Figurehead

twelve

Ama leaves some time after first light to tutor some children with music, and Sret still has until half-day. So we head to the Eska.

The lake, frozen or not, is beautiful. The snow starts drifting down as we get there and sit on the banks. There are no other Huistef here, so apart from the winds, it is almost silent.

"A healer?" I ask, shifting my gaze from the ice to my sister.

She nods once. "I think it's right. I think this is my.. Calling?" She furrows her eyebrows. "It seems like it's from the Lord. I think."

The last time I heard from her, she mentioned learning to live for the Lord. I can see that now as she speaks, despite the uncertainties in her voice. It makes me smile. "You enjoying your training?"

She shrugs. "Yeah, it's nice." She laughs. "It's very basic training right now, but I know it'll become more interesting soon."

"That's good," I nod. I blow out a breath. "Med has been inked trusted messenger, right?"

She blinks at the change in topic but nods. "Yeah, he was inked the day before he came to give us your messages." She shakes her head. "Sometimes I think you're a fish trying to grow legs." I have to laugh at the visual image the phrase brings to mind. It's not an uncommon one in Escatin, but it has been a long time since I've heard it.

"Thanks, Sret," I shake my head. "How nice of you to say that."

She nudges me. "I'm always nice." I snort at the absurd claim. "How was Deritri, anyway?" She looks me up and down. "You seem alright, from what I can see."

I nod. "Yeah, it was alright. I'm fine." I pause. "The locals aren't that bad, some of them. It's the drunkards that are the real problem." I think of Yef and hope he will heal soon. "I stayed with the other Escatin trusted messengers, but I spent most of my time with the Escatin traders. They taught me a lot."

She nods. "So you didn't get beat up or anything?" she asks.

I shake my head. "No."

"Did you like it there?"

I hesitate. "It wasn't bad..." I say slowly. "I didn't dislike it..." I think of the time Dein and I were in Aranakiu, when he wanted to return to Anshakim. Now I know what he meant, now I know why he wanted to return. Or at least, I can guess.

"But you wanted to come back," Sret says, voicing part of my thoughts.

I smile. "Yeah."

A slow grin spreads across her face as she turns to face the lake. "You can imagine how Ama reacted when she read your letter," she laughs, shaking her head.

I laugh too. "I don't need to imagine it, because the way she reacted to my showing up yesterday would have been the exact same." I shake my head. "She hasn't changed so much, has she?"

Sret shakes her head. "Not really."

I grin and nudge her. "You're the same too." She frowns. "Kind of," I add, and she rolls her eyes, a glimmer of a smile gracing her features. "Still annoying." She snorts.

"Like you're not?"

I raise my forearms. "I didn't say that."

"You implied it," she points out. I don't deny the statement.

"So how have you been?" I ask instead, after a moment of silence. Our relationship changed when I moved province. There is less conflict between us- of course there is, because there is also less communication-, and instead, more understanding. We don't have much time together any more, so every conversation is valued.