Wickwright frowned at Hopkin and remarked, "We're different from you, Hopkin. Sometimes we change into someone else, and our concept of ourselves no longer fits with what it was before. Sometimes it will change back and those who knew us before will be put at ease, but more often, we change and change and change again, and some people never find a self that they wish to stay with. It's a human thing, but each self is true in the moment we live it, and contains part of a larger truth about ourselves that we can only reveal through examination."

Hopkin sighed. It sounded true enough. Humans were terribly complicated and flawed that way. "If you insist, Wickwright, but I wish that you humans would find more efficient procedures for this sort of thing. I have been with humans for a long time now, and yet you always stretch my comprehension."

Wickwright shook his head. "If it were possible, sometimes I think I would, Hopkin. We certainly cause a great deal of pain." It was unclear if he referred to Dorian or to some other alarming event, his feet were in Lindenwood, but his mind was miles and years away. Lettie dragged him back, and he soothed, "Don't blame yourself for the suffering of your Grimm. Arelgren and Meschke chose a hard path, a fool's path, but they were but young boys when they chose it. Now they must become men by the paths they've chosen, and the selves they become will depend upon both their actions, and the actions of those who can spare them heed- kindness or cruelty alike. I can only hope the kindness I've given them has some effect, for the last thing we need is more cruel Obscuvians."

"Well," interjected Marian, "Yawley was kind to me, and I'll never forget it. I think my new self will be good, even if her memories aren't."

The pyre burned between the group, the fifth member of their party, and Wickwright told a story about Yawley to pass the time, with Hopkin interjecting with corrections. When the last of the flames had died down, he brushed himself off, and declared, "Now nothing remains of Richard Yawley but ashes. It's up to Whitney Yawley to assume his legacy, and let us hope that he has a sense of self as noble as his father's."

At this, Marian hesitated, and ran back into a house, coming out more slowly- she had a large tome in her hands. Panting, she held it out to Wickwright, and explained, "Yawley used remedies from this book- Someone came to try to take it long after the village was dead, but I said it was destroyed and scared him away. I want you to give it to Whitney."

Wickwright opened the book and a smile crept onto his face at her explanation. "A tall lad with reddish hair, nobly dressed and exceedingly handsome?"

She blushed red, but nodded, asking, "How did you know?"

Horrified, Hopkin blurted out, "You threatened Tadhg O'Neill!"

Wickwright was now laughing quite heartily and confirmed, "That was O'Neill's son, the closest this society has to a prince, and you've waved a crossbow at him! This book," he said, patting its cover, "Is the contribution book of Richard Yawley, and it belongs to the Society's collection. We thought it was lost for good. Oh, that'll teach O'Neill to meddle, all right. Best to leave meddling to a Finch!"

His smile lasted all throughout Marian's goodbyes to her stunted friends, and through much of the journey, so that Wickwright was possibly the only one who left Lindenwood in a good mood.

((We can end here if you like or you can also do a wrap post!))