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"Now, then! I was Kanden Fira's best friend! He ast' me to-"
"He ast' yoo bullocks!"
"Issat right?"
"Aye! Aye, so it is! On me father's grave, so I swear. I knew the man an' 'is kin joost as well as thee did."
"Fie! And Fie again!"

They didn't even notice Saure trudge from their heated little semi-circle. She walked slowly, in a daze, dragging her feet. She felt that her knees might buckle at any minute.
She stumbled into the green-shed, supporting her weight on an empty grow-bench. The world had gone a wavery haze behind her tears.
Feroy broke away from the angry, arguing mini-mob, and followed her. He closed the rickety, splintered door behind him and drew a warm arm across the poor girl's shoulders. She threw him off with a surprising burst of energy.

"We're only jus' tryin' to help, Saure…" he caressed her small, wet chin with a rough forefinger and thumb, turning her face to his and looking into those big, reddened violet eyes.
"I know. You do more harm than aid. I don't want to speak to anyone and I don't want to have anything to do with either of your families." She lifted her chin from his hand and turned away. Hot tears splattered the old gray wood of the grow-bench.
Feroy bit his lip, looking at his well-worn boots. "I can ken yer feelings, m'lady. I mean… I can s… sim… augh…"
"Sympathize." she corrected.
"Aye, that's what I meant. Yer so smart, Saure… I'm glad ye don't talk as us simple folken anymore. It makes thee special…"
"Hn. What good my being special has done for my situation, I'll never ken. Your kin are out there, squabbling over the right to own me... since my masters have perished…" Her lip quivered and she choked down a sob rising painfully in her throat.
Feroy looked to her lowered head, a sad smile gracing his thin, chapped lips. "It's not so bad, Saure… I mean… if ye came to live with us… we could be… together… all the time…

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you know, I'd like that…"
Saure sniffed in a deep breath, clenching her long nails into her palms, and screamed.
"LEAVE ME BE!! ALL OF YOU!! LEAVE ME!!"

Feroy blundered out of the green-shed, stuffing his hands forcefully into his pockets. The folken had quieted as well, upon hearing this outburst.
Feroy opened his arms, touching kinfolk and neighbor on the shoulder and beckoning them come away.
"She needs some time. Kennit, she just needs to mourn in solitude for a bit. Come, then, let's leave her be."

---

After the folken had dissipated, Saure went silently into the farmhouse and closed the door. She crawled up to her loft and tucked herself into a corner to lament.
Fred, who had been warming himself by the fireplace, leapt up to the loft and nudged Saure's shoulder. She waved a weak hand at his snout, warding him away.
"I heard everything, sweetling."
She curled into a tighter ball of sorrow and simpered. He nuzzled the back of her neck, breathing away her hair and licking her softly. He lay down beside her, draping a paw over her quaking frame, and said nothing. They stayed that way for a long time.