Regarding Katya

Faye Zahir is walking from the southward wearing a comfortable looking cotton work suits. However, on her hands are some bloodied bandages covered her fingers, as if she had some rough times in the field.

"They'll callous," Gabriella murmurs softly, her arms folded across her chest as she walks beside the young girl. "I promise. I've always teased Duhnen that someday, he'll be tired of his sunburnt, calloused wife."

Faye Zahir smiles as she looks at Gabriella, "But still, you're very beautiful, Gabby." She raises her hand to wipe her sweats as she speaks, "But I think I will have to wear some hat......my skin easily blisters under the direct sunlight."

Gabriella nods her head slowly, chewing softly on her lower lip. "Hmmm," she considers, her eyes moving towards the Keep. "I'll speak to Rowena.. perhaps she can find a sort of mixture to help protect you. In the meantime, we'll have another healer look at you?"

Faye Zahir smiles as she nods, "Thank you, Gabby. I'll do my best to help you, too." She hums as she turns her eyes at the keep as she speaks, "I hope Katya is being well today. Perhaps I'll have to sing for her before she gets asleep."

Gabriella smiles at this and reaches out to place a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I was just about to ask if she was keeping you up at night. Duhnen and I can move her into our room, if she's much trouble."

Faye Zahir shakes her head, "She's really lovely. In my home, I was the youngest of all the siblings, and no one liked me. But Katya really loves me, and I do love her, too. I often feel like she is my real sister." She smiles a bit at Gabriella.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger," Gabriella laughs merrily, shaking her head. "Ah, so much like a Seamel. I'm glad that you care for her, and that she cares for you. My children can use all the friends they can get, hmm?"

Faye Zahir smiles as she speaks, "I will always protect her, and teach her what I can. I think she will be grown up as a really beautiful and gentle lady, like you."

"I hope to the Light she's not gentle!" Gabriella answers with a merry laugh, stopping to place her hands on her hips. "Everything you see here, Faye?" she murmurs, her eyes dancing. "It was not won by gentle submission."

Faye Zahir slowly turns her eyes around as she speaks, "I know......I know that sometimes fight is necessary, not only physical but also political," she sighs a bit as she says, "But I hope she wouldn't have to."

"Katya will have to fight for everything," Gabriella answers with a faint smile. "For she is unwanted, an undesirable.. proof that love conquers class. I will do everything I can to make her path an easy one, but in the end.. there will be many battles I won't be able to fight for her. Giving her the name of a Lady is easy.. forcing everyone to accept it is impossible."

Faye Zahir blinks, turning her eyes at Gabriella as she speaks, "What do you mean, she is unwanted and undesirable?" She slightly frowns as she speaks, "What's wrong with her? I don't think she have any deformities like me."

"I did not birth Katya," Gabriella answers, giving another faint smile. "And Duhnen did not conceive her. She is the daughter of his cousin and a keep maid, two people who loved each other very, very much. Unfortunately, the world cares little for love."

Faye Zahir bites her lip as she hears Gabriella's words. "I was same. My father already had a wife when he met my mother. I think she wasn't one of the noble kind and my relatives didn't like it, but my father married with my mother." She sighs a bit as she speaks, "My father's first wife really hated me, and sometimes, I thought that she likes to whip me for no particular reason."

"Your father had two wives?" Gabriella asks, furrowing her brow and looking aside to Faye. "Are you sure of that? The Emperor would be quite upset.. are you sure he didn't have her for a mistress, instead? And your family permitted you to take the Zahir name?"

Faye Zahir slowly turns her eyes at Gabriella as she speaks, "My father had two wives, and it angered both my grandfather and the emperor, but shortly after my mother gave birth of me, she ran away with other man. The emperor didn't like it, I guess, but at least he allowed me to bear the name of Zahir. But......I think my family wouldn't hate me that much if I didn't have that family name."

Gabriella considers this for a long while before nodding her head. "That is an odd tale," she murmurs with a slight shrug. "Well, none of it matters. You're safe here, regardless of your parents' actions. None of us are perfect, hmm?"

Faye Zahir sighs as she speaks, "I sometimes think my own existance is a curse, no matter how much I love or hate my own family. I sometimes wish I would never born." She bites her lower lip rather painfully as she turns her eyes away.

"Ah, now, that's a lie," Gabriella says, folding her arms across her chest. No pity here.. she's dealt with Lomasas far, far too long. "You're quite happy to be alive. You have Katya, you're learning to work the fields.. you'll be absolutely fine. Quit this nonsense."

Faye Zahir slightly blushes a bit as she nods, "In here, I could feel the happiness that I have never imagined before." She slowly turns her eyes at Gabriella again as she speaks, "Most of all, I am really happy to be live with both you and Duhnen......and Katya, too." She thinks for a while, before she asks, "Do you really love Katya.....I mean, can you really love her as if she's really your daughter?"

"Katya is my daughter," Gabriella answers with a protective smile. "No one could tell me otherwise. I have Marai and Magnus now.. but Katya was always my first child. I remember the time I got soap in her eyes, when I first tried to bathe her.. the poor thing. I see myself in her, and Duhnen.."

Faye Zahir bites her lip as she speaks, "I will try my best to help her. I really hope she will be happy." She sighs as she speaks, "Because......she is much like me, I don't want to let her suffer like I was in my childhood."

Gabriella nods her head and smiles. "We'll all do our best to help her.. and the twins, and the children that will follow.." the young noblewoman says reassuringly. "Duhnen is a good man, and he won't let harm come to any of those he considers family."

Faye Zahir smiles a bit at Gabriella as she speaks, "I won't let that happen, either. I will do my best to help and protect you and your family."