Senecio and Tide

[Mirach]

"For a freetime hobby?" Svarik asked. "No, not really..."

[VisAnastasis]

" But that's lot of time... " Jack whispered, unhappy." There has to be something we can do to repay you... " He struggled, as he didn't want to offer himself, but he struggled, not knowing what else could they offer.
" Maybe we can get you more pies!" Youngest one added hopefully, as he remembered Svarik " When will you come tomorrow? You can tell us what you would like to eat, and we can treat you. Janus takes us every morning to shop the human groceries. We could get you something from the bakery. Or if you would like a home made meal, Emmet cooks really well!"
" Yes." Jack confirmed." He learnt to make lot of meals, so three of us could eat more cheaply and have a bit left for pie every other week. But do not worry, it's really good, still! Master Guliermo even used to get him better ingredients lately, so he would cook for him too, while we were working... "

[Mirach]

"Oh, that's a splendid idea!" Svarik smiled. "Healing always makes me hungry. A pie would be really great."

[VisAnastasis]

That seemed to finally brighten kids's mood - after being used to always repay for so long for every kindness, they would feel tense all the time and suspicious to just let it go like that.
" That's wonderful! What kind of pie would you like?" Youngest, Meryl, asked eagerly, with more wife, although shy smile.
" Emmet began baking pies recently, but they are still not as good as ones in the bakery. But we have a little shared kitchen in common room, so whatever pie we get you, he can warm it up for you. He often warms us leftovers, everything is better when warm..."

[Mirach]

"How about apple pie?" Svarik asked.

[VisAnastasis]

" The "Seafoam" bakery sells great apple pies! Consider it done! " Jack proclaimed, glad they arranged on a prize good for all of them.
The younger one looked a little sheepish, as he slowly asked.
" So, if we get you three pies... Nothing else... You will see all three of us? " he asked, " That's what you came to ask us. Emmet is the most important. But if you still will have your free time after taking care f him... I agree. " the little boy of 12 whispered quietly, but having made his decision. " If it's just for the pies... "

[Mirach]

"Of course. That's a very fair price. I love pies," he winked. "How about one apple pie and two others that you like best?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I like blueberry pie. It's more expensive, but it's really good. Can I bring you that one? " littlest one asked shyly.
" I like peach pie the most. Would that one be okay? " Jack asked quietly, not agreeing directly, as he seemed too embarrassed to say it out loud, but doing so indirectly. " Or if you would prefer something different too, it is not a pie, but the angel cake is very good too... I only had it once, but I liked it ever since, it has very nice three colours, yellow, pink, and white... "

[Mirach]

"Oh dear, you are tempting me. How can I choose now?" Svarik chuckled. "What would you say to one apple pie, half of blueberry pie, half of peach pie and the angel cake?"

[VisAnastasis]

" No, what do you say one apple pie, one peach pie, one blueberry pie, AND the angel cake? " Jack negotiated with a little shy, but the growing smile of someone who can first time in his life afford to offer such a thing. " And what you can't eat on your own, you can share with your friend. Isn't that much better? "

[Mirach]

"Ah well, you win," Svarik grinned.

[VisAnastasis]

The boy grinned back at him, seeming to warm up to him a little more, and trust him more, first, after how thoughtfully he spoke with Emmet, and now, how he treated and accepted their offer.
"The only victory I want is seeing Emmet happy. " he retorted sweetly, with a little brighter, more trusting smile. " He... is all we have. Please, help him. We never sow how he was before his hand got cut off, but he always seemed to miss it. It would be so great if master Janus really makes him a new one... A new hand was something we could never dream to afford... Even the simplest ones are so terribly expensive... "

[Mirach]

"That depends on the talk with Janus he is having right now and if he agrees to it," Svarik said. "But if he is indecisive, you might try to sway him a bit, right? Don't tell him I said that..."

[VisAnastasis]

Finally, boys snickered up a little, much more freely.
" You can count on us! " Meryl proclaimed. " We will do our best! "
" And if he only accepts the simpler one, we'll do our best to convince him to take up that better one, too, while Janus is still around. " Jack said mischeviously. " I don't care why he wants to make it for him. Emmet is the best, and he does deserve the best... I don't care what Janus would possibly want in exchange, if he can really do that for Emmet, we'll do anything in return, so don't you worry about that, sir. We are grateful you told us sooner, so we know it can be done... "

[Mirach]

"So at least someone is," Svarik smiled. "And what about you? I think Emmet cares for you a lot as well, and would like to see you healthy. Would you let me see, or at least tell me what is wrong? Conrad can leave for a while, if you want..."

[VisAnastasis]

Children looked between themselves. Meryl nodded slowly.
" Maybe, if your friend isn't looking or listening, yes... " Jack whispered.
" Just... not talk. " Meryl confirmed unexpectedly. " When we go to healers, they already know, as you do, so at least we don't have to talk. We... pay... And then they examine us closer and do what they can. We don't like to talk about it... It is... forbidden... "
" It's just what you do for the job... " Jack replied, a little tensely. " We don't regret it, everyone has to do it. It just... would be nice if something can be done about the aftermath, that's all. As long as payment is only what we agreed on. "

[Mirach]

"I don't have my supplies with me now," Svarik said, mostly meaning the supply of energy, but didn't want to say it so directly to not scare them, just like he didn't want to argue about the *everyone has to do it* part right then. "It might be better to do it tomorrow, when I do. Is there anything else wrong?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Okay, tomorrow then. " Jack nodded, not without a bit of relief that they can delay it just a little longer. He was unsure, but after Meryl nodded the permission, he spoke for both of them. " If you already know how it is... There is not much to say. You will see tomorrow. It's all... you know, the little things that add up. People were... a little nervous in the last days since ownership of theatre was changing. So, we had... a bad couple of days, before... Janus came to replace our late teacher. " he whispered, trying to sound matter of factly, although he was uncomfortable speaking of it. " We are healing up for the most part. Bruises aren't that bad anymore. There were the worst days, we can't complain. But whatever you can help with, it's great. Emmet also has a bad leg, he limbs a little, but that's not a permanent injury, like with the hand - he got his knee joint... twisted, and it was quite bad, so it's only healing up slowly, and often twists up again, because he can't rest it properly. Meryl has... couple of cigarette burns on his upper inner thighs that aren't doing very good, and... he has a petite body and pale skin, and is youngest, so people in theatre preferred him more and spent more time with him recently before Janus came, so he has more pains that the two of us while he sits. And I... I have some whip marks on my arms that are a bit petulant. The couple feel a bit sore and I think they are a bit infected, but it's not as important as Meryl's and Emmet's injuries... "

[Mirach]

Svarik nodded seriously, calculating and mentally portioning his healing energy between all the tasks he needed to do tomorrow. "Alright. I will make it better tomorrow, I promise."

[VisAnastasis]

" Thank you. " boy's face brightened up, relieved that he doesn't have to go into more details. " When can we expect you tomorrow, so we know when to get the pies? In the morning, at lunch? Or maybe after the play is done? We will have lot of work during play, it is important, so we won't have time around two hours before the play, until an hour or so after play, but everything before or after, I'm sure Janus will let us, for that. He makes us take at least two hours of free time, you see, so we will save up our free time for taking pies and for that... "

[Mirach]

"I will come around lunch, I think," Svarik said, as he has already made an arrangement with Sage that he will play for the Sea deity in the morning.

[VisAnastasis]

" That' great! We will get pies in the morning, then, after we get paid, so they are ready when you co--" the boy started to reply, but then he turned suddenly, to the door, as Janus finally walked through them quietly, having finished the talk.

[Mirach]

Svarik turned as well, the question in his face apparent even without words.

[VisAnastasis]

Jnaus seemed a little conflicted as he was closing the door behind him - but when he saw their expectant faces, he smiled a little, at last.
" He said... he will need more time to think about the more complicated option. But he is tired of the pain, and if only you will act as a healer and no one else in the city, and if I make him that simple hand, he said he will accept the simple hand then," he told Svarik, and looked a little wondering, seeing how children's faces lit up. " We even agreed about the design, adjusted from some of my sketches. It will be more of a toy than not, but that is a start. You shall be content. " he grinned at Svarik a little bit hopefully, wanting to tell him the good news. " We spent most of the time negotiating it, but he agreed to have the middle finger and the tip of the index finger cut as you suggested. "

[Mirach]

"Oh, that's a relief," Svarik nodded. "I think I should talk to him about the details of that, so that he's not afraid."