Nai and Tejara were shut out of Mei’nin’sa’s room together, standing side by side and staring at a closed door. Eventually, Nai cleared her throat, as if she was going to say something, then simply walked away. Tejara waited another minute or two, then sighed and walked away as well.

Tejara went about her morning chores, distracted by a million thoughts. She purposefully passed by Mei’nin’sa’s door a few times but it remained firmly shut. She decided to check on Keh’dor’rin...

As she approached his room, she could hear raised voices arguing. Val’lin’r and some other man she had never heard before. As she got closer she could make out some of the words.

“I will not entertain this immature rebellion of yours any longer, come home, Val’lin’r.”

“You cannot attempt to murder my lover and unborn child and call my righteous anger immaturity. I’m staying with my family.”

“Family? What? You want to abandon, to fight, your real family for this... this... perverted, gold-digging, slut?”

Val’lin’r’s voice was even and deeper and angrier than Tejara had ever heard it before when he answered, “yes.”

Keh’dor’rin finally spoke, “Val... no... just... go home.”

“See? The gold-digger doesn’t even want you if our money isn’t backing you.”

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Tejara was fully pressed against the door as she listened, her hands curling into fists. She wanted to rush in and start swinging but her last shred of sense held her back from opening the door.

“Why can’t all of you just let me make my own decisions!” Val’lin’r snapped, “just get out and leave me alone!”

“Fine!”

Tejara barely had time to jump out of the way before the door opened. She turned away and hid her face from Val’lin’r’s family, trying to make herself small and unnoticeable in the hallway. A man and woman left, thankfully without a single glance Tejara’s way.

Tejara let out a sigh of relief when they were gone and was about to slip into the room when Keh’dor’rin’s voice stopped her, “you get out too.”

For a second, Tejara though he was talking to her despite the fact that she wasn’t fully in the room and he likely couldn’t see her.

“But we agreed-” Val started to argue only to be cut off.

“I changed my mind... I want to be alone.”

“Keh, you can’t keep shutting me out, we need to talk about things-”

“No, we don’t. This relationship is over and it was never that serious to begin with.”

There was a pause... A long enough pause that Tejara started to feel guilty for eavesdropping. She slowly started backing away from the door, barely hearing Val’s weak response, “I don’t believe for a second that you mean that...”

Tejara left Keh’dor’rin’s little attic corner of the building, her heart uncomfortable. She wanted nothing more than to run to Mei’nin’sa and ask her what to do, but it seemed like that asshole was planning to spend all day with her-

“There you are!” Nai called out, running up to Tejara in the hall and grabbing her arm. Tejara’s eyes widened. Normally, Nai avoided her, refused to touch her, and even turned her nose up at her when she was forced to interact with her.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Tejar asked.

“It’s Mei’nin’sa. She’s-”

Tejara didn’t wait to hear the rest, already running towards Mei’nin’sa’s room.