Copyright of Nanna Marker 2010.
*
"Nicely done, Lei," said the healer, appreciatively eyeing Lei's empty plate. "Now let me see your mouth."
Lei took a sip of water, swooshed it around, and swallowed, then obediently opened her mouth for the healer to inspect, and closed her eyes.
The healer raised her bright-glow and, without further ado, prodded and looked.
"You didn't bite your cheeks even once," praised the healer. "That's excellent. We can keep you on real food now." The healer retracted her probing fingers from Lei's mouth. "It's time to gorge."
Lei sighed, she didn't feel much like gorging. Her sense of taste was still funky. Everything tasted strange.
"Has all this time on the ground made you forget that you are a moth?" asked the healer. "You have to gorge or all that flying around will starve you to death."
"I haven't been doing any flying around," objected Lei.
"No. But it's time you do," stated the healer. "Walking, flying, running. It's time to get you back in shape."
"My lips are still swollen," objected Lei.
"Only enough to make you look funny," said the healer. "It will pass."
"I should stay inside some days longer," insisted Lei.
"No," snapped the healer.
"But..."
"No!" The healer raised an arm and sternly pointed to her door. "Get out."
"Please." Lei dug her fingers into the bunk's bedding. "Let me stay."
"Out!" insisted the healer, and grabbed hold of one of Lei's upper arms.
With surprising strength, the woman pulled Lei to her feet, dragged her to the door, and shoved it open. Outside, the last orange light of sunset was fading away.
Lei grabbed for the door frame and clutched it tight.
"Please," she begged.
"No," said the healer, and, four arms around Lei's torso, pulled her from the door.
"Lei?" asked Black's voice from somewhere close by, and Lei covered her face with her hands.
"Baltin has made a bed for her in the big hall," said the healer, still holding on to Lei. "But don't let her spend too much time in it, she needs exercise. Make sure she eats a lot. I'll come check on her sometime tomorrow."
Then the healer let go of her, went back inside, and slammed her door shut. Lei sank to her knees. Her hands were getting wet. She was crying.
"Lei?" asked Black, and touched her shoulder.
"Go away," sobbed Lei.
"Why?" snarled Black.
"Please, just go away."
"No," snarled Black. "I'm done with just going away."
"Really, Lei," sounded Hinea's voice, "don't you think you are taking this vanity thing a tad too far?"
"Stay away from her," snarled Black.
"I'm just trying to help," complained Hinea.
"Back off, busybody," snarled Black.
"Really, Black. That was completely uncalled for. I..."
Lei bowed her face even lower and kept it covered by her hands.
"That's enough, Hinea," sounded Baltin's voice. "It's time to leave the young couple to themselves. Let's all give them some privacy."
Lei heard the soft sounds of people wandering off, but she didn't care about an audience of beetles. It was Black who needed to leave. Lei remained still and listened. After a while, all she could hear was distant sounds. Maybe Black had left too.
Hesitantly, she raised her head, and peeked out between her fingers. She saw hard-treaded village ground, and the healer's hut, from which she had just been evicted, and a bit further off she saw normal village homes. But there was no sign of Black.
Lei got to her feet, and, still holding her hands over her face, glanced about more thoroughly. It seemed he had chosen to respect her wishes after all. Lei wiped her eyes, lowered her hands, and took a deep breath of fresh air.
It wasn't as if she hadn't longed to get out of the healer's hut. She just didn't want Black to see her.
Nervously Lei turned this way and that, scouting for him. She missed him horribly, but the mere thought of him seeing her like that, her lips protruding like a snout, made her stomach hurt with anxiety.
"I don't get it," sounded Black's voice. It came from the roof of the healer's hut.
Lei shrieked, covered her face, and turned away from him.
"Lay off it," snarled Black.
She heard him landing in front of her and tightened her hold on her face.
"It's too late for that nonsense," snarled Black. "I've seen it now. So just lay off it."
"I'm ugly," sobbed Lei.
"What off it?" snarled Black. "Who cares?"
"You're supposed to think I'm beautiful," sobbed Lei.
"Get over it."
Lei jumped off the ground and unfolded her wings. To her surprise she landed before that first wind-catching flap. Her legs were weaker than they had been two weeks earlier. Her wings felt weak too.
"I've waited a long time," snarled Black, and jumped above her, to her front. "Your exercise can wait a few moments longer."
"Please, just go away," sobbed Lei.
"You're hurting me," yelled Black, into her hand-covered face.
Lei recoiled and hid her eyes too.
"Why are you hurting me?" snarled Black.
"I'm sorry," sobbed Lei. "Just, please, don't look at me. I'm ugly."
"I don't care," snarled Black. "It doesn't matter what you look like."
"The seer said you would think I am beautiful," sobbed Lei. "You're supposed to think I am beautiful. What will happen if you see me ugly?"
"Nothing happened," whined Black, and curled legtips around her arms. "Don't send me away. I'll be a good slave, just don't send me away."
"You're not making sense," sobbed Lei.
"Neither are you," sobbed Black.
"Please, don't cry," wept Lei.
"Then stop hurting me," snarled Black.
---==(o)==---
"And then she handed me a tiny fork," narrated his Lei, gathering her fingers till there was almost no air between them.
Kokata cuddled even closer against her back and daringly allowed a legtip to rest between her naked legs.