Exton

Raina returned from the tavern with the dresses Ike set out for Alise. Stoney had still been in his gargoyle form when she left, but was human now, trying to convince Alise to swallow a pill that she was sure would choke her if she tried.

“Its too big. Its big enough for Panther. I have to swallow one every day? The pain pills arent so big, but these are impossible.”

“Yes, every day, the babies need it”, Stoney tells her and Rowan nods.

“Baby, Chiot, I told you, I am not a big girl. There is no room for more than one”, and she swallows the vitamin and makes a face.

Rowan then changed the splints on her hand to some that were a bit smaller. Alises hand still hurt, but the pills Rowan made her choke down did seem to be helping.

“Merci Rowan. This is much better..”

Rowan smiles and gives Alise a hug. “I'm glad and you are welcome. Go...get ready and I can take you guys over to the tavern in my van when you are ready. Oh, did you know that you shouldnt drink? A glass of wine, no more than that....”

Sighing, Alise says she knows, “It doesnt sound so good to me anyway.”


Alise hurried in the shower, excited to see Ike. She needed to know for herself that she was doing better. By the time Stoney joined her, she was almost done. After a few minutes of playing in the water together, Alise had stepped out of the shower, letting Stoney finish. As she was drying off, she kept telling herself not to look in the mirror. So far, she had avoided even glancing at herself, knowing her face must have looked hideous. She sat on the toilet seat to braid her hair and smiled as she listened to Stoney sing. As she stood up she closed her eyes and stepped in front of the mirror. Opening them slowly, she gasped loud enough for Stoney to notice and he stuck his head out of the shower to see what was wrong. The swelling was almost gone and she could open both eyes, thanks to Rowans compresses. The black that was surrounding her eye was fading into shades of brown, green and yellow. Alise quickly twisted around trying to see her back.

Stoney stepped out of the shower to try and stop her but was a second too late. Alise had turned enough to get a good look at what her back looked like. She sighs, “At least I can cover my back.... Her eyes move lower to her hip, to the stripe that is glued shut to heal and back to her face. “Raina was right, it is colorful like her back. But her back is pretty, mine is... ugly. How can you stand to look at me?”