“You have nothing to apologize for. Now then.” Tristain stood up smoothly, shifting his arms to hold Aynur. He strode back over to the bed and gently deposited her back down, and stood near the head of the bed. He let one hand rest on her shoulder, clasping it gently.

“You, Aynur, need two things in the immediate future. Food, and rest. I will be here, you need not worry about that. So eat as much as you can of the stew and bread, then allow yourself to rest. You are safe. I will let nothing else happen to you today.” His tone was stern, but not harsh, as he took one of her hands and guided it to the platter resting on the bed near her.

“And if you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask. I have few things I will refuse to talk about. And for your information - I have only seen twenty three winters all told, not that I remember the earliest ones.”


She struggled to eat the stew, hand trembling as she did her best not to spill something couldn't see. Giving up, Aynur instead picked up the bowl and ate directly from it, tilting it to her mouth to eat. He shook his head slightly, his hair swaying as he did so. He would have to remember in the future to purchase things that were simpler to eat, until she had regained confidence in herself.

“We… Are similar in age… “she mused. More silence as she slowly struggled to eat her stew. “I can… tell you about myself If you do not like talking. It is the least I can do.” Tristain tilted his head to one side and considered her offer. In all truth he would prefer it if she talked - her own voice was far more pleasant to listen to than his own, to him at least, and his throat was already feeling a bit sore from all the speaking he had done of late. Still -

“Share only what you are comfortable with speaking about. I will listen, and will not judge you.” He settled himself down on the edge of the bed the had noticed that she seemed to desire knowing where he was, and preferred that knowledge came by having some form of physical contact with him. When she finally spoke, the words seemed to be dredged up almost against her will.

“Do… You think it foolish I hold no will for the damage down to my body? The man who tortured me… He claimed he loved me then left. He tore holes in my skin and burnt me. Had my eyes ripped out and yet… I Can't seem to find anger in my heart.” He was silent in response to that. She spun the bowl in her hands.

“I don't wish harm on anyone. I was told by him that was my biggest weakness. That I was unable to understand or Harbour hate.” Tristain sat back on the bed, and reached one hand up to run his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his face as he contemplated her words. He chewed on the inside of his mouth for a moment before she spoke up again, distracting him.

She looked in his direction. “I was told I had ice blue eyes before they were ripped out. What color are yours?”

“I - brown. My eyes are brown.” He blinked. “And I would not say not knowing hate is a weakness. Hate is not necessary for violence something I know well. Sometimes, one does violence out of - affection. A need to protect something, against those who would harm it. And as for your first question.” He drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“No. I do not think it is foolish, at all. I - my father was not a good man. Not to me, at least. He is the one who drove me to the actions you almost carried out earlier. And yet, I cannot hate him myself. Rather - I wish nothing to do with him at all. I would be content never hearing word of him again, but at the same time… I would be sad to learn he had died. He is, was, my father, for whatever that was worth, once.”

She offered him a smile and reached out to place a hand on his knee to comfort him. It took three tries till she actually managed to find his knee instead of the bed. Aynur offered him a smile. “I think he would be proud of the man you have become. Tristain let out a sharp bark of a laugh.

“I doubt that. He was far more like that drunk I stopped from accosting you, than he was like me. I make some choices about how to act to be precisely counter to how he would have been.” She subsided for a moment, unsure of how to respond to that response - or to the bitter tone that laid behind it. Eventually she pressed on, her words pulling Tristain out of his mire of thought.

“I lived in a sect.. Amidst the Dheathain mountains. This world is so new… Would you believe I didn't even know what running water was till a year ago? We all bathed in the natural springs.. “ she smiled faintly at the memory. Tristain’s right eyebrow rose. That was a bit odd, he hadn’t known of any groups living out in that region. Then again, it wasn’t like his education, spotty as it had been before the Danse, had really included comprehensive information about the world around him.

“I see. Then some of the things people take for granted around here are a bit… surprising, to you?” He mused softly, studying her face as her emotions danced across it. Perhaps it was because of her blindness, but she seemed to wear her heart on her face for the world to see.