Verlyn was sitting at the table it’s a few other young men when Remy walked into Breakfast the next morning. She wasn’t really hungry but the only time she was allowed to leave her room was when she was eating, bathing, or taking a walk through the halls with Ilona. She enjoyed spending time with Ilona, she was learning a lot about her people and their history. She still didn’t know how she fit in here or if she was going to stay but she liked hearing the stories and knew in her heart that this world had to exist.
Verlyn gave her a timid “good morning” when she walked by. Smiling back she nodded and continued on to the table where Ilona was already waiting for her with someone she recognized. Talia was smiling from her seat with a huge stack of pancakes and bacon in front of her.
“This is Talia, she is going to accompany you today as i must work most of the day”
“We met the other day, good morning Talia.”
“Good morning Remy.” Talia spoke around a bite of pancake.
“Are there a lot of hurt or sick people here?” Remy asked Ilona, genuinely curious.
“Not at this time, I need to go up to the medicinal cavern and take care of some overdue weeding and check on all of my herbs as well as the farming caverns”
“If you can move the herbs through the rock to the healing cave, then can't you weed from here?”
Ilona laughed, “I could dear, but I enjoy getting my hands in the soil and taking care of my plants. It is therapeutic in its own way to nurture them even without my gift.”
“Do you mind if i tag along? I would like to see the farms and herb cave” i mean what else am i going to do? Remy thought to herself as she finished her breakfast.
“As long as you agree to assist me and not get in my way.” Ilona sent a wink her way and sipped her coffee.
After breakfast Ilona brought Remy and Talia to the cave where all the medicinal plants are grown.
“Wow! This is huge” Remy was in awe, somehow the cave was nestled in the mountain but the sun was shining through the top of the cave. All the walls and the floor of the cave was covered in plants of all kinds and there were people dressed in work clothes bending and digging in the earth between the rows and even some on the stairs that went almost straight up one of the walls.
“Everything in here is medicinal? Do these people work here?”
“Yes, we use it all in cooking and in medicine. The earth clan is responsible for assigning this task, some are volunteers and some are full time growers. Some are volunteers from other clans who just like to garden. The farm caves are similar but bigger.”
Remy worked with Ilona in the Herb cave for most of the morning until she had to leave for other healer work.
Watching Ilona walk away, Remy sighed and looked over to a bored looking Talia. “Well what are we going to do now?”
“I Missed training this morning, I could use a workout. Do you want me to show you the gym after lunch”
“Sure, I’m not really an exercise girl, but I don’t want to be stuck in my room either.”
“If they let you join the guard you kinda have to become an exercise girl.” Talia laughed as she led the way to lunch.
After stopping at her room to change into workout clothes, Remy and Talia went to the training room that Remy had seen on her first tour.
Talia walked Remy through a simple workout routine and some of the simpler training techniques. They had a pretty good time, and even squeezed in some talking and joking around. Remy noticed herself loosening up and was surprised by how outgoing she can be when she wasn’t hiding herself away at home. Talia was really easy to get along with and Remy felt a camaraderie that she hadn’t felt since Kara. She normally was very awkward around strangers but she felt like she knew Talia. For once since Kara died, she felt like she belonged.
Over the next few days Remy fell into a comfortable pattern, she would start her day off helping Ilona then the afternoons training with Talia. She could almost forget about the council’s deliberations. Almost.