Wheeling Gull Isle The tree branches scraping the roof like people whispering

setting: early evening; lavender xin

The smells around the island were marginally different. Nuka could not find any trace of Ying; as it had been explained to her, the woman was no longer among them, and she did not know how to feel about it. The brief encounter with the Empress' sister had been enjoyable from what she could remember of it, though Nukilik did not get a chance to know them well.

There were sweet scents too. Similar in composition to Hua's with slight variation, which spoke of family. Nukilik wondered what it had been like for her friend to raise children here. How fortunate that she was an Empress, welcoming whoever she needed to bed with her! A pang of jealousy beat in Nuka's heart at the thought, which was purged as she drifted through the field.

Lavender; it was not so pungent in the autumn. Winter would be here soon and the surviving buds would freeze, but come spring time the area would be flooded with beautiful colors and sights. She could hardly wait.