A strange slow bell like a dirge went off, drawing the people forward from far corners of the grand home towards the kitchen where wonderful smells emanated.
Elwin and the prince met back up in the hallway. Elwin felt as though he were coated in hundred year old dust, but Prin looked happy, his eyes had an almost feverish gleam. Dust be damned, he had seen a lot of books. Probably more books than he had ever imagined seeing all in one place. Of course, Elwin knew better then to underestimate his imagination.
Prin ran to Elwin and put his arms around him. “Hi.” He said breathlessly.
“Hi yourself.” Elwin hugged him back. He couldn’t help laughing softly. Prin’s enthusiasm was exciting.
“The-the library is so big.” Prin’s eyes met Elwin’s in a pointed manner, driving home the importance of his words. “Who knows what’s in there.”
“Books?” Elwin teased.
“Oh, I didn’t get any work done.” Prin admitted.
“I imagine not.” Elwin said, not particularly surprised by this admission, nor bothered by it.
The bell stopped after eight gong like sounds.
“But I—” Prin interrupted himself. “Do you think we’re supposed to go eat dinner with them? Or just go home?” He wondered.
“The captain did say meet in the kitchen at eight. I guess we’ll eat if it’s offered.” Elwin wasn’t sure if this was proper etiquette or not, but he knew they couldn’t afford to turn down free food. The memory of that pie from earlier lingered, making him wonder if the rest of the food would be its equal. Even if it was half as good it would be well worth sticking around for.
Just then someone else left the library, the door of which they had not yet strayed far from.
“Prin? What are you doing standing around for?” Someone said, in a serious, slightly annoyed tone. “Did you not hear the bell?”
The boy who stood there, startled Elwin. It wasn’t that he didn’t know there were (untold) numbers of people in the house that he had yet to meet, but the appearance of this boy was somewhat . . . unexpected.
He had a sailor suit on, all in monochromatic colorless fabrics, and carried a cane. He looked maybe twelve or thirteen, and not done growing yet, with a doll like face clearly resembling the rude girl who had locked the door on them when they first arrived. There was scarring around his eyes, as though he had been in a fight a while back with some kind of animal. And the eyes themselves had something not right about them. Too pale, and too searching in a random way but never focusing. His gaze roamed unseeing. Blind.
Ah, was this what the captain had meant when he said “too bad he can’t read them” about his son? Elwin had at the time let the comment slip right past him, assuming the son was too young, or just never properly learned. This was sadder.
The boy did not seem to be letting it slow him down, nor the two black cats that followed at his heels like witch’s familiars, or fairies in disguise from one of Prin’s fairy tale books they both grew up reading.
“We were just on our way there.” Prin said. “This is Valor.” He told Elwin. Turning back to the boy he seemed at a momentary loss for how to proceed, before recovering. “Standing beside me is Elwin, who came here with me to work for your father.”
“Ah, there are two of you.” Valor said, as though he should have known.
“Yes, we’re partners. In everything.” Prin said boldly. “A couple, do you know what I mean?”
Elwin felt his heart go soggy in his chest. He sometimes worried that this wasn’t how the prince felt, or at least not as much as he himself did, and it was nice to have it affirmed. Even though he wasn’t sure the need to announce it to this child.
The boy shrugged, a barely perceptible movement of his shoulders. “Can you read too?” He asked. “What are you good at?” His tone was impertinent and demanding.
Elwin supposed he was the little lord of the manner, and along with his sister, used to being in charge of what went on between these four walls. Or at least, able to throw his weight around when he wanted to.
“I can read.” Elwin said cautiously. “But I’m not as good at reading aloud as Prin is.” He smiled at the prince. “He does all the voices so well.”
“You have your own way about it that is very pleasing.” Prin said smiling at him warmly. “He’s read aloud to me many times when I was sick.”
“As far as what I’m good at? I’m not sure I’ve figured that out yet.” Elwin said. He was surprised to hear himself say this, but when he thought about it, it felt true. He hadn’t discovered what his best skills were yet, but he supposed on this journey with Prin, he was bound to find out.
The prince gave him wide surprised eyes. “Elwin is good at everything! He is only too modest, modest to a fault maybe.” He clasped Elwin’s hand in his.
Valor made a sour expression in their general direction, as though to say, do you have to be like this? Sickening. Then he started marching off in the direction of the kitchen with a sharp, hurry up, to urge them on.
Elwin and Prin exchanged a look, but followed him, they did after all know the value of a good meal, and hadn’t been paid yet.
The small table in the kitchen was crammed full of people when they arrived. Elwin thought it was a bit amusing to see the family who owned the house sitting in what was clearly meant to be a servant area, and forgoing most of the rooms of their house. It certainly wasn’t what he was used to back at the Vulture. Of course these people weren’t exactly royals and while monied certainly, they didn’t seem to hold a lot of formal manners.
The blonde girl, presumably Wrena, was sitting on the bench part of the seating. This time her yellow curls were in full glory and she was wearing a slightly scandalous low cut dress in a sea foam green color. Dru was sitting on one side of her and Captain Thompson on the other. The other side of the table had three chairs. Valor, who had arrived ahead of them, sat on one, his cane laying across his lap and the two cats under his chair lapping at gold enameled food dishes.
A young woman sat in one of the other three chairs, although she jumped up quickly when they entered and crossed to the other side of the kitchen. She was a meek looking thing with brownish hair covered by a plain white cap, and an apron on over her plain dress. She gave the two of them a look mildly akin to horror, and Elwin wondered what she was thinking, or who she was thinking they were that made her look like that.
Dru grinned at Elwin when they came in. “Find anything else good, chief?”
Elwin did not know how to respond, feeling vaguely embarrassed to have let her walk away with the daggers that belonged to Captain Thompson without putting up any kind of protest.
Wrena glared at the two of them, she had a face meant to glare and pout. Elwin could hardly picture what it would look like without a sour expression on it.
The spread of food on the sideboard was enough to make grown men weep. There were biscuits, roasted chicken coated with herbs and rich spices, yams with glazed nuts on top, and beans swimming in butter. There was also some bread pudding with a strong smell of cinnamon wafting up. Elwin swallowed quickly to keep from drooling.
Suddenly Mrs. Frances came up behind them with her arms wide, sweeping them toward the two now empty chairs. “Sit, boys, sit, I’m about to dish out the food.”
Elwin hesitated, making the realization that the remaining chairs were definitely for Mrs. Frances and her helper. “We can stand, I don’t want to put you out of your seats.” He said.
“Nonsense!” Captain Thompson pounded his fist on the table. “There are other chairs. Guests should sit down and shut up!” He was clearly hungry.
Elwin and Prin sat down, Prin in the chair beside Valor and Elwin on the other side of Prin.
“I have places to be.” Wrena grumped. “Can I just go?”
The captain patted his daughter’s cheek. “Plenty of time for dancing after you get your nourishment.”
“I’m not a child.” Wrena said, with the air of someone who had this argument many times before and was now just putting in the motions.
“Yes you are.” Her brother said, in that deadpan matter of fact way.
Dru slid out of the bench and stood up, stretching her arms way up over her head. “Welp, I better be going.” She went to the sideboard and helped herself to a biscuit, slathering it liberally with jam. “See you later, kids. Pops.” She nodded and smiled particularly to the captain and patted Valor on the head, as though he himself were one of the cats.
She disappeared through the kitchen door without waiting for any response or protest. The best way to do it.
“Dru, wait!” Wrena called a second to late. “Why does she get to leave the table without eating!?” She asked, outraged.
Mrs. Frances, and the young girl carried plates around and set them in front of the people who remained at the table. All the plates were similar to each other, except for Valor’s, which had only a small piece of chicken and extra bread pudding.
“Because she’s not my daughter.” Captain Thompson explained patiently, another argument retread again and again, by the sounds of it. “And she has been through so much in her short life. My sweetness, if we restrict her too tightly she will slip through our fingers and we may never see her again.” A melancholy note colored his boisterous voice.
Valor picked up the piece of chicken with his fork and sniffed it, frowning. “It is disgusting to eat the flesh of animals.” He said, putting it back down on his plate.
“You have to keep your strength up, lovey, meat is good for you.” Mrs. Frances said. “You are so pale. Furthermore, a little sun –”
“Take this off my plate.” Valor said.
“Druanna is my niece.” Captain Thompson addressed Prin and Elwin. “I only found out about her last year, having not seen my darling little sister since our youth when she ran off with some ruffian never to return. Unfortunately, my sister passed away when Dru was but a tiny thing and she has had a very rough and tumultuous upbringing ever since. So forgive her lack of manners.”
As odd as Elwin had found her, he didn’t think her manners were that much worse than those of the rest of the family. He glanced over at Prin, who appeared to be listening keenly while stuffing his face with food.
Elwin nodded for the captain to continue, if he had any more to say on the subject.
“Bringing her here to the bosom of our home was one of the best things I have ever done in my life.” Captain Thompson said. “Though she isn’t used to a lot of rules and regulations, so I don’t want to force them on her. Spent part of her youth at a terrible orphanage and part on the streets living by her wits.”
“She is a bad seed.” Valor said, continuing to stare sightlessly at his plate, awaiting the removal of the offending beast meat.
“Oh you’re a bad seed!” Wrena exclaimed. “And you know it. Spoiled garden snake!” She had been eating her meal well, but resorted to picking at her yams when her brother had begun to irritate her.
“Don’t speak like that, pet, he is your one and only loving brother.” Mrs. Frances said. She reluctantly speared the chicken with a fork and removed it from Valor’s plate.
“At least a garden snake is useful.” Valor said. “Unlike yourself.”
Wrena harumphed loudly.
“You see what I have to deal with in my own home!?” Captain Thompson said, between bites, not letting it ruin his appetite. “Dru is the only one who is easy to get along with!”
“He’s the only brother that I know about.” Wrena grumbled. “I would gladly trade him for a bastard mutt if one is available. Which I’m sure it is.”
“Alright, enough.” The captain said. “You may go.”
Wrena’s face immediately transformed into a smile, pulled from nowhere. She kissed her papa on the cheek. “Bye then!”
“Don’t stay out past midnight.” Captain Thompson said.
“It’s alright! I’ll be with Dru.” Wrena said dismissively. She grabbed a short fur cloak from a hook before running out the door.
“I forgot to introduce you.” Captain Thompson said. “Oh well.” He smiled sheepishly at Elwin and Prin.
“It’s alright.” Elwin said. He finished his food and was looking forward to getting out of the chaos so that he could think with a clear head. “We had better be going.” He said.
“Yes.” Prin said simply. He was looking a little tired, now that the library induced euphoria had faded and he had a full stomach.
“I’ll work out your pay schedule when I see you tomorrow. Say ten o clock? We are not early risers in this house.” The captain said.
“Speak for yourself!” Mrs. Frances said. “I am up with the sun, always have been.”
“Frances.” The captain shook his head. “Ten will be sufficient.”
“No. Prin isn’t leaving.” Valor said. “He will stay with me. The other one can do as he likes.”
A strange slow bell like a dirge went off, drawing the people forward from far corners of the grand home towards the kitchen where wonderful smells emanated.
Elwin and the prince met back up in the hallway. Elwin felt as though he were coated in hundred year old dust, but Prin looked happy, his eyes had an almost feverish gleam. Dust be damned, he had seen a lot of books. Probably more books than he had ever imagined seeing all in one place. Of course, Elwin knew better then to underestimate his imagination.
Prin ran to Elwin and put his arms around him. “Hi.” He said breathlessly.
“Hi yourself.” Elwin hugged him back. He couldn’t help laughing softly. Prin’s enthusiasm was exciting.
“The-the library is so big.” Prin’s eyes met Elwin’s in a pointed manner, driving home the importance of his words. “Who knows what’s in there.”
“Books?” Elwin teased.
“Oh, I didn’t get any work done.” Prin admitted.
“I imagine not.” Elwin said, not particularly surprised by this admission, nor bothered by it.
The bell stopped after eight gong like sounds.
“But I—” Prin interrupted himself. “Do you think we’re supposed to go eat dinner with them? Or just go home?” He wondered.
“The captain did say meet in the kitchen at eight. I guess we’ll eat if it’s offered.” Elwin wasn’t sure if this was proper etiquette or not, but he knew they couldn’t afford to turn down free food. The memory of that pie from earlier lingered, making him wonder if the rest of the food would be its equal. Even if it was half as good it would be well worth sticking around for.
Just then someone else left the library, the door of which they had not yet strayed far from.
“Prin? What are you doing standing around for?” Someone said, in a serious, slightly annoyed tone. “Did you not hear the bell?”
The boy who stood there, startled Elwin. It wasn’t that he didn’t know there were (untold) numbers of people in the house that he had yet to meet, but the appearance of this boy was somewhat . . . unexpected.
He had a sailor suit on, all in monochromatic colorless fabrics, and carried a cane. He looked maybe twelve or thirteen, and not done growing yet, with a doll like face clearly resembling the rude girl who had locked the door on them when they first arrived. There was scarring around his eyes, as though he had been in a fight a while back with some kind of animal. And the eyes themselves had something not right about them. Too pale, and too searching in a random way but never focusing. His gaze roamed unseeing. Blind.
Ah, was this what the captain had meant when he said “too bad he can’t read them” about his son? Elwin had at the time let the comment slip right past him, assuming the son was too young, or just never properly learned. This was sadder.
The boy did not seem to be letting it slow him down, nor the two black cats that followed at his heels like witch’s familiars, or fairies in disguise from one of Prin’s fairy tale books they both grew up reading.
“We were just on our way there.” Prin said. “This is Valor.” He told Elwin. Turning back to the boy he seemed at a momentary loss for how to proceed, before recovering. “Standing beside me is Elwin, who came here with me to work for your father.”
“Ah, there are two of you.” Valor said, as though he should have known.
“Yes, we’re partners. In everything.” Prin said boldly. “A couple, do you know what I mean?”
Elwin felt his heart go soggy in his chest. He sometimes worried that this wasn’t how the prince felt, or at least not as much as he himself did, and it was nice to have it affirmed. Even though he wasn’t sure the need to announce it to this child.
The boy shrugged, a barely perceptible movement of his shoulders. “Can you read too?” He asked. “What are you good at?” His tone was impertinent and demanding.
Elwin supposed he was the little lord of the manner, and along with his sister, used to being in charge of what went on between these four walls. Or at least, able to throw his weight around when he wanted to.
“I can read.” Elwin said cautiously. “But I’m not as good at reading aloud as Prin is.” He smiled at the prince. “He does all the voices so well.”
“You have your own way about it that is very pleasing.” Prin said smiling at him warmly. “He’s read aloud to me many times when I was sick.”
“As far as what I’m good at? I’m not sure I’ve figured that out yet.” Elwin said. He was surprised to hear himself say this, but when he thought about it, it felt true. He hadn’t discovered what his best skills were yet, but he supposed on this journey with Prin, he was bound to find out.
The prince gave him wide surprised eyes. “Elwin is good at everything! He is only too modest, modest to a fault maybe.” He clasped Elwin’s hand in his.
Valor made a sour expression in their general direction, as though to say, do you have to be like this? Sickening. Then he started marching off in the direction of the kitchen with a sharp, hurry up, to urge them on.
Elwin and Prin exchanged a look, but followed him, they did after all know the value of a good meal, and hadn’t been paid yet.
The small table in the kitchen was crammed full of people when they arrived. Elwin thought it was a bit amusing to see the family who owned the house sitting in what was clearly meant to be a servant area, and forgoing most of the rooms of their house. It certainly wasn’t what he was used to back at the Vulture. Of course these people weren’t exactly royals and while monied certainly, they didn’t seem to hold a lot of formal manners.
The blonde girl, presumably Wrena, was sitting on the bench part of the seating. This time her yellow curls were in full glory and she was wearing a slightly scandalous low cut dress in a sea foam green color. Dru was sitting on one side of her and Captain Thompson on the other. The other side of the table had three chairs. Valor, who had arrived ahead of them, sat on one, his cane laying across his lap and the two cats under his chair lapping at gold enameled food dishes.
A young woman sat in one of the other three chairs, although she jumped up quickly when they entered and crossed to the other side of the kitchen. She was a meek looking thing with brownish hair covered by a plain white cap, and an apron on over her plain dress. She gave the two of them a look mildly akin to horror, and Elwin wondered what she was thinking, or who she was thinking they were that made her look like that.
Dru grinned at Elwin when they came in. “Find anything else good, chief?”
Elwin did not know how to respond, feeling vaguely embarrassed to have let her walk away with the daggers that belonged to Captain Thompson without putting up any kind of protest.
Wrena glared at the two of them, she had a face meant to glare and pout. Elwin could hardly picture what it would look like without a sour expression on it.
The spread of food on the sideboard was enough to make grown men weep. There were biscuits, roasted chicken coated with herbs and rich spices, yams with glazed nuts on top, and beans swimming in butter. There was also some bread pudding with a strong smell of cinnamon wafting up. Elwin swallowed quickly to keep from drooling.
Suddenly Mrs. Frances came up behind them with her arms wide, sweeping them toward the two now empty chairs. “Sit, boys, sit, I’m about to dish out the food.”
Elwin hesitated, making the realization that the remaining chairs were definitely for Mrs. Frances and her helper. “We can stand, I don’t want to put you out of your seats.” He said.
“Nonsense!” Captain Thompson pounded his fist on the table. “There are other chairs. Guests should sit down and shut up!” He was clearly hungry.
Elwin and Prin sat down, Prin in the chair beside Valor and Elwin on the other side of Prin.
“I have places to be.” Wrena grumped. “Can I just go?”
The captain patted his daughter’s cheek. “Plenty of time for dancing after you get your nourishment.”
“I’m not a child.” Wrena said, with the air of someone who had this argument many times before and was now just putting in the motions.
“Yes you are.” Her brother said, in that deadpan matter of fact way.
Dru slid out of the bench and stood up, stretching her arms way up over her head. “Welp, I better be going.” She went to the sideboard and helped herself to a biscuit, slathering it liberally with jam. “See you later, kids. Pops.” She nodded and smiled particularly to the captain and patted Valor on the head, as though he himself were one of the cats.
She disappeared through the kitchen door without waiting for any response or protest. The best way to do it.
“Dru, wait!” Wrena called a second to late. “Why does she get to leave the table without eating!?” She asked, outraged.
Mrs. Frances, and the young girl carried plates around and set them in front of the people who remained at the table. All the plates were similar to each other, except for Valor’s, which had only a small piece of chicken and extra bread pudding.
“Because she’s not my daughter.” Captain Thompson explained patiently, another argument retread again and again, by the sounds of it. “And she has been through so much in her short life. My sweetness, if we restrict her too tightly she will slip through our fingers and we may never see her again.” A melancholy note colored his boisterous voice.
Valor picked up the piece of chicken with his fork and sniffed it, frowning. “It is disgusting to eat the flesh of animals.” He said, putting it back down on his plate.
“You have to keep your strength up, lovey, meat is good for you.” Mrs. Frances said. “You are so pale. Furthermore, a little sun –”
“Take this off my plate.” Valor said.
“Druanna is my niece.” Captain Thompson addressed Prin and Elwin. “I only found out about her last year, having not seen my darling little sister since our youth when she ran off with some ruffian never to return. Unfortunately, my sister passed away when Dru was but a tiny thing and she has had a very rough and tumultuous upbringing ever since. So forgive her lack of manners.”
As odd as Elwin had found her, he didn’t think her manners were that much worse than those of the rest of the family. He glanced over at Prin, who appeared to be listening keenly while stuffing his face with food.
Elwin nodded for the captain to continue, if he had any more to say on the subject.
“Bringing her here to the bosom of our home was one of the best things I have ever done in my life.” Captain Thompson said. “Though she isn’t used to a lot of rules and regulations, so I don’t want to force them on her. Spent part of her youth at a terrible orphanage and part on the streets living by her wits.”
“She is a bad seed.” Valor said, continuing to stare sightlessly at his plate, awaiting the removal of the offending beast meat.
“Oh you’re a bad seed!” Wrena exclaimed. “And you know it. Spoiled garden snake!” She had been eating her meal well, but resorted to picking at her yams when her brother had begun to irritate her.
“Don’t speak like that, pet, he is your one and only loving brother.” Mrs. Frances said. She reluctantly speared the chicken with a fork and removed it from Valor’s plate.
“At least a garden snake is useful.” Valor said. “Unlike yourself.”
Wrena harumphed loudly.
“You see what I have to deal with in my own home!?” Captain Thompson said, between bites, not letting it ruin his appetite. “Dru is the only one who is easy to get along with!”
“He’s the only brother that I know about.” Wrena grumbled. “I would gladly trade him for a bastard mutt if one is available. Which I’m sure it is.”
“Alright, enough.” The captain said. “You may go.”
Wrena’s face immediately transformed into a smile, pulled from nowhere. She kissed her papa on the cheek. “Bye then!”
“Don’t stay out past midnight.” Captain Thompson said.
“It’s alright! I’ll be with Dru.” Wrena said dismissively. She grabbed a short fur cloak from a hook before running out the door.
“I forgot to introduce you.” Captain Thompson said. “Oh well.” He smiled sheepishly at Elwin and Prin.
“It’s alright.” Elwin said. He finished his food and was looking forward to getting out of the chaos so that he could think with a clear head. “We had better be going.” He said.
“Yes.” Prin said simply. He was looking a little tired, now that the library induced euphoria had faded and he had a full stomach.
“I’ll work out your pay schedule when I see you tomorrow. Say ten o clock? We are not early risers in this house.” The captain said.
“Speak for yourself!” Mrs. Frances said. “I am up with the sun, always have been.”
“Frances.” The captain shook his head. “Ten will be sufficient.”
“No. Prin isn’t leaving.” Valor said. “He will stay with me. The other one can do as he likes.”
