28 Saun 719
"Yeva of Rharne," Larkin Trevendor bounded down the stairs of the white plantation house, waving off a field worker to greet her with open arms, one hand holding a pink fruit, the other a cigar, "I'm happy to see you could make it. There were rumors another one of the women from your Order was about, but last I heard, the Avriel had snatched her up for questioning. Can't see why... Everything is just peachy in the great windy city, wouldn't you say?"
Larkin had a wolfish grin and when she noticed that what he held was a peach, she broke off in a smile, "How have you been, Master Trevendor?" then, as if thinking better of it, she looked up at the second story, eyes searching the windows, "How's Te'ami? Is everything...?"
"Everything's fine. She was a little stubborn after you left last - bed rest is a hard medicine for her to take - but after a few more trials of that morning sickness and she was thankful for it."
"I knew she would be," Larkin waved her towards the chairs on the front porch and the pitcher that on a wicker table, and the two humans took a seat in the shade, "I hope I'll be able to see her pregnancy to the end. Things have been a bit..."
"Chaotic?"
"You truly have no idea."
"Hm," Larkin poured a glass and a held it out, "Where's your friend? Azrael didn't have time to come with you this morning? I was sure he'd want to sneer in my face."
Yeva's expression darkened and her shoulders slumped. Quietly, she took a sip of her drink - lemonade, "I don't know. I haven't seen him since Ymiden."
"Truly? Where in Idalos have you been staying? Were you put on the block for resale?"
The block. The stage of slavery. The auction podium. Yeva shook her head, "No, no, nothing like that. I mean... maybe I still will be. With everything going on, I've mostly been able to stay out of sight. Sometimes I sleep on the streets, sometimes one of the human families find a place for me. I've been tending to wounds and illness. Finding food where I can."
"You should have told me."
"I-I've been terrified," Yeva wouldn't cry. Larkin's own father had once been a slave and now their family prospered for it. If this was her future and she did get passed to a new owner, she would do her best. Still, his kindness gave her hope. Yeva smiled, "I've heard Azrael has family. A sister, at least. I may try to seek her out still."
"Hmm," Larkin drank quietly, rocking in his chair and overlooked his fields. The whole topic was touchy and ridden with complexity. Truly, there was no right answer while Azrael's fate was still unknown. To her surprise, the Trevendor brother changed course, "What does your family do, Yeva?"
Larkin had a wolfish grin and when she noticed that what he held was a peach, she broke off in a smile, "How have you been, Master Trevendor?" then, as if thinking better of it, she looked up at the second story, eyes searching the windows, "How's Te'ami? Is everything...?"
"Everything's fine. She was a little stubborn after you left last - bed rest is a hard medicine for her to take - but after a few more trials of that morning sickness and she was thankful for it."
"I knew she would be," Larkin waved her towards the chairs on the front porch and the pitcher that on a wicker table, and the two humans took a seat in the shade, "I hope I'll be able to see her pregnancy to the end. Things have been a bit..."
"Chaotic?"
"You truly have no idea."
"Hm," Larkin poured a glass and a held it out, "Where's your friend? Azrael didn't have time to come with you this morning? I was sure he'd want to sneer in my face."
Yeva's expression darkened and her shoulders slumped. Quietly, she took a sip of her drink - lemonade, "I don't know. I haven't seen him since Ymiden."
"Truly? Where in Idalos have you been staying? Were you put on the block for resale?"
The block. The stage of slavery. The auction podium. Yeva shook her head, "No, no, nothing like that. I mean... maybe I still will be. With everything going on, I've mostly been able to stay out of sight. Sometimes I sleep on the streets, sometimes one of the human families find a place for me. I've been tending to wounds and illness. Finding food where I can."
"You should have told me."
"I-I've been terrified," Yeva wouldn't cry. Larkin's own father had once been a slave and now their family prospered for it. If this was her future and she did get passed to a new owner, she would do her best. Still, his kindness gave her hope. Yeva smiled, "I've heard Azrael has family. A sister, at least. I may try to seek her out still."
"Hmm," Larkin drank quietly, rocking in his chair and overlooked his fields. The whole topic was touchy and ridden with complexity. Truly, there was no right answer while Azrael's fate was still unknown. To her surprise, the Trevendor brother changed course, "What does your family do, Yeva?"