"You're not hiding." Pinja said.

"No, I'm not now. But I hid for a year. I shut out everyone who loved me, I didn't even tell them what happened to me. And then I realized it was the worst mistake I could ever make. Holding it in and not being supported while I recovered was horrible."

"I can't hide what they did to me." Pinja said, touching the scar on her cheek.

"That's true. But most of the people here aren't going to see that as a definition of who you are. There will be a few awful people but the scar isn't who you are. You're still you. You just need to find your way back to your true self again."

"It's not just that." Pinja said, hugging her knees. "I'm pregnant... Your parents are going to take the baby, but it's going to be obvious to everyone what happened to me."

"I have the feeling that you probably are not the only one in that position after the raid," Sileas pointed out. "I've noticed a lot of girls who weren't quiet and withdrawn before are now. Millie's clever though, I'm sure she'll think of a dress design to help hide it."

"But it's not those girls' faults what happened." Pinja said. "Jack's family didn't raid the village because of what they did."

Bai did his best to listen in on Sileas's conversation with the girl. He was having difficulty holding the female form while trying to enhance his hearing with magic- and drinking some foul tasting tea the healer claimed would help with the cramps.

"I blamed myself for a long time for what was done to me. Later, he attacked my cousin. He didn't take her that way, but he did maim her leg. It took a lot of me people quite a while to get me to accept the truth. It wasn't my fault that he was violently insane. Just like it's not your fault that Jack and his people followed a violent, hateful ideology."

"I should have fought him off the first time. Or refused to marry him. Or not run away." Pinja said.

"That would be the same as me saying I should have just let Andy court me when I knew he was trouble. My understanding was that your parents pushed for the marriage? It's difficult to not get into a situation like that without the right support system."

"They thought I was pregnant and wouldn't help me if I had a baby out of wedlock." Pinja said bitterly. "Turned out I wasn't."

"They obviously did not have a care about what sort of life you would have with Jack. I'm so sorry your parents did not support you. There wasn't a lot you could have done in that situation."

"I could have stayed." Pinja said. "Or I could have died in that blizzard instead of coming to the village."

"No one should have to stay in that sort of situation. And what a waste of a precious life if you had died in the blizzard. You are surrounded by people who care about you now. Let us help you find yourself once again."

"I don't have a self." Pinja said.

"Sure you do. You've just misplaced it because of all you have been through. I have a healer friend, Fi, who's standing just over there. She believes she might be able to help you. Would you be willing to speak with her?"

Pinja looked over at Fi, and cringed. "I can't talk to a stranger."

"All right, I won't push you. I just wanted to give you the option." Sileas knew she was failing Bai, considering the suffering he was going through, but it would cause far too much pain for Pinja to push the issue.

"I'm sorry." Pinja said softly.

"There is nothing to apologize for. I know what you are feeling. I cringed and hid behind anyone I trusted when I encountered a stranger for a long time."

"It's hard enough to talk to people I know... I can't talk to a stranger about what happened." Pinja said.

"I do understand," Sileas said softly.

"Why does she think she can help me?" Pinja asked.

"Fi works with mystical healing, not unlike Aalyssa only a different type of mystical healing."