The new lodger of tavern's attic (closed)

[Kriss]

Kahlan followed Kriss step by step. They quickly passed along the streets of Basra trying to be really latent and discreet. The women walked into a small and dark alley-way. The archer stopped by the one door and slowly opened it.
"It is the back-way of my tavern" she explained to her pal and they both entered the kitchen. It was sort of nice place. The wooden furniture, the fireplace and the stove were supervised by Kriss' cooker named Takim. The middle-age fat man turned around and looked with the wonderment at his employer and her new guest.
Kriss had a really good relation with her worker. She tossed her head and said
"Don't ask!" Takim just smiled and got back to his work.
The archer turned around and looked at Kahlan.
"Come on. I will take you to my bedroom." she said and moved toward the door.

[Kahlan]

The women didn't spoke during the walk. When they arrived in town, Kahlan put her hood over her head. She followed Kriss silently through the dark alley-way of Basra. Once arrived at the tavern, archer ushered her through the kitchen, which she appreciated.
She immediatly smelt the good smell of the food being cooked. This made her think that she had not eaten since a long time. She gave a slight nod to the cook who looked at her for a moment before continuing his work.
Then she followed Kriss who led up them to her bedroom.

[Caipra]

Aniel was sitting on the floor, playing with his toys. Caipra had convinced his mother to go out the tavern for a while, because she needed it. The young woman worked too much and she rarely took time for herself. So she proposed to keep an eye on her son while she was away.
Leaning against the window of Kriss's bedroom, Caipra was watching the little boy, when he looked up at her and handed her one of his toys. Caipra smiled and came closer the him to take him in her arms.
"What a brave soldier you have here! Do you want to be like him when you'll be older?"
Of course he didn't answer. He was fixing his toys in his hands when suddenly, he looked at the door at the same time it opened. Caipra saw Kriss walking into the room. She smiled at her but her eyes widened when she really looked at her in detail. Her hair, her face and her dress were in a pitiful state.
"Oh my God! Kriss, Look at you! Did you fight with a bear to end up like this?" she said smiling and getting closer to her.
Then she noticed that the archer was not alone. There was another woman behind her who seemed to hesitate to enter the room. The wise lady couldn't see her face, a hood was hiding it, but she noticed that her clothes were as dirty as Kriss's ones.
Caipra looked at Kriss again and asked a little anxious.
"What happened?"

[Kriss]

Kriss rolled her eyes and slowly walked in. She expected this kind of reaction. She knew that she had to calm down her old friend and her son who felt Caipra's nervousness and looked a bit worried as well.
"Caipra, please... not now" the archer said.
Then she turned to Kahaln and invited her.
"Please, come in"

[Kahlan]

Kahlan hadn't moved since Kriss had opened the door. She was surprised when she saw an old woman and a boy in the room. As she trusted anyone except from Kriss for now, she prefered staying behind and wait for Archer's reaction.
Kahlan observed the little boy in the arms of the woman. She immediatly found similarities with Kriss. Could it be her son? She would ask her the question later. Then she looked at the woman and something inside her told her that she didn't have to be afraid of her. On the contrary she surprisingly felt peaceful as soon as she saw her. Her name was Caipra, according to Kriss.
Kahlan was fixing the old woman and suddenly turned to Archer when she spoke to her. Still hesitant, even if she felt she didn't have to, she walked into the room.

[Caipra]

Caipra watched the strange woman entering the room. She was able to see a little more her face now. She had never seen her in Basra before. Kriss probably have met her somewhere and she suggested her to come to the tavern. But that still didn't explain the dirty clothes.
She made little movements to calm Aniel who seemed as worried as her and, seeing that apparently, Kriss was in no mood to talk, she just said calmly.
"Alright, just assure me that there's nothing to be worry about. I hope you didn't get yourself into troubles."

[Kriss]

Kriss could see worry in Caipra's eyes and she could see how scared her Aniel is. She stretched her arms to take him from the old woman.
"Come here!" Mother gently took her little man, gave him a hug and a kiss. The boy calmed down a bit. Then the archer turend at Caipra to explain.
"You don't need to worry about anything. I'm pretty fine even if it doesn't look so."
She said but she knew it was not the true. The troubles were her old friends.
"This is Kahlan, my new guest."
Kriss pointed at the girl. She did not know what else she could say and what she should left for herself to not worry her friend more.

[Caipra]

Caipra let Kriss take Aniel, and watched for a moment the lovely reunion between a mother and her son.
Caipra was not convinced by Kriss's words but she didn't say anything. She had to stop acting like a mother carrying too much her daughter. She trusted Kriss, and if she needed help, the old sorceress knew she would come to her. Concerning Kahlan, she would know more about her sooner or later.
she looked at Kriss and said, smiling.
"Well, the most important is that you're here. Will you excuse me, I should go, work is calling me. I won't be far is you need me."
She started leaving. When she reached Kahlan, she slowed down and fixed her.
"Nice to meet you.....Kahlan."
And she walked out the room.

[Kriss]

Kriss watched how Caipra is leaving and still holding her son who was playing with her tousled hair. She felt the relief, she was not ready to explain anything now and she did not want to scare Kahlan away.
"Thank you, Caipra and see you later."
When the old woman walked out and closed the door, the archer turned at her new friend.
"You don't need to worry about anything. Caipra is my friend and great woman."
She had to say something to calm down at least a little nervous Kahlan.
"Now, please make yourself at home."
Kriss pointed at the door.
"There is a bathroom. You can go firts. In the chest you will find some of my clothes in case you would like to change yours."

[Kahlan]

Kahlan felt uncomfortable when Caipra looked at her before leaving. She gladly believed Kriss when she told her that she had nothing to worry about the old woman. However, she had a strange attitude.
Kahlan nodded smiling and went to the bathroom, without saying anything.
She was happy to find a mirror there. She hadn't seen herself since she had leaved Galea. Her appearance was worse than what she thought. She took a quick bath to look more presentable.
Then she looked at the chest. Kahlan was a little hesitant to take clothes from the archer. But she couldn't put hers now and she had nothing else.
She opened the chest and took the first thing she found. A brown dress, very simple. That was perfect for now. She quickly get dressed and left the bathroom.
She found Kriss, sitting on the bed, still holding the child.
Kahlan smiled and came closer.
"He's a cute boy. Is it your son?"

[Kriss]

Meanwhile, Kahlan was taking a bath, Kriss changed her clothes and brused her hair, then pinned it up.
She and her little angle were sitting on the bed and playing with his toys while Kahlan walked in and asked.
The archer simled at her and said,
"Yes, he is my little man. My mistake. Kahlan, let me itroduce you my son, Aniel Shaigansson. Aniel this my friend Kahlan."
The woman held out Aniel's hand to Kahlan and chuckled.’

[Kahlan]

Kahlan chuckled too. She held out her hand back to Aniel and said.
"Hi Aniel, nice to meet you. And you can call me Kal if you want."
This sentence also went to Kriss.
"Oh, and thank you by the way...for the dress." she added looking at herself.

[Kriss]

Kriss took a look at the woman. The dress which she had not worn for very long time fitted Kahlan very well. The archer said to her with simle.
"You're wlecome. It looks very pretty on you."

[Kahlan]

"Thanks. You know I've worn so many dresses before, but this one is the most comfortable of all."
Kahlan started to laugh. But then she became serious again and decided to change of subject. She didn't want to talk about her past for now. The bad memories would surely come before the good ones.
She went toward the window and leant against the wall. She took a look outside and then turned to Kriss.
"So, this is your tavern? It's quite uncommon for a woman. What about Aniel's father? What's he doing?"

[Kriss]

Kahlan's questions squeezed Kriss' heart. Two little tears rained her cheeks. She quickly swabbed them. She wanted to hide her emotions. She did not know much about her new friend and did not want to show her weaknesses to the stranger.
The archer took a breath and got rid of the moments with Shaigan which had come to her minds in the same time Kahlan asking about him.
She tried to asnwer, kept the sense and not mention anything weighty.
"Shaigan, Aniel's father is dead. I keep the tavern on my own."