One vest, One reunion

[Kender Bard]

Nani sighed deeply as she trekked closer to what she hoped was Clan Char. This desert needs roads, she thought miserably and kept her head down so her hair would help shield her eyes. And less sun. And more water.

At least her litany of complaints was internal.

[Deleted]

As a rise was topped, a young scout practicing with javelins caught sight of the merchant, and threw up her arm. "Halt!" she called, and jogged towards Nani. "What is your name?" she inquired. "Do you require shelter from Clan Char?"

[Kender Bard]

Nani shook her head, eyeing the scout warily. "Nay, I come bearing a delivery for a patron of mine," she replied. She described him, not able to recall the name, and then pulled the vest from her pack to show the scout, proof of her presence.

[Deleted]

The scout smiled upon seeing the vest, and nodded. "Elder Alexi has good taste," she said, and put her javelins over her shoulder. "Come with me. You'll have a chance to rest when you give him that."

She brought Nani down into the camp, where the horses were being cared for, Malcamon was showing several youths how to fight with a cane, and children were either helping their parents with chores or running around. The scout raised her voice. "Where is Elder Alexi? There is a delivery for him."

[Kender Bard]

"He's with the scouts," Charminei called back and walked over to see the newcomer. She stopped and stared.

Nani did as well. The two women seemed poised as though each had spotted a dangerous animal.

"Nani," Charminei murmured.

"Mother," Nani replied.

[Deleted]

The scout sensed her current position was not where she wanted to be. "I'll get Alexi," she whispered, and sidled out of sight.

Word must have gotten around fast, because Alexi arrived in minutes, carrying Charii on his shoulders. "Hey, you made it!" he said to Nani, smiling.

"Hi!" Charii added.

[Kender Bard]

Nani glanced over. The two women hadn't so much as budged at the time it took the man to make his way over. Nani cleared her throat. "So this must be...."

"My husband," Charminei confirmed. "And daughter."

Nani's gaze dropped to the ground.

Charminei flinched slightly and glanced at Alexi. "Darling, this is Nani - my daughter with Ace."

[Deleted]

Alexi's eyebrows went for his hairline. Well damn. No wonder they looked so much alike. So much for "coincidence".

He shrugged, bouncing Charii for a second and making her giggle, and held out a hand to Nani. "Nice to meet you again, kid," he said. "Thanks for coming out all this way. I'm Alexi."

[Kender Bard]

Nani took his hand, but seemed more reluctant about it. Once shaking, she reached back and wordlessly pulled out the vest.

Charminei's breath caught. "Wow," she whispered, surprised at the detail and craftsmanship. "Nani, did you make that?"

"Aye," the woman replied softly. "I'm a seamstress, as well as having near-ownership of the tailorshop I work in."

Charminei smiled wanly and accepted the vest. "How's your father and the boys?"

"Father's busy, as always," Nani murmured. "So are the uncles. That never changed. I don't see them much."

"Ace is going to work himself to death," Charminei sighed.

Nani looked at Charii and, feeling a surge of jealousy, asked the little girl, "Does your mother treat you well?"

[Deleted]

"Uh-huh!" Charii said cheerfully. "She's teachin' me how to use a staff, and she lets me ride with Daddy, and I get hugs and kisses all the time, and I get to sit on her lap when other Elders come so I can listen, and sometimes she tells bedtime stories." She grinned. "Mommy's a lot of fun." Then Charii thought of something. "Are you my big sister?" she asked, just to be sure.

She had not heard much about Ace or her other siblings, but she knew they were out there. Alexi had given her the news when he thought she was old enough to know and accept it all, despite what Charminei might have thought. His excuse was family was important, and it's a good thing to know all of one's relatives.

[Kender Bard]

"Yes," Nani said, and felt her eyes watering up.

"Nani," Charminei murmured, feeling guilt and compassion well up in her as she moved toward the other woman. Nani backed away from her, shaking her head.

"Don't," she said, firmly. "You might be the woman that brought me into the world but I can't rightfully call you my mother and you have no place pretending like it now."

"You're right," Charminei agreed, and stopped where she was. "I'm sorry, Nani. Please, though, stay with us just a little while. The trip is long and you must be hot and tired. You can stay in my home."

Nani was going to refuse, but she knew better. She might collapse if she just turned around. She'd come here expecting the chance to rest, a little. "All right," she agreed. Charminei pointed it out to her and she walked off quickly.

"Alexi, would you... talk to her?" Charminei asked. "I know that's asking a lot. She's a stranger to you. But she doesn't want me around her and I don't want her to feel terrible. At the very least, I'd like to know what I could do to make her comfortable while she's here."

[Deleted]

"Well s--t, babe, what do I tell her?" Alexi asked in honest bewilderment.

"Daddy!" Charii admonished.

"Let's suspend the 'Daddy can't swear' rule for a moment, Charii," the Elder said firmly, and the girl quieted, sensing this was serious. "So what do I do, the 'gracious host' thing? Or should I somehow use spin control here?"

"Lemme down," Charii said, and Alexi set her on her feet without thinking, still talking to Charminei. The little girl went after her big sister, entering the tent and going for the pole that held waterbags while Nani's back was turned. There was a small one just in reach, though she had to stand on her toes to get it. "Want some water, Nani?" Charii inquired. "There's lots. I got some."

[Kender Bard]

The woman had her head in her hands and she gave a violent shake of her head, turning away from Charii. "Please, leave me."

"Gracious host would be good," Charminei admitted. "If she needs someone to talk to, she'll open up."

[Deleted]

Charii pouted. "It's good water," she said. "If you're hot, you need water, 'cause you might faint. Daddy and Uncle Mal say that lots. One of the scouts fainted and Daddy called him funny names 'cause he shoulda known better." She giggled, remembering that. Alexi had told her she wasn't allowed to repeat anything he'd said, but it was still amusing to think of it.


"She might not want anything to do with me," Alexi pointed out. "None of the other kids seemed willing to talk to me. I called myself 'Papa' to mock the guy I spanked with my sword." He shrugged. "Would it mean that much to you?"

[Kender Bard]

"The effort would," Charminei said, and frowned slightly as she tried to recall dim, far away memories. "Steel was proud and arrogant, Hachi liked to laugh away his problems, and little Thavan was so very angry and sad. Nani wasn't like any of them. She was very far removed from me - she has always related to the men in her life better than me. When she was a little girl, she'd go to any of the boys with a problem before she came to me. I just think she'd be more inclined to talk to a man, even a strange one, than me."

"If I drink some water, will you go away?" Nani asks with a sideways glance at the girl, frowning.