Lys: Christian Charity

Between the hearth and the cider, Aithne was finally warmed through. She thought how nice it would be to simply stay there for the whole day, a little grass snake basking on a warm rock.

But just then she heard Cu barking outside. She knew his bark, though not everyone else did. "What is that dog up to now?" In the past few days, he seemed to understand that there was a reprieve in the air, and had devoted himself to doggy pursuits- including making mischief, much to her chagrin.

With a sigh, she stood. "I suppose I'd better go see what's up. Pray he isn't terrorizing the chickens again." She made her way outside. Cu wasn't a bad dog, but he did like to play with anything that moved...

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Portia watched her go, then clucked her tongue once Aithne was gone. "Poor girl. About to be married, and she and her man without so much as a proper change of clothing between them, much less a roof to go over their heads." She drew a loaf from the oven, then wiped her hands on a towel. "And she was telling me yesterday that a bride in her land is supposed to come to her husband with household goods and coin of her own to give him. Poor thing- she was trying so hard to make it sound as though it didn't matter to her..."

Even with child, Portia never stopped moving, it seemed. She stirred the lamb's-wool and the cider, making sure they didn't boil. "So it had me thinking... We women should help her as we can, shouldn't we? Don't we do the same for our own girls? I'm not saying we make any fuss over it, but if you don't have any objections, I'll ask around and see what the women might be able to part with." The Guttersnipe was, for all intents and purposes, the highest ranking woman in the valley, of course. It was up to her whether such a large venture would be acceptable. And for all Portia knew, someone else might be doing the same already.

And then maybe her man won't have so much to worry about...