Many thanks to TanithAeyrs for her help with the translation. And: Yay! I've got the first review for my English story. Thank you very much. I appreciate your kind words. :) I will upload some more chapters today.

2.5 Hunger

Once again Zevran must avail himself of his herb collection to endure the coming days. He decided for Ephidra, because it not only helped against fatigue, but also against hunger. Hunger - that made him mad. He wished so much to gain some weight, instead he became even thinner. He got his meals regularly, but they were scanty, such as the meals for a kitchen boy usually looked like. His work required a lot more energy than the few pieces of bread and a few stolen bites in between could give him.

While serving lunch, he could not prevent a stomach growl, and he could only hope that nobody of the gentry has noticed it. The daughter, Signorina Martha, ordered a second helping. This was not unusual and Zevran hastened to comply with her wish. When he served the meal with a bow, the daughter raised her head and spoke to her parents:

"Father, Mother, I would like to finish the meal in my room. If you allow ..."

The father looked surprised, the mother quizzical. When she saw the eyes of her daughter, she thought she understood, smiled at her husband and laid a hand on his forearm.

"Beloved husband, what does it matter. Let us meet her modest desire, she is such a sweet girl."

The father grumbled briefly, but then he nodded. The daughter turned to Zevran: "Bring me the food to my room, please."

Zevran bowed "As you wish, Signorina" and followed the girl down the hall.

The girl closed the door behind her and pointed to the table in the left corner. It was a small round table of dark wood with four elegant chairs, in the middle stood a vase of magnolias. He put the plate on the table, stepped back and bowed in her direction. But she shook her head, her rosy face became totally red:

"No," she said softly, "this is for you. You're hungry, right?"

Zevran looked at her incredulously "For me?"

She nodded.

He smiled kindly at her, bowed, "Oh, thank you." Then he ate the sumptuous meal, trying not to swallow too much. It tasted so good.

The girl slowly came closer, until she stood behind him. Shyly, she stretched out her right hand and touched his hair. Zevran turned and looked into an embarrassed, bright red face. He smiled:

"This was pleasant, Signorina."

"It ... did not disturb you?"

Zevran chuckled softly, "But why should it bother me if such a charming girl touches my hair?"

She looked to the ground. Her embarrassment had something touching. Zevran stood up and took the right hand of the girl in his left, and started to stroke her palm gently with his thumb. The girl raised her small, pale blue eyes and looked in disbelief Zevran's smiling face.

"I'm not charming." She whispered.

"Who says that?" Zevran replied, smiling, just as quietly. He did not release the girl's hand, he put his other hand under her double chin and stroked with his thumb over her hot, red cheek. Then he sighed:

"I have to back into the kitchen. The cook will beat me unless I'm there soon."

The girl broke away from his touch, went with perky steps to her bed, and pealed the bell that hung there at the wall. Sabine appeared in the doorway and curtsied "Mademoiselle?"

"Sabine, please give notice in the kitchen, that I need the scullion for my own this afternoon."

"Very well, Mademoiselle." Sabine curtsied again and disappeared. Martha turned to Zevran and smiled at him, "You have not finished eating yet."