The duchess’s companion was nervous. Baiza felt for him, a foreign man alone in a country that had been torn apart by his without his lover to guide him. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice when he spoke her name and wanting to alleviate some of that stress, she looked back at him to show he had her attention while she led him down the pure white hall the door had opened to reveal. The question of who Osa was should not have come as a surprise, though it was curious to hear Osa had known something Théadan did not believe she should know. “Osa is a<i>kavi</i>,” Baiza explained as she led Théadan to another pair of wooden double doors. These were also ornately carved, but showed an image of what the springs could look like from beneath the water’s surface. “She is a wise woman to the Khluri, but I believe Mes’Mo’Tan likens them to witches,” Baiza went on, humor briefly lighting in her eyes as a slight revelation she was aware of the stories Mes’Mo’Tanians had of Khluri women, “As for the<i>Sitvati </i>knowing Osa, that was every bit of a surprise to me as it was to you.”<br/><br/>The door was pushed open by Baiza and she swept into the room beyond, her pure white gown billowing around her ankles. The room they entered had four large doors that could pivot and shut the room from the world or open to let the jungle sounds and sunlight in. The doors were open, casting rays of light on the two tubs in the center of the room, carved from smooth stone. They were half full with a dark gray mud and several little puddles of water. “She was banished from the Khluri court several years ago,” Baiza revealed, making no comment of the tubs in the center of the room, instead gesturing for Théadan to remove his robe and step into one. She turned her back to him to give him his privacy before continuing, “I did not know any of the royal family still had contact with her, though I have to wonder if they are aware the<i>Sitvati </i>knows her.”<br/><br/>With a snap of Baiza’s fingers, two bald men clad in white entered the room carrying large vases. “The mud from the springs houses many of the healing nutrients that bubble up from below the earth,” Baiza explained as the men stepped forward to begin pouring more mud into the tub to cover Théadan’s legs and eventually his waist and chest. “We shall spread the mud across your shoulders and arms. Then you will sit for an hour to let the mud work and when you wash off, the burn will be reduced or gone. While you sit, I shall be most interested in hearing how you met my friend’s daughter.”<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>“Your prince does not like my nose piercing.”<br/><br/>They had stepped into a room meant for massages, with two tables in the center and a small trickling waterfall in the corner, likely fed by the springs. A long mirror sat in the other corner for those receiving the massage to view their bodies before lying on a table. Navia gave a quick glance to get a bearing on her surroundings before looking back to the elder woman with a quick smile, “He probably hasn’t seen one before. How do you know he is a prince?”<br/><br/>“The same way I know you have faced many adversities since you were abducted,” Osa answered solemnly, closing the distance between them to clasp Navia’s hand, “I have been listening.”<br/><br/>Before she could help it all the times she and Théadan had gotten so loudly lost in their passions came to mind, so Navia grimaced and said, “I hope not too closely.”<br/><br/>A wheeze of a laugh left Osa and she released Navia’s hand to lean against one of the massage tables, “I am pleased to see you safe in Khlurios once more, Navia, and even more so with a man who balances you. I shall need to examine you.”<br/><br/>“No.”<br/><br/>Osa’s grayed eyebrows rose up at Navia’s answer, as well as the way her expression had turned stony. Her mismatched eyes slowly skimmed the duchess from head to toe before settling on her face again. She did not speak for a long beat, choosing to attempt to read the expressions on Navia’s face, only they were unyieldingly stubborn. “You mean to tell me you do not believe the signs? You haven’t been fatigued? You did not spend over a month vomiting at the worst times? Your emotions are not heightened? You are not yearning for certain foods?” Then she paused to smirk, “I know you find that man irresistible.”<br/><br/>They were signs Osa had told her to watch in the past, ones Navia had prayed would come. They were only upsetting now however, and she sighed heavily as she went to pace the room, a hand reaching up to shove through her damp hair in irritation, “I can’t go through this again, Osa. Not with Théadan. I will not do that to my heart again and I certainly will not allow him to do it to his either.” She had spent years trying with Devam, years of disappointment, of the guilt of disappointing him. Devam had been so hopeful every time she left to visit Osa, only to disappear into his chambers for the rest of the day when she returned to sadly shake her head in defeat. He had never blamed her, never once, yet it was near impossible for Devam to hide his disappointment. Even going down that road partially when it came to Théadan would be worlds more painful. Giving him hope, then having to take it back again was the absolute last thing Navia wanted to do. “Why should I anyway? He accepts me how I am.” He had told her as much once and she had clung to that knowledge. Much like she had scorned Ragná's assessment of her to protect her emotions, Navia would continue to do so.<br/><br/>“This is different, Navia,” Osa pushed away from the massage table to reach out and take Navia’s youthful hands into her wrinkled, gold ring-laden ones. She squeezed hard, expression just as stubborn as Navia's, “This man is different. I can feel it. The gods have blessed you.”<br/><br/>“Why would they bless a man who does not worship them over a man who did every day?” Navia asked miserably, the despondency of her situation beginning to take a toll on her emotions. Where was he? What was Baiza doing with him? Couldn't she just run to be with him, where her feelings were safe and tended?<br/><br/>“That is not for us to know,” Osa answered, finally releasing Navia’s hands to peer at her more demandingly, “Now, allow me to examine you.”