Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in Eela’s Apartment- Processing (TMODJ)

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Eela’s Apartment- Processing (TMODJ)

Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in Eela’s Apartment- Processing (TMODJ)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Alais was swept up into Cairdee’s arms and set on her hip while she finished putting together a light breakfast. Eela moved carefully using her cane and Karilan for support.

In her bedroom, she veered to the closet and touched the button, the door sliding open. Everything inside was arranged neatly, with many of Eela’s colourful garments grouped by type on hangers, while others were folded on shelves. Shoes and accessories were all within easy reach There was a padded bench in the centre where she could sit and dress, and a full size mirror.

In the back corner on an upper shelf above her coats was a medium grey fabric box with a black line circle on the front. She pointed to the box. “That one, please. It contains my lamai, traditional Haliian mourning clothes. We wear them constantly until whatever service is conducted beginning from the first time we’re seen by those outside our inner circle. For me that basically means once I leave my apartment. Had I been in a better way yesterday I would have worn them after Ren called my the second time.” She shook her head, mystified by the strangeness that had been the Kuskaaritz.

Karilan dutifully reached for the box and took it down, setting it near Eela and taking the lid off and setting it aside.

“The top garment should be the tunic. There’s pants and a hooded scarf as well.” Inside the zippered case was a folded pile of grey fabric. It was lightweight and flowy, but opaque and perfectly grey. Eela sat on the bench and removed her shorts, wincing only once, but it was a reminder to take something soon.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Let me help.” Karilan said, and began to slowly and gently help Eela undress. They then pulled out the clothes and helped her get into them so she didn’t have to strain. “Are there particular shoes you want?” they asked.

Karilan

Eela let Karilan help without a fuss but there was an underlying unease that she knew far too well and was having trouble stamping out. “Umm, yes, there should be some grey flats,” she said as she slipped the hood over her head and wrapped the scarf around her neck. Eela stood in front of the mirror and studied her appearance. “I need to pin the hood to my hair to keep it in place, but there we go. I haven’t worn this since my paternal grandmother died a few years ago. Before that was for my maternal grandmother. I got special dispensation to wear the hood on duty the first few days after my parents were killed, but I think there was only one day where I made use of that. I couldn’t even function after I found out about them. It’s all a blur, even now, even after I’ve heard recollections from others, like Roger, about that time.”

She turned to face Karilan, gratitude etched deeply into her features and through her emotions. “If at anytime in this next while I get… testy about the help, know that it’s not you. It’s a holdover from my accident, from to being able to do very simple things on my own. It’s one thing to accept help from people, but day in and day out, it wears on you Lan. It robs you of your dignity. Yes, this is temporary, but it’s also not. My back is not something I can ignore or put off for too long. We’ll deal with it later certainly not today or this week, but there are decisions to be made, and if I do what I’m pretty sure I should, well, needing help getting dressed is going to be the least of it. It won’t be easy for me, or anyone around me.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Karilan set their hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “I never asked you for easy, now did I?” and they leaned and kissed her very gently. “We will deal with all of that as we can, taking it as it comes. That is all we can do. For now… concern yourself with today. Get through today and we will deal with tomorrow then.”

Karilan

Eela hooked her cane on her wrist and wrapped her arms around Karilan, giving as big an embrace as she dared without aggravating her body. It wasn’t much but she hoped it conveyed everything. There were a lot of complicated feelings surrounding her mobility that also were about relationships that she was going to have to unpack with Séan later. “De anah ko sialo,” she whispered.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.