But are we all lost stars trying to light up the dark? [Alvina]

As the days slowly passed by, and the closer she got to being due for her baby, the more tired she got. Alvina was sure she was going to pass out the moment her body hit the bed tonight for she was already very tired. However she still had a few more hours until they would be done for the day. If she didn't need the gold so badly, then maybe she would have told them she just couldn't work anymore. That her feet were to sore to walk around the tavern all night, and she was to grumpy to deal with all the comments that the men would give her when they had one to many to drink. But that just was not how her life worked. She had Vern, who said he would help her, but she didn't want to put to much work on him. Plus she didn't quite trust him enough to let him in. She was just scared that if she did let him in he was going to hurt her in some way or another. Just like so many other people in her life had done to her. From his father, to other Thralls, almost everyone in her life had hurt her in some way. So letting people in now that she was free, was a rather scary thought it she was honest with herself.

Just after finishing filling up a tables cups, she saw that a girl she had yet to see before had come in and sat down near the bar by herself. Grabbing a pitcher of Ale, and a cup Alvina made her way over toward the girl. She could tell that the girl was pretty from far away, but as she got closer she could see she was simply beautiful. It made her wonder if this was the girl that some of the men had been talking about. The one who had just moved back her with her brother. Alvina tired not to pay attention to gossip as she learned most of it was lies, so that was all she had cared to pay attention to. That a new group of people had come back. Another things she noticed as she got closer to the other women was that she was looking her over. She could see the other women's eyes travel to her belly and Alvina wondered what it was that the women was thinking about her.

It didn't take long for her to figure it out as soon as she was at the table to see if she wanted Ale, the women was talking to her. “You shouldn’t be getting people drinks in your condition. You should be sitting. Will you sit? How far along are you?” were the first words she heard out of her mouth. Alvina was sure that her face gave away her shock. That this women, a stranger at that was worried about her and telling her she shouldn't be working. If she was honest she had no idea how to feel, it was a new thing for her, but she didn't think she hated it. It have people care about her like she was getting now that she lived her in this village. Nodding her head once, Alvina slowly sat down at the table with her. “I’m Cecilie. How are you feeling?” she heard Cecilie say to her next. Smiling before taking a deep breath to speak to her she said "It's nice to meet you Cecilie, my name is Alvina." to her first before letting out a slight laugh. "My feet hurt, and I feel like I could sleep at any moment...however I'm well. The baby should be due any day now, so I am far along...I wouldn't be working if I didn't need the gold...but that is life when you are on your own." she says to her next before pouring the ale and sliding it over to her. Alvina had come over here to give her ale, and her boss wouldn't be happy if she wasn't doing that while she was sitting.

Thinking for a small moment Alvina decides to be a little bold and ask what she was thinking. "Not that I am not grateful for your kindness and caring, but why do you care? My own boss doesn't care that I'm working right now...and I do not know you." she says to her first before going a bit red."I meant no offense, I'm just...not use to others...caring." she says to her last a little sheepishly. Hoping that she didn't offend the other women who had been so kind as to offer her a seat and to ask about her health.

Alvina who was still slightly confused as to why this other women, this Cecilie cared about her well being. Was overwhelmingly happy to be sitting down for a moment like she was doing right the second. It was so very nice of Cecilie to ask,or rather tell, her to sit down with her. Alvina could tell that she was clearly unhappy people were letting her work in this condition. As she had caught her sending a glare at the people around the room. It was both touching to her and confusing at the same time. “It’s nice to meet you too, Alvina,” she hears Cecilie say to her next and she gives her a bright smile as she enjoys the feeling of her feet off the ground for just a moment longer as she is bold enough to ask the other women why she cares about her well being when they didn't know each other at all.“Well people should care, but I’ve been told I care more than most. It’s why I became a healer. Which is why I wanted to make sure working this far into your pregnancy isn’t bothering you more than it should. she hears her say next, and then things slowly start to make more sense to her. This women was a healer, and she was worried about her health because it was her job. If Alvina was honest she thought it was all so very sweet of her, to be worried about her and her baby.

Just as she was about to speak to Cecilie in return she heard a man form a few tables over calling for her. Taking a deep breath to tell Cecilie she would be right back, she is shocked by the women a second time as she sees her waving her off and hears her say “Don’t get up,” to her. Before Alvina could say anything else Celcilie was grabbing the pitcher of ale and walking over to the man who had called out to her. She had no idea what she said to the man when she poured him his drink, but she was pleasantly surprised when she saw the man actually looked like he felt bad. So whatever she said to him had to have been something good. When Celeilie was done filling the mans cup, she shocked her even more when Alvina heard her ask the rest of the tavern “Anyone else thirsty right now?” rather forcefully. It made Alvina wish she was able to be that brave and bold, and it also made her respect this new women almost instantly. That she was such a confident person in herself that she had no problem telling these men off for the way they were acting. “Tip generously.” She heard Cecilie say to the second man who's cup she filled before she walked back over to the table and sat back down.

Alvina just simply looked at her in shock for a moment when she heard her say “Where was I?” to her. Like what happened was not a big deal, and it shouldn't be made into one. Alvina found herself wanting to ask her so many questions, such as how could she grow to be able to handle men in that way and other things. However before she could even think of more things she herself wanted to know. Celcilie was speaking again. “Oh! How old are you? Is this your first? And have you noticed any unusual swelling in your hands or face? I’m sure your feet are plenty swollen but that’s normal since you’re still up and about. Or any blurred vision?” asking her a lot all at once. Smiling Alvina tired to do her best to keep track of the order of questions. "First of all thank you for doing that for me, that was very kind and brave." she says to her first wanting to address the situation even though the other women acted like it was not a big deal at all. "I am eighteen, and yes this is my first. I don't think I'm swelling in a way that I shouldn't be? But Im so big that maybe I'm missing it." she says to her before thinking for a moment.

"I haven't been dizzy in a few days. Only once after a really long day I had, but that is the only time I can recall." she answers next as she thinks of all the many emotions she had felt after she had gotten trapped and suck watching the whipping like she had. It had been a very horrible thing to happen to that man and she wishes she had never seen it at all. That it never happened to him or any other person. "I think thats all your questions? So your a healer, that is such a hard job I am sure. However from what I just saw, you are clearly strong enough to do it. I have never felt strong enough to talk to men the way you just did. It was inspiring to see if I am being honest." she says to her next before a light blush takes over her face and she looks a little shy. Hoping she didn't say the wrong thing, but glad she had said it all at the same time. "Maybe someday I'll be as confident in that aspect, but I'm still learning." she says to her next before letting out a small laugh at herself.

Alvina was kind of glad she decided to work tonight now in a way. Sure she was tired and wanted nothing more then to lay in bed and sleep, but then she would not have met this nice women. A women who was showing her compassion and standing up for her all at once. So far this was the only other women to actually openly want to talk to her as well. Other then Freyja who she had met on her first day here, Alvina really hadn't made any other friends. So now that she was sitting here at the table like she was now, part of her was hoping maybe that was this could become. The idea was so appealing to her, to have a friend who was a girl and she could talk to. However part of her to nervous too, what if she found out she was a thrall and portrayed her. Or what if she hated thralls to begin with, but Alvina had a hard time thinking that was the case after what she had just saw her do for her, a stranger. So Alvina does her best to be honest and compliment her. To tell her thank you and tell her she thought she was rather inspiring to her. She hoped that wasn't something weird to tell people, but it was something she really felt so she said it to her anyways.

Cecilie leaned back into her chair and got comfortable before she started to talk back to her. “It can be hard,” she heard her say first. “but I’ve been at it a while now. My grandmother was a healer and we were very close, so I helped her for years before I was even a real healer.” she said next and Alvina nodded. It must have been nice to have that kind of bond with someone on her family. She had grown up with other thralls and never knew anyone in her family. Her mother had died in birth, and she knew nothing else of her family back in England. Just that her mother had been taken in a raid, and that she had been pregnant when they took her. Often Alvina wondered if she had any family left still alive there, but she would have no idea where to look even if she did. "Thats very interesting, it must be like second nature if you have been doing it for so long!" Alvina comments back to her.

She smiles and nods when she hears her say “Inspiring? Really? Because I told off a few idiots? I don’t know about that.” in return to her words. She might not think it was a big deal, but for a women who spent her entire life as someone who was an object it was one of the best things she had ever seen. “Is it just men you have trouble with? They are certainly… bothersome at times,” she hears her ask next and Alvina bits her lip for a moment before Cecilie added “Well, let me know if I can ever help with it,”  to her after. Alvina thought it was very nice of her to say. "I've never had that great of luck with them..." to her rather awkwardly. "But yes I think it was very inspiring, that you aren't worried that they could hurt you or anything like that." she says to her next and she already wants to kick herself for her choice in words. Alvina might have just made it clear that she had been hurt by men in the past, and now she had to worry about maybe explaining that if Cecilie asked her.

As Alvina listen to her say “It probably helps, growing up with brothers.” to her next, she smiles and nods her head. That made sense to her as well, that having strong men in her life to look out for her and teach her things would make her more brave. Alvina was just about to ask her how many brothers she had when Cecilie spoke again “Could I take a look at your hands?” she said to her, and before she could answer her, Cecilie was taking her hand. The hand that was attached to the wrist that marked her as a thrall. Pulling her hand back in a mixture of shock and fear she looked at the other women for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and reaching out her other hand toward her. "I'm sorry....could you use this hand instead? I....have an ugly scar on that one...its gross I don't want to ruin your drink." she says to her, but her voice cranks near the end and Alvina wants nothing more then to run away for she had always been a bad liar, and this women was a healer. A ugly scar would not make her grossed out, however it was the first thing that came to mind.

She had been worried others would find her mark after Jötunn had grabbed her and looked at it a few weeks ago. Alvina had been more careful, she didn't want to have the wrong people finding out. Not that Cecilie was the wrong people, she just didn't know her well enough yet."You...You said you have brothers? That must be nice...I was an only child...and didn't really have anymore but me." she says to her next in the hopes of changing the subject and taking away the attention from what had just happened.

She found herself smiling more and more around this other women. From her easy going personality, to her very strong caring side. Alvina was sure she would grow to like her more and more if they spent more time together. It was nice to meet women like her, who were strong and confident. For she was not stupid, she knew that there were women like her out there. Women who had not had to grow up the way she had to grow up. However she never knew anyone like her. Sure she met Redra but that was for a short few hours, and when she was on the run. She thought Redra had been kind and sweet as well, but her mind had been mostly on figuring out if she was really pregnant and getting away from Vidar. Cecilie seemed to be a different person, and she liked her a lot. “I guess it is,” Alvina hears her say in return to her saying healing had to be second nature. “I sort of get ahead of myself a lot. Like I did with you, for example,” Cecilie says to her next and Alvina smiles. "It seems that you do it because you really care, so I don't think that is a bad thing. she says to her in return with a smile. "Besides I don't mind,its very kind of you to worry about me and my child. Weather you are a healer or not." she adds in next with another smile in her direction.

They start to talk about men and Alvina knows her words give way to the fact that she has not been treated well by men. It was not something she meant to do, but she also really didn't want to lie to much to her. She wanted to be guarded, but she didn't want to build her life on lies. She was sure it would be hard to keep up some life full of lies like that. That she would mess up and forget some kind of lie she gave to someone and she would get caught. Besides she was starting to really like Cecilie, and lying to her tons was not going to start a good friendship. “They do require a bit of special handling,” Cecilie says to her in return and Alvina nodded her head."I guess that is a way of wording it yes, however I am taking a long break from handling anything like that." she says to her next with a smile. Trying to give a little bit of information without having to give everything just yet. She figured that might be a safe mixture until she was sure she could trust the other women fully.

Things changed when Cecilie reached forward and grabbed her hand. She reached out of habit and might have made things weird. Alvina quickly made up a lie, something that was half truth half lie. She had an ugly scar, but it was a branding and that was why she didn't want her to see it. “Sorry, I shouldn’t grab,” she hears her say, and she wants to tell her its okay and she doesn't need to feel badly. However she decides to just not comment. Not wanting her to question her bad lie and find the branding on their first meeting like someone else had done to her. “Looks normal, nothing to worry about. If anything starts to feel strange, or you start to worry about anything, you can send someone to get me. I live on the edge of the village, nearest the docks. Where do you live?” Cecilie says to her after she looks over her hand for a moment. "I thank you for that wonderful offer. I'll keep that in mind when I go into labor." she says to her with a smile before going on."I live here actually. I'm new to the village, been here a couple of months...so I'm saving up to buy something when I can." she says to her. Again, giving some information but not tons of it.

She changes things by asking her about her family, her brothers mostly. “I had two, but now just the one. His name’s Dómi, he’s a fisherman here in Skagen.” she hears Cecilie say and she already feels badly. She lost a sibling, that had to be something very hard to deal with. "I'm sorry for your loss, when ever it was." she says to her softly. Alvina makes a comment that she wishes she had siblings but it was just her. “That sounds… really lonely,” Cecilie says to her back and Alvina just nods her head yes at her. That it was lonely a lot of the time, that she was loney most of her life. “But you have friends or… family here in Skagen?” Cecilie asks her last and Avlina thinks for a moment before smiling. "I have made some friends, but I work a lot so not very many. As for family thats rather complicated. I think its best I just assume they are all dead, but that could be wrong." she says to her next as she thinks of the possibility she has family in England. "But I'm okay, I'll have my baby soon...and then I'll have some family. I'm sure it will be nice, but hard too." she says to her next with a smile. "So is it safe to assume you are the girl some of the villagers are talking about? The one who just moved back here from Kattegat. I don't listen to gossip much, so thats all I heard them say." she says to her last.

Alvina is getting less and less shocked by Cecilie and her caring nature. It seemed like that was just how she was, and Alvina thought it was very good traits to have in a healer. For them to care so much about everyone the way she seemed to be doing. “I’m always happy to help. And I can admit, I do love babies.” she hears her say next and that makes her smile. That she liked babies and dealt with them before in the past. Maybe she could be the one to deliver her baby instead of the other healer she had seen a few times. She certainly liked this women a lot better, and already in many ways felt a lot more comfortable with her then she did with any other healer, maybe aside from Redra. However she was not here, and she was where she never wanted to go back to or think about if she could help it. Not while King Vidar was there and still alive. It just wasn't safe for her or her child to ever go back there, for he would hurt them and kill them she was just sure of it. "I've never been around a baby before...." she says awkwardly to her as she wondered just how many babies Cecilie had been around in her life. "But I'm sure I'll figure it out after a while and some help." she says to her next. Trying to convince both herself and Cecilie.

They talk about men, and Alvina tries to be as vague as she can be without being rude. She had very little good encounters with men and it was just make things weird if they were to talk about those together now. “Well, you’ll be plenty busy soon enough Cecilie says to her in return and she smiles and nods her head back. She was going to be far more busy then any other mom for she had no one to explain this all to her. She was going to have to figure this all out mostly on her own, unless she got brave and asked for some help from the women before her or Vern. If it turned out to be a lot harder then she thought it was going to be then she would do just that. Ask them for some help or guidance in what to do, or even for just a small break. "Thats true, I'll be very busy with the sweet child I am being blessed with." she says to her in return. For she would do everything in her power to make sure the baby turned out to be sweet and strong. Cecilie asked her where it was she lived and Alvina informed her that she lived here at the tavern for now. “Oh, well that’s easy for me to find, then.” she heard her say back and Alvina just nodded her head in return with a smile. It would be very easy, and maybe it would be a good thing that a healer knew where she lived just in case.

Things shifted when they started to talk about family. How the women in front of her had lost a brother, something Alvina made sure to tell her she was sorry for. For it had be hard to loose someone she seemed to be very close with. “Thank you,” Cecilie said to her, and Alivna just nodded her head at her before they start to talk about her own family and friends. How she really didn't have a lot of friends, and how her family was most likely dead. “Well, now you’ve got one more friend here,” she hears Cecilie say to her and Alivna looks at her in a mixture of awe and gratitude. "I like the sound of that very much.I'll do my best to be a very good friend to you."Alvina says to her in return. She was very happy to have a friend in this women, as she was just thinking about asking her to be friends in the first place. However she feels bad when she asks her if she is the one everyone was talking about. As she watched Cecilie's face widen in shock, and she feels bad right away. That maybe she shouldn't have brought it up at all. However there was no taking it back now.

Cecilie goes on to say People have been talking about me?” to her quietly and all Alivna can do it nervously nod her head at her. For it was true, they had been talking about her. None of it had been bad, or at least what she had payed attention to anyways. “I suppose it is me, then? My brothers and I left Skagen about seven years ago, and traveled a bit before we ended up in Kattegat. But when… um, well. We had to tell my parents, Cecilie says to her next and it was Alvina's turn for her face to widen with shock. That meant the brother who died, had just died recently. Oh now she felt even worse for ever asking her if she was the girl who just moved her. "Oh my, I am so sorry. I am so sorry for your loss....I should have never brought it up or asked. I'm sorry." she says to her before moving her chair a bit closer."I am sorry if I offended you by bring it up, or hurt you in any way. I was being nosy and I shouldn't have asked you." she says to her next before she reached the hand she had pulled away from her out to her. Gently grading the other women hand in a peace offering. She had made a big deal about her touching that hand and now she was holding her hand with it.

Another thing Alvina could add to the ever growing list of things she liked about Cecilie was how confident she seemed to be in Alvina was well as her self. “You'll figure it out in no time! Nothing to worry about,”had been what Cecilie said to her after she informed her she had not been around a baby before. It was good at least one of them was confident she was going to be okay at this. Sure Alvina knew she was going to do her best to be the greatest mother in the world, but she was also sure she was going to make plenty of mistakes along the way as well. “And I will help however I can,” Cecilie added to her next and Alvina smiled at her brightly. "Then I am sure I will figure things out as well, with someone as wonderful as you helping me." Alvina finds herself saying to her in return. For she really felt that way, and she wanted to be kind to her in return. She wanted the other women to understand she was grateful that she even cared about her at all, even if she was just a healer. It was kind and she didn't have to be giving her this much attention like she was doing right this moment.

Cecilie tells her that they are friends and Alvina promises she will do her best to be the greatest friend she can be. For she is excited for this friendship, it was one she wanted already from only knowing the other women a short while. “Friends are easy, you’re already doing great. Maybe we can show each other around? If you’ve only been here a few months, and I haven’t been back in seven years,” Alvina hears her say to her next. She makes sure to smile and nod, coming off as excited as she feels. For she was sure that would be very fun thing to do indeed. Maybe it would be after the baby was here and she could get out and have some fresh air with it. So she and the baby wouldn't be cramped in a small living space. Something she was going to maybe need to figure out soon. She couldn't stay in the Tavern forever, but she didn't have enough money for a house yet. That she was well aware of, she still had a long way to go. "I would love that, it sounds like a very good time." she tells Cecilie. Getting more and more excited about it as she thought about it.

Things had been going so well until she opened her mouth about people in the village talking about Cecilie. She found out the other womens brother just died, and she did her best to comfort her, to make it better. “It’s not your fault, please don’t feel badly. I’m a very nosy person, so I would’ve asked too,” she hears Cecilie say to her in return. That was kind of her, to try to help her not feel badly about all this, however she was going to no matter what. She would have never brought it up if she had known the other women had just lost her brother. She felt so rude. "I'm sorry all the same." she says to her first, and just as she is about to say something more she hears the voice of her boss and the tavern owner calling for her. Cecilie stands up and goes to do her job for her once more, but Alvina shoots to her feet as fast as her swollen body will let her.

"This is my boss, I must do it." she says to her gently as she can see the other women is glaring already. "I'll be off lal day in two day, or if the baby comes sooner. If you want come back then. I would love to talk more." she tells her with a smile before gently taking the pitcher and heading over to where her boss was standing and waiting. He said nothing, but the look he gave was telling. He was going to let this slide, but he didn't want a repeat of this in the future.