We took our evening meal in the dining hall early tonight. Hodlen’s family was hungry after the long trip here. Damien thought they might be tired, also. Since they would have to work for the camp tomorrow, we should give them food and let them rest tonight.


    After our meal we retired inside our private rooms. There were lots of men in the mainmunal area, but none of us wanted to be around such activity. Despite Hodlen’s initial reservations about Damien and his Brothers, I got the impression he felt a duty to this extended family. His family really wanted to know my husbands.


    Hodlen and his Brothers had brought toys for Mycah and his Brothers, which I was d to see. The small wooden swords would be useful for practiceter when the young ones were healed. They had also carved small figurines of animals. The boys yed make believe games with those as we talked. It kept the little ones distracted and happy.


    The mats that the other men used for sleeping were spread on the floor around our fire pit. The men sat on them or sat in the few chairs we had. They lounged and started to get to know one another.


    This conversation was interesting to me, but I made it a point to let the men talk. Hodlen’s family was still evaluating Damien’s. I was part of the family, but I wasn’t the part that concerned them. The men needed to have this time to converse, so I sat and knitted, only interjecting asionally.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The families became more familiar with each other as they discussed life in the T’sparian Mountainspared to thepound. The camp Hodlen’s family hade from was smaller than this one and even more tightly knit. Leaving there toe here had been a very big deal, the children were worth it, though.


    “Why did you decide to be vers?” Hodlen finally asked. “We shared male offspring with Kein and Bane and then we were notified you had bought a ve. My Brothers and I were sure there was a mistake….”


    Damien looked deeply into the fire before his eyes turned to me.


    “We, our bond, were broken. We were lonely,” he said quietly. “The gentle affection Ciara gave us healed our bond. Still, we foolishly believed what we had been told about her weakness. It took us a long time to realize how wrong we had been.”


    I had settled in a chair and Kein moved to kneel before me.


    “So many stupid mistakes, Brothers,” he said with great sadness.


    “You are forgiven,” I repeated for what felt like the millionth time. “We have talked about this many, many times. I love you all. Family is allowed to make mistakes.”


    They remembered the lines cutting across my flesh and the cruelshes Damien hadid on my delicate areas. Punishment had been a tool and they’d never knownsting effects from it. It had never urred to them that I was different. Those horrible marks had scarred deeper than they’d known.


    On thepound everyone just expected me to be Paterian. Respecting my thought process or considering I felt differently would have been scoffed at. My husbands tried very hard to respect my human differences now.


    “Thank you for that,” I said leaning forward and caressing Kein’s cheek. “There is no use remembering bad times, though. We have learned and have much to look forward to.”


    Kein continued to look troubled as his fingers pushed my skirt above my knee. He stroked the delicate flesh they had started their torture on and began to apologize again.


    “Enough!” I ordered pushing the skirt down and eyeing Kein sharply. “We are done with this!”


    There was absolutely no way I was letting them describe to Hodlen’s family what they’d done. It was a private matter, it was the past, and it wasn’t something anyone else needed to know. I wasn’t going to look back.


    Kein’s eyes met mine and then he leaned forward and kissed my knee. He wouldn’t press the issue farther, but they still felt bad about what they’d done.


    “Then you need to teach the men who used to own ves why it is wrong,” I said answering the unspoken plea. “Stop apologizing and do something about it! Guilt about past mistakes without doing something about it is pointless!”


    Hodlenughed and pped Damien on the shoulder.


    “A fine mate, cousin,” he said jovially, “strong and to the point!”


    A young man’s voice sounded from outside requesting admittance and Damien called out toe in. Tyle’s family entered and promptly sprawled on any unupied mat near the older men. They just wanted to be close to their male families.


    Molly followed the young family in looking slightly uneasy, but they didn’t know enough about humans to understand that. They’d just assumed she’de with them if she wanted to. Tyle’s family did not really understand how her life had been controlled until the day she was freed.


    “Sit with me,” I offered scooting over in my oversized chair.


    The oversized beanbag I was sitting on would easily amodate both of us.


    Molly and I chatted as the men talked. She was so unused to the way she was treated here. Tyle’s family had taken her to eat and Abram’s family had told her about the food. Tyle had pulled a chair out for her and been happy to sit beside her. Another family sat with them and insisted she look at them and take part in the conversation. The camp was used to assisting freed humans. They knew the help these women would need.


    As Molly and I talked I saw the p to our door drawn back and a head peaked in.


    “Knock, knock,” Kennedy said in English as she peered inside.