[SpringsSong]

"I was fighting against him so avidly.  I was trying to resist his every advance," she said, her voice beginning to break.  "However, given my already-weakened state, he proceeded to do exactly what he claimed he was protecting me from."

"I see," Mirua said, frowning as she sighed.  "I trust you found the first opportunity to sneak out and visit a clinic?"

[SpringsSong]

"The very next morning, I was limping around Medicai in a black cloak," Aina said.  "They took me in and cared for me for a week, treating the scratches on my back after they'd taken care of the other abuse that had been inflicted upon me.  Ever since then, I've been running from Nostarien and trying to keep my cover intact.  So, when Kanika contacted me..."

"She wasn't exactly thrilled," Kanika said, chuckling.

[SpringsSong]

"Well, there's the fact that you're Nostarien's aunt," Aina said, laughing.  "I was afraid that he had put her up to drawing me out.  After all, I was more likely to talk to a slightly older female relative of his, right?" she asked.

"But I planned the meeting of my own freewill--because I'd been admiring you from the shadows for some time," Kanika said, stroking Aina's cheek.  "When I heard Nostarien fuming about how you had disappeared and how he was going to beat you within an inch of your life if he ever did find you, I felt like I had to protect you."

[SpringsSong]

"Yes, but you forget something, Mother," Mirua said, leaning back in a plush armchair.  "Some might find your desire to protect more... shall we say, ill-motivated than others."

"I'm not a stalker, Mirua," Kanika snapped harshly.  "I was only keeping tabs on her because I had observed her odd behavior when I was visiting my brother.  The poor boy had noticed it, too, but had no idea how to confront his own son about the matter."

[SpringsSong]

"Well, that's unfortunate," Mirua said, nodding slowly.  "I'd have thought that Uncle Guar would be a little more assertive to his son about behaving like a proper gentleman."

"He tried," Aina said.  "One of the few times that I got a chance to talk to him without Nostarien around, I asked him about it.  He said that he had tried so hard to convey to him the importance of treating a woman... well, like she was the queen of his world."

[SpringsSong]

"Well, he failed miserably," Kanika snapped, folding her arms over her stomach.  "Even Cassie, who started off worse than I did, turned out to be an angel.  Might've had something to do with getting raped, finding out that her children were likely to die with her, then receiving a full transfusion to save her life, though," she said.

"What's most important now is that you and Aina stay... well, hidden," Mirua said, her gaze concerned.  "Can you imagine what he'd do to Aina if he found out that, not only is she engaged to a woman, but that woman is having children by her?"

[SpringsSong]

"It would quite literally be my death, most likely," Aina said.  "He'd wait till the children were born.  See which one becomes the most attached to me.  Then, he'd kidnap her to draw me out.  No, actually--he'd kidnap Kanika and all our children, but pay special attention to whichever one becomes most attached to me," she said.

[SpringsSong]

"Well, that's one thing I plan on never letting happen," Kanika said.  "I sleep with a crowbar under my pillow, mace on my night table, a pistol in one drawer, and a full clip of ammo in another.  Nobody's going to be getting me off-guard, especially with you and our children."

"I don't doubt that," Aina said, leaning in to kiss Kanika gently.  "But, you have to admit, such a plan is not all that unrealistic for him..."

[SpringsSong]

"No, it's not, and that's what sickens me," Kanika said, her fur bristling slightly as she said this.  "It's just... wrong!  How can he even find it in his heart to even THINK of harming children?"

"The same way he can find it in his heart to even think of harming someone like Aina," Mirua said simply.  "Some people in this world should just never be allowed to form relationships that are more than platonic."

[SpringsSong]

"I agree, but it seems that stupid people are breeding and multiplying," Kanika snapped.  "That's one reason why I steered myself more towards women.  We tend to be more emotionally stable and mature than men," she said.

"Most of the time, that's true," Aina said.  "However, I know some women who are emotionally infants even though they're well into their later years."

[SpringsSong]

"Well, at least it wasn't out of desperation that you turned to liking women more," Mirua said, laughing.  "That would have been just unfortunate.  I know a few guys have come by here asking about you, Mother, and I've turned them all away."

"Really, now?" Kanika asked, her eyes widening.  "Well, they're eons too late, anyways."

[SpringsSong]

"Eons too late?  My, you're a hard one, aren't you, Kanika?" Aina asked, laughing.  The woman offered merely a huff as she moved to let Aina sit down beside her on the chair.

"I had some... bad experiences with men," she said.  "Or rather, some bad experiences with a close friend choosing a man over our friendship."

[SpringsSong]

"I see," Aina said.  "I'm assuming that you're referring to Iounia?  What is she to me... an aunt or a cousin?  Either way..."

"We're not truly related; simply through adoption," Kanika said, leaning against the other's shoulder.

[SpringsSong]

"It doesn't really matter now," Kanika said finally.  "Iounia's holed herself up because her precious Regalo's gone.  Not even her own children really speak to her anymore now, mostly because she doesn't know where the half of them are.  Scattered to the winds, like so many other little families here and there..."

"I know what you mean," Aina said softly.

[SpringsSong]

"My own father hasn't been around for ages," she said.  "I know he's still around, but he's been a bit of a hermit.  My aunt has two children at home, and even they're ghosts.  Grandmother... well, she's also a bit of a mystery," Aina admitted.  Most all of the Kuhnas in her family were of pure Preluhna descent--Spirit Kuhnas or other Preluhnas.