The harsh wind abated almost as suddenly as it had begun. The pine branches relaxed from their wild thrashing and the rain reduced to a misty spray. Motaka left his sister and began cutting down the body of the man from the trees; Jak hurried over to help while Jared moved next to Kysoo, watching her vacantly stare at the wet ground at her feet.

"I'm so sorry we've brought this trouble into your life." He spoke softly.

Kysoo turned her damp eyes on him. "Why do you blame yourself, Jared-san, you did not do this thing?"

"Well no, but it's because we came here, isn't it? And now we've placed your family in danger."

"No Jared-san, this is an ongoing feud between my family and the pirate Gaspar. That is why I was traveling to see my mother. Our family is preparing for a new attack from the pirates. It would appear we were slow to act."

"But they were after us! We sank their ships when we escaped."

"That was but a small number of Gaspar's band. His men have terrorized these hills for a very long time. It is only because my father is such a fearless warrior that he has not attacked our village."

But this man," Jared waved toward Motaka and Jak who were placing the body under the boughs of a large spruce tree, "and your mother... I don't understand why she would be away from your home."

"My mother is a healer. She spends time in many of the remote villages in these hills helping the sick and dying." Kysoo placed a gentle hand on his arm and stood. "We must continue as quickly as possible." She called to Motaka in her strange language and he immediately retrieved the horses, bringing them to the others. "We are about three hours from where our mother stays. We must ride quickly, before darkness."

Jak stood for a moment over the spruce boughs covering the body, his head bowed and his lips moving silently, then he swung himself up onto his horse and spurred him after the others.

*****

They rode slowly out of the trees, down the slope to the village, which was nothing more than a settlement of roughly assembled lean-tos made of unstripped logs and evergreen boughs. A forlorn string of dirty grey smoke twisted skyward from the centre of the settlement and a goat bleated its unhappy lot, tied to a stake near the fire.

Motaka held up a warning hand and signaled the others to stay while he investigated, loping cautiously down the rest of the hill and vanishing behind one of the structures. They waited nervously, calming the horses and watching the village closely. Suddenly Motaka appeared waving them down and they all kicked their horses into a hurried descent.

In front of the largest structure a small group had gathered, some sobbing, some just rocking back and forth staring at the row of several bodies being tended to by a tall, graceful looking woman wearing a short, padded jacket and rough pants. Jak dismounted, leaving Jared in charge of the horses, and went with Kysoo to the gathering. When she heard them, the woman turned, her eyes brightening with pleasure briefly as she recognized her children.

"Kysoo, Motaka, what have you come here for? Who are these strangers?"

"Father sent us to stay with you for a while. The pirates have become bolder and he worried for our safety." She cast a doubtful glance over the corpses. "We were guiding these men to the home of the weavers, they seek a woman who once lived among their kind. What has happened here, mother? Are you alright?"

"I am well, Kysoo, do not worry. A small band of raiders came through filled with drink and wild behaviour. These people were too slow in getting out of their way."

"This is monstrous, mother! You can't stay here it's-"

"Enough, daughter, your worries will only wrinkle your beautiful face. Remember your manners now and introduce your friends."

Jak stood discretely to one side while the family talked, admiring yet puzzling over the strange language. After a moment, Kysoo beckoned him and he went to meet her mother.

"Honourable mother, Nin Sang, meet Jak-san of-of... I am so sorry Jak-san, I..."

"The Dominion of Terrault," he answered for her. "I am honoured, ma'am."

"Nin Sang." Kysoo corrected.

"Forgive me. Ma'am is an honorific in my language."

Nin Sang bowed her head and smiled politely. "My daughter tells me that my assistant has been murdered. He was on his way to my husband with news of this." She waved a delicate hand at the ground behind her. "The pirates struck without warning and without mercy. It was simply a demonstration of their bold determination against my people."

He looked about. "Are there no men here? What will you do if they return?"

"They will not return," she said confidently. "This was just one of their cowardly terrorist acts."

"But what about the men? I don't see any men around."

"This is a woman's retreat," Kysoo explained. "The ill, the elderly and the abandoned come here for aid and support. It's a haven for them, and my mother volunteers her skills for their benefit."

"Can't they go to Caval for that? Why must it be this remote place?"

"It is our culture. They have no place in society anymore when they become dependant."

Jak shook his head and turned to see if Jared heard the explanation, suddenly remembering his manners. "Ahh, Nin Sang, please let me introduce my colleague, Jared Croft. Jared, this is Kysoo and Motaka's mother, Nin Sang."

Jared blushed and bowed, holding out a hand and quickly withdrawing it when Kysoo shook her head imperceptibly. Nin Sang concealed a smile, noticing the look on her daughter's face.

"What can we do to help with-with..." Jak shot a glance at the bodies.

"We will take care of this," Motaka said stiffly. "Your journey continues to the far side of that hill-about half of one day."

"You must proceed with great caution;" Nin Sang stated, "the pirates rove the entire countryside."

The two young men thanked the brother and sister for their help, said awkward goodbyes and began leading their horses back up the hill and Jared cast one last, longing look at the tiny figure of Kysoo comforting her mother.