Stargate Atlantis: Origins - Episode II

Episode II: Truce

Lor’shaska roused from slumber with a sudden jolt. A surge of adrenaline rushed through her body. Where was she? This was not her bed chambers! Scanning the area, she groaned at the stiffness of her body. Sleeping against a concrete wall was not the best for posture. Her heart rate quickened at the unfamiliar surroundings and noise. It took a moment for the events of the previous night to resurface in her mind. Mentally scolding herself for falling asleep, she noticed her brother was still gone. The guards had not returned him during the night. Silently saying a prayer for his safety, Lor’shaska rubbed the back of her neck.

The reason Ali’quedians had survived for so long were three simple rules. The first rule was to never betray the people; never expose the secrets. There were seven different tribes on her planet. All of the clans pertained to their particular element; water, fire, wind, earth, twilight, lightning, and metal. Each respected the other and all was well. The second rule was to put family first. It was important to care and provide for members. No one was to be left behind or forgotten. The third rule was to respect the goddess and her wishes. She was the giver of the elements and the ability to control them. All life had value and was to be cherished. Nothing and no one was to be treated as inferior.

How she missed the salt in the air and the sound of the waves. Her bedchambers were in the highest of the towers overlooking the cliff side. Hell, she would have gladly awoken to the blaring noise of one of her brother’s musical instruments if it just meant the two of them were home. Where were her people? Surely her father had sent warriors to look for her and Wysen’urth. It troubled her to think of the Genii having a chance of stopping her people. No, something might have happened. Some lie must have been told. Her people would be here. Lor’shaska had to keep faith.

Sighing, Lor’shaska was rather bored. As long as there was no one watching her cell, she supposed it was all right to practice. A pipe was dripping water on the ceiling. It was a slow drip, but enough to cause a puddle on the floor. Reaching her hand out toward the water, she stared intensely. Slowly, but surely, the water began to move back and forth. The puddle grew in size and then shrank back to normal. Flexing a come-hither motion with her index finger, the combined droplets levitated off the ground and floated over to her. Separating the liquid into three triplet balls, she twirled them in her palm.

Feeling eyes on her, Lor’shaska said nothing.

“You control water.” The Wraith remarked as he observed through the bars.

“Yes,” She replied, “not as well as my siblings, though.”

“Why not cut the bars and escape?”

“And reveal the secrets of my people?” She scoffed, “Never.”

“The ancestors know these supposed ‘secrets’ of yours.” The alien scowled.

“The ancestors are responsible for our creation as well as yours.” Lor’shaska responded crossly as she shot the Wraith a dirty look, “Not one of their shining achievements if you ask me… or any other human for that matter.”

The Wraith hissed angrily.

“You humans think you own the universe.” He accused bitterly.

“We humans think it is wrong to take a life!”

“Even humans have murderers!”

The water she was controlling suddenly froze solid from her anger.

“All of your kind, all Wraiths are murderers!”

It was like talking to a brick wall. Humans and Wraith would never understand each other, would they? There was too much difference; too much fear. Then again, Lor’shaska knew the fear of the unknown always made people do stupid and irrational things. If mankind and Wraith ever reached a mutual understanding, Lor’shaska would be amazed. Who knew for sure? If it occurred in her lifestyle, she would be shocked.

“Wraith must feed in order to live.” He said, rather calmly, “Hunger burns terribly, like a fire raging inside. It pains us not to feed. Do humans not hurt or get sickly if they do not consume food? Tell me, Lor’shaska… have you ever known starvation?”

He had her there.

“No,” She answered honestly, “I have not.”

“Then perhaps you judge too quickly.”

She snorted.

“Perhaps if I wasn’t your food, then I wouldn’t.” Lor’shaska countered as she returned the water to its original spot on the floor, “You look at me and think yummy.”

The lady was not prepared for what happened next. The Wraith started laughing. He was amused by her words? Maybe the way she stated her words was not the best. Now that she thought it over, it probably was not the greatest way to say she looked appetizing for a Wraith’s next meal. Wysen’urth would have probably snickered too, as humorous as he was. Usually she was very good with speaking effectively and clearly. It was one of the many reasons she was an ambassador. Maybe the stress was getting to her head.

“You are right.” The Wraith snickered with his jagged teeth showing from grinning, “You, however, are too interesting to be food.”

“So what, I’d be a worshipper instead?” Lor’shaska joked.

“I was pondering upon the option of personal companion or handmaiden to a queen.” He smirked as he teased her, “A hive commander or a queen would enjoy having you. For some reason, commanders enjoy female humans with a bit of spitfire and queens love stubborn ones to break.”

“… did you just say I’d be a good pleasure slave to a Wraith?” The lady asked with her mouth agape. She was not sure if to be offended, insulted, or flattered. The Wraith she had read about in history books took no pets. Lor’shaska told the extraterrestrial with the corner of her lip tugging upward, “If my brother heard you say that, he’d find a way to strangle you through those bars.”

“I doubt he would succeed, but he would be welcome to try.”

Lor’shaska giggled.

“I agree, but insults would be flying.”

The Wraith opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.

There was clanging against the bars of the cell. She heard chattering. Three guards were walking down the corridor, knocking a pole against the bars. Those men could not be up to any good, especially when carrying those beating rods. Did that bastard Cowen send them to fetch her since Wysen’urth would not talk? Lor’shaska waited for the soldiers to drag her kicking and screaming down the passageway but the group passed by her. Confused, the lady gradually got to her feet and peeked out of her confinement. The only other prisoner down in this hole was the Wraith.

Recalling the monster’s odd behavior yesterday, the lady swallowed thickly. A twisted feeling was starting to settle in her gut. Never did a formidable Wraith show apprehension due to a human. Even when humans had weapons, the Wraith were not deterred from cullings or feedings. Nothing ever scared them. The Wraith were pretty much violence incarnate. The life-sucking alien was the monster every living soul feared. So it begged the question, what were these men doing to the demon to make him recoil from their very presence?

“It seems the princess is awake!” One guard exclaimed as he attempted to be dapper with a mock curtsy. Honestly, Lor’shaska was somewhat surprised he could bow with his big belly in the way. She could smell the alcohol on his breath from last night’s dinner. Food was stuck in his mustache, mingled with the intoxicating drink. It was obvious the man was still influenced by the mead.

“Oh, she is?” Another laughed as he slung his arm around his friend’s shoulders, “What luck! It seems you are just in time for your entertainment!”

Lor’shaska kept her composure about her. Standing straight and keeping a stern face, the lady inquired coolly as she straightened out her skirts, “And what is to be my source of ‘entertainment’ as you call it?”

Her statement earned nothing but a chorus of laughter. For now, she would play along in this silly game of theirs. Maybe if the men were still a little loose tongued from the drinking, she could find out how her brother was. Worried for Wysen’urth, Lor’shaska could swallow her pride for her brother. Normally, she would not take this kind of mockery and see to it that a fit punishment was carried out immediately. In this situation, however, the lady had to go along with it.

The young Genii guard with brown hair lazily leaned against the bars of her cell with a grin. Was he trying to be a flirt in his current manner? How foolish men could be when hung over or slightly tipsy. He smoothed back his curls with one hand while he gestured with the other. In his palm, he held a metal rod. It was at least an inch thick in diameter. At a closer glance, Lor’shaska observed dried blood. It was too dark to be human blood.

“Don’t worry, your highness,” He reached through the bars and grasped her hand, placing a kiss upon it. “I assure you this leisure will be to your liking!” This was a pathetic attempt at being charming, she knew. Did he really think she would fall for this folly? Finding it difficult not to slap him, Lor’shaska causally returned her hand to her side.

“Will it now?”

“Oh yes, princess,” He assured her, “You see, we were quite unsuccessful in our attempts to get your brother to talk.” Well, that was nothing new. Of course Wysen’urth would not talk, no matter what was threatened. Her brother was probably riddled with bruises now but he was strong. He would be all right; he had to be. “Commander Koyla was displeased with our progress and relieved us of interrogating, so,” the guard gave a most dramatic sigh of displeasure, “we are stuck on night watch for the next three weeks and we’re not happy about it.”

This was getting better and better by the minute, wasn’t it? Lor’shaska had to force herself to keep from smiling. Her people would be proud of her brother. Wysen’urth’s will was sturdy. He was trained to endure and survive. The Genii would not be able to break it no matter how hard they tried.

“In order to let off a little steam, we’re going to vent our frustration on a particular someone most deserving of some pain.” The chubby guard explained as he twirled the beating rod in his hand.

A shudder traveled down Lor’shaska’s spine.

“Don’t look so worried,” The charmer snickered, “Cowen gave strict orders for you not to be harmed, no, no. The Wraith, however,” His eyes traveled to the predatory alien, “unless he’s serving a specific purpose… he’s free game.”

Her eyes went wide.

“We would happily let you join in on the fun but,” The flirt said with a sing-song tone while shaking one finger, “we can’t risk you escaping.”

As the three men entered the alien’s cell, the Wraith slowly stood. Weak from not feeding, it was an effort to even stand! He was not surprised by the soldiers’ presence, only a bit tense. This was a usual occurrence, happening every week or so. These particular guards always came to torment him. Whether it was beating him senseless or shooting him for fun, the men enjoyed causing him pain. Since his wrists were shackled to the belt, he could not fight back against them. Remaining expressionless, the Wraith refused to give the Genii the satisfaction of seeing him cower.

“To what do I owe this visit?” The Wraith inquired contemptuously, “Or did you simply miss my company?”

The sardonic remark earned a strike across the face. The metal rod collided with the alien’s jaw with a horrible thwack. Lor’shaska clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping. Grunting, the Wraith stumbled nearly losing his balance. It was a hard wallop, but not enough to break bone. Blood was dripping down his chin from a split lip.

“Enjoy the show, princess.”

The blows never ceased. There was another strike to his jaw and then an upward cut to his chin. For a while, the Wraith endured the bashing, trying to shield his face with his chained hands. It was a pathetic attempt at trying to stave off some of the hurt. He was now backed into a corner. The guards assaulted his ribs, causing the Wraith to inhale sharply here and there. The metal fractured the bone due to the repeating onslaught.

A boot to the knee caused the Wraith to topple to the floor. He tried to scramble to his feet, but the effort was in vain. A harsh kick to the back knocked him flat on his stomach. The fat guard slipped his rod under the Wraith’s throat and pulled upward as he kept his boot in-between the alien’s shoulders. Choking, the Wraith struggled wildly as he tried to shove at the bar. His fighting instincts started at the lack of air. Grunting when the charmer grabbed the chain which secured his left hand, the Wraith froze in place.

“If you beg us to stop,” He taunted as he tugged on the chain, “I promise not to break your arm. What do you say?”

The angle was highly uncomfortable. The foot amid his shoulder blades kept him from lifting himself up to pull his arm back to his side. Gritting his teeth, the Wraith would not give the Genii what they desired. He would not grovel or beg for this pain to be over with sooner. He knew the men would not keep their pledge. It was easy to see their thoughts while the lots of them were intoxicated. Jerking as the guard pulled harder as a warning, he closed his yellow eyes tightly.

The Genii warned, “Last chance, Wraith.”

Seeing the alien was not going to plead with him, the Genii guard slammed his foot on Wraith’s upper arm to keep it still. The stupid beast did not know when to beg, did it? Well, a lesson had to be taught! Wrapping the chain around his palms, he handed the slack to the other solider. Smirking, he nodded to his fellow guard. Gripping the chain tightly, the both of them heaved at the same time.

The bone cracked and the sound echoed off the walls. Crying out in pain, the Wraith thrashed about anew. His claws dug into the concrete floor. The bone had ripped through the skin and was now jutting against the fabric of his clothing. If only he could fight! But his feeding hand was rendered useless due to the metal lock! If he could not feed, then he could die! Now, with his left arm flopping at his side, he could not even defend himself! The thought made him panic. He was going to die down here in this hellhole like a caged animal. Even with his persistent scuffling, it did him no good in his waning state.

The Genii guards still did not relent in their torture. Lor’shaska had resulted to closing her eyes and covering her ears. The Wraith would not stop screaming. The men simply laughed at the alien’s anguished cries. He held up his good hand as if to will them away and block the attacks, but the soldiers ignored his silent plea to stop. When would this end?! It seemed to be stretched out in time. Over and over, the guards raised the rods and brought them down upon the Wraith. The continuous thudding sound was sickening. The fiend was no longer howling, but the guards still continued!

The final straw was when the guard with brass rings kept striking the Wraith. While the others held the beast under his arms, the other rained punches upon the creature. The monster was hanging limp in their hold. Even though he was still breathing, it was a terrible wheezing gasp. Lor’shaska suspected one of the rib bones had punctured a lung due to his ragged breathing. She winched as a blow to the face cracked against the alien’s jaw. The fractured ribs broke further from another strike. The Wraith was not going to survive this beating. The men were too inebriated to realize how far this was going. The Genii men were killing him. This had to stop now!

“Stop it!” Lor’shaska shouted at the Genii men as she threw her hands down away from her ears. The noise had to stop; it had to. The lady was not sure how much more she would be able to stand. She was unable to tolerate the torture any longer. It was too much for her not to say something. Torture was frowned upon in her society. Even though the Wraith was a taker of life, she could not bring herself to believe any living being deserved this kind of treatment. She said, shakily, “Stop it… please.”

“What’s wrong, princess?”

“Not enjoying the show?”

“Please, just… stop it.” She placed a hand over her mouth, trying to quell the nausea rising in her body. The scent of blood was so thick in the air it was making her feel sick to her stomach. “I can’t bare it any longer.”

“Looks like our princess doesn’t have a strong stomach.” The charmer snickered as he shoved the Wraith to the floor. The alien groaned as he tried to push himself up on his undamaged arm. It looked like he was having a fit from the effort to do so. From head to toe, he was shaking. Laughing at the Wraith’s attempt, a stomp to his back knocked him back to the bloody floor.

The flirt exited the Wraith’s cell and waltzed into Lor’shaska’s after unlocking the door. Grabbing her by the arm, he held a knife close to her throat as a caution not to try anything funny. Eyeing the blade, the royal lady knew better than to struggle. With three guards nearby, there was no way she could make a break to find an exit. Tossing her into the confinement with the demon, he waited for the other guards to leave first before shutting the door.

Throwing a dirty towel in her face, he sneered, “Clean him up before we get back. Try not to puke, your highness.”

With that said, the Genii guards left.

Waiting until the guards were out of sight, Lor’shaska gulped as she turned to face the Wraith. Clutching the rag, she willed herself to be calm. Inhaling deeply, she then exhaled very slowly as she squeezed the towel. Somehow, he had managed to roll over on his back so he could breathe better. His expression was one of pure agony as he fought for air. Those yellow eyes were shut tightly as he gasped. The open bone fracture on his arm nearly made the lady gag. It had been a while since she had seen an injury like such.

Hesitantly, Lor’shaska took a step toward the Wraith. It was not like it could hurt her in this state but it paid to be careful. She was not sure if he had lost consciousness. Sitting on her knees next to the alien’s torso, she swallowed thickly as she dabbed his face with the cloth. It was absolutely filthy but better than nothing at all she supposed. When his eyes shot open, the royal woman nearly jumped out of her skin. Pulling her hand back as if he might bite her, Lor’shaska met his gaze. He was looking at her like a wild, wounded animal would. The Wraith did not trust her.

Hell, what Wraith would trust a human with their life?

“Are you…” He rasped, “going to finish me… woman?”

Frowning at his condescending tone, Lor’shaska pointed a finger in his face.

“If you bite me, I will knock the ever-living daylights out of you.” Her threat was almost an empty one, “Hold still.”

Growling, the Wraith turned his face away when she started to pat at the blood.

“Go away.”

Lor’shaska blinked.

“I’m trapped in the same damn cell as you are!” She thrust her arm out at the door to signal it was most certainly closed, “What do you mean, ‘go away’?! I can’t walk through the walls if you haven’t noticed by now!”

“Don’t pretend to pity me when you most certainly do not!” The creature snapped and then winced from the exertion it took to speak. He tasted blood on his tongue. A small trickle of it dribbled down the corner of his mouth. There was internal damage to his body. It would take a little time, but these injuries would most certainly kill him. It would be slow and painful. What a wretched way to die. Defeated, the Wraith grimaced as he rested his eyes. Chest heaving heavily, he gritted his teeth.

Highly tempted to slap him, Lor’shaska kept her temper in check. Clutching a fist together, she sighed heavily in irritation. What should she care if he perished in this cell? One less Wraith in the galaxy would be a relief for humankind. Though, who was she to decide which race should live and which should die? Teachings throughout her life had taught her to respect all life on unique planets, all species of aliens, and all races of humans. As of this moment, she was really resenting the fact that this applied to the Wraith as well. It was difficult to remember that they were once fully human too. She did not like feeling conflicted.

Sometimes it was better to ask forgiveness then permission.

Fiddling with the Wraith’s trench coat, Lor’shaska cursed under her breath. Where were the buttons? There were none in sight. Did it have strings? She felt for those and found not a single one. What was this blasted metal doing on fabric? Grumbling, she finally was able to get the collar open. Locking metal clasps held the clothing together like magnets of sorts. Once undone, she exposed the alien’s chest.

As expected, his skin was riddled with bruises. For a starving Wraith, he was muscular, thick, and quite strong. He had to be to live through a beating like that. Strangely enough, his flesh was smooth even though it was green. Feeling silly for expecting scales or something reptilian, Lor’shaska, however, did notice the tattoos. The ink was dark black and very precise in detail. Curious, she traced over one with a single finger near his collar bone, wondering if it had any significance in his culture. Her own depicted what tribe she was from back home. What were his for other than decoration?

“What…” He asked in-between breaths, watching her every move, “are you doing, woman?”

“I think you know the answer to that question, Wraith.” She retorted, “I help you, you help me… think of this as a truce between us.”

He expressed genuine surprise.

Placing one hand on the Wraith’s chest, Lor’shaska concentrated. When she had done to for her siblings, it required no time at all to complete. However, the lady was a bit nervous and agitated at the moment. It would be best to finish the process leisurely, just to be safe. A mistake was the last thing she needed. She did not want to hurt the Wraith further. He would prove vital to their escape. Since her people had not found her yet, the lady had to assume the worst had happened. It was time to take matters into her own hands.

Escaping with the assistance of the Wraith was her and Wysen’urth’s only chance. She refused to die down here. The Wraith’s strength would be needed. Not knowing how badly Wysen’urth would be hurt or even if her brother would return at all, Lor’shaska had to be an ally to the Wraith instead of a meal ticket. Yes, proving her value to the Wraith might be the only way to get out of this place in one piece. The Genii would be none the wiser to what she did for the guards would assume the Wraith merely healed as their kind normally did.

She warned, “You might feel a little pressure…”

Gathering the energy channeling through the air, she exhaled as the process began. This was a delicate and tender matter which could not be hurried. Precision was desperately important because a mistake could not be made. Pressing lightly, Lor’shaska let her eyelids fall. She could see the internal harm. It was nothing she could not fix with her ability. Manipulating the pure energy, she used it to begin fixing the internal bleeding. The cells worked rapidly to repair the damage. Blood flowed hurriedly to the sight to provide further nutrients and oxygen to stimulate the process to go faster.

The Wraith gasped softly at the forced healing of his body. There was a dull pressure sitting on his chest. The sense of euphoria was oddly familiar. Strangely enough, he could feel his strength returning. It was like she was… feeding him. Yes, this was like feeding. True, he was not taking the years off of her life but it felt the same. The weirdest sensation was the bone resetting in his skin. So this was the gift she was shielding from him in her mind; the power to heal. He had barely obtained a glimpse before she shut him out of her thoughts.

Panting lightly, Lor’shaska withdrew her hand. Most of the internal bleeding was halted and the major wounds were healed almost fully. The Wraith would not die now, but still had to take it easy. He would be sore and tired. Healing was an amazing ability to have but it drained her physically. The greater the wound, the more exertion it required to heal it.

“I was right.” The Wraith murmured as he locked his gaze with Lor’shaska, “You are half Sláinte; the opposite to our kind.”

Resting against the wall, the lady wiped the beads of sweat off of her forehead.

“I’d appreciate it if you did not go spreading such around.”

Lor’shaska tried to will away the headache she knew was coming.

“Your brother is fully Ali’quedian.”

“Same mother, different father, so what?” She rubbed her temples, “What do you care anyhow?”

“It has been many, many years since I have set eyes on a Sláinte.” He replied, attempting to rise into a sitting position.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Lor’shaska halted the alien, placing her hand on his chest and shoving him back to the floor, “Rest, then worry about your wounded pride.”

The Wraith grumbled in annoyance.

“As you wish, woman.” He complied only for the sake of conserving his newly regained strength.

“Lor’shaska.” She shot him a dirty look, “Do you even have the decency to refer to me by my name after what I did for you?”

He grunted. This human woman was rather direct.

“You mean to use me to help you and your brother escape, do you not?”

“Hey!” She snapped at him, “I could have let you die.”

“Perhaps it would have been a mercy to let me perish!” He barked right back at her.

“By the good goddess, you’re not grateful for the air you breathe!”

“And you are playing goddess, deciding what is best for me!”

“I didn’t see you trying to stop me!”

The Wraith opened his mouth to spout another retort, but failed to do so. He settled for an insult, “Insufferable human.”

“You know what?” The lady threw her hands up with an exasperated groan, “Be thankful for the fact I didn’t bash your skull in when I had the chance. Any other human would have done so.” She was right and the Wraith knew it. Damn human female, she was making him look like an idiot. Perhaps it was the blood loss making him this way. She continued, “I thought we would all have a chance at escaping this place. If you’re that set on staying down here until your nonexistent friends come to help you, be my guest.”

Of all the females he had to be stuck with down here, it was one who possessed an unbreakable spine! Perhaps the gods and goddesses did hate him. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, the woman did have a point. She could have easily finished him when she did not. A large streak of stubbornness was in her, but he supposed it served her well in this situation. The will to survive was strong. Still she possessed enough compassionate for a Wraith; the race every single living human despised. Even if it was for personal gain, she did not let him die in absolute agony like most deemed he deserved.

“... I thank you.” He paused briefly, “Anger has a way of twisting my tongue’s words into entirely different statements.”

“Is it really that bad a human helped you?” She asked with a small grin.

“Do you know what others would think of me if they knew of this?”

The Wraith was sulking! This was too funny!

“Do you really think they will believe you unless you show them your mind link or whatever it is your kind does to communicate?”

Shit, thus another point he failed to see. The pain had made his brain fuzzy. It appeared the Wraith could not think straight for the life of him. One thing he knew for sure, this female was exceptional. Something made him anxious and excited at the same time about her. Never in all his years had had he ever met a female, human female to be precise, as bold and in sighted as this one before him now. Or maybe he was simply… lonely.

“You are indeed insufferable.”

Lor’shaska could not help it. She laughed.

“I might be insufferable to you, but the blame lies with my two younger brothers.” The lady snickered, “Growing up with two annoying little brothers who tease you, pull your hair, and then uses your unmentionables as a flag does that to you. I learned from the best.”

“I suppose you did.”

Puffing a strand of hair out of her face, Lor’shaska relaxed visibly.

“Yes… I don’t know if Wraith have families or something along those lines, but my people treasure family above all else.” She absentmindedly fiddled with the charm on her necklace, “The ocean yields her treasures to us, part of her family. So we must respect her generosity and keep our bonds strong. Those are the words of my mother.”

“Your mother is wise.” He simply stated.

Cocking her head to one side, Lor’shaska stared at the Wraith with a raised eyebrow.

“You know, you never did give me your name.”

“Wraith only share their given name with someone deemed worthy, an honorable companion, or a mate.” He informed her expressionlessly.

“Ah, I see,” The lady did not sound too surprised and plainly gave a roll of her eyes, “and since humans are deemed unworthy, I’m guessing you’re not going to tell me yours.”

The Wraith was silent. She expected as much. Shrugging her shoulders, Lor’shaska tried to get comfortable in the cell. She leaned her head back in the corner of the walls. After such a taxing healing session, she needed to rest as well. It would be unnerving with a Wraith so close, but so far, he presented no threat.

“Valekon.” The Wraith said suddenly as he stole a glance at the female with those tired yellow eyes, “As a token of my thanks, I shall give you my name. Please do not share it, for it is a gift only for your knowledge.”

Lor’shaska smiled softly.

“Valekon.” She tested the name on her lips, “Thank you.”

The Wraith shuddered lightly. He was not used to hearing his name aloud. It had quite an effect on him. Shamefully enough, Valekon found himself… enjoying it. It was appalling and disturbing at the same time. What the hell was wrong with him? Did her healing do something to him? He was beginning to wonder if one of those stupid guards had hit him in the head too hard and knocked something loose. Lor’shaska was disarming him so rapidly it was frightening. The loneliness of confinement and not being able to communicate with his fellow Wraith so far underground was isolating.

Companionship was natural to desire… right? In this circumstance, Valekon deemed it only necessary. Losing his sanity due to seclusion was not something he wanted to happen. If any other Wraith was in his situation, he would probably do the same. It was not against some rule to speak to a human. There were human worshippers. There were human companions. Some handmaidens to a queen were human. By the gods, this was unsettling!

“You are welcome… Lor’shaska.”