Illyana woke with a start. No dreams, just unease. 

Two things were clear immediately: she was in her trailer, and her back was killing her. She had fallen asleep at her reading table, a book laying open in front of her, now with the addition of a large wet stain of drool. She looked down at it in disgust and disappointment, and slapped it closed. 

Despite her efforts, and her newly moistened page, she had learned nothing new or useful in helping her get to the bottom of her unease with Geralt. She hadn't completely finished her research, but it was unlikely that she would find anything at this point. She would just have to learn whatever she could from the man himself, although this was what she had been trying to avoid in the first place.

Suddenly, she noticed the shaft of light that beamed through her partially open window and started into a standing position. [color=598527]"Shit!"[/color] she exclaimed, and moved so quickly that she knocked over her chair. She threw the blanket she had been wearing off of her shoulders and went about changing as quickly as possible. She hated to be late. Usually, she was up at Dawn with the carnies, overseeing things or reading or doing chores, or getting Cora ready...she couldn't believe she'd slept in. Come to think of it, she wasn't even sure exactly when she fell asleep.

In any case, she needed to get moving. By the position of the sun in the sky, she guessed it was already nearing nine, which was unspeakable. She hurried herself getting dressed so she could get started for the day as soon as possible. She needed to be ready for when their new member arrived.

-------------------------------

Cora had been up all morning waiting for someone to come and get her. Every noise from the outside, every voice, every footfall or bump of her trailer excited her, but no one came. Finally, she had gotten fed up, slid out of her tank and dressed herself. It wasn't the hardest thing to do, and her clothes could stay wet for hours if she was out of the sun. 

For the rest of the morning, she busied herself with trying to read on her own. She could make out a lot of letters now, thanks to Illy's help, and was able to discern a few words. After a bit of this, she just ended up confusing herself, so she resigned herself to her favorite pasttime: drawing. Illy had taught her this as well, and found that the mermaid was quite good at it. She had a hard time with people's faces and land-dwelling creatures, but she was beautifully artistic at rendering the creatures and landscapes of her home. In fact, nearly her entire trailer had been covered with etchings and paintings, when they could get paint, of undersea life. It was her "pride and joy" as Lucien had called it.

She was detailing an eel, hiding away in the darkness of it's den, when finally a knock came at her door. She immediately responded by dropping the charcoal stick onto the floor and rolling toward the door to fling it open.

[color=00746b]"Finally!"[/color] She said, not caring who it had been that knocked. [color=00746b]"I've been up since dawn, you know."[/color] She said to Ivory, slightly perturbed that no one had come for her sooner. She wore her trademark pout, but it only served to make her lips fuller and her eyes even more sparkling.