Exiled

Exiled- Chapter three
"So, where do you want me to drop you off?" Vis asked the question that Zohrane had bee dreading.
"Ummm…" Zohrane racked her brain for an acceptable answer and came up empty. "I have no idea. Are there any nice inns here?"
"So, let me get this straight: you left Atlantis on foot, by yourself, with no shoes, and you didn't even know where you were going?"
"I know where I'm going!" Zohrane protested. "I just don't know, ummm, where I'm going along the way, that's all."
"Right, the chickens," he sighed. "Well, I suppose that I am going to have to insist that you stay with my aunt and I tonight. She'll help us get you figured out. It would be better if my uncle was home, but he has gone to Géprés for the week."
"You really don't have to do that. I'm sure an inn will be fine," Zohrane was close to panic, she didn't think spending the night anywhere near Vis would be a good idea.
"No, I must insist. I can't just leave a helpless lady to fend for herself at an inn. You'll be much safer with me."
"Helpless?!"
Vis coughed, embarrassed. "Not helpless, it's just that you obviously don't know your way around, and you haven't exactly displayed the best use of judgment thus far today…"
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Vis was saved from further awkward explanation (and getting any deeper in the hole he was in) when a naked man ran in front of them.
"The end is near!" yelled the naked man, "the world is ending!"
"Get out of here, you," Vis yelled at him.
The naked man looked directly at Zohrane. "the road ahead is long and perilous, are you prepared?" He laughed manically and ran away.
Zohrane and Vis rode on. "That was weird," Vis said, "even for Kahlja." He began once more to talk of random things.
Zohrane paid no attention; she was lost in her thoughts again. The naked man had looked at her like he knew her, who she was and where she was going. She was shaken.
She remained in her thoughts until Vis stopped in front of a small, lovely house.
"Here we are," he said. He got off the horse and helped Zohrane down.
Almost immediately, the lovely little house's door flew open and a tiny woman bustled out. She was quite old, and very stout, dressed in a pink flowery dress with her grey hair in a tight bun. She breezed past Zohrane and threw her arms around Vis' neck (or, as close to his neck as she could reach.)
"Ug," Vis pulled himself from the little woman's iron hold. "Aunt Kahalê, I've brought a guest to stay with us tonight." Aunt Kahalê turned her gaze to Zohrane, and her eyes widened. "This is Zohrane," Vis continued, "I met her on the road and she needs a bit of help planning her trip."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Aunt Kahalê had the sweetest grandmotherly voice, "did you come from a ceremony, dear?"
Zohrane was puzzled for a moment and then looked down at herself. The thought had not occurred to her that she might look out of place in a city outside Atlantis. She was dressed in the traditional costume of a royal djurha: gold chest plate, armbands, and belt, with teal and violet flares and skirts. Her stomach and back were completely bare, revealing the tattoos of a high djurha, and Zohrane suddenly felt very naked. She pulled out some pins and her raven hair cascaded down, enveloping her.
Vis noticed Zohrane's embarrassed expression, "that's not important right now, Aunt Kahalê." He smiled at his aunt, then took Zohrane's hand, "let's get inside."