Lek reached into his pocket and took out the sapphire he had offered to Pinja, only to have it be rejected. He fidgeted with it.

"I want to marry her but I don't expect that now, not for a very long time, if ever... Now I just want to be her friend. But she's so afraid of me, I can't even be in the same room as her without her being afraid. I'd do anything for her but I don't know what I can do. I want to help her." Lek willed himself not to cry, he couldn't go to the feast with a tear stained face, it wasn't manly and he was training to become a knight.

"I love her, I've liked her for a long time... Was going to ask about courting her but I knew she had been hurt so I was waiting for her to trust me more, she wasn't afraid of me then but I didn't think the time was right yet... Then the raid happened and they hurt her worse and I wasn't there to protect her. I don't deserve her."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:02, Wed 27 Sept 2017.

"Oh, Lek. Of course you deserve her. Just like I know Larrigan couldn't be there to protect me, Pinja doesn't hold you accountable for what happened. My only advice is to not push. Extend friendship but nothing else. I honestly don't know if she will ever be in a position to fall in love again, but someday she may be able to be in the room with you and not be afraid. Right now, she's not even very trusting of very man women. Pinja has a long, difficult road. Jack hurt her in so many ways."

"I would, but I don't know how I can if I can't even talk to her." Lek said sadly. "All I can do is ask Millie how she is doing. I would ask Millie to send word to her, say hello for me and whatnot... But I'm afraid even that would scare her."

"As I said, don't rush it. If you are doing something for Millie, and Pinja is there, just ask if she needs anything." Sileas pondered. "Give her a few more weeks and then have Millie say hello for you, but nothing else." She studied her cousin. "Just don't get your hopes up."

"Pinja is never there when I'm doing things for Millie." Lek said. "I don't go in Millie's room, I wait in the hall."

"You could poke your head in the door, but no further. In  a few more weeks."

"I promised to stay in the hall the last time I spoke to her." Lek said. "If I go sticking my head in the door..."

"You could be right, Lek. Honestly, I don't know that she will ever be ready. Are you sure you wouldn't be happy befriending her and finding someone...receptive?" Sileas inquired.

"I'd be happy just to be her friend." Lek said. "She's just so afraid of me I can't even talk to her... I care about her."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Wed 27 Sept 2017.

"I know you do. Hopefully, with time, she will go stronger and manage to be a bit more open to friendship."

Lek sighed. It all felt impossible.

Sileas gently squeezed his shoulders, then looked over her shoulder. "Oscar? Are you ready to go?"

"Yes! Struth! I'm gonna eat lots!" Oscar said excitedly.

Sileas laughed. "Best behavior though, right?"

Oscar bristled. "I'm bloody well right good enough."

"I know you are, I know you are," Sileas agreed.

Oscar angrily strode out of the room.

Sileas sighed. "Headstrong, that one."

"Seems normal ter me." Questa said.

"It would. It's fine for a normal day, I simply didn't want him wandering over stealing food tonight."

Yehudit was still sitting in her corner, showing no signs of leaving.

"How is she today?" Lek asked Millie. He asked his sister this often enough for her to know very well that 'she' was Pinja.

"She's a little stronger but still having trouble keeping anything down," Millie said quietly.

"Is there anything I can do for her?" Lek asked. "Anything I can get her? When I'm away there will be all sorts of things I can buy her."

As Wulfsen's page, Lek would be accompanying Wulfsen.

"I can ask her if there is anything she needs or would like from Portside. I'll let you know in the morning."