a new {world} ; a new {life} ~crystal~

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Dyami's dark eyes glittered. "Perhaps we should." With a light touch from his fingers and knees, he turned the mare toward his village. The people would be wary of Hannah, but he would convince them she meant no harm.

[~echo~]

Hannah blinked down at the horse, touching her softly as they walked to the village. "Perhaps you should conceal my eyes so that I cannot know where your village is. Even if I don't mean you any harm, James might want to after I return and force it out of me."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Dyami's arms, on either side of her, stiffened at the mere mention of James and what he might do. He grimaced but had to agree with her. "How, though?" he asked. "I have no cloth."

[~echo~]

Hannah shrugged, but then an idea struck her. She took a bit of her petticoat in hand and tore a strip off of it, tying this around her eyes. "There, I can't see anything."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Dyami raised an eyebrow but carefully took the cloth and tied it loosely over her eyes. "How's that?"

[~echo~]

"Better," she replied with a smile. "Now I cannot betray you or your people."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Right then." Dyami clicked his tongue and the mare slid into a canter, bringing them back toward his village.

[~echo~]

Hannah swayed with the horse as they rode, smiling somewhat.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Some time later, they slowed and Dyami slid from the mare's back. He placed his hand on Hannah's to let her know he was there to help her down.

[~echo~]

Hannah took his hand and swung down from the horse, taking off the blindfold to look at the village.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Many of the villagers were either away or simply in another part of the village, but the few that were in eyeshot gave them distrustful stares. Dyami lifted his chin high and started through the huts.

[~echo~]

Hannah followed after Dyami with a nervous blink the other villagers, unsure of how to comport herself among these strange people.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Dyami adopted a clearly protective stance as they made their way to the chief's home. He pushed aside the flap of animal skin that made the doorway of the semi-permanent dwelling.

[~echo~]

The chief was sitting in the back of his home, a circle of elders surrounding him with a fire in the middle. His wizened, aged face looked up as Dyami and the newcomer entered and he shifted almost imperceptibly. "Who is this, young Dyami?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Despite the fact that he respected and trusted the chief, he positioned his body slightly in front of Hannah's in a protective stance. "This is Hannah," he said. "I rescued her from marrying Ewing." He gave the man a meaningful look. "But I did it against her will, and she's worried about her family."

[~echo~]

The chief narrowed his unreadable eyes and studied the woman. "She is an outsider." His gaze hardened ever so slightly. "You know the rule we have about outsiders." One of the young braves sitting in the circle gave a dark smirk and placed his hand on the weapon at his hip. The chief looked back at Dyami and tilted his head. "But you saved her, you say? Perhaps she can be useful to us."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"She wants to go back, chief," Dyami said. "We could ransom her. Get something from Ewing. Maybe then he would think she was truly kidnapped against her will."

[~echo~]

The man sitting to the chief's right whispered in his ear, causing the man to nod slowly. "You say she wants to return to Ewing? But why? It seems like quite the foolish thing to do for one in her situation."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Dyami glanced at Hannah, momentarily uncertain. But he realized that, although with Ewing was probably the last place she wanted to be, she had to return. He could understand unerring loyalty to your family. "She fears for her family," he said, looking back at his chief. "They remain in her homeland and if she does not return, I believe something bad may happen to them."

[~echo~]

Hannah suddenly felt compelled to speak, even if it was improper for her to in this situation... she knew nothing of their customs, and it was probably obvious. "Sir... I know it may sound strange that I wish to return to Ewing... but I must help my family. If you will allow me, I would explain my plan to you."