447.
The morning had seemed unbearably long for the normally patient lady. Nayru had woken long before dawn and slipped from the apartment before any of the others were awake-- except for Gideon who had been missing that night. It was unnerving to wake alone; already the petit woman was accustomed to waking the strong arms of the large male she shared a bed with. Normally in the mornings they would linger in each other's embrace but with the bed empty Nayru quickly set to the duties for the day. A sweep of the border was often the first order of business but Nayru headed to the vineyard first. The plants were still having a hard to adjusting to the move and the grape harvest would be small this year. Nayru had gone to sleep worrying about grapes and woken up in much the same state.
While often Nayru would find peace in tending to the plants, the trek to and from the water source to each plant seemed tedious that morning. While the worries of the plants left her, her mind began to wander to Gideon. Why hadn't he come home that night? That he would be unfaithful never crossed her mind, the idea didn’t exist at all. But that something might have happened to him worried her. While she knew she could easily track the man, she didn't want to be overbearing, too worried. Nayru couldn't expect him to always be at her side, yet that something was off nagged at her. Setting down the water can she used to haul water back and forth to the plants, Nayru looked to the sky and was surprised to find many hours had elapsed. The plants were all watered but the morning was half gone. Brushing the dirt from her legs where she had been kneeling, Nayru turned back the way she came.
The journey home was filled with the nagging thoughts. Normally the warrior's mind was so well trained that such invading thoughts were quickly discarded, but Nayru found her pace quickening as she neared the home she shared with so many now. When her bare foot hit something sticky and wet, Nayru bent down and touched the liquid to her fingers. Bringing her hand up for inspection it was not hard to identify the red stuff. Blood. When Nayru came in through the main doors and found Saul at the bottom of the steps, she was nearly out of breath from the run she had broken into. Crimson eyes caught the green of Saul's and no words were necessary for Nayru to convey that she knew something was wrong and she wanted to know right away.
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