Safety in Chains

It was a rather intense way to say .. I want to get to know you Fonce. There was some amusement involved in my pondering that .. "wanting to get to know all of me". I could actually accept that. I could find it in me to believe she wanted to know everything ... what I had a problem with was the concept that she thought I had Everything to offer. Try as I might I could not wrap my synapses around it with any kind of synergy.

As I moved with that chuckle to get a small bowl of blackwine Silken arrived. Quiet at first .. I suppose the air was a little thick. I asked her if she was well .. as I had not seen her for some time. I also told her if she needed help with branding that I would pitch in. She spoke of Wily and I asked her how old he was now. She told me fourteen. I spoke an opinion about the boy being more than ready for his name and his scar. She looked relieved that someone had brought it up. I suppose .. under all the circumstances ... these things had been over looked. But they should not be.

While I was talking to Silken about her herd and her son .. Seveya brought me a gift ... something she had made for me. Painted for me to be more precise. It was a picture .. and if I had to guess it was inspired by my story about my very first tabuk hunt alone. But that was not the most .. prominent ... feature of the picture and I sent her an amused smirk while I continued to talk to Silken. This gift spawned something ... something important ... but that would have to wait for later as Seveya left the Main Fires.

Soon after she left Ramza showed up .. in a foul mood. Silken tried to tease him out of his ill humor but it only proved to make him worse .. to the point even I was starting to wonder what crawled up his colon and died. Then he just came out with it .. Leonette was missing.

Silken was all over that .. I was slower ... I did not want to hear what Ramza had to say ... though I found myself asking the required questions. The questions an Oralu would and should ask. Giving directions .. as an Oralu would and should. Ramza spoke as if the event had not happened far from the Harigga .. even some children had spoken of raiders and kidnapping ... however he was not able to track them far before he had to return for supplies.

Silken wanted to go .. she had that determined look on her face. I had no problem with her going if she stayed with the Or and returned if they told her to. I know the men would not allow her to go too far or interfere with their own investigation. But Ramza said he would handle it himself. I did not argue with him .. the Or would go and investigate with or without Ramza. It was not just about Ramza and Leonette ... this posed a threat to the Harigga and there would have to be answers.

But Silken .. did. Telling Ramza she was going .. Leonette was her friend ... her Sister and she was .... going. Ramza yelled at the top of his lungs that she would stay. At this point I realized that Ramza was a little emotional .. understandably. I spoke quietly to Silken .. asking her if she intended on disobeying Ramza. A subtle way of staying her enthusiasm. Or so I thought.

Instead she went directly to him and laid her hand on him.. pleading with him not to make her beg to go.

Fuck

Sure enough Ramza reacted to the touch and slugged her in the stomach. Silken went down instantly and my tone went cold as steel and just as sharp as I told Ramza to chain her to Ayguili's wagon if he felt the need .. but not to hurt her further.

At this point I was irritated with them both. Silken for being oblivious and pushing a man who was near a breaking point and Ramza for being distraught and emotional and slugging a woman. Ramza needed to know Silken was not going any where and Silken needed to be placed instantly in her guardian's care. Since Ayguili was not there? His wagon wheel would work just fine.

Ramza asked me to take care of things for him .. I told him things here would be covered .. to go and take care of his business. I strode to Silken as Ramza left and crouched at her side .. rolling her over carefully to inspect her ribs. It did not appear anything was broken but it was going to hurt like hell for a while.

I told Silken she was a silly impatient woman. I chuckled at her .. but she did not see the humor. I suppose I can understand that. But if there is one thing she needs to learn if she wants so bad to get to know me .. it is that I find humor in the strangest places and I am not afraid to show it. She finally lightened up and accused me of just liking the visual of her in chains. I agreed of course.

She asked me if I was going to release her.

From the Ubar's wagon? Not a chance.

She asked me on what grounds she was chained there. I told her on the grounds that Ramza thought she was going to do whatever she pleased and not listen to him. I would rather Ramza had just chained her to the wagon before he tried to gut her with his fist .. but reasoning with a man in emotional pain was not an exact nor pretty science.

"Fuck him"

"If you wish .. I suppose but that is not something I would recommend at the .. moment."

"I won't go. I wasn't about to .. after what you said."

"But I will not disrespect the Ubar's wagon nor will I disrespect Ramza's action.

It is not the way of men."

No the entire thing did not go as I would have liked. But Silken is all right and safe where she is. I have no harsh judgements for either one of them. Emotions were high and intense and I have been there too many times to be such a hypocrite. I brought Silken a little bit of water .. for when she could stomach it. I knew this was going to be hard on her .. I assured her she had done nothing wrong. Aside from the .. pushing the insane man ... part. That I would make sure Ayguili understood why she was there. I also knew that as much as she would not want to understand .. that she would understand ... that her safety right now rested in those chains.