KORI POV Continued:
"Thank you again, for comforting me." Mika told me during a lull in our conversation over dinner.
"Hah.. please, don't mention it." I said, actually meaning every word.
"It's funny. I can see why you and Ishi.. AHEM.. what I mean to say is, I half expected you to treat me like Ishi does." She said with a slight blush.
"Oh? And how would that be?" I asked back.
"When I was upset Ishi would scold me and tell me to snap out of it.." She chuckled at a memory. "I half expected you to do the same. Your personalities are quite similar."
Ishi is a leopardess who is quite rough around the edges. She denies her feelings for Mika, but it's completely obvious how she feels. She is in love with this little female. Ishi hides behind her attitude but her need to possess Mika is obvious.
"Clearly we aren't that similar, are we?" I said with a smirk.
"I guess not." She giggled.
"Kori, can I ask a favor?" She suddenly asked me.
"Depends on what it is." I said back.
"Tomorrow I have to undergo the Ka'an Chiua ritual again with Suben. I would like someone I trust to be there." She said.
I was taken aback… did she just say 'trusts'? How can she trust someone so easily?!
"Why wouldn't you ask Ishi?" I asked.
"I wanted to, but she seems too busy, I don't want to bother her. Besides, I agreed to not tell her, remember?" She said.
"And I seem trustworthy to you?"
"I would like to think so, yes."
I blushed, despite my best efforts to remain unbothered. She is so forward about these things. Trust isn't just given to people, it's earned! She's so gullible and naive.. I can't let her meet Don Suben alone though.
"Fine. I will meet you tomorrow evening before the ritual." I said before leaving the room.
I tried to look casual, but I wanted to flee. I probably should be flattered by her affection and blind trust in me.. but it just makes me feel uncomfortable. Since the day I was born, I was only here to serve a purpose. My parents offered no affection, they were as cold as the mountain. They instilled in me a distrust for others, they said the only way to survive it's to rely on only yourself.
My cousin, Karlos, was the only exception. He and I had a mutual respect for each other. I wouldn't say I trust him completely; there are many things I wont tell him… But we are free to express certain things to each other. It's a Luke-warm sort of familial love… Not like what Mika has…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MIKA POV:
I went back to my room after lunch and decided to play around with my hair and try some new styles. Since coming here I haven't had a single 'bad hair day' and I love it! I can do whatever I want with my hair and it's so forgiving.
I wasted time doing my hair and tinkering around with some stuff I had. I am still a little blue without Marshall around, and I've been worrying about him all day. I wish I had some way to know he is okay.
I pulled our gear out of the space and used this idle time to reinforce some stitching and add a layer of crushed fire stone to the lining of the tent. I wanted to also modify the bedding to keep us warm as well, but my stomach reminded me that dinner time was approaching.
I left my room and started down the hall. I was tempted to knock on Ishi's door again but she's never there anyways. I was just passing her door when I heard a crash inside her room. I stopped and doubled back.
I knocked on the door, "Ishi? Are you okay in there?"
"I'm fine." She called from inside.
I stood at the door, hesitating. I didn't want to keep bothering her, but I would like to do something together.
"…Ummm Ishi?" I reluctantly called out again.
She came to the door and opened it just enough to look at me.
"What?" She asked, with her usual, unapproachable demeanor.
The fact that she was keeping me from seeing into her room made me wonder if I was interrupting something.
"Sorry.. Am I interrupting?" I asked.
"What would you be interrupting?" She snorted at me.
"I thought that maybe you might have Kori with you." I said, feeling foolish. There was an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach when I thought about Kori in there with Ishi.
"Is that why you came by? Well too bad, she's not here." She sneered at me.
Ishi went to close her door on me, I put my hand on it to stop her.
"Wait!" I said
She looked surprised. I was kind of as well, I didn't think I was anywhere near strong enough to actually stop the door.
"What?" She asked me, looking annoyed.
"Since you aren't busy, do you want to have dinner with me?" I asked, feeling myself blush for no apparent reason.
"Who said I'm not busy?" She looked at me with amusement.
"Busy or not, you still have to eat!" I said with more force that intended. I was embarrassed by her teasing.
She smirked. "Okay. Let's go."
She pushed me back out of her doorway and closed it behind her.
We walked down the hall to the dining room. There was food set on the side table for us. we each made a plate and sat down.
We were eating and chatting about all sorts of things. I was telling her about the crushed firestone I put in her clothing and how I reinforced the tents. She was very impressed with my ingenuity.
"I was wondering if they held the same properties if they were crushed into dust, so I decided to try it."
"Only you would try something so strange." Ishi said.
"They have so many of the firestones, it's not like they would miss them even if they were destroyed."
"Right, but who would have thought to turn them into a powder. These fools are still using them in fireplaces." She replied.
"True.. If they crushed them and used them as bricks then the houses would be warmer."
"Bricks?" Ishi asked.
"Yeah.. It's like a stone you can form yourself. Made from crushed rocks and stuff or sometimes clay."
"Never heard of it."
"It doesn't seem to be very common." I muttered before changing the topic. "So do you like the clothes?"
"Yes. They are a good fit, thanks."
"Your welcome!" I said happily.
"How does the firestone not burn through them though?" Ishi asked, touching her clothes.
"I found that certain leathers are heat resistant and don't melt or burn. I just used those."
"…Really?" She looked bemused
"Well I had a lot of time on my hands. It was just trial and error." I shrugged.
"How did you get them into the clothes without getting burned?"
"That was also interesting. The stones don't burn me. They feel warm, not hot. I don't know why." I answered her.
"Our little genius inventor…" She mumbled, sipping her mead.
We continued talking about the city and what we like and don't like about it. Ishi and I agree that we miss the warm showers from Lashwood. I was feeling pretty warm, probably from the mead. We were having a good time; Ishi was even smiling.
"So how are things going with Kori?" I asked without thinking.
Damned alcohol..
"What do you mean?" Ishi asked as she took another swig from her tankard.
"Like with you two… you know…" I was feeling very awkward all of the sudden.
"I don't know what you are implying. I barely know her - and I sure as hell don't trust her." Ishi said.
"Oh.. I thought you two were…" I mumbled
"You thought we were what?" She asked.
My blush deepened and I couldn't say it.
"Did you think we were sleeping together?" She prodded.
"m-maybe.." I muttered, wishing I could hide.
I could feel Ishi's anger emanating from her. I'm so stupid, I shouldn't have asked.
She leaned across the table, looking very dangerous. The darkness in her eyes held mine captive and I couldn't look away.
She said, slowly, "I have much better taste than that."
She stared for a minute longer before sitting back in her seat.
My face was red and my heart was racing. I don't understand why I'm feeling like this.
Ishi seemed to be lost in thought which gave me time to calm down. Then I remembered something.
"Ishi… what happened the night that you came in to give me medicine?"
I mind as well dig my grave a little deeper. Ishi looked angry, then regretful, and a guilty. I was confused by her reaction.
"what do you remember?" She asked.
"I remember being intimate with Marshall… Then it's all kind of blurry until you showed up with the medicine…" I was having trouble distinguishing my memory of what happened from the dream I had.
"I see.." Ishi downed the rest of her mug before standing up. "We should have this conversation somewhere more private."
"We can go to my room." I said as I stood up and left with Ishi.
The walk there was quiet and tense. This is the second time she has avoided this topic.. Just what happened that night?!