A shiver runs down the length of her spine. Piri’s words and Piri’s lips caress her ear in turn, and in each moment she knows not which to expect. And thus, both pass straight to her unguarded heart.

The door clicks behind her. They have been given privacy.

She steps closer.

Her thoughts are…her thoughts fall strangely silent. Muffled, even. At the edges of her awareness, she feels the sharp edge of danger, the instinct to be on alert, but of what? Her heart cannot tell, exactly. It is too busy with another song to hear any note of alarm. Guard and protect her from harm. Talk with her. Reassure her, the poor thing. Allow her to care for you. Talk with her. Reassure her. Allow her. Guard her. Talk. You may remove the gag.

Han stands before her demigod. Her charge. Her hands rise to the sparkling veil, all but brushing it, and then she freezes. Frowns. Pulls back, and scrubs her grimy, filthy fingers on the least dirty corner of her poncho. A bath of rosewater and fancy perfumes would be better. It’d be what she deserves. Talk with her. Reassure her. Guard her. It will have to do.

Her fingers slip beneath the veil, cupping her cheeks, brushing her flowing blue hair aside to reach the knots on her neck. Piri’s work is good, and thorough. No knot is so tight as to be uncomfortable. Each scarf is tied separately. One by one, Han gently teases them loose. Scarf by scarf, she unwraps Lotus of Tranquil Waters, running her rough fingers over her face, her neck, her lips. Hands that carved the earth in two stroke her skin, their touch as light as butterfly wings.

At last, she grants Lotus her voice again. The gags lay neatly in a pile on the bed.

“It’s gonna be alright, little bud.” Her voice isn’t made for breathy softness. Even whispered, a growl runs through her halting words. But still, she speaks. “I’m here. And. [i]No one[/i] is gonna take you from me.” Her hand hangs, awkwardly, halfway between face, and shoulder, and hair. Unsure of where to touch. Unsure of where she could touch. Shaking, with strain and fatigue.

[That’s going to be 5 + 4 + 2 = [b]11[/b] on Emotional Support]