Katie resisted the urge to roll her eyes in exasperation... The girl was acting as if the world was going to come to an end if anyone knew she had laran... Well, she had a lot to learn, if that was the case. But it wasn't Katie's responsibility to teach her that.
Grinning at Dani, Anwyn squashed the giggles that were bubbling up inside her, then whispered "I'm glad that I tagged along. Things are BORING back home". For such a young-looking woman, this Katie person acted OLD, like one of Anwyn's teachers back home (and THEY were all at LEAST as old as her father). At least things here were interesting. And so far, nothing appeared to be as dangerous as Kay had told her.
Katie smiled a bit tightly, and nodded. "Of course. I hope you do come to the tower soon. The fact you wish to keep your laran secret is your own business".
"Aye", Kay replied firmly, "that's the way that things are back home. We place a high value on our privacy indeed. And while I can bring myself to do it in an emergency, I certainly don't care for displaying my freak talents in front of strangers. I've spent far too long trying to pass for normal".
That answer did NOT please Katie, who replied "your health is in grave danger because of it, however, and I urge you to consider getting to a tower before it gets any worse. Threshold sickness can flare up at will, and kill quite effectively if it wants to."
"I've seen sorcery bring about a person's death before", came a defiant reply, as Kay tried to pretend that the same thing couldn't possibly happen to HER. Considering how much she'd already survived, things couldn't possibly get any worse, could they ? "I'm not claiming that I can FOREVER avoid the notice of She Who Rules your Tower", she added, "but I _DO_ intend that, when I DO face Her, I'll not be like some poor little lamb falling into line at the first tap of the shepherd's staff".
Still Katie persisted. "And it would be unforgivable of me not to pester you about it - your life is worth more than that, especially to those who stand here with you today", she told Kay, apparently ignoring the implied insult.
Although a twinge of doubt plucked at her, Kay answered "I don't deny that here are things that you could teach me ... But I've lived with this for over a decade, and so far I've managed to survive whatever has come of it ... and now I need time to think about what help I am willing to accept from a friend of my kin, or from a stranger. In the meantime, I wish you a pleasant trip back".
Then Katie nodded good-bye to the others, and looked at Gwenn, who still stood close to Kay, with an air of a disgruntled she-bear protecting a cub. "Thank you for your help with the bird, you have great skill. Take good care of both of them.", she said to him in choppy cahuenga.
Gwenn didn't really know how to reply to the praise from this leronis, so he took a line from the old stories he'd heard around the hearth-fire at home. "Ye do me too great an honor, vai leronis," he said, bowing as much as he could without moving from his place behind Kay. "I will do m' humble best."
Then, calling to Gabriel, Katie left the little house and headed back to the tower. Gwenn watched her leave the room, many thoughts running through his mind.
Melissa waited until Katie had gone for a minute or two, then gently tried to contact her, remembering her mental signature from her monitoring. *Katie? Thank you - for everything. I know it wasn't easy, and I never intended for you to do the amazing job you did. I am very grateful to you.*
Katie's reply came back weak, but clear. *no problem. I am glad I could help. Keep an eye on her, I don't think she has seen the worst of it yet, but I could be wrong. I hope I am.* then she blinked out abruptly.
Melissa frowned as she felt the link end so sharply, but Katie had looked well beyond tired - it was no wonder she couldn't keep it up for very long. She was tired herself - she hadn't had to monitor seriously like that since Keara had worked on Alan's leg... With effort, she brought herself back to the here and now. Sitting in the chair next to Kay (which Gwenn had vacated when he'd lost his patience), she waited for the rest of the saga to unfold.
Kay sighed, then commented wryly "Now I'm likely listed as being AWOL personnel --- if I'm LUCKY". An explanation WOULD be required. But the story would need to be heavily censored, so as not to draw any MORE unwelcome attention to herself. Perhaps she could say that she went out drinking, got the worst of a fight she hadn't started, and that it had taken her this long to recover. Such a tale would ONLY get her laughed at for having been foolish (and earn her ANOTHER minorly-reprimand).
Finally letting out a small chuckle, Anwyn told Kay "You haven't had the last word yet. That Katie person WILL be back, and I doubt that she'll give in as quickly either". Then she grinned at Melissa, and added "Since she's YOUR friend, and 'cause she healed that little bird, Kay won't be able to brush her off as if she was a complete stranger".
Melissa shook her head. "She's my cousin, actually. And even if not, she's learned a lot since coming to Darkover, and especially since she's started to train at the tower. She's got more laran than I do, that's for sure."
She cocked her head and looked at Kay. "See? It happens like that sometimes. No explanation for it. Katie's mother, from what I know, had never even heard of Darkover, unitl she met - Ma -Katie's father." She shrugged. "It's not so unusual for people to come here, and have things set off by something here."
"You're telling me!" said Dani. "I spent most of my life on Terra, and shortly after I got here I was seriously ill."
Dani was not going to tell them about her battle with Threshold sickness and how they had to call Marius away from his duties at Tramontana to help her.