Fable - Ask A healing flame

[Perrine Urahil]

Perrine did not say anything else as she slowly took more spoonfuls of the stew, slowing once she felt her exhaustion become too much to keep herself fed. She had more than she anticipated, pleased that the bowl was half empty due to her efforts.

The idea of being alone could be felt in many ways, and she knew her loneliness differed from whatever it was Thraah's mother could feel. She need not ask, or elaborate on the matter, not when their worlds were so different. The Healer decided to keep quiet, to allow the mother to spend this time with her babes now cleared from illness, but made no move to leave the attic room either. It was rare for the Urahil woman to be surrounded by such hands on parenting, when she had grown up being surrounded by her cousins. She did not get to know her distant mother, nor her problematic father...

She was glad that Thraah had such love for her family, that she wanted her future to benefit them first before herself. To witness that love, that bond, was truly beautiful. Of course, the Proctor would not soften knowing this, if anything she would be driven to motivate Thraah in doing more for herself. There was more than the Initiate that would be rewarded once her career soared after graduating from the Academy.

Thraah

 

[Thraah]

The silence continued for a time. Before long the sun was getting low, beginning it's descent back to the earth.
It was then that Thraah returned and hopped up into the attic space. Her eyes were red marked and her face shined.
"The coach is back. Parked up the street. I'll take you, if you're ready."
Gently she took the bowl from Perrine's hand.

Perrine Urahil

 

[Perrine Urahil]

Perrine gathered her things and placed them back into the kit, pushing it before her as she came to crouch in the small space. Minutes later, the Healer would be standing in the home of Thraah's family and smiling to her other parents. "Thank you for the stew, I apologise for not being able to finish it..." Her eyes were red, more visible in the better lighting of mid morning. There were bruises under her eyes too, her lack of sleep catching up on her now.

"I am to collect Thraah in two days. If there is anything you need before then, send word for me. I will be staying at the medic center at the barracks."

Thraah

 

[Thraah]

Thraah's mother, whose face was a stone mask since Perrine had descended the ladder from the attic, broke a smile and gave a nod of acceptance.
Thraah's father extended his hand and when Perrine politely took it he pulled her into a mighty embrace, squeezing her hard before letting her go.
"Dad! You promised!"
Thraah chastised.
Her father smiled widely and shrugged.
"I could not help myself, forgive me Perrine."

"I'll be right back."
Thraah told her folks as she ushered Perrine out the door onto the dimming streets.
They walked at bit and for a moment Thraah was lost in how much she missed the old dump.
"Where did you grow up?"
She asked staring down the lane that held the memory of her first kiss. It was boarded up now. No access.

Perrine Urahil

 

[Perrine Urahil]

The question Thraah had asked her made Perrine clear her throat and furrow her brows. "My father inherited a small home on the Urahil Estate. I grew up close by to my cousins and spent a lot of time with them as I had no siblings of my own." And of course, her father was no mighty presence in her childhood until she became more proficient with her manipulations of the body. "A world of luxury, even if we are not the main branch of Urahils..."

But living in her smaller home, which could fit Thraah's home twenty times over, gave Perrine the appreciation of freedom afforded to her. She did not have the same disciplines as her cousins, nor the expectations. Her choice to serve as a Dreadlord was met with a pretentious curling of the lip, a judging thought, but they all came to realise it kept her out of their hairs. In their eyes, she had chosen to be a pawn.

"Even with my family... I grew up alone. My time at the Academy, I was alone too. I wanted to be out and away from there enough to graduate earlier..." And still, not much had changed in either one of her careers.

Perhaps that was her set course in life.