WC 754
The girl balked at the way the word ‘books’ seemed to strike her companion and roll so unfamiliarly off her tongue. She kept pace with Alaine but her eyes widened and her maw parted in slight amazement as she cocked her head sideways, brooding. Had she just imagined that? Was Alaine’s inflection just a mistake? Or was she really unfamiliar with books?! This could not be! Without trying to embarrass Alaine, she leaped at the opportunity to elaborate, arms and hands motioning passionately as they walked to illustrate her meaning. “Yeah, books! You know, where we can chronicle stories, histories, information. . . like information on plants and herbs! I love them, I have tons of them. Well, I don’t have tons, but I have had tons in my life. It was hard back where we used to live, so once I finished one I usually had to leave it somewhere. We couldn’t stick to one place for too long and more than one or two were too heavy to carry along with us. But now that I have a room here,” she motioned behind her in the direction of the Chien Hotel, though now only a speck of the wrought-iron fence could be seen from the trail they followed, “I hope to get a good collection going.”
As Alaine’s expression brightened and she told Orin about her son, she watched the woman’s face and tones intently. Like most good mothers, she seemed proud of her child despite how much the responsibility must tax her. She opened her mouth to inquire about Alaine’s mate, but suddenly a small instinct within her told her it would be better to let this topic come around on its own, and she hushed. She did not exactly understand why it felt inappropriate, and usually Orin would delve into a haze of curious questions without hesitation. Whilst she still had that same overly-enthusiastic, inquisitive character, she wondered if there was a new maturity overcoming her. . . Oh no, that can’t be it! Most likely Alaine already said something, and she had forgotten, so she decided not to ask so as not to embarrass herself. Yes, that was it, for certain.
“He sounds great, I would like to meet him,” she crooned, referring to Caillen. As Alaine went on to tell the worrisome details of just how she came to become a member of Cour des Miracles, her ears swiveled back a bit and she looked honestly concerned. “Wow, that’s quite a story. So. . . does everyone trust you now, or do you still have problems because of the. . . misunderstanding?” Orin didn’t see why anyone would distrust this woman. It was obvious that she was just doing her duty and trying to keep her pup alive and strong, anybody could understand the necessity, right? She pondered for a moment, wondering how Alaine would have been treated if it had not been for her healing abilities. She understood, perhaps, the pack asking Alaine to do some work in exchange for the cow she took to repay her debt, and hoped that is all they would have asked of her. Come to think of it, before now, Orin had never considered such business. Everyone she had met in the Court had seemed quite pure, but it suddenly became plainly obvious that she should ask more questions if she were to know who it is she chose to live with. Yes, more questions than she already asked.
Suddenly her companion bristled, a liquidy word flowed off her lips, and she crouched down and began tending a thicket of flowers. Oh, the amazing things this woman said! It surpassed any of the illustrious fantasy novels she had ever read, and what’s more, was real life! She marveled at Alaine for a moment before kneeling down next to her at the edge of the flower bushel. “Feverfew.” She repeated, just as she had before. Again to ensure she remembered she chanted in a whisper, “feverfew, feverfew, feverfew. Soothes headaches. Lessens fevers.”
Stealing a brief and apologetic glimpse at Alaine to ensure she didn’t think she was mocking her, she smiled as she reached out for a stem, but did not yank the flower from its roots yet. “Sorry, just trying to remember it for my journal entry later. Its amazing how you can spot them, they just look like daisies to me. So, do you pick them now, or come back for them later if you need them? Do they keep?”