Welcome to Gaia! ::

Desperate times called for desperate measures. That *was* how the saying went, right? Anwahs figured it was that, or something similar, and even if it weren''t so, she really didn''t care. Carefully, carefully, she nudged open the door, not wanting to arouse any in the House that might, in turn, arouse Tera. Like a ghost in the night, she found herself outside, the tiny sliver of a moon above giving off little excess light. With a mumbled curse, she closed the door behind her, then lifted her right hand and spoke, "tri''Illu!" A low blue flame leapt up around her fingers, reflecting off her swirling eyes. As the light cut a path through the darkness, Anwahs smiled. "This ought to wake you up a bit, Teralin."

Making her way across the yard and shooting a glance up at Tera''s bedroom window as she did so, Anwahs clutched her left hand closer to her breast, not wanting to drop the bottle she carried there, her right arm occupied by a large object swathed in cloth. Maybe Tera had thought she hidden it well, or maybe she just hadn''t cared all that much, but finding the instrument bundled up on the top shelf in the library''s closet hadn''t been the hardest thing Anwahs had done in the months she had been here. Sitting by, unable to do a thing for her granddaughter''s deteriorating mental stability, now that had been hard. And with the most recent turn of events...

Finally she reached the edge of the yard, lined with thick hedges as it was, the perfect spot for what she needed to do, so she shook out her hand to extinguish the flames. Dropping to her knees, Anwahs set the bottle to one side, then carefully placed the bundle in her lap and began to unwind the cloth. The shimmering face of the lute came into view, catching the tiny bit of moonlight that happened to be in the air, and she exhaled softly. A beautiful thing, indeed, and just the thing to bring back the happier memories of Tera''s life, in an effort to stifle down the darker ones that had caused the blonde to go into the depths of despair. Once free of its wrapping, Anwahs shifted the cloth onto the ground beneath one of the hedges, then laid the lute upon it.

A wry grin fluttered over her face, and she cupped her hands together now. "Paying my respects, is all..." There was a burst of color between her palms, swirling and solidifying, then fading away and leaving only a multi-colored bowl behind. A bowl, now that she trusted herself to manifest, but the chaotic tendencies of her magic would make anything more complicated, such as the bottle of milk she was even now retrieving from where she had set it, iffy at best. The grin deepened into a chuckle, as Anwahs recollected the time she had conjured up a meal for the residents of the House, only to find that the rice tasted like carrots, the carrots beef casserole, and the beef casserole something so noxious that not even she would try it. She spun the cap from the bottle, then tipped over the bowl, filling it just to the brim and setting the bowl down beside the lute.

"Perfect." Or as close to it as she could get, really, she thought as she capped the bottle and rose to her feet. With any luck, the fae would leave their creature by morning, when Anwahs could collect it and bring it, posthaste, to Tera''s side. A happy tune bubbled in the back of her throat; it had been several months now since doing anything had felt this good.

Frustrated. That was exactly how Anwahs felt, and with her, frustration led to determination, which led to action. And here she was, quite active, sitting on the floor of the library with books stacked precariously all about her. Flipping through a large tome that lay in her lap, she growled under her breath. "Damn you little beasties... What's it going to take?"

The further she flipped, the faster she flipped, with hard, harsh movements matching the ever-growing scowl on her face. It was at the precise moment that a particularly violent flip caused a page to tear clean from the book that Rith came in through the door, the ripping sound forcing him to stop in horror and stare at the scene before him. Too focused to stop, Anwahs tossed the page over her shoulder and continued flipping.

Reaching out to catch the page as it fluttered through the air, Rith finally found his voice. "What ARE you doing?"

"Research." Another mumbled curse, and she slammed the book closed, sliding it off her lap. Tilting backwards so as to be able to look up at the ram Juu, her scowl faded a bit, making her seem slightly less than manic. "I've got to find out why the damned fae didn't leave anything last night."

He reached out to pick up a book from the top of one stack nearby, reading the title on the cover, Ye Artefull Creatures Wee and Largish. "If I help, will you stop this wanton destruction?"

"Sure." And she meant it. After all, Tera would kill her if she tore the room apart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, this thing, it's going to draw a fae out?" The tone of skepticism was obvious, allowing Tera to hear the upraised eyebrow without even needing to turn and see it.

As she settled down on the couch, Tera nodded. "Mm hmm." There was a creak behind her as Anwahs shifted her position and leaned forward against the back of the couch, trying to get a better look at what her granddaughter was doing. "Why does that sound so farfetched?"

Another creak, and a long, snakelike lock of hair tumbled down the side of Tera's face, as Anwahs leaned over her. "Not that, silly. The fact that you're encouraging yet another creature into your home." She started to reach over Tera, in an effort to touch the smooth bow of the lute, when her wrist was caught in a heartbeat, held firm and just far enough away from the lute to prevent her from stretching her fingers forward.

"It's my duty as a citizen of Gaia," Tera spoke smoothly, as if she hadn't just snatched her grandmother with lightning quick reflexes. "When a race is in need of my help, I do so." A twist of her head, and her emerald eyes were staring back into the swirling fathoms that belonged to Anwahs. While Tera's expression was stern, her eyes were near pleading. "Please, Anwahs. Don't do anything to disrupt this one's coming."

As if wounded, Anwahs tugged her wrist away, turning her head to stare off across the living room with a delicate sniff. "Like I'd ever do such a thing."

Tera said nothing, turning her attention once more to the stringless instrument before her. Long, knowing fingers smoothed over the intricate design on its face, and she smiled. Aii, help. The fact that it was a lute that was given was near sign enough that this arrival-to-be was destined for her.

A hand, placed gently but firmly on her shoulder, woke Anwahs from her daydream, and her head jerked up sharply from the book she had fallen asleep on. "Wha...?" she mumbled blearily.

"It is nearly nightfall." Pulling his hand away, Rith gestured at the darkening windows, and as she looked in that direction, she was vaguely aware of the fact that all of the books she had scattered about were now returned to their previous resting place. With a grudging nod, she pushed herself up off the floor, the book falling off her lap and thudding between her feet.

"Mmkay." A broad yawn seized her and she stretched, then shook herself out, catlike. "Godda get milk ferst." With that, she stumbled out of the room.

Knowing her not to be much for waking, Rith chuckled softly as he bent over to pick up the fallen tome, though he kept one ear open for the sound of anything falling in the kitchen as he did so. Strands of Fate: How Reincarnation & Karma Bind Us All glistened faintly in the dim room, and he ran a curious finger over the raised lettering. Odd. I thought we were researching the fae creatures? He strode across the room to place the book back on its shelf, finding the empty space between two larger volumes and slipping it between them. His attention was drawn out the window to his side by movement, Anwahs making her way across the yard, a bottle of milk clutched to her chest. As he watched, she came to the line of hedges and knelt beside something he could not quite make out, then doing something with that same bottle. For a moment it looked as if she had wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but she was on her feet so quickly afterwards that Rith wasn't sure what he had seen.

When she turned away, he could see a small bowl on the ground now, laying beside something else on a sheet of cloth. With a soft sigh, he moved away from the window, hoping that whatever was coming, it would escape the usually curious eyes of the other occupants of the House.

Six-thirty in the AM found Anwahs in a very unlikely place: Awake. At the kitchen table, no less. Her fingers curved around a steaming cup of coffee, she stared into the black-brown depths morosefully. The smell of bacon, eggs, and other breakfast goods wafted through the kitchen around her, but it was the coffee she wanted. No, scratch that. "This sucks."

Rather than answer, Rith finished stirring his bowl of pancake batter. While surprised that she had popped through the kitchen at such an early hour, he wasn't quite as surprised that she was still here, muttering about the lute and its fey, or lack thereof. If this were to be a regular thing, he'd have to start Anwahs' pot of coffee earlier than usual. Luckily, she was willing to make do with coffee not quite strong enough to strip paint while her own brewed.

"This *really* sucks." She emphasized the words, as if he might not have heard her the first time. The longer it took to get that damned Stone away from Tera, the harder it would be to actually do so. And without a new, defenseless creature to blackmail her into caring, Anwahs had no idea how the hell she was going to manage any of that. "Those fey bastards are doing this on purpose, I'm sure. Taking the milk and having a good laugh."

Setting the bowl aside so that the batter could rest a moment, Rith began to prepare the griddle. "You don't know that, Anwahs."

Anwahs snorted in reply, draining the rest of the cup, then nearly slamming it down on the table. "No, I don't. But who does? Who could possibly know what the little buggers think?"

"Too bad Miss Trio's not here."

The tiny little voice the piped up from the counter caught both Anwahs and Rith off guard; the pair blinked and looked to see who was talking. When Anwahs figured it out, spotting the tiny Terrier, she was surprised to not see the little guy's mate. Or co-captain, as he liked to call her.

Seeing that he had their undivided attention, Pot wagged his tail sheepishly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's all right," Rith quietly responded. The name "Trio" nagged at some memory he had, and he tried to follow the nagging. "Why is it too bad that this Miss Trio isn't here?"

At that, the Terrier bounced. "Oh, Miss Trio knows ever so much! If you need help figuring out what little buggers think, she would know!" Suddenly, Pot stopped bouncing, remembering the other person who knew similar things. "I don't suppose you could ask Miss Tera, could you?" It was a silly question, he knew, his ears drooping even as he asked.

"No," Anwahs stated firmly, before Rith could say anything more. "We're not saying anything about this to Tera." Her stern gazing, swirling near-hypnotically, fastened on Pot to hammer home that message. Without even waiting for the little dog to acknowledge that he understood, Anwahs' mind had already sped forward. If Pot knew this Trio person, Tera would too, and anyone that Tera knew would be in her big black address book. Chair almost tumbling over as she leapt out of it, Anwahs startled both the occupants of the kitchen and those who were entering by blipping from the room excitedly and appearing in the center of the library.

Luckily, though Tera wasn't up working on her papers yet, said papers were still spread across the desk, and Anwahs quickly shoved everything aside until she had unearthed the large leatherbound tome that Tera used to hold names and addresses. Never doing anything in halfway portions, she flipped the book open, rapidly thumbing through the pages until she reached the "T"s, then flipping only moderately slower as she scanned each page for a Trio. Frustrated upon not finding the name, Anwahs snarled and flipped to the middle of the book, for "Miss", just in case, and was mildly rewarded when she finally came across Maxwell-Chang, Trio. Beneath the name was several addresses, marked neatly: Home, Ye Olde Shoppe, Pixapets, and so forth. Pixapets, eh? This *had* to be her, then. Tracing the home address with the tip of her finger, Anwahs' eyes wandered to the page opposite, and she stopped in surprise.

Staring back was one of Tera's rare sketches, this done in pen but filled in with what appeared to be colored pencil. The face was that of a woman, smiling, blue eyes filled with warmth and framed by short blond hair. Tera never drew that often, and when she did, it was only about subjects close to her heart; this woman, this Trio as the elegantly scripted caption read, must be dear indeed, to not only have made it through sketching, but to have been colored so carefully as well. That was that, then. Mind made up, Anwahs closed the book and scattered the papers back over the desk. Betrayal or no, she would go to Trio, explain the situation, and hope that she felt the same way about Tera as Tera apparently did about her.

This Trio Maxwell-Chang might be Tera's last hope.

Trio stared a moment more, then reached out, curling her arms around her friend and drawing Tera close. "Talk to me," she pleaded softly, her eyes squeezed shut as she clung to the hope that she could somehow help her friend.

Drowning. That was the only coherent thought in her mind, everything else a tangled whirl of darkness and past haunts. Eyes closing and knees buckling enough where she found herself collapsing against Trio, Tera attempted to speak and managed to moan out a single word. "Sorry..."

Cursing her inability to actually DO anything, Trio lowered them slowly to the floor, curling up with Tera against her. "Tell me what's going on, Tera. Let me HELP," she pleaded, wishing with all her might that she could just find a way to link with the girl, even just to see the pain the way her uncle sometimes could.

Trio's voice barely filtered through to Tera, a month's worth of pent in emotions going on at once in her head. There was a part of her that wanted to curl closer, cling, sob, but couldn't get her limbs to react, couldn't let go of the pent in feelings, give them vent. Even as she whimpered, her body took on the limp characteristics of a ragdoll.

Seeming to realize that talking wasn't doing anything, Trio gathered her as close as possible, one foot stretching out to drag over a rather convenient blanket from nearby. She caught the corner, seeming to rock Tera as she fished for it a few times before finally snagging it and dragging it to her. And without letting go of Tera, she awkwardly worked the blanket, wrapping Tera's upper half in it as she might a child, so that at least when the woman came out of it enough, she wasn't curled half-naked in Trio's arms.

By the time warmth began to sink in, both from being bundled and from being held, the swirl in her head began to taper off some, though it left every inch of her mind raw and exposed. It was now that the voices began, mocking her weakness, belittling her strength, making it in general difficult to believe that she was really here, that Trio was really here, that there might be hope now.

At a snail's pace, Tera curled inwards, her forehead finding a resting place in the crook between Trio's neck and shoulder.

Trio breathed a sigh of relief at the tiny change, her eyes closing as she began to speak softly, bending her head so that her lips were right at Tera''s ear. "I''m here, sweetie. I''m here." The words were repeated over and over, sometimes sprinkled with assurances that she would help, that things would get better.

Despair trickled in, and Tera whimpered. Immediately the voices jumped upon that noise, sneering and mocking. Did she really think she was worth a damn, they said, did she expect to be any good to anyone, ever? Her fingers found the front of Trio's shirt, almost clutching, and she whimpered again, the two syllables that made up her friend's name.

Trio couldn't know about the voices, but her tone changed. She drew back a little, mindful of volume, and said firmly, "I'm your friend, Tera. I love you, and I'm NOT going to let you stay hurt like this. Trust me, sweetie. I'm here." Those words, interspersed with quieter pleas for Tera to listen to her and reminders that she was there, were repeated in turn. With luck, repetition would break through this mess...

Gradually, gradually, Tera opened her eyes, squinting about at the room they were in. This wouldn't do, wouldn't do at all. The library was too easy for others to walk into, and even now, Tera couldn't let any of her brood see her like this. Her face sent in lines of anguish, but Trio could see that she was struggling to gain some sort of control over it, the struggle rapidly tiring her out. Finally, she managed to whisper, "My room... Need to go..."

"Can you walk?" Trio asked gently, not arguing with her. This needed some privacy.

Her limbs slowly tested themselves, disentangling from the bundle that had been formed when both she and Trio had landed on the floor. Slowly, Tera nodded, one of her hands freeing itself from Trio's shirt in order to hold the blanket more firmly around upper half.

Trio rose as well, offering Tera help up. When they were eye-to-eye again, Trio offered a worried smile. "You're not getting rid of me, you know..."

Even though she wobbled a bit, Tera managed to remain on her feet, and she attempted to return Trio's smile. The best she could manage was an expression that seemed a little less pained. "Wouldn' dream of it..." Her voice was low, hoarse, the same sort of choky texture that one got when swallowing down the urge to cry. It was easier for the two of them to see eye-to-eye, as Tera couldn't bring herself to stand up straight.

"As long as we're clear on that," Trio said, hesitating a few before nodding to herself. She'd have to call Az and get him to bring Annora over - something told her that they'd be staying here for a few days. "You look like hell, sweetie," she noted, toying with her next thought for a few moments before going for it. "And something in you will help, okay? Let's make a stop at the kitchen and see if there's anything for you."

Something about that suggestion nagged at Tera, and before she agreed, she considered it first. Kitchen... kitchen... Rith. And gods knew who else would be in there with him. She shook her head rather forcefully; the last thing wanted was to be seen by anyone else. For now, it was enough that she was putting one foot in front of the other, treading a path that seemed to stretch a thousand steps ahead of her.

Dammit. "Later then," Trio said, her tone assuring Tera that eventually, she would not take no for an answer. She took Tera's arm, helping to support the woman as they made their slow way to Tera's bedroom.

Whether it was fortunate or not that they ran into no one the hall or on the stairwell depended on who you asked, really. To Tera, it was a godsend, though the vague recollection of Anwahs making off with the Stone kept her from actually thanking the gods for it. The thought of her bed, and covers that one could nest and hide in, kept Tera moving, eyes on her feet as if she were afraid of stumbling or tripping over something.

Trio followed, cursing their luck that none of Tera's household disturbed them. Perhaps seeing the concern and caring in even one other pair of eyes could help things, but they'd never know. Ultimately, though, they made it to the room, Trio waiting nervously for the door to close before she began to fight this again.

Trusting that Trio would get the door closed, Tera made a beeline for the bed, wanting nothing more at the moment than to collapse on it, disappear from view. That might required getting the covers untucked from what appeared to be a very crisp, military-like bed making, but enough squirming, wiggling, and maneuvering would get that done. Eventually. She mumbled something that might have been a thank you.

"Tera," Trio said, making sure the door was firmly in place before moving toward her and catching her up again. "No more hiding. Not from me, at least..."

She pulled the blanket closer around herself, not quite meeting Trio's gaze. "I'm just... tired." And she was. Fighting and struggling with the bleakness that threatened to completely engulf her being had drained Tera of most of her energy. Even the voices were quieting down, softer murmurs that still wouldn't let up.

"No you're not," Trio returned, sitting on the bed in front of Tera. "You're depressed. You need help, sweetie. Hiding will only make it worse." She hesitated, then leaned in, pressing a light kiss to Tera's forehead. "I'm here. You're going to be okay."

Her eyes flutter closed, lashes dampening as Tera tried not to start crying. "'Twill pass." That was the only hope she had now, that it would pass quickly, since without the Stone she had no other choice. She'd never really put any stock in the psychobabble techniques that Anwahs had suggested she try.

Trio's answer to Tera was as succinct as some of her answers to Anwahs, and just as foul. "Bullshit," she muttered, gathering Tera to her. "It won't pass until you work through it. And you won't work through it by bottling it all up within you and waiting for it to explode in your face again. Tera... do you trust me?" she prodded, lifting Tera's face until their eyes met again.

Tera was afraid to answer that, and her eyes clearly said so. Despite this, she nodded, unwilling or unable to give voice to the fact that yes, she did trust Trio.

Trio swallowed at the fear, humbled by the way Tera seemed to feel about it. But she shifted until she was settled against the headboard, tucking Tera close to her. "Tell me what's eating at you, sweetie. What's scaring you this much?"

Now that was too much. Just thinking about it, trying to bring words to sensations and thoughts, caused a shudder to pass over Tera's body. "No." The word was a moan, her eyes closing again, though she didn't pull away. "I can't." Voice breaking on the last syllable, Tera had to swallow a sob.

"Yes, you can," Trio said gently, wishing Schuldig were here to somehow facilitate this, wishing she had some skill that might let her better understand Tera's fear. "You're strong, sweetie, and you can do this."

Tera shook her head again. Strong? Mayhaps when it came to things that involved physical means, but not this. Never this. "Please," she whispered, pleading. "Not now."

"Then when, Tera?" Trio said, her voice gentle but implacable. "You have to talk to heal."

"Mmm..." A noncommittal sound, as Tera had no idea as to when. Right now, it was enough that Trio was here. Couldn't Trio see that? Though normally taller than Trio, she curled easily into the other woman's embrace, like a small child.

"I'm not going to leave you like this forever," Trio warned gently, pressing another kiss to Tera's forehead, as she often did to Annora. "You have to deal with it." But she leaned back then, resting her head against the wall and hugging Tera a little closer.

Feeling that the battle had been won, at least for now, Tera relaxed a bit, waiting for sleep to overtake her fatigued body. As these things were wont to happen, however, before she could begin to drift off, a gentle knock came from the door.

"Miss Tera?" Rith inquired from outside. "Your meal is growing cold."

Tera stiffened, knowing that Trio wouldn't turn him away. Especially not if he had food.

Trio's eyes popped open, a grateful smile on her face as she watched the door for a moment before calling out, "Come in, Senterith!" Her arms tightened around Tera, as though afraid the woman might bolt.

There was a moment's pause, as if the Juu outside were trying to place Trio's voice, before the doorhandle, one of those lever-type ones that made it easy for those without opposable thumbs to operate, lowered and the door swung open. To his credit, Rith registered little surprise as he entered the room, a tray balanced neatly on one hand, the other swinging the door back closed.

Tera turned her head into Trio's shoulder, burying her face against the other woman's neck. Already the scent of vegetable soup was wafting over, and her stomach lurched at the smell.

When he realized that this wasn't simply a pair of friends enjoying a moment alone, Rith sighed to himself. Then he set his shoulders, smiled gently, and finished the walk to the bed. "Your favorite, dear. Just the way I know you enjoy it." The tray was lowered a bit, so that Trio could see the bowl of soup, small biscuits lightly buttered, a tall glass of orange juice, and a few sprigs of lavender in a tiny bud vase.

Trio smiled warmly at Rith, nodding to the tray. "Az will like you. Did you cook as well as deliver?" she asked, beckoning him closer. It could do Tera no harm to see how her companions cared about her. Dropping her head, she murmured against Tera's ear, "It's okay, sweetie... it's just Senterith..."

"Most assuredly, Miss Trio." Bowing his head in greeting to her as he spoke, Rith sat down on the edge of the bed nearest to Tera, then lay the tray down beside him. While he didn't know if this new developement would be better than the state she had been in before, when she had spent most of her time locked away in her room, Rith had a feeling that it had to be somewhat higher on the list than whatever had possessed her these last few weeks.

"Not hungry," Tera muttered against Trio's neck.

Though not as quick of hearing as Miz, Rith didn't miss that. Laying a gentle hand on Tera's shoulder, he squeezed reassuringly. "Just a touch of soup. A bit of biscuit."

"Eat, sweetie. Your body needs it, even if your mind doesn't want to admit it." Trio reached out to the tray, snagging a biscuit and worming it carefully between them until it lingered just under Tera's nose. "You were willing to use that stone for them, right...? You should be willing to eat for them too, if not for yourself."

If there was any one way to guarantee she'd eat, it was that. Tera opened her mouth just enough to lean forward and take the smallest of bites from the biscuit, then chewed slowly, even though the buttery baked good practically melted upon contact with her tongue.

Rith smiled in relief, seeing Tera's jaw moving beneath the fall of her hair that shielded her face from his view. He patted his pockets down, before finally finding what he needed on his left and coming out with a paper-wrapped straw. Though they were usually used for those who had trouble holding glasses, Rith figured it would help Trio get some fluids into Tera, so he neatly unwrapped it and tucked it into the glass.

Trio looked up at Rith, her eyes sparkling for a moment as she mouthed 'Thank you.' And then her attention was back on Tera, slowly coaxing the girl to eat more. "That's right, dearheart. Doesn't it smell delicious?"

To her consternation, right about then her own stomach rumbled sharply, reminding her that she'd never touched the coffee cake Az made. She blushed deeply, ducking her head on the pretense of nuzzling with Tera as she waited to see if Rith would make some comment.

To his credit, Rith seemed not to have noticed the noises Trio's abdomen was emitting. After he had examined the tray for a moment, he made a tiny face to himself, then patted Tera's side. "I'll be back in just a moment, sweets. I've left something in the kitchen."

Tera barely noticed as he stood, concentrating instead on nibbling at the biscuit. While it was rather moist, there came a point where her mouth ended up terribly dry, and it became a little difficult to swallow. At that point Tera stopped eating, coughing lightly.

Trio smiled, setting the biscuit aside and snagging the orange juice. She adjusted her hand to hold the straw steady, then shifted against Tera, cradling her as she offered the glass. "Drink. It'll help."

Once the straw was placed to her lips, Tera sipped just as slowly at the juice as she had nibbled at the biscuit. There was a moment when she stopped drinking, giving her stomach a chance to settle, shivering lightly. The juice, fresh squeezed, was still rather cold, and it numbed as it went down.

"I want you to sit up now," Trio directed, carefully easing herself out from under Tera and guiding the woman to sit against the headboard. "The soup will make you feel a lot better."

Sitting up meant exposing herself, but Tera clung to the blanket and did so dutifully. When she was finally braced against the headboard, she looked over at the soup dejectedly. For them, Tera told herself, eyeing the bowl but making no motion to go for it.

Trio reached for the bowl and spoon, picking it up and settling near Tera to spoonfeed her. "I thought I'd call Az tonight and see if he could bring Annora over. I don't want to leave her alone so long, even if there are tons of others who'll take care of her," she explained. "And I'm told there's plenty of room for me here, if I wanted to stay over a little while. What do you think?"

Fortunately for Trio, that question came up just as Tera was accepting a mouthful of soup, which kept her from announcing what would have been her immediate answer of "No", lest she spew veggies all over her friend. The slow chewing she subjected her food to gave her enough of a chance to become curious instead, and when she had finally swallowed, Tera instead asked, "Annora?"

Trio smiled, her eyes softening with love at the question. "My daughter... well, sort of. She was entrusted to my care after Jaden gave me this stringless harp. I've been hoping to introduce her to you for a while now. I think you'll like her." She offered another spoonful as she talked. "According to Jaden, the fey world is dying. They need to be raised by humans... or something close, anyway... to properly adjust to the world as it is now. I know of a few: Keelan, Etain, Dulci... and they're all just beautiful." She glanced away, looking thoughtful. "You know me - have to take in half of Gaia, hmm?"

That brought to mind the lute Tera had come into possession of, all those months ago. Suddenly she was filled with guilt, remembering how she had bundled it up and shoved it into a closet at the beginning of her dark phase, where it most certainly was *not* attracting a fey creature from the dying world. What little appetite Tera had before that was gone, and the food in her mouth tasted bitter. Instead of opening her mouth again after she had swallowed, Tera nodded, acknowledging Trio's "take in half of Gaia" remark.

Fortunately, Rith chose that moment to return, quietly opening the door and slipping in with a second tray, laid out much the same as the first had been, though the servings were a touch larger and it had all been joined by a bowl of ripe blueberries.

Trio blinked, then smiled up at Rith. "Thank you," she murmured, her cheeks flushed but happily so. "I'll eat once Tera's done," she added. "I'm going to call Az later, to bring over my daughter, Annora. I trust that's not a problem?"

"That sounds perfectly fine, Miss Trio." Rith returned Trio's smile, setting the tray on the bed beside the first. Then, pointing at the berries, he looked at Tera and said, "These are fresh picked, sweets. Blare found a bush in the woods out back, and he and the others thought you might like them."

Tera mumbled something that sounded like a thank you, eyeing the bowl of large, plump blueberries. If the pards had found them, she knew they would be free of any possible human contaminants.

"I thought," Trio said, once Rith had left again, "that after I called Az, we could go take some milk out for the fey... set it next to that lute I understand you have." Her tone was gentle but firm - she wouldn't be taking no for an answer here. Anyone who knew her even remotely could tell that. "And... well, I'd hate to put anyone out of their bed, so I figured I could just bunk with you tonight."

*That* left Tera's head in a whirl. How had Trio found out about the lute? Milk for the fey? Bunking? Her emerald eyes blinked, confused enough that it cut through the depression for the moment. With that tone of voice coming from her friend, Tera knew there wasn't anything she could do to stop any of that from happening, but that didn't mean she had to immediately jump onboard the idea. Her fingers, seeking something to play with, found themselves plucking up one of the berries and rolling it from one fingertip to the next.

"Do you happen to have a pond around? Or a pool?" Trio continued, as though she expected no resistance anyway.

While it seemed an odd question, Tera's life was filled with odd questions, and it gave her something to focus on other than the lute and potential roommate. "Aii. Pond. Creek." The corners of her eyes tightened a bit as she tried to think harder, remembering... "Fountain. In th' back."

"Perfect. Annora will have a place to play tomorrow, then. She lives for water, I swear." Trio snuck a blueberry out of the bowl, then pushed it lightly against Tera's lips. "EAT, sweetie. Or I will."

Exactly how that was a threat Tera wasn't sure, but she obliged anyway, opening her mouth enough to purse her lips and suck the blueberry in. After a few slow chews, Tera mumbled, "You should." Should what was the question, wasn't it?

"Should what?" Trio echoed Tera's thoughts, leaning forward a little as she reached for the bowl of blueberries. Picking up the whole thing, she set it carefully in Tera's lap, urging her to continue silently.

Eyeing the bowl for a moment, Tera plucked a blueberrie up with the hand not already toying with one. The barest ghost of a smile appeared as she lifted the berry to Trio's mouth. "Should eat."

That sounded more like the Tera knew than anything else she'd said all day. Trio relaxed minutely, quirking an answering smile before accepting the blueberry. "Yes, ma," she teased, though the berry's sweetness reminded her that she really did have a full tray of food waiting for her. "If you do."

Tera nodded, accepting the terms. It was a common game, actually, that Anwahs had tried to use regularly, but had hardly ever worked, since Tera knew the other woman really fed off chaotic energies, with normal food being a random perk. Since Trio had no such alternate means to nourish herself, Tera knew she had to play nice, and reached somewhat reluctantly for the bowl of soup on the first tray. With that, she began eating in fits and starts, pausing frequently to wait for her turmoil-ridden stomach to relax and accept what it was being given.

Trio reached for her own bowl, pacing herself to match Tera's and keep the other woman's head start. Not finishing her own food meant Tera had to continue, after all. She wasn't going to give her friend that 'out' so easily. In between slow bites, she talked, quietly sharing general thoughts with her friend. "I'll get Dal to pack a bag for Annora and I. He knows where everything is better than Az. And Az will probably send some cookies for you." That brought a smile to Trio's lips that wasn't forced. "He likes you, y'know."

"He does?" Surprise, and a hearty chunk of garlic in that last bite, made her voice a bit of a croak, but Tera could be understood easily enough. At this moment in time she simply couldn't think of a thing about herself that Az would like. Other than it being Az, and him liking most.

Trio made lie of that thought with her next musings. "Yep, he does. So does Dal, actually, and he doesn't like much of ANYONE outside of my household..." A slow smile as she finished her own soup, content. The food had been incredibly good - she'd have to head down to tell Rith that later. Reaching for the bowls, she stacked them all on one tray, taking the pretty flowers and putting them on Tera's bedside table before arranging the dishes to be carried down easily.

"I want you to get a shirt on while I take these back to the kitchen and get some milk, and then we're both going to head out to check on your lute." Again that determined tone, her eyes glittering as she lifted her head to watch Tera. "Unless you'd prefer what you're wearing now, because not getting a shirt won't stop me from dragging you along," she warned, to forestall that possible conclusion.

At the mention of a shirt, Tera reflexively clutched at the blanket that was still wrapped around her shoulders. Really, she didn't think she was feeling half as bad as she had before the Stone, but that could be easily attributed to the fact that she'd also not had a nightmare since before the Stone. Best to do as much of what Trio asked while she was able, really, so Tera agreed, nodding her head.

Still, Tera waited for her friend to leave the room before she made an effort to get up off the bed and head over to her dresser.

Trio took the tray down to the kitchen, navigating slowly as she tried to find her way in the huge house. Reaching the kitchen after a few wrong turns, she paused in the doorway and spoke. Her voice was much quieter and more uncertain than when she'd been with Tera. "I've brought the dishes back. Is there a phone I can use, please?"

Rith looked up from his position at the sink, then laid down the peeler and potato he had been peeling upon a veritable mountain of already-peeled potatoes. He was wiping his hands off on a dishtowel even as he replied, and heading over towards a silverish box mounted on the wall near the back door. "Certainly, Miss Trio. If you will be so kind as to lay the dishes beside the sink, I can take care of them later."

Without pause, Rith reached out and knocked lightly on the box, which opened to reveal a sort of medicine cabinet, stocked with a wide variety of bottles and jars. What he was looking for, however, was hidden away in the back, and he finally came up with a rather interesting looking cellphone: One of Moorgaine's old T-Tone models. Turning back, Rith held it out to Trio. "There you are. We hardly ever use it around here."

Trio smiled, accepting the phone after she'd set down the dishes. "The food was wonderful," she offered, relaxing a little at his friendliness. "I'm sorry I made more work for you..." She turned her attention to the phone, dialling her home number and waiting for the phone to ring several times. It always did, as various family fought for the rights to grab it.

Returning the smile, Rith waved a hand, banishing all worries of extra work. "With the amount I serve to those who already live here, an extra mouth or two is no trouble at all." He certainly didn't have Az's habit of blushing, that was for certain. As he saw her start to focuse more on the phone, Rith nodded to himself, then moved back to the sink.

The phone call was short. It was Dalreidan who answered, not Aziraphale, and that meant any questions of how Tera was and what was going on were kept to himself. He'd see when he brought Annora and Sankouri to her, they were both keenly aware of that. Once she was done on the phone, having asked Dal to pack a few days' worth of clothing for herself and Annora, and to bring the two over, she turned to Rith, handing the phone back.

"I don't suppose you also have some milk? I thought I'd walk Tera out and she could leave some with her lute," she said bluntly, not knowing if Rith was aware of the situation but not really caring, either.

"You'll be wanting the whole milk, then." Rith nodded with a smile. "I can have it waiting here for you both once you are ready to step out. This door is the closest to where Anwahs has placed the instrument." His long-fingered hand indicated the back door, which was one of those two-piece styles, and currently had the upper portion open.

And then, as if it had just occurred to him, Rith asked, "Are there any special dietary needs I should be aware of?"

Trio nodded, taking the opportunity to peer out the top of the dutch door before looking back at Rith. "Dietary needs for Annora?" she asked, blinking curiously. It never occurred to her that it could be a concern for herself.

"Yes. And anyone else who might be joining us for a meal." Rith caught up an unpeeled potato, then began making short work of it. "I already plan for strict carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores, with additions for vegetarians of various makes." He shook the last four potatoes out of their burlap bag.

The yard, lush green and over half the length of the average playing field, spread away from backdoor and rolled upwards slightly, broken by a meandering creek which slipped in from a rocky outcropping on the left and ended in a rippling pond towards the right. A terrific waterfountain stood to the left of the yard about midway, three tiers that caused water to cascade down as if it were rain, falling gently into a basin that was near three feet across, but only a couple of inches deep if that. Bushes of various types lined the banks of the creek on both sides, with gaps here and there that exposed either open water or neat stepping stones.

On the other side of the creek was a standing of trees, several different varieties and in varying states of closeness, getting tighter and darker the further you got from the completely glass greenhouse that stood beside the pond. The far end of the standing ended in a grove, the circle of grass and mossy stones within unable to be seen by any that stood outside of it.

If one squinted just so, they could make out what appeared to be a blanket lying on the ground near the bushes in a near-straight line from the door, an object lying on the blanket, and some creature lurking under the bush, as if guarding the object from wayward visitors.

"Well, Annora's still getting used to solids, but Aziraphale will pack food for her. And Sankouri eats what most Zurui do. Given Tera's little pack, I figured that he wouldn't be too much of a problem. If he is... well, he can catch his own food, too. And he's smart enough not to eat anyone in the household itself." The words were offered sheepishly, before she turned to head to the door. "I'm going to go get Tera, before she thinks she's getting off the hook. Um... Senterith?" she trailed off, then started again. "I'm going to be trying to get her more involved with all of you again... as part of her healing. Anyone who'd be inclined to help in particular that you can think of... pass the word along?"

Rith had nodded his way through Trio's commentary on her group's dietary needs, filing it all away. He had finished peeling the potatoes by now, and switched to rinsing, using a low flow of water both to conserve the resource and to be able to still hear Trio. "I certainly shall pass it on. Most had become uncomfortable around her in her most recent state, so they shall be overjoyed to hear her nearer to normal."

"I can understand that," Trio nodded. "She creeped me out." She flashed Rith a smile, then disappeared out of the room, heading for Tera's room once more. She didn't hesitate to enter, knocking briefly only out of politeness and not waiting for an answer before she headed within. "Tera?"

When Trio had initially left, Tera had remained on the bed, staring at her dresser as if it stood hundreds of feet away, as opposed to four. Realizing that if she didn't get up soon, Trio would catch her mid-change, and the last thing she wanted was for the other woman to get another look at her scars and perhaps as questions about them, Tera had slid off the bed and moved to the dresser, relatively quick at opening a drawer and retrieving an oversized hooded sweatshirt. It had once belonged to Ben, and Tera had found herself still smelling him on it, before she finally shrugged off the blanket and pulled it over her head.

Then, when Trio hadn't returned by then, Tera had found herself leaning against the dresser, thinking. In order to set milk with the lute, she'd have to get the lute out; she didn't know yet that Anwahs had already done that. Which was why, when she had stepped over to the open closet and reached up for the bundle she had left in there, she had found herself grasping empty air. Her heart had stopped, eyes frozen on the space where she *knew* she had put the lute, when one of those hated voices had chimed in. Maybe it's been taken away from you. You've been such a horrible caretaker, after all...

And this was why, when Trio came into the room, Tera was sitting on the floor of the closet, arms wrapped around her legs and pulling them up to her chest, her face buried against her knees.

Trio stared for a moment, then drew a deep breath, moving to curl around Tera. She didn't know this latest cause for Tera's breakdown, but assumed that it must be just one more little breakdown in a string she'd have to deal with. "C'mon, sweetie... we still have milk to leave out. Then you can meet Annora, and we'll rest," she said gently, folding her arms around Tera and guiding her slowly upwards.

How could she tell Trio that the lute was gone? And what would she think once she had been told? Still trembling a bit, Tera let herself be drawn up, leaning on Trio. Finally, knowing that it was inevitable, since the next question would be where the lute was, Tera whispered, "It's gone. The lute... Gone."

Trio blinked, peering oddly at Tera before shaking her head. "No it's not, sweetie. I saw it right before I came to get you. It's out back where it's always been," she said, then pressed a kiss to Tera's forehead again. "And Senterith said he'd have milk ready for us."

"Out back?" Confused now, Tera glanced up again at where she knew she had left the lute. Of course, it made about as much sense for the lute to have ended up out back as it did for someone to have come and taken it away because Tera was being a horrible caretaker, but that didn't stop her from being confused. Still, she'd have to see it for herself in order to be sure.

With that in mind, she nodded to Trio slightly. "Okay."

Trio beamed, nodding to Tera. "That's my girl," she murmured, encouragement in the words as she guided Tera slowly toward the door. "I called Dal. He'll bring Annora and Sankouri by once they're packed."

Tera followed along, the urge to pull the hood of her sweatshirt up over her head very strong. She resisted that temptation, for the moment, listening to Trio go on about who was coming. When they reached the hall, a small cluster of Pixas were there at the top of the stairs, waiting eagerly for them both.

"Miss Trio, and Miss Tera," Pot began, trotting to the head of the pack and bobbing politely. "May we go with you to see the lute? The team's been ever so curious, but the new Zurui won't let us get close enough to see."

Trio laughed, glancing at Tera. "Well, I think it wouldn't hurt anything!" she noted firmly, kneeling to offer them a ride on her shoulders.

With that invitation, they all scampered onboard, though two or three of them made the leap from Trio's shoulder to Tera's, once Trio had stood up again. At least one of these was Bean, as her sweet little voice could be heard chatting away to Tera, going on about how much the team was looking forward to this, and how games hadn't been the same without Tera cheering on in the audience, and how, oh, there was a new pup, and he was just dying to meet her! Tera remained quiet through this speech, glancing every now and again at those who had stayed on Trio's shoulder. She didn't look terribly put out, and was careful not to jostle her Pixas. With this load, Tera found herself having to stand up straight, and not being able to hunch her head down nor pull up the hood, for fear of knocking one of the Terriers off.

Trio noted the posture change and beamed inwardly, nodding to herself as she reached out to catch one of Tera's hands with her own and squeeze gently. "We'll be picking up milk in the kitchen," she explained calmly, as though her nerves weren't shot by waiting to see if Tera accepted or rejected every new change. "And then we'll head out the back door."

Tera nodded at that, even as her mind ran ahead to who else they might run into. Rith, yes. Rainku, obviously, if he were guarding the lute. But who else between here and there? It wasn't a meal time, but that didn't necessarily mean the kitchen would be empty. The idea of running into so many folks made her stomach churn sickeningly.

"And I'll be beside you the whole way," Trio added, voice gentle. "I know you'll be just fine," she said, her fingers lacing with Tera's.

Tera's fingers curled around Trio's, though her eyes remained on the stairs as they neared the bottom, worried that she might trip over her own feet. So far, no other creatures came across their paths.

They made it down the stairs and to the kitchen safely, Trio breathing a tiny sigh of relief when they got that far and Tera was still beside her. "Senterith? Could we get that milk now, please?" she asked, at the doorway.

Rith, who had heard them coming down the stairs, was already prepared. An old-fashioned glass bottle of milk stood on the counter beside him, and he was reaching up into the cabinet to get a bowl down. "I think it might be best to use a new bowl today; the one that is out there should probably be washed." With that, Rith picked the milk up off the counter and easily strode across the kitchen, presenting the bottle, which was breakable, to Trio, and the bowl, which was not, to Tera.

Blinking, Tera reluctantly accepted the bowl.

Trio grinned at that, nodding. "We'll bring that one back in, don't worry," she offered, planning to make Tera go the last few feet alone. "It's right out there," she added to her friend, pointing through the door. "Can you see it?"

Tera looked out the door, squinting against the bright sunlight. The yard seemed to stretch for miles, with acres of blue sky above it. She shivered a bit, holding the bowl close to her chest, nodding that she could see it. Of course, she couldn't really, but there was obviously something on the other side of the yard, near the bushes. There didn't seem much indication on Tera's part that she was going to start walking any time soon.

Trio grinned, curling an arm around Tera's waist and starting to walk. "I'm thinking when I'm over tonight, we ought to pop some popcorn - Dal said he'd include some - and have ourselves a regular girl's night." She waggled her eyebrows at Tera, a move that was nothing if not amusing.

The wiggling eyebrows certainly caused the Pixateam to laugh. Tera had just taken a deep breath as they began heading out, but between the guffawing of the Terriers and the movement of Trio's expression, she managed a strained smile. On one level, she *was* amused; on so many others, the gaping maw of the outside world set Tera's nerves on edge.

Exhaling, Tera mumbled what sounded like a prayer beneath her breath, and curved her own arm around Trio for support. One step at a time...

"I don't suppose you ever had a slumber party before?" Trio pressed, hoping to engage Tera in conversation, to take the woman's mind off of what they were doing. If she did it without thinking, she might begin to really SEE what she was capable of again.

She had to think about that one, because the answer didn't come immediately to mind. Why it didn't was a question in of itself, and Tera concentrated, the process evident on her face. Finally it came to her: While she and Trio had once planned a slumber party of sorts, other activities had distracted them both. Odd, how history was repeating itself, in a way. "Nay, ne'er."

"Well, you're going to tonight. We'll raid the fridge for snacks," she noted, making a mental note to apologise to Rith after, "and tell stories and everything." Pipedreams, that one - what she'd probably do is try to convince Tera to tell her more about what was going on - but she couldn't resist imagining. "By the time we're going to bed, we'll both be absolutely exhausted to the point of the gigglies."

"All right." Tera couldn't keep the skepticism from her voice. Already exhausted, she could no more imagine giggling than she could imagine sprouting wings and flying away at this very moment. Both had been possible at one point in time, but seemed like monumental feats from this stage.

Trio stopped then, noticing they'd gotten about halfway. "Why don't you go ahead. I wanna look around a little," she suggested, holding out the milk bottle to her friend as though she had every confidence in the world that Tera was just fine.

It was almost dejectedly that Tera took the bottle, having somehow come to the conclusion that the best thing to do right now would be to get this whole thing over with. In a way, going on without Trio was a good idea, since she could leave the milk and the 'Team with the lute, then head back to the House. After all, there was plenty in the yard for Trio to look at.

"Here goes," Tera murmured, as she took the first of the remaining steps towards the lute.

Trio stepped back, making no move to go exploring. It wasn't entirely a lie - she DID want to look around some, but ensuring that Tera was okay took priority. She'd dropped her smiling mask the moment the woman moved forward, beyond her. But seeing that movement did leave a faint, lingering smile on her lips nonetheless.

It took a while, but Tera did finally reach the blanket, kneeling down on the edge of it. At first, it looked like she was in a hurry to finish, setting down the bowl she carried and filling it with the milk more rapidly than anything else she had done today, save perhaps keeping Trio from making her grab for the Stone. It wasn't until she made a grab for the older bowl that she finally paused, stilled, seemed to actually take a moment there with the lute.

Whatever it was Tera was doing was blocked from Trio's view by Tera's body, but it didn't seem to be detrimental to either Tera or the lute. A burgundy Zurui emerged from the bushes over the blanket and stood beside Tera, then laid his muzzle on her shoulder in order to allow the Pixapups there to climb aboard. Once they were secure, he moved away from Tera, leaving her alone with the lute, and headed towards Trio.

"Pleasant day for an outing," he remarked wryly, once he was within earshot of Tera's friend.

"Might be," Trio nodded, her eyes on Tera even as she nodded her head in greeting. "If the results are good."

Not bothering to introduce himself, the Zurui sat down beside Trio, also watching Tera. "She's outside. And looking a sight better than she did earlier." Several of his tails flicked randomly, mostly due to the fact that the younger Pixapups had decided to disappear within them. "I'd say the results are good so far."

As if she could sense them talking about her, Tera flicked a gaze back in their direction, before returning to whatever she was doing with the lute.

"I don't know what dragged her down so far, but I'm not gonna leave her there," Trio nodded, reaching out a hand to the top of the Zurui's head. She pet him absently, so used to having a Zurui nearby that the motion was habit. "I'm glad someone told me."

Though he puffed up a bit over being patted like a common dog, the Zurui didn't make an untoward comment over it. With a quick shake of his tail, which sent Pixapups tumbling, giggling, into the grass, he stood again. Almost at the same time, though no where near as quickly, Tera did as well, swaying slightly before she turned and started heading back towards Trio.

"Changing of the guards," the Zurui quipped, then headed back to his post.

Trio chuckled softly, watching him for a brief moment before turning her attention to Tera. If it hadn't been obvious to the woman before that Trio's statement was a fairly transparent untruth, it certainly was now. Trio's smile was back, but she made no move forward, instead letting Tera come to her.

He flickered his tails over Tera's legs as he passed her, but if the two exchanged words, Trio couldn't tell. Tera continued to walk towards Trio, head slightly down so as to watch her feet as she moved them, arms wrapped around her chest as if she were a bit cold. Finally coming up to Trio, she lifted her head, eyes weary. "Done looking?"

"That depends on you," Trio said gently, reaching out to let her hands settle on Tera's upper arms. "Are you done out here for now?"

Nodding, Tera hunched her shoulders in closer. As much as she wanted to pull her hood up now, she knew Trio wouldn't let her. As she stepped in closer to her friend, Tera asked quietly, "When are the others going to be arriving?"

"Should be soon," Trio nodded, very aware of how long it had taken them to get this far. One hand lifted, cupping Tera's cheek gently. "How come?" Getting her hopes up, she added, "Wanna stay out here a while and enjoy the air?"

"If I can nap." Apparently retreating to the bedroom would be out of the question, so the next best thing would be to curl up on one of the patio chairs. Between the food in her belly, the mental fatigue, and this warm sunshine, Tera was quite surprised that she hadn't conked out already.

"In the shade. The last thing we need is for you to become a lobster," Trio said firmly, highly pleased that Tera wasn't insisting on retreating to her bedroom. "C'mon. Let's get you set up so that you can enjoy some fresh air." Tugging her friend in for a swift hug, Trio turned toward the patio, looking around for the chair and shade necessary.

The patio proved to contain several chairs and lounges of all shapes and sizes, even a few that appeared to be made for two. Or two dozen, depending on the size of the inhabitor of the chair in question. There was a single loungechair with an odd attachment in the back, which seemed like it could hold one of the umbrellas currently resting against the side of the House.

Leaning against Trio, Tera just waited to be pushed in a general direction.

Trio guided Tera to the chair with the attachment, letting her rest there while Trio got the umbrella itself set up. Hesitating a moment, Trio finally dragged a second chair over, sitting down beside Tera and watching her thoughtfully. "Better?"

"Mmm." Tera settled a moment on the chair before curling up on one side, tucking her long legs up near her stomach. She at least curled facing Trio, and gave her friend a tiny momentary smile. Then, as if remembering, she reached into the pocket on the front of her sweatshirt and came out with the dirty bowl that Rith had mentioned.

"I'll take it in, then be back. You rest for now, sweetie," Trio said, reaching out gentle fingers to brush Tera's cheek. "I'll stay nearby. Promise."

There was another tiny smile, and a whispered, "I know." Deep inside, she did know, and that managed to dispell a bit of the darkness that was threatening to eat her soul. Eyes fluttering shut, Tera let sleep take her, a good deep slumber that would be free of any past haunts. After all, that's what night was for.

Saved. Continuing Education

Saved. Continuing Education YES THREE. XP