Ralph and the Pixie

‘What of the other settlement?’ Satu asked them.

‘They will be told,’ Theuli replied. ‘I will see that a message is sent.’

‘I guess we had better start packing,’ Malina said. Then, as the shock of their situation set in, she put her hands to her mouth and sat down.

‘Rowf . . . he promised me,’ she sobbed.

Trying to comfort the weeping girl, Theuli tried thinking of something encouraging to say, but instead found herself saying in a hollow voice, ‘Pran often told me . . . that we should never make promises to each other . . .’

In painful recognition, Malina responded, ‘. . . that life may or may not let us keep. But . . . I made him promise anyway.’

Theuli swallowed; then, taking her determination in both hands, she took the sobbing young woman into her embrace.

‘You mustn’t despair,’ Theuli said quietly, rocking her. ‘You mustn’t give up hope. Not ever.’

‘But-’

‘Shush now. I’ve got you. We’ll face this together, you and I. We will get through this, some way, somehow. Now come, we must leave this place. By staying alive, you will give your husband something worth fighting- and living- for.’