In Lost Dreams the Four Were Bound

25 - Elis - Down After Excess

The day had left its mark on Elis, the difficulties of dealing with her own issues along with the new onslaught of aiding her awoken friend having taken their toll. She was at a loss for words when she returned to the infirmary, watching her young one smile and plod away at her rough color rubbings. Davnian was asleep on the table, his eyes pained from some unseen dreams that Elis could only just fathom. Rais had relayed how the man had eaten and how she had hurt herself. To Elis, her little ankle seemed fine, though tender to the touch. With a kiss and a pat, she sent the girl on her way. She laid a small stack of books on the table and returned to her vigil.

She had hoped he'd be awake when she returned if only to stave off her own ravenous need to escape. At times like these, she would pack up her things and, with Rais in tow, head off into the woods to hunt game or gather for the oncoming days. The peace of being away from people was something she needed, but she knew there was little point in leaving before the festivities. Likewise, Davnian wouldn't understand her disappearance. Then again, maybe he would.

"Zaisure." Rais's little voice was cheerful. In the dim light of the waning sun, Elis turned to see the girl scurrying over, a jar in hand. "Is this OK?"

"I think it will be wonderful, Rais." Elis smiled, spying the jar full of blue insect shells and indigo. The contents were crushed into a paste, which Elis surmised was Rais's attempt at gathering the ingredients for a color of her own. "Something grey and blue then?"

"Like the bottom of a snow hole," Rais said. Elis laughed, taking the small vial and looking at its contents. Rais was busy making lines and dots in the air, mimicking the point technique of sentae.

"Maybe we should see how it'll look on you, hmm?" Elis said, watching Rais's face flush. Her cheeks were like blooming blossoms laid across a white canvas. Laughing, Elis drew the girl close, "Embarrassed, my little one?"

"I'm not—"

"Oh, you're getting plenty old enough, my dear." Elis cradled the girl as she danced in place. Rais was unable to contain her sporadic emotions. "Besides, I think blue would look better on you. But maybe we should find some green as well."

"OK, zaisure!" the little girl struggled to contain her dance, wrapping her arms around Elis.

"Find anything you like?"

"We don't have a lot of green things, zaisure," Rais said, pulling away as she leered at the table. It wasn't the lack of green things that made it a problem but a lack of matter willing to give up its pigment, not that leaves and grasses weren't abundant. Elis wasn't fond of green. She could never get the shade she wanted.

"There's not much to get that pretty bright green you want, is there?"

"Uh-uh," Rais muttered. The leaves of most trees in the Witchwood were dark, almost black when no light was hitting them. The grasses were much lighter, more yellow than green.

"Well, we'll just have to feel it out then," Elis mused, trying to think how she'd do it. Leaves and grasses with the proper binding agent could be distilled with sentae to make the paint. But getting the color glossy would be the hard part. Sentae could do a lot for making even the dullest pigments crystalline but not everything. "I don't think we'll be able to do it here."

"I'm getting hungry, zaisure."

"Well, enough then, little one. Maybe we should pack up for today." Elis beamed a smile toward Rais as she gripped her tummy through her white tunic. "Why not pack up what you have, and I'll grab the leftover scraps, hmm?"

"OK, zaisure."

As Rais gathered her color etchings and vials of mishmash, Elis let out a deep sigh. All the food she had brought was in disarray. No doubt Rais had feasted during the early afternoon as Elis argued with the council and the Delvori. She was glad Davnian had gotten something to eat other than Neris's personal brew. It still nagged at her—though, all things considered, it was laughable. It wasn't the first time he had suckled at talvuo breasts, and likely it would not be the last.

In some ways, Neris reminded her of her younger self with how confident and nonchalant her demeanor was. Deep inside, she was sure Neris would return at some hour to talk the night away with Davnian, if not more. The idea was pleasant, if not beautiful.

"Zaisure, should I—"

"Don't worry about wiping up. We can get to it in the morning, my dear."

"OK," Rais said, dancing with her basket. As Elis bundled the last of the messy foodstuffs, her lavender eyes followed Rais to Davnian's bedside. The little girl put a small bottle next to him before patting him on the head. "Have a good night, naisure Virage." Then Rais continued her dance, her jittery steps leading her to Elis's side.

"What's that, my dear?"

"Mashed berries!" Rais said, spinning in place.

"Berries, are they?" Elis grinned, mimicking Rais's gesture as she ran her chestnut-colored fingers through the girl's hair. "Well, I hope he enjoys them when he wakes."

"Mmmm hmmm."

With the last bits of fading light, Elis and Rais headed home.