For an entire week, Ponderosa would spend time each day walking with Iredys around her cottage. She was limping less and less and the muscles in her legs were spasming less when she stopped to rest as well. Iredys had just laid down to rest when Ponderosa’s gaze landed on Krissy’s book. She needed to return it, but wanted to wait until Lady Iredys could come with her, or would be okay to be by herself for a full day, now that the roads were clear again.

Ponderosa stepped away from her table and opened her chest of things. There wasn’t much in there, but she looked through it all. Organizing it bit by bit as she reminded herself of what all she had kept. Picking up a book from the very bottom, Ponderosa blew off the dust before cracking the binding open. She read through many of the herbal combinations she had created. Herbal combinations she had since improved or altered slightly to enhance specific healing properties.

She flipped through the pages, realizing that she had not added several of her most recent combinations. Ponderosa got to her feet and took the book over to the table. She opened her writing kit and readied her ink. She very slowly wrote out the few combinations she had not yet added to it. The tip of the quill practically hovered over the page as she wrote in order to get the most use out of the ink. Then used a couple stones to hold the book open until the ink dried.

Ponderosa was just about to make up some meal for the two of them, when she noticed how much deeper Lady Iredys breathing seemed to be. She left the table and knelt beside the bed.

‘Would you like to eat, Iredys?’ she wondered.

‘No,’ her voice replied, tinged with… something. ‘But a walk outside after you’ve eaten might be nice.’

‘...Alright.’ Ponderosa stroked her head a couple times then got up to make herself some meal.

As she stirred in the water, she felt sad for Iredys, but she was grateful that she could speak her mind as well. Ponderosa drank her meal. She washed the dishes she used. She agitated her jars of herbs once more for good measure before she pulled on some shoes and secured the lighter cloak around her own shoulders.Then she brought her heavier cloak to Iredys and set it over her shoulders. She had Iredys sit on one of the chairs so she could cover her feet with socks and shoes. When she stood, Ponderosa offered Iredys her arm so she had some support while they ventured outside. The air was clean and crisp and brought a small smile to Iredys’ lips. The two of them turned and walked toward the center of town. The streets weren’t busy, but they still passed by several of the townspeople.

Ponderosa was confused by the number of townspeople that turned to look at the two of them after they passed, or would shake their heads as though they were having an internal argument with themselves. When Iredys started to limp beside her, Ponderosa shivered and was just about to check if Iredys wanted to go back. Iredys beat her to it, and motioned to Ponderosa that she was ready to head back so they could warm up.

When they got back, Iredys lay down for her usual post-walk nap. Ponderosa let her rest, but was glad to see that Iredys was able to walk for longer before her limp showed up again. Glad to know that her leg was healing well. Ponderosa crouched close to the fire for a little while to stave off the harshest of the chill before she moved to one of the chairs to contemplate everything she had come to learn in the couple weeks that Iredys had been with her.

Iredys was able to communicate through thought. She could move things around with her mind. Was she having visions? Or were the convulsions just her body readjusting to coming alive again? It could be either or both. If it was both, that gave her ideas for four of the seven possible runes. So then what were the other three? And to which stones were they all attached?

Ponderosa was glad that, so far, none of the active stone/rune combinations were magics big enough to attract the unwanted attention of Their Majesties. Nothing as obvious as her forced transformations had been. She was grateful to Iredys for pulling the rune and Pearl from her flesh as well. Especially since the night of the new moon had been during the storm. While she did not doubt she would have been fine, whatever her transformation, it had been so nice to stay Human and in her cottage.

While she continued to contemplate the stone properties, Iredys started to get up from the cot. Ponderosa started to get up from the chair, but Iredys waved her down. She remained sitting on the edge of the cot facing the fire. Movement over the table caught her attention. One of the glasses was filled with water and a little meal before it floated across the room to Lady Iredys. She held the cup in her hands a moment before taking her first sip. Ponderosa shifted her attention to the pile of wood under her table. They were getting low again and would need to gather more before too long.

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The other chair scraped across the cottage to stop beside the window. The lighter of the two cloaks floated over to Iredys and wrapped around her shoulders as she stood.

‘Iredys?’ Ponderosa wondered.

‘Someone comes,’ she replied, as she pulled the hood of the cloak over her head and sat.

Iredys’ back was to the door, but her shadowed face was reflected clearly in the glass. Even though her hair was nothing but a short fuzz, and there were several scars that still marred her face, Ponderosa understood that Iredys didn’t want others to recognize her.

Ponderosa straightened the blankets on the cot as there was a knock on her door. She finished her work then opened the door..

“Pardon me, Ponderosa, but is the lady that was with you earlier still here?” a man asked.

Ponderosa nodded. She motioned for him to step in from the cold.

The man pulled off his hat. He wrung it in his hands. A simple Iron band hugged his left ring finger. “I… w… wanted to thank you,” he stammered. “For… what you said as you passed me today.”

Iredys paused then lowered the glass she was still drinking from. She nodded.

“You… see, my wife, she…. Well, she….”

‘I know,’ Iredys replied. ‘Thank you for listening.’

“I could not ignore your words, no matter how much I…. Anyway, thank you again.”

‘You’re welcome. I wish you the best as you continue on together.’

He nodded to Iredys. Nodded to Ponderosa then left the cottage.

Ponderosa felt confused as Iredys finished the glass of meal in her hand.

‘What is it, Ponderosa?’ Iredys asked, pulling the hood of the cloak back.

‘When did you speak to him?’

‘While we were on our walk. I had thoughts about everyone we passed, but I was unaware that my thoughts reached those whom the information concerned. I thought that was something I could only do with you, due to us both having transformation magic.’

Ponderosa nodded. Then she turned to add another log to the fire.

‘What are you not speaking, Ponderosa?’ Iredys asked, standing.

‘You likely already know, Iredys,’ Ponderosa replied.

‘I do, but I would like to show you respect by allowing you to voice what it is you want to ask.’ She washed the glass.

‘...If others can hear your thoughts as if you are speaking, why did it seem that only some people could hear you?’

‘Would you feel comfortable knowing that others had overheard your troubles?’

‘No, but with the Ruby amplifying the properties of all of your runes, I guess I thought that… those around you would hear you as if you could speak.’

‘I cannot expect others to respect me, if I cannot show them the same respect in return.’

‘I understand.’

Iredys approached Ponderosa and wrapped her arms around her. ‘I will never be able to repay you for pulling me and my baby out of Abundare’s borders. Nor for the care you have given us each and every day since.’

Ponderosa turned and held tightly to Iredys. ‘You’ve paid me back, Iredys. Giving me control over my transformations by pulling Dagaz and the Pearl from my flesh is more than I could have ever asked for.’

‘No one should spend their days in fear and mental and emotional torment.’

She nodded.

‘You deserve peace, Ponderosa.’

‘As do you, Iredys.’

Iredys momentarily tightened her hold on Ponderosa. As she let go she asked, ‘How soon would you like to leave to give Krissy her book back?’

‘Tomorrow if possible.’

‘Tomorrow it is then.’

‘Will you be okay by yourself?’ Ponderosa wondered.

‘I will come with you,’ Iredys replied, ‘and no buts. Baby boy wants more time outside, and I won’t get the strength in my leg back by staying here and hiding from the townsfolk. A blind woman shouldn’t go out walking on her own, you see.’ Iredys winked at her.

A smile pulled on the corners of Ponderosa’s lips. ‘No, I guess she shouldn’t try to go out walking on her own.’

Iredys smiled. ‘In the meantime, what can I help with?’

Ponderosa’s brain blanked. ‘Uh….’ She looked at the lighter cloak that still rested on Iredys’ shoulders. ‘I should get you a warmer cloak, but….’

Iredys shook her head then touched where the Jet was embedded in her chest. ‘The Jet will keep me warm, just as it did on our flight out of Abundare.’

‘Shoes?’

‘Same, Ponderosa. I don’t want you freezing yourself to accommodate me. …The magic I have will do that.’

‘If you are sure, My… Iredys,’ Ponderosa fumbled.

‘I’m sure.’