Temujai Kidnappers
The feast was still ongoing when she arrived. A small slave girl burnt and scratched arrived.
"Help! Please help us!" she said
"Girl what is the meaning of this?" said Gundar whom had just started a speech.
"Ho now Gundar we can listen to your clam story some other time." I said "Continue."
"Our settlement was attacked by horsemen they burned everything. My mother hid me in the wine cellar until it was over." She stopped and started crying. Immediately Evanlyn jumped the table and ran to her. She called out before taking her away.
"Send someone with food and drink." I moved to bring them up, but Halt knew me better. Instead sending a servant girl to deal with it.
"Don't. Women hate it when their interrupted." I sat down somewhat reluctantly. Although I have to say I was somewhat content I didn't want to miss the feast and who knows how long Evanlyn would need me.
"Gundar pass the pork!" I shouted. Knowing full well how I will feel after this.
I rushed the girl into my room. Her eyes where blotched and dirty and a long scar ran up her arm.
"Now." I said "Tell me what happened." She nodded and began speaking.
"I was working in the house washing dishes when my master and his sons came rushing in. They grabbed their axes from the wall. Then. Then I heard Rudolf shouting from the wall."
"Who is Rudolf?"
"He and another boy are brothers, they were bought when we shipped out of Hallasholm." Anger welled up inside me. I had been in the slave ring for awhile before Erak rescued us. I knew that Erak had made it less of a bad thing, but that didn't make it a good thing. "Rudolf was on top of the fence trying to stall our master from closing the gate. Then I heard Rudolf jump off the fence and then gate shut. My mother came running in. She pulled me to the wine cellar. 'Go down and wait until I come get you.'" She burst into tears. "She's never coming back is she?" I cradled her small body rocking her back and forth. I bit my lip holding back the tears.
"No no sweetie she'll come she'll come."
"No she won't I heard them I heard what they did to everyone. I know their gone."
"Be strong be strong." I whispered. She sobbed away the dirt from her face and hands.
"Why did they do that to my mommy?" She asked "Why did they hurt her."
"Because people are cruel and they have no heart left to bear their own hurt." It was all I could say. What else do you say? After a few minutes more of crying she absolved herself.
"They burned the compound and killed all of the animals. I saw their bodies." This little girl couldn't have been more than five or three even though she had so much to grieve for and so little to hope for. I wonder if she will ever reconcile. She sighed and lied down closing her eyes.
"Miss." Came a voice "I brought some food." I turned from the girl to see a woman holding a bowl and mug.
"Set them down on the table." I whispered pulling up the blankets. "She sleeps."
"Oh." She said "Maria!" She rushed to the side of the bed and grabbed her hand. "Oh my Maria." She turned now noticing my presence again. "Oh miss I-I am sorry." She rose to leave.
"No no stay I need to know more please tell me." She had already backed out to the door. Biting her lip.
"She's my niece. I used to care for her while her mother worked. I was a nursemaid for a Skandian official's child so I had plenty of free time. Then their master's family along with three others left for the west, hoping to establish a community."
"When was this?"
"About three years ago." Said the woman smiling upon Maria's face. "She was barely more than two and I can still remember her running along the halls in nothing but a wrapping." I smiled quietly memories of myself doing the same thing came back. "She had the cutest little smile. Always so giddy."
"I am afraid that won't be the little girl to wake up." The woman looked at me quizzically.
"What do you mean?"
"She's been through a lot. I fear she won't be that same girl when she awakens."
"No what do you mean? What happened?"
"It would be better if she told you. I can take over for you until you return."
"Are you sure miss?"
"Do me a favor and never call me miss."
I walked out heading for the dining hall. The kitchen staff will be quite surprised when I show up. A guest privately raiding the cabinets sure, but a guest working with the kitchen staff ,humph, unthinkable! The chef was quite frazzled having a guest serve in the kitchens and even when I explained the situation to him he still didn't quite understand. I finally got him to load me up though after several attempts to give me cake platters. Will called me over. His face showed how he planned to tease me.
"Need help princess?" he asked smirking
"Wipe that smirk off your face and help me with these." Will only laughed. "Well I can always get Horace to do it." Will was already running for the kitchen.
"That's not something you see every day." Said Halt grabbing a slice of pork from a platter. "So what did happen?" I relayed everything to Halt and again to Erak when he wandered over to escape Gundars speech.
"So do you believe her?" Was Halts answer.
"Do we really need to do this." I said "That poor girl has run for who knows how long and already has enough to worry her without you guys interrogating her!" Halt smiled.
"Well than we'd better get moving."
