Page 41 of Return of the Nine

She took a deep breath and said one word. “Tokkel.”

He stiffened and nodded. “I see.”

She glanced up at him and really doubted that he did.

Chapter Three

Daphne had never had a more restless night. Her parents’ screams of shock and pain as the landing party came down and took samples of the settlers rang in her mind. With only a blind panic, she had hidden in the woods, watching the ship sweep her loved ones away from her, unable to even cry out.

Two hours after dawn, dark circles under her eyes, she poured herself a cup of tea and looked out at the protective ring of forest that enclosed her.

“This isn’t doing me any good.” Her cupboard was bare as it normally was these days. She had not yet been paid for her service at the reception. That event was to have set her up for a few days.

Daphne slipped into her trousers and tunic, moving into the forest to look for some berries or other edibles.

A shadow moved, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“Good morning, Ms. Hallow. I wish you a good day.” Apolan moved into the brighter light and inclined his head.

“Good morning, Ambassador Leoraki. Why are you skulking in the shadows?”

He held out a basket that contained a loaf of bread, a selection of meats and cheeses and some fruit.

“When you invited me in for tea last night, I snooped. I noted that your cupboard was bare and could not have you starting your new duties on an empty stomach.” He gestured with his head, and when she stood still, he passed her and went on to her small house in the green shadows.

Bemused and not a little enticed by the food he carried, she followed him back to her house.

Apolan looked her up and down. “Is that a common clothing choice here on Gaia?”

She blushed, “No. I wear this for foraging.”

“And no shoes?”

“The forest doesn’t demand them. There are no noxious plants here, and so, I can run around without shoes.”

She watched as he removed plates, cups and cutlery as if he lived in the home with her. “You really were paying attention.”

“As my assistant, your well-being is now my concern. Arvina has obtained a seamstress from the ship. She and her assistant will be here this afternoon, so we will have to start a little earlier than I intended.”

He swiftly portioned the food with the ease of long practice. There was more on her plate than she would eat in three meals, but she sat across the kitchen table and ate what he offered her.

“Why don’t you live closer to the settlement?” Apolan’s question hit on her problem.

“Um. I can’t afford to. My parents were legal archivists who wanted me to live a life of the mind. I studied for years, absorbing every bit of history and learning every skill I could. Then, the Tokkel attacked. My parents were killed in the first strike. I was left with only this house to call my own. I sold what I could while I grieved, and from there, I sought out the jobs that would take me. With no job history and everything in chaos, there were plenty of small jobs to do, but with no family left, I had no one to help me ease into a steady position. Family is everything here on Gaia, and I now have no one so I get along as best I can.”

He seemed shocked by her statement, but he kept quiet. They ate together, and when she stopped, he stopped. His plate was nearly empty, so she lifted a piece of fruit to her lips and nibbled slowly.

Apolan quickly finished his meal. She stopped and put theremains in the storage unit. She could get two days of meals out of what was left on that plate.

“Excuse me a moment while I get dressed.” Biting her lip, she went to her closet and selected sober wear with an elegant finish. They were leftover from her days as a reasonably well-to-do student. The shoes pinched but suited the clothing. They were going to be hell to walk in, but they matched the loose silken trousers and the buttoned tunic.

When she reappeared, Apolan got to his feet and frowned. “It will suit for today, but it is not appropriate for much more than this week.”

Daphne was embarrassed. “I apologise. I have not needed clothing with any formality for years.”

He immediately came to her and gripped her arms. His skin was deep brown with a green tinge, and his touch was tight but not confining. “I do not take you to task for your clothing, but I think that the fashions of the Nine will suit you well. The sooner we can get you looking the part of my assistant, the better.”

She sighed in relief. “I didn’t want to be inappropriate on my first day of a job that no one has seen before.”

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