Haven 4 AVOW - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,58

“Maybe. I think I’m going to go for a run. Exercise always gives me more energy. Want to come?”

“Yeah, I think I will. Kitty loves to run and I haven’t taken him in a while. Come on, Kitty,” Vivian said, getting to her feet.

Synclare and Vivian with Kitty in tow, left the commissary with Vivian’s guards following at a respectful distance. What they didn’t notice was Ph’eel and Mee'ta sitting only four tables away having their breakfast, and sharing a sinister smile as they watched the two women leave.

“Did you hear all I did?” Ph’eel leaned toward Mee'ta and asked in a hushed voice.

“I did. And I have an idea,” Mee'ta responded.

~~~

After a quick couple of laps around the track, Vivian and Synclare were huffing and trying to catch their breath while Kitty batted around a large medicine ball. Zahn and Rel stood near the track, yet far enough away from Vivian to give her the sense of some privacy, and kept a wary eye as Vivian and Synclare cooled down after their run.

Synclare was dragging a towel over the back of her neck when the voices of two excited children caught her attention. Synclare turned toward the door of the facility and broke out in a huge smile when she saw Au'revele and both of Ko'San’s sons coming their way.

“Watch this,” she said quietly to Vivian.

“What?” Vivian asked, looking around.

Synclare indicated Zahn with a nudge of her chin and lifted an arm to wave at Au'revele. “Au'revele! How are you today?” she called out.

Almost immediately Zahn’s chest began to rumble.

Synclare shared a look with Vivian that said ‘see?’.

“Miss Sink Lar, we are quite well. I trust you are well, too,” Au'revele replied but didn’t quite meet Synclare’s gaze.

“Just finished our jog for the morning,” Synclare answered.

“The boys have become quite used to a bit of playtime before breakfast,” Au'revele explained. “Thank you for arranging permission for them to play here.”

“It’s nothing. Just took pointing out that they wanted to come to it, and it was approved right away,” Synclare said. Then she looked over toward Vivian. “Au'revele, may I introduce you to Sirena Vivian of Cruestace? Vivian, this is Au'revele. She is the nanny to Ko'San and Ph’eel’s sons.”

Horror crossed Au'revele’s face, and she immediately dropped into an uncomfortable combination of a curtsy and a bow. “Forgive my insolence, Sirena. I had no idea who you were,” she rushed out on a whisper.

Zahn took half a step forward, his rumbling a definite distraction. Vivian glanced toward him. “Really, dude? You want to frighten everybody here, today? Get yourself under control.” Then she turned her attention back to Au'revele. “Au'revele? Am I right?” she asked.

Au'revele dipped her head in a quick nod as she kept her eyes pinned on the floor.

“You have a beautiful name. And I’m very happy to meet you. But I can’t properly meet you unless you look me in the eye,” Vivian said, her voice happy and encouraging.

“Oh, Sirena, I couldn’t…” Au'revele replied.

“Of course, you can. Because I’m telling you, you can,” Vivian said.

Slowly, and very hesitantly, Au'revele lifted her gaze to Vivian’s.

Vivian smiled brightly. “There you are! Hello, Au'revele,” Vivian said.

Au’revele smiled shakily. “Hello, Sirena.”

“Do you bring the boys here everyday?” Vivian asked.

“Yes, Sirena,” Au'revele answered.

“And you run and play with them?” Vivian asked.

“Yes, Sirena,” Au'revele answered.

“Why don’t you dress for it? It can’t be convenient to run in all those yards of skirts,” Vivian said.

“I am not allowed to dress in any other fashion, Sirena. I’m only a servant…” Au'revele said, as though that explained everything.

Vivian wasn’t quite sure she understood the part of having to wear a heavy, plain, drab colored dress, but she did know one thing. This girl was not just a servant. She was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s someone very special, and Vivian didn’t like to see her so obviously afraid to be herself.

“Au'revele, look at me again, please,” Vivian asked.

Au'revele gradually lifted her eyes to meet Vivian’s again. “You are not just a servant. You matter, just as everyone on this ship matters. Do not ever think that you don’t. Do you understand?” Vivian asked.

“Au'revele, hurry up! We want to pet the shraler!” the oldest boy shouted.

“No!” Au'revele shouted and darted toward the boys where they were on their way to Kitty.

“It’s fine, Au'revele! Kitty won’t hurt them,” Vivian called out, moving at the same time to get nearer to Kitty.

Before they could reach the boys and Kitty, the youngest boy reached up and tapped Kitty on the