Dog Days Are Over (Transy/Public)

Crina sat on one of many beds within the womens' cramped quarters while her mother dug through one of the small, wooden chests. A delightful tune was hummed lightly by the older woman, which the other found as a nice change from her previously horrified state.

She wasn't expecting her family to so readily accept her back in as if she had never left. She just arrived out of the blue hurt, dirty, sobbing... and they simply pulled her into their arms. Not too many questions were asked as to where she had been, what she had been doing, and why she couldn't stop crying either. They either felt she was too traumatized at the moment and they would eventually pry it out of her or they just didn't want to know. It seemed better to leave some things unsaid.

"I think this will fit,"

The Transylvanian's head snapped up at the sound of her native tongue, gazing up at the dress her mother held up. The floral pattern was faded,the dress looked a bit outdated, and seemed big (which was to be expected, her mother was much..bigger..than Crina... in curves, height, and weight which was never to be discussed.) but it seemed better than the robe she wore currently.

"It just needs a few stitches...But I will do that later, yes?"

Nicoleta was quick to navigate around the sea of beds to her oldest, handing her the old outfit and sitting turned from her as the girl changed. It was less for privacy, however, and more for not wanting to see her daughter's decorated legs once again; She had a heart attack the first time and was well on her way to another if she kept thinking about them. Nico waited for the sound of rustling fabric to cease before she looked back again.

She nearly choked.

The dress was unflattering. It failed to fall naturally with her curves (or lack of from the looks of it), covered well past her knees, and the top was extremely baggy from a failure to have certain, large 'assets'. She looked just like a child playing dress-up. And her expression wasn't helping in the least bit. "Mami...It's...a bit-"

Nicoleta let out a shriek of laughter and Crina shrank back in surprise. "It's not that funny.." The woman covered her mouth with one hand and held her finger up with the other, as if saying to give her a moment, until her laughter simmered to small giggles, several minutes later, repeatedly apologizing as she gasped desperately for breath.

"I-i..I might..haa..I might have another dress for...for-" With another quick glance, she broke into another fit of howling, clutching her sides this time and rocking forward. Crina tried to make sense of her mother as she shouted something about dying, aching sides, and a burlap sack.

"Please..." She couldn't help but crack a tiny smile at her mom's hysteria. "It's not funny. Calm down.."

She was happy to be back with her family, even if she had suddenly become a source of comedic gold for her own mother. Already, she was starting to forget about the sudden turn of terrible events that recently occurred.

If only she could forget more quickly.

(I DUNNO.)

Emiliana was too tired to say much when her sister had suddenly appeared out of the blue. And her sister seemed too upset to hear much. But things had quieted down, and once she'd met her pickpocketing quota for the day, she went back to the caravan to see if she was doing any better. At the time she didn't notice the burns-- it was too dark.

"Hey, Mami--" But they were the first thing she saw when she stepped back into the car. "....Crina?" She couldn't process what could have happened between then and now, or why? Not wanting to get too close, she stood by the door, looking confused. "What happened.... To your legs...?"

There didn't seem to be a fire anywhere around here. And her sister wasn't the type to just jump into fires. Could this have been the reason why she came back? "Where were you?"

Crina instinctively touched the bandages as they were questioned, her wounds killed. Her lips tugged to a frown.

"I was in a fire..."

Nicoleta's laughter ceased immediately; Crina could feel her mother's eyes on the back of her head.

"At Mistique." The news of the brothel fire apparently hadn't reached the ragtags yet, but it would soon enough. And then everyone would know she was a prostitute. The Transylvanian fidgeted uncomfortably. Anyone else she would have not minded knowing but if her family knew....Was this the same shame Dimitrie felt that made him lie about being a mayor's assistant?

"I was trying to help-" She blurted out. "-help put it out.."

"It was scary."