Silly Little Castle

Measures of Time

Wyn was sitting in front of a fire in the keep's library, working through the day's ledgers and trying to make sure she had fully explained the plan forward for the work being done both here and in Portsend. She wanted to ensure there were no questions before they headed south to continue their journey towards the capital. Beside her, Lyana sat reading a book on healing and caring for different ailments, taking notes in a small journal. At a desk, Shiar was also finishing up paperwork, head braced in his hand looking a bit frustrated with something though he growled any time Lyana had tried to assist him. His sister had given up a while ago, with a soft smile on her face, belying her amusement.

It was an easy, comfortable companionship, none of them acknowledging the others, but occupying the same room without conversation or interaction. The peace was halted when the door opened to admit Nerini, melting snow glistening in her hair, pale skin still rosy from the cold outside. In one hand was an opened letter, which she handed to Wyn before sitting a chair in front of Lyana. The younger woman took a few moments to look up, blinking in surprise as she noticed Rini so close to her.

"Lady Nerini."

"Remember when you decided to heal me, this summer?

Lyana blushed, nodding slowly. "Your shoulder, and the poison. Is something wrong?"

"Remember how you said you managed to see some of my memories, like get inside my head, when you had connection with me?" Nerini shook her head from the question, as if trying to dislodge something from her own mind.  There was a determined look on her face when she focused on the woman in front of her.

"Yes..." The young woman was unsure, her eyes searching Rini's face, trying to figure out where the conversation was going.

Wyn frowned as she looked up from the letter, looking to her friend tormenting the poor young healer. She was only halfway through, but still did not understand where the questions were going. "Letter from Queen Rael, apparently, Lady Clare was found murdered in the prison, her throat was cut but they used the same poison on the blade as was used in Alliance. They still haven't figured out who did it."

"I see." Came the quiet reply from Shiar, who was staring firmly at Nerini's back, from behind his desk. He was protective of his sister, as always and looked ready to bark. But Wyn's friend didn't seem to care, or notice, staying focused on Lyana.

"Can you do that, the mind thing, without the healing?"

Lyana blinked at Nerini, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know... honestly I try my best to stop myself from going into people's memories but it wasn't something I could control with you. I needed to try too hard to fight the poison that I couldn't block it out and I've never felt any similar thing without trying to heal someone. It was just something about what was happening, Shia and me were just drawn into your mind."

"But if you can control not doing it, you might be able to get better and purposely doing it, right?" Nerini asked finally, focusing on whatever her idea was and Wyn had to wince, her friend sometimes had no understanding of tact.

Lyana looked overwhelmed for a moment, before taking a deep breath and shaking her head. "I don't know, Lady Nerini. Honestly. I've never tried to read someone's inner thoughts. That's theirs, it's rude."

Wyn frowned as Nerini stood and paced away, forgetting about the last half of the letter as she tried to understand what was going through her friend's mind. "Rini, seriously. What's wrong?"

Nerini shook her head. "I don't know, I guess I would have tried, just to see if I could do it, maybe. As a kid, before I thought about rudeness and what's my business and everything. But I've always been a bit of a rude kid."