Chapter 15
"Oh..." Zarabeth gave a low groan as she slowly opened her eyes, the moment she did quickly leaving her wishing she could be unconscious again as her head pounded painfully with the steady beating of her heart. "What...Ouch-"
Letting her head fall back to look up, all the girl could see was her hands bound together above her. She was sitting up, facing a wooden beam stuck in the ground right in front of her, completely at a loss as to where she was.
It only took a few short tugs at the ropes to confirm that she wasn't going anywhere, her left arm burning under the efforts to free herself.
Zarabeth couldn't help the look of confusion suddenly clouding over her face, her bewilderment coming from the appearance of her injured arm. It was bandaged, cleaned up even, the mess of mud and blood that had covered her hands, arms, and shoulders now all but gone. She didn't know whether to feel afraid or comforted by this discovery.
Where was she? Turning her head this way and that to try to get any idea or clue, all Zara could really see was the thick animal hide walls and ceiling surrounding her on all sides, the structure supported primarily by the pole she was currently tied to. The little light that was being let in was from a flap-like door to her left and the place where the furs and skins connected to the pole near the top. The sky above was bright with morning light, signaling that the rest of the day was still left to her as it filled the small space around her with a warm golden glow.
Zarabeth waited in the silence filling the small enclosure, focusing on keeping her breathing even and calm.
This was certainly no time to panic. After all, she had no real reason to feel afraid, aside from the fact that she was being held against her will in a place complete foreign to her. She had done nothing wrong. Well, except that she'd drawn her gun at what she'd hoped was only an imaginary fright. If there was, in fact, someone there, it wasn't exactly the friendliest first greeting. Zara could only hope that whoever had taken her would realize that she wasn't trying to be a threat. Surely this was all just a misunderstanding.
Attempting to make the most of her time, Zarabeth focused on trying to get feeling back into her fingers, their lack of color and inconsistent movements confirming to her that circulation was greatly lacking. Her efforts to stay busy short lived once she'd succeeded, it was difficult all the while to not aggravate her arm any more than was necessary.
Zara didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, but the pounding in her head had, by this time, basically disappeared. The newfound clarity in her mind brought her attention to the sounds of low chatter and feet moving outside of where she was being held. But no matter how hard she tried, Zara couldn't pick out any one conversation from the next, the realization hitting her that the problem wasn't her being able to hear them or not. They were speaking a different language.
The fear she had been forcing herself to avoid was now suddenly too much to suppress. This was a problem.
She couldn't understand them. They wouldn't be able to understand her. There was no way for her to convince them of her intentions.
There was no more time than that to fret over this new development, what was left of Zarabeth's concentration dashed aside by the presence of someone ducking in through the small opening to get inside.
The girl stiffened in fear as she watched the form of an overly muscled man straighten up to stand over her, his face and any skin showing from beneath his clothes painted in vibrant colors and designs she did not understand the significance of.
She didn't move. She only watched. Eyes locked with his, Zara couldn't read his blank expression, the man obviously scrutinizing her the way she was him.
The girl instinctively flinched when he moved too slowly walk the circumference of the small space, his gaze constant as his heavy tread became the only sound filling the tent.
Neither spoke.
Zarabeth released the trembling breath she had been holding, her arms shaking a little as they hung above her, a reaction she desperately wanted to control but couldn't seem to no matter how hard she tried.
It wasn't until the man had walked once all the way about her before stopping to directly face the trembling girl in front of him, somehow managing to cross his enormous arms over his chest with only the slightest glare in his eyes to show any emotion he felt.
Was he waiting for her to say something? Was he not going to speak at all? Maybe he already had guessed that she wouldn't understand him if he did try to speak.
Minutes passed, but still nothing. The silence between them was suffocating. He seemed to not be fazed by it, but Zarabeth was struggling to keep her composure. Without a clue as to what was going on or what was going to happen, she feared that her emotions would overrule her mind, forcing her to do something she'd desperately regret.
Just when she thought she'd be forced to speak first out of sheer desperation, someone else joined them in the small enclosure, a young woman this time.
Zara's attention now completely focused on her, it sort of surprised her how much smaller she was than the man already there. She was tall, but slender, lithe like a cat and probably just as agile. Like the man standing in front of her, the young woman was covered in streaks of paint, but hers only varying shades of green. Tanned though she appeared, her hair color was what surprised Zarabeth most, the novelty causing her to unintentionally stare. It was silver like starlight, long and soft looking yet wind-blown like the mane of a wild horse. Everything about her looked exotic, almost frightening, her sharply angled eyes of gold pairing well with the pointed tips of her ears. Zara had never seen any race like her before.
The girl's distracted mind was brought back to reality the moment the alien woman spoke, her metallic voice ringing through the enclosure in a string of words Zarabeth could not understand. Trying to make her confusion clear, she didn't say a word, simply showing her emotions in her eyes since she knew replying was of no use.
Leaving silence to persist for a few uncomfortable moments, the young woman moved to kneel in front of Zara, her gaze now level with hers as she seemed to search for the answer in her eyes.
Beginning to feel exposed under the alien girl's intense stare, Zara couldn't help how her body began to squirm in anticipation, waiting eagerly for anything to happen.
"You do not speak?"
"W-What?" The shock was evident in Zarabeth's voice, her expression completely blank as she wondered if she'd actually heard her correctly.
"Our language, Ahaela, you do not speak it?"
"Uh..n-no. No I don't. But you speak mine?"
Ignoring Zara's question, the girl turned to the man still standing stiffly behind them, spewing off a long string of foreign words before getting a small nod from him in response as he moved to leave them alone.
The young woman turned back to Zarabeth with a gentle smile, all fronts melting away as she gave her an apologetic look, her words somewhat broken and forced, but still understandable. "I greatly apologize for the way my kinsman have treated you. It was not good for them to bring you."
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand where I am."
"You are in my clan's borders, just a little ways from where my brother found you."
"That...That man was your brother?"
"Yes. Prince of our clan, my brother and his friends found you in the hour of hunting. They did not know whether you were pirate or worse. I do not think you are. The gun you carry is better than that."
"You speak rather well for a foreigner. How do you know how to talk to me? I have never heard of people living on this moon."
Obviously more than convinced that Zarabeth was not a threat, the alien girl pulled a short knife from her belt as she looked cautiously towards the door, cutting Zara's hands free after only a moment of hesitation. "There is outpost we are friends with. They are many smugglers but not bad people. They are very good to us. I have used years to understand your speech, and they are learning ours. It is needed if I wish to continue such bonds with them. But you are not any of them. What are you here?"
"I..." Rubbing distractedly at her chafed wrists, Zarabeth tried to make sure not to move her injured arm, lifting a timid hand to lightly touch the bandages securely wrapped around it. "I'm the wife of a captain who flies for the government near here, for Rhitan and the royal family. Our ship was taken by smugglers and they're going to kill my husband and his crew. I was able to escape, but I crashed here instead of on Inyang. I was going for help. I know someone there. I'm not trying to hurt you or any of your clan."
It was easy to see that the young woman believed her, giving her a small nod with a soft smile as she brushed the hair behind one of her pointed ears. "I know. I can see that you speak truth. I am sorry for what has happened. What do you intend to do if we can let you go?"
"I...I guess I would ask if you have any way for me to go to Inyang, or maybe even to Rhitan directly. I cannot stay here unless I am forced. I won't let him die."
"Your husband and the other people are still alive then?"
"As far as I know. The smugglers need them to stay safe for whatever they have planned to do. They need to reach Rhitan first."
"How long?"
"Two maybe three days at most. We were close when I escaped yesterday."
Sitting back on her heels in obvious concentration, the alien girl furrowed her brows as she stayed silent for a while, deep in thought. "I will see what my father thinks. He is a hard man and not likely to simply let you go. My brother is the same. They do not fear you as a physical person, but the fact that you know us at all. We are a secretive people, protected by the highest seat government you speak of. The outpost is exception to keep feelings good between us and the smuggler people. We are not supposed to be known here. Our ways are too peaceful for interference by any. Do you understand?"
Giving a small nod to confirm that she did, Zarabeth swallowed hard as the woman's words began to sink in.
"Good. I am sure you could give me truth that you would not speak of us, but I do not know if my clan leaders would agree. I will try, for you and the life of your husband."