She needed options, but for options to be known, she needed a clue what she dealt with there. Not to mention where the hell she landed in the first place. For the moment, no options existed, not ones she recognized. All she could do for now, observe her surroundings and hope somehow answers presented themselves sooner than later. She would wait and see what knowledge her observations produced. She just hoped her observations produced something viable, before something bad happened. She glanced at Jaren, and then turned her gaze back to the fire. A fortnight he said. All the time she would be given to figure out what happened and how to get out of there before the real Mistress returned.
She focused on her breathing and held back the tears which threatened to fall. She refused to panic or at least she would do her damnedest not to panic. Kaily kept repeating it to herself in hopes at some point her body would listen to her brain for once in her life.
Chapter Three
"You're late."
"Don't you knock?" Moto demanded.
"I did knock, several times." Shimani shut the door to Moto's hut. "What are you doing?"
Moto let out an exasperated breath. "I can't find her."
Shimani frowned and came to a stop across from Moto, "Find who?"
"The girl," Moto glared at him and pointed to the bowl. "Don't pretend you don't know who I am talking about." He knew Shimani was more than aware of who he spoke of since Shimani caught him staring at her image on more than one occasion and asked the same question as many times. Moto never answered, so now that he did talk about her, it irritated Moto Shimani should play ignorant.
Moto woke up early that morning and went about his duties but found his mind kept drifting to the moment their eyes locked in that pile of rubble. He could not ignore the impact she had on him. He kept trying to ignore it, but he couldn't. He felt something pass between them. He couldn't describe it in any way which made sense, and he refused to let it go. He knew he should let it go. It would be better for both of them if he could just let it go and never see her again. As the day drew on and the feeling of unease grew stronger, he grew less and less cable of functioning. He thought he could take a brief moment before his next responsibility came up to check on her. Just a brief glance, a brief moment to savor the feelings she stirred in him, a brief moment to give his mind peace. Indulgent he knew and not one he should continue to indulge, but he gave in, and now he couldn't locate her.
"Well, at least you're obsessing over something besides those cursed dreams of yours."
Moto glared at Shimani. "There's the door," he pointed. "If you don't have anything useful to add, feel free to use it."
"My apologies," Shimani said with a slight nod of his head.
Moto could tell Shimani attempted to suppress amusement and he didn't care for it.
"I'll help you look after the meeting," Shimani said. "You know our presence will be missed."
Moto shook his head and cursed. Shimani was right. This wasn't just any meeting. It was a Council meeting with the Shanees from all the other twelve Kahoali villages. The meetings were held twice in an annual cycle. The Chosen always attended by the Queen's side or at her back as custom dictated. The Chosen were the only males allowed to attend these meetings. He knew on some level he should feel pride in his being a Chosen, but at the moment he didn't feel pride. He felt annoyance.
He cursed again. What if something happened to her? Since the first moment he laid eyes on her, he never failed to locate her. He found her at her residence or those ruins. They appeared to be the only two places on her world she went. He couldn't understand why now all of a sudden, he couldn't find her.
"Moto!"
"I know!"
Shimani laid a hand on Moto's shoulder. "I'll help you find the girl. I give you my word." He started towards the door. "I'm sure she is fine." He added.
Moto ran his hand over his face. "Thank you," he forced the words. He didn't have the same certainty. Shimani spoke true. Their presence would be missed, and they were already late. "Duty first," Moto muttered more to himself. He turned away from the wooden bowl he made and used for a looking glass and followed Shimani out of his hut. He didn't bother to send back the water from Crystal Lake which filled the bowl. It would keep and he would try again after the meeting.
***
Three hours, Moto thought with annoyance, what a waste of time! He never much cared for these meetings, but this bordered on ludicrous. These cursed meetings lasted a span of three days and this the first day. In the past, the first day consisted of pleasantries, reconnecting and lasted at most two hours, not the three hours which already passed. The gathering gave no indication the end was near. He blamed Shanees Tanyu. He couldn't blame it on her being young although she was a good 10 years younger than himself, but so was Shanees Sari and she displayed no problem conducting herself in a respectable manner, adhering to norms. The whiny and impetuous Tanyu, new to her position, should take care to emulate Sari better.
Tanyu's latest antics involved him, which didn't help his attitude towards her. Although, he knew better than to outwardly express anything but the utmost respect for all the Shanees and Queen as nothing less would be tolerated in Kahoali society. Still, he didn't have time for this nonsense. And he would never agree to be bonded with the likes of her. He wouldn't be expected to answer the request she made, so why did the Queen entertain this?
