Chapter 22: Not So close

Talia I rubbed my nose furiously after sneezing. "I didn't realize your kind got sick," Ariel said. I turned around. "Maybe the pregnancy has something to do with it," I said, touching her still flat belly. Ariel shrugged. "I'll be damned if I know," she said and went back to picking herbs. "I was hoping I would get a bit of a break tomorrow," I said as I started to finger my braid. "Break from what?" Ariel asked as she tossed a small berry into her mouth. "Going out at the crack of dawn to pick herbs," I replied. "I think we will have more than enough herbs to last us a century now." Ariel didn't stop picking through her herbs. She briefly glanced at me and then looked away. "Do you know what I use these for?" she asked, and I shook my head. "For healing," I said, coming to sit next to her, even though it was on the ground. "It soothes sore nerves and heals bones. But it's just as useless to me if not for the bones as it is useful to your kind," I added, tapping my nose. Ariel