A few nights after Hannah's mother came to Magda's, her brother finally came for a long-due visit. In apology, he brought a gift of food and wine, which Hannah suspected he hadn't actually bought at all.

"Alright, they're not from me," he admitted, sitting at the edge of their mother's bed with Hannah. "They were from Macks. He wanted to come, but he's too busy."

"Of course, I understand." She shrugged it off.

"The Commander's been very fussy about promoting someone to Second Captain. He says it's not necessary so he's taking on all the responsibility now."

Hannah thought this was interesting. A bit unfortunate for Macks, yes, but did this mean he wouldn't be able to make the trip to Dyon after all? She wasn't sure if she was relieved or not.

She didn't say much, leaving most of the conversation to her brother, until the time came for lights out, and the nuns shooed them away. "Rio," she said, once they were outside, alone except for the nun at the greeting desk. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"It's about Shelby."

He lifted a brow, but didn't say anything.

"Did you talk to her about Ma? I mean, did you tell her?"

Her brother sighed loudly, his eyes turned away. "Yes."

"But I thought ... "

"I happened to see her while I was on duty. I couldn't exactly run away, I was at my post."

"Oh. But you did tell her?"

"Well, she was all concerned and I ... I didn't see anything wrong with telling her."

"No, no, of course not. It was her idea to bring Ma here, which I'm glad for. I was just curious."

Her brother smirked. "I'm no fool, Hannah. Why would I want to be disappointed twice?"

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Oh, please. It's been a long time. Right now, we have more important things to think about, right?"

"Of course."

"I'm glad that Ma's doing much better."

She nodded, standing mute.

"You know, it's all thanks to you."

"What? No."

"You've been taking care of her. A lot more than I have."

"Well, I'm doing what I can."

"I'm sorry I can't be of much help."

"Well, as long as you come to see her once in a while, I'll forgive you."

He chuckled, nodding agreeably. "Alright. Macks was the one who told me to come today. Said he knew you'd come hunting after me if I didn't visit soon."

"He's right." She walked with her brother to the door, lingering for a minute. "It must be difficult for him now, doing Stefan's work as well as his own."

"Good thing is we get punished a lot less now. He just doesn't have the time."

"My brother, selfless as always."

"Of course."

"Alright. It's late. You'd better go."

"Goodnight, Hannah. I'll see you ... well. Who knows?"

She shook her head, but smiled as he headed off down the steps. Later, as she lay in bed, she wondered what would become of the Ivers. Where would they all be in a year or two from now? Would her brother still be the same rank soldier? Would she return to Chell with her mother once she got tired of working in the city? Marry one of the villagers? And if she didn't get tired of the city, did that mean her mother would abandon them again? All the Ivers leading separate lives – it didn't seem right. But if they all wanted different things, then maybe there was no other way.

The next morning, she found her mother upright, chatting with the person in the next bed. "Ma," she piped up. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Except ... "

"What? What is it?"

"Well, I'm hungry."

She slumped, while the man in the next bed tittered. "Ma, don't scare me like that," she said, drawing her away. "Now, before I get to work, is there anything I can do for you?"

"You can check what's taking the food so long. I cook faster than all these nuns put together."

"I mean, other than that."

Her mother crossed her arms, eyeing her. "I don't think so."

"I'm sorry to have to keep leaving you like this."

"No, no. You have work, after all. I'll find some way to amuse myself."

"I'll be back as soon as I can." She headed out, feeling a little guilty as she always did each morning when she had to say goodbye to her mother.

Perhaps she should try to do something for her mother, get her a nice gift. But what? She'd never bought a present for her mother before. In fact, she'd never bought presents for anyone except that bright red coat for her brother.

What did Daleners like? The city was full of shops and taverns. She supposed that was it – they loved drinking and buying things. Wasting money, her mother would say. But what else was there? Books? Her mother didn't read. Knitting? No, that just made her want to laugh.

She peered into all the shops, but many were closed due to the worsening weather, not that any of them had anything that interesting to offer anyway. It was just food, clothes, shoes ...

Shoes. She looked down at her pair as she walked, grimacing over the dusty blue, the ugly boat shape. Some new shoes would have been nice. But no, she wasn't that sort of person. She didn't want to be that sort of person, a spoiled, shallow Dalen girl like those Williams daughters. She was practical. She was responsible. These shoes were fine.

She tried asking Judy for advice later, but she didn't seem to have any ideas – at first. "Does she like to paint? Or play music?"

"Judy, we came from a farm."

"Oh. Well, why don't you get her some flowers?"

"Flowers?"

"Every woman loves flowers." She turned, speaking more loudly. "Don't they, Christopher?"

"What?" he went, turning around confusedly.

"Never mind."

"But those cost money."

"Not if you pick them yourself."

"Where?"

"Actually, Christopher and I saw a very nice spot once, a little field near Coerside – that's Coerside, not Copperside. I love it there, it doesn't even feel like Dalen at all. When you get married, Hannah, promise you'll choose a house there."

"Uh, right. Where exactly is this 'Curside'?"

"No, no, CO-ER-side. Not 'cur'."

"Oh."

"You have to go north, past the wharves, behind the guild houses."

"Um ... "

"You know, perhaps Christopher should take you."

"Wait – what?"

"Christopher! Would you come here please!"

"Judy," he answered. "I'm right here. Why are you shouting?"

"You know the Coerside cottages?"

"Yes."

"Well, Hannah needs to go there to pick some flowers for her mother ... because it's a very sweet and considerate thing to do, and I think you should take her there, since, well, she doesn't know the way."

He paused, slowly lifting one brow. "Flowers?"

"Yes, Christopher. Which I love."

"Right. I see what this is. Aren't you subtle?"

"And aren't you smart?"

"Might as well head over now. It'll be really cold in a few hours. Alright, Hannah, let's go do this very frivolous errand, shall we?"

She followed, feeling dazed as she took down her shawl. Wasn't it just a bit strange to have Judy ordering her to take a trip with her quite handsome husband? I just have to get those flowers and go.

"Coerside," Christopher mulled as they stepped outside. "I haven't gone there in years. Think it was only that one time in fact."

"Well, Judy seems to love it."

"I know. It has the feel of a quiet countryside by the sea. The houses are very nice, it's true, but they're tiny. And old. And most of them aren't even for sale. Been passed down through families. Those people are very attached to their homes."

"I can understand that."

"Really?"

"Yes ... why do you sound so surprised?"

"Nothing. You just don't seem the sentimental type."

"Well, it's difficult, holding on to things. You can't expect things to always stay the same."

He nodded, smiling sideways at her. "You're very wise, Hannah."

"Oh," she went, blushing a little. "Thank you."

"So you need these flowers for your mother, is that right?"

She nodded. She didn't want to say anymore, but he seemed interested.

"You never mentioned your mother before."

"I didn't see a reason to."

"Well, I met your brother. And that Captain. But never her."

"Perhaps you will."

"Hmm. I could give her a good price if she needs a dress."

"Thank you," she answered, laughing lightly.

"And you too, of course."

"You know I don't ... " she trailed off, and he looked at her curiously.

"Don't what?"

"I'm just not like that."

"Why not? All the others have taken home dozens of pieces – even Ginia. Actually, especially Ginia."

She laughed again.

"Only you haven't. You know you have to grab them quickly before the others do."

"It's alright, I'd rather leave all of the grabbing to them, if that's what makes them happy."

"Then what makes you happy?"

She turned her head away, breathing out. "I don't know."

"Or should I say who?"

"What?"

"The Captain? Have you heard from him recently?"

"No, and why do you keep asking about him anyway?"

"You know why," he answered, cocking his brows at her.

"He's just a friend."

"He seems interested in more than friendship, from what I can see."

"Christopher, no."

"Alright, alright, I can see I'm making you uncomfortable."

She shrugged, looking up the road. She could see a row of heavyset buildings fronted with guild signs and notices. "Just behind here?"

"That's right. Come on, this way." He turned left, and she followed, working to keep up. They went up with the slope in the road, and then down, catching a view that took Hannah by surprise. It was a strip of lovely sea-cottages, scattered together like rolled dice, threaded through by a windy, gravelly road.

They strolled up, as if they belonged there, the two of them, gusts slapping their hair around. Hannah stared at a family of gulls conversing on a rock, then looked forward as an old couple walked past them.

"Morning," Christopher greeted, tipping his chin, and they both smiled, their faces cracking with it. There was a cheeky glimmer in the old lady's eye, a quick flash of a look back and forth, and that was when she realized that she and Christopher looked like – well, like they were together.

"Where are the flowers?" she wanted to know.

He patted her shoulder, pointing to the side of the hill on the right. There was a pocket behind one of the houses, very wild, but very pretty, with a bit of color here and there among the tall grasses.

"Pick something for Judy too, will you?"

"What does she like?"

"I've no idea. Just get everything."

"What?"

"Come on, we'll both carry them. It'll be fine."

She went forward, plucking as many different things as she could find. It was all just colors and sizes to her – she was good with planting things like tomatoes and peppers and such, not flowers. She had to admit she knew nothing about flowers. "I want to keep these white ones for my mother. You can have the rest." She passed a large bunch to Christopher, leaves shedding from the two of them.

"Very good," he said, shuffling them around. "I think we're done shopping here."

She chuckled at that. "Come on, let's go."

Of course, Judy was beaming brightly once they returned, practically absorbing the bouquet of flowers into her arms. She stopped to kiss her husband on the cheek, and at that moment, Hannah couldn't help feeling a not-so-slight tinge of envy. She really wondered what it was like, to have someone that you could be so close, so connected to. She'd never felt that before. Probably never would.

All in all though, she was happy she had taken the walk with Christopher. It had been good for her to get out, to see what she had in Coerside. She hadn't realized how draining things had been recently, with her mother and all. She couldn't imagine if they had found her during a really busy season like spring. It would have been much worse.

On the way home that night, she thought about the sea-cottages, wondering just how possible (or impossible) it was to end up living there one day. Like Judy, she had indeed fallen in love with those houses, even though she knew it wasn't practical – the danger of storms, the talkative birds, the choking salty air ...

But despite it all, the place was so pretty. Perhaps she didn't need to marry to move there. Maybe she and Rio and her mother could work together to buy a house there. Or build one! Alright, no, that was perhaps a little too ambitious ...

"Hannah," her mother called as soon as she entered. "Look who's here."

She paused, seeing two fair heads sitting with her mother. "Rio. Macks."

Both of them flicked a gaze to what she was carrying – the set of beautiful white nameless flowers. "Azaleas," Macks said, surprising her, and probably the others too. "Very nice."

"Oh," she went, stunned for a moment. She blinked at him, and realized he was staring, a little intently. "Well, they're not mine. I mean, they're for Ma."

"From?" her mother asked.

"Me. I picked them."

She heard a snort from her brother, but didn't have time to focus on him. "Really?" Macks asked. "Where from?"

"Coerside."

"Coerside? I didn't think you knew about that part of Dalen."

"Well, I didn't. Um, Christopher took me there."

"The man you work for?"

"Yes," she answered slowly, feeling more and more self-conscious by the minute. Why did he have so many questions anyway? She almost felt like a crook being questioned by the Captain. "It was his wife's idea. She said he could take me. And I mean, he picked some too, of course. For her." She cleared her throat, going to the other side of her mother's bed. "I just wanted to get you something nice."

"No one has ever given me flowers before. Not even your Da."

"I'll see if I can get something from the kitchen to put them in."

"No, let me," Macks had to offer, creaking up to his feet.

"Oh, no – "

"Hannah. Stay with your mother," he told her, suddenly using a low, calm tone. It sounded almost like an order.

She was speechless as he walked past, his cloak breezing behind him. Hannah shared a look with her brother, then sat down next to her mother. "I should take you both there. Coerside has the most beautiful houses – and not the kind you're thinking of. Cottages. By the sea."

"Why do people like to live by the sea?" Rio wondered out loud.

"To be close to nature," their mother explained.

"Well, I think it's silly."

"Yes, I realize nature is not the most exciting thing for boys your age."

"One bad storm and all those houses would get washed away. With everyone still in them."

"Thank you, Rio," Hannah muttered. "For sharing your imagination with us."

"How was work?" her mother asked, studying her. "You look a little drained."

"No, I'm alright."

"Tell her, Ma," Rio inserted.

Hannah cocked her head. "Tell me what?"

"Oh. The nuns told me this afternoon that I'm recovering well. And I should be able to be leave by the end of the week."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"That's wonderful, Ma."

"Well, if you ask me, it should be sooner. Like now. Or yesterday."

"They have to make sure you're really better first."

"Well, anyway, soon, I'll be out of these wards. And then we can go back to Chell."

Macks came in at the last part, carrying a pitcher of water. Hannah started to get up, but he shook his head, dealing with it himself. He must be used to giving flowers to women, she thought absently. After all, he'd even recognized they were aza-what? For all she knew, he'd gone to Coerside himself a thousand times to pick wildflowers for whoever he happened to fancy at the time … except her?

Well, we are just friends after all, she reminded herself of the words she'd kept telling Christopher. "Ma," she said, in a low voice. "I can go with you, but I don't intend on moving back."

"Fine. We'll just go for a few days and see what happens."

Hannah looked over at her brother, and could tell he wasn't happy. But he still loved and respected his mother, so he kept his mouth shut.

"I think it's a good idea," Macks offered, surprising all of them.

Hannah blinked up at him. "You do?"

"Oh, yes. In fact, Rio, I think you should go too."

"Me?" he replied. "But I – " he stopped himself before he could say something he'd regret.

"You need to look after your mother."

"Chell's not even a day away."

"Even so."

"I think it would be nice, Rio," their mother said. "We'd be going as a family."

"I can let you off for two days," Macks said.

"Wait," Hannah said. "I still need to ask Christopher."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll let you go. It seems you've gotten really close. Picking flowers together."

She heard Rio tittering, even though she gave him a mean stare. "I'll ask him tomorrow."

"You do that." He turned back to their mother. "Mrs. Iver, apologies, but we have to call it a night."

"Oh, thank you for coming."

"Always a pleasure."

He didn't say a word to Hannah as he left with her brother. In fact, he didn't even look at her. For a few moments, Hannah stood there, puzzling over how he'd just acted. Was he ... jealous? Just because of some flowers? She slid her eyes to the bedside table, looking at the stalks sitting prettily in the water.

"You alright, Hannah?"

"Fine. Just tired."

"You always seem tired."

"Don't worry about me."

"I'm a mother. Of course I worry."

She smiled faintly, squeezing her mother's hand. "Well, I suppose they'll be chasing me out soon anyway, so I'm going to go turn in."

"Alright. You rest up, Hannah," she nodded. "You're going to need it soon."