I Know You...

[DragonSong]

Ah. Clearly she'd overstepped, though she couldn't quite say where. This was why she was hesitant to tell her story to mainlanders.

Shaking her head, she assured with a gentle but slightly more distant smile, "Oh, I would never ask you to--my quest is my own. I'm only grateful you're willing to put me up for the night."

They'd nearly reached the barn now, and she perked up a bit as the sleepy, shifting sounds of animals within.

[MadEmperor]

"Here we are." Ein cracked open the barn door and led her inside. He pointed out a pile of hay in the corner. "You can sleep there."

He inwardly chastised himself for his lack of manners. "Would you like me to fetch a blanket from the house? Hay can be quite prickly."

[DragonSong]

Nani gave him a grateful look. She would have slept on the bare hay without complaint, but the offer of a blanket was certainly appreciated.

"If that's not too much trouble, I would like that very much," she admitted with a quiet laugh. "I, ah, I'm afraid I still haven't quite adjusted to mainland weather, either. I'm honestly not sure how you all stand the cold!" she chuckled.

[MadEmperor]

"If you think Adela is cold," he laughed, the first bright expression she had gotten from the man. "Don't travel to Hyoite! You'll freeze on the spot! Hells, I know I would!"

[DragonSong]

Nani smiled. For some reason, the way his expression lightened made her chest feel lighter too. Chuckling, she nodded and agreed, "Oh, I can't even imagine! I've heard some stories of the tundra—I can't say I'm anxious to visit."

She dropped her pack next to the bundle of hay where he'd indicated she could sleep and took a proper look around the barn.

"Oh!"

Blinking, she stared at large, four-legged animal placidly munching on some feed. It was much bigger than she'd imagined.

"Is...is that your cow?"

[MadEmperor]

"That'd be Brunhilda," he chuckled, "And next to her is her sister, Byrna."

"Beautiful creatures, aren't they?" He smiled as he walked over to pat Byrna on the head. "Gentler than I am, that's for sure."

[DragonSong]

"They're..."

She tilted her head at the cows, watched as they munched on their feed and lowed quietly when her host moved to pat one.

She smiled. "I like their eyes. They're sweet."

She looked between the two animal, repeating, "Brunhilda and Byrna."

Abruptly, her eyes widened and she found herself laughing again. "Oh, goodness, I just realized--I'm so sorry, I never actually got your name."

[MadEmperor]

"Nor I yours," he pointed out matter-of-factly. With a small chuckle, he said, "The name's Einhardt, but everyone just calls me Ein."

[DragonSong]

"Oh." She smiled, a bit bashfully. "Haunani. But mostly I just go by Nani."

She dipped her head to him politely. "It's very nice to officially meet you, Einhardt. Er, Ein."

One of the cows--Byrna--gave a low noise of protest at the sudden lack of attention, and Nani chuckled again. "And you, too," she told the animal, cautiously moving a little closer and holding her hand out before she paused. Glancing at Einhardt, she asked, "Ah, can I...?"

[MadEmperor]

Ein laughed lightly and nodded. "They like people more too."

"Though I sometimes question why they put up with my less than gentle manhandling," he said self-deprecatingly and he patted the cow again.

[DragonSong]

Nani smiled and stroked her palm over the cow's shoulder, cautiously at first, and then gradually with more confidence when the animal accepted her touch.

Glancing at Ein, she said easily, "Oh, well that's because you care for them. Animals can sense that kind of thing, you know."

Byrna lowed softly, as though in agreement, and flicked her ears. Nani grinned. "I've never seen anything like them," she marveled, as though she was looking at some sort of mystical beast and not a common dairy cow.

[MadEmperor]

Ein couldn't help but smile at the way the Yoreiqi woman marveled at what, to him, was mundane. "I imagine you have animals in Yoreiq that would fill me with equal wonder."

He glanced outside at the dying light. "I should retrieve that blanket. It's getting quite dark."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, right." In the wonder of meeting a cow, Nani had actually forgotten about the blanket. She gave him a grateful smile. "I appreciate it. And I promise, I'll be ready to work whenever you need tomorrow! First light. Or earlier!"

[MadEmperor]

"I'm holding you to that," he answered with the barest hint of a smirk.

As soon as he got some distance from her, something unexpected happened: her feeling of being drawn toward someone returned.

[DragonSong]

Nani was just starting to settle herself, rummaging through her pack for any leftover travel rations, when the pull started up again faintly in her chest.

She sat back on her heels, frowning, and rubbed her palm over her sternum. Odd. She'd assumed the lull in that sensation was because she was tired, or perhaps it was simply random. That it had started up again so quickly made her think there was a pattern.

She closed her eyes and stood, turning slowly in place as she tried to focus on where the pull was leading her. When it felt strongest, she stopped and opened her eyes again.

She was staring at the door that Ein had just left.

...Oh.

That--

Hmmm.

[MadEmperor]

The feeling began to weaken once more, and mere moments later, the large man returned. He held out the folded blanket before noticing the odd, thoughtful look on her face.

He glanced back the way he had come, expecting to spot whatever it was that captured her attention. When he saw nothing, he turned back to her with a raised brow. "Is something the matter?"

[DragonSong]

"It's--" She stopped herself, biting her lip. He'd seemed uncomfortable when she'd first brought up why she left home; she doubted he would be all that thrilled if she just blurted out that she was now fairly sure that he was the person she was looking for.

Not to mention she still didn't entirely understand it herself. Perhaps if she'd been able to decipher more of the book...

"It's...nothing," she sighed, feeling like a liar and not much caring for it. Shaking herself briskly, she tried to summon up a friendly smile. "I suppose I'm just tired."

She would sleep on it. That would give her time to think this through, to try to figure out what was happening, and the best way to approach him.

[MadEmperor]

Ein shrugged his powerful shoulders. "I suppose we all get a bit strange when we're tired."

He handed over the blanket. "Rest well. We work in the morning."

[DragonSong]

"Yes, ser." She gave him an easier smile and a quick nod as she accepted the blanket. Immediately bundling herself up in the cloth, she settled down onto the patch of hay. "Thank you again, Einhardt--ah, Ein," she told him tiredly, but with genuine gratitude in her voice and eyes.

She was so tired; she couldn't think about the implications of all this properly. Some sleep, that was what she needed. Some sleep, and she would deal with it in the morning.

[MadEmperor]

Ein finished checking on his animals and left her to sleep.


A rooster crowed bright and early, pulling her out of sleep. Ein would, no doubt, be there shortly to begin the day's chores.