Gar Gardens
You follow the cobblestone path through the gardens of Gar Hold. It appears to be well kept, as it is one of the favored spots of the Holder and his wife. Stone benches are set at regular intervals for people to sit and talk, especially young couples. Yellow, pink and white Camelia bushes are the focus of the gardens, with rose bushes and azaleas as accents. The grass is nice and soft, perfect for sitting or laying. The mixed scents from the bushes are strong enough to be noticed, but not overpowering, and perfectly delightful. The whole effect is very relaxing. One should come here more.
Off to the east side of the garden is a new addition. High walls of shrubbery and stone surround the maze and an iron gate stands open into an archway grown all over with climbing roses of every sort.
It is a spring midmorning.
Tierza is here.

Tierza sighs and stares at her bedraggled roses and berry bushes. She should have known better then to trust them to anyone else!

Linora steps into the gardens quietly, stopping short when see sees Tierza. Yes, she'd hoped to find her friend here, but now she wasn't sure what to say. So that /might/ explain the dazed and shattered look on her face. "Hey, Tie." Hello is always safe, right?

Tierza says, "Hey Lin.. do you see what they let happen to my roses? And I can't believe that no-one took care of the berry bushes. Am I the only one who cares around here?" She is focusing on this, it will keep her from being too disappointed and hurt. "What was Aidany thinking?"

Linora blinks and looks at the roses. "I dunno?" She sits down on the grass nearby. "Shells, I'm sorry, Tie." Maybe she means the roses. Hugging her knees to her chest she looks down at the ground, not even bothering to push her hair back off her face.

Tierza says, "Lin, you are a starrie, hardly your responsiblity. Oh Lin......" She's not wailing, but her voice /is/ taut. "I don't understand it!"

Linora doesn't need to ask - Tie's definitely not talking about the roses now. She gets to her feet, arms outstretched tentatively to hug her friend. "I dunno, Tie," she whispers, feeling tears beginning to fill her own eyes. "I dunno nothin'."

Tierza snugs into Lin's welcoming arms.. a hug really feels good right now. "I know, I know.. but.. I just felt like it would happen. I really believed that once that secret wish of mine was out in the open, it had to happen.."

Linora hugs Tierza hard, needing the hug as much as her friend does. "I'm so sorry. Why can't things be right?" A long moment later, she draws back, dragging a hand across her face to wipe away the tears and hugging her arms tightly around herself as her gaze drops to the ground.

Tierza says, "Oh Lin, they will be. I just won't allow myself to believe anymore. But I did keep my journal and robe, so /if/ I have children, I can share it with them someday. It was amazing, I will say that for it. Dragons are so beautiful."

Linora stiffens a bit as Tierza talks about having children, a mixture of fear and guilt crossing her open face before she turns away. "Yeah, they are..." she mumbles. The dragons. Beautiful. Or something. "I guess I... um... yeah." She looks at the ground again. /Will/ they be? She's not at all convinced.

Tierza studies ehr friand, having noticed her body shift when she mentioned childrena nd things being alright. "Lin? What's wrong? More trouble with Cress?" her voice is soft with concern.

"I'm late." Linora's words are whispered, her eyes fixed firmly on the ground. "I think. I'm not sure." She risks a look at Tierza now, her eyes haunted. "I'm scared."

Tierza says, "Oh..." escapes ehr mouth.. "Lin, I was 'late' once.. the healer even said I was pregnant, but he was wrong. Don't worry.. unless it's what you /want/?"

Linora shakes her head slowly, quite forgetting to close her mouth. "No," she whispers, her eyes big. "They'll make me leave." She doesn't want that at /all/. Then her expression turns to confusion. "How could the healer make a mistake?"

Tierza says, "I don't know, but he did." At least that is what she assumes happened. One day she was told she was.. then several days later, she wasn't. "Maybe he didn't and I lost it, but.. I would rather think he was wrong. And do you /want/ to stay? Have you said anything to Cress? And why not see a healer?"

Linora swallows hard and shakes her head. "I haven't seen him much," she admits. "An' yeah... I guess I do wanna stay. But..." her eyes grow wide again. "I don't wanna see a healer."

Tierza sighs and nods knowingly. "But Lin, maybe you are worried about nothing. And a healer can help you either way. And even if you haven't seen cress much, you /should/ talk to him about this. After all this didn't happen without help /if/ you are."

No question Linora's blushing, even under that tan, and she quickly finds something interesting in the rosebushes to look at. "I know," she says, shifting uncomfortably. "But.. oh, shells!" She suddenly realizes that it doesn't matter if a healer rats her out or not, she won't be able to hide it for long if she is! "I better go find him," she mumbles, backing toward the entrance. "Thanks, Tie..."

Tierza says, "Just stay calm and take care Lin. I'll see you again soon and thanks."