Early the next morning, Rastellion, accompanied by the two guards he's hired, comes through the small square toward Zandrianna's house. Mindful of the woman's illness, he instructs the guards to stay outside the gate. He dismounts and strolls up the path to knock tentatively on the door. "Immalaine?" he calls, softly. "Are you ready? We're running late..."
Hearing the knock, Merry steps to the door and opens it, peering for a moment before she recognizes Rastellion and undoes the latch to let him in. "Hello Mister Rastellion," she says, a sleepy grin on her face, before she turns back to making breakfast.
Rastellion steps in, looking around for Immalaine, and for any packs or saddlebags he should carry out for her. "How's Zandrianna feeling?" he asks Merry, softly, stepping toward the hearth.
"Oh, Rastellion ..." Immalaine says, from behind him. He turns, and is surprised to see that she’s still in her house gown, clearly not ready to set out on the road. She blows a strand of hair from her face as she sighs. “Zandrianna got a little sleep, but she's awful pale still, an' she's got a fever, an’ I .. ." She swallows nervously. "I can't leave her like this. Surely we can wait one more day, so I can tend her?”
Rastellion frowns, shaking his head. "Immalaine... we've barely got enough time as it is. And didn't Rhiannon say that Zandrianna just needs sleep, not fussing? " He gestures toward the girl at the fire. " I know you're worried, but Merry's here." He takes a step toward her, frowning slightly. "You stand to lose your inheritance over this. It's too important to put off any longer. Zandrianna will understand.
With a shake of her head, Immalaine steps back, and runs her hands down her skirt to dry the palms of her hands. "No, I ... you didn't see her. I did! I must stay and help her!"
Rising from the hearth, Merry lets out an exasperated breath and glares at Immalaine. "You know, I can take care of her just as well. I'm no healer, but I can make teas and small meals, and ..."
Immalaine interrupts. "And it's my job to take care of Lady Zandrianna, not yours. If she's sick, then I have to do it!" Frustrated, she heads to the bedchambers, trembling with fear. 'Take care of it ...' he had said. 'Let the property go'. Well, she was trying to wasn't she?
Rastellion gives Merry a grateful smile for her attempt. He follows Immalaine, but hesitates outside the bedroom door. "Come, Immalaine, Merry’s right. And it’ll just be for two or three days. Besides, you know Zandrianna ... she wouldn't want you risking everything on her behalf." He peeks in, but Zandrianna is fast asleep, and he doesn't want to wake her. He remembers the scolding he got from Rossiath the previous night and takes a few steps back. "The guards are hired and everything," he continues in a low voice. "Sure, if all goes well, we'll be back tomorrow night… but all might not go well. We need that extra day before the deadline."
Glancing over at Rastellion, her eyes pleading, Immalaine shakes her head and replies. "I know Rastellion, really. But ... I canna leave her like this ... it wouldn't be right o' me and I'd feel jus' awful. We can wait one day, surely?"
Merry, heating the pan to cook bacon and eggs, rolls her eyes. "Sure, and I don't exist." she mutters to herself, turning as she hears a loud rap on the door. She turns and heads to open it.
Running a hand through his hair, Rastellion frowns. "Immalaine, I thought you wanted to reclaim your home. Remember how upset you were, when that clerk told us that the affidavit wasn’t adequate; you looked ready to cry when we were leaving. I don't think we should risk any delay!"
Behind the couple, Merry's voice can be heard, "Hello Mrs. Rossiath," she says. "Come inside, I’m fixing breakfast," she adds, heading back to the fire.
Rossiath nods, heading towards the young couple, and looking past them into the bedroom. Seeing them standing about, she closes the door and shoos them to the other side of the room. "If you're going to speak with each other, have the decency to be doing it where you can't wake the poor woman up," she says, heading to the fire to warm her hands.
"We were just about to head out," Rastellion nods, assuring Rossiath, speaking in a carefully quiet voice.
Immalaine buries her face in her hands, looking about ready to cry. "I canna go today, haven't ye heard a single word I said?” Her voice breaks as she heads to her room. Rossiath and Merry watch her go, turning to shake their heads at each other in confusion, before looking at Rastellion.
He stares after her dumbfounded, then turns and sees the other women watching him. "I... I guess Immalaine really wants to keep an eye on Zandrianna today," he explains, trying to sound relaxed. "I suppose we could wait one more day.” His troubled expression gives the lie to his words. He looks at Immalaine's closed door, then shakes his head, baffled. "Well, I'd better go tell the guards." He gives the two women a weak smile and, with a few polite words, heads back outside.
Merry turns to Rossiath, shaking her head. "She's been jumpy for days now, but I've never seen her so stubborn before," she says, looking over at the closed door.
Tapping her fingers on her hip, Rossiath considers what she'd witnessed and Merry's words. "Well, you take care of the bacon before it burns on you," she says, watching Merry quickly turn back to her task, "And I'll go see if I can't talk some sense into the child." Heading to the second bedchamber, Rossiath opens the door without knocking and steps inside to find Immalaine sitting on the edge of the bed, crying. "Now, what's this about child?" she says, looking down at her.
"Not ... nothing," Immalaine stutters, looking forlorn. "I ... jus' want t' take care of Lady Zandrianna." Looking up, Immalaine brushes her eyes with the back of her hand.
Rossiath shakes her head, "There are people that can watch her ...." she starts, but the look in Immalaine's eyes pauses her words. "Stubborn child," she mutters, heading out to the main room. "I'll just go outside for some air then," she says to Merry, before heading out the door.
Stepping down from the entrance way, Rossiath looks around the yard and spots Rastellion standing off a short distance away, speaking to some men. Nodding to herself, she heads down to where they stand and waits nearby as he finishes.
Outside, Rastellion is gesticulating as he speaks with Halfrid. "But you're free to do whatever you want today," he objects, albeit halfheartedl
Halfrid shakes his head. "Nay, sir, we'll not be finding work today so late. You need t' put your travels off a day, 'tis fine, but we'll be needing pay for th' extra day."
Rastellion sighs, knowing the other has the right of it. "Yes, very well. Just don't be out late in the alehouses tonight ... we'll need an early start tomorrow; earlier than today!"
Halfrid tugs his forelock. "As you say, sir," then turns with his companion to go enjoy an unexpected day of paid vacation.
Rastellion purses his lips, disconsolate, and moves to retrieve his own horse's reigns. He gives Rossiath a polite nod, seeing her standing to one side by the garden wall.
As the guards wander off for the day, Rossiath gives Rastellion a sympathetic glance. "She'll not budge, that one. I've rarely seen such a willful child. The girl's loyal to Zandrianna, that much is certain.
"Zandrianna's always been such a rock, for her, so reliable.” Rastellion sighs. “I suppose that's why she's taking this illness so hard. Guess I can't blame her." He frowns, shaking his head. "Just couldn't be much worse timing. And we have to leave tomorrow, whether Zandrianna is feeling better or not. Immalaine’s property goes on auction three days from now.”
"And I'm sure by then Zandrianna will feel better, and the child will be more willing to be reasonable." Rossiath looks up the road, pursing her lips as she thinks about the breakfast being made inside. "No, I had best get back to my own home and chores. Not that there's much left for me to pack, the rest of it will all have to be sold ..." she murmurs to herself.
Rastellion seems lost in his own thoughts, staring back at Zandrianna's house. "Mmmm," he says in distracted agreement.
Turning, she looks back at Rastellion. "Well, if you feel like making yourself useful, you could walk me back to my house, help me get a few things down from the higher shelves. Take a look at the place too, if you've a mind to."
Rastellion blinks at her. "Look at?.. Oh, of course. Your mill. I don’t think I’ve..." Then he shrugs. "No, why not? Seems I'm unexpectedly at loose ends today." He turns toward her, tugging his horse after with gentle pressure on the reigns.
(Credits and love go to Rastellion, who provided the voice of the male characters in this story. *Blows kisses to Rastellion and grins widely*)
