doctor doctor

Laeta still couldn't walk or even move very much at all on her own. Avantika looked at her with pity, when she looked at her at all. She'd never liked being around those who were sick or injured. She couldn't heal them, so all she could do was worry, and that wasn't productive for anyone. It was better for her to drive away her fear with work. If she was physically exhausted, that left less energy for bad feelings. And other than the helplessness she felt when she couldn't help those who were hurt, she couldn't imagine being in their place with her brain rebelling with intense distaste.

But Laeta looked at her with kindness, and asked her if she'd like to come in, so she did. "I can't stay long," she said. "I have some patrolling to do." Something in her resigned itself to the prospect of more work. Ever patient, ever tired, that part of her was. She didn't listen to it. There was a far bigger part of her that would never let her rest, and she couldn't fight it even if she tried. Even though she didn't need to patrol, she couldn't just do nothing.

She sat, willing herself to relax, why don't you, for just one second.

"Speech"