Shady

"Thank you, sir." She nodded to him, obediently sitting down even though she didn't want to in the center chair still directly in the center of attention. The other girls ...

"Hmm..." Aeron glanced at them then away. "Are you proud of yourself, though?"

They both shook their heads as well.

Aeron grinned, glad he'd pegged them right and nodded. "'course."

Talia had a little pang of fear, afraid that she'd made the wrong choice by admitting the truth. She wasn't allowed to say goodbye anymore? She wished she wouldn't have ...

"And sometimes you are," Aeron said with a chuckle and a shrug. "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do... or person. Whatever."

Talia hesitated, not sure if she was supposed to admit the truth. But she tentatively shook her head. sir. He got taken with the rest of us."

"Yes sir." She nodded timidly.

"Sometimes the next nearest river is a long way away." He shrugged, then glanced over at them and rolled his eyes. "You got down around the bend, obviously. But it's ...

"... My brother, sir," she admitted, voice very quiet and face red.

All three nodded. "Yes, sir." Talia wished Kael could come home, too. But that'd be pushing it.

"Yup." Aeron nodded. It was good to know. "They like making trades, too. Like. If they don't want to let you bathe in their river, they may trade you a ...

"Um... yes sir." She nodded. "I...I think..." She grimaced. "My Papa should still be there... probably." She'd seen Ky's Papa get stabbed; gods only knew what happened after that. Her ...

"Oh, yeah." Aeron nodded. "They're all over, but they're nice if you're polite."

(huh good question lol) "Yes, sir." Dar'shaya nodded. "My older brother." Harlyn nodded as well. "My auntie."