I really have NO reason for being this late other than the fact that I am a procrastinating (haha, spelled right the first time!) lazy bastard. I am VERY VERY sorry. I luvs you! Please forgive!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own, cause if I did Iggy would get drunk MORE OFTEN!
We got back to the house in less than an hour. Anthony was actually cleaning, well sort of. I believe he had started out mopping the kitchen floor, but ended up dancing with the mop, singing this funny song. It was probably an old song, maybe from the Vietnam era, the sixties, which made me question.
How old are they really?
The thought hadn't crossed my mind before, but now that it had, it was nagging. At first glance they look perhaps twenty, late twenties maybe, but if when I look closer, I can see a few gray hairs mixed in with Adalric's golden hair and Anthony's rich brown hair. Their faces too, though hard to to tell, have wrinkles, just a few, but they're still there.
Suddenly I was taken from my thoughts when Anthony decided he needed a new dancing partner. I was swooped up in his arms, an arm around my waist, my legs around his, and his free hand grasping mine.
"And then while I'm away, I'll write home everyday! And I'll send all my loving to you. All my loving I will send to you, all my loving, darling I'll be true!"
We twirled around and he danced this way and that while I was just trying to hold on. At first I was too shocked to do much, but then I was smiling and laughing. For the first time in a long time, I was feeling quite joyous.
"Anthony, put him down! I think you may have knocked his poor head about too much!"
Laughing, Anthony complied and put me down. I swayed a bit, feeling a little dizzy from the dance we just had. When looked up at Adlric, I could tell he wasn't mad at Anthony, but still upset about what happened at the pasture. I wished the pasture would just go away.
"Ah, look who's feeling jealous. Come on, you can dance with me now!", Anthony said, cornering Adalric with a smile on his face.
"That's enough Anthony come now. We have work to do.", Adalric said, pushing Anthony away.
"Well you're no fun.", Anthony said, seeming defeated. But in my experience, I knew he wouldn't give up quite this easily, no. He was planning something.
"Well, since Arthur helped you with the fence this morning, he can help me with the house."
Adalric merely rolled his eyes and went back outside, the screen door slamming against the frame.
"So, Arthur, ready to get to work. Or do you want to have a snack first? I know children usually should eat snacks periodically throughout the day. I'm sure your no exception."
As said before, my mother had kept y brothers and me on a strict diet, which meant no snacks. I was going to say I was fine, but my stomach decided to betray me. I couldn't tell if it was a loud growl or a dull roar, but either way, we both heard it. Red crimson filled my cheeks as Anthony's laughter roared.
"I guess that answers it.", he said as he swung e up into a chair and then made his way to the fridge. He pulled out two apples. then he went to the cabinets and pulled out a jar of peanut butter and two plates. As he was slicing the apples, he talked to me.
"So, how was this morning's events after you two left?"
I was compelled to tell him about the words between Sadiq and Adalric, but kept silent. At the time it felt wrong for me to tell him. I would be right for Adalric to do.
"Not much.", I stated. "It was hot out and Julius got tired out after a bit, so we came back."
Anthony snorted.
"Oh that Julius, so high and mighty when he first comes out of his stall, but is tired out quickly in the end. He's a proud horse, so he won't let you know he's tired, but Adalric has learned to read the signs."
Anthony sat down with the two plates, placing one in front of himself and one in front of me. Each plate had apple slices and and peanut butter. The apples were green ones, a little tart, but the peanut butter helped even the taste out.
Anthony, of course, had more, because he was an adult, but I was fine with my share. I wasn't and have never been a big eater, so a small amount was just right for me. We ate in silence at first, that is until Anthony started up some conversation.
"So, Arthur, how have you enjoyed your stay here?"
I looked up at him, swallowed, and nodded.
"Yes, I quite like it here. You and Aldaric are both very nice."
Anthony let out a hearty laugh.
"Please boy, don't say it as if you rehearsed it."
My cheeks burned with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry.", I spoke, quietly.
The smile fell slowly from Adalric's face and he looked as though he had made a mistake.
"No, it's alright. I was just picking on you boy."
he was quiet for a moment and then spoke up again.
"You're mother was strict with you and your brothers, wasn't she? Your father too I bet, when he was home anyway."
I looked at him for a moment, a little shocked. How could he have known.
"Well, maybe, a little.", I said. "but how could you have known?"
"It was a bit easy.", Anthony admitted, a small smile gracing his face. "I just used this.", he said, pointing to his head.
I gave him a questioning look and his smile broadened.
"Adalric's been reading those Sherlock Holmes stories lately, so I decided to see what they were all about. Turns out they're really good. That Doyle guy really had something going. Anyways, I'm looking at things a lot differently now a bit more smartly. I know your parents were a bit strict because for one, you come from a high class, wealthy family, and that could go two ways. Either you and your brothers would be able to do whatever you please, or you would be a little restricted. Now, knowing you come from a high class English family means a leans a little more on the strict side. Another thing, you're really well behaved, which means you've probably grown up being taught to be well behaved. you don't ask for much, actually I don't think you've asked for anything at all, which means you've been taught not to maybe expect much or not to be greedy, you're quiet and really only speak when spoken to, so you've also probably been taught be seen and not heard."
He smiled. I laughed.
"You're very bad at this.", I giggled out. I couldn't help myself, he really was. But, I admired him for trying. He laughed too.
"Well, guess I couldn't expect much."
"No, no, sorry. It was rude for me to say that. You got a few points, but most were far fetched and could mean anything. Keep practicing, you'll get the hang of it."
We finished the apple snack talking about general things. It was nice. One of the things I liked about Anthony the most was the way he was so care free, the way the worlds problems didn't seem to get to him. I wish more people were like that.
"Salve Arthur, could I ask you a question?", Anthony asked when we had finished our meal and cleaned the plates. I nodded.
"You want to help me set up something for Adalric?"
"Sure.", I said.
"Great!", Anthony said, excited.
He picked me up, a thing I had grown accustomed to, and took me out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor. He put me down in the hallway. We were between the bathroom and a vanity. He scanned the ceiling and made a sound when he found what he was looking for. He reached his hand up to the ceiling, he was very tall so it was easy for him to do, and grasped at something. He pulled part of the ceiling down and a ladder came out.
"What is that?", I asked, looking up in the darkness of the secret room above us.
"Elementary, my dear Arthur. It's an attic."
Salve-Latin-Hey/Hello
Song used- All My Loving- by The Beatles
Is it sad that I didn't need any refernces for that song? Please R&R this procrastinator!
