Snippet #2218004

For the first time in weeks, Blakestown was celebrating.

It was a modest celebration, of course, considering the majority of the people were still lying abed, recovering from illness and exhausted from the healing process. But that was just it. They were healing, and at an incredible rate, too. When word of the tribals' success got out, people came to town hall to request that the women in white come visit their homes, to heal their children and their loved ones. Slowly but surely, the women traveled from house to house, spending a few hours in each, and educating the families on how to continue taking care of the sick while they recovered.

Those who were well had started a bonfire in the town square, and tables had been set up for the distribution of food. Children from Tribe Vanduo and the colonist children were tumbling together in the snow, playfully tossing bits of it back and forth, and racing between the houses. One Vanduo woman, and another colonist were watching over them all, amiably talking to one another. People were mingling peacefully, and there was a pleasant air hovering over the gathering.

Ajani did her best not to stumble as she emerged from the last house that day. She saw the fire, smelled the food, but oddly enough, didn't feel hunger. Not yet. Perhaps later. She made her way back to the town hall at a measured pace, intending to ask Patsy where more of the sick lay.

After Adrien had tended to some of the sick on his own, he'd come to his house. Radimus was still sick in bed, grumbling and complaining about this or other. How the tribals shouldn't be there. That it was a ploy. Most of the village seemed to disagree, then, and when the boy told his father of the celebrations, he was met with a quick scoff. In the very back of his mind, Adrien hadn't wanted Radimus to heal. He much preferred the man idle.

But it was a horrible thought. Radimus was still his father. After he'd resolved himself from the busy work of helping the villagers and the healers, he had come to help his own father. Though it would assumably be the first thing the boy should've done, Radimus denied his help, and worked against him. He requested a specific healer. The first times he had, Adrien dismissed him, and ignored the weak attempts to stop his work. Finally, when his father had raised his voice and dumped his bucket, Adrien seemed to comply.

So he made way for the town hall. He hadn't mingled with those he'd wanted to in days. Everyone was busy in one way or another, or sick in bed. He waited with Patsy for the arrival of Ajani, though the jolly nurse seemed to be ignorant of his presence, there. It wasn't she who he'd wanted to speak with.

Her entrance was quiet, eyes downcast as she focussed on not tripping over her own feet. When she came into the warmth of the hall, she lifted her eyes to the opposite end, one hand coming up to idly rub at her temple as she crossed the room to meet the pair.

Dark circles were under her eyes, but she managed a smile for them.

"There are more," she noted, glancing from Adrien to Patsy. "Where?"

Before Patsy could get a word in, Adrien started. He uncrossed his arms, and bore a worried frown for the girl. "M'father - Radimus - won't let me treat him, Ajani. He's asking for you. If you'd like, I could just put the old man out and treat him whether he likes it or not, but so far, he's spat out the medicine and discarded the rags. He's acting senile."

He drew a breath in, and spoke again. "You look like hell, though. I think it best you sleep. I'll get him t'comply. Now that I think about it... Nevermind, Ajani."

She held up a hand. "I'm alright, really. We need to get your father well." She stepped around them, not caring to glance back, before picking up a satchel of fresh supplies.

She turned back, taking Adrien by the hand, and leading him out of the hall.

"After this, then, Ajani. Y'need rest." He insisted. "You're wonderful for doing this - you are - but like you said, we're all human. Last thing we need is for you t'pass out doing something, isn't it?"

They both carried themselves to Adrien's house. It was unkempt. Radimus had neglected to take care of it the moment the altercations with the tribals started. With his recent illness, it had only gotten worse. When Adrien had put a hand on the door to open way for the two of them, it conjured dust.

It opened them up to the living room, where Radimus lay on the couch. He insisted not to move - he hadn't the lamplight for reading in his own room. Even then, he refused to make it up the stairs. When the pair of healers entered, though, a slight smirk came to his face.

"Pleasure to see this one again. I just wanted to know if it was true; if you even dared come into our city after what happened. But it's good to know you're winning the favors of our people."

"You have to be quiet if you want to be treated. Talking only makes you sicker, father."

"Probably the swine that introduced Velvet fever to Blakestown in the first place. You think it a coincidence that it swept over us after she'd left? They carry different diseases than us."

Very faintly, Ajani flushed.

"I can see where you get your charm, Adrien." she said, the smallest hint of a smile curving the corner of her mouth. Releasing his hand, she walked over to Radimus' bedside, hovering over him a moment before reaching to lay a hand on his forearm. Hot, with the lightest hint of a tremor.

"What I have will break the fever." she told him, her expression calm. "If you don't let me do what I need to do, you will die, Radimus Rune."

"I know I will. But this won't gain me favor of your people, miz Ajani. The townspeople can laugh and celebrate all they'd like to. I know that you're swine, and they will as well, in time."

Adrien moved to stand behind the couch. By then, Radimus' ramblings were meager and ineffective. "Quiet, father." He said, to which the man returned a grumble.

"Well, I suppose I have to continue on my promise. I'll let you treat me."

Aja took a deep breath, taking up her position at the man's side. With the herbs sitting in a pile in her lap, she took her hands, resting one on his shoulder, and the other over his heart. Inclining her head, she closed her eyes and began to softly murmur.

Radimus' breathing began to slow as he relaxed. It wasn't long before she pulled her hands back, and began to mix the paste.

"He looks no different than the last time I saw him." she said quietly, glancing to Radimus' face. She was referring to the Treaty day. Her brow knit.

"Then, I didn't think I'd ever be able to come to this place with a lack of murderous intent. Motina softened my heart, and I'm glad she did." She glanced to Adrien, then back to the sick man on the bed.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you, that first day we met."

"I don't think murdering my father would help our relations any." Adrien added, though his tone wasn't at all serious. "I've considered it a few times."

By then, Radimus had closed his eyes. Wearily, he opened them, and pointedly aimed them to the figure above. "Your incompetance is no fault of my own." he murmured. "How is the other man? Not... the bigger tribal man. He's very dead. We all know that. The one I shot..." He started to trail. "Didn't look too good. I wonder if he died. I suppose my aim wasn't well enough."

Adrien's eyes flitted up to Ajani's, and his brow furrowed apologetically.

"Junea fights as well as any warrior." Aja said softly, continuing to mix the paste. "He holds no ill will, either."

Presenting the drink to Radimus, she encouraged him to drink. "It will clean the illness from you." she explained. Her voice seemed softer than before.

"That one man found me, the other day. Hard as I try, I haven't been able to rest." She admitted, squeezing her eyes shut a moment.

"He's a competant man." Radimus added.

At that point, Adrien recoiled. His hands released the couch, and his expression contorted into disgust. The boy looked between Ajani and his father. "You know him?" He questioned.

Radimus did nothing but murmur. His eyes struggled to stay open. Like a zombie, he'd done whatever he was guided to, and drank the mixture Ajani had presented to him. Afterwards, he smiled. "That's a shame. That he didn't die. I aimed for the wrong person."

"Radimus. You know him?"

Ajani was quiet, unable to trust herself to speak. She knew that Radimus had lied, but she didn't know that he knew the assassin they spoke with.

Her heart hammered in her chest, a light flush coloring her cheeks. That, and Radimus' obvious threat bothered her.

"He's asleep." she said softly.

Adrien withdrew from the couch and backed to the wall. His demeanor had changed. He hadn't taken his father seriously, then. He was just a mumbling, senile man who'd seen too much. His hands rubbed his face, and he looked to Ajani.

"We'll... Can you send someone on one of our ships?" He asked, taking himself away from the thought of the assassin. "To my mother."

Her brow knit. "Your mother? Why?"

She was on her feet now, unsteadily, but standing nonetheless. "I mean, of course..."

She swayed, teetering dangerously before she gripped a nearby chair.

"Goodness..."

The boy came from the wall, and gripped Ajani's shoulders.

"Ajani. Y'need to sleep, before you start resting whether you like it or not. Xander's in my bedroom, but you can sleep in Radimus'. You've got bags under your eyes bigger than dinner plates."

He drew in a breath, before his shoulders seemed to relax. It was a gesture made, if only to reassure her. "I'll make sure no one comes in. Gets t'you. You won't have anything to worry about. The other ladies can take care of the sick, and if you'd like, you can get back to it. In the morning."

She looked unsure, her eyes reflecting an obvious discomfort at the thought.

"You dont have to do that." she replied, but she made no effort to resist him.

"'Course I don't have to." Adrien said. He'd taken her by the hand, and led her to Radimus' bedroom. It was quaint, to say the least, but the pictures that hung on the wall work a stark contrast. It was kempt, except for the dust that clinged to the furniture and corners of the walls. There was one bed, nothing much more.

"I'll sit out there, with Radimus. Any noise, and I'll come running, hear?"

She put a hand to the side of her face, quietly studying the room he'd shown her. A light shiver ran down her spine, and it was difficult to say whether or not it was from discomfort, or the cold. But, she knew from the way Adrien was looking at her now that he wasn't going to back down no matter what she said, or how convincingly she said it.

So, she gave him a small nod, licking at her lower lip before entering the room. She didn't bother to close the door, simply walked to the bed and sat down on the edge. Her shoulders slumped forward.

"I must seem foolish." she murmured. "To be behaving this way. It's a wonder I can take care of your people when I hardly know how to take care of myself."

She rubbed at her eyes.

"Anyone would be the same." Adrien said. "He's in th'town. I'm not going t'tell you otherwise. But he won't be in this house. Promise y'that. Know my promises don't mean much, after the first time, but I promise I won't let anything happen t'you again."

He stood in the doorway.

"Going to be able to sleep, you think?"

"No way to tell." she replied, looking towards the window. She seemed hesitant to lie down. Her eyes closed tiredly, before she turned to look at Adrien.

"Tell me about your mother?" she asked. There was an uncertainty to her tone, as if she wasn't sure Adrien would be eager to talk about it, or humor her at the very least.

Adrien smiled.

"She's got Velvet. Same thing in the town. I can't say I wasn't a little bit ... It sounds bad, but I s'pose I got a little hopeful, when Velvet came up in the town, and we'd found a cure for it. You guys."

He moved from the doorway and sat on the bed next to her. "I was hoping that we could send someone t'help her. Velvet's the only reason she wasn't able t'come over with us. They didn't want her spreading the disease t'the new colonies."

The hopeful smirk that lit up his face extended to his eyes, wrinkling them. "She still writes me letters. Could show one t'you, if you want. It was a long time ago that we'd left without her, though. Back when I was a baby."

Her smile was soft. "Yes, please."

She thought about getting up to follow him, but knew that it would only end in her looking ridiculous, stumbling around from how tired she was. "Whenever I asked Papa about my mother, he told me that Motina had adopted me very early on. He said it made me special."

She smiled fondly. "He would have liked you, Adrien. I wish you could have met him."

"Me too, Ajani." Adrien said. He placed a hand over hers, if only for a quick moment. "Maybe, once m'mum is treated, you'll be able to meet her. If they let'er overseas."

Then, he stood up. The boy made his way through the doorway, almost in a jog, and passed the resting Radimus to go upstairs. Quietly, he slipped into his own room, which bore the resting figure of Xander. On his desk laid a pile of papers, to which Adrien sifted through. He pulled one of the letters off the top file, and quietly slipped out of the room again.

When he rejoined Ajani, he was smiling down at the letter in his hands.

"Do y'... Want me to read it? Do you want to read it? S'one of my favorites."

She looked almost embarrassed.

"I can try to read it. I haven't tried to do that yet with your language. I'm not sure how much Motina's allowed me to understand."

She gently took the paper from his hands, holding it between her fingers, and decided ultimately to read it aloud.

"My son," she began. "With each breath I take, I think of you. I wonder at how you grow, each and every day, into the man I know I can be proud of. I wonder, my precious Adrien, if you think of me as well. In those moments, my wish is that you see me in health, awaiting my chance to cross those vast oceans to rejoin my family. Do not think of my illness. Do not dwell on hopelessness. Cling to the magic that allows children to believe in their dreams. Never let that go.

"Forgive me for not being there, to watch as you take your first steps, or to marvel with you as you learn about the new world you now call home. Know that I am with you, no matter the distance, and that I am proud of who you are becoming.

"I love you."

A tear plopped against the worn page, and Aja, with a start, sat up straighter, and handed it back to Adrien quickly. "I'm so sorry." she murmured, hastily wiping at her eyes.

"That was beautiful."

Adrien's eyes fell to his hands as Ajani read the letter. Only when he looked up, and she was done, did he realize that she was crying. Still, a smile lit up his face. For once, it wasn't due to a tragedy, or a death. He took the letter back, and delicately folded it in half, before shaking his head. "It's seen some use. Don't think a little water'll hurt it none."

He laughed, for a moment.

"Lovely lady. From what I remember, n'what she tells me. Can't think of why she married a man like Radimus. Maybe leaving'er is what made him so bitter. If I were older when it happened, sure as hell would've made me a little bitter. I s'pose that's what keeps me from whacking him over the head with one'a those books he reads."

Two dimples grew on his face, and the corners of his mouth turned downward a little. "Miss'er, I do. But I think... Sending over one of your healers, and fixing her, I'd be able t'see her again. You would too."

"I would go myself." she told him, and there was the hint of a promise there. "If it wasn't for my responsibilities here. I can ask, of course, to see if someone might be willing to go."

She frowned, then, rather suddenly too.

"But I don't know that Mateja is safe for your mother. Or anyone. Not right now."

Adrien's frown deepened. He pressed a palm to his eye and tilted his head upwards, before looking to Aja and speaking again.

"Maybe she won't come back, then. 'D just like t'know she's safe and healthy."

He took a breath in, and stood up. Then, he moved to the doorway, and looked back to the girl. "I should let y'sleep. Don't need t'keep you up with this silly thing," The letter had been lifted up, then dropped. "Can't imagine how tired you are. Tell you, though. If you hadn't come here... I don't know what we would've done. Can't thank you enough. We can't thank you enough. Sleep well on that, not about th'bad things."

She tentatively pulled up her legs, smiling tiredly in return to his praise, and modestly waved him off. "It's nothing." And her smile grew.

"But I knew Motina would provide a way, somehow. Perhaps it is the illness that will bring us all together." She could hope.

Glancing towards the pillow, she cautiously lowered herself flat, her figure curling as she relaxed, still gazing towards the window. She seemed to be whispering something under her breath.

The words of the letter.

Then, unaware of Adrien, her eyes drifted closed, and her breathing slowed. Quietly, the boy exited the room, and delicately shut the door behind him.

It seemed that she was finally able to fall asleep.