Ila rubbed the brand on her arm. She was not looking forward to a day where everyone knew she used to work at the Crimson Dove.

Shawn knocked on the door as he eased it open a crack. He didn't want to frighten Pinja. "Difyr?" he called out softly.

Difyr nearly shoved Shawn backwards as she hurried out of the room and closed the door after herself.

"I don't need you scaring Pinja!" Difyr scolded. "Where's Mrs Spenser? I wanted to talk to both of you."

"Jeez, Difyr, that's why I didn't just burst in. Brie is still in the kitchen, I'm heading back there shortly. I wanted to introduce you to Luka. He would like to help with the healing."

"I would like to talk to both of you soon as possible, I think things will be better if I can get something settled." Difyr looked at Luka. "Hello, you have experience in healing?"

"I'll see if I can get her out of the kitchen for awhile. There's some things I want to discuss with her as well."

Luka looked at the woman before casting an eye around him at the patients. He took down his hood, showing the pointed ears that marked him as one of the Elven. "Over a century of experience but I stand to your orders. Point me where I am needed."

"Ah, another elf." Difyr said, wishing Aalyssa would get back already. "Uh, let's go next door. I have patients in here that, uh, well there's someone next door you can help."

Luke raised an eyebrow at the ladys words. "Another Elf? More of my Kin must have traveled than I thought." He gestured to the woman to show him where to go. "Are all the injuries by weapon or where other means involved?"

Shawn took his leave of Luka and Difyr and went to search for his wife.


>>>to the kitchen

In reply to Luka (msg # 14):

"Nelek had been nearly starved to death and exposed to the elements for a very long time." Difyr said as she led the elf to the room next door.

To link to a message in this game

Pinja heard an unfamiliar male voice outside the room. She shook so hard she spilled her tea before she managed to set it down.

Pinja could hear Millie and another male voice talking. Millie sounded upset- then she heard Millie cry.

"Millie!" Pinja scrambled to her friend's aid.

He might have touched her. Pinja shuddered.

"I can't even be around your brother." Pinja said. "He still needs to get that jewel back, I can't keep it."

"When I see him, I will tell him. I haven't seen him around since yesterday though."

"Please, take it." Pinja sat on her pallet and picked up the sapphire on the rough leather thong. She held it out to Millie. "I can't... Please."

Pinja didn't know how to explain that as long as she had the gem she would feel obligated to Lek somehow.

Millie hated this. She knew Lek would take such good care of Pinja and love her completely, but she also understood how deep Pinja's fear was rooted. She took the pendant. "I will give it to Mama to hold on to."

"Thank you." Pinja whispered. "Lek will find someone better someday."

"The heart wants what the heart wants," Millie said absently. She had given up on the hope of finding someone to love her, that dream had been abandoned long ago. "If you will be all right for a bit, I'm going to get back to Papa."

Pinja nodded, and added. "I'm glad things worked out with your father."

"I am too," Millie admitted. "All it really took was him doing one thing that the impostor never did. I hated being afraid of him."

Pinja remembered her own father. He had been rather distant, she always suspected he wished she had been a son. He did not listen to a single thing she said when she returned home after having been kidnapped by Jack. All he cared about was saving face.

"He'd never force you to marry anyone, would he?" Pinja asked.

"I've never thought on it. I doubt he would force me to, although it is possible my parents would try to arrange a marriage so I wouldn't be alone. I think they would consider my opinions and feelings about any match though," Millie replied.

"But what if you got into trouble." Pinja said delicately.

"If I ended up with child, you mean? Not that anyone has ever shown any interest in me in that way, I suppose they would try to find a decent man who would care for me and the baby. I'm just as likely to be sent to the convent where my grandmother resides and then Mama would come get it and say she and Papa adopted the baby."