Mellia — Checking Marta
????, Earth Season
Context
1626 Earth Season/Week/Wildday/late afternoon in House Saiciae. [[[s02:session-12|Session 12]]]
Events
Varanis’ chambermaid is not in the room where Varanis paces around.
Mellia will ask the other servants where Marta is.
Servants look a bit hesitant, but tell you that she is probably in Varanis room.
Mellia will go to Varanis’ room and knock on the door.
No answer. Do you eavesdrop on the door?
Yes.
Very quiet sobbing.
“Marta? It’s Mellia.”
Sobbing stops.
“Marta? May we talk?”
Snif. “Come in mistress”
Mellia enters the room, shutting the door behind her.
Marta raises from the floor near the birdnests.
She is cradling the blue redheaded songstrel.
“What’s wrong? Is the bird ill?”
She shakes her head.
Bird is looking rather agitated though, even when Marta tries to sooth it. Chirping and trying to flutter its clipped wings.
Mellia comes over and tries to soothe the bird.
The bird continues to wriggle and chirp hysterically. The other one sulks in its nest quietly shaking.
“Oh, bird,” Mellia says to it, “Varanis will be back soon, possibly with Garin’s head on a platter. She knows what she’s doing, even though she hasn’t slept. So don’t worry.”
Marta closes her eyes and turns away. Her shoulders are shaking, but she does not let out a sound.
“Marta? How can I help?” Mellia sounds genuinely worried.
“My little bird, she will break herself in half if she does not sleep.”
“I don’t like the way her hand shook,” Mellia agrees, “but I’d have to attack her to get her to sleep in the mood she’s in.”
“I don’t think she can now, not with that tea of hers.”
“And Solaska said she can’t take sleepdraught now. But she must sleep.”
“Oh, there’s a way to get her to sleep,” says Mellia. “But I’d have to almost literally attack her.”
Marta is crying openly now. But not facing Mellia.
“She just does not know when to stop. She never knew when to stop.”
“Heroes,” Mellia says, “are like that. Tell you what. I think Varanis is out swearing that she did not kidnap Lenta Hulta. After that, we may have to wait for the tide to do much of anything. I will try to get her to come back here and at least put her feet up.”
She shakes her head. ” My little bird…”
Mellia quietly leaves the room.
