Pounamu had made it out to the courtyards when the next rumble of thunder shook the ground. She had never heard of a rainstorm hitting Oba since arriving and it was honestly astonishing to see the desert sun be covered by storm clouds. When the rain hit though it hit, the streets were quickly flooded as the ground didn’t know what to do with so much water all at once. Pounamu had taken the chance to slip out from the manor and head into the courtyard, the Kahi just moving without really thinking. Everyone was so distracted with getting things inside from the rain and dealing with the flooding lower levels that it seemed like a perfect chance. That was until she saw the guards roaming around the outer gates, some having taken to guarding since they didn’t want to risk anything despite the storm raging around them. Panic rose in Pounamu’s chest as she twisted back and forth, the Kahi not knowing where to take shelter in the moment until someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into the shadows of the courtyard.

“Are you okay?” Arunika’s soft voice was barely there beneath the sounds of the rain and thunder, but her golden gaze was bright as Pounamu looked at her. “You can’t just run out in that, it’s dangerous!”

“I…but…” Pounamu swallowed her protests as she allowed Arunika to guide them through the edges of the courtyard. She only stopped once they arrived at a smaller outer building, a storage shed of some sorts that they both squeezed into as the storm got worse. “Why are you out here?”

“I was enjoying some fresh air.” Arunika replied quietly as she took off her outer layers of silk, the material drenched and clinging to her body. “What about you? You could have gotten into serious trouble if they caught you!”

“I know.” Pounamu’s gaze lowered as she stood there, soaking wet with her own dress clinging to every curve of her body. It was such fine material that she may as well have gone out in the nude to embrace the storm, how could she have even survived in the streets with so little protection especially during a typhoon like this? It seemed silly now that she was more aware of the situation, her desperation having blinded her at first. “I suppose I got carried away.”

“Mmhmm.” Arunika tugged off the last layer of silks until she was just in her chemise. “Take off your clothing, it’s got to be uncomfortable even if you’re okay being soaked like that.”

It did cling and made her feel awful, but Pounamu shook her head. “I don’t have anything else…”

“Hmm. Here.” Arunika tossed a tapestry towards Pounamu. “You can hide in that, if you want.” She was twisting her own hair, frowning at the water that dripped from the tangled ends, but she had already gathered a smaller tapestry like a blanket around her body. “It’s not good to sit in wet clothing, at least for earthlings.”

“I see.” Pounamu nodded before tucking the tapestry around her, the Kahi still keeping on the silks even if they were uncomfortable. “I’m alright with the water, it’s actually nice.” The desert was far more uncomfortable than any rain for her. It only made her miss the ocean more to listen to the rain as it danced across the ground outside. If she wouldn’t get in trouble it would be tempting to join the rain drops out there, Pounamu’s whole body aching for the comfort of water. “Are you alright?”

Arunika hesitated, her gaze lowering for once. “I’m sorry.” She knew that Pounamu didn’t want to be at the manor, but neither of them had the power to remedy that just yet. “I’m hanging in there, myself. I just wanted to take a break from the manor after hearing I’m now engaged, but On’os decided it would be a grand time for the first storm in weeks.”

“Ah, I see.” Pounamu blinked though after another moment, her gaze going towards Arunika. “Engaged?”

“Yeah. My mother wants to build relations with another family and the b*****d daughter is a good enough piece for trade, she won’t risk her pure daughters.” Arunika explained with a soft laugh. “I shouldn’t be upset, I know I have it better than most but still…”

“You want the option, I understand.” Pounamu knew it sounded like a petty problem compared to others, but at the same time the freedom of choice no matter what the situation was something that everyone deserved…as long as it didn’t harm others. “I suppose the storm is going to last quite a while. I don’t mind listening, if you need.”

Arunika swallowed and nodded, her gaze finally moving up to meet Pounamu’s own. The circles under the earthling’s eyes, the redness there were from her own tears and not from the rain, and it was finally obvious as the pair settled in to wait out the storm with soft words being exchanged under the rumblings of thunder.

[842]