The dark of the night creeped in under her window. Tailtiu fidgeted with her curtains, which did nothing to stave off the dread night brought. It came and went with no meaning or cause, but being on the road (even worrying about the Father) drove it away. Settling in Sailane, far from home (far from home) meant it came up on her again.
So, she went to annoy Claud. Lex had kids, not wanting to drag him away. Bugging Azel was always going to be an option, but his quarters were farther away, going to bed every night at old man hours. Not even Claud did that.
Claud invited her in, lingering in the doorway, dressed in his short nightgown, making no fuss as she sat on the edge of his bed. Her feet tapped. "Were you in the middle of something?" she asked.
"Nothing that cannot be interrupted. Are you in need of something?"
"Noth - nothing much." Claud , like long cold walks weren't just as good for clearing her mind. Claud was… looking at her. Tailtiu realized she had more hair out of her ponytail than in, spooked brushing it. The chest of her nightgown had a small tea stain on it. "I won't bother you for long," she suddenly promised.
He shook his head. "You are never a bother, Tailtiu, I assure you. Brushing my hair and reading scripture is not such an arduous task that I cannot be with you." He said that now, but if anyone could wear down Claud's perfect composure, it would be her.
Looking at her knees, "This far north it's dark." She never learned her constellations like Azel.
"And how easily the dark comes onto us. Silesse seems to have one season, but as life progresses, we may see a Silessian summer."