While Wraithvine and hir companions are guests at a noble's mansion, the noble's mate asks if they will watch the children for an hour. Why there? There'd been a major out-wash of several roads, and they had kindly invited all travelers to stay in their mansion until it was fixed. They were ones that fully believed the gods blessed those who showed true kindness. -- Anon Guest
It was, indeed, a dark and stormy night. The wind howled so loudly that it was nigh impossible to hear oneself think. Even the rain rattled the shutters. Through gestures and simple pantomime, the lady of the house directed Wraithvine and Temperance into a large parlour where a fire was already burning strong. There, several children were huddled in a pillow fort.
Several children, three dogs, and one elderly microdragon.
Now one immortal Wizard and hir current traveling companion. Who happened to be a deep indigo Hellkin with curlicue horns and opalescent hooves. Their job was clear. Watch and soothe the children.
Children of both the Lord and Lady, and the children of the household staff. And soon, the children of anyone caught on the road during this sudden downpour.
Lord Crovan was the last to enter the parlour. Soaking wet, even though he had been changed into a nightgown and bathing-robe. He had the dregs of the household soup cauldron without complaint, warming his hands around the bowl. Lady Crovan snuggled up beside him in a similar condition, her long hair bound up in a towel.
It took sharp eyes and the skill of lip-reading to catch the Lord Crovan saying, "That's all of them safe. Finally."
Wraithvine had those skills. Ze also had a few spells to help warm the chilled up, and used them for everyone in blankets and towels. When ze got to the Lord and his Lady, ze signed, "You understand the language of hands?"
Lady Crovan, now warm enough to shiver, answered with, "Easy words. Yes."
"You help so many," signed Wraithvine, keeping hir movements slow and easy to read. "I did not see the normal signs of helpers." Ze touched a little pin on hir robe, the sigil of two kind hands.
"We have other sign," signed Lady Crovan. She removed a pillow from behind her back and showed Wraithvine the sign of the Dawn Lord, Aurorus. God of rebirth, redemption, and second chances. "Kindness grows," she added. "It spreads from all who gain."
Wraithvine would add a few more blessings onto the household before ze left. People like these deserved a few more boons.
[Photo by Josep Castells on Unsplash]
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