{When I broke the forest edge I turned up on a road. There was no-one around, just fields for miles, but there was a house with smoke rising from the chimney, and the wind was carrying a pleasant aroma my way. I was hungry, so I headed for it quietly.

{Inside there was only one man, quite young, cooking up something that smelled delicious. It was enough to cause my stomach to growl loudly at the open window. He looked up and I dashed out of sight.

{The next thing I knew he was at the window calling out, "Is someone there?" I didn't know what to think, whether to run. He said "The door's unlocked, and there should be enough for two." There was nothing else around for miles and it was getting late. I didn't understand him at the time, but he didn't sound annoyed. It would be dark soon, so I decided to risk the house.

{The door was indeed unlocked and I pushed it open just enough to poke my head in. It was a single room, a bed, table and stove, and only the man was in there. He turned to face me and I pulled back. "Don't be afraid," he said "please come in." His voice was soft and welcoming. I inched in, keeping my back against the wall. {Aha, Keidran, is this better? You must have come from the forest and you look famished. Please sit, I think I have just the thing.} He turned away and I moved slowly to sit at the table.}

{When I turned around she was sat fidgeting at the table. I'd slaughtered a lamb that day, and I chose one of the best looking cuts of the meat I had from the cold box. I laid it on a plate and pushed it across the table to her. {Go on, eat up,} I said, and finished plating up my own meal. I sat opposite her and poured two glasses of milk.

{{I'm Rhyn, by the way,} I said and waited patiently. When she did respond she was quieter than a dormouse, {Sari,} she whispered. {It's nice to meet you, Sari,} I said. {You don't need to worry, I don't bite. What brings you out of the forest?} I didn't get an answer to that for some years. When we finished I gathered the plates. I'm about to go to bed, you're welcome to stay if you like.} Without a word she curled up on the rug in front of the fire. I chuckled, {Okay, you can keep it fuelled if you like. I'll put out a blanket for you as well if you want it.}

{And that was pretty much it. I went to bed. After that she hung around for a few days, helping out around my house, while I fed her strength back up again. Once she was no longer certain that I was going to either kill her or enslave her, we got along like a house on fire.}

{I asked him, once we started talking, why it was he was being so kind. I was worried he was just building my strength up again and any day he might turn around and enslave me.}

{I was genuinely hurt when you suggested that, and it was actually tied to the reason I was out there. I've always shown my disrespect for slavery. Once, when I was young, I removed the control spell from the slave in our house and he ran away. When my parents found out they were furious, and when the slave was caught, they had him killed in front of me as punishment. The irony being it was then that I promised never to take part in that barbarism. When I was old enough to defend myself, the village banished me for speaking out in the enslaved Keidrans' favour. I went out and lived by myself until Sari found me.}

Vasek didn't look impressed. He'd spent the entire conversation staring intently at me. {So, how did you two...}

I inferred the rest of his question, {Well, we got along well and we became really good friends, so she stayed with me through the winter and into... spring.} Vasek took the hint. {In an attempt to "correct" me, my parents had me apprentice to the slave traders. That turned out to be a huge mistake, but I learned a thing or two, Keidran for example. I knew that it was uncommon for Keidran females to commit that early in their lives. I didn't want to take advantage of the situation.} Vasek snarled. Sari headed him off.

{Rhyn didn't know what to do at first. He'd been so nice to me, so when the time came I came on to him kinda hard, and pretty much out of nowhere. I'm glad though because things worked out well from there.}

{A few months later a passing trader, after we told him our story, told a tale passed amongst traders us of a place in the Parapet Mountains where all three races lived together in harmony. With nothing to lose, we headed here.}

{I still don't understand how you're pregnant though. It can't be this Human's fault.} Vasek spat that. He sounded almost disappointed, no doubt because it wasn't a valid reason to rip me to pieces. {There must be someone else?} He asked the obvious question.

{No! Rhyn's the only partner I've had since we met. We don't understand it either, but a few months ago I started showing symptoms and the doctor confirmed it. They aren't sure how long gestation is going to last, but based on the baby's development their best guess was any week now.}

Vasek's stare was beginning to get to me. {I'm going to make tea,} I said and stood up. Sari took my hand and smiled at me. I smiled back and squeezed it. She squeezed mine in return and let go. I left and headed to the kitchen, leaving the others to talk between themselves out of earshot.

I took my time preparing the tea, using a new blend I'd found in a tea shop in Azura. It smelt delicious to me, but was supposed to pick up much stronger on the Keidran palette. I set out cups on a tray and poured water from the kettle over the leaves. As the tea brewed I thought about what I was going to say to Vasek, but after several minutes I still had nothing.

{You're going to ask me aren't you?} I span around, unaware someone had entered the room behind me. Vasek was stood in the doorway and sounded deathly serious.

{I... what...} I was momentarily thrown. I swallowed and croaked out, {Wh... what would you say if I did?}

Vasek walked over to me and put his hand under my chin, {Are you afraid of me, Human?} he asked.

{Terrified,} I barely found the breath to utter the word. Vasek grinned, and laughed a single ha.

{I could tear you apart in an instant, and would happily do so if my sister wouldn't end my own life shortly after.}

I swallowed again, {I don't doubt it,} I whispered.

{Good, remember that.} He let go of me in order to point at my face. I didn't move. {I don't like this, I don't agree with this, and I'm never going to be happy about this.} His voice was hushed, but stern. {One false move and...} He ran his finger across my throat and stood there for another second before taking it away. I realised I wasn't breathing and inhaled sharply.

{But I have no power over my sister, who apparently feels greatly for you, and I cannot deny my nephew his father, if what you tell me is in fact true.} Vasek spoke through what sounded like grit teeth and deep internal turmoil. {I've been backed into a corner, in which I cannot in good faith say no.}

My stomach leapt, {Thank you, I...}

{Don't,} Vasek put his hand up to cut me off. {I'm not interested in you at all, Human. As far as I am concerned her tongue has been dirtied with your language, and I'm disgusted by the vile scent you've covered her with.} Vasek turned and left the room. I collapsed into a nearby chair, shaking and sweating with equal amounts of terror and joy.

Once I had regained my composure, I washed my face and carried the tray into the living room. Vasek was already gone.