Turning back

[Guest]

Rosie nodded and finished packing her backpack, "I would rather not spend another night out here if I don't have to..." she says softly as she places the bunny's feet into her backpack. She gave a smile, "Are you ready to go?" she asked nicely, she didn't want make the woman traveling with her to be uncomfortable.

((sorry it's short))

[Aethera]

"Sure. Would you like me to carry that?" Aethera offered, pointing at the backpack as she tossed her blanket-wrap over one arm. The day seemed nice enough without it. "I don't have anything of my own." Which was rather the reason she was hanging with Rosie, after all.

"How do you deal with the little-you when you need to be up early to cook?" she asked after a moment, too curious to regret being nosy. "Do you just get up and start cooking, like you did just now?" She wasn't sure how the castle would react to a five-year-old running the kitchens at the early hours of the morning... not that Rosie seemed to have any trouble with it, and they had hired her.

[Guest]

"Well that's just it, I'm up with the sun, but not before then, on a normal day at least," the woman smiled, "And honestly, once I'm asleep like that, at night especially, its impossible to wake me up..." she shifted her backpack a little bit, "Nah, I got it, traveling kinda light today anyway." she gave a gentle laugh.

((sorry I don't have much to post))

[Aethera]

"I may be up near dawn," Aethera commented, "But I'm never that active when I wake. It takes me awhile to be useful... I used to try and wake up earlier and earlier in hopes I'd be active by the time Jerri woke up, so she wouldn't be angry with me." The admission about her guardian is thoughtful rather than sad, and she doesn't seem to care that there was more hidden in her simple statement than just what was said.

"You'll have to lead, I've never been to Lillegard. I've no idea where I'm going, other than Hendry's unhelpful 'thataways'," she said, thrusting her arm out in the direction of Lillegard in a fair imitation of the sullen boatman's accent and bearing. Then she drops her arm to her side, looking sheepish. She didn't really know if Rosie would appreciate her jest at the boatman's expense. "So... um," she continued, trying to think of something to fill the hole made by her slip. "What's Lillegard like? Is it really a castle?"

[Guest]

"Well the energy of a five year old is amazing." Rosie laughed, "At least I know that I have the get up and go when I first wake up, but that may be because I sleep all the time... and as for your guardian, unless she was getting you up for something incredibly important, there was no reason to get frustrated with you, but it's really nice to see that you really cared for her enough that you would try anything to make her happy." She said, now braiding her hair over her shoulder.

Rosie gave a laugh hearing the boatman imitation, "Be mindful that you don't do that when he's around, it's one thing to poke fun, but it can be very close to disrespectful." she said, she really was big on respect, as 'it' (rendaz) already knew from their travels together. "I've really only seen the kitchen and the areas leading up to the kitchen, but yes, it is a real castle, and a beautiful one at that."

"So, where did you go to school before enrolling at Lillegard?" Rosie asked, "Or was Jerri your only source of schooling?" she didn't mean to pry, it was just curiosity manifesting itself in her words.

[Aethera]

Aethera nearly missed a step at Rosie's suggestion that she was just trying to make Jerri happy. She opened her mouth to correct the cook's assumption, then closed it, thinking better of it. She blushed at Rosie's admonition. "Yes, I know. It was thoughtless of me... forgive me." The girl was rather ashamed that her new friend had witnessed her lack of thought and she was very aware of the heat flooding her cheeks.

"I, ah... I went to the schoolhouse when I was younger, but Jerri thought I would be of more use learning her trade rather than trying to educate myself. I actually didn't come straightaway when I got the letter, I didn't think she'd approve."

[Guest]

Rosie had kind of figured that the girl wasn't trying to impress her keeper, however, Rosie wanted to be nice and not say something along the lines of "Well I'm sorry that you were too lazy to get out of bed when you were told to" especially since Rosie herself had a bit of a sleeping disorder.

"It's fine, really, I take no offence, I was just reminding you that it wouldn't be appropriate in front of Mr. Hendry." Rosie commented and placed a hand on Aethera's shoulder, she gave a warming smile, "I was just trying to remind you of your manners."

"That doesn't seem very useful at all, what did Jerry do for a living? And why would she take you out of school? Were you having troubles?" she asked, having been forced to attend a school many times when someone caught her looking like a five year old... She stopped herself from asking if Aethera had run away to get here or if she actually had permission to come. It had been a long night for her visiting her sweetheart and her mind was still a little foggy as to what was going on around her, which usually only happened when she actually had a good night...

[Aethera]

Aethera shrugged noncommittally. "Jerri was the only healer in town. There was a doctor who visited once or twice a month, but for most things, Jerri was it. Herbalist, midwife, you name it. She didn't have the same training as the doctor, but she could do most of the same things, barring major surgery." She played with the edge of her shirt as she stared off into space, one eye on the road so she wouldn't trip. "She did need help, there was always plenty to do. I don't know what I would've learned in school after age ten or so. I can read and write, I know the history of where I'm from, and I know basic math and science. The rest I learned from Jerri. Herbs, compounding, modern medicine, anatomy... I think I had the crash course in medicine."

Her discourse seemed rather impersonal, like she's talking about someone else, not herself. Even her bland expression rarely changed. It's hard to tell what her opinion of being taken out of school is, she seemed to have gone to some effort to accept it as "the way it is", and she was presenting it as you would present historical data on Mary Queen of Scots. "Jerri also homeschooled me somewhat, things that were related to the medicine she had me cramming. The math of percentages and fractions was important when compounding medicines. Sciences involved in preparation, storage, potency... I'm hardly a scholar, but there's a lot up here." She tapped her temple, the first movement she'd made besides walking along more or less at Rosie's side and staring into space.

"She was superstitious, so I learned a lot of folktales, too. She claimed she wasn't, and passed these things on as 'things my grandmother did', but I'd seen her make signs against elves or faefolk more than once, and I learned to respect the hidden things in the land." This might be the first attempt to turn her words towards active repartee, but she's still staring into space. "I've no idea if the prayers I say as I gather herbs are Christian or not, though there's only rare mention of God, never Christ. I got the feeling it was yet another thing her grandmother had taught her to do, and she merely substituted names to make them more acceptable."

Here Aethera actually blinked back to reality and looked at Rosie. "I don't know if there's anyone at the castle who can see magic, but I'd kinda like to know if my magic, um... enhances, I guess, any of the prayers or blessings I say over herbs and medicines. If not for the accidents, I would think that's why I was invited to the school. Jerri always liked my preparations more than her own after awhile."

[Guest]

Rosie nodded along, unsure of what to say or how to help the girl. She really didn't expect such a detailed account for things. She had expected a few words in response, but that didn't stop her from listening intently on what the other woman had to say. She feel silent for a moment thinking things over. "Well, I have to admit that you have a very magical aura..." she thought silently about the different techniques that she knew about how to calm auras down, as she was fairly certain that that could be the reason why the Aethera had so many issues in the past. Perhaps it was a simple problem with deadly consequences...

[Aethera]

"My aura?" Aethera knew what the word meant, but she didn't understand the meaning in this case. It must be something special Rosie knew, or some ability she had, that Aethera wouldn't have known about otherwise. "What do you mean, I have 'a fairly magical aura'? Is that like seeing magic?" The last thought made her eyes widen, hope blossoming. Maybe Rosie could help her, after all! Or at least tell her what was going on...

((Sorry for short, should be studying... so close to done!))

[Guest]

"An aura is your energy, everyone has one. Except Hendry it seems... that or I just can't see it. But anyway, what I mean is that your energy itself is swirled with magic, perhaps its a little out of control.... I'm sure that you will be able to get a handle on it with some help. Its not that bad."

Rosie gave a warm smile as she looked over Aethera. They were very close to the castle now... She gave a gentle laugh, as she now gave a yawn. "What dime do you suppose it is?"

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