As Gavin took Ysaryn’s hand to stand, wary of the tall woman, Kire glared at her friend, who had soured what she had pictured to be a happy reunion. Narda grunted. “Understood,” she replied, after which Kire gave her an earnest punch on the arm. “[i]I said I understood![/i]”
“If she makes trouble again I am plunking her out of here straightaway and right into the middle of the sea,” Kire swore, before looking up at her friend with a frown. “I swear, Nard, I will. And [i]The Wench[/i] can fish you out of the water like tuna.” 
When Envy told her where Ruli and the others were, however, Kire’s face lit up. “You found a place! I should like to see it sometime, if that’s possible. And yes, of course, we’ll wait. There’s not much of a hurry.”
Narda chuckled. “Willing to wait? You don’t hear that from the Wyvern Empress very often.”

Envy’s question, though, made both women turn to each other briefly, before Kire answered, rubbing her nape. “Well—not exactly. At least I hope not. We’re looking for remnants of a world gate, to find out how Amrians wound up here in the first place.” She gestured at Gavin. “There’s a chance—”
“A slim chance,” Narda put in, though her expression was hopeful, too.
“A slim chance that one of my family had ended up here, too, right around the time Ikegai…you know.” Kire looked up at Narda, who returned her gaze kindly. She and Ed had a special friendship, and she could understand the giantess’s desire to not only keep her promise to Jan and Elva, but to see this mission through for closure. During the chaotic uprising, Kire had to be in another battlefield when Edward and Earnest marched into another skirmish. They been unable to recover their bodies, given the retreat. “My cousin might have been caught in the world gate that had opened up and allowed Ikegai to escape to this world. It’s a slim chance, I know,” Kire repeated. “But it would give us some answers to lingering questions, at least.” 
 [i]A world gate…[/i] Gavin had wondered about that. That had been one of Ikegai’s plans, and why Gavin’s enslavement had been crucial. “Would that be how my mother got here?”
“Possibly. But! Before anything else, I have a few things!” 

Kire finally returned her attention to the sack she had brought with her. She produced two boxes, one square, one long and thin. She opened the thin one first and brought it to Envy. “You like to smoke, so I got you a pipe.” There were intricate carvings along the small bowl and the stem. She took out the other box and opened it so Envy could smell what was inside. “Tobacco. The finest. Or at least I’m told, I don’t smoke, myself. But if you want something with a bit more kick, there’s smoking herbs in the hidden compartment,” she said, grinning at that. She looked over her shoulder at the giantess and said aloud, “Maybe next time, since somebody’s so eager to join me on these journeys, Narda would help me carry more.” 
Narda grunted, though she did smirk back. Kire turned to Ysaryn and handed her a thick pouch. “I don’t know if you’ll like it as much as your own, but this is tea. There’s more herbs and such in here, my cousin labelled them according to use. Some are for cooking, others are for healing,” she added, looking at Gavin, who looked very much like he wanted to rummage around the sack, himself. “Hmm, what else. Oh, candy. I brought plenty more.” There was one more item in the sack, but Kire would have to wait for the rest to return to give it.