Tavaar - 62nd Edition

It was tempting to quit posting about Tavaar again, but I so like this scene between Tavaar and Khaiu. It's only a draft, but it contains a lot.

“Me?”

“You are not behaving like the Tavaar I know.”

Tavaar shrugged. “I suppose I have changed some. Being placed in command was totally unexpected.”

“I’m not talking about that.”

She felt as though a moment of decision were falling upon her. It was as if she were the prey, and the predator was close. The bait was Khaiu. If she were to find some excuse and leave him now, she would be safe. But his eyes held her. She could not leave him. She hated herself for the thoughts in her head and the feelings in her heart. But she could not leave him.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, timidly.

Khaiu looked sad. “That,” he said. Then, to her unvoiced question, “From whence comes this fear?”

“Fear?”

“Fear. Don’t even try to pretend with me, Tavaar. You have never been a good deceiver anyway, but I know you too well to fall for your evasive tricks.”

“Do you really know me that well?” she asked, and somewhere in her heart she was desperately hoping it was true.

He smiled affectionately. “I know you better than anyone else does – except Sashwa, of course.”

She grinned, warmed by his natural boast. “You have never thought little of yourself, have you?”

“I think the truth, and that is what I speak.”

“I know. I’ve always admired that about you. But what about Wheylin? Do you not credit him with any knowledge?”

“Wheylin knows things about you I will never know, but my overall knowledge still exceeds his. Over time that will change. For now I am confident of my observations.”

She paused, contemplating his words. Part of her very much wanted to increase his knowledge, and that was the problem.

“Okay. I’m afraid, and you want to know of what?”

“No. I think I know what you’re afraid of. What I don’t know is why?”

Looking into his face she knew he had guessed it. How could he not? Even Sashwa called her on it. It wasn't exactly a subtle thing. But she wanted him to say it. She needed to hear it with his voice.

“What is it you think I’m afraid of?”

“Shello and me.”

He did know! And something about him saying it as he did seemed to break away the invisible hedge which enclosed her in a vice grip.

“Can we go sit down now?” he asked. “Patrolling the camp in search of misbehaving warriors is all well and good, but isn’t that the job of your second? Come. We do not need to go inside your hut. We need not even go near it. Look. There is an open place. We can go sit there. Will you?”

She smiled and nodded her head. She followed him up a small incline and they sat under a big oak. From here they could see the center of camp. They were also visible to it. About a dozen warriors were huddled in small groups of twos and threes. Tavaar sat to Khaiu’s right, facing the camp with her back against the tree. Khaiu sat at a slight angle from her.

“So, why afraid of us?” he asked, picking up a handful of acorns and absently tossing them away one by one.

“I never said I was.”

Khaiu groaned, half with amusement and half with disgust. “Come on, Tavaar, stop it! You never denied it either. You’ve been afraid of us since the moment we arrived. What is it that’s frightening you?”