Nal was stumped. She had already been here a week and nothing had gotten any response.

"Fine," Deko finally gave permission for Nal to touch Iysinfyr.

"Iysinfyr," Nal stepped near the white-haired girl, "I'm going to touch you, is that okay?”

No response.

Nal reached over to Iysinfyr slowly, scared about the outbursts Iysinfyr gave whenever touched. It had taken her nearly the whole week to ask Deko.

The moment before Nal's hand touched Iysinfyr, her eyes became wide with fear and she jumped backwards with surprising force, nearly hitting the ceiling and crashing into her bed.

Nal stumbled backwards and the sudden motion, tripping over the chair behind her.

"Miss!" Syr ran over to check on Nal.

"I am fine," Nal picked herself up off the floor and rubbed her side where she had landed on the chair, "what about Iysinfyr?”

Nal and Syr both looked to where Iysinfyr was now resting.

Iysinfyr was lying on the floor and appeared to be muttering something. When Nal got close enough to hear, she found Iysinfyr was repeating the same thing over and over, "I don't want to kill anyone else.”

Nal looked to Deko. She seemed to know more of what was going on but when asked she only replied, "That is for Iysinfyr to tell.”

"Syl, can you go listen to Iysinfyr? She is saying something scary." What Nal heard Iysinfyr saying had troubled her.

Syl walk over to Iysinfyr and listed for a minute before returning to Nal with a troubled look on her face, "I... I was not expecting this." She looked to Deko, then back to Nal, "Iysinfyr has killed people?”

"How?" Nal knew that Terrans were special, but could a girl her size really kill anyone?

Syl looked to Deko and the calm facade disappeared from her face, "Deko, if we want to help Iysinfyr you will have to help us.”

Deko thought for a moment, "I agree. I was hoping something would have worked by now, but it looks like we will have to get her used to you first."

Deko walked to Iysinfyr's bed and pulled the blankets off. She then tied Iysinfyr up with the blankets before straddling her and pinning her to the ground.

"What are you doing!?" Nal was sure that Deko was killing Iysinfyr.

"Come, Lady Nalulthyn. I will try my best to hold her here while you touch her." Deko looked at Nal and waited.

Nal looked to Syl, the image of Iysinfyr's inhuman jump still fresh in her mind. Syl looked worried, but nodded.

Nal approached Deko and Iysinfyr like they were a wild animal waiting to attack. She looked back to Syl and swallowed before turning back to Iysinfyr.

Iysinfyr jerked just before Nal's hand touched her, but because of the blankets tying her up and Deko's hold she stayed put. There was an obvious sound of cloth tearing.

Nal closed her eyes and somehow got herself to touch Iysinfyr's shoulder.

Iysinfyr's jerking continued and her mumbling became more frantic, but she stayed in place.

Nal's hand was shaking. A part of her wondered if touching Iysinfyr would somehow kill her, but Deko was safe so that helped her courage.

Nal looked at Iysinfyr. Her eyes were wide with terror and her head was shaking back and forth.

Nal willed up more courage, the terror in Iysinfyr's eyes motivating her, "Iysinfyr, it is okay. I am not going to die.”

Iysinfyr relaxed for a moment but followed up with the strongest jerking yet and the blanket ropes snapped, sending Deko rolling hard to the side, hitting a table and breaking it, sending plates and cups all over the floor.

Nal had fallen on her bottom, startled at the display of strength Iysinfyr had just shown. Maybe she really could have killed people. Were Terrans really that much stronger?

"Nal," Syl touched Nal on the shoulder to get her attention.

Nal jumped at the touch but relaxed when she saw it was Syl, "I do not know if I want to help Iysinfyr anymore. What if she kills me?" She looked to Deko, "Look how far she threw Deko.”

Deko stood up and smoothed her now slightly torn and wet clothing, "I assure you, Mistress has no intention of hurting you." Deko looked to Iysinfyr, "In fact, she even reacted to you. If we prepare ourselves better next time we should be able to prevent something like this happening again.”

Syl faced Deko, but glanced at Nal before speaking, "Considering it is part of my duty to protect Lady Nalulthyn I should put a stop to this, but I saw that Iysinfyr reacted so if you can guarantee the next time will be safer I will allow it.”

Deko nodded, "A fair demand. I will return with some stronger binding material.”

Deko turned to leave the room, but Nal stopped her, "What about Iysinfyr? Will she not get hurt?”

Deko looked at Nal, "Perhaps, but... Iysinfyr is far tougher than any of us. She will be fine.”

Deko left the room.

Nal was shaking. She wasn't sure if she believed Deko when she said no one would get hurt or even killed. Deko had tied Iysinfyr up well and was grappling her and Iysinfyr still broke her bindings while sending Deko across the room with enough force to break a table.

"Syl, I am not sure if I want to try again," Nal stared at the torn bed sheets.

Syl put her hand on Nal's head and gave her a head pat, "Just one more time? This is the first thing we have done that has gotten any reaction out of Iysinfyr. Maybe if we can get her used to touching people or even just you, something will happen.”

Nal hugged herself, "Okay, one more try.”

Syl smiled, "Let us trust Deko to know what she is doing. She has been with Iysinfyr the longest.”

Nal slumped into her usual chair, "Can you tell me a story? At least until Deko comes back?”

Syl nodded, "Maybe something fun to help calm you down? How about, "Vellis and Sorris at Danagra?"

Nal smiled and sat up a little, "Yes, I like that one."

Deko came back about twenty minutes later.

"And then Vellis said, "Rama, his arms..." Syl stopped her story when she saw Deko enter the room, "I will finish it tonight, okay?”

"Okay!" Nal was no longer shaking and had regained her spirits. That is until she saw what Deko was holding.

Deko had a length of rope coiled around her shoulder and held two sets of manacles.

"Are we going to torture her!?" Nal took a step back.

Syl looked from the bindings to Iysinfyr and blinked.

"Iysinfyr should be able to break these bindings on their own, but together I think they should be enough to hold her." Deko knelt next to Iysinfyr and began affixing the manacles to her arms and legs.

Nal couldn't imagine how strong someone would have to be to break out of manacles or rope, "She will not get hurt?”

Deko looked to Nal and appeared to be contemplating something, "She should be fine.”

Deko finished affixing the manacles and then bound Iysinfyr with the rope.

Nal and Syl watched in silence.

"Lady Nalulthyn," Deko said when she put Iysinfyr into another hold, "Whenever you are ready."

Nal swallowed, look to Syl, then to Deko, and finally to Iysinfyr. After the last time, she wasn't sure if she could get the courage this time.

She felt a hand on her head, "Nal, I will be right behind you. If I think she will break free, I will pull you away from her.”

Deko nodded, "I will also do what I can.”

Nal nodded, though the trembling in her hands only increased, "I trust you.”

Nal knelt next to the bound Iysinfyr. Iysinfyr didn't appear to be in any pain and stared at nothing.

The sight emboldened Nal, and she reached her hand out, and quicker than the first time, put her hand on Iysinfyr.

Iysinfyr began thrashing immediately. The strain of metal, rope, and Deko could be heard, but nothing gave way.

Nal became less frightened and put her other hand on Iysinfyr, "Iysinfyr, it will be okay. No one here is mean. I can touch you and not get hurt.”

Iysinfyr seemed to pull away, then pause before resuming.

Nal looked to Deko and saw her straining to keep Iysinfyr still. She had always wondered why Deko could touch Iysinfyr, but no one else.

She wanted to sing to Iysinfyr, but that didn't work before. Would it work now that she was touching Iysinfyr? Now that she seemed to react? She tried again.

A memory popped into her head. When singing hadn't worked on her, her mother would cuddle with her, even if she tried pushing her away. She would sing and rock her back and forth. It always worked.

Nal forgot all about the danger and leaned over and gave Iysinfyr a hug.

She got a few bruises for it, but with the singing and the hug Iysinfyr noticeably calmed down. Enough to where Deko let her go, so Nal was the only one holding her.

She didn't know how long she stayed like that, but before she knew it she had fallen asleep.

***

Syl watched the two sleeping girls, and it was all she could do to keep a grin off of her face. It wasn't because of the sight of two cute girls cuddled together, but the fact that Nal had succeeded. The sense of accomplishment was great and the pride she felt towards Nal was even greater. They still had a way to go, but if Nal could touch Iysinfyr without trouble, then they could try many more things.

Deko sighed with relief, and for the first time Syl saw her smile, "It worked. I worried there was nothing we could do, but it worked.”

Syl broke her facade and showed Deko a smile, "Nal did a good job.”

Deko nodded, "Lord Ierus was right that bringing a girl close to her age might be what she needed.”

Syl grabbed a blanket off of Iysinfyr's bed and put it it over the two.

"I think this is the first time Iysinfyr has slept in months," Deko made an outrageous statement.

Syl gawked at Deko, "Not slept in months? How...”

Syl thought back to the extreme show of strength earlier and what they had needed to do to restrain Iysinfyr long enough for Nal to do her thing. Still, months? Was that even possible?

Deko seemed to understand Nal's thoughts, "At first I worried that she would not sleep. No matter what I did, she has not slept. Not since...”

Syl wanted to press Deko for more, but she didn't want to push her luck, "So that means we have two victories to celebrate today. I think we should tell Lord Ierus the good news.”

Deko nodded, "I will watch them.”

Nal hadn't expected Deko to volunteer, but she was fine leaving Nal under her care, "And maybe a small feast?”

"Maybe..." Deko seemed to consider something.

Syl left the room and made her way to the Duke's office.

"Enter," Ierus said after Syl knocked.

Syl entered and waited for the Duke to speak.

Ierus considered Syl for a moment and then perked up, "You have news of Iysinfyr?”

Syl nodded, she was about to tell Ierus the good news but reconsidered, "I believe this is something my Lord should see for himself.”

Ierus smiled and stood up, "Of course!”

Syl opened the door for Ierus and followed him to Iysinfyr's room.

"Iysinfyr is sleeping together with Nalulthyn! This is wonderful news!" Ierus nearly ran to the two sleeping girls when he saw them, "How did you do it?”

"You might not like it," Deko was back to her soul piercing demeanor, "We had to bind her with manacles and rope.”

Ierus looked aghast for a moment but then sighed, "I see, so you had to restrain her to let Nalulthyn touch her without being injured.”

Deko nodded, "Yes.”

Ierus took a long look at the girls, "But it worked so I will not complain.”

"It did, but I do not think we should try this again unless we have to. It feels too cruel," Syl had hated seeing Iysinfyr tied up like she was.

"I agree, for now we should see if Nalulthyn can make more progress on her own." Ierus knelt next to the two sleeping girls, and for the first time she saw a genuine smile appear on his face.

He stood up, "Let me know if she shows more progress.”

"Yes, Duke," The two maids said in unison and bowed.

Ierus left the room, but not before giving Iysinfyr another smile.

"Now we wait until they wake up," Deko moved to the wall nearest the girls and stood at attention.

Syl sighed inwardly at how stiff Deko was. Well, it's not like she wasn't putting up a similar facade. Just not as rigid.

Syl reached into her clothing and pulled out her precious pieces of drawing paper. She flipped through them, past many pictures of Nal, and began drawing the two sleeping girls.