Chapter 2
Vena's POV:
I raced back to our room, my heart thudding in my chest, with Sheni on my hip. I opened the door, then slammed it shut, fumbling with the lock. I slid to the ground, tears in my eyes as I recalled how my heart had fluttered over the strangers handsome appearance. No! I screamed silently. No! Men are evil and mean and cruel and take advantage of people. No! (You may be able to tell she has trust issues)at this last I slammed my hand on the floor.
Sheni crawled towards her Ma and gave me a hug, wondering why I was acting so strange. "Ma, what's wrong?" she asked, confused.
"Nothing baby, nothing." I answered my voice quavering slightly. I got back up and pulled Sheni to her feet.
"Come on." I said as I opened the door. We went back down to the level where I had dropped all the laundry and, seeing no one there, I picked up the laundry and hurried down to the washers, whom I handed the sheets.
Then, job done, we went back upstairs and into the mess hall, where we ate an early dinner, which was a hearty stew, crusty rolls and water. After dinner we helped wash our dishes before going back up to the room, where we dressed for bed and said our prayers. I tucked Sheni into bed with a night time story of how my father had taught me to use the Kiilawne (pronounced key-lawn), a weapon favored by the village people of Anril, my home country. Sheni laughed when I told how my first attempts had created havoc with the Uigso, the spirits of light who live in the air.
I watched as her eyelids slowly fluttered shut. "I love you." I murmured softly as I kissed her midnight black hair. She stirred slightly as I tucked her in and I smiled as she muttered something that was incoherent. I dressed in my own nightgown, a thin, roughly made cotton garment. I crawled into bed as my own eyes started to shut, and I fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.
Rikash's POV:
I searched for my very elusive Father long and hard before someone (a librarian who knew my father well) was kind enough to inform me that he had gone to Pirate's Swoop to help my mother bring back my very energetic younger siblings. I sighed and decided to go talk to the head female servant, a woman by the name of Loraine.
"Hello Loraine." I greeted her casually, I had known her since I was a small child, being as I had always been curious. "Hello Rikash." She said tiredly. I studied her and noticed that she had grown some white hairs in her auburn locks, and she had bags under her eyes.
"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned. "I'm fine, I'm just having trouble with a couple of young men you aren't very nice to the serving maids." She replied.
"Um, Loraine, would you happen to know of a young serving woman, about 5 inches shorter than me? She has black hair, really pale skin, and distinctive silver eyes. Also, she has a little girl with her that looks almost exactly like her but with tan skin. Do you know her?" I asked, all without taking a breath.
"Yeah, that musta been Vena." She said. I gave her a look with my eyebrows raised, and she laughed.
"I forgot I was talking to Mr. Curious." She remarked before continuing.
"Vena Silvereyes. She came to work about 5 months ago, the little girl is her daughter." At this I gave a start, but didn't interrupt. "Nobody knows her story, but its said that she comes from past the Roof of the World." Loraine finished "Mind, she's pale enough." She added, chuckling.
"Would you happen to know what room she stays in?" I asked. Loraine gave me a strange look before warning,
"I trust you with this information Mr. Salmalin; don't let my trust be mislaid." She gave me another strange look, and the she said "She's in room 103 on the 2nd floor." Wondering what she had meant by that, I said "Thanks Loraine, I'll see you later. Good-bye." And I left, trying to figure out what I would say to her once she had opened the door, that was, I was assuming she would.
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Vena's POV:
I grinned as Sheni and I played together. We had both woken up in the morning, refreshed. Today was Sunday, which meant is was the one day that we didn't have to work. I turned my attention back to the dolls that we were playing with.
"This is Dorothy." I said, holding the doll with red yarn hair.
"This is Anne." Sheni said, holding the doll with brown yarn hair.
"Nice to meet you." Said Dorothy
"Nice to meet ya." Said Anne
"I said it first."
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
The dolls started hitting each other, causing giggles from Sheni and I. The giggles were abruptly stopped by a knock on the door.
No One's POV:
Vena stared at the door, then got up with Sheni and walked over, forgetting that all she wore was a nightgown above a loincloth and breast band. Rikash, on the other side of the door, hoped that this was the right one. It suddenly swung open to show Vena in a thin white garment holding the hand of a little girl.
Rikash blushed when he saw all she wore was a nightgown. Vena, wondering at the cause of the blush, looked down and felt her cheeks grow warm as she too turned scarlet. Sheni meanwhile decided to introduce herself. She popped out from behind Vena, startling Rikash.
"Hi!" she said in her high voice, not caring that he was a total stranger, only knowing him as the guy who saved her Ma on the stairs.
"I'm Shenilya. But mostly people call me Sheni, though Ma says my name is beautiful." She continued, before ducking her head in embarrassment, Ma always said not to ramble.
"My name is Rikash." He told Sheni. Vena listened to his voice, it was nice and warm, about medium in tone.
"Milord, what brings you to my room?" Vena asked him in her best servant's voice, curtsying slightly.
"I just wanted to check on you and see if you were ok after your flight on the steps." He replied with an easy grin.
"Well, yes, I'm fine, thank you very much Milord. By your leave Milord." She said quickly, before pulling Sheni back into the room and shutting the door in his face, leaving him staring blankly at the wooden surface before he shook his head and walked away.
Vena's POV:
I sighed in relief as I heard his footsteps retreating down the hall, and then I turned back to Sheni.
"Sheni, put your dolls away, we're going to go to the baths." I announced, which produced much glee with the 4 year old, she loved baths. I made the bed before I gathered up our clothes and we made our way to the servant's baths, which was only two doors down from ours.
As we entered the room, we were buffeted by the warm steam that had risen from the hot water. I set our clothes down on one of the numerous little stools before I took of Sheni's nightgown. I put her in a small tub and washed her up quickly with the little bar of cheap soap with was all that the servants were allowed to use, unless they bought their own.
Then, leaving her to play, I stepped into the rapidly cooling water. I quickly washed up and rinsed the dirt from my hair before I got out and dried off with a scrap of a towel. I then got dressed into one of my own dresses, which was by far better than the one's issued as this one was made for me and actually fit.
The dress was cotton, but thick for the weather at the moment. It was a silver color, to match my eyes, and it was embroidered with black thread that shaped little crescent moons. Then, after brushing my hair and braiding it and putting it back up, I took Sheni out of her tub and dried her off with a towel that was better than mine.
Her teeth were chattering as I started to dress her, and I was grateful for the warm steam. I quickly tugged a blue dress over Sheni's head and brushed her long hair before braiding it into two tails. Then I put her stockings and shoes on and we gathered up our dirty clothes before returning to our room.
Being as I was carrying the load and it was blocking my vision; it was Sheni who brought my attention to the gift that lay at my door. But, not knowing what it was at first, I replied;
"One moment honey, I'll be right there." As I managed to get the key in the lock and open the door. I walked in and Sheni followed, holding something in her hand. I set down the laundry, and turned my attention to the gift. I gasped, it was a pair of shoes in my size, and along with them was note. I saw that it was written in Common, so I read;
Hello Vena,
I noticed that you didn't wear any shoes,
so I went to Loraine, and she kindly agreed to leave you a pair.
I hope you like them,
and I hope you don't slip down anymore stairs.
Rikash
I stared at the note, wondering why he would do something like that. Then I put on the shoes, and found that they fit perfectly. I smiled You'll have to tell him thank you eventually. I reminded myself.
"Come on Sheni, we're going to go see if they have any food at the market." I called to my daughter, who had gone to play with her dolls as soon as I had taken the shoes from her hands.
"Coming Ma." She said, and gently set them down before catching up to me. We went out the door and locked it behind us as we walked out of the hallway, on our way to the market, both of us in our shoes, tapping along.
Rikash's POV:
I hope she'll like the shoes. I worried silently as I absently looked around my rooms. I was about to go and see where Sarra was when I realized that I was down to my last suitable shirt. I sighed, I guess I would have to go see Lalassa ( Is that how you spell it?) and get some new one. I left and made my way down to the market, not really paying attention to anybody.
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This is a weapon that only the people in Anril use. It is a length of rope that has 2 long metal blades welded on. They fight using slashes as the end of the rope is wrapped around their hands. It is a very dangerous weapon, though you have to be close to your enemy to use it.
So, how do you like it? Please Review.
Vena