“Stop. Stop, go play. Maybe you can talk to him later.” val gently shooed away a growing group of children that were intensely curious about their visitor. they obeyed her wishes, although as loosely as they could, only stepping back enough to allow the two of them through. all their eyes still wide with curiosity at the man- he dressed strangely and had a number of devices never seen before. val smiled bashfully at kai, reaching out to gently rest her hand against his arm. “I’m sorry. They’re just excited, we don’t get guests, you know. They’ve never met an outsider. I tried to prepare them but... kids are kids.”
and it wasn’t just the kids. adults seemed to be curious too, if not nervous. although their stares weren’t nearly as obvious. it was out of the corners of their eyes as they continued daily chores. men working out in crop fields, women pinning wet clothes up to laundry lines. “Right here.” val gestured to one of the hand-built wooden houses that filled the village. “This one’s mine, you’ll be staying with me. I made a room up for you and everything.” up the stairs, val opened the door for him. “I thought we’d get you settled, then I can give you a bit of a tour. Maybe we can go up to the Temple, if Papa Knoth is feeling well enough.”
@humilictedman