1629, Sea Season, Harmony Week, Waterday
Context
Lenta recovers from her resurrection at the Nunnery. Varanis is fussing. After Session 4.06.
Events
The healers have left the room; Lenta seems to sleep peacefully. Yelm has not quite risen above the Praxian plains.
Varanis sits on a stool beside the bed. Her left hand gingerly clasps a scroll, while the fingers of the right are moving across the page, following the text.
Something is different. Maybe sound of her breathing changed, maybe Varanis felt her gaze. Green eyes are open and look towards the Vingan.
Varanis sets the scroll aside and gives Lenta her full attention. “Welcome back.”
The green eyes scan the room and return to look at Varanis “Where are we?”
“The Nunnery,” Varanis replies. “Do you… do you remember what happened?”
The Ernaldan thinks for a moment. “I remember The Road and before that… ” She closes her eyes and swallows.
The Vingan reaches awkwardly for a hand. “It’s ok. You’re safe now.”
The smaller woman takes hold of Vingan’s hand and squeezes it. She shuts her eyes tighter and shivers a bit. “… A javelin hit my foot and pinned me down. Then it stepped out of the bushes and before I had time to gather my spirit cut me down…” She looks at Varanis “I cried out in pain, but I did not warn them. I was so surprised and hurt I just shouted. I did not warn them…”
“They are fine. They heard you and came running, but the evil fled.”
There is visible relief on Lenta’s face. “So Mellia was not dead when I met her on the Silent Road.”
“No! She saved you.”
“I know.” The Ernaldan answers almost inaudibly “She… she told me how sad my family would become, convinced me to turn back and helped me every step on the return journey…”1Varanis can tell that she is telling truth but left something major unsaid.
Varanis studies the younger woman, but doesn’t press for more information. Instead, she squeezes Lenta’s hand. “I’m glad you turned back.”
The green eyes blink. After a while she looks at the wall. “I tried to pay her back for saving me. Now I owe her my life again…”
“Maybe you can do service for the temple? Bless their fields or something?”
Lenta smiles a bit. ” That is the least I could do. But that is not by any measure enough, Varanis.”
“I know,” Varanis says. “But…” She shrugs, looking uncomfortable. “I just wasn’t sure… well, anyway. There will be a way. How do you feel? Can you sit up?”
“..I…” She lets go of Varanis’ hands and looks around in the room. Turning on her side, facing away from Varanis she swings her feet out of the bed and pushes to a sitting position. A bit wobbly one but sitting all the same “I can. Yes, I can. “
“If you are well enough, we should find out if there’s a shrine here for you, or arrange transportation back to Beasts Gather. I’d like to see you receive Ernalda’s blessings today. You were too close to her aunt for comfort.”
Lenta stands up looks at Varanis over her shoulder and nods “You speak the truth there. What day is it?”2I was making CON rolls for her to see if she swoons on Varanis’ arms but disappointingly she did not fail…
“Waterday,” Varanis says. “I need to go greet Yelm and then get back to Beasts Gather. Today is the day we promised to the shaman.”
“Oh. And the Sea Season Holy Day of Allmother. ” She nods decisively, goes slightly green and puts her hand on her temple. Her eyes dart around and she grabs an empty chamber pot to puke in.
Varanis winces.
Lenta set the pot down, looks around and takes some water from a pitcher left on a bench. “I am OK. My head hurts a bit and my stomach felt like it turned over. But I am OK.”
Varanis nods. “Should I get a healer?”
“I need to talk with your cousin and the High healer of this place before I leave, yes.” She rubs her belly and winces. “Even if we just leave for Beasts Gather for service…”
“I’ll find someone to let them know you’d like to speak with them and then take care of my morning rituals. Why don’t you sit back down for now?”
She nods, looks a bit green and closes her eyes for a while, but does not sit down.
The Vingan gives Lenta a worried look before slipping out of the room.
- 1Varanis can tell that she is telling truth but left something major unsaid.
- 2I was making CON rolls for her to see if she swoons on Varanis’ arms but disappointingly she did not fail…
