Rebuilding

[session 3, 08.05.2023]
Rebuilding
 
As Allison returns to fetch her things that are still intact, we go back to help Miss Silens with her shop of curiosities, just to see that it stays intact and folk do not steal from it. As we arrive, someone smashes the front window that’s still, surprisingly, intact. Kazys picks up the rock, it’s pretty and smooth and perfectly ordinary. Inside, we find three brats, none of them even old enough to grow their beard yet, rummaging through her stuff. It irks me that kids such as these have no manners and only think of themselves when they should be aiding their parents, their families and neighbours instead of causing more mischief. Sometimes it pays off to be tall, when you can look fairly intimidating even with a straw hat on. The kids apologise to Miss Silens, promise to do better in the future, all is well. We return the items Miss Silens requested us to return back to her, and decide we have enough time to help around with the rebuilding effort. We get one of the vacant rooms at the inn, although some of us have to sleep on the floor. But at least it’s safe enough to not set up a watch this time.
 
The next morning we check up on Allison, who is still recuperating. Rusalka stays behind to copy the contents of the book for Miss Lalisa, as per her request, while I head out to town to see what needs mending the most. Clearly our appearance has lifted the town’s spirits, as now we see Miss Silens and Granitehammer supplying work orders to the townsfolk - as the fire has eaten most of the wooden buildings, they first need new timber, and help hauling the wood back to the town. It feels good to do physical work, as you can see the fruits of your labour as soon as you’re done. We work most of the day, felling wood and hauling timber, although Luciano dips out at some point to go aid Rusalka with the book perhaps. I doubt he’s much interested in it, it’s probably more like he’s afraid of getting blisters on his hands.
 
Eira finds a little hidden trove of letters when we help clear some rubble from a collapsed building, and since no one knows whose belongings it is, we decide to check it out. I tell myself it’s to find out the owner, but I suspect the others are just curious about its contents. Inside there are old letters, yellowed but otherwise well-preserved. They depict a dalliance between one Arabella Ramsdell and her secret paramour.
 
We decide to sleep in the town for one more day to get a headstart on our journey back tomorrow. Eira and Rusalka are curious about the grimoire we were tasked to copy, and Rusalka in particular seems fascinated by it. All the text in it seems to be dialogue between two persons, but I couldn’t tell who. It creeps me out, if I’m being honest, and I would much rather leave it in Miss Lalisa’s hands to figure out what it does. But I trust Rusalka to know what they’re doing, and instead close my eyes and go back to sleep.
 
In my dream, the surface of the ocean closes above me, and I sink down, deeper into the depths. The light never leaves me, it dances on my skin. As I drown, a silver, colourless dragon swims in the distance, too far away for me to truly recognise.