I wrote the mock torture scene.  I felt about as guilty as Deirdre to do it, but I do give her credit for not resorting to the real thing.  I also wrote the scene with Kiril fetching water, and (in preparation for dreams to come) the Toulin scene.

But I dreamed of stepping painfully on a rock, and wondering what had become of my foot-gear.  So I had to write an explanation for what happened to the quality Llama-leather boots that Deirdre had before.  Especially since—confirmation—dreams about her after this point show her not having them.

Because walking gets painful for me without my orthotics, bare feet symbolize for me not getting proper support for my sole/soul.  It might mean something entirely different for somebody else, perhaps a positive message about being in touch with the earth.  Dreams are idiosyncratic things.

I nodded off in the middle of an art project, right before posting this, and witnessed Apollo and Courtney getting frisky, and then swift vignettes unfolding as they romance, marry, and became a longstanding husband and wife.  (I had been wrestling with some heavy-duty Shadow reconciliation and integration issues at the time.)  So, one more thing to weave into the tales to come!