MIKA POV:
The next morning I accidentally slept in. The dream I had about Ishi kept me up for a while. I can't believe I could even dream up something so dirty! Ishi is my friend! I've never even been attracted to another woman in my entire life, I'm probably just projecting my feelings towards Marshall onto her. It has to be because I'm jealous of her new relationship taking all her time.
I went over to the door. There was no breakfast waiting for me, like there usually is. Since being in confinement, all meals are delivered to the door. If I don't answer right away the girl usually leaves them at the door and runs away.
It's well past breakfast time. Perhaps she isn't bringing food to me now that I can roam the facility. I went back inside, washed up, changed, and headed off in search of food. I made it to the end of the hall before bumping into Karlos.
"Sorry! Good morning!" He bowed repeatedly, his arms so full of papers and journals that I'm surprised they didn't fall over. He then ran off down the hall.
I watched him run away. Something must be creating a lot of work for him, he looked more disheveled than normal. I headed on towards the dining room and kitchens that I found yesterday with Kori. The side bar in the dining room still had fruit and some sweets on platters. I snacked a little since I was really hungry.
I headed back towards our hallway and decided to stop at Ishi's room to see if she was home. I knocked on the door. Unsurprisingly she didn't answer. She's probably off with Kori. I went back to my room, feeling kind of lonley. I have a few hours to kill before Kori shows up for lunch.
I laid on my bed, planning to take a nap. I was missing Marshall more and more now that I know he's gone. Marshall makes me feel safe, secure, and loved. I don't know what I would do if he doesn't come back. I was already very emotional, I started crying quietly.
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ISHI POV:
The fire in the forge was hot. I pushed the lever a couple more times to fan the flames before removing the hot iron from the furnace.
"I'm so glad to have someone of your caliber to tend to the flames. I can't stand the heat!" Meredith complained for the umpteenth time.
I placed the hot metal on the anvil and held it steady as she readied her hammer.
"I'm aware." I said, irritably.
Between the clangs of the hammer she asked me, "Did something… happen?… you seem… to be more… grumpy…"
I rolled my eyes as I flipped our project over for her to hammer the other side, "None of your business, auntie."
Auntie is a term I have picked up since staying here. It is a word they use for those who are older and respected. Meredith is always annoyed by the term so I make sure to use it daily.
"I told ya… NOT TO… Call me that!" She yelled between blows.
She hammered a few more times before I put it back in the furnace to heat up again. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she stepped away from the heat. I smiled smugly, fanning the flames a few more times. The heat felt wonderful.
"I suppose this attitude is better than having you sulking around here like a ghost with no body." She said as she shoved the handkerchief into the pocket of her apron.
She was a short and stout woman, with well built arms from a lifetime of running the forge. There was almost nothing feminine about her frame. If it weren't for her face, one might think she was a well rounded man.
I placed the iron back on the anvil for her and held it in place firmly for her to work her magic.
"Are you working or gossiping? We have orders to finish and I want to go home at some point." I shot back.
She snorted in amusement as she raised her hammer to continue working.
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KORI POV:
I watched Ishi though the window of the blacksmith shop. She seems to be in a better mood. I smiled to myself. It's almost time for lunch with Mika.
My poor cousin, Karlos, has been going crazy since Don Suben found out about Mika. Don Suben usually doesn't concern himself with anyone else and often just sleeps at his desk. He claims he is "researching" but he has no motivation.
I understand that Mika is a medical anomaly and is quite interesting, but her case shouldn't be interesting enough to make the great Don Suben get involved. He was too 'busy' to help with any number of urgent and complicated cases in the past. Just last year he told one of our high elders that his research takes priority over everything else, per the orders he was given by the capital.
I snorted to myself as I headed off to the medical bay. We had a baby born in the city a year or so ago that was missing a leg. First ever birth defect to be recorded. Karlos reported to Don Suben as he didn't know what to do. Don Suben gave him "medicine" which turned out to be lethal poison to kill the baby. When Karlos went back to report what happened, horrified, Don Suben told him that it was an 'act of mercy.'
Gods only know what kind of 'mercy' he plans to show Mika. Everyone reveres him since he is a Majin - I pretend to as well. Somewhere deep in my gut I don't trust him. I don't trust anyone.
I smiled and greeted the shop keep as I picked out food for Mika and I have to for lunch.
"Ah! Young Kori! How are you, dear?" The old man said as he packed up the food I wanted.
"Doing well, thank you. How's the family?" I answered with a smile
"You are so kind to ask. They are all doing well. Here you go." He said as he handed me the bag, "Say hello to your cousin for me, will you?"
"I will. Goodbye!" I called as I sped away.
I got to the medical bay and went straight for the dining room. Mika should be there already, I'm a little late.
I walked into the dining room and she was already sitting at the table. She looked to be lost in thought, tracing patterns on the table with her finger.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late. Work kept me." I told her as I came in and set the food down.
She smiled at me. I noticed that her eyes were red and kind of puffy, she must have been crying. I pretended not to notice.
"Hungry?" I asked, showing her what I got.
"Absolutely." She said, with a smile.
I served us our lunches and sat down across from her. normally she ate with relish and discussed the food and asked questions about our village. However, today, she just played with her food and sat there in silence.
"Did something happen with you and Ishi?" I asked.
She had a tinge of a blush when she answered, "No. Sorry, I'm not in the best mood today."
"I don't mind. Just thought that I could lend an ear." I smiled at her.
She finally looked up at me, meeting my gaze. I could tell she was considering my offer.
"I consider us friends. The least I could do is listen to your worries." I smiled at her, reassuring her that my offer is genuine.
"Thank you. It's been very lonely by myself…" She scoffed and added, "It's funny, I used to be alone all the time and never felt lonely."
There was a sadness in her eyes that I recognized. It was the look of someone who had given up all hope of receiving love, and was merely surviving. It was a brief flicker, but it made me feel kinship towards her. I saw that look in my own eyes every day growing up.
"Was that before you met your mate?" I asked.
She smiled sadly. "Yes. Before I met Marshall I was always alone. It didn't bother me back then like it does now."
"What about your family?"
"They rejected me. They never wanted me to begin with, so I was just an outlet for their frustrations."
I understood her meaning. She was abused.
"What sort of village would allow that?!" I blurted out.
"Heh.. I don't remember. I wasn't allowed to go out often - if ever. That's all in the past though." She seemed desperate to forget as she tried to change the subject.
"Then how did you meet Marshall?" I asked, genuinely interested.
If she was kept captive and beaten daily, it's likely that she was sold off or kidnapped. How she was able to meet him makes me wonder. He is an arctic wolf.. perhaps he was also a captive.
She hesitated before answering, "I don't recall how I ended up there, but I was abandoned in the woods. That's where Marshall found me."
"Interesting." I said, taking it all in.
It's strange how her memory is fragmented. I started to wonder…
"Marshall was the first person to show me kindness… At first I thought it was just because he wanted to mate with me… Perhaps that was his motive at first, but we grew to be friends and that evolved into love." She was silently crying as she told me all this.
I can tell he loves her. He's willing to do anything for her, his desire to protect her makes him a dangerous foe. No one in their right mind would volunteer to go up to the peak for bushberries - let alone during the winter.
"I don't know what I am going to do if he doesn't come back…" She was suddenly sobbing, hiding her head in her hands.
I was flustered, I didn't know what to do. I was just probing for information.. I didn't expect this. She trusts people way too easily. I sighed and walked over to her. I placed my hand on her back and tried to comfort her, albeit awkwardly.
"It's going to be okay. He's a fierce warrior, and he wouldn't let even 100 Chuti stop him from getting back to you." I told her.
She looked up and smiled at me, the sobs finally subsiding. "Thank you." She said.
I felt even more flustered. I have never really cared much for others, so my conversations were usually not very deep. Even if I did have a personal conversation with someone it was always told in half truths, not knowing what's was true and what might mean something else. This girl barely knows me and is telling me her most personal secrets. She really has no sense of self-preservation. I smiled and shook my head, no wonder her mates are so protective of her.
"Shall we eat?" I asked her.
She nodded in affirmation.