In Search of a Cure

[Cora]

"Here you go, Flora," Cora said, handing her a small dish towel. Moving back around the table to take her seat beside Palladium, Cora moved her napkin back onto her lap and asked with a smile, "So, what did I miss?"

[Palladium]

"Nothing much," Palladium replied quickly, not wanting Cora to know that he had most likely raised Flora's hopes for the return of her vision without having any real evidence to back his words. It wasn't as though he thought Cora would be angry with him, it was just that he knew that he had already made a mistake in getting Flora's hopes up and now that her hopes were up he didn't have the heart to crush her just moments later.

[Demeter]

Flora blotted her lap, her eyes fixed on a point in the distance. "I'm glad I didn't break the glass when I knocked it over," she said quietly. "That would have been embarrassing." A silent not to mention painful snaked its way through the air.

[Palladium]

"You needn't dwell on it," Palladium replied, his tone reserved. "What is done is done and even if you had broken the glass, it could always be cleaned up. It is useless to worry yourself over things that are not truly significant enough to concern yourself with; you don't want to make yourself sick and you'll do just that if you keep worrying the way you do."

[Demeter]

"Sorry. Bad habit," Flora said, her cheeks tinted crimson. "I was often used as an example by my aunts and uncles as how a proper Linphean female should behave." A small twitch formed by the corner of Flora's left eye.

[Palladium]

Not certain how to respond, Palladium cleared his throat, and began, "Yes, well, I believe it is becoming quite late. If we have all enjoyed our fill of dinner, perhaps it would be best to retire for the evening as tomorrow will undoubtedly be a busy day."

[Demeter]

Flora raised her left hand to her mouth and yawned behind her hand. "Forgive me," she said quietly. "I haven't slept very well." She yawned again and felt slight embarrassed for yawning so much.

[Cora]

"You must be exhausted, Flora" Cora said sympathetically. Laughing lightly, she added, "Unfortunately for me, I know exactly how you feel. But, a little sleep should do both you and me a great amount of good. That being said, would you like me to show you to where you'll be sleeping tonight?"

[Demeter]

"Please," Flora answered, attempting a smile in Cora's direction. She had many questions for Cora that she hoped Cora could answer. Like, until he evolved, had he always been that skittish? She remember how skittish he was during that field trip first year.

[Cora]

Casting a winsome smile at Palladium, Cora laughed, "And you better not even think about clearing this table. You've done enough in the kitchen tonight with all your wonderful cooking that I think the best thanks I can give you is to do the cleaning up." Laughing, she added, "Don't protest because I swear, if I come back in here to find the table cleaned, I'll just have to mess it right back up."

Walking around to help guide Flora to the bedroom, Cora whispered so that Palladium couldn't hear, "I am getting a sense that you have some questions for me, hmm?"

[Demeter]

Flora nodded. "Yes," she answered, just as quietly. "I have a ton of questions. Like, before he evolved, was he always skittish? The field trip we had to the swamp just made him seem extremely skittish, like he either didn't want to be there or didn't want to deal with all of us girls."

[Cora]

Leading Flora down the hall, Cora smiled nostalgically as memories of growing up with Lenwë came rushing back. "Yes, he was always that way before he evolved. Growing up, he was very bookish. I mean, almost all Athryellian males are well educated, but Lenwë is especially so. He never really gave much thought to girls or courtships; it was always books with him, as it was with me. I think that is why we became such fast, good friends - our common interest in learning. To this day, it is still one of the main things that connect us. That isn't to say though, that he doesn't want to find someone to settle down with and marry. He does want that. When we grew a older, especially when I came of age, our relationship changed. I think at times he felt inadequate because he wasn't as handsome as the other males his age and he didn't know how to interact with the opposite sex. But, he was just a late bloomer, I suppose. Now that he's evolved, I think he is definitely more comfortable with himself and more sure of himself - although he is still the same person through and through. Nothing will change his passion and love for books and teaching. I suppose that is the main reason why I love him as much as I do."

Cora laughed sheepishly, "Oh, look at me going on and on. Lenwë would probably give me a good verbal whipping if he knew I was gossiping about him."

[Demeter]

"I suppose he'd give me one as well," Flora said. "Since he's known me never to be the girl who gossips about boys. In fact, until Helia appeared at Red Fountain, I was rather the odd girl out as I was not paired off with anyone. I think the princess of Solaria pegged me as the goody-goody teacher's pet."

[Cora]

Cora smiled as she replied, "Well, the old saying is true then - it is always the quiet 'goody-goodies' who are never what they seem to be, which does have its benefits. After all, there's nothing wrong with a little mystery."

[Demeter]

"I suppose," Flora said quietly. "But I don't like the idea of being shoved into this little box that the other girls in my year expect me to fall in." She sighed. "And I swear, the next person to think I should be a tree hugging earth type hippie, I will feed to my pet carnivorous plant."