracks and turned and looked at the pretty girl in lavender.
"Maleah...?"
"Yes!" the girl laughed, and she threw her arms about Kain again, "As soon as your examinations are done tomorrow, we'll be going back! Oh, wait until you see your little sister! She's beautiful! And your brother's betrothed...can you believe that?"
"Tell me all about it on the way back, Maleah..." He didn't want to leave her alone, but he had to and get some sleep for his examinations...
"All right, Kain." Maleah didn't seem in the least bit upset about that, "Then I'll see you tomorrow?"
"You have my word on it."