[piosenniel]

Arestevana's post - Kirima

Kirima turned away from Lilac to hide a yawn. They had spent most of the previous night awake with Ian, whose fever had finally broken in the black hours of the morning. Lilac was continuosly berating the younger woman for not taking a break from her work and getting a little sleep.

Kirima glanced around the Inn. Some of the children were still very sick, but almost all were smiling. They were warm and well-fed, which was helping them greatly to recover. Townsfolk had come throughout the day to talk to the refugees. The visitors had cheered up the Inn's guests considerably, and there was more laughter among the refugees than there had been in a long time.

Stifling another yawn, Kirima scanned the common room again, checking to ascertain that everyone was doing well. She smiled, seeing Gilly sitting up and chattering away happily to the boy on the pallet next to her. Sure that no one needed helping at the moment, Kirima allowed herself to reflect on the events of the past days. Soran had left in the early afternoon, after speaking for a long while with Berilac and the mayor. He was to arrange a meeting for Lotar and several persons from Bree, Kirima recalled. She was glad to know that their situation could be resolved without fighting.

We will have homes again! She thought. Homes of our own, and farms to grow food so we need not go hungry. She could see in her mind's eye the children laughing and chasing eachother through the fields. She smiled at the thought and stood to make her rounds again, changing bandages and administering herbal remedies where they were needed. Even among the most badly injured children, there were bright smiles and hopeful faces. Kirima thought again of the homes they would soon have, and smiled back.