Her mind had been far too preoccupied with tending to the false sincerity that was needed to encourage every little lie that had slipped off of her tongue as she spoke to fully acknowledge the relieving feeling of her father's grip over her quickly loosening with each and every sentence that she would nervously spit out, but as her sense of awareness slowly crawled back to her, it served to both encourage and worry her. She had made the conscious decision to do this, to take the blame for K'mih after having nearly condemned her to her father's prying concerns, and yet the result for herself was something that she seemed to fear almost as much as she anxiously embraced it.
Regardless of how unreadable the nuhn may have thought himself, he did not hesitate long with revealing his complete disgust with the matter. Though her travelling glances were short and few in number, she could quickly detect even the most subtle of contortions as the nuhn recoiled in both horror and disbelief.
Not a moment too soon the girl had suddenly being relieved of the horrible intimacy that his leering and threatening presence had imposed upon her with the encounter. To be free his great weight against her was as much a blessing as it was a damnable curse, however. After all, she had achieved what she had intended from the second that she decided to defend K'mih... but simultaneously she had almost certainly lost everything that she had been looking to reclaim since the calamity had stolen her mind from her.
Yes, the girl had succeeded in her deceit. K'yohko Nuhn, her father, he now wholly believed that it was the elder daughter whom was in sin. Now at the very least she could be assured K'mih was safe from suspect; K'ile's unwanted knowledge of the matter could now be dismissed as mistaken identity should he ever seek the desire to bring it up for whatever sadistic intent he may yet harbour for the nuhn.
Yes, though not perfect, the deed had been done now... yet the little solace she had intended to achieve in the process was something that the girl struggled to tear away from the implicating shadows of consequence that now loomed over her. Even as she refrained from so easily submitting to the idea that the nuhn had not forsaken her to a life absent of his presence, a worrisome feeling continuously tore away at her heart as she lay there with her thoughts a moment longer.
With a near-noiseless heave, K'nahli slowly pushed herself up to a seated position as K'yohko slowly backed away from her. Her trembling hands folded inward across her chest to complete the anxiety-drunken form that sat shamefully before the purple-haired hunter. The man was a difficult person to read but that reaction was unmistakable, even for the short and indirect gazes that she could manage to bear against him in that moment... but of course, what else could he have felt from such a revelation? How could she have doubted him of something that came so naturally to everyone? K'mih was but an exception to many things... to think that she actually feared any other possible reaction from this.... what in the seven hells had she been thinking?
Pulling away her gaze from him yet again, K'nahli's fists tightened with the coming of a new thought. The repulsion he must have felt, the sickening feelings of disgust and despisal that he must have felt for her right now.... she could only imagine what it would have done to K'mih. Even as she continued to hold her own ill-conceived accusations against the man in her heart, even as she refused to so easily let go of the idea that he, before this, no longer had an interest in seeing her as a daughter anything like he saw K'mih... this was almost too much for her, as a willful daughter to bear. K'nahli certainly had hardened over the years and become a bitter shell of her former self, but to voluntarily create an even greater divide between herself and her father was something that she greatly lacked the capacity to remain truly resilient against, even now.
A shaken hand reached to soothingly massage the red band drawn across wrist of the other from where the nuhn's firm grip had held her down. It was strange how uncomfortable the distance she had moments ago so badly yearned for suddenly felt. Was this not the man whom she had felt complete and utter spite for not two minutes ago? Now he was leaving her well enough alone... and more.... yet the girl could not pull even an onze of satisfaction from the thought. She had not given up on those angry thoughts that had driven her into the position she now found herself in and yet the result felt far worse than she could have ever imagined it would have.
"We will never speak of this again" the nuhn's final words interrupted her thoughts before be swiftly turned his back on her to take his departure to what could only possibly be a more comfortable setting than the one she had provided. She, like him, found herself unable to look upon him fully even now as he had turned his back on her. Instead, his form lingered in the periphery of her vision - like a fleeting, dark shadow, quickly melting into the surrounding darkness.
".....I'm sorry.." the words finally slipped out, loud enough for him to hear, would he have let himself do so. Long had she wanted to sincerely say those words to her father since first truly angering him on the day that K'ailia had shamed them with her presence, but never had her pride easily allowed her the opportunity to do so.
The girl, however, still could not bring herself to even confirm that he had so much as heard her. Slowly she returned herself to her feet, maroon eyes painted through with the bleak appearance of loss as they focused absently on the ground below her.
For a few moments that, for her, seemed to drag on for several minutes, she remained alone and lost there in the silence of the darkening night before she would finally find herself greeted by yet another voice that had emerged from the wilderness.
"K'nahli? I thought you were out hunting?"
K'nahli's gaze half-heartedly searched for the source of the familiar voice though her expression loaned no new feelings to the moment, not anger, not embarrassment, not even a shy attempt to conceal her evidently torn out heart. Her gaze slowly scanned over K'tahjha with a look that lacked any form of interest or shame before slowly retreating back to the ground again.
"...Yes, I'll be leaving now" she added quietly, slowly taking a couple of steps forward to leave the curious girl behind her.
Regardless of how unreadable the nuhn may have thought himself, he did not hesitate long with revealing his complete disgust with the matter. Though her travelling glances were short and few in number, she could quickly detect even the most subtle of contortions as the nuhn recoiled in both horror and disbelief.
Not a moment too soon the girl had suddenly being relieved of the horrible intimacy that his leering and threatening presence had imposed upon her with the encounter. To be free his great weight against her was as much a blessing as it was a damnable curse, however. After all, she had achieved what she had intended from the second that she decided to defend K'mih... but simultaneously she had almost certainly lost everything that she had been looking to reclaim since the calamity had stolen her mind from her.
Yes, the girl had succeeded in her deceit. K'yohko Nuhn, her father, he now wholly believed that it was the elder daughter whom was in sin. Now at the very least she could be assured K'mih was safe from suspect; K'ile's unwanted knowledge of the matter could now be dismissed as mistaken identity should he ever seek the desire to bring it up for whatever sadistic intent he may yet harbour for the nuhn.
Yes, though not perfect, the deed had been done now... yet the little solace she had intended to achieve in the process was something that the girl struggled to tear away from the implicating shadows of consequence that now loomed over her. Even as she refrained from so easily submitting to the idea that the nuhn had not forsaken her to a life absent of his presence, a worrisome feeling continuously tore away at her heart as she lay there with her thoughts a moment longer.
With a near-noiseless heave, K'nahli slowly pushed herself up to a seated position as K'yohko slowly backed away from her. Her trembling hands folded inward across her chest to complete the anxiety-drunken form that sat shamefully before the purple-haired hunter. The man was a difficult person to read but that reaction was unmistakable, even for the short and indirect gazes that she could manage to bear against him in that moment... but of course, what else could he have felt from such a revelation? How could she have doubted him of something that came so naturally to everyone? K'mih was but an exception to many things... to think that she actually feared any other possible reaction from this.... what in the seven hells had she been thinking?
Pulling away her gaze from him yet again, K'nahli's fists tightened with the coming of a new thought. The repulsion he must have felt, the sickening feelings of disgust and despisal that he must have felt for her right now.... she could only imagine what it would have done to K'mih. Even as she continued to hold her own ill-conceived accusations against the man in her heart, even as she refused to so easily let go of the idea that he, before this, no longer had an interest in seeing her as a daughter anything like he saw K'mih... this was almost too much for her, as a willful daughter to bear. K'nahli certainly had hardened over the years and become a bitter shell of her former self, but to voluntarily create an even greater divide between herself and her father was something that she greatly lacked the capacity to remain truly resilient against, even now.
A shaken hand reached to soothingly massage the red band drawn across wrist of the other from where the nuhn's firm grip had held her down. It was strange how uncomfortable the distance she had moments ago so badly yearned for suddenly felt. Was this not the man whom she had felt complete and utter spite for not two minutes ago? Now he was leaving her well enough alone... and more.... yet the girl could not pull even an onze of satisfaction from the thought. She had not given up on those angry thoughts that had driven her into the position she now found herself in and yet the result felt far worse than she could have ever imagined it would have.
"We will never speak of this again" the nuhn's final words interrupted her thoughts before be swiftly turned his back on her to take his departure to what could only possibly be a more comfortable setting than the one she had provided. She, like him, found herself unable to look upon him fully even now as he had turned his back on her. Instead, his form lingered in the periphery of her vision - like a fleeting, dark shadow, quickly melting into the surrounding darkness.
".....I'm sorry.." the words finally slipped out, loud enough for him to hear, would he have let himself do so. Long had she wanted to sincerely say those words to her father since first truly angering him on the day that K'ailia had shamed them with her presence, but never had her pride easily allowed her the opportunity to do so.
The girl, however, still could not bring herself to even confirm that he had so much as heard her. Slowly she returned herself to her feet, maroon eyes painted through with the bleak appearance of loss as they focused absently on the ground below her.
![[Image: 320dad1fc2.png]](http://puu.sh/cFGcx/320dad1fc2.png)
For a few moments that, for her, seemed to drag on for several minutes, she remained alone and lost there in the silence of the darkening night before she would finally find herself greeted by yet another voice that had emerged from the wilderness.
"K'nahli? I thought you were out hunting?"
K'nahli's gaze half-heartedly searched for the source of the familiar voice though her expression loaned no new feelings to the moment, not anger, not embarrassment, not even a shy attempt to conceal her evidently torn out heart. Her gaze slowly scanned over K'tahjha with a look that lacked any form of interest or shame before slowly retreating back to the ground again.
"...Yes, I'll be leaving now" she added quietly, slowly taking a couple of steps forward to leave the curious girl behind her.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
