i bought some postcards

[truthwright]

Kas is sadder, after Inkeri's prophecy. And it gets worse as time goes on. The closer they get to Isabella's return, the more it hurts.

He tries to do the best he can for Helen regardless. Helen, in turn, hugs him a lot and doesn't fuss when he cries on her. They make a good team that way.

Comments

[carillons]

"Yeah."

Helen hugs her enormous daemon.

[alicornucopia]

Inkeri's Veravia shows up, and lands on her shoulder, and inspects Kalavar for himself.

[carillons]

Kalavar stands in place and spreads her wings.

That is a lot of wing.

Helen looks at her thoughtfully.

[alicornucopia]

"I wonder if you could ride her," says Veravia.

[carillons]

"I was just thinking that," says Helen.

"I bet you could!" says Kalavar. "I'm wondering how I'm going to get off the ground like this. I'm not sure I can jump high enough to get a wingbeat in; I might need a run-up. Or a good headwind."

[alicornucopia]

"Sit on Helen's cloudpine," suggests Inkeri. "Get up that way."

[carillons]

"I could manage that," Kalavar acknowledges. "I'll have to figure out something else for when I'm by myself, though."

Helen hugs her some more.

[alicornucopia]

"If the bird existed they must have had some way to do it," says Veravia. "Unless that is why they went extinct."

[carillons]

"Well, they're extinct, so nobody's sure, but some people think they did use the wind," says Helen.

[alicornucopia]

"Wind is useful," opines Inkeri.

[carillons]

"It is!" laughs Helen. "I'm glad I know how to make it."

[alicornucopia]

"It may come in handy," agrees Inkeri.

[carillons]

"It just might!"

She hugs her daemon. Kalavar's feathers are shiny and nice to touch.

[alicornucopia]

"Are you worried about separating?" asks Inkeri.

[carillons]

"We are, some," Kalavar admits.

"It's supposed to be easier for us or something," says Helen.

"But easier doesn't really mean easy," says Kalavar.

[alicornucopia]

"It doesn't," agrees Inkeri.

Veravia shakes his head as only owls can.

[carillons]

Kalavar chuckles.

[alicornucopia]

"We did it on the first try and it was not easier for us," says Veravia.

[carillons]

Helen nods.

"I don't know how many tries it'll take us. I hope it's only one. It must be worse to have to do it a lot of times."

[alicornucopia]

"That is part of how we did it on the first try," says Inkeri.

[carillons]

Helen smiles wryly.

[alicornucopia]

Inkeri shrugs.



The next morning, carrying bagged lunches and a length of white silk, Ranata collects her grandchild.

[carillons]

Helen and Kalavar are a little nervous, but not fretting too badly.

[truthwright]

Kas and Petaal hug them goodbye.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata instructs Helen in how to tie on the white silks - it's a simple tie, not used with the everyday black ones - and they go north.

Ranata lands at the edge of the waste.