• Mature • Stranger in a Strange Land (Vivian)

[Lei'lira]

26th Zi'da, 717


It was raining when the ship arrived in port; a cold, sleety rain made even colder by the dull grey clouds that gave the world a bleak look. It suited Lei'lira's mood perfectly. Once upon a time, she never would have even considered leaving her small farm back in Warrick. It was familiar...it was home. But home didn't feel safe anymore. Not after being kidnapped out of her own home. After that first horrible night, she had known that she would never feel safe again.

Teia had been the one to suggest going somewhere...anywhere else. They needed somewhere they could feel safe if they were ever going to recover from their time as captives. Lei'lira had half heartedly suggested Rharne because her cousin Vivian lived here. It would be nice if she could see the one adult family member she still trusted again. But how would they ever find her in all of this? Lei'lira knew three languages quite well. All three of them could be heard on the docks. So could other languages that she couldn't even begin to guess at.

Anyone who wanted to study linguistics would be in their element here. Linguistics is the study of languages, and there are many to choose from here.

Her attempt to distract herself failed the trill someone bumped into her. Lei'lira's eyes widened in horror at the large man who muttered a gruff apology at her before going about his business. She stumbled back a few steps fighting back a scream of terror. He could have...if he wanted to...

Lei'luna whined sympathetically as she rubbed up against Lei'lira's leg in an attempt to reassure her The wolf familiar hated crowds too, and the fear she felt coming from her bondmate made her wish she could become solid so she could bite anyone who dared look at them the wrong way.

"Deep breaths, Lei'lira. Try to stay calm."

Teia's soothing voice gave Lei'lira something to focus on, and she struggled to obey. It helped in that she didn't give in to the sudden urge to bolt back to the safety of their tiny cabin aboard the ship. But it was impossible to meditate in a crowd like this; there were far too many distractions. It wasn't safe here.

Lei'lira felt cold. But before her mind could begin to retreat to its safe haven, the cries of the twins caught her attention. Tiran and Taerin hated crowds as much as she did, and at just under an arc old, they weren't above making their displeasure known in the only way that they could; by throwing a fit. The only reason that Kaien wasn't joining them was that he seemed to be picking up on his mother's terror, and was too frightened to make a sound.

Teia was the one who pulled the small group aside so they wouldn't be in anyone's way. Lei'lira was too busy trying to calm her children. And in doing so, she was focusing desperately on the task in an attempt to keep from panicking herself.

When the children were calmer, they set off once more. The docks gave way to a series of run down homes that could have fit right in with the ones in Lowtown, back in Andaris. The name "Dust Quarter" was mentioned in disgust by someone passing by, and Lei'lira guessed that this was the Dust Quarter. If so, it was a fitting name. It was filthy; garbage, and sewage filled the streets. The people who lived here clearly did so because they couldn't afford to live anywhere else. People in those circumstances were often desperate. Crime was almost certainly high in this area due to people being willing to do anything to get what they needed to survive...legal, or not. Lei'lira wished that she could help them, but she was in no position to do so; she couldn't even help herself. She was too afraid to even sleep in her own home.

Maybe I should hope that we don't find Vivian here. If she knew how pathetic I was, she'd be disgusted with me.

The sound of a frightened horse broke Lei'lira free of her dark thoughts, and she flinched before steeling herself, and looking around to see what had happened. Not too far away, someone was trying to rein in a horse that was rearing and bucking out of sheer terror. Its ears were flat against its head, and it whinnied in distress.

She's as scared of this crowd as I am, poor thing. Lei'lira thought as she tried to get through the crowd.

A panicked horse was a dangerous one, especially in a crowd like this. As Lei'lira edged closer, she saw the mare's owner trying to get her to settle, but the mare was having none of it. The way she ignored the commands of her rider spoke of the intensity of her fear. But it also spoke of a poorly trained horse. Even in a panic, a well trained horse that hasn't reached the point of bolting will respond to the calming efforts of a person it trusts.

Lei'lira was so intent on slipping through the crowd in order to get to the panicked mare with the intention to try and help calm her that it didn't register in her mind that the horse had already stopped rearing and plunging until she was almost close enough to touch her. As she cautiously extended a hand for the mare to sniff, an angered shout burst forth from the man that owned her.

"Thief!" he bellowed.

The man vaulted down from the mare's back, and grabbed her arm with enough force to leave a nasty bruise. The mare tossed her head and snorted in alarm at the sudden movements, and raised voice, but her rider ignored this in favor of getting a better grip on Lei'lira's arm.

"You tried to steal my horse!" he bellowed again.

The color fled her face as Lei'lira stared at the man in wide eyed terror.

"I...no! I w-wasn't! I w-wouldn't!" she tried to protest as her voice failed her.

Angry mutters came from the crowd that surrounded her. Teia tried to come to her aid, but she couldn't maneuver through the crowd turned mob when she had three young children with her. The man shook Lei'lira furiously.

"Tell me the truth!" he demanded.

"I..."

Lei'lira's voice failed her completely then, sheer terror stealing it away as she trembled in the man's grasp. When she didn't give him the answer he was looking for, the man wrenched her arm up behind her back with enough force to dislocate her shoulder. It made a sickening sound that was mostly drowned out by the shrill scream the sudden, intense agony drove from her. The crowd around her blurred in and out of focus as she began to lose track of where she was. Was she really in Rharne? Or had her escape been nothing more than a dream? Was she back in the Burning Mountains with the men who had held her captive for a season? Pain as severe as this was a common thing when she or Teia had angered the bandits. Was this a punishment, then? What had she done wrong?

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, and it was hard to breathe. It was even harder to think. Panicked thoughts raced through her mind too quickly for her to grasp. Blackness crept around the edges of her vision. Then her knees gave way, sending new waves of agony through her injured arm as her full weight was suddenly supported by it; the only thing holding her upright was the man's brutal grip on her arm. Overwhelmed by terror and pain, the world around her began to fade away.

[Vivian Shiryu]

It had been a long day. The dust quarter was getting to be calmer after the events of last season, but it was still facing problems from restless, panicky civilians and criminals. Vivian had spent her entire patrol duty down in the Dust Quarter for the past several trials, and she was looking forward to returning home now that she was off duty. But before she could head home, she heard a commotion near the docks. Sighing, Vivian turned and made her way to the docks. The crowd around the center of the commotion was thick, ringing with chants of "Thief!" and preventing anyone from getting in.

A few other knights arrived at the same time Vivian did and they more or less bodily pushed their way into the crowd. "Enough of this!" Vivian called once they were in the center. The crowd didn't respond right away, but then the knights all drew their weapons. "Even if this woman is a thief, there is no need of such a crowd. Disperse and return to your own business." she said, her tone commanding. After a moment, she turned to look at the accused and paused in shock. "Lei'lira? Is that you?" she said, kneeling down to look at her cousin.

"You know this horse thief?" the man who was standing snapped, stepping forward. One of the other knights recognized him, however, and stepped forward at the same time he did.

"Bernard, if this woman was touching your horse, it's probably because you lost control of him again." he said, his tone blunt, harsh. Bernard flushed furiously, but the knight just turned to Vivian. "You know this woman, Shiryu?" he asked. As he spoke, one of the other knights bent and was examing her arm.

"Your arm's dislocated. I can pop it back in, but it will hurt." she said to Lei'lira, her voice kind. After a moment, the knight popped Lira's shoulder back into place and smiled apologetically at her after it was done.

Vivian, meanwhile, nodded at the other knight. "Yes, I do. She's my cousin, a rancher and horse breeder. Odds are, she was trying to calm the horse." she said, her tone confident in her cousins innocence. The other knight nodded, then turned back to Bernard.

"Given how little control you have over that beast, I'm inclined to believe her until there's actual evidence she was trying to steal your horse, Bernard. You've been warned about bringing it through crowds before, after it nearly trampled someone last time. Don't let us catch you with that animal near the docks again." he said, his tone firm. Bernarnd swore, but couldn't do anything and left. The other knights returned to their duties shortly afterwards.

Vivian, for her part, stayed with her cousin, and a woman she didn't recognize but stood by with...Lei'lira's twins and another infant. Likely Drayas's kid, sadly. "It's nice to see you, Lira." she said, smiling at her cousin and helping her to her feet. "Do you have a place to stay? I've got room if not." she said, before looking at the other woman. "I'm Vivian Shiryu, Lira's cousin. You're welcome to stay at my house too, if you wish." she said, smiling at the other woman.

[Lei'lira]

A voice reached her through the fog. It was a familiar voice, but Lei'lira couldn't quite place who it belonged to. Still, it was familiar, and it gave her something to focus on. Something to use as a much needed anchor as she struggled to figure out where she was, and what was real.

There were more voices around her. Lei'lira couldn't make out what they were saying; they blended into a deafening roar that frightened, and confused her. Then someone touched her. Terror flooded her, setting every nerve on fire with the need to do something. She would have screamed, and tried to flee, but one thing stopped her. The touches were gentle, not the rough, brutal treatment she had received while she was held captive. It was enough of a difference to ground her somewhat. A voice told her that her arm was dislocated. Was that why she was in so much pain? It had happened more than once while she was a captive, and she knew from experience that the longer it was left untreated, the worse it would hurt when it was. So when the voice told her that she could fix it, but doing so would hurt, Lei'lira turned to look at the person who had spoken.

It was a woman. She didn't know the woman, and that made her nervous, but in her experience women were safer than men. Usually, anyway. So she nodded. The pain was intense as her arm was popped back into place. It left her feeling light headed, and shaky. But it also had the positive effect of bringing her back from her disengaged state fully. And as soon as her arm was back in its socket, the pain began to diminish into a more manageable throbbing ache. Lei'lira thanked the woman softly.

The familiar voice spoke again, and this time, Lei'lira recognized it as Vivian's. When Vivian told someone that she had probably been trying to calm the horse, Lei'lira nodded.

"She was panicked. The crowd had spooked her, and unless someone was able to soothe her fears, she was going to bolt. In a crowd like this...someone was going to get hurt. Or worse." she explained.

Her voice was hesitant out of nerves at speaking to a stranger, but firm. She knew what she was talking about here, and the dangers of a panicked horse bolting into a crowd could not be taken lightly. When the owner of the mare left, taking his mare with him, Vivian helped her to her feet, and Lei'lira smiled at her in thanks.

"A place to stay...? I hadn't really thought that far." Lei'lira admitted nervously.

"I just couldn't stay there anymore..."

By then, Teia had joined them, and she thanked Vivian for her offer.

"I'm Teia, and I'm a friend of Lei'lira's. We'd love to take you up on your offer of a place to stay." she added when she noticed that Lei'lira was eying the crowd anxiously once more.

"It would be good to get her out of this crowd quickly if we can." she said softly so Lei'lira wouldn't hear her.

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian let out a sigh of relief as Lei'lira spoke up and explained what happened, but stay silent as the other knight dealt with Bernarnd. She usually didn't patrol the Dust Quarter, so she wasn't as familiar with the area. Once the situation was dealt with, she turned back to Lei'Lira and her friend. Vivian frowned at Lira's words and she didn't need Teia, as she introduced herself, to point out that something was wrong. "Come on. I can carry one of the kids, if need be." she said, holding out her arms if Teia took her up on the offer.

She led the pair to one of the elevators that facilitated movement through the city. This one would take them all the way up to Sky Quarter. Whever Lei'Lira and her companion stood, Vivian stood near the edge, looking out over bay as they rose higher and higher. "I always loved looking at things from high up. It's why I wanted to be a Skyrider, you know..." she mused out loud, before she shook her head to clear her reverie. That dream had died long ago.

Once they reached the aptly named Sky Quarter, Vivian led the way to her house. The girls were off training for the Priestesses, and her dog Pakse just looked up at the group and gave her biggest smile as they entered. Vivian led them to Zvezdana's old room, which had been mostly empty though the crib and bed were still there, and helped Teia lay the kids down, taking however long was needed until they were asleep. Once the kids were asleep, Vivian led her guests back into the sitting room. "So, I'll admit to being surprised by the visit, Lira. I'd guess this was a spur of the moment decision, but you're welcome here of course." she said, before sitting down next to her cousin and gently holding her hand. "What happened?" she asked both Lira and Teia, her tone as gentle as she could make it.

[Lei'lira]

Teia was happy to take Vivian up on her offer, and she handed Tiran to her with a grateful smile, and a heart felt thank you. Juggling three small kids wasn't easy. Especially in this crowd. Lei'lira watched her friend in silence, feeling more than a little guilty that she wasn't carrying at least one of her own children. But they both knew that it could be disasterous if something triggered a panic attack while Lei'lira was holding one of the children. And with Lei'lira's nerves as shattered as they were, "if" was more of a "when." Being surrounded by a crowd of strangers, many of them men, only made things that much worse. Tiran was delighted by his change of circumstances. He giggled, and clutched at Vivian's hair happily.

When they reached the elevator, Lei'lira hesitated. She had never seen such a thing before. But Vivian seemed to take it in stride, and it seemed to be offering a way out of the crowd; something that Lei'lira wanted very much. So she followed her cousin cautiously. Vivian spoke of a love of looking at things from high up, explaining that it was why she had wanted to be a Skyrider. Curious, Lei'lira moved close enough to the edge that she could look over. But she stayed further back than her cousin did. Looking over the edge was something of a freeing experience. Rather than the fear of falling that she had expected, Lei'lira found looking down at the ground far below them was reassuring in a strange way. The crowd below couldn't hurt her when she was way up here. Teia chose to remain far from the edge, not out of fear, but out of a desire to make sure that Taerin and Kaien were safe.

It didn't take long for them to reach Vivian's house. When Pakse greeted them, Lei'lira smiled, and gave the dog a quick pat. Then it was time to settle the children down. Once they were all in the crib, Lei'lira sang to them softly until they fell asleep. The lullaby helped to soothe her own nerves as well.

After the kids were asleep, Vivian led them back into the sitting room. Lei'lira knew that her cousin would have questions. But she didn't know if she would be strong enough to answer them. Speaking of what happened would force her to think about it, and that was something that Lei'lira was trying very hard not to do. Thinking about her time as a captive made her relive it, and it was far too easy for her to get trapped in the nightmares that resulted. Still, she had to try. And Vivian's hand holding her own made it easier. Lei'lira felt as though the simple touch was lending her some of her cousin's strength.

"Bandits came to the farm on the first of Vhalar." Lei'lira began with a shudder.

"Eri, and the other kids were left alone...but they...they took me. That was..."

Lei'lira shook her head. She couldn't tell her cousin about the time she had spent as a captive. Even now, knowing she was safe, just thinking about it made her start to lose track of where she was.

"I was a captive for most of the season. Teia was a captive, too. They enslaved her..."

Lei'lira fell silent, losing the battle against losing herself in her memories. Seeing this, Teia gave her friend a worried look, but continued.

"The bandits were led by a woman named Pythera. She seemed to really hate Lei'lira, and she mentioned someone named Vivian on several occasions. Could she have been referring to you?"

Teia waited for an answer before continuing.

"We managed to escape, and get to Andaris. Lei'lira bought me, and freed me immediately. But those bandits...they broke something in Lei'lira. She's very fragile now. We went back to her farm, but..."

Lei'lira started as she became aware of her surroundings once more. She looked around nervously. The room was unfamiliar. But that was good. It meant that she wasn't back with the bandits, or on the farm where it wasn't safe anymore. Vivian was there. Her cousin was still holding her hand, and that gave her something to focus on. She was safe...wasn't she?

"I-I couldn't stay there anymore." Lei'lira murmured softly.

"It wasn't safe. If the bandits could take me from my own home once, then they could do it again. I just couldn't stay there anymore. Teia suggested that we go somewhere else for a while, and I thought of you. But I really didn't have any kind of a plan beyond that. I just couldn't stay at the farm anymore. It wasn't safe."

A vagueness entered Lei'lira's eyes as she struggled to keep herself in the present.

"My younger sister Eri and some children that Lei'lira adopted are looking after the farm with the help of some of the neighbors. They should be safe there. The neighbors know what happened, and the local guard promised to patrol the area and keep an eye on things." Teia added.

She had been the one to make the arrangements. Lei'lira had been there when they explained the situation, but she hadn't been able to do much to help.

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian's expression turned bleak as Lei'lira started her story, but she was silent through the first part of it, preferring helping to keep Lira calm rather than indulge in violent outbursts. Pakse, good dog that she was, sensed Lira's emotional distress and came over, licking Lei'lira and putting her big head on Lira's lap, offering the kind of comfort that only a dog could. However, Vivian did react once Pythera's name came up, drawing in a sharp breath, before exhaling in a low growl.

"Pythera Venora. Likes to call herself Valkyr. She used to be a Skyrider, same as me. But she was...cruel, even then. Got kicked out due to her violent tendencies. But since was nobility, she dodged a jail sentence. Unfortunately, stripping her of rank also stripped her of any inhibitions she had left. Turned bandit, and is smart enough that no one can actually prove she was at any of the scenes of her attacks, and there's usually solid evidence she wasn't." she said, before frowning. "Valkyr and I have hated each other for arcs. Until I was exiled for treason, both of us would have told you that we were fated to have a duel to the death at some point." she said, before growling. "And with me in exile, you became the outlet for her hatred. I'm so, so sorry, Lira." she said, her tone showing her sorrow.

She nodded when they explained why Lira had left the farm, then shook her head. "And so soon after that bastard Drayas. And him so soon after..." Vivian growled again, knowing what bandits would do to women in their hands. After a moment, she let out a sigh. "Lei'lira, I know it's your parents farm, that's why you stay. But have you considered leaving Rynmere? The soldiers there are...well, they don't have any place in their ranks for the people who genuinely want to do good anymore." she said, with a heavy sigh.

"You could come to Rharne. The soldiers here, they're...rougher than the Iron Hand in Rynmere, but there's an honesty to them that the Iron Hand never had. Simpler folk, in a way, and that's a good thing. No...misguided loyalty to broken traditions and dead ancestors. They...we could protect you here, keep you safe." she said, before smiling slightly. "And we've got good farmland as well. I could help you move your animals out here." she said, her tone gentle.

[Lei'lira]

When Pakse placed her head in Lei'lira's lap, and began licking her, Lei'lira smiled softly, and patted her gently. Animals were so much easier to understand than people were. They were simple, uncomplicated creatures. Treat them well, and provide what they needed to thrive, and they would obey you. Understand their natures well enough to communicate in ways they understood, and they would do anything you asked of them, trusting that you would keep them safe. Give them a little affection, and they would love you in return. Animals were not cruel as so many people were. Predators killed to survive, and any animal would defend themselves, their young, and their territory when threatened. But they did not hurt others because it gave them pleasure to do so. Nor did they have the complicated motives that made so many people incomprehensible to her.

Lei'lira shuddered at the name Valkyr. Cruel...didn't even begin to describe the woman. And somehow learning that she was a noble didn't surprise her. Most of the nobles she knew were cruel in their own way, even if they weren't as obviously so as Valkyr was.

"You couldn't have known." Lei'lira told her cousin quietly when Vivian apologized for the pain she had suffered at Valkyr's hands.

Vivian spoke of her leaving Rynmere. It wasn't something she had ever even remotely considered in the past. The farm in Warrick was her home, and home and family were everything to her. But...it wasn't really home anymore, was it? How could it be when the farm wasn't safe anymore? Lei'lira knew that she would never feel safe there again. And she didn't have anything else keeping her in Rynmere. The Warricks...if anything, they were just another reason to leave. Lei'lira would be happy if she never saw them again, and she knew that while they would never say it, they would be happy to be rid of her as well. She was nothing but a disgrace to them; a failure of a noble. But in Rharne...she wouldn't be a noble here. She would be free to be who she was without feeling as though she was nothing but a worthless failure for not being able to fulfill duties that she couldn't even fully understand, never mind do.

"I would like that." Lei'lira said softly.

She looked up at her cousin.

"My parents' farm...it isn't home anymore. How can it be when I don't feel safe there? I...I couldn't even let myself fall asleep there the one night I spent there before leaving. I can't be what the Warricks want me to be. I don't even want to try. I...I need to feel safe again."

Lei'lira offered her cousin a hesitant smile.

"What kind of farms are available here? I would want one close enough that the kids wouldn't have a long ride in to school each trial. And one close enough so we could visit each other easily."

[Vivian Shiryu]

Pakse was a very good dog, very sweet and affectionate. But Lei'Lira knew not what she did when she encouraged the big friendly rottweiler. Once the petting started, Pakse put both paws on the seat and stood up to start licking at Lei'lira's face. If not told to stop, the 80 pound dog would crawl into Lei'lira's lap and pin her down for a thorough tongue bath. And with Vivian focused on the events being relayed, she was not paying enough attention to the dog to stop the impending slobberfest herself.

Vivian grimaced as Lei'lira said that she couldn't have known what Valkyr would do. It was true, technically, but it did not make her feel any better. Her cousin fell silent for a moment, then said she'd like to move to Rharne and asked about the farms in the area, to which Vivian smiled slightly. "Lira, you do remember that I'm a soldier, yeah? And not a farmer? I have no idea what kind of farms are available in the area offhand, I've never looked." she said, gently.

After a moment, she paused in thought. "Though I can definitely find out who can tell us about available farm land. As for the schools, I'm not sure. My daughters chose to get their schooling from the Thunder Priestesses, the religious branch of the city. I'll have to ask around about that as well." she said, before pausing slightly in thought. After a moment, she stood up and went into the kitchen for a moment. When she came back, she was carrying three glasses of wine. "This'll help you a bit, Lira." she said as she set the glasses down, before she gave a slight grin. "Besides, the ruler of the city is the Immortal of Alcohol, among other things. If you want to move here, you'll want to learn to drink at least a little. They use beer to cook, for goodness sake." she said, laughing slightly.

[Lei'lira]

To say that Lei'lira was startled when Paske climbed into her lap and gave her a vigorous tongue bath was putting it mildly. But she laughed softly at the dog's antics, and hugged her for a few trills. The dog's simple, honest affection helped to soothe her shattered nerves a bit more. Teia eyed the giant dog with misgiving, worried that she would hurt Lei'lira without meaning to, but when she saw how much Lei'lira was enjoying the dog's antics, she refrained from interfering with the situation.

When Vivian asked if she remembered if she was a soldier rather than a farmer, Lei'lira nodded.

"I wasn't sure if you might have seen any vacant farms in your patrols." she said simply.

Lei'lira blushed slightly as she realized that it was more than likely that Vivian's patrols kept her within the city limits...in which case, of course she would have no way of knowing what farms might be available. She apologized for her assumption, but was quickly distracted by the mention of the Thunder Priestesses. They sounded important, and if Lei'lira was going to move here, she needed to know as much as she could about the city.

She began to consider what she would want in her new farm. For the house itself, she wanted enough bedrooms to accommodate all of her children. Ideally, she would have more bedrooms than she absolutely needed in case she adopted more children one trial. She wanted her own bedroom to be large enough to serve as a nursery too. Land was another important factor. She longed to own enough land to provide grazing for all of her animals without having to buy additional food for them each season. And the more land she could get, the better since she planned to buy even more horses in the future.

Vivian must have left while she was lost in thought, because before she knew it, her cousin had returned with three glasses of wine. She promised that the wine would help, and explained that Rharne was ruled by the Immortal of Alcohol. Ilaren, her mind supplied as she tried to remember which Immortal was "the Immortal of Alcohol." Teia thanked Vivian for the wine, and took a small sip.

"It's good." she said with a smile.

Lei'lira thanked Vivian as well, but she eyed her glass uncertainly. She knew that most people drank socially, but she herself never had. As a farmer who was up with the sun, she had no time for a hangover. And since she rarely left her farm, she had no opportunity to drink socially...even if she wanted to. Still, Vivian had a point. So she picked up the glass, and took a tiny sip. It was so strong that she coughed, inhaling as she swallowed, and causing it to go down the wrong way.

The wine tasted horribly bitter, and strangely acidic to her. But Teia seemed to enjoy it, so she wondered how much of her reaction was due to her inexperience in what wine was supposed to taste like. She had assumed that since it was made out of grapes, it would taste like grapes; much like grape juice did. So she tentatively took another sip.

By the time she had finished half of the glass, she felt...strange. Colors looked brighter, and everything seemed clearer somehow. Sounds were sharper. Louder. And Lei'lira felt...off somehow. Not light headed exactly, but that was the closest she could come to describing the way she felt. Suddenly the thought that something that was made out of grapes didn't take like them seemed impossibly funny to her. So she giggled helplessly. Teia gave her a strange look, so she tried to explain.

"It doesn't taste like grapes." she said, still giggling.

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian smiled slightly at Lei'lira's comments on her patrol route. "Oh, I've seen a fair few abandoned farms. But I don't know why they were abandoned or if they're for sale, or if they'd make a good home for you and your kids." she said, her tone showing her amusement. She'd keep an eye out on her patrols for likely looking farmland, but she wasn't even remotely sure she'd find any. Or that she'd know it if she did find any.

When Lei'lira started drinking, Vivian reached over to Teia and put one hand on her arm to slow down her drinking. If either of the two looked at Vivian, they might notice that it was taking her an awfully long time to get through her own drink. Lei'lira, however, was going through her drink at a pretty good rate. "Wine's made from fermented grapes, not regular grapes, is my understanding. Lot more bitter than grape juice. And this is milder than a lot of the stuff they make here. The whiskey will knock you on your arse." she said, laughing slightly.

When Lei'lira finished her drink, Vivian set hers down and stood up. "All right, you need to rest for a bit, Lira. The wine should keep the bad dreams away. Let me show you to your room." she said, helping her cousin to her feet. If Lei'lira let her, she'd lead her cousin into Zvezdana's old room and let her sleep there. When she came out, she sit back down. "How often does she slip out like she did on the docks?" she asked Teia quietly enough that Lei'lira shouldn't be able to hear.