Back to the forest (closed)

[Kriss]

Kriss knew that the situation was very hard for the woman and she decided to did not ask more question not to hurt Kahlan. She turned back at the burning heap. Her plan got worked. Dispiriting smell of human's body in fire made her wanna leave the place as soon as it was possible. She exactly knew that smell, and it brought only these bad memories.
She asked her company,
"Can we get back?"

[Kahlan]

There was, indeed, no need to stay any longer. Kahlan turned toward Kriss and noticed that the look of her new friend was strange. She couldn't tell if it was because of the smell of the bodies burning, which was very unpleasant, or because of something else, but she seemed quite impatient to leave.
"Yes, let's go. I think we have seen enough for today."
She walked away from the burning heap and waited for the archer to lead the way.

[Kriss]

Kriss took one, last look at the burning heap. The fire was big enough to burn everything. Good thing that these men had not had the armors, only the few swords which she had hidden earlier.
She turned around, nodded at her friend and moved through the path. But Kriss did not lead them the same way. She wanted them to visit one more place before they get back to tavern.
"There is a small lake close. I can't bring that smell to tavern. That guard will smell out the burning with his big nose."
Indeed, the clothes of both women were smoke - logged.

[Kahlan]

Even in the night, Kahlan had started to locate the way to the city. That's why she felt a little surprised when Kriss took another way. She was about to ask her why but she talked before.
"Oh yes, the guard" Kahlan answered."I almost forgot him. It's true that he could be a little suspicious if we come back like that."
She followed Kriss with great pleasure. The bath she had taken earlier this afternoon seemed very far.
"You seem to know that guard well." She dared to ask, a few moment later, as they were walking side by side.
Kahlan was secretly hoping to know more about that woman, which seemed so mysterious. Even if the young princess hadn't travelled a lot, she knew that it was quite uncommon... A tavern's owner, with a child and with fighting skills...Kahlan was a little curious, without daring to ask the good questions directly.
She wouldn't want to be in that situation either.

[Kriss]

Kriss giggled at Kahlan's words. But this was indeed good question. She did not know Ziad that well but she had left her only son with him. What that guy had to think about her as a mother. For a moment she thought about Aniel and then back to the conversation. She did not know how to name the relation between her and the guard.
"Lets say he comes to my tavern sometime..." The archer add a smirk to her words,
"...even when I really don't want him to..."
Her face-expression said the rest.

They had to make few more steps and they could see the lake. The smooth tract just called Swim! Swim!

[Kahlan]

"Oh I know what you mean" Kahlan said with a smile. "I know that the guards appreciate taverns, mostly after a hard days work. And it's better if they become friend with the owner. I guess this one doesn't break the rule, even if I think he comes for something else than the ale."
She laughed and watched in front of her. She saw the shadow of trees reflecting in the water.
"I guess it's the lake you were looking for." She said pointed at the lake in question.

[Kriss]

Kriss rolled her eyes at the thought of the guard and his reasons of comming to her tavern. She did even not wanna think about what he could do with her son now.
"Yeah, sometime he comes to spend moment or two in the storage..."
She gave a woman another smirk, then did not say anything, just jumped to the water. She dived and emerged. Turned around,
"One thing that I love in this land... the water here is always warm."
She smiled at Kahlan to invite her.

[Kahlan]

Kahlan laughed and shook her head. Then she took off her boots and walked into the water. Indeed, it was very warm. She sank to the waist and put her head under water.
"I never thought I could appreciate as much the water." she said to Kriss when she emerged.
She layed on her back and left herself floating, closing her eyes.
She forgot everything for an instant.

[Kriss]

Kriss was enjoying her bath, swimming slowly. She could see that her new friend was enjoying it, too. The archer swam a bit closer and splashed Kahlan who seemed to go far away with her minds. She smiled at woman and said,
"Take the last diver and we're leaving."

[Kahlan]

Kahlan didn't know how long she had stayed there. She was suddenly surprised by the water launched by Kriss. She opened her mouth and splashed her back.
"Alright, let's go." she then said, laughing.
She swam to the shore and got out the water. She put on her boots and waited for Kriss to leave.

[Kriss]

Kriss followed her new friend and got out from the water. Her wet clothes seemed to weigh more than ever before. Thanks to that she had had no time to change her boots and she had stayed in the sandals.
She dried her hair with the hands a bit and was ready to go. She gave Kahlan a knowing smile and went through.

[Kahlan]

The two women walked back to the tavern. Taking this little bath in the river was a good idea, but now Kahlan was just impatient to take off her wet clothes.
When they arrived, they both entered in the kitchen of the tavern. Everything was calm, as if nobody was there. But there was two persons in the main room, actually.
"I'll wait here, until the guard is gone." She said to Kriss.

[Ziad]

First, Ziad had been spending most of the time inside the tavern, swaying between amusement and fuming. The latter, mostly. Then he had come to the conclusion that he would not let himself be commanded around like that by this woman. Whoever did she think she was. He had decided that he would not do her bidding, but on the other hand he couldn´t let the get stay here alone. So they had taken a stroll. He had ignored the remarks that had come from some of the people he knew around the city who found the sight of Ziad carrying a kid on his shoulders to be rather amusing.

When the young woman entered, they had not returned too long ago and Aniel was lying curled up on a bench, drowsing.
"Oh look, mommy´s back." Ziad remarked, loud enough for her to take notice. "And apparently she fell into a lake."

[Kriss]

The women went to the tavern by back-door without any rustles. Kriss took of her sandals and the upper part of her outfit. The wet clothes were very uncomfortable and she had not dreamed about anything else since they had got out from the lake. On the other hand, she also had another subconscious reason to take it off.
She gave Kahlan a nod to make her stay in the kitchen. And so, the archer dress only in a leather corset and black underskirt went to take her bull by the horns.

She was making gentle, low steps with her barefooted, wet feet, while walking in to the main room.
Even so, the bull noticed her instantly. She tried to avoid his look and concentrate her eyes at the boy, who ran into her arms at man’s sonorous words. Kriss hugged Aniel and kissed his forehead. A sleepy boy put his head on his mother’s shoulder. She smiled at him and said with a pity in her voice.

“Aw, you must be tired. It’s late for you.”

The woman gathered her wet hair on the other shoulder that it did not chill the boy. In the same time she was still trying to avoid the eye contact with the guard. Like the hunter, she was letting him make the first move to then, give him her shot or to come out with defense.

[Ziad]

Ziad had watched her carefully when she entered and all the while until she stepped towards him, expecting a snappy remark of the sort she seemed to be so avid to deal out for non existant reasons. But such a remark never came and his glance darkened a little. "Hey!" I exclaimed when the woman picked up the child from the bench, reaching out with unexpected speed to grab her by the arm. Not violently, but firmly, signaling that he would not allow her to treat him like that. "What do you think you´re doing, woman?"