The wrath of worry
The trip cross the waters had calmed her, the rocking of the boat enough to make her rest and partially fall asleep. Ariya was mostly unaware of the passing of time, or even the pain in her side. In fact, she barely knew when the boat slid up onto the sands of the island. It wasn't until the oars made noise as they were laid inside the small water vessel that she opened her eyes to look around.
“Lets get you home and see about those ribs.” The large sister commented as she climbed out of the boat. She groaned at the thought of trying to climb out but when she received a look from the older alkidike she quieted up and shifted so that she could get up. Drawing in her bottom lip, stud and all, she braced herself and hopped out. The jarring that she received was enough to make her close her eyes an silently curse.
“Haha, you idiot. Jumping makes it worse.” Voice full of mirth the warrior shook her head at the way Ariya had jumped.
“Thanks for telling me that now.” Ariya managed a bit sarcastically. With a few gasping breaths she straightened and half led the way to her house. It didn't hit her that her mother would find out until it was too late. Niesh had been outside hanging some of the laundry out to dry when she and the other Alkidike approached. A smile was on her face until she looked from Ariya to the other sister.
“Oh no, what has she done now?” Niesh's hands went to her hips as if she expected it to be something bad.
“She got injured on the opposite shores. Was ran right over by a hybrid running from the sisters.” Answered the sister that had brought her home. She thought it was a good explanation since she couldn't add in too many details.
Ariya cringed visibly. That was enough for Niesh's expressions to go from suspicion to worry to anger to down right hatred. A procession of facial movements seen by both Ariya and the Alkidike that stood next to her.
“She what!? You what!? Ariya! What were you doing across the waters!?” Oh the thing she wanted to yell.
“No, you know what.. you are grounded. Now inside so we can see what damaged that filthy hybrid did to you.” There was a scoff from the matronly Alkidike as she turned to enter her small hut.
“Now, Ariya!” The shrill tone of her mother's voice made the girl wince.
With a pleading glance to the other sister that was with her she moved on inside, with the other bringing up the rear. Inside she was instructed to sit so that she could be inspected by both women.
“Explain everything.” A command. Not a request. And so Ariya went into the account of how she was restless and more unfocused than usual. Something that only garnered her a snort from both women. Her being easily distracted was nothing new. Most people on the islands knew that.
She finally got to the point where she got injured and she shrugged her shoulders, something she regretted instantly.
"I just didn't notice them quick enough." Ariya hissed out.
The warrior sister that had brought her home sat back and shook her head.
"There are no breaks, but since she feels that much pain I am willing to bet there is a fracture. Give it a few weeks to heal." While she wasn't a healer she did know her injuries. With that she stood bid the two farewell and left the hut as quickly as she could. She senses a storm a coming and she didn't want to be in the middle of it.
As soon as the other woman was out of the house Niesh leveled a glare at Ariya.
"How could you let a mutt touch you let alone cause you any injury!" The deep seeded hate that she held for all things earthling was showing with all it's colors flared.
"Not all hybrids are bad news! Besides, if I hadn't been in the way it wouldn't have happened." Ariya thought that explaining would making things somewhat easier for her mother to accept, however it only fueled her hate fire.
"Not all!? And just which one did you meet? Huh? Was it when you went with that woman, Maya? Did she fill your head with non-sense!? All things dealing with earthlings are beneath us. They killed your mother, Ariya!" And so an old wound was opened up.
Her head turned away and Ariya refused to look at Niesh.
"So you remind me every chance you get. But Rishima didn't kill her!" All sound in the hut died at that moment.
Niesh sat back and stared at her adopted daughter in astonishment.
"Y-You met him?" She dropped her gaze to her own hands before she stood up and moved away. She busied her hands with getting some herbs to put against Ariya's side and bind with some wraps.
"I did. He was the one that got me interested in being a Guardian." The cat was out of the bag now so she might as well tell all. Though Ariya found it odd that her mother had quieted when she mentioned Rishima. Knowing this Niesh smiled wryly and shook her head.
"It would have been him.." That man could inspire a skeleton to grow flesh and live again.
Biting down on her hate she sighed and walked back over to Ariya.
"You are not allowed to go to the mainlands until you have trained. Do you understand me?" If she couldn't keep her child away from it then she could at least make sure that she was prepared and able to survive. It had been scare enough when Ariya had gone off to the fighting.
"Fine. I'll start training right after this heals up then." Niesh nodded her head slightly but said nothing else as she bound her daughter's bruised side.
Word Count 1000