{o} where boys fear to tread

Family. It means different things to different people, and there are as many ways to represent it in Chaele’s wilting talisman. She does not understand the nuances of his answer, of Ascended non-death or the pains of resurrection, but she clearly hopes to help in this little way. After a moment’s consideration of the herb box, her hand emerges clasping a soft, wrinkled leaf.

[say]“Motherwort, for the survival of the long-lived,” [/say]she explains, attaching it tenderly to the others. The little bouquet spins between twisting fingers as she points out the rest. [say]“Poppy, for the trials of the self. Labyrinth hedge, for the sake of the Hollowed Ground. And a bit of you, because it is yours.”[/say]

She crosses the lot of it over the flame four times, in each of the four cardinal directions, then lays it beside the candle. Hot wax is dripped over the stems, where it quickly dries and fastens the individual pieces into one. [say]“Burn it, if you truly do not care. If you wish to be rid of the burden. Or bury it, to join your intention with the land and make it whole.”[/say] Picking it up, she considers it one final time before holding it out for him to take. [say]“Or do whatever else you like.”[/say]