The Stolen Bride

16 - After

The morning sun was warm on Kira's face as she sat next to where Drev lay on some blankets on the ground.

After Sylar's attack last night, she'd been afraid to move either Drev or Marko in the state they were in, so she'd had no other choice than to run back to Litur Cas and bring healers from there.

Today, her old village had some life in it as people had helped set up tents as a temporary rest area to tend to the two men, while others had buried Sylar's body in the woods nearby.

"Even a savage deserves a burial," one man had said. "Just not among us."

For the past several hours, Kira had stayed by Drev's side, waiting for him to wake up. Lobo was next to her as well, though he seemed wary of the many people milling about.

Kira clutched Drev's hand in her own, sighing softly. Drev was alive but he'd been beaten badly last night. Litur Cas's healers had (grudgingly) done what they could for him. Now, all she could do was wait.

Just then, Kira heard purposeful steps coming up outside the tent. She turned her head just as the tent flap opened and there stood her mother.

This was it, she knew. There was no hiding the truth now.

Her mother stared at Drev lying there, then at her. Her face went pale with anger, and her hands shook as she grabbed Kira's arm and yanked her out of the tent.

"I couldn't believe it when they told me this morning," her mother said in a low, even tone. "What's wrong with you, Kira? That man kidnapped you!"

"I know."

"He killed your father!"

"No, that was Sylar's doing. The other man, the one who died. And I'm glad of it."

Her mother squinted at her. "As far as I'm concerned, that man in there is no better. He's a savage. A savage who cares nothing for you."

"If that's true, why did he help me and the others escape? Why did he stay here instead of going back to his tribe? He's not like them, Mother."

"Whatever his real intentions may be, I expected you to know better. Because of you, Marko is now blind in one eye."

Kira hung her head. "I know."

"This has to stop. You are to never to see that cursed man again, do you understand me?"

"No, Mother."

Her mother drew back slightly, surprised at her answer. "Are you talking back to your mother?"

"I'm his wife and he's my husband. That's not going to change, no matter what you say."

"It doesn't matter how many times he made you lay with him. You are not his wife!"

"But I am," she insisted. "And just so we're clear, he never made me."

Her mother decided to try a different tack. "What kind of a life can he give you? With Marko, we would be a real family."

"Yes, Marko is a good man and I am sorry for what happened to him. But I can't marry him just because of guilt or gratitude."

"You're one to talk about gratitude, after everything he's done for us."

Kira was steadily losing her patience, talking about this. "If you like him so much, you marry him, Mother!"

Before her mother could respond, someone cleared their throat, interrupting them. "Let's not talk about getting married for a while, please? I don't think I have the energy for it..."