Hex 07

"Administration through the lungs," Siri commented, perching on Lefrui's favourite stool and sniffing gingerly at various of the ingredients.

Oughtn't to perturb her, really. If the patient was already in the habit of inhaling things, might as well make them medicinal. Yuck, though.

"I wanted to ask about you and Guep. If you'll pardon me -- are you a couple?" No, not as stupid a question as it might appear. Not everyone, particularly professionals, changed surnames. It was complicated with mixed marriages anyway. Things got double-barrelled.

Delmira hmm'ed at the comment, but looked up from her work when Siri posed her question. The older woman emptied his hands and wiped them against each other. Then she straightened her shirt. "It's that obvious, is it?" she asked.

"Well, no, not at all," Siri said, surprised. She certainly hadn't expected the answer to be yes.

She looked round for a moment when Helmine passed them on her way back inside.

"I'm glad, because Lefrui and I are not a couple. Sorry about that, but I have been curious about if people still think that. However, I just own half the house and I'm not intending to buy the rest from Lefrui no matter what. Nor am I selling my ownership to him."

Helmine looked very vaguely amused when she saw the tobacco. She went to bother the rest of her tea instead, though.

Siri giggled slightly at that. "Well, you had me fooled. It wouldn't have troubled me either way, though."

"I don't think anyone really minds here. The one real mixed couple in Monais doesn't seem to complain about anyone being... troubled, hm," Delmira smiled.

"I should think not," sniffed Siri. Noticing Delma had finished with her roll-ups, she made to get up with a curious look at the older human.

She still wasn't going to say a word about tobacco being horrid and yucky and stinky and awful. When you were on someone else's turf, there were Rules.

She hoped nobody would be offended if she stuck her head out of a window; at least living with a ferais, the species with the tissue-paper lungs, Delmira would surely be used to that kind of reaction.

The older woman didn't comment anything. Instead she looked at Siri and, noticing the look and gesture, offered one of the smokes to her. "Would you please ask the patient to give that a try?" Delmira asked in polite tones. "Oh. And ask her to do it outside. I don't want Lefrui to entirely hate me," she sniffed.

Helmine cocked her head at the word "patient". Oh dear.

"Of course." Siri accepted it, perceptibly delicately.

She stuck her head around the doorpost. "Helmine? If you're finished with your tea, I've brought you this. Delmira says it should help."

She held the cigarette up. It was tightly rolled. Very little excess paper. But that didn't mean much to Siri.

Helmine set the mug down again, staring at the cigarette with a perfectly straight face. Then she asked, in a frustrated and dry (not humourous) tone: "It like the tea?"

"It's herbal, yes," the healer replied. "With menthe."

Helmine frowned and got up again, taking slow, patient strides to Siri. She took the cigarette with the same level of urgency. "Thanks," she said after smelling it, and looked at Siri. What was it with these people?

"You're welcome. Oh... and she says outside, please. Ferais, you know." Siri mimed clutching at her throat, subsequently giving an attempt at a smile.

"What?" was her initial question. "Outside, yes. But what?"

"Ferais," Siri explained, "get sick from smoke. Any kind, even wood smoke. At one town I was in, they were burning in the forest for new fields and the wind changed. For the next few days, I had twenty people wheezing, inflamed and coughing up gunk."

Helmine blinked and nodded. Foor for thought. "Hmm!" she declared and headed for the door, wondering if this was going to be as surreal a death or capture as it looked like. She had never met a doctor who would have prescribed tobacco, but then again... she was past the point where she cared about anything.

Once outside, she nodded to Lefrui again and took her distance. She only lit up after she was sure the wind was blowing the right way -- away from Lefrui, anyway.

Lefrui appeared to be talking to his plants in a foreign language. He rolled his eyes at the cigarette.

"If you suddenly keel over feeling like your chest is on fire, don't be running to me," he said. Wryly.

"Not ferais," Helmine said. Wryly. "Being polite. What is the problem?"

"Delma's guck could kill a healthy dragon," Lefrui told her, watching Siri hang somewhat nervously around the doorway.

"Guess dragons can no kill one then," Helmine said philosophically and grinned a little maliciously, cigarette stuck between her lips. Then she ignored Lefrui for a few seconds, staring at the sky. She was unconsciously rubbing her right hand.