Demesne 311 - Between Friends (Patreon)

Karina stopped humming 'Sleep Without Colors' as her younger brothers and sisters all finally fell asleep. Cif, Jivoy, Malli and Siithia were lay on the bedrolls they'd put on the floor of the alcove her family had claimed. Normally it would be hard to get them down for a nap. However, they were all tired since they'd been woken up when it was still dark and had needed to carry all of their family's things into the dungeon. Her brothers and sisters hadn't put up a fight when she'd had them lie down and rest.

Her mother had been lying down on one of the alcoves benches, eyes also closed, but she turned to look when the humming stopped. Karina gave her a smile and nodded, and her mother let out a sigh of relief.

Karina got to her feet carefully so she wouldn't disturb her sisters beside her. "Inay, I'm going to go and help Shana get everyone settled down. Is that all right?"

Her mother hesitated. "Are you sure, Rina? Aren't you tired?"

Of course she was tired. And hungry, since everyone had been too busy to make breakfast, and even now people were still bringing in what they could so they wouldn't have to leave anything out for the dragon. But she was eleven now, and the eldest of her siblings besides. She had to be responsible, like her inay and itay always said she should. "I'm fine, Inay. I'm not sleepy yet, and Shana will probably need help," Karina said.

"Well… if you're sure."

"I'm sure," Karina said. She walked around her siblings and leaned down to give her mother a kiss on the cheek, which made her mother smile. "I'll be back later."

She left the alcove, heading towards where she thought Shana's alcove was. The magic lights on the stone ceiling were bright as noon, the way they always were, making it easy to find her way. It would probably be hard to sleep later, though. She remembered that Wiz Lori had made it darker last time.

Karina passed by several alcoves, looking inside. Most were empty save for people's things, since a lot of the grown-ups were outside helping bring in the big heavy things they didn't want to live outside, but there were some people. Auntie Johzi was sleeping in one, while her daughter Bharelli was playing lima with Big Yerart. In another, Auntie Astolp was sitting on the bench as she used her distaff to spin thread. Her belly was already big and around from her pregnancy, and would probably get even bigger. A few alcoves down, Yhalta was sitting one of the alcove's benches, holding hands with Matoy. They'd been doing that all the time ever since wiz Lori said they could promise that they'll get married, even when they were fighting. It was weird.

Shana's alcove was noisy. Ateh Koyan and Ateh Kayas weren't there, probably too busy helping carry things to help her take care of the other children who used to live in River's Fork, so Shana was having to settle the other children down by herself.

"Everyone, sit down," Shana said, making that face when she was trying to act like Wiz Lori. It was the same face Wiz Lori made, but without the scowling as she tried to get them to sit down on the benches and niches to get settled. "I know you're all hungry, but people are busy right now. If you'll all settle down, I'll speak to Lord Rian about getting everyone some fruits, but I won't do that until you all settle down."

That quieted them down a little, but not all off them.

"Tota! I want tota!" Adgwyne cried, calling for her mother.

"I want to go home!" Riga cried, stomping his feet.

"I'm hungry!" Loveld cried.

"Yaaaaaahhh!" Febe cried with a big smile on her face, just enjoying being loud.

They were making the other children who had settled down fidget. Karina knew that if they weren't reined in soon, the other young ones would start joining them, and the older ones would start yelling at them to be quiet.

Karina stepped into the alcove, giving Shana a nod. Shana noticed and nodded back as Karina stepped forward, picked up Adgwyne under her arms and lifted her up. The little girl's crying cut off briefly in surprised as she was tossed into the air, and Karina let go of her just long enough to wrap her arms around the girl and catch her in a hug. She nimbly spun in place as she rocked from left to right and back again, patting the little girl's pack gently. Adgwyne always needed comforting, and while anyone she trusted would do, she always called for her mother when she was upset.

"Riga, you know you can't go home right now," Shana said, nodding to Karina for taking care of the little girl. "We are taking shelter. If you promise to behave now, I'll ask if you and anyone else who wants to can go with them the next time the Coldhold goes there. Loveld, I can't go an ask Lord Rian for food if I'm not sure you're all going to behave. Febe, if you're going to yell, yell into a pillow." She bent down and picked up a pillow, presenting it to the younger girl.

Febe ignored it. "Yaaaaaahhh!"

For a moment, Shana stood still, clearly thinking. Then she nodded. "Anyone who doesn't want to eat breakfast, speak up so I don't ask Lord Rian for food for you."

"Yaa—!" Febe cut off immediately, putting both hands on her mouth.

"No one?" Shana said. "All right then. Riga, you can come with me to help me carry the food, so you can be sure I ask Lord Rian if you can go visit later."

Riga sullenly got to his feet, but he didn't argue. He knew Shana would do what she said. She'd been the one taking care of them, after all, even if she was only Karina's age.

"Karina, could you make sure everyone behaves while we go?" Shana said.

Karina nodded and gave her friend a smile, still rocking Adgwyne from side to side. "Sure, I'll take care of it."

"Thank you. Come, Riga, let's hope Lord Rian has time for us."

She felt a twinge of annoyance as Shana turned away. Still no smile. Even Wiz Lori smiled sometimes, but Shana… she only ever made that face.

Putting her intention to get her friend to smile out of her mind for a moment, Karina leaned back so she could hold out Adgwyne and look her in the face. "Feeling better?"

––––––––––––––––––

After a while, Shana and Riga came back, both carrying baskets with fruit in them. The fruits were wet and cold, meaning they hadn't come straight from the big cold rooms.

"All right everyone, line up," Shana said, taking both baskets and holding them out. "Riga can get first because he helped me carry. The same rules as during meals, you can get two fruits each as long as they're not two of the same fruit, or one of any other fruit and three hairyblueballs."

Everyone lined up as Riga got a happyfruit and a golden bud. They all knew the rules. The littlest one went first, because while they ate they'd be quiet. The tallest one would go last. Karina knew it wouldn't just be the children that Shana was taking care of who'd be lining up.

Sure enough, the line got longer and longer as more children saw there was food. Karina worked together to make sure everyone didn't cause too much of a ruckus. It helped that many of the other children brought their game boards. Soon there were people spread out in front of the alcove, sitting on the ground and playing pincer or that new game Shana had shown everyone, jump. Everyone liked jump. It was a lot quicker than pincer, which meant people got to play more of it, and it needed fewer stones than any other game.

Once everyone had gotten their fruits, Shana gave Karina the basket, which still had some in it. "Can you go and make sure everyone gets some?" she said.

"Sure. I'll be right back," Karina said as she took the basket, giving Shana a smile.

Shana gave her a nod in return, and Karina almost sighed.

Ciy, Jivoy, Malli and Siithia were still asleep, and mother was snoring slightly on her bench. Karina decided not to wake them, just leaving them some fruit in the alcove on the other side of mother.

Then she went looking for any other sleeping children.

Kanan was just waking up when she got to him, and she left him with a pair of fruit and his lap as he yawned and rubbed at his eyes to wake up some more. A few alcoves down, the sisters were sleeping next to each other on a single bedroll, and someone had put a blanket on them. Fortunately, Karina remembered what they liked, leaving the fruits above their head. Walking around, she checked all the rest of the alcoves, but there didn't seem to be anyone else sleeping. But there were still four fruits in the basket! Who hadn't eaten, yet?

…

Oh, right!

"Here, Shana," Karina said, holding out the basket to her friend. "Your turn to pick."

"Oh, thank you Karina," Shana said, taking a golden bud and a happyfruit. Karina took the other happyfruit and the remaining pink lady. Setting the basket aside, the two sat down on the ground—the benches were occupied—as Shana watched to make sure everyone was staying close to the alcove and no one was sitting on the ground further than the nearest pillars. It was sort of allowed to go that far, but any further and you were getting in other people's way.

Karina bit into the pink lady, exposing the flesh underneath. Despite how hungry she was, she took small bits, chewing for as long as possible to get every drop of flavor.

Next to her, Shana started pealing the golden bud, using a fingernail to make a cut in the rind that she peeled open. With slow, careful movements, she pealed back the rind so it was mostly one big piece, exposing the sweet yellow wedges inside. Putting the rind on her lap, Shana pulled apart the juicy fruit inside into two uneven halves and held out the bigger of the two.

"Here you go, Yoshka," she said, and Shana's young cousin took the fruit, pulling off the little wedges and happily stuffing them in her mouth.

Shana ate her fruit more slowly, but she also put each piece into her mouth whole, closing her eyes as she chewed. Soon, her half of the golden bud was gone. She reached down to start eating the happyfruit

Karina took one last bite of her pink lady, then held it out what was left to her friend. The other girl frowned, but Karina just moved the fruit closer to her face.

"Come on, just take it."

"Well… then, thank you Karina," Shana said, raising it up to her mouth and taking a small bite.

Karina nodded in satisfaction, and looked down to begin peeling her own happy fruit, but suddenly couldn't because there was a pink lady in front of her face. She tilted her head to look around it at her friend. "I gave that to you."

"And now I'm giving it back." Shana was making that Wiz Lori face again. "Come on, just take it."

She took the pink and made a small bite. Then she held it out to Shana again.

The two continued eating like that until the pink lady was gone.