Eyes slid shut as his excitement washed over her. It was a feeling that Lee had once known intimately before it had slowly faded into a shadow of its former self, nothing more than a dimly glowing ember that still remained deep in the pit of her heart. She hoped that Constans would write and that he would receive the reply, the contact, he so longed for.
She was almost surprised to realize that she would be happy if he did get a response. Lee had been so angry and jealous of just about everything that this older way of thinking, while welcome, had her reeling. Sighing at herself she turned to look at the boy next to her, his earlier excitement having faded to uncertainty, lips twisted back in a sad attempt at a comforting smile. How had something which had once been so natural to her become so foreign and frustratingly awkward?
“They do not prevent us from writing, let alone sending missives, though it is not something that is encouraged. I am uncertain as to the speed in which they are delivered or the time frame in which one could expect a reply… you would have to ask one of the others. I am sure that your family would be relieved to hear from you, even if it was only the news that you had arrived in one piece.” Pausing her eyes drifted across his battered body, lingering on one bruise before moving on to the next and every scratch in between. “Mostly intact.”
Reaching out one hand, fingers groping at the bedspread in search of her earlier burden, she latched onto the small parcel she had nicked from the kitchens while waiting on Constans’ robes. Dangling it in front of the boy’s nose for a moment she dropped it into his lap with a small plop. “Treats from the kitchen. You can have them now or save them for later. I thought you might want more but it might be a good idea to have a stockpile if you are going to stay in here. Granted I can get you actual food if you decide to do so but you will need to tell me.”
Smoothing out her robes and plucking listlessly at them in turns she sat silently for a breath before she spoke again. “Your clothing should be washed and mended within a week and returned to you then. It can take awhile to get things back with so many people living together. Other clothing will be provided for you but you might want to get measured first, the ones I gave you seem a touch too short. Do you think you will need anything else until you can do that?”