88th Zi'da 716
Fifteen trials. That was how long it had been since Faith and Padraig had experienced their world being turned upside down. The visitor to their room at the Order of the Adunih had told them that Faith was pregnant with Tristan Venora's child and, though they had seen it briefly, the illusion which covered her was back in place for however long it might be. They didn't know how long that was going to last and frankly, Faith didn't care. Because, she had told Padraig that the man or being she had thrown a hairbrush at was right, she thought. She felt it, and with her Zuuda mark she had an understanding of her own blood which meant that, when she really concentrated, she felt that he was right. But of course, it could be that she was letting her imagination run riot. But when one the Immortals, as they both believed it was, came to you and told you that, it was as well to take them at their word and they had agreed that they would move forward accepting what they had been told.
In the time since the Immortal had visited them, Faith had been more quiet, more introspective and thoughtful, withdrawn even. Except from him. The touch of his hand pulled her out of whatever reverie she lost herself in and, when they were alone together she was quite content, just prone to not speaking too much. If she'd had to explain it, she'd lost her chatter. So, she made clothes and things for them for Cylus, she read and she was fine as long as he was there too, also busy with his own distractions.
It had taken fifteen trials and they hadn't talked about it. But that was because he was waiting for her to be ready, she knew. So, she breathed in and prayed to Famula for the strength to do what she needed to do, to serve the greater good as Famula demanded and to Vri she prayed that her love for this man, and his for her, was as strong as she knew it to be. "I devised a system." Faith explained, the first words spoken between them for well over a break and closer to two. But they both understood the silence and more than a few times their eyes had met as they both glanced to check on the other at the same time and they shared a moment, a soft smile and then got back to what they were doing. "With marbles, a bag and a bowl. But we're not children, so we don't really need that. Plus, the marbles are ones that we have when children have swallowed them and we have to get them out. I mean, we wash them, but still." She gave a slight smile, the best that she'd managed since what she referred to as 'the hairbrush incident'.
"We need to make some plans. I've made skirts and dresses with ties which I can undo if this bump reappears. It's probably psychological, but I feel so tired. I think I need to think about work and what to do." If it was psychological, it was powerfully so; her sleep had lasted as long as his for the past twelve or more nights. No early morning rising for her. "I mean, it was a good system. I might re use it in some other circumstance. But, I'm able to talk about it, now, without descending into hysteria and the logical side of me is kicking in."
She breathed in and spoke quietly, looking at him and not dropping her gaze. "I've thought about it for fifteen trials and my opinions haven't changed. I don't want Tristan involved or any of the Venoras. Zvezdana, the woman at the Cathedral? She's a Venora. One of the other medics said yestertrial that there's a new doctor in Rharne called Alistair. Lord Venora is a doctor. It might be a coincidence." Faith didn't believe in those, as a rule. "I wrote to Tristan when we first got here, too. He knows where we are. The way I see it we can do one of two things, we can hide here and hope or we can leave."
Sighing, she pulled her knees up rested her elbows on them, burying her head in her hands for a moment. "I hate this. So much. But." Lifting her head she looked up at him and did her best to smile. "I don't see how we can have any medical care since no one can see it. I need to think about my work and how much I can do but we need money to live. Also, there's the where are we going to be conversation. Three starters. What do you think?" She looked at him and said, most sincerely, "Please don't tell me it's up to me you don't mind. I know you don't. I don't either but we need to decide and I need us to be deciding. If we'd used the system, I'd be calling marble now." Her smile was genuine but Faith was tired in her bones and she looked it.
In the time since the Immortal had visited them, Faith had been more quiet, more introspective and thoughtful, withdrawn even. Except from him. The touch of his hand pulled her out of whatever reverie she lost herself in and, when they were alone together she was quite content, just prone to not speaking too much. If she'd had to explain it, she'd lost her chatter. So, she made clothes and things for them for Cylus, she read and she was fine as long as he was there too, also busy with his own distractions.
It had taken fifteen trials and they hadn't talked about it. But that was because he was waiting for her to be ready, she knew. So, she breathed in and prayed to Famula for the strength to do what she needed to do, to serve the greater good as Famula demanded and to Vri she prayed that her love for this man, and his for her, was as strong as she knew it to be. "I devised a system." Faith explained, the first words spoken between them for well over a break and closer to two. But they both understood the silence and more than a few times their eyes had met as they both glanced to check on the other at the same time and they shared a moment, a soft smile and then got back to what they were doing. "With marbles, a bag and a bowl. But we're not children, so we don't really need that. Plus, the marbles are ones that we have when children have swallowed them and we have to get them out. I mean, we wash them, but still." She gave a slight smile, the best that she'd managed since what she referred to as 'the hairbrush incident'.
"We need to make some plans. I've made skirts and dresses with ties which I can undo if this bump reappears. It's probably psychological, but I feel so tired. I think I need to think about work and what to do." If it was psychological, it was powerfully so; her sleep had lasted as long as his for the past twelve or more nights. No early morning rising for her. "I mean, it was a good system. I might re use it in some other circumstance. But, I'm able to talk about it, now, without descending into hysteria and the logical side of me is kicking in."
She breathed in and spoke quietly, looking at him and not dropping her gaze. "I've thought about it for fifteen trials and my opinions haven't changed. I don't want Tristan involved or any of the Venoras. Zvezdana, the woman at the Cathedral? She's a Venora. One of the other medics said yestertrial that there's a new doctor in Rharne called Alistair. Lord Venora is a doctor. It might be a coincidence." Faith didn't believe in those, as a rule. "I wrote to Tristan when we first got here, too. He knows where we are. The way I see it we can do one of two things, we can hide here and hope or we can leave."
Sighing, she pulled her knees up rested her elbows on them, burying her head in her hands for a moment. "I hate this. So much. But." Lifting her head she looked up at him and did her best to smile. "I don't see how we can have any medical care since no one can see it. I need to think about my work and how much I can do but we need money to live. Also, there's the where are we going to be conversation. Three starters. What do you think?" She looked at him and said, most sincerely, "Please don't tell me it's up to me you don't mind. I know you don't. I don't either but we need to decide and I need us to be deciding. If we'd used the system, I'd be calling marble now." Her smile was genuine but Faith was tired in her bones and she looked it.
