A Sharp Slap

The next day, the rangers that she had sent out to map the valley or at least find resting points, walked into the camp.

They were on guard at who exactly we all were at first. This was due to them not even knowing what had happened within the city. They were expecting us to all be back there. After finding out what had happened though, they all began to relax a bit.

Much like before, the head ranger soon came to where Pavitra was, in his hand was a rough map of the valley. Or at least what they had explored so far. The valley as she guessed, opened up massively as it neared the overside of the mountains. The river also followed out that end as well, aside from that there was not much else that she did not know. The only other thing was that the ranger said that there were a lot of grasslands, the other side.

Hearing this Pavitra thought to herself for a small moment. She was wondering at how fertile the land would be, on the other side. If it was fertile, she could grow all of the food that she would ever need and then some more to sell. No matter what, food was always going to be a valuable commodity in trade and the price would always be good.

Then as she looked at the map, she saw that there were a few open spots in the woodland then there was a question mark over one area. Looking at that she was a bit confused. "Why is there a question mark here?" She asked.

The ranger looked up, he seemed to know what she meant already. "I put that on there, we did not explore the woods but, when I was looking at the mountains, they seemed to open up in that area. Though if they actually do or not, I do not know. So that is why there is a question mark." 

Pavitra after hearing all of this then nodded her head. The ranger seeing this finally left the space in which Pavitra was standing. As he walked away he passed straight by Shourya, the two shared a small and quick glance, which went by unseen from all of the people who were by them.

Then Pavitra just carried on looking at her map, this was her land. Her hands shook a little bit as she held onto the small piece of paper. Until now she had not related what she had really been given. It was so much, then as she looked at the now-shaking map. Suddenly, a hand appeared. Holding onto hers, making it so that the map was still.

Her eyes quickly darted up, looking to see who had touched her. Rage was filling her eyes and then as she saw him, it all passed away as if nothing was there at all. 

Shourya, as he held onto her shaking hands saw the small look that passed by her eyes. In that small moment, he felt like he did not know her at all. Then as she returned to normal, ignoring whatever had come to her. He felt a bit weird. 

In the end, he let go of her. Not sure how she was feeling, or really wanting. Ever since he had met her again, all he had felt was confusion from her. She seemed to be feeling everything and nothing all at once.

In his mind, their relationship could only be described as complicated. Though in the deep and far reaches of his mind, all he wanted was things to be as they were before he had been forced to leave.

He knew though, that this could never be the case again, then he suddenly felt a sharp sting in his cheek.

Alongside that there was a crisp, Crack!

She had slapped him!

He just looked at her in shock and confusion. His mouth was gaping open wide as he tried to process why that had all happened. She soon answered the unasked question though.

"Do you not know that it is rude to stare at someone?! Let alone a lady!" Her words were almost shrieked out, though she managed to regain control of her voice before it went too high. 

Shourya, though had no idea what he had done, upon hearing her. He looked down to the floor embarrassed. Even his face was now slightly red. His left cheek is redder than the right cheek. This was from the slap which she had given him.

As the two were arguing, well Pavitra scolding him. People began to arrive for the meeting of which she had just summoned. Most of them chuckled a bit at seeing how the two were acting. Though a few people did not. These were namely the newest additions to the group, the general, and his subordinates. They found the whole thing to be wrong and everything that Shourya had done to be disrespectful.

Just as they were about to say something, more people began to arrive and the two in question. Separated themselves from each other, going to their relevant places. 

Pavitra, now focusing on the group that was arriving looked around at each and every face that she could now see. There were so many people, from soldiers to merchants. Mages and officials. Everything that she could get and use for this task.

These were here people, on what is now her land. It was time for them to really begin to plan for the future. The meeting here was for one thing though. Where would they begin to build their first city? They had plenty of land to chose from, to build a city or well for now it would be more of a town. 

"Ok, so we are here at last. On what will be my new territory. We will need to decide though, where we shall build the capital. It should be within the capital, just where do we build it?"