Closed Herbs for a Mother (Devi)

[Sayana]

Spring 22, 515 AV – Stormhold Salves Ding-a-ling. A bell chimed as Sayana opened the door to Stormhold Salves. The other two times she had been here, she had been in rather a panic. The first time, Aren had been injured badly and even though he had been bandaged up, she wanted to have the proper herbs and medicine to care for him. And then the second time she had been deeply concerned about becoming a mother and wanted to abort her baby entirely. Now, however, she was quite proud of the child growing inside her, yet the morning sickness was starting to take its toll. “Good morning Sahfri,” Sayana spoke in a friendly tone to try to get the shopkeeper’s attention. The Eypharian looked up from her work and smiled at Sayana, but then a frown darkened her expression. “You are the one who didn’t want the baby?” Sahfri asked tentatively. “I…” Sayana hesitated. A lot had happened since then. “I was mistaken that night and did not go through with it. I was actually wondering if you have anything that could help with my morning sickness.” The shopkeeper’s demeanor brightened with Sayana’s news. “Ah yes, I have a thing or two that might be able to help.” She started scanning through the many bottles lining the walls of the shop. “Midwife Miracle… There have been a few women getting pregnant lately.” Sayana followed along after the herbalist rather curious. “So do you know much about pregnancies involving Akalak?” Sayana asked tentatively. She knew the fact that her baby would be an Akalak but she wasn’t sure if there were other aspects she should be aware of. The shopkeeper paused in her search. “An Akalak baby? That sounds like quite the tale. Unfortunately I am no doctor even though I specialize in herbs. Though I have heard that pregnancies with Akalak take longer. A whole year in fact.” Sayana looked a little surprised at this fact. No wonder things seemed to be progressing a little slower than she had thought. Not that she minded, or at least not yet. “Here we go,” the Eypharian shopkeeper said as she produced a bottle. She poured out the clumps of dried golden flowers and leaves. “So this will help with the morning sickness? Do I just make a tea or do I eat it somehow?” Sayana asked, not too sure of how she was going to us this ‘miracle’ herb. OOCFeel free to play Sahfri since I don't know much about the different ways to use herbs (eg teas, infusions, etc).

[Devi]

“I was actually wondering that myself.” Devi spoke aloud, stepping out from behind a large shelf. She smiled as she crossed the small shop to greet Sayana, pulling her into a warm hug. Devi wasn’t a person accustomed to touchy-greetings but the Eypharian dancer tended to bring out the warmest instincts in her. She held her friend for a moment and then stepped back, greeting Mistress Sahfri with an equally warm smile and nod. “Mistress Sahfri is right, Akalaks take a full year to grow inside the mother. I’ve helped a few mothers through such pregnancies with the doctor I apprenticed to, though they were certainly...” She searched for the right word, “Turbulent.” She let her lips curl into a sly smile, “Then again, so are the relationships that trigger them, so I hear.” The mischief faded from her expression then, replaced with determination. “That’s actually why I came. I meant what I said at your party Sayana – I actually meant to seek you out today. Akalak pregnancies can be difficult, for both the baby and the mother. Versin was always more of a surgeon than an herbalist but as I have been discovering lately,” her eyes flicked to the waiting Sahfri, “Herbs can be invaluable in preparing the body to deal with such things.” “Indeed they can.” Sahfri replied smoothly, indicating the small pile of dried flowers and leaves before her. “Midwife Miracle can be applied in a number of ways and can be used to aid in a number of ailments, hence its name. If ingested it can help to settle nausea and ease cramped muscles. It can also...” Sahfri searched for a delicate way of putting it, “It can ease the passing of food.” Devi smiled at her, appreciative of the diplomacy. “If applied externally it can also have a positive effect on aches as well as swelling, when you get to that stage.” She gestured at Sayana’s feet. Devi responded, fascinated by the explanation, “So you could infuse it into a tea perhaps?” Sahfri indicated that just that could be done and at this, Devi perked up. She had become quite fond of blending different herbs into teas, finding them to be quite varied in their impact, depending on the doses that she added. She asked Sahfri about how much of the flowers and leaves to use, what would be safe in Sayana’s circumstances, how long to infuse it for and how long it would be before it took effect. Already the possibilities were swimming around in her head, although until she better understood the herb and its uses, she wouldn’t attempt blending different herbs to it for fear of unknown results.

[Sayana]

When Devi appeared behind one of the shelves, Sayana practically gave a squeal of delight and embraced the healer fully in the warm hug. It was good to see her friend again and especially now that she was starting to feel some of the effects of being pregnant. When Devi confirmed the length of the pregnancy and mentioned how it could be ‘turbulent’, a look of concern crossed the Eypharian’s face. Already she knew of the dangers of pregnancy and she hoped it wouldn’t be too much worse due to the fact that the father was an Akalak. However, Sayana couldn’t help but smile at Devi’s implication that the relationships were also rather turbulent. “Oh yes, turbulent is a good word,” Sayana agreed as she thought of some of the ups and downs they had already gone through. Not to mention the two souls that existed within him. Sayana was rather flattered that Devi had been intending to seek her out today and she was certainly interested in how an Akalak pregnancy was different from a normal one. She was prepared to learn as much as she could to give herself a better chance against fate and Dira herself. Both for herself and the child she carried. Midwife Miracle… settling nausea, cramped muscles, the passing of food… Sayana frowned at Sahfri’s last comment. Did the herbalist mean the morning sickness where she threw up nearly every morning? Whether it was passing the food ‘up’ or ‘down’ Sayana was glad that this magical herb seemed to help with it. “My feet are going to swell?” Sayana asked incredulously to the shopkeeper’s gesture. That was probably the last thing she would have expected from a pregnancy. Obviously her stomach would grow bigger but she didn’t think that other parts of her would get bigger too. At least it would soon be warm enough to walk bare foot… until it became fall and then winter. It seemed as though a simple tea could be prepared to gain much of the effects of the herb. “In fact,” Sahfri continued. “It’s often suggested to prepare a tea the night before to drink, and also have a second cup ready for the morning to take when you first wake up. That almost entirely rids the woman of nausea as long as you have enough of the herb to make the teas each day. And if you want to be extra certain, a bit of ginger tea helps the stomach stay settled.” The herbalist went on to explain precise amounts to use and the approximate infusion times. Sayana listened carefully. As much as she enjoyed Devi’s company, she didn’t want to be reliant on the healer for day to day care. “There’s also Delaviv for helping speed the actual delivery,” Mistress Sahfri explained. “But you won’t be needing that until winter when you’re due.” Sayana gave a nod. Orin had mentioned Delaviv too. She had been surprised how much the cook knew about herbs as well as cooking. Sayana refocused her attention on the doctor and asked, “Devi, I started feeling sick in the mornings not long after the party. Maybe a day or two. How long will this last?” It had seemed like it had been going on forever. Now at least she would have something to help it, but she wanted to make sure she bought enough for the days ahead. “Also Devi, should I be worried about what I’m eating?” Sayana asked tentatively. Orin had mentioned about a blander diet to help with the morning sickness but she was loathe to give up her spices. “And what about injuries…?” Her last question she sort of left hanging. Around a dozen days ago she had fallen from a horse and then not long after she had the rather unpleasant experience of falling into a fast flowing river. Now she planned to travel to Sunset Falls and she was worried that future incidents might cause her baby harm.

[Devi]

Devi laughed at Sayana’s incredulity over swollen feet. It was always something a new mother never expected. Then again each woman was different. Though there could be symptoms common amongst all, a myriad of more unusual symptoms could present and be attributed to a woman’s condition. It seemed to particularly be the case where a blend of species was involved, the woman’s body intended to carry offspring of a slightly different kind. Devi listened carefully to Sahfri’s explanation of the uses of Midwife Miracle in a tea and could see Sayana doing the same. Her own fingers twitched to add the information to her mother’s journal. Although she had described the plant in her writing, details of the actual application were sparse. With Marianne pregnant with Devi’s third niece or nephew, she intended to help her sister-in-law much more through the actual process than just the birthing, as she had done during the previous two. It was her roundabout way of making an effort to bond. Better late than never... At the mention of Delaviv, Devi’s attention switched once more. Whilst her knowledge of the pregnancy process definitely needed further study, birthing she had plenty of practice with. Versin had often been called to actually birth children where the midwife expected trouble. Unusual though it was to have a male doctor present, he had proven invaluable in helping mothers through particularly dangerous births. She listened to Sayana’s questions, noticing how increasingly unsure her expression became the more she asked. “The thing you should remember is that the human body adapts to illness and infection during its childhood and adolescent years. Whilst you may be able to stave off such things, the child growing inside you is particularly vulnerable. Anything you contract, your child will. Food-wise then you just need to avoid anything that offers a higher risk of making you ill. No raw or undercooked meats, no cheese ripened with mould. Make sure you trust anyone who’s preparing you food – anyone with a kitchen as clean as Orin keeps his – and keep your own apartment as clean as you can. You should also limit any alcohol or stimulants you ingest – just as with infection these can have an amplified effect on your child whilst it is still developing.” She paused briefly whilst trying to remember how long morning sickness had lasted with previous patients. “From what I understand, most mothers suffer with morning sickness to some degree for around a season. Some have it for their whole term though for most it fades completely in the second season. You might find it extended slightly given the longer term for Akalak children but from what Sahfri tells us, Midwife Miracle tea may help immensely.” Devi had another thought lingering around – she knew Connal flowers could be used in a hot bath to ease aching wounds. Part of the reason for her visit had been to replenish her supplies, thinking that they might be useful for her two expectant mothers. At Sayana’s last question however she tilted her head at the Eypharian, sensing more concern behind the words than was perhaps intended. She phrased her words carefully, understanding that her friend had more than enough to worry about and instead needed some reassurance. “Injuries are a danger whatever your condition. A woman’s body is tough though – you were built for this. I think the most important habit to make is to consult a doctor or a healer whenever you do injure yourself more than the mundane or whenever you feel an unexpected change in your body. I certainly won’t begrudge your visits and if you’re really worried then any healer with the touch of Rak’keli will be able to sense serious danger.” She smiled then, hoping it would prompt more questions, “Of anywhere in the world you could be, Syliras is perhaps the best for finding midwives. Aside from Riverfall I suppose... Regardless, you can’t trip over in this city without finding a woman with knowledge of child-rearing. Believe me, I should know.” She widened her eyes in mock exasperation then. It had been true though – try as she might to avoid the subject like a plague and all the inappropriate questions about her love-life that it invoked, she had grown to realise that to do so was simply a lost cause.

[Sayana]

Sayana listened closely as Devi explained how unborn babies were far more susceptible to illness and in terms of food it was important that it was fresh, well cooked, and not getting any mold. Partway through the Eypharian smiled to herself. It seemed as though she was getting better at listening, particularly when the doctor was around and providing such useful information. Limited alcohol too… that was curious. Sayana frowned briefly as she tried to think of what else she might drink during her evenings at the Rearing Stallion. Maybe the ale just needed to be watered down. “A whole season?” Sayana asked and already she felt her stomach sinking. That would be at least another fifty days. Fifty mornings of… But now that she knew about the midwife miracle, it should help quite a lot. Already she was wondering how much it would cost. If the herb was only a silver or so, it would be alright, but if it was a gold coin or a couple of gold coins, it might be better just to deal with the nausea. When Devi said that a woman’s body was strong, Sayana clung to that thought as she recalled some of her earlier incidents in the season. If her body was strong and her stomach hadn’t been specifically injured, she was probably alright and her baby too. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to admit her failings, even to the kind doctor. A smile came to the Eypharian’s face as Devi pointed out that Syliras was probably one of the best cities to be in. Even though she still had her concerns, it helped ease her worry. And there were healers too. Healers for if anything should go wrong. “So Mistress Sahfri, could I get fifty days worth of midwife miracle?” Sayana asked the shopkeeper. “You said that it’s good to have a tea the night before and also the morning of? And how much would that be?” Sahfri paused a moment to determine the price and replied, “If you use about an ounce for each tea, and simply use same herbs twice for the night before and the morning tea, that would come to two gold mizas and five silvers.” Sayana was pleasantly surprised that the herbs weren’t all that expensive. “Is there anything else I should get, Devi?” The Eypharian asked her friend as Mistress Sahfri went to the backroom to prepare the herbs. “I think that’s all I’ll need for now.” When the shopkeeper returned, she was carrying quite a sizable bag. “Be glad that I specifically collect lots of this herb for my stock,” the shopkeeper said with a wink and appropriate coins were exchanged. “And for you Miss?” Sahfri added as she turned to Devi. As the sales were being finalized, Sayana piped up. “Devi, would you like to join me for lunch at my place? I’m not the best cook but I can make a few things and it’s the least I could do after all your help so far. Please? You’ll have to stop for some lunch at some point anyways.” The dancer figured that the doctor was fairly busy with patients but longed to extend their visit and also offer some hospitality. Ledger : 50 oz of midwife miracle: 2.5gm

[Devi]

“The same for me please, if you have that much in stock.” She requested of Sahfri. As the herbalist turned to hunt down another bag Devi caught Sayana’s eye and smiled. “Not for me mind you. That would require having a man in my life that hasn’t come to me for medical care.” She squinted her eyes as though thinking hard, “It is quite difficult to find a man attractive when you’ve seen him oozing a number of body fluids across his apartment floor. Doesn’t really set the mood for pleasant conversation.” Sahfri returned and Devi caught her attention, another question coming to mind for the herbalist. “I’ve used Delaviv in the past to ease the birthing process but I was wondering if you’ve ever mixed other herbs into the wine as well.” Sahfri pursed her lips in thought, “Mm, what did you have in mind?” “I was thinking of adding Delaviv. I thought it might help calm the more anxious mothers I come across. I’ve never tried the mix before though...” “I think it should be ok in small amounts. You don’t want so much that you’ll send the mother to sleep, perhaps half that amount to take the edge off any nervous energy she’s storing up.” Devi nodded in agreement, “That was my thought as well. I have plenty of both of those so I’ll experiment a bit with the mix myself before the big days come around. Thank you Sahfri.” The young doctor exchanged coins for the pack of Midwife Miracle, stowing it in her bag to take round to her brother’s apartment in a few days time. She turned back to Sayana whom had lingered in the shop whilst Devi finished her purchase. She watched the anxiety fade from her face, the lines smoothing over to be replaced by an expression that suited her natural vibrance much better. The smile returned to her own face as the short Eypharian invited her over for lunch. It was such an unusually normal invitation that Devi almost laughed at the thought. “Sayana my cooking skills are non-existent. The hearth in my apartment exists only to boil water for my tea. The rest of the time I’m in inns or at my brother’s apartment begging an edible meal from his wife. I would love to come for lunch.” A little mischief seeped into her face then, “And on the way you can tell me all about your blue giant. I have to live vicariously through someone so make it good!” Devi felt a buzzing energy simmering through her that she knew came from the company of the tiny, vibrant woman at her side. She was never like this but then, she supposed, she’d never really had a friend like this before either.

Receipt-2.5GM for 50oz Midwife Miracle

[Sayana]

“Only if he was oozing the right kind of fluid would it set the mood,” Sayana replied with a wink. “But by that point I’d say the mood had already been set.” The Eypharian listened in as Devi and Sahfri talked about herbs and specifically delaviv. That would be her in a few seasons’ time. If Devi was buying so much of the midwife miracle herb, perhaps she already had a patient or two that was pregnant. It made Sayana feel a little less alone in the whole process and maybe she might be able to exchange a few words with them. When Devi happily accepted the invitation, Sayana beamed back at her. “Are you sure you want to hear all about it?” She asked cheekily as she headed for the door. She gave a wave of one of her high hands to Mistress Sahfri. “Bye for now,” Sayana called to the shopkeeper. “I’m sure I’ll be back soon.” As she stepped through the door, she held it open for the healer and then made to catch Devi’s hand in one of her mids to lead the way. She gestured in the direction that would take them away from the Bazaar and down the street towards the Maiden District. “Aren, well he’s definitely something,” Sayana began and already there was an unconscious glow lighting up her face. “We met at the Herald’s Arms. He, uh, was supposed to be performing.” Sayana gave a soft chuckle. “Well he did perform. And quite well actually. But I managed to catch him only a few chimes before he was to start and he was practically shaking like a leaf. I tried to say a few encouraging words to him and I don’t even know if he heard me. But after his stunning display of fire and his scythe he came to find me.” Sayana paused a moment as she remembered that night. “He can be simply charming when he wants to be but also equally unfriendly to other people if he’s trying to be protective of me. But usually I can convince him to be decent should that occur. But anyways, we bantered back and forth that night and left halfway through the show to get a room upstairs. That’s probably when this happened.” The Eypharian put a low hand briefly on her stomach. “The morning… well it didn’t quite go as planned,” Sayana continued with a slight frown. As much as she liked Devi, she wasn’t sure she wanted to spill all those details just yet. It was still something she was coming to terms with. “But several days later he showed up at the Rearing Stallion and everything was good again. Well, until he showed up at my house one day with blood all over him. I honestly thought I was about to lose him but some kind of instinct drove me to bandage him up as thoroughly as I could before dashing off to the Soothing Waters to get some real help. Had I known where you lived I might have come to you but at that point it seemed like every chime mattered. Thankfully the healer got him stitched up but he was quite the mess.” Sayana let out a soft sigh at the memory. “But now things are a bit more ‘normal’. He’s in and out a lot and often he sleeps over. Though he takes up more than half the bed, but don’t tell him I said that.” Sayana gave the healer a grin as they walked through the winding corridors of the Maiden District. Devi always seemed so interested and Sayana enjoyed chattering away knowing that she was content to listen. “But yeah, it was after that whole crisis that I started to get more interested in herbs. If that were to happen again, I’d want to be able to help him better and faster. Here we are.” The Eypharian opened the door to her home and gestured for the doctor to come in. “I’ve also been learning how to cook, but that’s a different story. Most importantly I want to get through this pregnancy safely. I… When I was younger I had a close friend not make it through child birth.” Her tone had gotten significantly softer and there was hesitation as she revealed this fact. To distract herself she got a fire going in the hearth. Glancing back at the healer she asked, “So what other things should I expect? Are there different steps or stages that a new mother goes through?”

[Devi]

Devi smiled as Sayana began to describe Aren, finding herself not at all surprised that it had been performance to bring the two together. The Eypharian chattered away happily, the bubbly atmosphere broken only briefly. The young doctor blinked in surprise when she realised what a short time Sayana had known the father of her child. Devi watched her friend closely as she described him and their time together. She could see no obvious sign of falsehood or distress there, nothing other than genuine happiness. “It sounds as though he is well and truly ensnared and you as well!” The phrase brought a vague thought to fruition in her mind, though she continued even as it did so, “Perhaps this is where I’m going wrong. I should be sneaking backstage at the Stallion rather than dodging Dana’s attempts to set me up.” After a moment she clarified, “Elderly patient, 6 children, hordes of grandchildren. She has a son who was widowed last year. Much older than me and his idea of an intellectual conversation is talking odds at the Spinning Coin.” Devi rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the memory, “In Dana’s eyes I should already have at least two children and be settled at home looking after them. Instead I avoid cooking like the plague and insist on spending my days studying strange subjects.” A little laughter escaped her. She followed Sayana into her apartment, the colourful silks hanging from the walls familiar to her. The doctor in her perked up as the conversation turned towards medical matters once more. Devi watched Sayana’s usual exuberance fade as she spoke about her friend who died during childbirth. A pang of sympathy made itself known in her abdomen and memories of her own shimmered to the surface. Devi settled herself in a chair close to the hearth where Sayana was working. “Aside from the discomforts you’re already familiar with, you’ll probably notice your emotions going haywire. One minute you’ll be the happiest woman in the city, the next you’ll be crying and screaming at the slightest provocation. You’ll react to things in strange ways,” and at this a small smile crept onto her face, “And it would probably be worth pre-warning Aren, particularly if he has a temperamental side too.” “You might find your tastes change. Foods you’ve enjoyed your whole life may suddenly make you nauseous and other things you’ll start wanting more of. After about a season has passed, possibly a little more in your case, you should start to feel the baby moving around.” She hesitated a little before going on, “Akalak babies tend to be quite spirited in the womb, much as they are in later life. They can sometimes cause more severe problems for the mother because of that strength. Birthings can be difficult. During the pregnancy itself you should be vigilant of any unexpected pains, particularly if they’re sharp. Remember what I said though – women’s bodies are built for this and there are healers aplenty in the city to support you if your son does prove too boisterous.”

[Sayana]

Sayana turned to the doctor curiously as Devi started talking about her own love life. Sayana knew that not everyone grew up in a similar circumstance as herself, but she was surprised that Devi had people telling her that she should already have children by now. The Eypharian put a kettle on to boil as well as a pot of water. Last time she had made oatmeal it hadn’t turned out the best but she now knew that it needed a lot of water for a given amount of oats. She put in a small cup of oats and hoped she got the ratio much better than last time. Sayana couldn’t help but wonder who might be a good match for Devi and let her thoughts simmer even as the pot of porridge began to bubble. Nevertheless, the Eypharian perked up again when the doctor began to answer her questions about pregnancy. Emotions… well that wasn’t all that new. But was she acting more passionately than usual? She started to think back but then just shrugged it off. Emotions were a part of her and something Aren would either love or regret. Or at least she could work things out if something got out of hand. The Eypharian gave the pot of porridge a stir and then got out some green beans and onions. She gave the beans a good rinse in the wash basin and then began peeling and chopping the onions. She blinked back tears as the fumes of the onion started to reach her eyes. “I’m not being emotional right now, I swear,” she muttered half to herself and half to Devi as she wiped at her eyes with a high hand. Fortunately the doctor moved on to talking about food and Sayana momentarily eyed the food she was currently preparing before tossing it into a frying pan. She was about to stick it right into the hearth when she remembered to add a bit of oil first. It sizzled loudly as she moved it into the flames and she almost missed what Devi said next. Spirited. Sayana breathed in sharply as a sense of realization hit her. She would be feeling her baby inside her, moving, even kicking, in about a season. It’s not like she hadn’t known before, but it suddenly felt so immediate and so certain. “In a season I’ll feel him inside me?” Sayana asked as it continued to sink in. “I… wow.” For a few moments she forgot about the mix of onions and beans she was supposed to be stirring and flipping and only when there was a faint hint of smoke did she come to her senses and began flipping them. “I’ll be sure to let you know if, no no, when I feel him inside me.” Sayana replied with a strong nod of her head. “As for you, what did you think of Orin?” Sayana asked moving the topic back to the doctor. “I think you met at the new year’s party. He tends to be quiet, and he cooks so you wouldn’t have to do any cooking. And oh… you probably had to tend to his head injury, didn’t you?” Sayana let out a long breath as she mused over the idea. “There was someone I danced with one night. He was soft spoken and interesting, but he… I don’t know if he’d be right for you.” More importantly he was a Dhani and despite her own love of their race she wasn’t sure what Devi might think of his kind. "What sort of man do you like?" She turned quickly back to the hearth realizing that she had been forgetting about the food and gave the onions and beans another good stir. The onions seemed to be turning a little brown and she guessed they might be done. The porridge would still take a while longer so she simply gave the pot a stir before serving up the simple vegetable dish. She quickly gathered up plates, cups, and cutlery in her many hands and dished out the stir fry. “I could try making some ginger tea, but otherwise I just have plain water. But go ahead and start. The porridge should take just a few more chimes.” With a smile she began on the vegetables and was surprised that the onions had gotten so sweet. She had expected a bit of a spice to them but it was actually rather pleasant. Here and there the beans were a bit burnt but she was certainly getting better overall.

[Devi]

Devi watched Sayana as she absorbed all of this information. She noticed her friend’s hands moving slower and slower around the cooking pot as her mind became more consumed by the implications she had just shared. The doctor wasn’t too sure how she was taking it. Pregnancy could evoke such complex reactions in people and she didn’t think she knew Sayana well enough for her to be sharing the deepest of those with her. As the silence lengthened her mind wandered even further on its tangent and she found herself suddenly curious about how much her friend knew about Akalak. Devi herself didn’t know all that much, just that those who had frequented her father’s smithy as a child looked exactly the same now as they had done back then, give or take a scar or two. She found them paradoxical, disciplined and serious one moment and erupting in a deep belly-laugh the next. That and they had a language as ridiculously over-complicated as their personalities. As the Eypharian began stirring again Devi realised her friend’s thoughts had come to fruition. She gave a strong nod of the head, as though agreeing with herself that all would be well. The doctor looked away at last and smiled. If there was any woman strong enough to bear such a child it would be this one. Some women could mire themselves so much in fear that their own bodies wasted away from the constant pangs of anxiety. This one wouldn’t, she was certain. So lost in her own mind was she that Devi practically spluttered when Sayana brought up the possibilities for her own romantic enterprises. She watched the Eypharian think the matter through with a barely concealed tinge of horror in her own expression. She coughed properly, clearing her throat and shaking the brief shock from her mind before she responded. “I think I don’t know Orin all that well.” At the most recent memory of him she smiled, despite herself, “Although to be honest the last time I saw him he was out of his mind. That was quite a knock on the head...” She thought about it some more, realising that she had already come to some conclusion about him, even without knowing him that well, “Orin has such passion for the food he creates that I suppose I already assumed he would eventually find Syliras stifling. A lot of artists end up moving on – this is a city of function, not creativity. That suits me just fine but...” She caught Sayana’s eyed and grinned before continuing, “I suppose I do tend to judge people rather definitively before I get to know them too well.” Devi sighed and continued, “You get to know a lot of people’s secrets working as I do, especially going to their own homes. I’ve seen men lie, steal, cheat, beat and treat their women with outright disinterest. It’s enough to make anyone a cynic.”