i'm losing blood, i'm gonna leave my bones

[grunehexe]

CHARACTERS: Sieglinde & visitors (mostly current CR but wanderers welcome)
DATE: Four days after the return to Oska, weeks following
WARNINGS: Potential squicky feet stuff
SUMMARY: A bedridden witch would appreciate some company

[The pain becomes a bit more manageable each day. Some people might say a doctor should never be their own patient, but Sieglinde was managing her own regimen, dosing herself with herbs to reduce the swelling, taking teas to numb the pain, and let sleep come a bit easier. She could have fixed it in an instant with magic...

But it was bad enough she had asked Masamune to rebreak her feet so that she could realign the bones and attempt to return the twisted and damaged muscles, tendons, and nerves back to something resembling their original position. Bad enough that she'd taken away the proof of her ignorance, an act that to her seemed just as if she was trying to hide what she'd done.

Pain was the least she could accept in return.

She wouldn't be able to put an ounce of weight on them for quite some time, even tightly bandaged and splinted though they were, and even after weeks, she knew she'd have to relearn how to walk, unable to remember well what it was like, the way one walked when you had a heel, and sole, and toes in play. But at least it was in Oska, somewhere... relatively safe.

And at least she had books, and visitors. Even though she hadn't told a single person her plan beforehand, she couldn't exactly hide it once it was all said and done... and she had requests. Like meals, and books from the library, and entertaining company. She occupies her time in that manner, curling carefully in bed so as not to twist or put pressure on her healing limbs, pouring over her most recent spellbook and occasionally getting ink all over her sheets writing notes. Chatting with those recruits she knew, as if she hadn't done what she had. Testing how her bones were healing, how the swelling was doing.

Wondering if today was the day she actually felt less doubt about what she'd done.]

Comments

[winces]

[ olivia purses her lips, eyes narrowing faintly at that all-too-innocent expression of her master's. past her initial bout of bashfulness, she can now see the dirty trick for what it is. for if sieglinde were truly intent on inquiring after others, rather than divert attention from herself, would she not have asked after olivia's own well-being first? ]

He's just fine, [ she says in a clipped tone. she gestures once more towards the food. ]

It won't taste as good cold.

[grunehexe]

Just "fine"?

[He was rather more handsome than that, she definitely knew- ah, double meanings...

But she did put a tiny piece of food in her mouth, to at least appear to be going along with breakfast.]

[winces]

[ olivia wrinkles her nose and narrows her eyes in a playful gesture, but she seems more amenable now that sieglinde has finally begun to eat. ]

I suppose he is more than "just fine", [ she acquiesces, a bit of her cheeks coloring again. ]

Have you.. spoken to him? Since then?

[grunehexe]

Oh yes, of course. It seemed only proper to clear things up.

[Another small bite of food. If it wasn't for her pervasive lack of appetite, it would almost seem as if she'd learned some table manners.]

In fact- [She puffs up a bit with something like pride] he even mentioned his son as a candidate for my husband, you know.

[Maybe that brag didn't work if they hadn't read the classics, but...]

[winces]

[ see, olivia knows nothing of his lore, but she certainly knows of his prestige. and she needn't know much more to realize what a Big Deal this is... even if she doesn't grasp the entirety of it.

she certainly reacts appropriately, though. eyes wide, lips opening on a sharp gasp. ]

Oh — Sieglinde! That would make you my daughter-in-law...!

[ because she's his sort of wife here.. isn't she........... ]

[grunehexe]

Well- sort of, yes.

[Sieglinde was pretty quick to be a bit of a drag on that account, crossing her arms and giving a thoughtful nod... but... well, it was good of Olivia to be excited for her prospects.]

In bond if not by blood!

[She threw that in around a bite.]

- A bit more by blood if you give him a son, I suppose...

[winces]

[ well, that's what the "in-law" part is for...! >:'c ]

Oh — I don't know about that... [ she laughs a little, feeling her cheeks heat up again. ] That's a bit too into the future, don't you think? Besides, I don't think this would be a good environment for raising a child...

[ let alone being pregnant with one. ]

[grunehexe]

[roll with it, Olivia... go for all or nothing!!!]

How far into the future... surely you want to bear children while you're still young?

[Wait, how old was she...

Sieglinde squinted a bit, trying to determine that... but for all her talents... wasn't good at guessing ages.]

[winces]

[ olivia can only color more under that obvious scrutiny. ]

I-I've still got a few years left in me, I think...!

[ a pause. it's quite obvious what sieglinde means to do, but somehow the fact the younger girl doesn't just ask outright makes it that much more embarrassing.

a brief sigh. ]

I'm only 21, after all...

[grunehexe]

Well... I suppose you have a few years left, true.

[A few. She supposed.

Still, for all that Olivia might be uncomfortable with this sort of topic... at least Sieglinde was eating?]

Does your world have any sort of ritual to guarantee the sex? Men like Achilles have a strong preference for sons...

[winces]

[ like many conversations with sieglinde, olivia finds herself wondering how they got to be here... ]

Um. Not... really? I mean — [ she laughs a little, shrugging, ] my grandmother would tell me of little superstitions, like the positions you use when you're — when he —

[ she stares at the young girl blankly. ]

When it.. happens...

[grunehexe]

[Sieglinde will always lead you somewhere interesting, that's why, Olivia.]

While standing during the quarter moon?

[Maybe she'd read the same books as Olivia's grandmother...]

[winces]

Ah — I thought for a son it had to be from behind, with some wildflowers burning in the room?

[ apparently not... ]

[grunehexe]

Hmmm...

[Okay, maybe not. Still, Sieglinde put a thoughtful moment into considering it.]

Perhaps you could combine the two? Standing sex from behind while burning wildflowers on the night of a quarter moon?

Though I have read certain theorists who posit it is more to do with the man- make sure he eats a good deal of red meat and salts.

[winces]

I suppose it can't hurt to try them all...

[ a moment's pause to consider this.

and then suddenly she is shaking her head, slapping her hands over her reddened cheeks. ]

B-But this is still very far into the future! We shouldn't talk about this now!

[grunehexe]

It is never too soon to plan for these things, Olivia.

[Sieglinde could be mistaken for a wise old sage if someone could only hear the conversation and not... see it.]

I myself certainly won't be having an heir for a few years, but the plan is vital.

[Also she. Might be blushing herself a bit.]

Well- things are moving a bit faster than I had anticipated, but... the outside world is like that, I suppose...

[winces]

[ olivia blinks, noticing too the brightness of her master's cheeks. ]

..."Moving a bit faster"? Do you mean you've— with someone here—?!

[grunehexe]

I suppose since you have trusted me with your intimacies I shall reveal to you that-

[Phew, deep breath, this is an important announcement...]

My lips have now tasted of a man.

[Boy.

Sort of.

It's complicated.]

[winces]

[ olivia just blinks.

a man?

a man's what?

A MAN'S WHAT? ]

Do you mean... like a kiss...?

[ please say a kiss. please say a kiss. ]

[grunehexe]

[A man's taste, Olivia!

Also kind of tasted like soup and fish, but that was... dinner. Couldn't be helped.]

Multiple kisses.

[YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

TWO. PLURAL.]

[winces]

[ oh my...

olivia looks flabbergasted. ]

M-May I ask who from...?

[grunehexe]

Someone who has proposed to make me one of his wives.

[She nodded as if that was quite an impressive offer despite the... plural nature of that word as well, intentionally not answering just yet-

It was sort of fun, this sort of dramatic thing.]

- Though I have not decided yet if I shall accept.

[winces]

[ she blinks, mind stalling on the one word sieglinde seems just fine with ignoring. ]

—Wives?

One of his wives?

[ her brow furrows a little. ]

Is that... okay with you, Sieglinde?

[grunehexe]

Well, I would hardly be marrying him for the monogamy...

[He would definitively cheat on her. One hundred percent for sure. She sort of expected such behavior from men, so it wasn't surprising, but.]

If I married him.

[winces]

[ she frowns a little. ]

No..? Doesn't that sound — [ she shrugs a little. ] — lonely?