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There had been something on Hyacine's mind lately.
The newly-rebuilt Twilight Courtyard had been taking up most of her time, but now that all the particulars of admin and management had been settled, she finally had an opportunity to breathe. Between choosing decorations, writing up a manual of common treatment plans and making arrangements for pharmaceutical reagents, Hyacine - as lead physician - had also penned a policy by which all who stepped into the Courtyard should abide.
The point of interest was one she had consulted with junior doctors on, and they had all agreed on it after some debate. They had also agreed that this particular policy's implementation would be gradual, but firm. The main point was this: aside from being a general healing practice, the Twilight Courtyard would also be housing several long-term patients - those recovering from severe illnesses or surgeries, those who needed to be under observation to make a diagnosis, those who couldn't leave, so on. One thing they would have in common was that their bodies' ability to resist new disease would be greatly weakened.
The old Courtyard had already left behind a list of effective remedies, and joint research with the Grove's scholars had only advanced their treatments. Among these were medicines that conferred immunity: ones that could prevent infection before symptoms could even present themselves. The Twilight Courtyard's communal spaces was to be open to all; the policy simply asked that those planning to spend time in the inner court be immunised.
The long-term ward hadn't opened, so implementation wasn't yet mandatory, but many scholars and students had already come by to get their shots ahead of time. However, there one factor that Hyacine hadn't yet accounted for: her fellow Chrysos Heirs.
Most visitors stayed in the outer court - the most easily accessed, the most open to the outside, and the one that most would come to think of when they heard the name of the Courtyard, as this was where the general clinic and first-aid point were located. The junior doctors called this 'the visitor zone', though Hyacine didn't like that name much; it implied a distance that she didn't believe in, for all who entered the Courtyard were under her care, and she had selected facilities and decorations for both areas with equal utmost dedication.
The inner court, or 'the patient zone', was adjacent to the operating rooms, residential wards, and specialist clinic. It was a little quieter than the outer court, with some more sitting areas, but there wasn't much different about it. Still, the visiting Chrysos Heirs seemed to have taken a liking to it; like the Hero's Bath in Okhema, it seemed they preferred less public spaces.
Hyacine didn't mind this, but what she was mindful of was that none of them had received their shots. Disease didn't make exceptions for anyone, and neither would she.
She sat down in her office - most likely it had seen more use in these four weeks than it would for the rest of the Courtyard's lifespan, when she spent so much of her time with her patients - and began to pen some messages. She wasn't sure how exactly she should go about this, so she settled on something close to her bedside manner: professional, but warm and friendly. She sent them off, then relaxed back in her chair with a sigh.
Little Ica took the opportunity to dive into her lap with a trill. Hyacine sank a hand into their fluffy mane and closed her eyes, wondering how quickly the other Heirs would reply.
Much to her surprise, Professor Anaxa showed up at the Courtyard that same afternoon. He had been the only Heir she hadn't actually sent the message to, assuming that he already had or was planning to receive his shots from the walk-in clinic. Somehow, he'd gotten wind of Hyacine's message to the others, and decided to take precious time out of the lab to come visit her personally.
Hyacine was still in her office when he arrived, but she'd long since finished her workload for the day and was instead reclining with Little Ica on the chaise lounge. She called out for the visitor to come in, then hurriedly sat upright with a flustered greeting when the professor strode in. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite get to her feet in time with the weight of such a rotund pegasus in her lap.
"Good afternoon, Hyacine." Anaxa didn't question her position, but there was an amused look in his eyes when he looked down at her. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. I'm here for my shot."
"Ah, right, of course!" She managed to roll Little Ica to the side after some effort, and decided to leave them to doze there on the cushions. "Come with me. Have you been to the new outpatient clinic yet?"
"I've taken a look," He said nonchalantly, following her out into the outer court. He seemed to be walking deliberately slowly, so that he wouldn't overtake her with his much longer strides.
"What do you think of it?"
"It has a practical layout and a welcoming design. You chose the decorations, didn't you?"
"Naturally! Well, most of them." She held the door open for him and ushered him into Consultation Room Phi. "Did you spot the dromas over the entrance?"
"...I did." He sounded like he was smiling faintly. "I appreciate it. Shall I take it that the new Twilight Courtyard is everything you dreamed it would be?"
"Everything and more." Hyacine directed him to the plush seat, then pulled on her gloves and began setting everything up on a tray. The drawers were all perfectly organised, so it didn't take long. "But I'd like to plant more things in the garden. Maybe later, once everything is up and running smoothly. Roll up your sleeves, please— or, actually, you can probably just lift your cloak."
Anaxa hummed in assent. He'd opted to take the shot in his left arm. Hyacine frowned at the exposed skin for a moment, then tugged his detached sleeves a little further down. The professor's complexion was a little more sickly that she would have liked, but that wasn't what he was here for. She selected a spot, gently pressing down on the flesh with the thumb, then nodded to herself.
"Would you like something to squeeze?" She asked, gesturing to a little tray of stress toys. Anaxa snorted in reply. "Alright, then here it comes - sharp scratch!"
He didn't react in the slightest when the needle went in, but there was a visible loss of tension in his shoulders as she pressed a cotton ball over the entry point and gently pulled it out again. She held it there for a moment, then gently cleaned it with a wipe and placed a dromas-patterned plaster over the puncture point.
"All done!" Hyacine announced, and dug around in another drawer quickly before presenting Anaxa with a lollipop. "Well done, Professor. You didn't even make a peep."
He stared at the sweet a little incredulously, but allowed her to press it into his hand without protest. After a moment, under her encouraging smile, he slowly unwrapped it, then stuck it in his mouth. Hyacine tried not to look too delighted when he hummed in approval. Most patients didn't like this rather astringent flavour, but that was why they only kept a few stocked. She wondered if Anaxa would notice if she snuck a box into his office.
"Is that all?" He asked after a moment, without bothering to remove the lollipop first. There was something endearing about the way he struggled to articulate around it, though of course Hyacine didn't say that out loud.
"That's all!" She confirmed, stepping away to dispose of everything in the right boxes. "You might have some soreness in that arm for a few days, and you might experience some mild cold symptoms, but you should be back to normal within a week. Come see me if you experience anything worse than that."
Anaxa was smiling in his way again when she turned back to him. When she tilted her head at him in question, he clarified, "I thought it would be interesting to see you in a different work environment, but it seems that physician Hyacine isn't much different to assistant lecturer Hyacine. I suppose you won't have much time to help out your old professor once the clinic is up and running, will you?"
"Oh, don't worry about that - I'll always have time for you. But I don't think I'll be able to stand guard outside your lab for you any more."
"Ah, that was inevitable." He sighed and stood up. "I'll have to learn your tricks for turning the visitors away."
Hyacine knew that was an empty vow; Anaxa's tactic was always to infuriate scholars until they stormed away out of frustration, and she doubted that this would ever change. Still, she appreciated the sentiment. She saw him off with a bright smile, and, in a rare moment of sociability, he even extended an invitation to join him for tea later that week. Hyacine was all too happy to accept. The professor's expression was one of great pride as he nodded to her, then turned down the path back to the Grove.
What a perfect first patient! She could only hope that the rest of the heirs were just as amenable.
"But do we have to?" asked Trianne for the fifth time since the group had arrived at the Grove.
Aglaea smiled down at her. "You want to keep visiting the Twilight Courtyard, don't you?"
"Well, of course. Cinny's courtyard is the best!"
"I've brought more biscuits!" Hyacine announced, stepping in with a tray. "We'll make a start once everyone's settled, okay?"
There were all sorts of particulars when it came to immunising the Heirs, and the triplets was one of them. They shared senses, but not physical bodies, so even if only one triplet needed to receive the shot for all three to feel the jab, they still each needed their own dose. Trinnon had accepted it easily, while Tribbie was more obviously only resigned to it as the only option. Trianne was the one who needed a little more convincing.
Tribbie beamed at her across the table as Hyacine set a flower-patterned plate down. "Cinny is such a good hostess. We will have to welcome you even more warmly next time you come to Okhema!"
"Seeing you is already welcome enough, Lady Tribbie," She replied, smiling as the little demigod giggled and pressed her hands to her cheeks to feign embarrassment. "Take your time. Everything is already prepped, and we aren't expecting any patients today."
Trianne was still frowning a little, but reached out and took a chimera-shaped cracker. She nibbled around the edges for a moment, then mumbled, "Well, it's only a little pin-prick. We've gone through much, much worse! We won't even make a sound!"
"Of course, Lady Trianne. But remember that it's okay to cry, too!"
As she chatted with the triplets, Aglaea took a slow sip from her teacup. Though she was mostly quiet, the look on her face was softer and more unguarded than Hyacine had ever seen it in Okhema. It was rare that Lady Goldweaver even left the city, but to doubt the security of the golden threads would be tantamount to doubting the ability of a bird to fly. Perhaps it was refreshing for her to not need to keep up so many courteous pretences or the sake of politics.
Aglaea's eyes fell shut for a moment, and Hyacine imagined her threads dancing through the Courtyard, taking in the scent of the flowers and the cool breeze of the afternoon. A golden butterfly fluttered through a gap in the trellis and settled on the blushing petal of a newly-opened rose. A smile rose to her face, and didn't disappear even once all the tea had been drained from the pot. Loath as she was to end their peaceful teatime, Hyacine had called them here for a reason, and so she rose to her feet and suggested that they adjourn to the consultation room.
"Thank you," Aglaea said softly as Hyacine guided her to the patient chair, though she was sure she had no need of her assistance. "What do you need me to do?"
"Just sit still and relax, Lady Aglaea. I'll talk you through each step, so don't worry - there won't be any surprises."
She smiled again. "I appreciate it, lady healer. I'll be under your care."
The triplets whispered among each other as Hyacine pulled on her gloves and picked up the syringe. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but as soon as they noticed her watching, Tribbie raised her head and beamed at her with the light of a thousand suns - so she had faith that it was something good.
"I'll give you the shot in your right arm," Hyacine announced. "I'm just going to feel for a spot, okay?"
Aglaea sounded a little amused as she hummed in acknowledgement. Doubtless she wasn't used to this kind of treatment from anyone.
"Now, you're just going to feel a sharp scratch. On the count of three - three, two, one... there. And you're done!"
Even through her gloves, Aglaea's skin was ice-cold. The goldweaver opened her eyes - when had she closed them again? - as Hyacine dabbed at the spot, then placed a pristine white plaster over it.
"Thank you."
Trianne's eyes widened in visible excitement as she watched Hyacine take a little packet of barley sweets and place them in Aglaea's hand. She rose elegantly to make way for the triplets; Trinnon went first, with Tribbie and Trianne standing on either side, holding each of her hands.
Hyacine had to reach a little awkwardly around Tribbie's head to administer the shot to Trinnon's arm, but the sight of the triplets was so sweet that she couldn't bring herself to ask them to separate. Trinnon barely made a peep as she received her shot, but Tribbie flinched a little, and Trianne yelped out loud. As Hyacine smoothed the flowery plaster onto her arm, Trinnon leaned up and quietly thanked her, and advised that she not warn Trianne before she administer her shot - she probably wouldn't even notice it if she was occupied with something else when it happened.
With perfect timing, Little Ica - who had been dozing in the sunny spot on her desk - drifted in with a sleepy whinny, clearly seeking a little wake-up snack. Trianne gasped out loud in delight, and Hyacine wasted no time in pressing them into her arms before she took Trinnon's place in the patient's seat.
Tribbie and Trinnon stood either side of her again, though this time they could only place their hands on her back, since Trianne's arms were completely full of rotund pegasus. Hyacine giggled as she rubbed her cheek against their fuzzy white flank. Just as Trinnon said, Trianne didn't even seem to be listening as she did her usual talk-through, and only noticed that she'd received the shot when Tribbie flinched a little. (Trinnon, of course, didn't react at all.)
"O-oh!" Her eyes widened to saucer-like proportions as she looked down at the little specks of golden blood on the cotton ball Hyacine was holding. "Wow, Cinny is so gentle! We didn't feel anything at all!"
Tribbie wrinkled her nose, but giggled when Hyacine glanced surreptitiously her way. Aglaea, waiting by the window, chuckled a little as well.
"Now it's Lady Tribbie's turn," She said, sing-song, putting away the last needle and sanitising her gloves, just in case. "Are you ready? Do you want to hold Little Ica, too?"
"That's alright, Cinny. Trianne can keep them." Tribbie hopped up onto the seat and stretched out her arm expectantly, leaving her free hand for Trinnon to take. (Trianne was still holding Little Ica, but she bumped against Tribbie's side encouragingly.) "Can you talk us through it again? We like the sound of your voice. It makes us feel much more at ease."
Tribbie could say the sweetest things so matter-of-factly. If there was such thing as a daily smile quota, Hyacine would have made it thrice over by now. "Of course, Lady Tribbie. I'm just going to prep the syringe first, and then I'm going to feel for a good spot on your arm..."
This time, even Trianne didn't react to the needle. Tribbie herself closed her eyes just as Hyacine announced the sharp scratch, and didn't move even a little. When she opened them again, there was a great amount of relief in her big blue eyes. It was hard not to ruffle her hair, but Hyacine managed to refrain from the grand offence.
"All finished!" Hyacine announced with a beam as she passed sweets to each of the triplets - refreshing watermelon for Tribbie, sweet strawberry for Trianne, and sour apple for Trinnon. "Well done, everyone. Any discomfort should be gone in the next few days, and now you can come by the Twilight Courtyard as you please. You're officially safe."
Aglaea inclined her head; Trianne and Tribbie both took a hand each and shook them in gratitude. Trinnon, chewing thoughtfully on one of her sweets (Tribbie and Trianne both puckered their mouths in discomfort as she did), murmured a thank you of her own.
Though the four soon had to depart for Okhema again, Hyacine felt the warmth of their company for many more days to come.
Castorice arrived alone late on a week night, when the Courtyard was at its most quiet. She had sent word ahead, and so Hyacine was waiting to receive her in the outer court.
"Cassie, welcome!" Hyacine turned her palms upwards and held them towards her; Castorice mimicked the movement, leaving a careful gap between their hands. It was the best they could do without touching. "Follow me, please!"
The matter of immunising Castorice had been a slightly tricky one. Hyacine wasn't entirely sure if she even could fall sick, since her cold touch was the only thing she'd ever been asked to treat for her - and then there was the issue of getting close enough to administer the shot. Hyacine had attached a special note for Castorice to this end, but she had replied that she wanted to undergo the procedure, just like the others, if at all possible. Hence, Hyacine could only grant her wish.
Castorice often seemed on-edge in enclosed rooms, so Hyacine had chosen a bench just outside her garden. (Castorice always refused to come too close, for fear of withering the plants. It made Hyacine's heart ache, but it wasn't anything she could talk her out of.) She'd put a pegasus plushie there just for her; Castorice always looked at Little Ica so longingly, as if she wanted nothing more than to squeeze them.
"I went over our notes ten times over," Hyacine announced. "Technically I can get within about half a measure before things get dangerous. I could use thicker gloves to cheat that a little bit, but they'd make it harder to control the needle. Cassie, I'm guessing you won't let me just try to give you the shot without touching you?"
"It's too dangerous," She said softly. "It's not that I don't think you could do it, but I can't let you take that risk."
"I thought so." Hyacine tapped her own knee in lieu of patting Castorice on the arm. "Don't worry - that isn't my plan. Here, look at this!"
She presented Castorice with the special needle she had asked a scholar to help her produce. The body of the syringe's body was standard, but the top of the plunger extended out far beyond the usual length, and an extra handle had been added to the side for stability. She had already drawn up the correct dose, and she had placed the tray with the cotton and plasters beside Castorice's seat already. She was perfectly prepared, if she said so herself.
Castorice stared at the long needle for a moment, mouth half open in surprise. Then she began to giggle, and couldn't seem to stop for quite some time.
"Is— goodness, is that really what you're going to use?" She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle another laugh. "It... looks so silly."
"Don't worry, it's scholar-approved!" Hyacine reassured her. "And I've been practising with it all week, so my aim is perfect."
She wouldn't be able to feel Castorice's arm to judge for a spot, but Hyacine had enough faith in her own skill to trust that she didn't really need to - she did it each time as part of a ritual, if anything. She could probably administer these shots in her sleep by now.
"I trust you..." Castorice eyed the needle for another moment, still smiling in disbelief, then turned and offered her left arm. "Will this do?"
"It'll more than do." Hyacine came closer - just close enough before Castorice would begin to get uneasy. "I'll tell you what to do. For now, just hold still."
Castorice nodded. Unlike the other Heirs, she kept her eyes trained on the needle the entire time as it approached. Even Aglaea hadn't done that, but Castorice watched the silvery point with rapt attention - though not fear.
"Here we go, Cassie! Sharp scratch." Entry went just as planned, as did injection. "Okay, now pick up the cotton ball from the tray. Once I pull out the needle, press the ball over the puncture spot. Ready?"
"Ready, Doctor," Castorice replied with a little smile, doing as she said. Hyacine beamed back, then carefully pulled out the needle.
It had gone exactly as planned. Castorice chose the butterfly plaster from the box, and picked out the candied fruit from the selection of sweets Hyacine had arranged beforehand. She wore the sort of warm, disbelieving smile that could break Hyacine's heart on a bad day, but today she was determined to feel only joy for her friend. She invited Castorice to stay for a little tea, and she stayed to talk for much longer than that, promising to come by again soon before she left.
It was truly late now - Hyacine stifled a yawn as she headed back to her office to put away some documents and lock it up for the night. Little Ica would surely want some apples as soon as he woke up from his nap, and—
"Miss Pink Healer! You really are funny!"
She almost jumped three leagues in the air. She whipped around to face the source of the voice and came face to face with Lady Cipher - perched on a stone railing with what looked like a cupcake from her office in one hand. Even as Hyacine stared at her in surprise, she sniffed at the sprinkles, then licked at the frosting.
"Ooh, that's so sweet." Her face screwed up theatrically. "Just like you, Miss Pink Healer. You were really working hard for Princess Homebody."
Cipher was incredibly hard to pin down, and she'd only briefly visited the Twilight Courtyard before. Hyacine had included her name on the message mostly out of courtesy - she hadn't expected her to actually come.
"Lady Cipher!" Her posture relaxed, but her expression remained somewhat stern. "Are you here for your shot?"
"What? No way! I'm not planning on coming here when there are patients around, anyway." Cipher stretched and swung a leisurely leg over the railing. Hyacine would've been afraid of her overbalancing if she didn't know any better. "I was just curious. I thought I'd find you all serious in a white coat, but there you were stabbing a cushion with the longest needle I'd ever seen in my life! Hahahahahaha!"
"I was practising..." It probably did look ridiculous from the outside - Hyacine had to admit that. "...anyway, it was all worth it. You know, most people don't like getting shots - they do it because they have to, but they're hardly ever excited about it. But Cassie was so pleased."
"You could tell?" Cipher pulled a face. "She looked the same to me, so calm and composed. Blehh."
Hyacine ignored the rather unflattering impression of Castorice's neutral face she pulled. "You need to pay more attention, then! Cassie was practically glowing."
Cipher snorted. "I'll take your word for it. Anyway, that's all I was here for. I'll be taking my leave now."
"Huh? That's all? Don't—"
"Oh, but just one thing," She added, and in the blink of an eye she was just behind Hyacine's shoulder. Hyacine whipped around again, but the cat-thief was already gone, leaving behind a shiny teal jewel and an echo of laughter in the evening air.
Hyacine looked down at her palm. The jewel was set in gold, engraved with intricate little patterns all around the border. It hardly looked cheap; she tried not to think about where Cipher had gotten it.
Almost as if it had heard her thoughts, a little scroll of paper rolled up to her feet. Hyacine glanced around frantically, but of course Cipher's shadow was nowhere to be seen.
Dear Miss Pink Healer,
This treasure was ethically sourced from a treasure box, probably buried thousands of years ago, so the old owners have long relinquished their claim. It's all yours now. Consider it a good luck present for the opening of the new-and-improved Twilight Courtyard. Keep it safe, for Madam Cifera will surely be hurt if you lose such a thoughtfully-prepared gift!
P.S. You shouldn't leave sweets sitting around in your office so often. That's just asking for ants! Shadowy, mysterious ants with pointy ears and a request for more cream next time, please.
Sincerely, Kitty Phantom Thief
"This isn't much point in this," Mydei reminded Hyacine as she bustled around the consultation room. "Disease can't kill me any more than a spear could."
"Sorry, but it's policy!" She swung around with the tray in hand. "And, to be honest, it's more to protect our patients than you. Not everyone is immortal."
Phainon, leaning against the doorframe, snorted. Mydei tried to shoot him a look, but had to lean around Hyacine to do so; upon noticing this, she sidled into his field of view to block his glare. He grumbled something and returned to his original position.
Mydei usually had a slightly peculiar way of sitting - slouched back, with his knees spread apart, as if every chair he used was his personal throne. Hyacine couldn't help but notice as she approached him that he wasn't doing that today; his back was straight, and while his knees were still spread apart, it wasn't to nearly the same degree as usual.
Unable to help herself, she gave him a slightly mischievous grin. "Are you feeling nervous, Lord Mydei?"
"There is no word for nervous in the Kremnoan language," He declared - even though he was refusing to look at the needle on the tray for too long. "Get it over with."
"Okay, but I need you to relax first," She said, rapping on his bicep (he jolted a little, as if he wasn't expecting that much force). "When you stay tensed up like that, your muscles basically turn into a barrier. It's harder for me to get the shot in for you already. This way, it'll hurt even more."
"All those muscles are working against him, eh?" Phainon asked, looking positively delighted by the information, even though he was hardly any better off himself. "See, Mydei? Maybe you need to lift a little less."
This time, Mydei didn't even deign him with a reply - just scoffed. He did take a breath and make an effort to relax a little, though.
"Good job!" She snapped the band of her gloves, then positioned the needle and placed her thumb on the plunger. "Alright, ready? Sharp scratch."
It was almost certainly nothing compared to what his body had endured in the past, but there was still an oddly relieved look in Mydei's eyes when Hyacine stepped away to discard the needle. When she returned with the customary sweets to reward him for his non-existent pains, he didn't seem to have the will to refuse her - nor did he reject the little pink plaster she placed on his arm.
"Well done, Lord Mydei," She complimented. "That was perfect."
"It wasn't exactly hard," He said, rising to his feet, but looked pleased. He shot Phainon a smirk as they swapped places. "See how well you do, Deliverer."
"You wait and see," Phainon retorted, but he looked apprehensive. "...uh, Hyacine, which arm do you want?"
"Either will do," She said, turning to prep the new needle. "And take your time with your armour. We have all afternoon."
"I don't know why you bothered wearing it," Mydei commented. (Hyacine was pleased to see that he'd already tossed a sweet into his mouth.) "Are you expecting to get ambushed on the way back?"
"It's good to be prepared, isn't it?" There was some clinking as Phainon undid the buckles and set the shoulder pieces on the floor, then rustling as he pulled off his jacket. "Ready, Hyacine."
"Alright!" She took the liberty of scooping up Little Ica from the windowsill and setting them in his lap. Phainon automatically caught them with a slightly bemused look. "Here you go! Now, I'm just going to feel for a spot..."
She didn't give Phainon an opportunity to complain that she hadn't given Mydei a stress pegasus to hold, and that he most certainly didn't need one, but he looked beyond words as soon as she approached him with the needle anyway. Little Ica chuffed, looking up at him with wide, wide eyes, and Hyacine allowed Phainon to soothe himself with the sight for a moment or so before starting.
"Remember, relax," She reminded him. "It'll hurt more if you're all tensed up."
Mydei chewed idly on another sweet and visibly held back a chuckle as Phainon took a deep breath, then screwed his eyes shut. Hyacine gave his arm a squeeze in support (and also to test whether or not he had loosened up a little) and primed the syringe.
"Sharp scratch."
Phainon's face twitched only a little as he received his shot. Only once he had ascertained that Hyacine had removed the needle did he open his eyes again.
"Congratulations," said Mydei dryly. "You didn't burst into tears."
"Hush now. You did great, Lord Phainon." She bestowed upon him a blue plaster, then and offered a handful of his own sweets. "You're all done now! See, it wasn't bad at all."
"Of course it wasn't," He said with a grin and some attempt at bravado. "All thanks to you."
"Oh, stop it." She pulled off her gloves and moved to wash her hands. "Are you planning on heading back straight away?"
"And lose the opportunity to laze around here for an afternoon?" Phainon asked rhetorically. "...well, actually - are you busy this afternoon, Hyacine?"
"Not particularly..." She dried off her hands. "...well, I'm not on duty, technically. Why?"
"Ah, that's too bad... I was hoping we could convince you to come back to Okhema with us for dinner." Phainon clipped his armour back on and got to his feet. "You've been working yourself to the bone with the Courtyard lately. It's all been paperwork and gardening from you whenever you message us."
"Gardening is hardly work to me," Hyacine said disapprovingly. (She refrained from telling him that she'd gotten the wheatgrass from Aedes Elysidae to sprout - she wanted it to be a surprise.) "But dinner in Okhema sounds lovely! I'll just have some errands to run, and then we can set off."
"Well, don't leave us idle," He said, following her out of the consultation room. "I'm sure you've got some heavy things we can lug around for you. Or maybe Mydei needs to intimidate one of your supervisors?"
"I am the supervisor here, Lord Phainon!" She couldn't hold back a laugh. "I'm the only one who needs to approve of my leave. But I definitely should let everyone know where I'll be. Hmm... I don't think there's much you can help me with, but Xanthe mentioned that there were a lot of cabinets she needed moving. Maybe you could go help her with that?"
"Done!" Phainon was already halfway down the corridor before he remembered something and turned back on his heel. "...and, uh, where would that be?"
Mydei, arms folded, snorted again. Hyacine grinned and pointed to the left. "In the records room - fifth door down that way. They should all be empty, but if you see any records, make sure you shut your eyes tight. Patient confidentiality is very important, after all."
"I'll be blind as a bat," agreed Phainon, then clapped Mydei on the shoulder. "Come on then, Mydeimos. Bet you I can move more cabinets than you."
"You are juvenile," Mydei shot back, but followed at almost the same pace as Phainon started heading down the corridor - though he did pause to offer Hyacine a nod. "...just shout if you need us for anything else. And call when you're ready to leave."
"Of course. Thank you, Lord Mydei."
His usually stern face softened ever so slightly as he regarded her. He raised a hand briefly, as if to pat her on the shoulder, then seemed to think better of it. "...you've done a lot for us lately. Remember that there are plenty of things we can do for you, as well."
He waited for Hyacine to smile and nod before he left, and soon his footsteps disappeared down the corridor. Hyacine hovered on the spot for a moment, then beamed anew to herself, and practically skipped back to her office.
If only all days at the Twilight Courtyard could be so peaceful.