~Chapter 11: parents – Nieka~
All the anger suddenly fled from Takal's face replaced by an inquisitive stare that relaxed further until she thought he might laugh like the unstable lunatic she was beginning to think he was. But he didn't laugh and she just stared back confused.
"Who's back there? Fennica are you back here with someone?" her mother called from around the house and she shoved her hand behind her back. Unfortunately, this forced Takal's hand behind her back as well so they were standing uncomfortably close when her mother came into view. She tried to look innocent. Another bad idea; to a mom that just shouts I'm guilty.
"Oh there you are, and who's this handsome young man?" she added charmingly. "You must be one of the warriors who saved our daughter. I was just about to try to pry some more information out of her about everything that has happened over some pie but I must say I would rather get your side if I could."
Nieka utterly horrified, slapped her palm to her forehead and began to rub her eyebrows with her thumb and forefinger. She'd probably heard their whole fight too. Sometimes she swore the Sun God hated her and she could almost hear the trees laughing.
To her annoyance, Takal chuckled, then said "Certainly ma'am it is actually you and your husband I came to talk to today. I'd love to answer any questions you might have over pie." Well, he obviously didn't know she'd been listening. And when did he flip the switch to charming?
Nieka looked up at Takal and was baffled to see a hopeful grin on his face.
"Wonderful I just put an apple pie in the window sill to cool and was looking for Fennica here to press some fresh apple cider to go with it."
"Actually Mom, we were just about to leave." She said in a desperate attempt to flee. She could feel all her plans spinning completely out of her control and she didn't like it. Fear that they would find a way to keep her locked up and unable to go back to her sister festered in her core.
"Wha"- her mother looked baffled and confused.
"Oh come on." Takal begged sweetly, it was so out of character for him that she stared at him in shock as he continued "I haven't had homemade pie in over ten years. And you'll be sure to miss it while you're gone." His eyes were outwardly pleading and inwardly laughing and sly. But he had said while you're gone... did that mean he was going to take her? Could she trust him?
"This is a bad idea." She warned. It was more than a bad Idea, it would be disastrous, yet she found it hard to argue with him looking at her like that. It was weird and made her want to look away. Instead, she sighed and Takal smiled. It was amazing how much lighter his eyes looked when he smiled.
"What's going on?" her mother asked confused.
"My name is El Takal but you may call me Takal" He reached his right hand out to shake her mother's, dragging her hand with his and exposing the cuffs. "Excuse the cuffs; I think your daughter here was a little afraid I'd leave her behind." He said as if it were a joke when he'd been furious just a moment before. She'd have pointed out that he had just threatened to leave her there just minutes ago but her face was hot with embarrassment and she couldn't seem to make herself say anything. Instead, she silently fumed I hate this lunatic!
~Chapter 11: parents –Takal~
This was not how he had planned on meeting the girl's parents and he had hoped to talk to them alone but the cuffs made that rather imposable. This was going to be a long night, he'd never been particularly good with adults but this one seemed nice; she'd offered him pie. His mouth was watering just at the thought.
"Well El Takal, why don't you explain why you're here and where you plan on taking my daughter while she picks some apples in the orchard around the corner." The girl's mother said in a very motherly explain yourself sort of way. Now this he was used to from Kyla and it made him smile a little.
"Well I was planning on asking your husband and you first, but my loose-lipped friend already told Nieka that the council granted her request to work at the castle. I would like to make sure you understand what she will be doing, the risks involved, and what kind of protections we can offer her."
"Well, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting. Let me go get my husband." She said motioning for them to follow and then to wait in the kitchen while she franticly searched the house for the husband.
Nieka waited silently without looking at him. A few minutes later she returned with a tall, middle-aged man sharply dressed in tow. "What's this I hear about my daughter running off to join an army?" the man demanded.
"About three weeks ago your daughter asked if she could help us find the other prisoners and free them. Although she asked to fight, the council has decided that she would be of more use to us as a healer and that if she agrees to our oath she can join as an actual member of our army, she will be trained to fight in her free time but will likely never leave the castle grounds.
"Although she will be closer to demon territory, she will be safe from them within our fortress and will never be allowed to wander the woods without at least one warrior by her side. I realize you may not want her to leave, but I ask you to consider the fact that we could really use a healer of her skill and the lives she could save." He finished and waited for a response to further direct his argument if need be.
"What? Thorn didn't say anything about that. I thought I'd be fighting with the two of you." He also hadn't mentioned that Takal was on her side with all this, in fact, Takal hadn't mentioned that he was going to try and talk her parents into letting her go. For some reason, she figured it would be the other way around, especially after what he said and what she did… Why was he still helping her? Why hadn't he just given up and walked away?
"No. You do have potential with a blade, but we have hundreds of soldiers just as capable and many more so; but your ability as a healer is greatly needed. You'll save lives and indirectly help us free the prisoners."
"What would her job entail exactly?" her father asked.
"Well, she will work in our fortress healing people from injuries of all sorts, from training accidents to warriors wounded in battle. Normally it's not very busy and she'll only be expected to work eight-hour days. During that time the healing Master will be teaching her our healing methods and she will be teaching others of her foreign knowledge.
"Before or after her shift she will be allowed to take classes ranging from demon history to fighting skills as long as it doesn't interfere with her primary duty as a healer. The army will provide her with food and a room of her own but if she fails to abide by the rules or follow orders she will be forced to leave" He said this last part to Nieka as a warning.
"Well, she's always been good at taking care of my injured sailors, though I'll admit she'll have to work hard on the following orders bit." Her dad said with a laugh.
"So she'll have her own room? Her mother asked "What sort of precautions are there to protect her honor while she's there and to keep men out of her room? I assume there are a lot of unmarried men living there as well." She voiced worriedly, obviously skeptical of the safety that they would provide.
"Mom!" Nieka accused embarrassed. No one paid her any attention.
"Well yes." He wasn't sure what else to say. There were rather useless locks on all the doors but he thought better of mentioning that.
"Are there a lot of other unmarried young women there?" her mother questioned.
"Well no. There are a few children that live with their parents like my little sisters, a few wives that live with their husbands, and a few whores who hang around but she will be our first female member.
"Defiantly Not!" her mother said.
"But mom!" Nieka complained.
"I'm not letting my unmarried daughter live with a bunch of rowdy, single men," her mother said putting her food down.
"Well I don't blame you for your concern but …" But what? What could he say, he wasn't even at the castle half the time. He was often away on scouting missions so it wasn't like he could keep an eye on her for them. Thorn wouldn't be able to either as they were partners. His father and Master Robin were too busy to be babysitters and Murin well he would be useless. He had nothing to soothe their fears.
"But it's not necessary" Nieka finished for him "I can look after myself." Well, that part might be taking it a little too far he thought but decided to keep it to himself. Yes, she was strong in body and spirit, but she would always be outnumbered by people who were stronger. He was still set on what he had gone there to do but he wasn't going to lie to her parents to achieve it.