Untitled
an excerpt

Tikka couldn't hear what was being said and her feet unconsciously took her a few steps closer to the campsite, although she still didn't dare come out in the open.

"What are you doing lurking in the bushes like this?" a man's voice asked behind her and Tikka jumped when a large hand was placed on her shoulder.

She twirled around on the spot to see who was speaking, blushing at having been caught like this. The man hadn't sounded angry, and he was smiling at her. It was one of the strangers, a tall pale man in a deep blue tunic. Tikka wanted to apologise for having lurked so rudely, but no words would come. She just stared stupidly at him, her eyes as wide as saucers and debating wether or not to run away. The strangers colourless eyes bore into hers as if he was trying to look straight through her, and Tikka suddenly got the oddest feeling that maybe she was really transparant to his gaze.

"Why don't you go inside?" he tried again. "Tia-Mathya will be delighted to expand her audience and you can hear much better than from all the way over here."

Tikka still couldn't get her tongue to cooperate and it was with a considerable effort that she tore her gaze away from him to turn her head back towards the campsite. She really did want to be close enough to hear the story being told, even though the other children were yonger than her. To be truthful she really was getting too old for children's stories. At nearly fourteen she ought to think more about becoming an adult. The man chuckled at her speechlessness and with his hand still on her shoulder he resolutely led her into the camp, effectively preventing her escape.

"Tia-Mathya," he called, sounding as amused as ever. "I found this one lurking behind a bush. Is there room for one more? I think she's a little shy."