It was with curious eyes that the vampire continued to inspect the stone fortification before her. Aishe picked at a piece of ice, chipping away at it with her nails. It was an interesting thought to consider everything these walls had seen and would some day see. Her subtle movements paused to the noise of footsteps. Hand lowering to her abdomen, she turned to find a young girl approaching with a steaming cup of what smelled and looked like tea.
My ma says it's not safe outside today. It's snowing and there's mean rats. The child offered the cup forward as she neared, dressed in a thick wool gown and a shawl thrown over her shoulders.
She just made me this, but you can have it. I don't need it. Maybe your baby is cold. It will warm your baby when you drink it, since your baby is in your belly too.
With an arched brow, Aishe accepted the teacup. It was worn, with a small chip in the rim, but the heat it emitted was appreciated. Her gaze rose to scan the road, but found no one else approaching or coming for the child. A soft smile settled on her lips, the woman looking back to the child.
Thank you. Perhaps you ought to get back inside, then, if it's not safe. Where is your home?
Oh, it's just over there. A nonchalant wave was tossed in the direction of the buildings to the right. The girl was much more eager in her staring, eyes moving between the teacup and the queen's face.
Are you gonna drink it? Don't tell ma, but I put extra sugar in it cause babies like sweet things.
Of course, of course. Aishe laughed, but rose the cup to her lips and took a sip. She fought to keep a grimace off her face, plastering a smile over her surprise. If she had to guess, it was mostly sugar than tea. Smothering a cough, she lowered the cup.
It's delicious, thank you.
Do you want more! There was excitement in her question, which was posed more as a statement than anything else. The girl, ignoring the mostly filled cup, grabbed at Aishe's dress and began to pull her away from the wall. She went along with it, following the girl a few meters away to a door that had been left cracked open. The girl let go to push the door open, bounding in with the thrill of having a new friend in her home. Her excitement got the attention of someone upstairs, footsteps descending into view while Aishe awkwardly shut the door behind her to keep the warm air inside. She found a surface to sit the teacup down on as a woman appeared with a mild scowl.
Milla, I specifically told you not to go outside tod-- The woman, presumably the child's mother, stopped short when she spotted an unfamiliar face. The woman looked Aishe up and down, taken aback to find a finely dressed pregnant stranger in her entry way.
Uh, is.. Everything okay?
Oh, yes, I'm sorry... I did not mean to intrude. Your daughter saw me outside and brought me tea. I was just returning her home. Aishe shifted slightly on her feet, uncomfortable both for being in a stranger's home and because, well, her feet were swollen to the size of hams! Or at least it felt that way. There was a weird mix of embarrassment and pride on the woman's face as she continued forward.
Please, do sit. The woman motioned towards the kitchen table, while moving towards the kettle on the counter.
Why don't you get off your feet and have a proper cuppa before you go on your way?
It felt wrong to turn down the kind offer, particularly as the girl -- Milla, began pulling at her again. Offering a smile, Aishe proceeded to sit down with a happy sigh. She wiggled her toes in her boots, grateful for the pressure to be relieved. From there, a nice few cups of tea were shared with entertainment provided by the dramatic Milla, who went on with stories and kept the conversation between adults to a minimum. Time passed pleasantly, though. Once the kettle was empty, Aishe rose back to her feet and bid them farewell, parting ways as friendly acquaintances without any proper introductions having been said. It was refreshing, in a way, to be unknown and equal. It was with that fresh mindset and a belly full of tea that the Fenian queen continued down the streets on her merry way, not noticing her little beasties had long since disappeared - later to be discovered having gone to aid Akos.
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