Qeya River brother's blood

gjalla hovered over the bundles of herbs for a moment, her eyes tracking their shapes and textures, cataloging. the faintly bitter smell of dried leaves thickened in her nose, but she did not mind it. morwenna did not press her, did not search for something that wasn’t there. gjalla appreciated that. it was a small comfort, a reminder that she was not expected to offer more than what she could give. not now. not here.

gjalla felt her body settle into the rhythm of it, the soothing repetition of the task grounding her in a way she didn’t realize she needed. she let herself slip into the moment, the only thing on her mind the next bundle of herbs.

it was a long moment before either of them broke the lingering silence. "I used to do this with my mother, before I was queen." oh. "you hold yourself like her, you know. proud. unshaken."

the words strike a chord in her chest, something that makes her feel floaty for half a second. she was not used to hearing anything of that magnitude, least of all directed to her. when she first came to evenspire, she had only known morwenna as the queen. never had she delved into her star-sister's family history, not truly, for fear of being invasive.

she wishes she had, now. to know more of the woman who birthed morwenna. she would have liked you. "thank you." the words are short, but undeniably heartfelt. "..would you tell me about her? besides that, i mean."

the woman pressed another bundle toward her, the unspoken invitation clear. gjalla looked at it, then back at her sister, meeting her gaze without hesitation. watch me. i’ll show you.