It was clear neither of them wanted to argue; they had not had many in the past and had often steered clear of ones popping up. It was uncomfortable and felt unnatural, leaving Navia to want nothing more than to move on from the subject. With Théadan admitting he’d thought something bad was going to happen after she’d suggested they not dawdle in the market, she better understood why he had been alarmed. A basic summary of what had transpired was acceptable in his eyes and Navia nodded her agreement until he pointed out he didn’t like how she had suggested they leave the market early. “I just…” Navia tightened her arms around herself, dark eyes leaving Théadan’s green ones while she debated the best thing to tell him. It had to be delicately worded; she didn’t want him to think she was embarrassed of him. “I don’t want someone else to grow bold and say something else to us,” she sighed, a more hurt expression crossing her features than before, “So I figure if we spend less time here, there’s less of a chance of another person coming up to us to be rude.”<br/><br/>Navia looked away from Théadan’s face to focus on his hand closest to her and after a moment’s hesitation, she reached out to take it, her fingers sliding between his to have a better grip. “We still have much to find before we return to the inn, so let’s try to put this behind this and salvage the time we have here. I don’t want to argue but I also don’t want us to have to deal with this again, which was the only reason I wanted to hurry up and return to our room.” She glanced back at the booth they’d be shopping at before, but there were others there now and the woman was still shooting them occasional irritated glances. There would be other places they could find clothes at anyway; much of the market was yet to be explored by them. Navia just hoped someone who was displeased by their relationship would not interrupt them again. She did not care what others thought, she would always proudly walk by Théadan’s side, but she also preferred those people would just stay out of their way and keep their negative thoughts to themselves.<br/><br/>Luckily the rest of their time in the market was relatively devoid of objection they were together. People still stared, some leering and others curious, but no one directly commented on the nature of their relationship to them. They were able to find clothes that would suit them, shirts and new trousers for Théadan, a new dress for Navia, and taken some time to enjoy food from a street vendor closer to the port so they could see the sea while they ate. They were still a bit subdued from the conversation they’d had, both quieter than usual. No games were played, they really only touched to keep track of each other in the crowds, and their conversations were stunted. Once they’d finished their meals, the sun was setting and Navia suggested they find their way back to the inn. Puri was not difficult to figure out and they were soon traveling down the street in the direction of their inn. It was done mostly in silence, though not out of tiredness, so Navia was idly swinging the burlap sac holding their purchases while they walked to entertain herself.<br/><br/>Behind them footsteps could be heard when before it had been only them walking down the street, most people still at the markets or in for the evening. Navia glanced back to see three men walking behind them, dressed in typical Khluri peasant garb, their expressions steely. After a double take, she recognized one as the man who had scowled at them on the road to Puri. The elder man that had been with him was absent, the two men other men closer to the first’s age and just as stony-faced. Frowning, hoping it was merely a coincidence to see the same man again, Navia turned back around and tried to ignore them.<br/><br/>“<i>Pazya nagna!” </i>The man called angrily from behind them.<br/><br/>Navia came to a stop even though the inn was mere yards in the distance, her expression shifting to one of instant irritation and she glanced Théadan’s way before turning around to frown at the men, “<i>Samyat</i>?”<br/><br/>“You heard me,” the Khluri answered her in the common tongue, his hateful expression jumping between her and Théadan as the three men stopped a few feet from them, “You’re a traitorous slut! You have no business in Khlurios if you bring the<i>Avezana </i>with you. Leave him here now and we’ll let him live after we pay him our respects for what he's done to our country.”