PM to join Empty Rooms

[Naiya]

Spring 87th, 516 AV
15th Bell
Dawnwhsiper Goods

She was avoiding things today. Filling her time with sorting and resorting the containers on her shelves, first by age, then by type. Once she finished that she made a lap, walking the empty pavilion in a circle, searching for something that didn’t exist in her current headspace.

Peace. She was fine most days, growing happy, excited for the life growing in her belly. Other days, like today, she felt far from happy. Her growing belly was a reminder of the things she was missing from her life. It was a reminder of the absence that haunted their home. The lingering shadow of what should be, who should be.

Back to the table, she checked the water in the vessel, making sure there was still enough to dampen the cloth draped across the top, to cool the food that sat beneath it. She made another lap around the pavilion, chasing phantoms of thought out of her mind with her action, trying to keep her mind from lingering on the emptiness.

Her hands found the jars once more, checking lids were secure, looking for signs of spoilage, fussing over jars that were prettier than others. This was work that called for her mind, recalling the herbs inside, when she had made the batch of those flavors, counting against the days that had passed since.

-----------

Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Naiya]

It was only distracting for so long. She had to move on, had to tidy elsewhere. She moved to the front of the shop, loosening, and retying the ties that held back the flaps of the pavilion. These chores made her appear open, drew eyes to her shop. She reminded herself to smile, to work happily, here people could see her, and if she didn’t appear friendly, they might choose to avoid her.

She refolded the flap of the door, making the roll neat and tight, she brushed dirt from the front of the pavilion, cleaning off the painted mark of her family, the rough smears of paint that formed hands and the circle of the band, the heart in the center. This was the mark of her family, the mark her child would eventually bear.

Tearing her thoughts away from the wuepa growing in her belly, she checked the stakes that held down the front of the shop, her stomach not quite an obstacle in the work required. She was growing far along in her pregnancy, though, and while her belly was not giant, it was clearly large with child. Everyone around her knew, or would know upon looking at her.

Know that her child was coming and that wuepa’s father was not here, that her mother was not here. Was gone, known to be alive by only the mark on her neck that remained in place, unchanged by the breaking of vows or death of the involved parties.

-----------

Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Naiya]

Involved parties. How she distanced herself from the separation, avoided the thoughts that hurt. Her husband. Her Wife. Shahar and Khida. Missing, kidnapped, lost. Her heart was fraught with pain and worry.

Work. Work. She reminded herself, pulling away from the thoughts. She turned out to the trodden path between pavilions, the spread of grass that separated the clans. Naiya waved at a woman who had caught her eye, but she wasn’t interested, just passing, and so Naiya cast her glance across the people again, hoping that she might catch the eye of someone who had an interest in her shop.

Time passed slowly in this way, waiting for someone to appear, to want to come inside. She let a hand linger at her belly, glad that the healers had been able to tell her that her fall had not harmed the child, that she would still be a mother.

The only thing she could imagine worse than having this child and raising it alone, was losing the child and having to explain to everyone. To explain to herself. To Khida and Shahar if – when – they returned.

She could imagine no physical pain that might compare to such news, to such loss. Already she’d suffered the loss of two people who had loved her and who she had loved in return, and the pain of that was so intense that she had lost her-self for a season. They were alive, they would return, and still her pain had taken her body and left her mind to suffer. If she lost her child, there would be no returning.

-----------

Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Naiya]

Her focus changed, skirting the thoughts that plagued her turning toward the doorway, a shadow across the ground promising her that someone was indeed here.

“Hello,” Greetings, welcome. Her voice came brighter than her thoughts, her smile ready for the visitor. The boy who stood in the doorway had a ceramic jar in hand and a sheepish look on his face.

“My mom said if I brought the jar, you would refill it?” He looked uncertain, perhaps unused to handling business with strangers. Naiya nodded, her hand turning over to beckon him inside.

“Did she say what she wanted you to bring home?” Naiya inquired. He nodded, and with another grin, he pulled the pack from his back and removes three other containers. The assortment brought Naiya her own grin.

“She wants a gallon of milk… Goat’s milk!” Naiya nodded, a quiet laugh escaping her lips at his excitement. “She says she wants to use it tomorrow and the next day, so she hopes you have very fresh.” Naiya lifted his gallon jug, placing it on the table beside a cask of goats milk.

"Of course I do." She began to pour, but he had fallen silent in waiting, so she called to him over her shoulder. “What else?” She was careful not to over fill the container, making sure the wax seal would not be covered, so that the milk didn’t drip out from the top.

"Yogurt." He said with certainty, seeming quite pleased by his position of command, however temporary it may be. "She says you had one with mint."

She corked the jug, pressing down firmly. Her smile faded as she looked to her shelves, trying to recall if she still had mint yogurt. She put the gallon back with his belongings, checking the sizes of the other containers.

"Will you help me look for mint?" She asked him, offering him a jar with chopped green herbs inside. He seemed thrilled by the prospect, but perhaps for the wrong reason. "Just open the lid and smell. Some of them will be spicy, or strong, be careful." She watched his face fall first, then take on a look of determination.

Together they went through the supply she had, and together they found she did not, in fact have the mint.

-----------

Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant