Nor was doing her best but it was a constant trial. She took to calling the girl Scraps. This was due to her ragged, tattered garb but also that the poor thing's mind had completely shattered. She wouldn't speak and it was only after vigorous nagging that she could be persuaded to eat. Mostly she just sat and stared off into space.
There was one thing that Nor marveled at though. The girl's hair had been cut ridiculously short, no doubt to add to the pretense of masculinity, but now it grew at an alarming rate. Hardly a day had gone by but it's length had already increased by a good five inches or so. She found it rather lovely, the way it curled gently, and especially its rich, dark color. Almost black but not quite. She couldn't help but touch it from time to time.
There was also a way about her, this intrigued and infuriated Nor to no end. The little patchwork girl tugged at her heart. The ridiculous creature could hardly feed herself, forget making her way in the world! Why did she waste her time?
Still, the concept of abandoning Scraps was nearly unbearable...
She lifted the already half-empty bottle of rum to her lips and stood on wobbly legs. She told Scraps, "And if I ever see the bastard who did it, I know what I'm going to say." She hiccuped and the other girl watched her without expression. "I'll tell him, 'My name is Illianora Tigelaar. You killed my father. Prepare to die." She held a blade out in front of her, to elaborate on her intentions. It was one that she had lifted off of the lecherous Cap'n Bill. And then she staggered forward. And it clattered to the floor as she went. She collapsed on the bed next to Scraps.
Morning arrived and with it penance for her indulgence. Nor moaned, clutching her pounding skull. Scraps sat very still, in the same place that she had been all throughout Nor's frivolity. It was as if she hadn't moved at all.
She chewed on some willow bark. Fiyero had taught her that it was good for pain relief, a lifetime ago. Though it was unlikely that he had ever imagined her using it to nurse a hangover.
Scraps turned her head slightly, as if achieving some vague awareness of the world around her. Nor found herself captivated again. She reached up and brushed back a dark curl.
Nor leaned on Scraps' shoulder and willed at the willow bark to start working. But it was being stubbornly slow-acting. Or maybe it was the pain that made it seem like it was taking forever. The other girl flinched at her touch.
Tip shuddered and crossed his arms. He felt something odd in the process. He lifted his shirt, exposing his chest.
Nor blinked, startled by Scraps' lack of modesty. She pulled the shirt back down and wrestled with the other girl to keep it from happening again. It was one thing in the private room but if she went around doing that sort of thing in public...After all, the poor thing wasn't quite all there.
Tip didn't know what to say. This was certainly unexpected. He spoke in a halting voice. "Tip...is girl?"
Nor stared at Scraps with incredulity. "Yes, Tip is girl. Nor is girl too but I'm not showing you mine just yet." She crossed her arms in much the same way. She sighed and affected a gentler standing. "So, you're name is Tip?"
"Old woman call me Tip."
"Okay." She flipped her braid and held it for Scraps, preferring that name, to see. "You want me to fix your hair like this?"
Tip considered. She looked inquisitively at the other girl. "Is nice?"
"I hope it will be," Nor told her. "Do you know why the old woman wanted you to pretend to be a boy?"
"Tip not know. Tip afraid. Always afraid. Old woman make monsters. Tip thought was boy."
"But why?"
"Tip not remember." She began to get agitated.
Nor held out her hands in submission. "Okay, sorry. I'll let it go. But you're so beautiful, I can't imagine why she would make you hide it like that." She touched Scraps' cheek and felt a hot rush of emotion. She pulled her hand back, like she had been burned. Maybe she had. She felt highly unnerved.
Scraps' eyes clouded and it was as if she were seeing something that wasn't there. She slid off the bed and went forward, moving stiffly, almost like a zombie. "I see blood and destruction. Our elimination because of one man. Blood and destruction because of one man," she said in a strange tone. It had a faint singsong quality to it but seemed mostly dead.
Nor stared at her uncomprehending. She slid from the bed and went to fetch Scraps. "Okay, blood and destruction, sounds terrible. But its not really our problem is it now?"