There's No Place Like [Open]

[shynotmeek.livejournal.com]

This house was strange thing, stranger than any dwelling in Teyr. But it was livable, if overfull of humanity with their strange comings and goings.

She had the feeling that some of them did not trust her, and she found that logical, she didn't trust any of them entirely yet either.

Kali had found herself a quiet corner on the porch, tucked away from everyone else. It was strange, only a little while ago her biggest worry had been that Yana might knock another one of Brevo's teeth out in a brawl, and now...

Now there was a bronze dragon, and so many humans she barely knew, and no siblings. Strange how much they had irritated her at times, and yet now, bereft of their presence, she felt so much more alone than she would have otherwise on this giant ship far from home. She missed them, and there was no shame in that. She missed her mother and her father.

She would like very much to go home. And yet she was here, and her father would return, until then she must do her best to be brave. She must attempt to follow the instructions she had been given and make her father proud of her. That was her only option.

She looked out over the city, left hand resting against her right wrist, wondering if Eva would notice or care if she slipped away to climb one of those impressively tall buildings and if her father would consider that following the rules.

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[shynotmeek.livejournal.com]

The look Kali gave her was one of quiet respect, young though she was she had spent her entire life hearing stories of battle and how hard her race had fought to establish themselves.

A warrior was a creature to be respected, a female warrior human even more so, she had spent her life surrounded by them. By allies and friends of her father's.

She reached out, resting a tiny clawed hand on Cassie's wrist. "In war, there are many opinions. By my understanding, you did what you had to do to protect your race, there is honor and courage in that. You should not be ashamed or sad, Miss Cassie. To fight against a creature wishing to enslave you is very honorable and right to do, no matter their reasons. Invaders, slave-masters, always have good reasons. Reasons that make sense to them."

She made a little disintrested noise at the place of illusions, she would not be going there. Not when such a place could easily be home to many things she had no great want to meet.

"What is there to tell? I have no context for telling you anything, I could tell you the color of our sky and you might think I was odd. I have two brothers and two sisters, my mother has recently become gravid again." A liberal mix of truth and lies. "I have been trained with the bow as well as in hand to hand fighting. I am ten."

[caringcassie.livejournal.com]

Cassie nodded, still not convinced. No amount of reassurance from others would ever make up for what had happened and for all the things that she had done. Acceptance and forgiveness would have to come from within. She only hoped that it would come in time. For now, it was still outside of her grasp.

Still, she smiled gratefully at the young draconian. She was thankful that Krisi had tried, even if she was also a bit embarrassed that her concerns had been so easy to read. "Thank you. You're right." Except when she wondered how many of the Yeerks who had died had been like Aftran, caught up in a war for which they could see no way out. Then she was not right at all and things were not so simple.

While she listened, she noticed the increased formality again. Respect? Discomfort? Concern? Purposefully distancing herself? That last thought caused Cassie to frown. She hoped that wasn't the reason for it.

This time though she noticed the disinterest and possibly even discomfort with the mention of the Sensoriums, so she left that topic alone. It no longer served a purpose.

And Cassie would take whatever information she could get. Jumping on the new pieces of the puzzle, she looked with interest at Krisi. "You are very accomplished to be able to fight with a bow as well as hand to hand at such a young age. How long have you been training? Is that common in your culture?" Contemplating the rest of the conversation, she also cautiously asked, "You've mentioned your mother and siblings, but not your father. Would it be too invasive for me to ask about him?" She hesitated again, worried that she might have offended Krisi.

After a moment's pause, she continued with further caution, "I hope that my question did not offend you. I'm just curious. I'd... like for us to be friends, but I won't force you into any situation that makes you uncomfortable." Cassie shrugged and smiled hopefully at Krisi, her eyes filled with patience and understanding.