Pulling the box back a bit more, I counted the smaller boxes within.
There were about a dozen or so, and I knew each held a set of sewing and crochet materials. The needles and hooks and such needed to make simple, but intricate, things.
I pushed the box back onto the rack and went to the next. This one wasn't as full, but it had a bunch of yarn in it. They were likely Nann's handiwork.
Putting the box of yarn back into place, I glanced up and down the nearby shelves and racks and decided this row wasn't really worth checking. Nearly every box was full of materials, or the tools needed to turn those materials into other things such as clothes.
Rounding the end of the row of shelves, I went to the next aisle. This one had larger boxes, elongated ones that were as long as I was tall and about half as wide. I grabbed a random one and pulled it off the shelf and placed it down onto the ground. It was too big to open and peer in while leaving on the shelf itself, unlike the smaller boxes.
Opening the larger box, I found it was packed full of candles. The thick and round types you'd find burning in a cloister or church.
I rolled my eyes at the sight, and sll, of them and closed the box back up. I put the box back where I'd gotten it, stepped a few dozen feet down the aisle, and grabbed a different box at random.
This ti I found wax. Not candle-styled wax, but instead long thin rolls of the stuff. The kind one lted for things like securing a letter.
Closing the box, I hefted it as to put it back. Right as I put it back on the shelf, I heard the light footsteps approach.
"I'm here, Berri," I said as I finished putting the box away.
I heard her co to a stop, then turn and head down a nearby aisle. A few monts later, as I pulled another box at random off the shelf, Berri turned down the aisle I was in.
"What are you looking for, Vim?" Berri asked as she walked over to . She carried a small lantern in her hand. It made tiny little creaking noises as it swayed on its tal loop as she walked.
"Honestly, nothing. I'm just occupying my ti. Checking on stuff. Also figured if I found sothing neat I'd take it back to Renn, she likes odd little knick-knacks," I said.
"Knickknacks," Berri quoted , giggling softly as she did.
This box paper. Just plain old paper. I closed the lid and sighed a bit as I glanced at Berri, and her gentle smile that she was giving .
"How's Narli?" I asked.
"She woke up to use the restroom and drink a bit of water, but then went back to sleep," Berri said.
I nodded. "That's a good sign," I said as I went to put the box of paper back.
Berri lifted the little lantern a little as I did, as if I needed the extra light to see what I was doing. I didn't tell her such a thing wasn't needed, because I knew she knew already. Berri was just… kind in such little ways that she did such a thing without thinking half the ti.
Once the box was back in place I turned back to her as she lowered the little lantern to her side again. "Thank you for staying, Vim. I know you have duties and worries, so I appreciate it. I really do," Berri said gently.
Oh? Was that why she'd co down here to find ?
"It's fine Berri. What is this, day four? Hasn't been that long. I'll stay as long as it takes," I said.
"Careful, Vim. You might need to stay forever if that's the case."
"Right?" I sighed a little, but nodded. She was right, of course.
Narli seed to be doing fine. She was still exhausted, still weak and feeling as if sick, but she'd not relapsed into her strange dream. Honestly there really wasn't much I could do at this point. Even if she did fall back into that weird slumber, getting stuck in a prophecy again, I wasn't really sure how I'd actually help her.
But I still wanted to stick around a bit, just to be sure. I honestly was hoping to wait until she had another prophecy, even a little insignificant one, just so I could feel confident that she really was fine.
The problem with that is one had no idea how long it'd be until she had another prophecy. Sotis saints had them every night, and then other tis they went years without one. It was one of those unreliable things.
Berri glanced around at the shelves and boxes around us, and I noted the way her eyes narrowed a bit. Was her eyesight bad…? It wasn't very bright down here, thanks to us being underground, but there were a few lights scattered throughout the ceiling. Powered by the water pressure provided by the heart in the keep. They were dim though, since they had been made to last as long as possible.
I couldn't really rember if Berri's sight had been bad this whole ti or not. Though it might just be she was tired. She had gotten less sleep than her daughter, which was saying sothing. She spent all her ti at Narli's bedside, praying and fretting over her.
Another reason I was glad Narli was doing better. It ant Berri would ease a little too, and get better herself.
She'd be fine. I knew she would. Her daughter had recovered, or at least was recovering. She'd be okay. Berri was… strong. One of the strongest people I knew.
"You okay, Berri?" I asked anyway.
Her little lantern made noises as she shifted and glanced at . Her tired eyes relaxed a little upon looking into mine, and she took a small breath… but didn't nod. "I'm just… I've been thinking."
"Oh no, the horror," I teased.
Her brow furrowed at . "Narli told , not long after you all left last ti you were here, that you'd be making a ho. Sowhere up north where there are big trees," Berri said.
"Berri… It's one thing when your daughter's life is on the line, but…" I groaned, not happy to hear her speak of prophecies.
"This is a matter of her life, Vim!" Berri said, a little loudly as she lifted the lantern a bit. This ti she did so not because she had wanted to see better, but instead as if she wanted to smack with it.
"How so?" I asked.
Berri groaned a bit… and lowered her lantern again. "You're stepping down. And going to focus your attention on other things," she stated.
I nodded slowly. "Within reason, Berri. I'll still be a part of the Society. I'd still co the mont you called for ," I said.
"That's exactly it, Vim," she whispered.
Was it…? Was she saying she didn't want to, or sothing?
"Fine. Go ahead and say it. I promise not to get… too upset," I said, deciding to just let it be. Maybe it did concern Narli's well-being.
Berri brightened up a bit, and not just because she once again lifted the lantern. "Really?"
I nodded.
She smiled, nodding happily. "I think we should go with you. To live with you."
I blinked at that.
"What?"
"I… I worry, Vim. For her. Horn and I can't do anything for her when it cos to her powers. We don't understand them… we don't know them, like you do! And…" Berri began to ramble a bit, her lantern clinking as she waved her free hand around in the air as if to better display her aning.
Although… worriso, I knew exactly where she was coming from.
She just had a scare. A terrible one. In her perspective, the only reason Narli had woken from her strange slumber was because of . I didn't believe that, not really, but I'd not voice such a thing at the mont. I didn't want them to realize that, like I did, Narli only survived out of pure luck and happenstance. My being here had nothing to do with it.
Maybe.
"You want to be near , in case sothing happens to Narli again," I said as I understood everything.
"Yes…!" Berri nodded, gravely.
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Staring into my friend's eyes, I felt… tired.
She had every reason to co to such a conclusion. She really did. I could not fault her at all for thinking this way, or having such a desire.
If I was in her shoes… I'd not hesitate to do the sa, I think.
After all, what she wasn't saying was obvious. If she was near , she'd be near other saints too. Others who might be able to offer insight or help, where I'd not be able to provide it.
"I… honestly don't know what's going to happen, Berri. Not really. We have plans, as we always do, but as you know…"
"They never work out the way you want, yes. I know Vim. But Narli had been very confident that you…" Berri started, but I stopped her as I raised a finger to hush her. Her little lantern clanked as she jolted a bit, as if offended I'd nearly put my finger to her lips.
"I get the gist now. You need not expand on the prophecies for this anymore," I said softly.
She sighed, but nodded. "Fine. You do plan it though, don't you? To make a ho sowhere?"
"Rather than a ho…" I was about to deny it, but couldn't. And not just because of the way she was looking at . Why did it look like she was about to cry? "I suppose it had been a plan… to a degree. But honestly I'm not sure I had ant it for , but rather Renn…"
"Why wouldn't her ho be yours too?" Berri asked.
"Because I'm trying to not admit to it, openly," I said honestly.
Berri giggled at that and nodded. "Very like you, Vim."
Yes. It was.
I crossed my arms and sighed. "Randle and his people. Nebl and his family. Lilly and the rest… now you? I'm starting to see a pattern and it makes want to upheaval it all with violence," I said.
"Nebl as well? Why? He loves his mountain."
Ah. I'd not told her. We'd actually spoken quite a bit, since I had been trying to get her to relax a bit and not be so focused on her daughter. I sat with her often, enduring those berry smoothy drinks she made, just to give her so ti where her thoughts could be elsewhere. Yet although I'd told her about many of the current things happening, the drama and whatnot, I'd forgotten to tell her about Nebl's ho.
"His forest is sick. Enough so he'll need to move… at least for a few years. But the truth is his granddaughter, Lellip, plans to et and mate with Lilly's son. The rcenary. I think he and the rest of the family just want to go with her and be with her," I said.
"Oh…! How wonderful!" Berri happily said.
I nodded. It honestly was. "I've been… staying out of it, Berri. Obviously. What I think is going to happen, much to my displeasure, is while Renn and I help Randle build his little orphanage up north, we'll be making a new location. One where those like Nebl and his family will live as well. Or at least, all within the sa area. Maybe not together, but close enough to support one another if needed," I said.
"Because the Society may not be there to support them soon," Berri said softly.
I didn't want to, but I nodded anyway.
She humd a bit. "It'd be… sad to abandon this place… but…" Berri said as she looked around.
Right. This place was actually rather important. In its own way. And not just because it had a vault-like system for hearts.
"It's going to be a pain to lug all this stuff up north," I groaned.
She giggled at . "I look forward to watching you do so."
"What does Horn and Narli think of doing such a thing, though?" I asked.
Berri shifted, and glanced around a bit. I didn't need to tell her we were still alone, no one else had co down here. Narli was likely still fast asleep, and even if she wasn't she was too weak to walk around on her own. And Horn was, like he has been since I've been here, keeping himself busy in the fields.
"Do you know why I chose Horn, Vim?"
I blinked at the sudden change in topics, since Berri was not usually one to do such a thing. Let alone in a way I would have done myself.
"Hm…?" I tried not to frown too deeply as I waited to hear the answer.
"As my mate," she specified.
I nodded. "I understood your question, Berri… though I don't understand why you're asking it."
She smiled gently at , as if I so child. "Not going to answer it, are you?"
Oh. "His loyalty?" I suggested a possible answer.
"I do love his loyalty… but no. The reason I chose him, is because he's simple."
"Simple?"
"A simple man. Content to work fields. To live quietly. He has no desires for grandiose adventures, no need for money, wealth, or power. He doesn't even want to see the world beyond the tree-line of our little ho," Berri said, speaking with a tone that sounded rather lovely. She gestured around us, at the many rows of racks and shelves full of supplies. "He wants none of this. Just us. A simple life, with simple happiness and chores. Basically, Vim, I fell for his simplicity," Berri finished.
I nodded slowly. "I see," I said.
"You find it odd, do you?"
Frowning, I shook my head. "No? Not at all. I see the attraction, Berri. Don't forget I too have sought such pureness. Though in my own forms. I get both the idea of it, and the attraction of it."
"What was yours?" she asked.
"Most recent one was an island. Or rather, a chain of them. Far from anything or anyone. I had lived there, for what had likely been centuries. I fished. I walked the beaches and forests. I sat and pondered. I floated in serene waters, warm and gentle, for months on end. To that had been peace," I said, telling her what I've told only a bare few.
My friend seed to relax a little. "Why Vim… I'd not realized you knew exactly what I love so dearly."
"Doesn't everyone?" I asked. I couldn't count how many tis I'd heard people express their desires for that very sa thing. The sa… peace and quiet. Though maybe in different forms and whatnot, the idea of it was always the sa. Usually I heard such desires from those who were dying, or about to. Oddly enough.
"Not in my experience. Personally I had always assud you had desired greatness."
"Greatness?" I asked. What'd she an by that…?
She nodded, and glanced at her little lantern as she did. As to confirm it was still glowing strongly. It was. "I've always thought you desired purpose. Thus your being our protector. You are so great, so knowledgeable and powerful, you could be anything. A king. A ruler. A monarch. Yet you instead do what you do. I always assud it was because you felt it your calling, that by being our protector you felt a sense of duty and greatness. That it was your way of being impactful on the world," Berri explained.
"I see… in truth Berri, I want nothing to do with the world. What I do here, and have been doing, is my way of penance. I owe the world a debt. This is my way of paying it," I said.
She tilted her head. "Must be so debt, Vim."
"More than you could know," I whispered.
Berri sighed as her eyes softened a bit. "I feel like a jerk now, for assuming all this ti."
"Even if you had been right, there's no sha in it Berri. Many great people only existed because they wanted to be great themselves. Plus I'd never take offense to such a thing, I've never cared for what anyone has thought or believed about ," I said.
"I find that faulty. If you desire importance, you'll never be such a thing," Berri though said.
Hm… "Then why did you spend so many years trying to uplift the Society, Berri? You did more than most."
"Because I felt it was right. That I had the ability, and the wherewithal, and thus it was my duty to do what others couldn't," she answered.
I nodded, understanding that very well. "Thus you choosing Horn. You felt it was ti to focus on the things that really mattered. Yourself," I said, understanding her a little better.
Berri shifted a bit, enough so to make realize she had likely forgotten how this whole topic had started. She then smiled and nodded. "Yes. I saw the world from up high, and found it lacking, so ca back down here."
I glance around. "At least it isn't damp," I said.
She giggled at . "Please Vim. I'm trying to be serious.
"I know. I'm sorry. Back to the point, then, are you saying Horn will simply do what you wish because he's simple?" I asked.
"I'm saying the only thing that matters to us, Vim… is that little girl upstairs. With her cute little horn, and adorable dreams of one day having enough friends to act in a play. She's all that matters to us. If leaving this place, our ho, and going where life is… harsh and difficult for us, then that is what we will do. Because nothing else matters," she said.
"She wants to act in a play?" I asked.
Berri's face scrunched up a bit. "Vim! Focus!"
"What? That's important. What play does she want to act?" I asked.
She sighed, rather exasperatedly. "I'm saying we'll go live up north with you, Vim, because it's what must be done! It matters not what anyone really thinks about it!"
I nodded, feeling a little bad. I had been slightly teasing, but at the sa ti I hadn't been. I hadn't even known that Narli had such a fascination or desire. Especially since it was so… well…
"Then co north, Berri. Give ti to set up a proper location, alongside the rest, then we'll make plans to bring you there. Narli really wants to participate in the vote co next winter, how about we just plan to have you and your family move then?" I said, making a suggestion.
Berri's lantern swung a bit as she nodded, as if nodding alongside her. "That would work perfectly. Will you be ready by then?"
"Honestly I'm going to have to be. I don't want to admit it, but… well…"
Berri nodded again. "If we're not the only family already suggesting it, there will be others. Fate is taking over, Vim."
I wanted to spit and curse, but I'd not do such a thing in front of such a wonderful woman. Instead I just sighed. "Thus Light's five year vocation plan for . She knows this is what's going to happen," I said.
"I don't like the woman much, Vim, for having abandoned us all… but she's still a saint. They know a thing or two," Berri said.
"They only think they do, Berri," I said.
She didn't seem to like that. She scoffed at . "Co on, then. I now feel like I need a snack. Let's talk about this while I make sothing for the next ti Narli wakes," Berri said as she turned away, giving orders as if I had no choice but to obey.
Although I wanted to rebel, just as I wanted to rebel against fate, I instead just… followed diligently. Shoulders slumped, tired and defeated.
"Maybe it's for the best, Vim! I've actually been kind of secretly hoping that Narli didn't just get to make more friends… but found soone special, herself. You said Lellip is going to try and court one of Lilly's sons? How many does she have again? I rember a tall skinny one, like Windle…"
"That's Bark. The other, Trunk, is shorter. He's uh… well…" I hesitated, since I basically wanted to say he wasn't good enough for Narli. But who was I to say? "He's like his father, yes. But he's chosen religion as his branch to rest on, not science and math," I said.
"Oh? You say that like it's so terrible, but maybe that's what she needs. She is a saint, Vim," Berri said, rather seriously.
I know. That was the reason I'd been about to say he wouldn't work.
Following Berri out of the storeroom, I did my best to not let my own feelings be heard on the matter… as she asked a hundred questions about the lad, and the few other available sons amongst those in that area.
I should have brought Renn with .
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