25th Winter 516
It seemed that Ionu had decided that it was about time to have Nephti reach the yellow-bricked house of Claudia, although several days late. The street had turned into a large avenue, with what seemed to be half of Mizahar pushing and shoving their way through it, cobbles that fell under their feet coated in a thin layer of mud. This part of Alvadas was its representation of Nyka, and most the people were hooded - although she couldn't tell whether that was an illusion or just the people going along with Ionu's whims. Her own hood slipped up, hiding her face a little, as she turned towards the house, knocking lightly on its door.
Claudia pushed it open lightly, a smile shooting to her face at the sight of Nephti. She beckoned her in, leading her to a small sitting room that consisted of little more than two armchairs and a small side table in front of a hearth. It led into a slightly more impressive kitchen, which the woman moved in to, putting a kettle to boil.
"I was just thinking of you!" she said through the open doorway, peering in as the girl pulled her cloak off and sat on the armchair on the side with the open window. The people could be seen move around through it, as could the crack, which she hadn't realised was that near. "It looks like Ionu saw it fit to bring us together - why else would you have come at such a convenient time?" A hiss came from the kettle and she moved towards it, "Do you take sugar with your tea?"
Nephti shrugged, "I will have what you have. Is it okay to talk?" Her eyes moved to the open window, wondering whether closing it would have much effect on the noise of their voices. Anyone could hear them talking.
Claudia moved in gripping two cups of tea and placed them on the side table, settling into the other armchair. She took a sip before replying, gesturing for Nephti to have some too. "Not now, not here. But Priskil has another job for you," she said simply, understanding what she had meant. Nephti's face brightened, eager to help serve her goddess as best as she could.
"What is the problem?" she asked, taking the tea herself and blowing on it lightly, not yet ready to drink fully against the heat of the drink.
"Recently, a young lady came to me, a Svefra called Marina. She's a true Svefra, with the ocean in her blood, but she's spent a lot of time in Alvadas recently, anchored by her new husband. She's sacrificed a lot for him - left her pod for a while until the two settled in. The waiting time, however, has fallen far too long. Her husband's ill. Dreadfully - he's bed bound, and has been for a season or so. It's curable, I'm certain of it, but it takes time and patience."
"He needs hope, so he can have the strength he needs to get better?" she guessed, wondering if she knew where this was going.
"Yes and no. He's strong and he should have the strength. But Marina's the one lacking hope. He hasn't shown any improvement since when he first got ill, and no healer she's asked has done anything significant. She's had almost every healer from the city visit him. And the poor man, he's put two and two together, and figured out that privately, each one has told her that they don't have a chance. Figured out wrongly, because no one has told her that, and no one needs to. He will get better, but now he's feeling like there is no point stretching it out and torturing his wife further."
"She has no hope, and so he gets none. I see," she replied softly, taking a long drink as she thought over it.
"Exactly. I've tried talking to him, but he loves and trusts his wife too much to think she's doing that. He doesn't want to believe me - he'll only believe Marina. I've tried talking to her too, but she just sees me as another healer who hasn't done anything. Do you think you can help her? So she can help him?"
"You can help him?" she checked, not wanting to instil false hope where it was impossible.
"Yes, I'm certain of it! I wouldn't be asking you if I wasn't. Only with all the healers, they're just cancelling each other out. I've been giving him one set of herbs, but I've found out another has been giving ones that neutralised my effect. Thankfully, the combinations don't seem to be harmful, but they aren't helping. He needs one doctor, and his wife needs the hope to be able to trust just one."
"I will help you. Where can I find Marina?"
"They have a small casinor at the docks, painted a primrose colour, although I'm sure you can ask around. Thank you," the woman smiled, placing her tea back down, "Do you want me to take you?"
"No," the girl smiled back, draining the rest of the cup as quickly as possible without burning her tongue, "But thank you anyway."