The more Lirssa thought about it, and really it wasn't that long, the more she was certain she did not want to go downstairs. At least, not by the usual method. With a wiggle of thrill, she changed out of her long skirt and into the split skirt that certainly would help in the climbing ahead of her.

Peeking out of her door, no servant was in sight, she crept down the hallway. Leaning over the railing, she took a moment to listen downstairs. The distinct clink of silverware and the softer hoggy sounds of Jasper pleasured by the break fast revealed nothing amiss yet. They must have gotten used to her being late to meals. It was, she admitted, a small defiance. Nothing like she was going to do that morning.

With that thought, she set to her bit of rebelliousness via the window to the back iron stairway. It creaked a little under her weight, singing like a disturbed donkey her irritating presence. With more care, she decided to use more the bricks of the house to climb down and once on the back stair, gave up the idea of pilfering her own breakfast from the kitchen. She would pick something up later. Likely Mrs. June would have something at High Spires House. That was to be her first stop.

Little of the house seemed to have changed in her weeks of absence, and her note must have reached them that she was back in town for none of the children seemed overly surprised at her appearing in the garden to help them. "Did you hear, Lirssa?" Liam began first though be sheer vocal ability overpowered the other children who were chattering like chickens about her.

"Can't rightly hear much now. What's the tizzy?" She frowned about at the wide eyed, excited faces.

"Val's saying Mrs. Smith's been doin" awful bad. Your tutor had to help her home one night, and he said she's been weak like a spring lamb." Liam continued.

Scoffing, Lirssa turned her nose up at the news, which certainly surprised the children. "I wouldn't believe everythin" that Valentine says. Rumor like that went about before, and she wasn't any more bad off than she's ever been before." Lirssa was not going to fall for that ruse again, she was determined on that account.

"But Lirssa-" Anasta was stunned and shamefaced, cornflower eyes curtained by black hair kept shaggy and long to conceal daintily furled ears of her elven heritage.

"But nothing," Lirssa interrupted. "You got any other news?"

The chatter turned to every day things: the plants on the garden, lessons, how many inches Ruth had grown since Lirssa last saw her. It wasn't until a rumble in her stomach reminded Lirssa she hadn't had food yet that Lirssa went up to the house.

Mrs. June's greeting was tumbled up with a big, warm lilac hug and a smile. With a spread of jam on a biscuit Lirssa's stomach grumbles were silenced. "Your note gave us all a sad turn, Lirssa." Mrs. June was fishing for information. Lirssa could tell by the way her words sounded like they had more to follow after but were held back.

"Yeah, well, it's done now. Thanks for the biscuit, Mrs. June. I best be on my way. Stuff to do, ya know."

Lirssa did not wait, but pressed a kiss to the lady's flour sprinkled cheek and dashed back outside to make her farewells to the kids before she headed on her way, likely the Market Square, see if she could nose about and find another kid that needed help. Or maybe she'd head over to the Inn, though she didn't much like that idea when she knew about now the Trio had found she gave them the slip.

When she returned to the back garden, none of the children were to be seen, but she could hear them. Following the sound around to the front, all the children were pressed against the gates, calling out towards someone. The street in front of High Spires was not terribly busy during the daytime, except when folks were going to or from work at the start of the day, at meal time, and in the evening. It was none of those times, so the fact there were so many horses, people, carts, and cars " odd magicked things that often broke down in the erratic temperament that was the West End " was just all sorts of weird.

"What's going on?" Lirssa asked Liam as she joined them to try and get a look.

"Don't rightly know. Lotsa folks coming and going up and down this road today."

Ruth chittered from up the line of kids, "I bet one of the roads changed up again. It'll be right by tomorrow."

"How do you know?" Caitir called from the opposite side. "High Spires is on the edge of West End, not in it."

"She don't," Liam huffed and nodded. ?"Course she don't, but makes right sense." With his own curiosity satisfied, he turned a crooked grin to Lirssa. "We're headin" to the swimmin" hole down to the glen. Mrs. June said we could once we were done with chores today. Wanna come?"

Lirssa looked at the people that crossed one way and then another, heedless it seemed of what they passed by being different from the place they used before. She wondered what had changed and where, and yet, swimming at the glen " she hadn't done that in months and months. It was said dragons had caves about that place, and she looked over the heads of the children all running back to the house to get their things for swimming and considered if it might not be best to go along " protection of sorts.

Then again, there were other places to visit that day, particularly Market Square and see what news about town she could get. Time was not much of a friend to her anymore. Instead of its happy humming in her head, it was like a constant tapping on her shoulder. Someone was watching her. She turned about to try and find the source, but no one paid any attention to the girl behind the foster house gates turning in a slow circle, green eyes narrowed. Her hand rubbed at the back of her neck to try and get rid of the feeling that someone's hand was about to grab hold of her.

A) Should Lirssa go with the children to the glen B) Try to find out why there are so many people on the road by High Spires C) Go about her own plans for the day, next stop Market Square