O, Sister
Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. Written for Challenge 21 of the Seanfhocal Circle Loose sequel to News, written for Challenge 11.
Oh, how things changed, thought Comas, and they had.
Sometimes, when he couldn't sleep, he thought about it. Life was just a series of changes, one after the other. Once, he'd hated changes, until the changes started being good. Each one would make his life better, like coming to Winding Circle, and then to Discipline, and Lark. Lark alone had made his life so much better that he had cringed to think of losing her, when first he heard that others would be sharing Discipline with them.
She had been kind, but firm, and very reassuring. He had known, deep inside, that these others would not displace him. But being told a thing cannot replace understanding them for yourself, Comas knew. It had been almost a year since Tris and Glaki had taken up residence in Discipline again, and about six months since Dedicate Rosethorn, Briar and Evvy joined them. Every room in the cottage was taken.
Comas smiled, and Glaki, sitting on Lark's unused loom across from him, smiled back. He wove linen for the healing houses, and she watched, round brown shins peeping under the rims of her green tunic-dress to hang far above the workroom's well-swept floor. Though he glanced up from his warps and wefts rarely, he could feel the seven-year-old's round brown eyes upon him; he didn't mind, that much.
The child was still watching when he sat back and stretched. Through the room's cotton roof he could feel the sun's heat, and knew it must be past noon.
"Lunch?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Glaki giggled and nodded.
Picking her up, he hefted her over one shoulder and she squealed and giggled all the way to the dining table, where Rosie looked at them both critically.
"Watch how you hold her," she said to him, "all the blood will rush to her head, and she'll become sillier than ever."
Unperturbed, Glaki watched the dedicate as she slid down to the floor and climbed on her chair. Comas sat next to her. At the sound of a racket from the narrow stairwell, he turned around. Briar thundered down the stairs, closely followed by Evvy; they both looked groggy with their mussed hair, and Evvy's hairband was askew. She straightened it hastily before plopping herself heavily across from Briar.
"Fell asleep on the roof again?" asked Lark, her eyes dancing with mirth.
Rosethorn glowered. "Weren't you both meant to be at your work?"
"Aww, Rosethorn, it's too hot to weed!" whined Briar, though Evvy looked suitable chastened. When Rosie looked away, though, Comas caught her wink, and grinned. Oftentimes it was hard to say who held the upper hand among those two. Most residents of Discipline were satisfied to leave them to it, either way.
Plates of food made their way around the table. Comas served himself and Glaki, all the while watching Evvy stuff herself mercilessly.
"Comas, I'm going to the beach to get pebbles, after rest hour," she said, "could you come and carry one of my baskets?"
He looked at Lark questioningly.
"A break is well in order, dear, you've been working since dawn," she said. "You could even take Glaki. The walk would do you all some good."
He smiled. "I think so, too."