บท 15: Meila
It's morning and I have arrived at the women's quarters. I see Meila already outside, sitting quietly against the wall. Her legs are straight out, her blue-green eyes staring listlessly ahead at the corridor wall.
It looks like her optimism has finally run dry. That makes sense. Almost none of her sessions with me have made any difference and I get that she feels she is a complete failure.
"Hey there," I say gently, sitting down beside her.
"Hey," Meila says without looking at me. The shock of the cool floor reminds me of the smooth paving stones on Crane street. Through the doorway, I hear water running. The other two must still be getting ready.
I turn to look at Meila and wonder what I should say. She needs cheering up for sure. An idea comes to mind. A good idea... I think. I get up and then immediately crouch down to interrupt her listless gaze.
"Hey you!" I grin.
"What?"
"Let's go somewhere nice for breakfast. Just you and me. Are you up for it?" I add a raised eyebrow to my grin.
Meila blinks. "What?"
I stand up and yell through the door. "I'm taking Meila out for breakfast! See you at morning review!"
*
We jump off the dray at nearby Kote district. I'm glad I remembered this place. It is a fancy breakfast house next door to what I would say is a "flexible" pawn shop. I point out the breakfast house to Meila and tell her that she'll love it.
Despite being in common churchman fatigues we're courteously shown to a balcony table with a view over a delightful garden. The attendant outlines the popular options and we each end up ordering the same thing: stew and a tank of cider.
The attendant leaves and in the silence Meila stares at the garden. It doesn't take long before she slumps forward and buries her face in her crossed arms. I say nothing but I want to comfort her. I shouldn't touch her because we're in public.
"What are we doing?" asks a muffled and tired Meila.
"I believe the Wand Bearer and his beloved Heroine of Words are taking breakfast in the low roads," I mimic the flowery language and upper-class accent of a brother-herald.
"Mmm. That sounds nice," she replies. A small bird twitters in the garden. "I don't feel like a heroine though."
"You just need a break," I say as a different attendant arrives with a loaded tray. "So, let's talk about anything but work this morning, OK?" A pewter tankard is placed in front of Meila and she lifts her head.
"OK." She sits up and listens to the bubbling from the steaming stewpots. "Thank you," she smiles at me.
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