"No, that's true, but I can't cook, my cleaning is horrendous and I can only barely sew. I'm not food at any lady-like pursuits."

"I can't do any of those things either." Yehudit looked insulted. "The last time I cooked I needed Difyr to treat me for severe burns. The last time I sewed Difyr had to cut it out of my hand. I can't remember when I tried mopping very well, or that day, because I hit my head so hard when I tripped over the mop. At least you can fight."

"Maybe I want something different," Sileas sighed. It wasn't like she had anything else to offer if any one showed interest in her. She couldn't retreat to the convent and be a fighter. "Maybe it's time I grew up."

"You're already grown up, you're older than me." Yehudit pointed out.

"I mean mentally. As a person." Sileas shook her head. No one ever understood or cared what she wanted.

"Yor tall enough. Let's cop movin' and get this over wiv." Questa said impatiently.

"Just waiting for Lek and whoever Wulfsen is sending with us."

Difyr walked into the stable, going over her list with one of the knights walking with her, making sure he knew exactly what she needed and where to get it.

"...fresh is better, but dried can do."

The knight nodded. "I will do my very best. I often went for supplies for Green, our medic."

Difyr doubted that Green often needed supplies to treat miscarriages, but this knight seemed to know what she needed. She handed off the list.

The knight took the list and placed it with the one Mrs. Gerthrim had given him for the kitchen needs.

Difyr looked to Sileas.

"Sileas, while you were at the village, did you notice any jars left behind at my cottage?" Difyr asked.

"To be truthful, I wasn't in your cottage. Questa was gathering supplies while I looked for Mama. I was only at the forge and then Millie's shop."

Questa shrugged. "I packed up evryfink I could lift in yor cottage, evry jar, right, bottle, bandage- even all the books and papers I could find. There weren't any jars left.., init? But the chuffin' shelf a bit of the jars were on 'ad empty spots like there should've been jars there."

"That's... That's suspicious." Difyr frowned. She could picture the shelf she kept her herbs on, she had looked at it every day for years and had it all organized. She knew jars were missing and what was missing, some herbs she really needed today, some of those herbs were valuable for treating her patients but would have no use to the raiders.

Sileas admittedly knew little about herbs. But she did know they held medicinal properties. "Is there some way the raiders would benefit from you not having those specific herbs?" Sileas inquired.

"Yes, in their own twisted ways. And I really don't like it." Difyr clenched her fists but did not explain. She turned to the knight. "I'll really need that pennyroyal and tansy... I had better get back to my patients."

The healer's anger and lack of explanation worried Sileas. "Remind me to pick up a book on herbs while we're in Portside," she said to Questa.

Questa muttered. "Like yer 'aven't 'ave a looked inside enough books already."

Feeling really let down, Lek entered the stable. "Millie's staying behind."

In reply to Questa Cort (msg # 95):


"I want to know why those herbs being missing angered Difyr. And why they would suit twisted needs of the raiders." If Difyr was worried, Sileas was worried.

She looked up when Lek entered and delivered his news. "I'm sorry Lek. I know you really wanted her to come along. Still, it might be best."

"Maybe." Lek still really wished Millie would come, though he could tell Pinja needed her.

Sileas reached over and rubbed his back. "We'll be all the company you can stomach," Sileas assured him.

Lek didn't know if he could stomach being separated from his sister. He wiped his eyes.

"Do you have a weapon or do you need one?" Sileas asked. She was very pleased she had had several on her at the time of the attack.