28: 22 Weeks Gestation

"Eve," Alma approaching Eve.

"[Yes]," Eve looking up from the baby blanket she's crocheting from shoat wool.

"[I think we need to spend time together]," Alma sitting next to Eve, "[I need to learn about my new daughter.]"

They talk for a long time with Alma asking Eve many questions, some of a personal nature. Testing Eve's intelligence and character through her answers. Eve continues crocheting, pausing only occasionally to consider Alma's questions.

"[I do not wish to interrupt]," Evan smiling pleasantly. "[The two of you finally seem to have found time to talk together. I trust things are going well.]"

Eve nods as she smiles at Evan.

"[Very well]," Alma responds agreeably. "[I am quite pleased with your choice in a mate. There is more to your mate than meets the eyes. And most importantly she appears to make you happy. It is what your father and I wanted most for you. But I am concerned with decision to create offspring so quickly. Was this planned?]"

"[No]," Evan answers, "[yet it brings us great joy just the same.]" He touches Eve's cheek softly. "[I do not intend rudeness, but it is time for Eve's nap.]"

"[I will be in directly]," Eve replies smiling lovingly up at Evan. She watches him walk over and enter their dwelling. "[We will talk more later]," Eve hopeful.

"[I would enjoy that]," Alma sincere. "[My son's feelings for you are very strong]," Alma sharing her observation.

"[As are my feelings for him]," Eve responds.

"[I enjoyed our conversation.]" Alma admits, "[I am approvingly impressed.]"

"[For myself your approval is not required]," Eve to Alma respectfully, "[I will not be disappointed. Yet Evan's feelings are my concern. He would be disappointed. If you have any negative feelings about me for any reason, please, do not share them with Evan. We may speak more later if you desire.]" With that said Eve sits down the partially crocheted blanket and goes inside to take her nap.

Alma picks up the blanket and examines it closely.

Zezna walks up to Alma, "[Is it possible to hold a conversation with it]," sitting down next to Alma.

"[Yes]," answers Alma, "[she is highly intelligent. The conversation was quite enlightening.]"

"[Intelligent for a human you mean]," Zezna responds. "[Soulless creatures are humans. I feel awful for you. You need not hide your disappointment from me.]"

"[Disappointed I am not]," Alma informs Zezna. "[I am impressed and pleased.]" She looks Zezna in the eye, "[If you have a problem with my new daughter then maybe we no longer need be friends.]" She walks away, leaving Zezna alone with her thoughts.

Zezna doesn't sit for very long. Zezna really can't stand to be alone with her own thoughts. She has decided she is ready to return home.

"Veioray," Zezna's voice is shrill.

Veioray turns around to face his stone-faced life-mate. They have been life-mates for 55 years. This look upon her face means she expects him to comply.

Zezna informs him, "[I am ready to return to our community. Collect our offspring while I start to pack our belongings.]"

"[What's wrong? We are enjoying ourselves here]," Veioray prefers it here, "[It is so nice to smile and laugh freely. I heard Vor laugh out loud today. It was a most beautiful sound.]"

"[Vor…laughing]," Zezna in disbelief, "[Why was Vor laughing?]"

"[She was laughing at] John," Veioray answers, "[He is a lot fun. I like him.]"

"[Where is Vor now]," Zezna asks.

"[Last I saw, she and John were going swimming.]"

"[You allow her to be alone with that male creature]," Zezna angry, "[She has suffered being rejected for that inferior little animal.]"

"[That inferior little animal, as you say, defeated Vor in a contest for the right to be Evan's life-mate]," Veioray informs Zezna. "[Everant demanded the contest and Vor lost. She is relieved not to be Evan's life-mate. She has no feelings for Evan.]"

"[Feelings are irrelevant]," states Zezna.

"[For all the years we have been bonded]," Veioray sad, "[I have never come to understand you. Why would you want to condemn our daughter to a feeling less union with no chance for happiness like our parents did unto us?]"

"[It is how things are done]," is Zezna's responds.

"[It does not have to be done that way]," Veioray to Zezna's stony face. "[Yet if leave you desire, I will collect Zezvor and depart we shall.]"

"[What about Vor?]" asks Zezna.

"[She will return to our community when she is ready]," Veioray answers.

"[She will obey and return with us now]," states Zezna as she walks away to find Vor for herself.

Veioray knows his life-mate well and she is very angry. He doesn't go after Zezna, but goes to get Zezvor. He finds Zezvor playing with Nate and Evma with Erin supervising.

Zezvor is not happy to be informed his mother is ready to return to the community, "[Father, I do not wish to leave. I like it here. Nate is my friend, and I like Erin and Eve's stories.]"

"[Sorry I am my son]," Veioray sighing, "[I like it here also, yet your mother insist.]"

"[Do you have to go,]" Nate's small fingers wrap around two of Veioray's large fingers.

Veioray smiles at Nate and Zezvor, "[We will try to reason with her.]"

Veioray is followed by all the children back to Eve and Evan's clearing. Jude, Eve's mother, and Alma, Evan's mother are sitting side by side on a rock talking. This is their first full-fledged conversation. The two women are fully enjoying each other's company and hearing about what the other's oldest was like as a child.

"[Why all the sad faces]," asks Jude looking at the normally happy children.

"[Zezna desires our return home]," Veioray explains looking as sad as the children, "[Alma knows how stubborn she can be.]"

"[All too well]," Alma confirms, "[I am sorry, Veioray. I believe I upset her.]"

"[I will attempt to talk with her once again]," Veioray hopeful, "[I may be able to calm her.]"

"[Is there anything I may do to help]," asks Jude.

"[No, I am afraid not]," answers Veioray.

"[You are human]," explains Alma, "[and Zezna believes as most our people believe, Humans are inferior species. It is best you keep distant from Zezna.]"

They're all quiet for a moment, but their silent is interrupted. Vor comes striding into the clearing followed by Zezna who is followed by John. Vor and John are both soaking wet from swimming and Zezna is soaked up to her waist.

Vor is actually shouting, "[No! I remain!]"

"[You will obey! You will return with your family!]" Zezna furious, "[You humiliate yourself and your family by associating with this animal.]"

Jude still has a little trouble when speaking the Malyon language, but she understands fairly clearly when it's being spoken. Even when it's being spoken fast and angry like it is now.

"[What is this about]," ask Veioray.

Zezna grabs Vor's arm and Vor yanks away.

John attempts to explain to Veioray, "[We were swimming when…]"

"[That creature had its hands all over our daughter]," Zezna interrupts John.

"[I was showing Vor how to dive]," John continues, "[When your life-mate came screaming out of trees. We fell off rock we were using for diving from shallows into deep section. Then she was in river grabbing Vor by her hair and dragging her from river.]"

"[And when John attempted to get Mother to release me]," Vor adds, "[Mother struck him.]"

"[Zezna struck you]," Veioray asks John shocked.

John turns his head and points so Veioray may see where Zezna backhanded his face.

"[Did you hit Zezna in your attempt to free Vor from her grasps]," asks Veioray.

"[No]," John shaking his head.

"[He never touched Mother]," confirms Vor, "[He only begged Mother to release me because she was hurting me.]"

"Zezna," Veioray shaking his head, "[your behavior is unacceptable.]"

"[That animal interfered with something which is family matter]," Zezna in her usual superior manner.

"[You were hurting Vor]," states Veioray, "[He did nothing wrong.]"

"[Have you no concern for his inappropriately touching our daughter]," shouts Zezna.

"Vor," Veioray turns to their daughter, who is now examining John's face. You can just tell she is a few centimeters taller than him. "[Did John touch you in any way that may of made you uncomfortable or in any way disrespected you, in any way?]"

"[No, Father]," answers Vor, "[All he has done is teach me to smile and laugh when I had forgotten how.]"

"[And I have treasured seeing you do these thing]," Veioray grateful to John.

"[Insignificant and worthless!" shouts Zezna, "[It is not our way!]"

"[It was]," Veioray knows their history and legends better than the back of his hand. Before he was assigned as translator for his ship, he was a history teacher.

"[We are leaving and Vor is coming with us]," Zezna firm and confident.

"[I remain]," Vor moving closer to John, "[I desire no more of such empty living.]"

"[Your head has been filled with irrelevant nonsense]," Zezna determined.

"[No]," Veioray has had enough. "[She is adult. She has made her decision.]"

Zezna is not used to rejection and noncompliance. She starts ranting and raving, "[No! Vor will obey! We return together! This is atrocity! No!]"

"[What going on?]" asks Eve stepping out of her home with Evan behind her. She and Evan aren't quite awake from the early awakening from the nap.

"[You!]" Zezna sneers, "[This is your evil.]" Then Zezna charges straight for Eve. Evan steps in front of Eve, but Zezna knocks him clear out of her way and off his feet.

"Evan!" but Eve's attempt to go to Evan is stopped by the wrapping of Zezna's hand around her throat. Eve is quickly yanked off her feet. Eve's feet kick the air as they attempt to find the ground without success. She can hear screaming and voices shouting, but they seem to be moving away from her.

Evan can't catch his breath or believe his eyes. Brave little Nate runs over and bites Zezna on her leg. Zezna sends little Nate flying through the air with one slap of her free hand.

"Zezna," Veioray shouting, "[Stop this now!]"

Evan finally manages to catch his breath and hop to his feet.

"[I will destroy this abomination]," Zezna blind with hatred.

Eve has a hold of Zezna's wrist. She wants so desperately to defend herself and her unborn child, but she can't see clearly. There's no air and it's getting dark, darker as her heart rate slows, and darker, from lack of oxygen. Suddenly, she's falling.

Zezna is stumbling backward from the blow to her stomach as Evan yells, "[You keep your hands off my life-mate]," Evan has never been so overcome by anger, "[We came here to be free of people such as you: full of prejudice and misconception they are superior. You have no place here.]"

Zezna takes a fighting stance. Evan doesn't care if she is an elder he's supposed to respect and honor. She has shown no respect or honor, he will fight to protect Eve, their child and their right to be together, to love each other. Zezna really isn't interest in Evan; she wants Eve, who is just getting back on her feet leaning against the dwelling wall. Zezna has no qualms about plowing through Evan to get to her prey.

Zezna throws a punch at Evan that never makes contact. Veioray, her life-mate, has caught her fist in the air.

"[Enough]," Veioray firm, "[No more. You shame me and our children.]"

"We've missed something," Ben tells Everant as they enter the clearing with Dr. Matos and Mr. Chan.

"[It is finished]," states Veioray, "[Zezna departs from us now, alone.]"

Zezna looks around at all the eyes upon her. Evan holding Eve close, Vor standing with John holding on to his arm with one hand. One of his hands lays over hers. Vor's free hand strokes the cheek of her little brother Zezvor who's clinging to her leg. Evma is clinging to Alma terrified as Alma, the only friend Zezna has ever had, stands with Jude who's holding Nate with the girl, Erin, standing with them. Then there are the four men standing there needing the situation explained to them. Finally, her own life-mate is standing before her actually wearing a serious look on his face. He doesn't understand and she doesn't know why. Zezna only knows she stands alone.

"Zezna," Everant coming forward, "[What have you done?]"

Zezna puts her hands down deciding it's best if she leaves. So, without another word she walks away takes a squine and rides off.