The two women shared a look and at the same time, summed up every woman’s thoughts in a single, exasperated word: “Men!”
It was just at that moment Donovan entered the kitchen. He stopped, hand still on door, and stared. “Bad time, I take it?”
The two women looked at him, then each other, then laughed.
He nodded. “Bad time, got it,” he said and started to turn to leave.
Jasmyne set down her knife and stopped her son by grabbing his arm. “What do you need, darling?”
He looked from Jasmyne to Marleigh and back. “Nothing that cannot wait til you two are done discussing the pitfalls of…men,” he said the last word with mock-feminine disgust.
Marleigh and Jasmyne laughed. Donovan looked at Marleigh and blushed, a grin forming on his face. He really did love to make her laugh. Jasmyne observed her son and glanced at Marleigh, who was doing her best to pretend she was not being stared at by Donovan. Marleigh was smart, quick as a whip, and very grounding. She liked her. Even if Marleigh had been toying with Donovan, Jasmyne still liked her. Her own voice arrested her thoughts. “If you are sure, Donovan.”
He looked back at his mother and smiled. “Yes, I was… actually, no. This really cannot wait. Sorry to break up your… moment,” he said, making circular motions to each lady with his hands. “Riordan,” he stated.
“I know,” Marleigh said, her face serious and her eyes clearly worried.
“Should I…?” Donovan asked without asking.
Marleigh looked to Jasmyne as if the answer rested with the older woman. Jasmyne understood Marleigh’s unasked question and looked to her Son. She opened her mouth to start to respond when the rear door to the kitchen began to slide open. Jasmyne stared, mouth still open, as a giant of a man with a bone-white, featureless face, with tree branch-like antlers, and a patchwork cloak of feathers, furs, plants, and hides stood with two dead elk slung over his shoulders. Had she been holding anything, it would have fallen to the floor.
Donovan ran toward the creature, as did Marleigh. Or, at least, that was who she thought they were running towards. She had not noticed the man slumping against the giant.
“Riordan!” Marleigh gasped. “Oh, no! Donovan, help me! We need to get him to the baths!” She dipped herself under one of Riordan’s arms while Donovan took the other side. Mirodan stood, holding the elk and staring at Jasmyne. Jasmyne was as white as Mirodan’s mask.
Marleigh had said something that vaguely sounded like, “Jasmyne, meet Mirodan. Miro, Jasmyne…Donovan’s Mother!” the last being called over her shoulder as she and Donovan helped Riordan through the kitchen door toward the washroom.
The world seemed to slow as Jasmyne stood, staring. The world seemed to slowly collapse into her, sounds dampening under the increasing volume of her heartbeat. Then, all at once, sounds returned to normal, and her voice drowned them out in a single, blood-curdling shriek.
Mirodan hefted the elk to the ground on either side of him. This did not help Jasmyne feel any less terrified. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect. Eldwin and Gareth were through the kitchen doors in an instant. They looked at Jasmyne, seeming to ignore the Veshvari standing in the open doorway. “What is the matter?” Gareth asked quickly, trying to assess what damage must have been done to Jasmyne to solicit such a cry.
Slowly, and with unwavering eyes, she lifted a trembling finger to point at Mirodan. Eldwin and Gareth looked over to the Veshvari, then looked at each other. With a great deal of confusion on their faces, they looked back to Mirodan a moment, then to Jasmyne. “What?” Gareth asked.
“... !” Jasmyne replied.
Eldwin blinked, then he slowly began to laugh. He hugged Jasmyne tightly. She remained fixed on the Veshvari and stiff as a board. “That is Mirodan,” Eldwin began. “He is a race of people called the Veshvari. Trust me, he means you no harm.”
Her lips moved, trembling as they did so, but still, no sound came.
“Am hef elk,” Mirodan said. “Apologies for fright. Am Mirodan.” His voice sounded as if he were smiling warmly. Jasmyne took this opportunity to faint, relying on Eldwin and Gareth to gently guide her to the floor.