438.

The ivory and ebony patched woman had already been up and about that morning. Before dawn had even greeted them she had awoken, caught herself a small rabbit breakfast while also making the rounds of the eastern edges of the pack lands. Nayru knew this was technically no longer her duties, but the eastern edges were quieter and she did not mind. It saved the others from making the trip out towards her end when they all lived their lives closer to Wolfville and Berwick. She would start where the sea met the shore and go as far as half way to Berwick, when the scents of the others told her that recently someone had come through and made sure all was well. Then she would turn back and get on with other tasks.

Still she was trying to restore some of the plants she had lost when the ceiling had fallen down on her, most of them had died in the coldness that seeped into her glass house before her and Farore had patched the roof. Now the warmth had returned to the greenhouse, but the greenness was gone. Surely her and Siku could fill it once spring allowed the plants outside to flourish, and for now she tried to plants seeds she had saved. She went from pot to pot of seemingly just soil and watered them all, taking note of the few that pushed a small stem up out of the dirt. When she encountered these she smiled, knowing that even after disaster life could flourish and it gave her great pride to be part of that.

It was this task she was engaged in, barely aware that the sun had indeed risen and was shinning in on her. So absorbed she did not hear the footfalls outside and it was a voice and a tap at the glass that alerted someone else was in the gardens. Turning she could make out the figure of Saul, and she smiled through the glass panels at him and moved swiftly to the door, pushing it open. Outside was warmer than it had been in the previous weeks and she did not mind holding it open as she beckoned him inside with one hand. ”Saul! How does this morning find you, my friend?” She laughed and moved the hand she waved at him with to her head, unconsciously touching the stitches there, as she often did. Nose twitching and taking in the spring air and the scent of her friend, she waited for him to approach and enter her home, no words needed to make the invitation obvious.

456.

As when anyone entered her home for the first time Nayru watched the wandering eyes of her guest. They fell on the pots and buckets of mud and soil and the gamma wished that Saul had seen her plants in their prime. Before the winter had broken into her home and killed them all. The pretty blossoms that had colored the green house had quickly turned brown and the fresh herbs that had scents the air froze and became useless. Yet Nayru knew the emerald eyed man was clever enough to see the potential, and with Siku growing such an interest in plants as she was, perhaps his roommate would describe what the greenhouse had looked like before the awful storm had hit. And what it would look like once again, in the summer after they all had had time enough to heal.

It was only his eyes wandered up to her head that she became aware that she was once again fingering her wound. Or what had been a wound, and now mostly healed but had become infected. Whether it was just always in the back of her mind or the slight itch from the infection drove her to touch it constantly and unconsciously Nayru did not know, but she wished she could break herself of the habit for it was truly one of the few aspects of her own life she was not in control of. ”The ceiling fell on my head.” Her eyes moved to the panel above them, the one made of wood and not glass and obviously put up to replace the glass that had fallen down. “My sister did this. Her and Gideon were the ones who found me.” Although she could not remember, Farore had filled her in and Nayru was simply grateful that anyone at all had been there. The woman could have bled to death and it was simply luck that had caused both sister and best friend to seek her own at the moment.

“She did the best she could.” Why she made such excuses for Farore, she wasn’t sure, but Nayru did not wish for Saul to think lowly of the woman he had not met. Farore had been allowed to stay by Conor, and she did so bitterly, more for Nayru’s benefit than anything else. Farore would not leave without her sister, and Nayru would not leave. They were at a stalemate and Farore at times could come across as inapt and ungrateful because of this. ”It doesn’t bother me too much.” The words were smooth and covered her lie far more easily than she had expected, and yet the swelling and pussy infection was the clear indicator that Nayru was downplaying the issue.

400.

The younger male scolded her and her light sweet laughter answered his concern. He was neither her superior in age or rank but this simple face only amused her for the shortest of moments. It seemed he was not angry at Farore, but disappointed in her and he had every right to be. What would Conor have thought if he saw how bad her infection had become? And yet, it did not pain her so greatly. So independent and always alone, it simply hadn’t crossed her mind to seek out help and Farore had not encouraged her to. Her snow colored sister had probably not realized how badly the wound was healing and neither had she, yet wasn’t it part of her responsibility to care for herself so she could care for the others? In this way she was letting them all down.

At his gentle touch she felt both a slight pain in the wound and also a rush of warmth. It was so rare that anyone touched her, Gideon was the only one who ever made a habit of outwardly showing her affection and the boy had been missing since her injury. When he withdrew his hand she turned cherry eyes up at the taller man. ”I am sorry, I have been so busy acclimating to my new duties and reacquainting myself with Farore. I did not mean to let it go unattended for so long.” And yet if Saul hadn’t come today, how much longer would she have waited? Possibly too long.

Nayru looked about slowly, trying to answer his question. The greenhouse seemed bare and empty aside from the empty pots and her own belongings. Bringing her ankle up and her arm down, she unsheathed the dagger Saluce had crafted for her. It was always kept clean, but perhaps not completely sterile. Yet it had been the only tool available when Farore had stitched her and had actually been the tool to carve holes into her head so the crude twine could pull her skin flaps together again. “I only have this.” She answered softly and shrugged. All her herbs had perished when the winter wind and snow seeped. Nayru knew that Saul would not be content with so little and before he could ask moved towards the door, sure he wouldn’t wish to waste any time. “We can go to your cabin. I don’t mind.”

.

The man still seemed concerned, even after she consented to allowing him to treat her. Nayru knew that an infection might develop, and it had, but she washed it went she thought about it and it hadn’t worried her much. Ye the tone Saul took told her that perhaps she should have been worried about it. “What kind of further damage?” Her question came softly, slowly as if she asked it only to make conversation, but her eyes were bright and curious and she seemed then more like the child she had been than the adult she was now. What if? How? How come? Why? What then? The questions lined up on her tongue but she swallowed them done, content to know what other ailments might arise from an untreated head wound.

The girl followed him dutifully. Although the patchwork woman had an idea where Saul lived she had never entered into his home before. Never been invited over. Although she had never brought him to her green house before today either. It was strange to think how intimately she knew Gideon, and even though she loved his siblings just as much the comfortable closeness wasn’t always there. Surely she could tell Saul most anything he asked, and she knew that she could rely on him if ever the need arose, but he wasn’t Gideon and they did not visit each other’s homes or sleep in each other’s beds or share secrets and jokes that no one else knew. “I’ve been alright. Aside from this injury. My sister has been keeping me busy, though I’ve been trying to figure out just what Conor expects of me now.” Her life had changed so drastically from the time of the accident, from her sister’s arrival, from the promotion from Conor. And yet it still felt so similar, so very much the same. Still, as before, she was striving only to please the others. To better their lives, because in turn it would better her’s. “What about you? Any news to share?”