Lavender & Ice

24. A Warning

"How was I to know?!" Joreth said in defense as his brothers all glared at him in the waiting area of the medical tent.

Kietnan growled loudly in frustration. "You didn't bother to ask any questions, you simply made judgments."

"I didn't make her eat that fruit."

"Be still, Kietnan." Kahal commanded, patting his brother on the shoulder before turning to the other. "Joreth." He said coldly. "A sentient life that has shown no ill will towards us or our people has fallen ill due to your thoughtless words and actions. If you can feel no remorse then please at least try to hide your prejudices. You greatly disappoint me this morning."

"Kahal!" Joreth protested angrily.

"Enough. There are no excuses for your rude and disrespectful actions."

"My...!" Joreth scoffed. "And what of your precious little brother's actions?!" Joreth spewed. "In fact all three of you are disgracing our ancestors by going against their guidance and befriending this alien."

"She seems nice." Othen offered quietly.

"Of course she does! How else would she weaken our defenses if that were her plan?" At the looks his brothers gave him, he sighed and calmed his voice slightly but remained firm. "Even if she has no plans and all is as it seems. Just by her being here, she will have an effect on our way of life, our customs, our traditions. This is what the ancestors were trying to protect us from."

"Joreth, enough." Kahal responded. "This talk of yours is meaningless. In case you haven't noticed, there is no prison here, no guards. She had to be kept somewhere. Our brother is very capable so it is as good a place as any."

"Unsupervised for most of the time, while he is away."

"She has done nothing wrong!" Kietnan yelled at his brother. "And you have harmed her!"

After a long moment of staring angrily at his brothers, Joreth marched toward the door. "This will not end well." Joreth growled at his youngest brother before pushing the waiting room door open with force and stomping out. 

~~~~~

Ashima rushed through the tent, looking for the right ingredients. She had asked Kietnan to go see if he could find her a pair of socks, telling him that hers had torn. But in reality, even though she definitely could use more socks, hers hadn't torn, she just wanted him out of the tent.

Whatever medicine the medical attendants had given her was a miracle drug. She was awake and alert, ready to go home only a few hours after eating the fruit that poisoned her. She was beginning to think perhaps this planet could be full of medical wonders. It would be an interesting topic to research, if she were allowed to.

Once back at their tent, Kietnan had fussed and worried over her all afternoon, but she wanted to do something for him to celebrate. The trials were almost over, he had made it to the final. And she wanted to cheer him up after the disaster meeting with his brothers. She even had the medical attendant, Jal, who was surprisingly turning out to be a friend, sneak some fruit into her bag while Kietnan wasn't looking before he took her home.

She smiled as she cut the fruit, remembering the drink he had made for them after the hunting trip. Surely the fruit would do nicely in a dessert. She removed the juice from all the fruit and then scooped out all of the soft insides as well. Managing to find something that seemed like sugar, she added that to the bowl of fruit and let it settle. As she looked for the flour-like substance she had seen in there previously.

As she was scooping that into a large bowl, a knock came on the door. She jumped, but made her way to the door, peeking through it as she cracked it open. "Oh! Milleck, come in."