"So how does it feel?  Dropping from one of the most established families to having to wipe my sister's ass for a living?  What about your brother's and sister's?  Living it up in a mansion they actually own, with servants they own too.  Rolling in cash.  Must drive you mad, ey?"  Thad's head was stuck way out, tempting the butler to swing at him.  Rose rolled her eyes as she silently watched from the sidelines, idly sipping at a drink.  Thad had been hounding Theo all night long, trying to bait him and everyone in the family knew it.  It was sort of a ritual of Thad's, to haze the new help whenever he met them at the family gathering.  The families' attention shifted to Theo who's expression hadn't changed still.

"Mm, very astute sir.  Shall I refresh your drink?"

Thad squinted at him, studying his features for a moment before draining the rest of his glass and marching away to gloom by the window.  Rose could tell he was upset, having lost his little game, and she loved it.

"Oh Theo, dear, I think we're ready to start with the sandwhiches.  Why don't you go fetch them?"

Theo gave a slight bow to her and walked out to fetch the requested food.

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

Finn's ears perked up as a light tapping at his window drew his attention.  He sighed and carefully bookmarked the page of Plant Monthly he was on before pulling a chair over and sitting down.  He unlatched the window and pulled it up slightly, just enough for the nurse on the outside to stick their fingers under and pull it the rest of the way up.  She was weird like that, preferring to open the window fully herself before their session.

Finn had learned the little rituals after many repeated visits from the nurse.  Let her open the window, no sharp objects could be present in the room, bedroom door must remain closed at all times, no medicine without consulting her first.  She always got a little weird... agitated, if he broke any of her rules.  Otherwise she was surprisingly pleasent to be around.  She liked listening to him talk about his plants, which was nice.

"Hello Fern, how are you today?"  His name was Fern when she was around.

"I'm doing alright, thank you."  Always refer to her as Head Nurse Marie, or just Head Nurse.  Never just Marie and especially not Nurse.  "How are you, Head Nurse Marie?"

She smiled sweetly back at him.  "I'm alright dear.  Now, I believe last time you wanted to tell me about some new seeds you had planted?  How are they coming along?"

As strange as this had been at first, and sometimes scary, Finn had grown to look forward to these visits.  He proudly displayed a small pot with some green shoots sticking up from the soil.  Marie gasped, and clapped her hands together.

"Oh!  You are so talented!"  She reached through the window and pat his hand gently.  "You are doing very, very good work!  Now, would you like to tell me about how you've been feeling lately?  Oh, and please tell me more about what you've been growing."

She produced a note pad and pen, scribbling notes as he talked.

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