Aislyn glanced at him. "You can try, but if she's already crying, she might be extra skittish. Just...don't be hurt if she runs off."

Nelek went to the door. He opened it and looked down the hall. He could see Millie crying. She looked so grown up.
"Millie?"

Millie froze and looked toward the door. Her feet felt rooted to the floor. She shouldn't have stopped, she shouldn't have come here...she should be able to face this. This must be how Pinja feels when men come near her. Her heart thudded against her chest. It was a terrible quandry. She missed her father and yet she feared him as well. Without moving, she finally said, "Yes."

"Can I help?" Nelek asked. He wanted to go to her, but he remembered the warnings.

"I..." Millie shook her head. "I don't know that anything can help. I wish it was something you could make all better." The little girl in her heart wanted to run to him, to be in her father's arms. But the fear was overpowering. "I don't know how to get past it." Millie was certain her mother had told him by now what had happened. There was even a part of her that wanted him to just come and hug her. Was it too simplistic to believe that that would erase the fear and pain? Her breath hitched.

Tears ran down Nelek's cheeks. She was afraid of him.

"I won't hurt you."

"I want to believe you. You have no idea how much I want to believe it. The little girl inside me believes you," Millie whispered. "I want to be in your arms, and let you make all this fear  go away. I don't like being afraid of you. I don't like it at all." Millie wiped at her eyes. "I hate being afraid of you."

"I should have been there." Nelek said. He took a step forward.

"You can't help that you were taken against your will," Millie whispered. She noticed the step forward but she didn't back away. She worried her lower lip. Finally she took one step toward him.

Without thinking, Nelek walked towards her with his arms outstretched.

Millie froze in place for a minute. The man who had taken her father's place had never come from a place of love or even caring, toward her. Her fears began to melt away and with a cry she ran into his arms.

Nelek hugged her. He had been so afraid that Millie would run from him he was overwhelmed with relief.

Tears streaked down Millie's cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Papa," she cried against his shirt.

Pale-faced, Pinja staggered out of the room. She saw a man holding Millie, and Millie's shoulders shook as if she was crying.

"Let her go!" Pinja demanded weakly.

Millie lifted her head and turned, surprised to see Pinja up and about. "It's all right, Pinja, this is my Papa. My true Papa," Millie said.

"Oh." Pinja leaned against the door frame. She was clearly still terrified. Her eyes were wide and she was trembling.

"Papa won't harm you, I promise. Papa, this is my friend, Pinja," Millie said, wiping again at her tears.

"Hello Pinja." So this was the girl his son wanted to marry. The girl who had been through so much and was supposedly in the family way. Nelek looked at her. She was a pretty girl, despite the cruel scars on her face. So thin, and she looked so fragile. Nelek released Millie from the hug to reach towards the girl, she was shaking so much Nelek was concerned she was about to fall over.

Pinja gave a scared cry and backed away too quickly. She fell over backwards.

Millie raced over to catch Pinja. "I will be right back, Papa, I'm going to help Pinja back to her palette," she said, holding her friend up.

Pinja made a small whimpering sound as she clutched Millie's arm. She knew that a man who raised Millie and Lek should be safe- but these days even Lek scared her.

"I thought he was hurting you." Pinja whispered.

Nelek could have kicked himself. If Pinja was so afraid of men that even Lek scared her of course she would be afraid of him- a complete stranger. He stayed in the hallway.

In reply to Pinja Esposito (msg # 292):

"I know you did," Millie said with quiet reassurance. "And I appreciate you wanting to protect me. I know it will take time, but I hope one day you will be able to be around Papa. He only meant to help you when it looked like you would fall over."

After a few moments Luka sat up. His arms were still shaking from the exertion. "That was...more than I thought." He got himself into a chair with aid from those in the room. "My thanks. Could I perhaps have a drink of water?"

"Of course. Are you sure you don't need to lie down?" Difyr held a cup of water to Luka. "Do you need food?"