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Word Count: 504
For Hadley. Dated 23 February; continuation of Part I in Ethereal Eclipse. Let me know if the power-play isn't okay.
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They arrived at the stables in one piece, some time later. The ride had been somewhat arduous, with multiple resting points, and Grace was more than happy to be home when they got there. She rubbed her horses down well, thanking them in soft tones, and fed and watered them. Then she led Hadley into her home, a small building that she had only recently constructed.
It was two rooms - one to serve as a living-room and bedroom of sorts, and one for storage and her small hydroponics system. To one side, a large, handmade, down mattress held her assortment of blankets, pillows, and pelts. A small wooden stand sat beside it, with a worn wooden jewelry box and an oft-mended, leather-bound book sitting atop it. In another section was a small table with two chairs, obviously freshly built, and against a wall was a book shelf, half-full of damaged and repaired books, manuals, scrolls, and leather folders full of loose pages. Trinkets sat on the shelves, many made of turquoise, wood, and shells, most of which were well-kept but not new, but one of which - a small wooden carving in light pine, depicting a luperci with small, turquoise stones for eyes, sitting in meditation - looked fresh as well. This house had been finished mere days ago, and the scent of cut wood was heavy throughout the house.
Grace inhaled gratefully as she stepped inside, pulled off her tan suede coat and hung it on a rack near the door. "Home sweet home. It's new; I just moved here, and I wanted to be nearer to the stable. I'll probably expand it later, but for now, it's just right." She walked to the storage room door and opened it. The room was adapted to her normal use, with storage to one side and underneath her growing system, and the plants high enough that she could only access them with a small ladder, to avoid her knocking them over when she was in a hurry. She pulled a thinner mattress-roll from one side of the storage - the one that she had used on the road, since carrying one like the one that she had made for her home would have been foolish. She put it down near hers, but not too near to make them uncomfortable, and added a couple of pillows and a blanket. "You will sleep here. You're safe now." She sat down on the edge of her mattress. What a long day it had turned out to be!
Taj went to her side. In his beak, he caried a small, cloth bag, dyed purple with beading and a yellow, hemp drawstring. He perched on her shoulder so that she could take the bag. Out of it, she pulled a small wooden pipe, and pressed some green plant matter into it. She lit it with a small, metal lighter from the same bag, and then offered it to Hadley. "Smoke with me, brotha. We're friends now. And you're free."