Blood from Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

It seems Cindy took the note as an invitation to dress up; both she and Liz are wearing proper gowns, and she's laid out the good tea set in the parlor for them. "Please, do come in," she says as she escorts them in. "It's been far too long. How have you both been?"

[Marian Hawke]

Seeing them enter, Liz smiles, and sets about pouring tea. I am oddly fond of that Merrill girl.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene brings the treats, giving a bow to Cindy and a second to Liz. "Good afternoon. This on is physically healthy."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill offers Liz a smile back, a light flush mostly hidden by her hair and the way she inclines her head. Mostly. She's so pretty. Both of them are. Liz is so strong but meek about it, like a lion afraid to hurt the cub it plays with. And Cindy is like shadows, dark and scary to look into but with this... feeling, that if you were inside, if you were welcomed, they could be cool and enveloping, wrapping around you and keeping all the dangers of the world away. The elf sighs a little, a familiar pang in her heart. Stupid brain. Merrill has little to no sensation in her legs- or her hips. Despite this, her sex drive is still functional, which has made the last few years... frustrating at times. 

She isn't sure if Carver realizes this, but she'd never tell him or want him to know. He hates himself too much already.

"Today is a good day," she informs Cindy, nodding at her. "My conditioning went well yesterday- I was able to stand for almost three minutes without help!"

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Oh, that's wonderful," says Cindy, politely. She doesn't like to dwell on Merrill, what happened to her or the ongoing challenges she faces. It could too easily be her; magical healing could do wonders, but it was not perfect, and adventurers (and vigilantes) tended to attract the kind of injury the healing couldn't fix. The idea of being that helpless, of barely being able to stand after years of effort, terrifies her -- and what scares her, she tends not to think about. 

[Marian Hawke]

Liz, on the other hand, flashes Merrill a sympathetic look. "Any feeling yet?" she asks, sounding honestly concerned. "Did the pins and needles feeling come back?"

[Tethras Clan]

"It is," Merrill beams at Cindy. "Oh! Right, food!" Because of the short notice, Merrill had suggested they mention in the invite that they'd bring food despite Cindy and Liz being the hosts. "Would you mind...?" The elf gestures over her back, to the compartment in the back of her chair. Glancing at Liz, she answers, "sometimes... my healers think that's more to do with cramping and poor circulation. It's hard to tell if I'm sitting badly sometimes. Or when I sleep, my body won't adjust if I'm putting pressure on them wrong. I have an alert spell for that now though so... hopefully that won't be a problem anymore."

She doesn't comment on the feeling part. She just... can't.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Of course," says Cindy, relieved to have an out, a distraction. She moves to get the basket from the back of Merrill's chair, laying out the baked goods happily. "Oh, how darling," she coos, seeing how Merrill has pressed a rough heart shape into one of the loafs. "I'll get a knife, some cream and butter."

[Marian Hawke]

"I'm glad," says Liz to Merrill, with a warm smile. "If there's ever anything I can do to help..."

[Tethras Clan]

Being Merrill, the shaman takes that as an honest, sincere offer that means exactly what the words say. Thankfully, coming from Liz, that's isn't far off. "Two are savory, so olive oil might be good too," she calls after Cindy. "Actually, are you free the day after tomorrow? In the early afternoon?" she asks Liz eagerly, pleased to not only have a solution to a slight problem but a reason to spend time with family.

[Marian Hawke]

"I... I shall have to ask Cindy. What do you need?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy nods, moving to get the olive oil from the pantry as well. 

[Tethras Clan]

"I volunteered to help at one of the local libraries months ago but then Beth, umm, well, she's had some stuff come up and I really shouldn't go by myself," she says with pleading eyes.

[Marian Hawke]

"Oh! that sounds great!" says Liz, looking... oddly relieved. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods. "This one has been called to speak before the Lights, or this one would be glad to accompany. Libraries are crucial to the education of the populace."