1629, Fire Season, Stasis Week, Windsday
Context
Mellia has settled into life in Wilmskirk after a few days there. Session 5.W-13
Events
A couple of days have passed. Freezeday melted into Waterday, which receded, and left Clayday high and dry. On Windsday, while Mellia is at the Hospital, there is a messenger for her. Would she please call on the lady Jaldis, in the room marked with Harmony?
Mellia was treating a toddler when the messenger came. “Can someone please take over here? I will attend the lady Jaldis as soon as possible.”
“Oh, is that a brave child with a big bump?” A matronly lay member takes over. “Now let me see if I have something for someone brave…”
Out come the bribes, and the toddler nervously transfers allegience to the new healer.
“Bless you both,” Mellia says as she hurriedly walks to the room of Harmony.
The room has only one bed, and two chairs. A pale-skinned man is there, meditating, with Jaldis sitting nearby, reading from a papyrus sheet. Although not as robust as parchment, it is not made from animal skin. “Mellia. Close the door please.”
Mellia nods and shuts the door.
“Good. Come sit down. This is Palyai. He does not speak Heortling, and his Tradetalk is minimal.” Jaldis looks over the edge of the papyrus at Mellia. Her expression is thoughtful, and below that, it is judging, and slightly curious. There is a moment of decision, and then that sharp, precise smile.1GM rolls Insight secretly, gets a Critical for Mellia. Doesn’t mention that.
Mellia sits down, then tries greeting Palyai in Esrolian.
“Please do not. You are here to talk to me. He is just the excuse. Now, have you heard an interesting cough lately?”
Palyai is apparently deep in meditation. He looks like a warrior, but not a local one.
Mellia thinks back over the past few days. “Nothing out of the ordinary. I am thankful for that.”
Jaldis nods. “If you hear someone with a single cough, who thinks nothing of it, would you remember?”
“Probably not. Have I missed something?”
“Nothing that would worry the White Lady.” Jaldis stands. “But many I talked to yesterday on the rounds coughed, just once, in the middle of a word, and I was puzzled. Still, it could be coincidence.” She looks down at Palyai. “And I suppose I must tell you about him too.”
“Please do,” Mellia asks. She is beginning to look worried.
Jaldis drops it straight in. “He was, until Ernalda’s week, a Wolf Pirate.”
“Interesting. I rejoice that he has reformed, but I suspect many people will not. Has he said anything interesting?”
“He said that he surrendered, and indeed Thane Varanis was appropriately generous about accepting that.”
“Good for her,” Mellia says. “Did everyone else agree with that?”
“He is currently under our protection, and will stay that way for some time if necessary, but no doubt she will be taking him from us soon.”
“One can only hope,” Mellia agrees. “How can I help keep him alive?”
“Oh, accompany him, perhaps?” Jaldis makes a little gesture of a fluttering robe, a piece of hand-dancing. “But he will probably have to leave with the Thane. I am sure she will be able to defend him appropriately.”
“I have faith in my cousin,” says Mellia. “I was planning to remain here until after I give birth. Whitewall is only a day or two away from here….”
Jaldis nods. “The Earth Temple here is sound, although of course, a bit shaken. The politics are rather perculiar, as one would expect.”
Mellia comments, “Politics is often a bit peculiar. Would it help if I wrote to my cousin, or do I need to take a short trip?”
“Why, is Venlar not available to travel?” Jaldis fakes puzzlement well. “We do not need any of your cousins here. Some would only get in the way.”
“Oh, I think I can persuade Venlar somehow,” Mellia says with a smile. “I love my cousins dearly, but they tend to get into trouble.”
Jaldis blinks. “Do you mean to say you intend to send your husband to interfere?”
That seems to have startled her, for real.
“Not unless we need him to,” Mellia says. “Apparently we have someone who needs to be escorted out of Wilmskirk . If we can’t do it, we need Varanis to stay in Whitewall, then who do we have to send?”
“Oh, I see. She will have to pass through on the way back to Boldhome, surely? As long as he is here he is safe, and he is recovering from an infected wound, after all.”
“I think she would stop by. I can write to her and try to talk her into it.”
Jaldis gives Mellia a nod. “It is the natural place to stop, being a day away, and she knows that he is here. Perhaps just let her know where you are.”
“I will write to her today,” Mellia says.
“Then thank you for coming to see the patient. I am glad you find his progress is good.” Jaldis sits down once more, and finds her place on the papyrus sheet she was reading.
“I am glad to be of help.” Mellia smiles and returns to her work. She wants to chat with the family about this…
- 1GM rolls Insight secretly, gets a Critical for Mellia. Doesn’t mention that.
