Wheel and Deal

*Lucretia* · 11-18-2019, 09:52 AM

Well. This was more difficult than she'd thought it would be. Io didn't seem to take the bait about Deathbelle's request at all - what kind of healer was she? Either she was nonplussed about the Empress' health or she was better acquainted with Deathbelle than she thought. If she'd recently examined the queen, she would know that there wasn't necessarily anything wrong at all. In fact, Belle was in perfect health. What she'd sent Lucretia looking for was a particular blend of herbs to stay her natural cycle and prevent conception.

Mulling over the possibilities, Luce followed after Iolaire and watched her search. As the smaller female unearthed something she had some great interest in, Lucretia noted the shape of the item and set about looking for similar. Sharp edges poked out from the soil here and there, but most of it was leftover detritus from some time long ago. They worked in quiet tandem. It felt good - clearly Io understood the simple pleasure of honest work. For all of her own prickly edges, Luce was a simple riddle to unravel. It took hard work, honesty, and a certain willingness to endure pain.

So why was she beating around the bush with Iolaire? Lucretia had a natural distrust of wolves outside of the family, but if Deathbelle and Sirius deemed her worthy... perhaps it was best to push past her own idiosyncrasies. Oh, it was hard to trust.

Luce spotted a glint of metal half-buried in the ground. She set about uncovering it, revealing another dish-like piece of metal that had been entombed. It was shallower and wider than the piece of helmet Io had unearthed; this vessel wouldn't work as a container, but it would make an excellent surface for mashing and mixing poultices. Lucretia set it aside and tried to put her misgivings aside with it. "Truthfully, I'd like to know how things in the Armada are faring... and how you and Deathbelle have grown so close so quickly. I love my sister and this past year has put her through hell; in fact, I believe she's still trapped there. She is my blood and one of the great loves of my life. I wish only for her safety and happiness. To see a stranger enter her orbit so quickly makes me, ah, nervous."

There. Now they stood on even ground. Luce rarely spoke so frankly with anyone outside of the family, but if Iolaire had earned Deathbelle and Sirius' trust, she wanted to be included in their merry inner circle. It wasn't so long ago that she had trailed after Belle and Sirius as they played, wanting more than anything to be included in their special bond. Now that she was older and wiser, Lucretia knew that she'd always stand on the outside. None of that mattered, as long as she could protect her sister from further heartache and pain.

"lucretia mutters..."

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