He froze when she said that he was bare naked, lifting up the covers to check if she was just kidding and she was not. "Yes….yes I am indeed naked," he said embarrassingly with a slight sigh. Even before he could say anything about articles of clothing, she was already looking for some and helped him out of the bed and slipping them on. He didn't even say a word during the whole procedure because he was already embarrassed enough by the all of it. When she was finished tailoring and tossed them to him he quickly put them on, even though the damage was done. "I thank you, but next time….starting with that, far better idea."

He accepted her offer to help him support himself as he walked, as when he started the pain started to emerge, but just because of the sudden movement. "Didn't need even more damage done to my body either, sorry about the sheets." As they moved to the lower level, it was still hard for him to believe that this was all concealed by a simple wagon, whoever made it must have been a master of the art that was for sure.

"Better yes..far better. And I'll have you know, I am far tougher when I don't have various wounds all over my body" he joked back at her. Was refreshing to know that he could have a laugh with someone once again. All this was interrupted by the sound of a door opening and Zanar's defensive reflex's kicked in but was halted once he heard the voice call for Kaylani
.
Definitely can't be them..they do not know of her

"Aye, that I do see," he watched as she grabbed the skillet off the hook. She wasn't kidding earlier when she talked about it. Couldn't help but to feel bad for the man when she whacked him good with that cast iron skillet, and if he was a normal human would've been knocked flat out. Note to self: Do not piss this woman off if you want to continue breathing.

He looked around as she was finishing up business with the man and saw a katana on the weapon rack, but it was far different than the one he had with him earlier. The blade was a pure black in color and he could feel some sort of magical energy come from it, not any magic though, a familiar one to him. "Is that the one?…I don't remember grabbing a magical weapon that's for sure," quietly he spoke to himself.

The sound of the door slamming broke his attention from the blade as he looked back over at Kaylani. "Vilpamolans tend to be like that it seems, so what did he do to deserve such wrath?" curiously he asked her. "Also if I may ask, was this the katana that you brought with me…because it feels familiar if that makes sense. Yet at the same time, I do not recall ever grabbing a magical weapon during my escape."

“You shouldn’t be so embarrassed. Embarrassment is for men with small packages.” She waved her hand at him and smiled. “Don’t worry about sheets. The ones I just washed should be dry by now.” She helped him down the stairs and swung his legs around so he didn’t overly stress himself. “Everyone is far tougher when they aren’t hurt.” She flashed him a smile before the interruptions started.

After the business with the pesky scum of the earth, she turned back to Zanar and nodded. “I have a feeling it wasn’t like that before. It is new enchantment… It’s just about as old as you have been here so most likely it changed due to the response you had… Maybe not magic per say but certain weapons have the ability to change to their master.” Kalyani went to the weapon rack and brought the katana over to him. “Don’t break anything. Or I’ll make you pay.” There was that smile again.

“We should probably get you some sunlight. I take care of laundry while you sit on stoop of carriage.” For a few minutes, Kalyani shuffled about and got her laundry basket out. “I did fortune… I made him lots of money. The cut was six hundred. He rip me off, I need to eat. So I smack him with skillet to remind him.”

Putting the basket on her hip she pulled Zanar up with her putting the katana back on the rack on their way out once he was done with it. “You look later. You get sunlight now.” She pulled him into the open and down the steps of the carraige. “See, it is wagon.” She was gentle as she helped him sit before moving over to her laundry line.

“Do you have family? Wife? Kids?” Looking over her shoulder her golden amber eyes watched him for a few. “I’ve always wanted kids. Fertility Goddess says its in my cards some day. A son.” She chuckled a bit. “I don’t know what man would want this life.” There was a sad undertone there for a moment. “I don’t change for no one though. This life is filling.”

"They do indeed; weapons and their masters are one in the same almost." He spoke as he grabbed ahold of the sword that she handed to him. It felt right in his hand as he held it and turning it to look at it. Dark energy…I can sense it coming out of it, but not a malevolent type. He thought, mayhaps the blade took in his hatred from the mages and formed it to what it is now. He could tell there was something more to the blade but at the moment he wasn't fit enough to try anything stupid with it. That and he didn't want to break anything, for fear of a skillet bashing his skull in.

The blade was taken from his grasp as Kaylani helped him back up to go out and get some air, he could not complain was not his place to anyways. It was bright, the sunshine, but it felt good. He had only seen small ribbons of it peering through the bricks when he was captured. So to actually feel it upon his skin again as a free man it was a joyous feeling.

Kaylani was indeed telling the truth about the wagon, still, he couldn't believe it. He came out of what seemed like a nice cottage to a small horse-drawn wagon. "Amazing..such a good thing for travelers such as yourself isn't it."

"No I have no wife or kids, it was something that was never on my mind. My line of work, it is hard to raise a family as they could be used against you or even killed because of something you did. Never got close enough to anyone because of that. Family, I did have, the Raven's Nest. They were all killed though," He spoke without thinking what he was saying he felt at ease to tell her this though, yet his mind did not even know that he said the words.

He couldn't help but laugh a little at the prophecy of the goddess. "Well if a goddess said it, it must be true right?" he wasn't a big fan of gods, he knew they existed and knew what they could do to the mortal realm but he never had faith in them. He could hear the sadness in her words and knew that she was just lying to herself, trying to justify them. Did she actually believe what the goddess told her?

"Never need to change for someone, if they can't accept a person for who they are. That just means they are not deserving of that person." He said to her, "Hell we all desire companionship, I care not what anyone says on that matter. We were born that way, you'll find that person trust me on that a woman such as yourself would have no problem in that matter."

“It is good… It also means possibility of family in future without need to settle down in one place. That would be boring after three hundred years of traveling… I think.”

Kalyani looked at Zanar for a minute. “Then don’t marry weak woman. Weak woman is bad for strong man. Just like weak man is bad for strong woman. Woman who can take care of self no need to fear bad men. Bad men fear her.” She poked his nose softly. “Shit happens. It makes us stronger Zanar. We lose all of our friends in an instant… all of our family. Everyone. Doesn’t mean we should stop. I watch adopted mother did this for hundreds of years and before I was born she did it lot longer. Adopted mother just kept going. Now she is one of most powerful women in Sularia. She is strong woman.”

There for a few moments as Kalyani was putting her laundry into the basket she was quiet before answering him. “I believe Angela. Not just that she is goddess but I grew up around her. I grew up with children of goddess. Furtuna is her child. Adopted mother is good friends with Goddess. I don’t think Goddess would lie to me. It is just hard to swallow it I suppose.”

She finished with her laundry and brought it back over to him. “Exactly.” She put her finger to his forehead and gently pushed him backwards with a laugh.

–

Kalyani was enjoying having Zanar around, not for companion reasons. Well that wasn’t true he was a good person to talk to but the main reason was he earned his keep. It had been three weeks since he had been stumbled upon and healing. He took up residence in her spare room. Today she was able to take a hot bath upstairs while he cut wood for her stove. He did all the hard labor and she had been cooking and cleaning. It was good synergy.

She thought she heard Zanar come in and yell for her. “I am up here. Come here if you wish to speak to me.” She was running the cloth over her and rubbing the soap on her skin. “You are very muffled right now.”

It had been a good three weeks since he was rescued in the forest by the gypsy Kaylani. It was the longest that he had stayed in one place since he had been captured, but of course, this was all due to the wounds that he had received. That and partially the fact that he felt like he owed Kaylani for taking him in and healing him to the point that he was now. It had not been so bad staying here either. When he got better to be able to move around much more without help he had started helping her with the more physically intensive chores that needed to be done, a sign of good faith he thought.

Now he was out chopping wood for her, it was helping him regain the strength in his arms after being bedridden for the most part. It was tiring and painful still but he needed to do it, a kind of physical therapy for the most part. "Few…more to..go," he stated, showing obvious signs of exhaustion as he put the last log up on the stump. A few more overhead swings and the logs he needed were done, the last two taking longer than most of them.

He dropped the ax to the side and bent down his hands on his knees catching his breath, "Phew…that's done, now where does she want most of this." He walked into the wagon and looked around a didn't see her, probably was on the upper level. "Hey! Where do want most of these logs placed?!" He called for her. She told him to come up to where she was, not being able to hear him. "Yeah, and you know how long it took me to get that accent down," he grumbled as he walked up to the room where she was.

He opened the door, not thinking which room it actually was and just froze with one foot in. There she was with her normal hair up in a bun, taking a bath. His eyes couldn't help but to wander and stare for a moment before he collected himself. Turning about-face in a second he closed the door and just stood there his eyes closed and he took a deep breath.

"What in the seven hells was that!!!" He yelled angrily, not only that but embarrassed as well. "You call me up here, and your bathing?!?!" He couldn't help but let out a growl at that, and thankfully a door was between them both cause he could feel that his face was lit up like nothing before. Not only had she seen him naked now he had accidentally seen her. What more could this woman do to him now?

If she had heard him giving her sass she would have had an excellent reaction but sadly she hadn’t. Kalyani was too busy washing the suds off of her and had gone so far as sit up to get her back. For Kalyani, it wasn’t embarrassing to be naked in front of people so when he started to react she just tilted her head. “Oh, please it isn’t that bad.” She got a smirk on her face as she slid out of the tub and padded her way over to the door.

“That was breasts if you must know.” She said entertained. Once she opened the door she turned him around and put her hands on her hips. A normal woman would have covered herself up but there Kalyani stood in all of her glory. “No shame in being naked. It is natural.”

Then another bad thought popped up into her head and she began to back him up into the wall behind him. “Only time a man should scream and hide from woman is if she ugly. Are you calling ugly Zanar?” Mentally there was a smirk and a laugh outwardly she just kept it together in an angry voice. Then after a few moments, she started to laugh. “You are too uptight.” She put her finger underneath his chin. “For someone who was locked away.”

This woman was, unbelievable! He had met no other woman who just walked around in the nude with a man that she wasn’t romantically involved with. He didn’t know what to say and it was taking him most of his willpower keeping his eyes forward and not looking, again. Yeah, I’m going to die if I stay here…one way or another he thought to himself.

Even worse was when started to back him into the wall, and saying that he thought that she was ugly. “That could be further from the truth,” He said nervously as he felt his back hit the wall. Now most men in his situation would be overjoyed in this type of situation, but he had a little bit more self-respect and respect for someone who helped him get better. The laughing the situation did not help it at all either.

“Are you sure you’re not some succubus in disguise?” He annoyingly he replied back to her and put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back a bit. “I have my restraints, that is all there is to it. I’ll be waiting outside.”

He made his way downstairs, his heart almost beating out of his chest. Finally, he felt like he could breathe and he inhaled sharply before slowing exhaling trying to calm his nerves. Staring up at the sky he couldn’t help but to shake his head and laugh a little. “First time for everything eh,” Turning over to the horse that was tied up nearby. “How the heck do you manage to deal with her,….and now I am talking to an animal.”

“It’s not like I ask for sex… or you looking for sex. It’s just two people and one is nude. Why is that so bad?” She shrugged at him as he pushed her away. She turned from him as he talked about his restraints and she rolled her eyes. “Seems to me that is stressful.” Kalyani made her way into the bedroom and got dressed but before she could come down he was already outside.

“Normally by bashing her over the head with something,” another female voice came. This time it was a very tall woman in log blue robes. One shoulder was bare and the way it tied off to the side showed her hips and leg. She had long black hair, blue eyes that moved like the ocean, and dark skin like Kalyani. Holding her hand was a tiny child about the age of five. She was staring at Zanar with large mercury colored eyes. Her skin tone was just a few shades lighter than the woman’s and she had wild black curls. “She isn’t giving you trouble is she?”

Without hesitation, the woman scooted the child over to him. “I’ll be right back,” Bryony spoke as she moved into the wagon. Screaming began to come from the wagon. It actually moved the wagon as fighting ensued. The little girl actually had a moving squid stuffed animal in her arms and she was watching the wagon.

“Mister? Is Kalyani going to be okay? I think my mama is gonna beat her good…” It was such a shy voice. “My name is Hazel…” She shyly pulled the plushie up in front of her face. “And this is Mr. Jack.” The plushie growled at him and wiggled its tentacles. “He isn’t scary… Though he comes off as mean but he isn’t so bad. He’s the reason why I don’t have friends.” Just like a child to be open.

The door to the wagon flung open and Bryony came out with a dressed Kalyani slung over her shoulder. "LET ME GO!" Kalyani was beating her back.

"Your speech fix it. You are three hundred years old or more and you sound like shit," Bryony spat as she tossed the smaller woman in front of Zanar. "Have you been making a friend Hazel?" The mother smiled at her daughter and Hazel nodded once. "I'm Bryony, the heathen's adopted mother…"

He quickly turned to the sound of the voice, again a defensive reaction, and saw another woman and child walking towards the wagon. Her suggestion though was something that he wanted to consider at times, but also didn't want to cause himself more harm in the process. He noticed that child had strange silver colored eyes, though he was not one to talk as he had seen his reflection. The piercing illuminated blue of his was also something different. "Trouble, that ma'am would be an understatement at times.."

The woman left the child with him and entered the wagon like she owned it herself. I have a bad feeling about this one. and as soon as he thought that the wagon became to move a little and screams were heard out of it. Don't…just don't even and for once he listened to his own warning

He squatted down as the child began to talk. "Well hello there Hazel, I'm Zanar," he replied to her couldn't help but smile at the child's innocence. He cocked his head at the moving plushie that she had. "You know what, I think Mr. Jack just wants to look out for his friend. That or he could just be a little jealous," he said with a small laugh

He got up as the door to the wagon flung open and the woman was coming out, with no other than Kaylani hoisted over her shoulder. She was screaming to let her go, and he for the best of him was trying to keep from bursting out laughing. And as she was tossed in front of Zanar he couldn't help but wince at that. This woman had so much strength to her, and now he was in front of two women who could seem to kill anyone who crossed them with ease.

I feel like I'm going to die in this place, not bad of course…better than a prison cell…but still

She introduced herself and it all started to make sense to him, all the pieces of the puzzle was coming together. It also made sense where Kaylani got her brash attitude from as well. "I wouldn't say a complete heathen, she took me in and nursed me back from a near-death experience," he stated, "Oh right my apologies, my name is Zanar Arowin."  The most shocking part was to find out that Kaylani was over three hundred years old, though the elf-like ears should have given that away.

"So I guess I could say that I owe your, uhm daughter my life a little."

“If scholars studied the word trouble they would find Kalyani listed under it. Most of the time if there is a commotion it is because of her.” Bryony smirked a bit and winked towards Zanar as she went to deal with her.

Hazel tilted her head at Zanar and smiled when he wasn’t afraid of her. “Most people run and hide from me.” Her shadow began to sprawl on the ground and form tentacles. “No, Mr. Jack stop it. You are a bad, bad squid.” She squeezed the squid to her. “This is why we don’t have friends because you scare them away.”

One Kalyani was out on the ground Bryony ruffled Hazel’s head of wild hair. “I taught Kalyani to take people in when they were hurt. I also taught her that if they were scum she needed to charge the ever-loving hell out of them. Come on I’ll make tea… Kalyani apologize to him… in correct common.”

Kalyani got a look on her face it was pure stubbornness. “Fine, I am sorry that I forced you to look at me naked… and that I have been… Do I have to lie to him? I like giving him attitude.” Her accent was still thick but it was more complete sentences now.

“Nah, the first part was all you needed. Think after three hundred years or so I would have you broke of this shit by now. Come on… into the wagon.” Once everyone was around the table Bryony set to making them hot water and getting a snack ready. “I wouldn’t take Mr. Jack from Hazel, even if you are trying to play. As a warning, not that you would. Mr. Jack is an Eldritch being possessing my daughter since birth. Inherited from her father. We’ve been trying to get rid of him. The Goddess Angela bound the creature to that stuffed animal and it’s her only means of control. What are the rules Hazel?”

“Don’t let Mr. Jack go. Don’t listen to Mr. Jack’s bad advice. Suspect everything he wants to do is to take over my soul.” Hazel nodded firmly. “He’s a big ol’ meanie when it comes to other people but Rohan deals with him effortlessly.” She had big speech for such a little kid but Kalyani chuckled.

“Since when did you become such good friends with Angela’s little squirt?” Kalyani tilted her head.

“He’s not a little squirt! He is the bestest friend ever! He’s going to protect me forever and marry me when I’m older. Lily said so.” Hazel sounded a little upset but gave a firm nod to both Zanar and Kalyani.

“Lily read them their love fortunes the other day… If it comes true they will be married in the future. So what she says isn’t child’s play. They’ve been very… excited about it. Even going so far as to start planning for a wedding. Can’t say it wouldn’t be nice to have a goddess for her in law to keep her out of trouble. Right now though she is grounded… She decided it was a good idea to run through the circles of hell and beat up demons.”

“RO WAS IN TROUBLE!” Hazel protested to Zanar. “I saved him.”

“Sounds to me like Hazel doesn’t need anyone to save her.” Kalyani chuckled.