I was attempting this morning to do my own hair. Jaida hadn't arrived, and I figured I had watched her enough times to attempt one of her extravagant braids on myself. However I quickly realized that my experience of tying a simple braid with my hair was not enough to master Jaida's skills.

My braid that was supposed to weave from the side of my head to the base was loose and floppy, not tight or even. My light brown hair looked frizzy and wavy from the amount of retries I was doing. The braid I was attempting now was tangled, and caught in my fingers. As I was trying to untangle them, Jaida finally appeared.

I noticed her grim expression as she walked in, but it quickly turned into one of confusion as she took in the sight of me. " What happened?"

"Um..." I move my hands down away from my hair on instinct but wince in pain as I forgot my fingers were still stuck in my hair.

Jaida sighs, a small smile forming on her lips." I'll help..." she approaches, biting her lip as she starts to untangle what looks to be a birds nest on top of my head. I bite my lip to keep my self from hissing in pain. Jaida was gentle in nature, but when it came to doing my hair she pulled and twisted with no remorse.

Once my fingers were free I sighed in relief, watching as Jaida went to my side table to collect a brush. My neck was already sinking into my shoulders from the pain about to occur, as Jaida brushed knotted hair more swiftly then comfortably.

"You make braiding look so easy... clearly I underestimated the difficulty." I pull a guilty smile, looking up to her through the mirror. She smiles in response, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Whatever was bothering her when she walked in was not going away.

"It takes practice..." She says, getting to work on brushing my hair, the bristles vigorously pulling the strands. " Besides, you make drawing look easy, but when I try it is... well... like you braiding your hair."

I huff a laugh." I suppose..." Jaida's eyes were focused on my hair, but they lacked the sparkle I am use to seeing daily." What is wrong Jaida?"

She pauses on brushing my hair, to my scalp's relief. Her arms go slack to her sides as she looks down to the ground, hesitating to share what is on her mind. I turn in my chair to directly look at her.

"Chief Kono... he took a bad fall during the night, and was only found this morning... he is not very well, Aleenia."

The color drains from my face, my eyes down casting themselves to my hands in my lap. I had known Chief Kono, Zachan's father was older then most men, but he seemed so lively and well. I never came to dwell on the thought that one day he wasn't going to be here anymore. That would leave Zachan the new chief.

"Is he going to be alright?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"The healer said with rest, he should be alright." Was her response, and I nodded, a relieved breath leaving me.

I look up to her, her face still looking grieved." Zachan?"

"He is with him now, it has..." She struggles to find the right words." It has taken him by surprise."

I nod solemnly, my good mood this morning diminishing. It was normal for me to wake up with Zachan already gone, but the reason why he was this morning was hard to think. I never really seen a strong connection between the pair, but either way it is his father, and I know how it feels to lose a parent.

" Would you still like me to do your hair Aleenia?" I hear Jaida ask.

I nod again." Yes, thank you Jaida." I slowly slide back around so I face the mirror again.

She continues brushing and braiding as I think of what has happened. I wasn't entirely sure what to do or how to do it. I wanted to comfort Zachan, but I felt we were not close enough for that. I didn't even know how he was going to react if something were to happen to his father, if worst came to worst. When Saria died he left, but I knew he couldn't, wouldn't do that if Chief Kono passed. Yet I feared that he would build up walls again around himself, walls that I felt were starting to crumble these past couple weeks.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.

I had walked to Chief Kono's tent, a little on the outskirts east to the camp, only to holt about 10 feet away. I had remained hidden beside a corner of a near by tent, my eyes focused on the flaps to the chiefs. No one had entered or exited from the short time I was there.

I had wanted to go and show my support, but I realize how out of place that could seem. I didn't even know how Zachan would react to it, and in my head I could see him get angry with me. I didn't know there customs or boundaries when it came to this, so I decided to go with my gut, and wait until Zachan comes to me about it.

Turning around I head to the forest, walking until I reach my usual log I sat on to draw. But I found myself with little inspiration, as the worry lacing the air from the tribe's people on their chief has left me with a feeling of unease. Instead of sketching I decided to flick back on the pages in my sketchbook, sounding and practicing words that Mr. Larkin had taught me so far.

I sat there for a while, liking that the forest left me less self conscious about practicing aloud. When my voice had had enough, and I was about to leave did I hear someone walking my way.

I didn't know who to expect, but Zachan was not on the list of most likely. I sat up, watching him tread through the forest bed, his eyes downcast to the floor. His shoulders were hunched; looking like he had not slept well the night before.

He said nothing as he came to join me on the log. The seat was so low and him being so tall, his knees rested chest level. It looked uncomfortable, but he didn't show it. His mind looked drawn and elsewhere.

We sat in silence, I didn't know for how long. When it came to the point where I felt awkward not saying anything did I speak up. " Jaida told me what happened..." I state.

His eyes move to the ground, the only indication that he heard me. I was relieved; as I worried he would remain indifferent, leaving me unsure of his purpose here. Maybe he came here to tell me himself, but I feel he would have said something earlier...

"I'm sorry to hear about your father." I say softly.

Zachan's reaction this time is a lot bigger, his eyes squint in confusion. His head turns to me, a serious look on his face. It catches be by surprise as my eyes widen. " Why do you apologize?"

This time I am left confused by his words." Because he is not well..."

"Then why do you apologize, you did not put him there."

"No!" I react rapidly, wanting that thought to be quickly out of both our heads." No, I mean it as I am sorry he is unwell."

Zachan was still looking at me, puzzled by what I was saying." I don't understand..."

I sigh, pulling a small sad smile." Sorry, to confuse you..."

"Why are you apologizing again-"

"Sorry, I-" I stop myself with an exasperated sigh, my hand flying to my mouth. Any more and we would be going in circles. This conversation takes me back to the one I had with Seanne, and her not understanding why I found the need to apologize for every little thing. Back in Fellshore I was raised to say sorry to even the tedious of things such as shutting a door too loudly. Here, people moved on quickly and apologized for the meaningful things. I suppose I would be best to break the habit, as I might be having this repetitive conversation plenty of times.

Composing myself I look back to him, my hand sliding away form my mouth." Is he going to be alright?"

Zachan's body relaxes in the slightest." Yes... the healer said with time he will be fine. The fall was not bad, but he remained outside all night in the cold, it has made it worse."

"Do you know why he was out in the middle of the night?" I ask.

"No, he remains to weak to talk at the moment." By his agitated tone I knew not to ask any more questions, but it seemed Zachan wanted to change the topic to. His eyes wander down to my sketchbook. " Have you been drawing?"

I look to my sketchbook, the leather binding fraying on the edges. "I tried, but I ended up going through my old sketches."

" Can I see?" Zachan asks, his hand already stretched out to take it. I hesitate for a moment, feeling like I was handing over something very special, private. But nothing was so secretive in there he couldn't see, and I could tell he wanted, needed a distraction.

Nodding with a smile I hand it over to him. Taking it, he flips the book around backwards, opening it left side up to right, instead of right to left. I make a move to say something but he seems content on looking through my drawings from most recent to old. I bite my tongue.

" You can draw anything." He states, flicking through the pages, his eyes studying them so intently as if to capture every detail.

"Um, in theory yes..." I say, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear." But I am better at drawing certain things then others."

" But you can draw anything?" this time he asks a question, his eyes looking up to mine before going back down to my sketchbook.

"I can try..." I drag out, an unsure chuckle leaving my lips.

"Can you draw people?"

"Um..." I hesitate, taken a little by surprise by the question, and Zachan's interest in general by my drawings. " I have not drawn people, portraits in a long time. I never found myself good at it. I suppose with practice... Why do you ask?"

At the question Zachan stops his inspection of my sketchbook, tearing his gaze to me instead. He stumbled with the right words to say, and by looking closer Zachan looked quite nervous... vulnerable. From the little times we talk he barely showed emotion, but when he did, I knew what he said was important, or very important to him.

" I would like you to draw my father... a port-rait" he sounds out the last word, I can tell he had never said or heard the word until a few minutes ago. He then looks away from me, his eyes pieced as if almost shut as he stares blankly at the forest. " Today, it made me see how old my father really is... and when the time comes, and he joins the stars... I fear the day that I will forgot his face."

I bite my lip as unexpected emotion rises with in me. I to lost a parent, and I guess that fear he has been realized within me. I was lucky enough to have a portrait of my mother and father hanging in the great hall at Fellshore. Staring at my late mother's face made it easier for her not to fade from memory. But I wasn't going to see that painting again, nor my father's face.

"Yes-" I croak before clearing my throat from the bubble lodged within it." Yes, I can draw your father's portrait, I might need to practice first though."

" You can practice on me."

I raise my eyebrows." You want me to draw you?"

"Yes...for practice, yes?"

My mind was instantly rebelling at the thought of extended periods of time with Zachan. Besides the awkwardness, I felt like it didn't take long for us to begin an argument. This conversation so far must be some kind of record.

"Will you have time?" I ask." I mean, it will take a good amount of time during each day, I don't want to take you away from your duties."

" I can. I can come here everyday and join you here everyday. Does this work?" he questions, an intensity in his eyes I had not seen before.

I gabble for words, quickly realizing my avoidance of this wouldn't happen. And a part of me knew that Zachan had asked me because he wanted to, not because he had needed to. For once he had come to me for something, and I wanted to see where this would lead us.

"Alright." I nod, forcing a smile. He gives one back, which is just as tight as mine.

A beat of silence passes between us.

"Do you start now?" Zachan asks, seeming unsure.

"Um..." I look to my sketchbook in his hands." I rather sketch with bigger paper. I'm sure Mr. Larkin will have some larger parchment, it will be easier to draw things to scale."

My husband frowns at this, the lines in his forehead creasing. I thought it was because of the mention of Mr. Larkin, but it was quite the opposite." Draw to scale, like with a fish?"

It took me a moment to see where he was coming from, and I had to fight back a snort of laughter. I forgot that the people here did not really know maths and science, or at least not to the degree that was studied where I come from.

"No." I clarify, I couldn't help an amused smile shine through." Scale as in, I will draw your face the same size as it actually is, I find that a lot easier... no fish will be needed in the process."

He takes in my words, his frown flattening to a straight line." Good... I do not like fish."

It was even harder not to laugh at his serious tone. I bite the inside of my cheek so my smile does not curve onto my mouth as it desperately wants to.

Zachan then looks to me again." Thank you Aleenia." He hands me back my sketchbook before standing. He looks down to me again, his body and face shadowed by the setting sun behind him. " I will not see you until tomorrow, I will stay with my father tonight..."

"I understand." I tell him

"And I am sorry." He says, his tone remains serious.

"Why?"

"Because I disturbed you from your time." He says.

" Zachan you don't need to apologize." I quickly reply, hoping he knows it was alright.

" Then I am sorry for apologizing."

"You don't have to keep apoligiz-" I stop mid sentence as I see the slow smirk start to rise on his lips. My cheeks flush as I realize what he is doing. In his own way he was teasing me for the amount of times I apologized, especially from the start of our conversation.

"Fine, I see the point you are making..." I grumble softly, a little embarrassed he managed to get me to fall into his trap. Looking back up at him, the smirk has turned to a smile.

" You do not have to apologize to me Aleenia..." he says, his smile starts to dim in the slightest." I do not always deserve it..."

Those were his parting words, as he nods his head in good-bye before leaving. I was left again with more questions about my husband...

Hello everyone, another update yay!!!! I hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter.

As for upcoming updates I am going to test out updating every Friday around 6.00pm AEST, it might change in a couple of weeks to Saturday or another day depending on my schedule.

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