closer than together

Belle seemed to be elbow deep in herb business and Iolaire was slightly amused.  There hadn't been much need for her to take such a strong role before because of Lucretia, but now that the Empress' sister was  shacked up with Bourbon and making pups, Io supposed that she needed to pick up the slack. It was good to keep herself busy anyway,  lest she fall into old ways of thinking during her down time. 

Deathbelle apologized for pulling her away from her duties and the dainty woman shook her head. "I needed a bit of a break. Building a cottage is monotonous. Repetitive." Place some mortar, lay a stone. Repeat. Repeat.  Repeat.  She built by day and worked with Sirius in the evenings.  The nights were hers alone.  The healer didn't sleep much,  as usual. 

"So what have you been up to?  How are things? " How were her pups?  How was Hannibal? How was she?  Iolaire had left it vague,  but she wanted to know all of those things.