She could sense Anara doing as she asked. Not fighting her at all as she went into her mind. She focused on language and understanding. She caught flashes of memories, from when Anara was a little girl and her mother played word games with her to teach her to speak. Remembered watching Anara’s father, stern but noble, talk as their family ate, telling them of his day. She remembered two brothers, one mean spirited, the other her defender.

The memories were mostly just impressions, vague and fleeting, but a few of them came through clearer. Kes tried to avoid seeing them, to focus on learning the language of… the Kazon. That was what Anara’s people were called. They weren’t from this world, instead they’d come here, all the way from another planet, to mine for the materials in the ground.

It was working, she was understanding.

It was hard, and tiring, but finally, the understanding simply seemed to slide into place within her. ”I understand…” She said softly, speaking in the Kazon language, opening her eyes and meeting Anara’s nearly sightless gaze as Anara’s eyes also fluttered open.

”That was… I could feel you, in my mind. You… you really are as kind as you seem, aren’t you? I could feel it…” Anara said softly, looking down at her hands and shaking her head a little before meeting Kes’s gaze again as best she could. ”I’ve… I’ve never met anyone like you before, Kes.”

Kes smiled, feeling flattered and warmed inside at her words. ”Thank you.” She said.

”I… you speak now, so it worked?” Anara asked.

Kes nodded. ”It did.” She said aloud. ”So many new concepts though, I think it’s going to take me a while to get used to.”

”You are a wonder.” Anara told her softly.

Kes smiled, a little shyly. ”Thank you.” She answered softly, yawning. ”But, I’m also tired from doing that…” She admitted.

”Then… then lay your head on my lap, and I’ll tell you what you asked of me… My children say that I’m a very good storyteller.” She offered with a little of a hesitant smile.

”Then I’m sure you are.” Kes told her, doing as she said and laying her head down on Anara’s lap.