She worked in the roof gardens and tended Arnimer, the son born months after the Burning. She taught all the Placehold children. She worked with the other women, and she was respectful to Freethspat; but except to go to Peacegiven Square on Mother’s Day, she never left the Placehold, and she never spoke to men, visitors, or single Placeholders, except for Whandall. She treated Whandall like Wanshig’s little brother. Even wine hadn’t tempted her. Presently even Whandall thought of her as a sister. Whandall was dressing. Presently he would go to the meetinghouse to drink tea with Pelzed, carry out any errand Pelzed might have, watch how power was used… Elriss came shouting to his door. “Wanshig is back!” she cried. “I see him! He’s coming up the street.” And moments later Wanshig was there. He looked older, thinner, and a great deal stronger. Whandall had only moments to greet him before Elriss swept him into the room she had held from before he left. She showed him her son.
