Lady of Nyv

Ona did not have much time to be alone with her thoughts before Kol approached her, his hands outstretched, offering a piece of game.

“I felt as though I should thank you for sparing my life.” He said quietly, gesturing to the offering in his hands.

Ona took the piece of meat, bringing it up to her nose so she could inhale its rich scent.

“Mountain lion.” She breathed.

“Yes,” Kol began. “T’was the last piece from our days in the Middle Lands.”

“Thank you.” She said softly.

“T’was the least I could do. I am indebted to you, M’Lady.”

“No.” She stated. “You have saved my life and I have saved yours. The debt has been repaid.”

The two stood in silence for a few moments as they enjoyed their game. Ona chewed slowly, savouring each mouthful of mountain lion. She doubted that she would ever be able to taste such a delicious meat ever again.

Ona felt Kol ease toward her gently, and she shot him a look that could terrify even the most bloodthirsty mountain lions.

“Even though we are on neutral grounds morally, it does not mean that I enjoy your presence.” She hissed quietly.

Kol nodded, hanging his head slightly. He understood that Ona’s trust was hard to earn and that he had lost it many days ago, but he still wished that they could be as they used to be once again. He missed her terribly.

Before Kol could ask what he could do to improve their standings, Ona walked toward the fire where the rest of the men gathered. He watched as she walked past her brother, not even meeting his pained gaze as she passed.

He took comfort in this action. T’was nice to know that he wasn’t the only one who had been ousted from her life at the moment.

He watched as his close friend Cas spotted him from where he sat by the fire. Kol nodded in his direction and Cas stood, walking over to where Kol waited.

“Why aren’t you sitting with the others?” He asked, furrowing his brow with concern.

“I was speaking with Lady Ona and now I am speaking with you. I haven’t had the chance to make my way over to the fire yet.” He explained half-heartedly.

“Ah, and how is Lady Ona this evening?” Cas jested.

“She is still quite angry with myself and Dom.”

“She doesn’t seem the type to hold grudges.” Cas replied, sarcasm dripping off his every word.

Kol rolled his eyes in response.

“You did nearly kill her, Kol. You can’t expect her to forgive you in a matter of days.”

“T’was an accident.” He murmured.

Cas placed a reassuring hand on Kol’s back.

“Most of us know that. I’m sure M’Lady knows it, as well. You just have to give her time.”

Kol placed his forehead against the rough bark of a nearby tree.

“We haven’t got much time.” His voice barely a whisper.

“What?” Cas asked.

“T’was nothing. I will give her time.” Kol replied solemnly.

Suddenly, Nol shouted over to Kol and Cas from the fire.

“Is Kol homesick, Cas?” He jested.

“Yes, it seems he is missing the North terribly.” Cas called back.

Kol’s face flushed red as Cas pushed him over to the fire to join the other men. They sat next to each other, looking at each face in turn around the circle. Everyone was accounted for – even Lady Ona.

“Go on, Kol. Tell us what you’re missing back home. Who did you leave behind?” Qua prompted.

“I left behind my younger siblings, of which I had seven. My parents are not very well off, and needed to have many children so that we could work in the mines or hunt to help them pay their way.” Kol began.

“I miss my youngest sister the most. Her name is Kai, and she was just five. She used to accompany me hunting. She enjoyed setting the traps to catch the small rodents. It was very difficult to say goodbye to them, but I know that this is best.”

As Kol finished, he looked up and saw Ona’s eyes burning into his own. As their eyes met, he watched a slight smile spread to her lips.

“Might I speak of my life back home?” Lug asked tentatively.

“Of course!” Qua exclaimed.

“I, too, came from a large family, but I was the only son born of six children. My parents did their best to make sure that I wanted for nothing when I was a child. I was young when I met my wife, Yalys. She had travelled into town with her father on business and I knew from the moment I saw her that I wished to marry her.” He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

“My father immediately approached her father and offered a sizeable dowry in exchange for her hand in marriage, and so we were wed. T’was nearly seven years ago now, and I still love her with every ounce of my strength.”

“Do you have children?” Cas asked.

“No.” Lug replied, tears welling in his eyes. “Yalys was in a terrible fishing accident as a girl which resulted in some irreversible wounds. We will never produce heirs to my family name.”

“My sincerest apologies.” Cas replied, patting Lug on the back in a consoling manner.

“Tai, what’s your story?” Cas asked quickly, trying to distract the others from an obviously distraught Lug.

A tall man with a scar running the length of his face, narrowly missing his left eye, nodded in response and began to tell his story.

“I grew up on the edge of the Middle Lands. I was an only child, as my other siblings did not survive infancy. When I was ten, my father came home heavily inebriated and beat my mother to death. I tried to defend her, and he cut my face.” He brushed his scar as he said this.

“I waited until he passed out and I sought my revenge by castrating him in his sleep.”

A few men gasped and Ona grinned widely.

“I ran away and I was a nomad until two years ago when I ran into Kol. He convinced me to come back to his domicile and I was swiftly introduced to his sister, Zia. She was so beautiful. Her eyes were as blue as the sky and her hair was long and as black as the night. I married her a few weeks later. We plan on starting a family when I return.”

Tears welled up in Tai’s eyes, and Kol smiled broadly. T’wasn’t hard to see that they were both happy with the way that Tai’s life had turned out.

Kol saw that everyone was watching he and Tai and he felt the need to stop the men from focusing on him, so he turned to Dom.

“What did you leave behind, Dom?” Kol asked boldly.

“I left behind my days of whoring and drinking.” He stated simply.

A few of the men around the fire cheered in response to Dom’s confession, Ona simply rolled her eyes. Kol caught her reaction and shouted across the circle to her:

“Does he lie, M’Lady?”

“No,” She laughed. “That’s why I rolled my eyes; he boldly speaks the truth, as always.”

“What about you, M’Lady?” Lug asked. “You never speak of home. Do you miss it?”

Ona pondered his question for a few moments.

“I miss parts of it, but I am glad to be here and free.”

“Did you leave behind a husband and a family?” Cas asked.

“No,” She laughed. “The day I settle down to have a family is the day I die.”