Mellia — Not Stolen Away
????, Dark Season
Context
The end of Dark Season, approaching Sartar. [[[s02:session-18|Session 18]]]
Events
Time passes. Silor takes a couple of Venlar’s bodyguards, among the thralls. It gets colder as they travel north, despite the turning of the season from Dark to early Storm as they approach Whitewall. There, as they come into the city, he suggests a pause. “I’d like to send a message to Jengharl and find out if it’s safe. I… might fly it in myself.”
Mellia will agree to the pause, although she wants to avoid the High Healer there.
“Well, that is up to you. However, it is still snowy up ahead, I think. Have you travelled in old snow before?”
“I don’t think so.”
“It’ll be fine on most of the roads, but it goes into drifts. I can leave Venlar’s people… well, they would stay with you. But I don’t need bodyguards if I fly. Would you prefer me to send in, and wait with you?”
“Would you please? I am nervous.”
“Of course… And if you are avoiding the High Healer, does that mean not staying in the Temples? I heard about their condition, and the town…”
“If I want to avoid Jaldis, I can’t stay in the temple.”
“In that case, would be be inappropriate to pretend to have the sniffles?”
Mellia considers that. “Really we’re not supposed to lie.”
“I meant me. If you needed to stay away and look after me?”
“Oh. That works.”
“She will know,” he points out. “Which I don’t mind, but you might. An old man’s advice is not – of course – to go to the Temple anyhow, but to take a few nights in retreat, contemplating the world. But I can’t afford to stop outside the city. I need to… what’s a medical expression… feel it for fever?”
Mellia nods. “That’s a good idea. I will do that. I should be safe in Whitewall.”
“I’ll send ahead…”
He does that, claiming a bed from a distant cousin and sending a courier away the next morning.
“Have you considered worship?” he asks. “A Temple is best for that…”
“So it is. I will do that too.”
Mellia will grit her teeth and go to the temple. She would definitely worship there.
Whatever it is that Silor says to Jaldis, he talks to her the day before. The service goes off with a nod from the High Healer, and no more. And then afterwards Jenn comes rushing up to meet Mellia, face all beams.
Mellia smiles back and offers Jenn a hug.
“It’s so much better here and I’m doing so much good and the winter was mild enough and most of the people had a roof and it’s great!” Jenn does good hugs. “And I can almost see home from here and people have been visiting!”
“That’s wonderful, especially the visits!”
There is a lot of blushing and giggling, and then, “How about you?”
“I am going to Blue Tree. My clan is taking an absurd amount of time to negotiate my wedding.”
“Oh, that’s sad. Jaldis sent someone called Tathia there. She’s young but really feels helping people.”
“I am glad to hear that. I hope my love can get those talks finished soon.”
Jenn nods to that. “I’m sure he will have good news. Anyone wanting to marry you would be doing the right thing.”
Mellia beams. “That’s sweet of you to say, Jenn. Is there anything you need help with?”
“Nothing we can’t manage. Even the diseases hate being outdoors in cold weather, so we’ve been taking advantage of that. But if you’re going on, could you take a message to the Greyrocks, or at least to the road up there so someone else can take it? I get awefully tired of waiting for couriers.”
“Of course! I think I will need to hand it off.”
“Wilmskirk will be good enough for that. Someone from the clan will be able to take it from there.”
“I’m going to Wilmskirk, so that should work.”
After that, the chatter turns to inconsequential things.
The stop in Whitewall is four days, meaning they will be crossing into Sartar on the first day of Storm Season.
Silor suggests wrapping warmly.
Mellia will take Silor’s advice. She hopes Wilmskirk has calmed down.
When going over the border, Silor chooses a route off the main road, sending the thralls by the easier way and coming overland to come in along the road between Wilmskirk and his own Tula. He takes very good care of Mellia, leading her horse, having sent his off too. He does seem to be taking a LOT of care.1Mellia passes Insight Human to notice the care, but not Scan to notice that the route keeps them from going under a lot of open sky.
- 1Mellia passes Insight Human to notice the care, but not Scan to notice that the route keeps them from going under a lot of open sky.
