Fiona nearly bowled into Fenrin who was leaving the shop, arms full of purchases. "Ah, Fiona. Good now I don't have to track you down. Here, carry this."

He dumped a pair of folded blankets into her arms and then shifted a large sack on his shoulder. Vai emerged, clothing draped over his long arms. For some reason, seeing Vai drained Fiona's enthusiasm and brought her carrening down from her high. She clutched the blankets tightly and quietly followed Vai and Fenrin out of the village, eyes on the ground.

Back home, Fenrin took the blankets from her and tossed them onto the bed frames. "Ok, Fiona and I are going to get something for lunch. Get things set up." Vai tightened his lips but bowed. Fenrin placed a hand on Fiona's shoulder and practically wheeled her outside.

They went to a small shed Fiona hadn't noticed before. When Fenrin opened the door, she covered her nose. The smell was both sour and briney. Flanks of meat, hung on the walls and an ashy fire pit was in the center. Fenrin unhooked a slab and examined it while asking, "So what'd you get up to today?"

Fiona flinched and then said nasally through her pinched nose, "I ran around with a girl about my age, I think. I didn't actually ask."

Apparently satisfied with the meat though not with Fiona's answer, Fenrin shut the shed door and trained his grey eyes on his niece who gratefully uncovered her face. "Oh? Catch her name?"

Biting her lip, Fiona felt tempted to lie but another glance at those eyes and she put her hands behind her back like she was answering a tutor. "Libby."

"Liberty? That Libby? Of course you'd run straight into the biggest troublemaker in town." He groaned and pinched his nose bridge. "You didn't slip up did you?"

Unintentionally, Fenrin growled as Fiona winced. "I-I called you uncle," Fiona stammered, "b-but I told her that's just what you wanted me to call you and that you weren't really my uncle."

Fenrin raised a hand and for a horrifying second, Fiona thought he was going to strike her but it landed harmlessly on her head, attempting to ruffle her plaited hair.

"Well, clever as she is, Liberty doesn't have enough to connect the dots. Her dad though...Tryst will figure it out. Oh well, it was going to happen eventually/ I was just hoping to get things settled a bit first."

Uncertain whether she did well or not, Fiona followed her uncle back to the house. Fenrin dropped the meat at the table, waving his hand at Vai who stepped forward and started preparing dinner. To Fiona's incredible surprise, she saw a hint of annoyance on Vai's face. Fenrin was too distracted by his thoughts to notice. Fiona had never seen Vai be annoyed with anyone but her. Even then he rarely showed it so openly.

They sat in silence. Fenrin rubbing his bristly chin, thinking, Vai cooking, and Fiona awkwardly sitting silent at the table.

Eventually dinner was ready and the sitting quietly evolved into eating quietly. When Fenrin finished, he washed his dishes and then began poking and prodding at the beds, checking parts, pushing a few last things into place and laying out bedding. Soon a corner of the room had been transformed into a little attractive bedroom. Two beds head to head against the wall.

Fenrin pointed at a pile of clothes. "Vai assured me he knew your size, but why don't you go try those on and make sure it all fits right."

Grabbed an armful, Fiona obediently went to Fenrin’s room to try them on. Embarrassingly she had a hard time dressing herself in some of the clothes. Struggling to reach back buttons when Vai always got them for her. He did know her size though and everything fit. The clothes were not what she was used to. Plain and loose, she felt odd wearing them.

She was pulling on a final pair of trousers under a long tunic when there was the unmistakable sound of someone getting slapped. She froze. Her heart beat faster and her eyes fixed on the door.