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<span style="font-family: 'Lobster Two'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)"><span style="font-size: 33px">Kiara Echethier</span><br/>
<span style="font-size: 18px">"A golden cage is still just a cage."</span></span></span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)"><span style="font-size: 18px">· · ─────── ·· ─────── · ·</span></span>​</div><br/><div style="margin: auto; overflow: visible; max-width: 70%; font-family: Didact Gothic; text-align: justify">When the gates closed behind her, leaving Kiara with the small group of people out front, the sound of the gates banging shut felt like a death toll in her ears. Her hands were clenched in the fabric of the cloak draped over her shoulders in an effort to try and keep her hands from shaking too much. She wasn’t doing a very good job, but at least if her hands were hidden away under the cloak, none of the clansmen would be able to notice. Her gaze flickered between the people who were there to greet her. There was the man she was supposedly supposed to marry in the front of the others, his gruff, bearded face looking down on Kiara from atop his steed. Two of the men came forth from behind him and loaded her precious few belongings into the carriage, never once looking at her. <br/>
<br/>
The dark-skinned woman approaching Kiara caused the woman to jump slightly, falling back half a step for a moment. She hadn’t noticed the woman at first and was surprised to see the feminine frame among the hulking warriors of the tribe. Her brow furrowed briefly in some confusion, but when the woman spoke and introduced herself as Zaya, the fleeting bewilderment left her features. The woman was probably here to serve as a translator between Kiara and the others. <br/>
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“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Kiara dipped her head in acknowledgement of the woman and her greeting, startling back again when Zaya stepped forward and pushed a feather into her hair. She reached up briefly, fingers flitting around the feather, but not quite touching it. Kiara didn’t want to accidentally make it fall out and risk angering the men looming around them still. There was no telling what the feather meant or what sort of significance it held to these people. It was better to just go along with what they told her to do until she was able to learn more about this place and the customs that they held. She had no clue how long of a voyage it was going to be from Avalri back to Essos, but Kiara hoped that this translator would be willing to assist her in learning. <br/>
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Although much of Kiara’s life had been laid out and dictated before her, leaving her little room to forge her own person and identity, she had done what she could within the restriction of her kingdom and her place as a woman. Kiara would spend much of her free time in the library, reading whatever sorts of books she was able to get her hands on, no matter what subject they were on. She knew that it was unlikely that she would ever be able to make use of the knowledge of history, strategy, trading, and political matters she read on, but it was some small comfort to her to at least have the knowledge. She was quick on picking up new information and committing it to memory, which Kiara prayed would be of great use to her here as she tried to assimilate to the Essos culture. <br/>
<br/>
She accepted Zaya’s hand as the woman assisted her in climbing into the carriage and Kiara couldn’t help but notice the way her hand rested on her stomach. So, it seemed as though Zaya was with child. She didn’t look that far along either, which meant that Zaya had to have gotten pregnant while on this campaign. Kiara couldn’t imagine the sort of stress that must cause – traveling on a war campaign <i>and</i> becoming pregnant? With all the traveling, it must have been nightmarish. <br/>
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A rough, harsh voice just behind her had Kiara flinching, stifling a noise of surprise. Kiara’s head whipped around, finding herself staring up at Bjorn, his eyes piercing through her very body. Her gaze flickered between Zaya and Bjorn before Zaya was helping her climb into the carriage. Kiara was all-too-grateful to do so, escaping from Bjorn’s intense gaze. Zaya claimed he said she was pretty. It was difficult to imagine that being what he had said when he was scowling and his tone snappish. <br/>
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Once both women were in the carriage and the doors shut, the group began to move forward. Kiara found herself glancing out the window, back toward her former palace as it grew smaller and smaller behind them. Her attention was pulled once again to Zaya as she spoke, words that caused a deep ache in Kiara’s heart. She shook her head, however, waving the woman’s apology aside. “I cannot fault you for that,” she murmured. “I know you must wish to return to your own home rather than staying here in a strange land.” And now, she was going to be the one going to a strange land, far away from her home. Never to see the rolling mountains of Avalri again, most likely. <br/>
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Kiara was silent for a few moments before she ventured to ask. “Zaya…what is Essos like?” </div>