⚔ The Right Way ⚔ 

Vodia's breathing stilled everyone in the room, his chest heaved up and down from the anger he was attempting to control. 

"Why are you here? What did you do?" He was speaking through gritted teeth and Kallm could hear the pain behind it.

It seemed all everyone could focus on was Vodia's anger, but Kallm could hear the silent fear, that perhaps Kayana was hurt, that Raian had betrayed her again. Kallm wanted to stop his brother, but he also wanted to let him get all this hurt out, the hurt that he had been hiding for so long. But Kallm also knew that if he let his brother go, then he would have no chance of fixing this. 

"Bhaiya." Kallm started forward, his hands palms up as he tried to walk towards his brother who swiftly looked at him before walking to him and slapping the back of his head.

"Did you bring him here? Did you know he was coming?" The storm in Vodia wasn't quieting down and Kallm knew he'd have to act fast as it would destroy everything in its path. Before Kallm could act though, Madkun walked ahead of him, no hesitancy in his steps as he walked towards his son. He knew Vodia was the more mature and responsible one, but that also meant that when he lost control, he lost it harder and with a lot more pressure. 

"Beta. You need to go wash up. We have guests." Vodia's eyes flicked to his father's and he looked away, embarrassed in himself and afraid he had embarrassed his father. But he did as asked, nodding his acceptance and turning away, but not before giving a swift glare at Raian who was now surrounded by his parents. The unspoken threat hung in the air. If Raian had hurt Kayana, Vodia would be back, and his father wouldn't stop him. 

When he walked away, Kallm made a move to go towards his father who simply held up his hand. 

"Show everyone their rooms Kallm," Then he turned to Ionido, who was handling the attack on his son with a mature grace that came with raising both a son and a daughter.

"Ionido Ji, follow me. I'm sure there are some things that could help us in the kitchen." 

The men walked past the ladies that were coming back in from the other room, Corin holding the tray of teas and Mednia bringing a plate of savouries, who shot a worried glance at Raian as he walked past her covering his eye. 

Kayana stood with the scarf still covering her head and though no one could see through the veil, she could see everything. And right now, her eyes were trained on the retreating back of the only person who could still make her heart beat like it was then. She only removed her gaze when Vodia had reached the top of the stairs, not once turning around to check who was piercing him with their gaze.

Kayana's hurricane filled eyes then settled on Kallm as he stood defeated in front of them, wringing his hands together as Caterina walked forward to soothe him. Regardless of what he said, Caterina understood that Kallm was still a boy. A boy who was taking the role of a man to help his brother and reunite two that were ripped apart. He was only trying to help.

"Come beta. Show us where to put our things."

Corin was glad that her mother was there to take charge when things like this happened, though she wasn't sure exactly what it was. They had been getting the snacks ready when they heard the loud sound echoing through the house. They had quickly finished up and started to come out when they heard Madkun telling Ionido to go with him. But what had happened? 

Before Kallm could move, he was stilled by a stiff grip on his forearm and he was turned around to face a still covered Kayana, whose anger coursed through her to him. 

"You didn't tell him?"

Kallm looked with sorrowful eyes to where he thought Kayana's eyes would be, but he knew he couldn't convey what he was feeling right now. He shook his head without removing his gaze from hers. Perhaps he should have discussed it all with Vodia first. 

Kayana released him then, and proceeded to get her bags. Kallm followed her lead and placed his and Corin's in each of his hands before moving up the stairs and guiding each lady into their respective rooms. 

The Lakin household wasn't small, and was built to house a large family. But when their mother had passed away, their father was no longer up to entertaining guests that reminded him of what he had lost. So they lived in a large house, alone. The upper level housed an impressive six bedrooms, with their father's one on the bottom floor as he had begun to find it difficult to climb the stairs every evening and descend every morning. 

Despite the situation, Kallm couldn't help but admire the colours and sounds which came from the inhabitance of ladies in a home that had long forgotten what it meant to have a feminine touch. He liked it. 

Every room they passed Kallm indicated with a nudge of his head to each woman, knowing that two of them needed larger rooms. Caterina and Mednia retired to their rooms as Kallm continued, pulling Corin's bag and leading a silent Kayana behind him. At the next room he pushed Corin's bag inside, before continuing, knowing that Corin would want to know where Kayana was going to be. 

Walking into her room, Kayana sat gracefully on the edge of the immaculately made bed. She rested one hand next to her as she stroked the duvet and seemingly lost in thought. Kallm stood near the door, but realised that perhaps it would be better for him to remove himself. Maybe Kayana didn't want to see him.

"Come here Kallm." 

Turning back around, Kallm went to stand in front of the uncovered Kayana as she stood as well. When she raised her hand, Kallm flinched but didn't move, leading to a gentle smile on Kayana's lips as she lay her hand softly on his cheeks. 

"I know you tried Kallm. I know you thought this was best." 

A sigh of relief came from Kallm and he opened his eyes to look at his sister-in-law who was trying to stronger than he. 

"What are we to do, Kayana?" Corin moved forward too then. She saw the pain take over Kayana's body when she saw Vodia walk away from her. The second time she had been there, and let it happen. 

Kayana just shook her head at the two, the smile not dropping from her lips. 

"I have an idea." 

Kallm and Corin glanced at each other at this. An idea? Kayana was not one to do the scheming. It was Corin's job and sometimes Raian's. But never Kayana's. She could never keep a secret. But Corin was already jumping with joy. She wanted to help any way that she could. 

"I need to show him that I will fight for him. He fought for me for so long. I need to show him that I'm worthy of him." Kayana lifted her hand to stop Kallm when he opened his mouth to say something. She didn't want to hear it. She knew what she was doing, and the idea was getting her excited. 

"I need to prove that I'm worth his love." 

Kayana looked at Corin who had leaned forward at her words, her eyes shimmered with mischief as she remembered the days that she had snuck Kayana out of her house.  This time she was sneaking her inside. 

"What can we do?" 

Smiling Kayana explained the rest of her plan to others, who listened like children to a bedtime story. 

"Don't tell him about me. I want to visit him. I want to meet him and I want to prove myself to him, without interference. All you have to do is keep me a secret."

Kallm and Corin nodded at Kayana who shooed them out to go and speak to the other ladies. Everyone needed to be in on this or it wouldn't work. 

Walking towards the bedposts, Kayana leaned on one, biting her bottom lip between her teeth. She was so close to him. She was so close to seeing Vodia. Her body and soul felt that they were home, just in the wrong room. They wanted to be with Vodia, not in this lonely bedroom. But Kayana could tide herself over. She knew she would fix it soon. She just hoped it all went to plan. 

Making her way towards her suitcase, Kayana pulled it up onto her bed, immediately unzipping it and meticulously pulling out each set of clothing and placing them tidily on the bed until she got the orange set she was looking for. 

The one that she had been wearing when Vodia had first fallen in love with her. 

Kayana had seen the way that Kallm had reacted when he saw Corin in the lavender coloured scarf from when he had first seen her and she hoped it would have an even larger effect on her husband. 

The words struck butterflies in her gut. Husband. Because that was right. Vodia was still her husband. She was still his and he was still hers.

All she had to do now was make sure neither ever forgot it. 

Kayana did a little giddy dance on the spot, making sure not to move too much or make too much noise, and when she moved, her scarf slid back over her face but she couldn't care enough to remove it. Until she realised someone was turning the door handle. 

Righting herself, she waited until the person opened the door and had to physically hold herself up when she realised it was Vodia, his brown eyes staring directly at her and his brows furrowed as he tried to place her outline.

He soon figured that it wasn't worth the trouble and he opened the door fully, showing his laundry in the other hand. 

"I knocked, but," He cleared his throat then as the smell of a familiar perfume hit him. He couldn't place where it was from, but it made his chest hurt. And he didn't like. "Here's my laundry. Could you please get it done by tomorrow." 

That was all he said before he dropped his clothing load on the ground, before abruptly turning on his heel and walking out. And all Kayana could do was jut out her bottom lip that he hadn't recognised her. Of course she hadn't wanted him to, not yet anyway, but it would have been nice. 

And why was he giving her his laundry? 

Immediately opening her door, Kayana put her head out and locked eyes with a grinning Kallm as he gave her a quick thumbs up before retreating to his own bedroom. She would soon realise that Kallm had told Vodia that they had bought their own maid, and that he was free to also ask for her help, but Kayana didn't care about that right now.

Leaning on the closed door, making sure to look it this time, Kayana clutched Vodia's clothes to her chest. It smelled just like safety to her and she felt the rock in her stomach finally lift after the months she had been apart. Which also gave her an idea.

What would Vodia do if all his washing smelt like Kayana?

⚔ The Right Way ⚔