Kettle was not happy.

"You've given up," she snapped at Lenesa early that morning, before Theiden had awoken. In the early predawn light, Lenesa was stirring the rice porridge that would become breakfast for herself and Theiden, while Kettle sat on the shelf overhead, leaning against the teapot that served as her bed.

"I have not," Lenesa contested.  "I just want to prepare him, should something happen that's out of my control.  You saw what happened when I defended myself against the Turned faun."

"Have more faith in yourself," Kettle replied.  "Just make sure it never happens again."  She made it sound so simple.

"I wouldn't do it on purpose," Lenesa said. "Do you think any of them wanted to end up like that?" She brought the wooden spoon up to taste how the congee was coming along.

"Audeste did," was Kettle's flat answer. Lenesa grimaced—both at the tomte's answer and the rice porridge. It was too hot.

"She felt like it was the only option left," Lenesa said. "She had been angry."

"Defending her?  That's gracious of you, no matter how close you once were.  Her decision and the horrors she caused will haunt her for the rest of her short life. You'd better make sure that man doesn't try to kill you once you've taught him all he needs to know, or you might turn out just the same."

When Lenesa failed to respond, Kettle pulled her feet up from the edge of the shelf and stood. "I'm going to sleep. Good day."

Lenesa only looked up after the soft clink of the teapot lid sliding into place signified Kettle's leave. With a quiet sigh, she reached up and gently closed the cupboard door.

It wasn't long before a creak from the loft notified her that Theiden was awake. Still groggy from sleep, he stumbled down the ladder and missed the last rung, only just catching himself before he fell.

Lenesa stood and took two bowls from the cupboard next to Kettle's. "Breakfast's ready," she announced. Her tone was dulled after the grim conversation with Kettle, but Theiden didn't seem to have noticed. Instead, he grunted a reply and ran a hand through his already-disheveled hair.

"Smells good," he finally said, before plopping into a chair.

Lenesa took the pastry twists that had been cooling on a rack onto a larger serving plate and ladled out the congee in equal portions. "We're a bit low on food," she explained. "There's not much else besides this."

"This looks good," Theiden said. The praise warmed her—but when she turned to face him, his gaze was distant.

"Are you all right?" Lenesa crossed to the other side of the kitchen, where she had set out an assortment of dried fruit in glass jars on the counter.  Starting from the left, she began pouring a little of the contents from each container into the two bowls of rice porridge. As she did so, the oranges, purples, and reds of the fruit glinted like jewels as they shifted against the backdrop of light streaming through the kitchen window.

"I'm just a little tired," Theiden replied after a moment.  Lenesa turned to study the dark circles under his eyes and the way his shoulders sagged forward with fatigue.

"You got enough sleep, didn't you?" she asked. Maybe the mandrake root was starting to get old.  She'd have to ask Kettle to replace it later.

Theiden pulled a hand through his hair once more. "I'm just a bit uneasy, being away from home for so long," he said, looking up to shoot her a glare. "No thanks to you."

"You were the one who went looking for me," she reminded him. She set the two bowls of congee on the dining table with a bit more force than necessary.

"Only because you cursed my daughter."

Lenesa turned back for the pastry twists with a sigh. It was the same argument as the one on Theiden's first day, and she had no desire of repeating it. Would he ever understand?

"I can understand how you might be frustrated," she said. "But you agreed to this."

Theiden snatched a pastry from the plate before she had a chance to set it down.

"Only because I had no other choice," he grumbled.

Lenesa said nothing and sat down across from him, turning her attention to her meal. Every-so-often, however, she would glance up to Theiden. Now that she was closer to him, she could see the slight crease of worry between his brows, and the restless way he looked around the cottage.

"How soon is our walk?" Theiden abruptly asked. Definitely restless.

"After breakfast, if you'd like," Lenesa replied carefully. Theiden gulped down a few more spoonfuls of breakfast and stood up.

"Okay, let's go then," he said.

"Sit down and finish your meal," Lenesa said, pointing at his food with her spoon. "If you're low on energy, it's even more important that you eat."

Reluctantly, Theiden returned to his seat and took a few more bites, but Lenesa didn't miss the way his gaze kept drifting towards the door. As soon as she had finished her own breakfast, Theiden jumped up again. By the time Lenesa had cleared her plate and reached the entryway, he had already jammed on his boots and taken the spare cloak.

"One would think you actually enjoy going on these walks with me," Lenesa told him, fastening her own cloak and slipping into her walking shoes.

"I'm tired of this cottage," Theiden said. "There's nothing to do."

"You could help organize the books in the loft," Lenesa suggested, unlatching the front door. Theiden was through it in an instant, and she followed after him with a sigh, allowing time for Shwei to join them outside before locking the door behind her.

"Or you could help Kettle clean," she continued, turning around and hurrying to catch up to him. She held out a hand and began to tick off the possibilities on her fingers. "You could help me with the gardening, mend some of your clothes—" she gave a quick glance at the worn jacket beneath his cloak, "help me re-tile the roof, sort the herbs in the pantry—"

"All right, I get it," Theiden interrupted. They lapsed into the same sullen silence that accompanied all of their previous walks, and Lenesa's mood soured.

"I'm sorry," Theiden said after a moment. "I'm just a bit anxious. I hadn't been thinking of Em much, and then last night I had a dream..."   

Lenesa'sannoyance waned and she opened her mouth to speak, but Theiden continued before she could voice a reply.

"You haven't forgotten our agreement, have you?" Theiden said.  His gaze flicked to hers, cold and dark with warning.  "You'll let me go home after I help you drive back those deranged fauns and other things?"

 "The Turned, yes," Lenesa answered.  "Once you prove that you can fend for yourself, I'll let you return to your city."  He would be safe, and she would be alone once more.

The thought wasn't as reassuring as Lenesa had imagined it would be.

Shweitrotted a few yards ahead of them as a fennec fox, blissfully unaware of Theiden's bristly attitude and Lenesa's worries.

"Will you still visit the city, after you let me go?" Theiden asked.

She focused on the path before her.  "Of course.  It's what I do."

"What do you do?" Theiden asked. Lenesa stepped over a stone and gave him a sidelong glance. The last time he had inquired about her business, he had not been ready to hear the answer. But perhaps now he was a bit more open to the idea that what she did was not all spells and misery—apart from cursing his daughter and taking him hostage, of course.

"Kivirra mentioned it when we met," Lenesa said. "I'm a healing witch."

"Ah. So what does that mean?" Theiden asked, ducking beneath a spiderweb.

He really had no clue.

"When I get groceries from the city, do you think I just take them?" Lenesa said. Judging by the hunter's silence, he had thought exactly that. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"I give out cures in exchange for other items," she continued. "It's not always food, though. Sometimes it's sewing supplies or a certain household item that I've run out of."

Theiden's brow furrowed. "That's really all you do?" he said. "But how do you heal people without them finding out you're a witch?"

"I have to be careful." Momentary distractions, or convoluted explanations that sounded medical, were usually sufficient to assure her patients that what she did was strictly scientific.

The silence between them returned, but less hostile than before. Lenesa still carried a lump of dread in her stomach at the thought of Theiden's eventual leaving, but she did her best to ignore it and tried a bit of kulning to chase the worries away. Her voice reverberated through the trees and attracted a few woodland creatures curious about the unusual sound. Shwei meanwhile, continued to lead their small procession—the one bright spot in an otherwise gloomy environment.

They finally stopped on the west side of the mountain, again getting a glimpse of Patachal City. Lenesa stole a glance at Theiden, who was gazing off into the distance with a mournful expression.

"I miss it," he said softly, turning to face her. Lenesa gave a start—she hadn't meant for him to realize that she had been watching him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

With a sigh, Theiden turned back to look at his home. An idea began to form in the back of Lenesa's mind, then, and she finally voiced her thoughts.

"There might be a way for you to see them," she said.

Immediately, Theiden spun back to her. "How?" he demanded.

"One of Kivirra's teacups," Lenesa began. "I'd have to ask—but she might be willing to send one of her goblins to stay with us for a while. It would be able to show you what you long to see."

"Please," Theiden said, and Lenesa's throat constricted at the hope in his voice. "Let's go ask her now—"

Lenesa held up a hand. "I can't just waltz into her territory whenever I feel the need," she explained. "But I will send her a message."

Theiden nodded. "Please do that, then."

He breathed a sigh of relief, but Lenesa felt more uneasy than before as he turned away.  She hadn't planned this far ahead when she had first met him outside the city all those nights ago. She had only thought of the immediate dangers for both of them. But what of Theiden's future? Staying with her caused him to miss out on raising his daughter, of caring for his mother, and of enjoying his life as he should. She could not be certain how soon Theiden would be ready to help her fend of the Turned creatures--maybe he would never be.  And would just one more person make that much of a difference, anyway?  It could end up killing him--the very thing she had been trying to avoid. Shouldn't she just let fate deal with her and Kivirra without dragging Theiden into the mess?

Lenesa shook her head. If she sent him back now, there was no hope of preventing future pain. She would keep him with her for a little longer yet.   

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Hello dear readers!  Thanks for sticking with my random updates.  I humbly present another chapter.  Please vote and let me know your thoughts about this one!