The Sorceress's Chambers

"No need to apologise at all. I hope your client is helped by your art," said Elsey, kindly.

She sniffed the mixture, out of curiosity.

"I recognise the smell of the plant. If you require any more of it, let me know. I left some of it growing in Nenyan's little cave. Since he's not around to use it anymore, the plant will not be disturbed."

"A noble goal. It would be wonderful if nobody suffered," said Elsey, wistfully.

"May I ask what you charge for your services?"

"Ah, I see. It is good that you are taken care of. For a moment I thought perhaps you relied on clients."

Elsey laughed a little, embarrassed by her error.

"Ah well, a day where one learns something new cannot be wasted. Does anything else need to go into this?" asked Elsey, indicating the bowl of blue liquid, still fizzing a little from the powder.

"Yes, that is the phrase. You seem to be kept rather busy though, so I don't think you are in any danger of being superfluous," Elsey smiled.

"Do you ever get to take the little ones outside?" asked Elsey, holding the bowl ready for the new ingredient. "I have never seen them outside of here."

"It's quite alright, I like helping. I hope they are well enough to enjoy the sunshine properly soon."

"That is understandable, I wouldn't feel right about leaving her alone either, if she were in my care."

Elsey looked sympathetically at Rosey.

"Oh, should I be stirring this?" she asked, realizing she had just been mostly gazing into the mixture in the bowl.

"Not at all, Kesi. I said I was glad to help, and in truth, I find your arts interesting," Elsey said cheerfully, taking up what looked like an appropriate stirring instrument, and beginning to gently swirl it in the liquid.

"Visiting and helping you also gets me out of my own chambers. I have to rest my ankle, but I cannot abide lying around idle for a long time. This gives me something useful to do that doesn't require the use of my ankle."

"I am not supposed to walk on it much, but I would go utterly mad if I just stayed in bed all day. The ankle may not heal as quickly, but the rest of me will be better off for getting out and about now and then. I have the crutch to help me as well, as I am still a little unsteady, and standing for too long gets painful. I am told it is healing well, so I should be alright again in a week or so. Hopefully, I shall be able to have a little dance on my nameday," Elsey said, with a slight melancholy.

Elsey didn't understand at first, and almost asked what Kesi meant, but then thought that, perhaps, she was referring to the impending weddings, so kept quiet.

"Well, I am no great dancer anyway. If I am not recovered in time, I'm sure I will be sparing someone's toes!"

Elsey smiled shyly, and even allowed herself a reserved chuckle. She was not teribly good at taking compliments, but she was touched by Kesi's kind words.

"Thank you, Kesi. I am flattered. I like to think that beauty comes from within, but it is nice to have the outside complimented too."

"True. It is a shame. After all, the beauty on the surface does not last, unlike having a good soul. It would be easier to know a bad person if it was their soul that could be seen."