Cisley didn't come back for four days.

Raijen was hoping she would come back the next day, but now he started to realize he was just deluding himself into wishful thinking she would come back and be safe.

It wasn't the first time, there were numerous times when one woman left with the rest and didn't come back. There was never a time when someone returned later, once they were gone they were gone, forever.

And the realization of it hit Raijen so hard, to the point of not eating for two days together with a constant mix of anxiety and fear of what happened to her resulted into fantasizing about the worst outcomes possible.

Would it be better if she was dead, or taken somewhere else, sold?

Raijen didn't know, he didn't want to think about it, but with all the free time in his hands, he couldn't stop thinking.

Lexa would sometime force Raijen and her daughter to play together. The silly games were a welcome distraction for him, more than he thought possible. Taking his mind off of the situation and just playing with little Lia helped him to weather a few more days in the endless stream of building despair.

But when Lexa wasn’t in the room or if she had work or was just maintaining her relationships in their small community. Raijen was left alone, he didn’t mind particularly or so he was telling himself when his mind didn’t wander into dangerous territories, but it did more and more often.

“Will they come back?”

“What?”

Raising his head Raijen tilted his head the side and up to look at who was talking to him. She was maybe three years old, with dark brown skin and shoulder length black hair. Her face was heart shaped and she had puffy cheeks the children usually had.

But like all of the kids in the room with him, she was on a skinny side. She was kind of cute, but the dark circles under her eyes made her look sad, with the bloodshot eyes Raijens stomach squeezed.

“Mother, will she come back?”

Her voice was small as if she was afraid to speak.

“They say you are waiting for your mother.”

“Who they?”

Was I so blind recently? I might have got a look or so, maybe more often than before, but was it enough so the little girl would think to ask me? Or is she just desperate to the point of talking to me?

Looking around Raijen noticed a few glances here and there. The women were concerned, restless, much more than they usually would be.

Switching from one leg to the other the girl opened her mouth again, then closed it when their eyes met. Staring into her brown eyes her lips parted again, but Raijen answered first.

“I don’t think so.”

Looking at her again, her big eyes went even bigger.

“Your mother went out with others?”

He blurted out to continue before she started bawling.

She nodded.

“And didn’t come back?”

Another nod, now with sneeze as her nose started running.

“Don’t do that to me.”

As the whisper escaped his lips, tears started rolling from her eyes over her red cheeks as she was holding back this whole time.

Clapping his hands in front of her face she startled to the point of almost not breathing. Now having her attention Raijen was lost as to what to do next.

The only thing he could think of was grabbing her cheeks. Pulling on them to make her do faces. She furrowed her brows and as he smirked at her, her face flushed even more.

Pulling away, pointing a finger in his face she fixed him with her eyes, her cute version of it anyway.

“Don’t do that to me!”

“Why not, you looked cute.”

Grinning even more at her Raijen felt his shoulders relax as he leaned on the cold wall.

Pushing her lower lip out in pout the little girl furrowed her brows glaring at him. Then something shifted behind her eyes, she bowed so her face was near him, and clapped her hands in front of his face.

Briefly thinking about stopping her, Raijen stared at her hands in as she grabbed his ears and started pulling. Cringing with the pain he let out a yelp of surprise, pushing his hand in front of him he touched the sides of her waist and start pushing fingers in her skin.

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She cracked instantly trying to get away from him, not letting her she tripped and fell into his chest dragging him to the ground in a heap of laughter and giggles.

“That was mean!”

She accused between deep breaths trying to catch her breath.

Giving her a sidelong glance he sat back up and faced her.

“I’m Raijen.”

Her brow raised and a small smile tugged at her lips.

“Alysha.”

She said as she plopped next to him, pulling her knees closer to her chest she locked her hands around them, falling into silence once more.

“We can just wait together If you want a company.” He muttered eventually.

She nodded and didn’t say anything else.

----------------------------------------

After another five days it really settled in for both of them, mothers weren’t coming back. Alysha went through several crying fits, but one of the women took her in hopes to provide comfort. Raijen was at odds with what to do with himself, eventually finding himself constantly thinking about Alysha, which decided to stick to him for the past few days, never leaving too far.

He never knew what was on her mind, yet he didn’t care, putting his hand on her shoulder or scratching her head. Raijen found immense comfort in having her on his side at all times, she made him feel as if he was not alone, as if he had someone who cared.

Trying to get her mind off of the gloomy thoughts he started to play with her more. Realizing he wasn't speaking much and at the same token she would not speak too, Raijen knew it couldn't be good for her. For the first time deciding to speak more, to actually start using this language to at least some degree, he started to pay attention to the classes and when adults spoke.

He started teaching her simple clapping games with words that sounded kind of interesting even when he had just a vague idea of their meaning.

She is kinda stupid, as any kid should be I guess, but sometimes I just wish she would be little smarter.

Going through the same patterns dozens of times and who knows how many times repeating the words until she got it somewhat right.

Over time when Raijen would teach her new game, pattern or words audience would start to gather. He noticed the children around them staring at him after one of the particularly draining sessions for him. When Raijen started to think the little brat was just messing with him on purpose.

Another kid came near them, his eyes following every clap their hands made, his mouth moved with every word uttered. He was standing on their side without a word for almost an hour, before deciding to call her out on her bullshit.

“Even I can remember that already and I was just looking at you.”

The boy crossed his arms over his small chest, trying to hide his shaking shoulders, but the voice cracked giving away his nervousness.

Yeah, tell her buddy.

“This one is hard, the one from before looked more fun anyway, can you show me again?”

Looking to his left Raijen saw another girl slowly sitting next to them, behind her two more looking at each other before approaching.

They sat next to Raijen forming a Halfmoon, looking at him expectantly Raijen pursed his lips looking into their eyes.

When did they sneak up on us, and since when exactly were they looking since they know there is more than one?

He decided to shear some of the simplest games from his old memories, figuring it could be good for Alysha to make more friends.

She would need them eventually.

After two days he wasn’t quite sure if it was such a smart idea, as the stone room was a small place, soon every child started coming closer, sitting with each other playing claps with some version of words.

Alysha looks smug as hell, knowing more than the rest she thinks she is smarter or something?

Looking at her face Raijen realized he didn’t see her so satisfied before, leaning on the wall he started drawing lines in the dust of the ground.

Guess I will let her have her few days of glory before the rest cached up. Now, this is much more interesting and weird.

Trying to contain his excitement Raijen stared at the glow rising from the picture in the dirt.