The girl shakily got to her feet and stood up. "Elizabeth," she said softly, "come here." The child plopped the berries into the man's hand and toddled over to the girl. The girl drew her close and met the man's gaze. "Mr. DeVale," she said in a shaking, yet firm voice, "I don't know who you are, or what your intentions may be, but I seek to do no harm here. We are just wanderers seeking a place of refuge from the raiders."

Xavier smiled gently, cradling the berries in his hand. "I mean no harm either. You have arrived at the correct place for refuge. The surviving villagers are making their home in the keep until the village is rebuilt. My best friend, Lord Wulfsen Thornblade was sent by the king to protect and oversee the village. Alas, we arrived the day after the raid. If you'd like, I can show you to the kitchen and find a room for you and your wee one."

The girl instantly relaxed. "I have been wanting of a place to rest for weeks now," she said softly. She picked up the child in her arms and settled her on her hip. "I will go with you, Elizabeth is in dire need of some food and rest." She picked up a leather bag that was lying on the ground and placed it on her shoulder. "Lead the way."

Xavier left his basket by the berries and started back to the keep, slowing his stride so the girl could keep up with him. "Thank you for the berries, Elizabeth, they are delicious," he said to the little girl. He headed around to the back entrance so the trip to the kitchen would be quick. Both girls looked to be in need of a good meal.

The girl walked behind Mr. DeVale, moving as fast as her tired legs would take her. When he thanked Elizabeth for the berries, she smiled softly. This seemed like a nice person, and she felt safer with him. She noticed that they were approaching the back entrance to the keep, and wondered where they were going.

Xavier glanced over his shoulder a few times to make certain the girl was keeping up. Then he stepped through the back doorway to the keep and headed for the kitchen.



----to the kitchen

After several wrong turns, Helen made it to the inner gate. She then opened it and went into the garden. Looking around, she saw various fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers growing there. "This will be a good place to gather supplies," she said to herself.

As she wandered among the rows, she picked various herbs and flowers and collected them in her apron. She could not find what she was looking for, though. There were white daisies, pink daisies, and even purple ones, but not a single royal blue daisy in sight. "They are rather uncommon," she said to herself, "but I do not know where to find them."

After searching fruitlessly for a while, she left the garden and placed her herbs in a basket nearby. Picking up the basket, she opened the back garden gate and left the walls of the Keep to see if she could find the flower beyond its grounds.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Sat 28 May 2016.

As Tirto headed back to the garden he could see that the rumor mill was hard at work. Half the people he passed by were gossiping about a whore giving favors in the kitchen. As rumors are apt to do the story grew as gossipers speculated about the situation.

A couple were arguing about whether or not Xavier was one of the knights who spent time with Ila in the kitchen. One man thought since Xavier was a ladies man there was no room for doubt that he had been with Ila. Another thought since he was a ladies man he could have any woman he wanted, he wouldn't need to pay a whore. Another argued that because Ila was attractive whether or not Xavier would pay did not matter, but he definitely was with her in the kitchen.

Some were wondering if Mrs Gerthrim or Mrs Spenser were in on it because they were always in the kitchen. If either of them could be bought for the right coin- but who would want those old woman when Ila was there.

Nobody who talked about the rumor seemed to doubt it.

"She must already be wishing she said yes to me." Tirto muttered to himself and joined the men in working to remove a dead stump from the ground.

Liadan had been having a bittersweet reunion with all of her family minus Yehudit, when she overheard someone saying something beastly about Ila, Brie, Ais and Xavier. Liadan covered as many ears of her children as she could reach but there were just too many little ears. So she picked up a branch and walloped the gossipers over their heads. She began ushering the children inside.

Sileas managed to reach the garden before she emptied her stomach. She sat down on the ground and curled herself up into a ball.

Yehudit staggered into the garden after Sileas.

"You're not on a boat anymore, Sileas!" Yehudit said, almost admiring the amount of puke.

"I know that," Sileas said hoarsely. "Maybe I wasn't seasick after all. Maybe I picked up some sickness."

"None of us got sick." Yehudit said. "You aren't feverish or anything either, right?"

Sileas shook her head. "If it was looking at those ears, I thought I had a much stronger constitution than that."

"It was kind of gross." Yehudit said.

"Yeah, it was. Maybe that's all this was."

"What else could it be?" Yehudit asked.

"I could have eaten something that didn't agree with me."

"I've eaten more than you and I'm fine." Yehudit said.

"Maybe it didn't disagree with you. Though Oscar's been vomiting quite a bit."

"Maybe you should see Difyr." Yehudit said.

"I'm fine. I'll just have to change some of what I eat," Sileas mumbled against her knees.

Yehudit reached for Sileas as if she was able to help her to her feet.

"You've been throwing up pretty much daily for weeks. That's not good for you. You need to see the healer." Yehudit fussed.

"If I am not better by the end of the week, I'll go. Difyr has patients who really need her right now. She doesn't need to be fussing over someone who just has to figure out what she can't eat."

Yehudit scowled. "Either you go to Difyr now about being sick or you go to her for a smashed face later."