Joe’s eyes widened and Gwenvair felt his panic rising. Worry spiked then laughter when she realized Joe was simply concerned and not rejecting Kilniara. Gwenvair wasn’t able to hide her laughter and giggle slightly even as Joe began stammering.

“Ah… I… wel… I think I was speaking a bit too quickly there. I’m sorry. It… I was just mad at that stupid priest. He… I’m sorry.”

Kilniara was confused at first, but Gwenvair pushed a soft hint of Joe’s own consternation over the bind and Kilniara glanced back at Gwenvair with some shock before realizing what had happened and giggled herself at realizing the truth of Joe’s concern. Kilniara did well and replied quite coyly.

“Oh. Now you take it back? Do you?”

Joe blubbered some more and struggled wildly, his eyes looking at Kilniara before glancing wildly around the room. He struggled for a time before looking at Gwenvair and noticing her smirk and Joe’s wild worry evaporated before suspicion as his eyes narrowed. Joe looked down at Kilniara and saw her own smile and then he smirked in chagrin.

“Really? Really? You…”

Kilniara broke into laughter and slid into Joe’s arms again even as she laughed at him and offered a few humorous jibes at his expense. Joe calmed and soon was chuckling along with them until the humor of it was spent and Joe continued the conversation with a more serious aplomb.

“I’m… sorry. I should not have said that. Don’t worry. When I have decided, I will tell you, but it is… still too soon. I hope you understand.”

Kilniara pulled back and looked up at him, smiling with a nod, “Of course I do. But, it was nice to hear it.”

Joe snorted and turned his head away even as his cheeks flushed red. They fell into silence once again, and Kilniara’s joy faded. Joe quickly noticed and pulled back.

“If you need to cry, go. It is good for you.”

Kilniara shook her head, “No. Not now. Not yet. I will soon, but not yet.”

Joe nodded, “Then… next time, you can do it in my arms. I want to be able to help you. You do not need to hide it from me.”

Gwenvair chuckled at that, shaking her head and interjecting, “Your people are truly strange. You are unconcerned of your wives’ emotional outbursts.”

Joe glanced up at her and smiled, “Too much emotion is a bad thing, just as too much stoic distance from a man is a bad thing. There are moments for both, and both are important, but they should be practiced appropriately in their appropriate time.”

Gwenvair pondered that, considering and soon all three grew silent again for several moments before Joe finally cleared his throat and stood, turning away from Gwenvair and Kilniara before retying his bathrobe carefully. When Joe turned back around, he kept a tight grip on the bathrobe belt.

“We should prepare for tonight… if you still want to go?” Joe changed his statement to a question as he turned to look at Kilniara with concern.

Her return smile was one of the first true smiles she’d offered this day, and Gwenvair felt relieved as Kilniara nodded brightly, “Really. I do want to go. I … might … I might need you right after… though.”

Joe smiled softly at that, “Of course. Then, I’ll head back to the bath and leave you to your preparations.

Kilniara giggled oddly, staring at Joe meaningfully and Gwenvair saw Joe’s cheeks flush a soft pink. He straightened himself and quickly left the room. It’s… he… is he fleeing? Gwenvair looked over at Kilniara and raised an eyebrow in confusion. Kilniara stared back at her without any change to her posture or expression until Joe had left the room, then she began giggling softly. Gwenvair saw Kilniara’s joy and scooted closer.

“What?”

Kilniara giggled again, “He’s… hmm…”

“What?”

Kilniara cocked her head and raised an eyebrow while she smirked. Gwenvair didn’t understand but then realization struck and her eyes opened wide.

Gwenvair’s gasped out with jaw agape, “Kilniara! How did… how did you know?”

Kilniara kept laughing at Gwenvair’s shock, “I … noticed.”

Gwenvair’s shock turned to shy embarrassment and she turned away, her own cheeks pinking quite a bit as she huffed. She said nothing but Kilniara came up to her and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Her joy soured, and Gwenvair quickly felt it, sending out a soothing wave of comfort to numb the bitter pain. Kilniara laid her head on Gwenvair’s shoulder.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Kilniara breathed a bit, then did so again, with greater deliberateness, “No. Thank you for… not cutting me.”

Gwenvair glanced back to look at her, her eyes searching Kilniara’s before she replied with a soft pain, “I’m sorry. I was certain he would…”

Kilniara nodded, “I would have done the same. I was certain as well.”

The two nodded and fell into silence again, Kilniara grateful to rest in Gwenvair’s presence.

They remained in silence for a time before falling into a meaningless but pleasant conversation, one that was an escape Kilniara eagerly needed. Gwenvair willingly offered it. The conversation lasted well into their bathing and dressing, the knock on the door warning of the need to leave lost in their bathing and giggling. They did not stay overly long, however, and ended the conversation quickly so that they could return to the villa communal area where all three guys awaited them. And the captain of the guards with a group of healers. Gwenvair cursed silently.

* * *

Joe watched as the girls came out and seeing the happy smile on both faces made him relax a bit, but grow more worried over the long-term struggle Kilniara would have dealing with what had happened. He did notice Gwenvair’s smile erase behind stone when she saw the others waiting with them, and Joe worried that there might be issues, but Gwenvair simply stopped and nodded towards the clanners. They all stood and bowed to Gwenvair.

“Guard captain, reporting to First in Line for Matriarch.”

“Mind healers reporting to First in Line for Matriarch.”

Gwenvair did not bow back, but offered a very shallow head nod, “Thank you for coming. Healers, please see to Kilniara. She has only recently escaped a troubling event.”

The mind healers all nodded and came forward to crowd around Kilniara. Joe watched this and thought to add his own comment, but when he glanced to Kilniara, she seemed to be handling it well, followed their directions. She sat in a chair as the healers directed and encircled her. As Joe began to lean forward in fascination, hoping to see some kind of real magic again, Gwenvair called out to him.

“Eccentric? You wish to speak of the innocent breeders?”

Joe blinked and turned to look at Gwenvair, “Huh?”

“You spoke of wishing to support the breeders.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah. Could you tell me what has happened to them?”

The captain blinked at that, confused and shook his head, “I am uncertain, eccentric. I do not know.”

Joe frowned, “Were they released? Did they go back home? Were they accepted at home? Could I know the details?”

“I…” the captain turned to look at Gwenvair with some loss, shrugging his shoulders. Gwenvair turned to look at Joe, taking over.

“It is what I feared. We do not know.”

Joe nodded in thought then turned to look back at the captain, “Could I ask if you could have some men, when there is time, find these women and let them know I will try to help them get back on their feet if they need help? I won’t… support them for life, but I will help them try to find a good life with friends and family of their own.”

The captain boggled, looking at Joe with some shock before glancing at Gwenvair. Joe looked over and saw Gwenvair sighing softly with exasperation and Joe flinched.

“I’m sorry. Am I bothering your clan too much?”

Gwenvair flinched at that, looking up to notice that Joe had caught her and she flushed a bit red before looking up at Joe with embarrassment, “Sorry. No. I… just do not understand why. There is no point.”

Joe smiled softly at that, wound up to argue with Gwenvair, hoping to argue his point, show the benefits of such actions, then finally sighed and quiet. He was too tired and decided he didn’t want to argue today. He simply decided to ask.

“I’m sorry. If it is too much, I will do it myself.”

Gwenvair quickly reacted to that and shook her head, “No! No. We can help. It is rather simple for us.”

Joe nodded, relieved, “Thank you. I’m sorry to bother you.”

Gwenvair sighed and shook her own head before turning to the captain, “If you could, captain.”

The captain bowed, “Certainly, First in Line for Matriarch.”

“I will send one of my personal maids to pass on my request, if there are any complaints. Have her returned here when done.”

“Yes, First in Line for Matriarch.”

The captain then left with one of Gwenvair’s retinue, a young woman who followed after with diligence. Joe watched him go then sighed deeply, turning back to Gwenvair and the two boys as Kilniara was still within the flock of healers surrounding her. Gwenvair watched him with concern then spoke.

“What’s wrong, Joe?”

Joe grinned and looked to Gwenvair, “I’m still not sure what that’s for. If they want cores… I guess it can make sense, although that’s a long slow way for cores. I just don’t understand… whatever they are doing to profit from the place… what do they do with that, Gwenvair? I never really understood what was happening there?”

Gwenvair winced, staring up at Joe as a myriad of emotions crossed her face: pain, anger, and horror. She took her time looking at him before she replied.

“There are many benefits. They will sell easy growth to those who can kill the goblins, then harvest any materials they can. If they are lucky, they will gain cores. Finally, goblins are a scourge the world over, and there is a standing reward for each goblin left ear. They can easily collect these ears and return them to the adventurer’s guild for easy wealth.”

Joe’s rage was barely contained when he realized what was being done. They are going to die! They will be found. They will die! Joe raged for a time, lost in thought and anger and remained there for a time until Gwenvair’s movement caught his attention as she turned away from him.

Gwenvair turned to look at Kilniara as the healers finished their work with her. Joe, seeing Gwenvair turning, joined her in looking at Kilniara only to see the healers already done with her. Joe frowned. You know what… that sucks! I missed it!

Joe quickly dismissed his disappointment and stepped forward instead, opening his arms to Kilniara. He could tell she was still hesitant, but his opens arms proved his acceptance and she finally decided to accept it, sliding into his arms. The two held each other for a bit before Joe turned to the healers.

“Could I know what you did?”

The healers bowed at that and the eldest stepped forward, “We deadened the memories.”

Joe’s considered that, remembering Gwenvair’s description but rather confused by what it meant, “Uh… What does that mean? Is it the removing of memories or their destruction? Or… some other thing?”

The eldest mind healer looked up at Joe, his eyebrows rising slightly in consideration as he shook his head, “Removing or destroying memories is very unwise. Our people have found it is the least effective or meaningful help. It is best to remember. Killing memories is not wise. It often hides the issue and causes new, unforeseen and often unexplained strange reactions amongst those affected.”

Joe nodded, “Oh. So… you did not kill them? What did you do?”

The mind healer shook his head, “No, we did not… we … we deadened them.”