The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Chapter 4.2

'So, where do you plan to go from here on?' Kran asked. He was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree. Nume was still holding the rope in her hand and the gseirut was grazing next to her.

'I don't know.' Nume admitted.

'That's great.' Kran said.

'What about you? After all, I'm not the only one to have spontaneously run away...'

'Well, I thought I'd follow you. You're usually the one of us who comes up with all the insane stuff.' he explained. Nume rolled her eyes and sighed. 'We could still go back, you know...' he added. Nume looked into his eyes.

'Would you want that? I mean, even if they did forgive us for our, well... behaviour, they'd still want us to get married...'

'I never said I wanted that.' he pointed out.

'But you mentioned it.'

'I did.'

'Why?'

'In case you wanted to.'

'I don't.' Nume assured him.

'Good.'

'Good.'

They looked at each other in silence for a while.

'I could never marry you.' Nume finally said.

'Never?'

'Never.'

'Good...' he said. 'I mean, I couldn't marry you either.'

'I know.'

'Do you?'

'Of course. I would never allow it.' she smiled provocatively.

'Well, I guess you've proven that...' he replied. 'But you did run away with me though.'

'No, I didn't.'

'Yes, you did.'

'No, I didn't. You ran away with me.' she insisted. Now he rolled his eyes.

'So,' he started after a while. 'Are we ever going to see another phraio? Or is it just you and me for the rest of our days?'

'Well, if we find any... I mean, there are other tribes so we should be able to find one of them.' Nume suggested.

'We can't do that!' Kran shouted.

'Why not?'

'Don't be stupid. I'm the grandson of our Great Leader, if I joined another tribe that would be worse than treason! All tribes would get to know somehow and the shame for our families would be unbearable...'

'Well, they have to tell the other tribes where you've gone to if they want to trade with them.' Nume said.

'They certainly won't tell them the truth.'

Nume laughed.

'What?' he asked. She couldn't stop laughing. 'What is it?'

'Imagine it... I mean...' she said once she'd gained control over herself again. 'Just imagine your grandfather saying: 'Oh, you know, my grandson abandoned his whole tribe to run away with the woman he was too scared to marry...'

'That's not funny! And I'm not scared!' Kran shouted.

'It is funny.' Nume smiled.

'No it's not.' he insisted.

'Yes, it is.'

'Maybe a little bit...' he admitted. Then they both burst into laughter. 'Alright, there's no way we're going back.' Kran said.