Chapter 2 Cleaning Up

Raoul keeps the children's agnostic beliefs to himself. A women cringes at the sight of the two messes. She takes the girl into a bathroom, and subjects her to a thorough cleaning.

"What's your name child?" The elderly woman with a hoarse accented voice scrubs her back.

"Saleah" The girl bites her bottom lip. She can't tell anything to these people.

"Who are your parents?"

"My . . .I don't know." She stammers quickly.

"An orphan eh? Who's that boy 'twas guarding you so?"

"My brother."

"A twin?"

"I don't know."

"I reckon so. Being you look so same." She tenderly rinses out Saleah's fine dark hair. "Aye, he has your face. Why does he grow his hair so long, like a gils?"

"I don't know." The woman dries off Saleah's hair. Her fragile thin body creeps into a robe.

"Dinner will be waiting in your room. Lord Raoul wants a word with you and your twin." She gestures to the door through which they came.

Her brother and Raoul wait for her. He sits on a plush sofa hungrily eating chicken and rice. Raoul faces opposite of them on a bed. She takes inventory of the dinner. A whole roasted chicken rests on a dish. Her brother tears the remaining leg off, holding it to her. She digs into a bowl of white rice mixed with small vegetables and egg pieces. Aromatic strips of juicy bacon wallow in oil. Sweet bread rolls pile in a small basket. Raoul shares their meal and drink of water and grape juice.

"Children, I want to help you. But you must trust me." The boy looks up from his meal warily.

"How can we trust you? We don't know anything about you."

"All right. I am Raoul of Goldenlake. Commander of The Kings Own. Loyal servant to King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. What are your names?" Because of her previous slip, Saleah keeps silent. Her brother looks straight into Raoul.

"Jaeck" After an approving nod, she says

"Saleah" Raoul nods.

"Jaeck and Saleah. You don't have parents do you?" His sympathizing tone invites them to answer. Saleah looks questioningly at her brother and says.

"We had Mayli and Sareth."

"Who are they?"

"They fed us. We came to their back door every night and they gave a little food." Little Saleah eyes lights up in remembrance. Jaeck continues for her

"Sareth was a very old man. He told us stories."

"One day he stopped answering the door." says Saleah. "Only Mayli came." She stops. After a silent moment, Jaeck says,

"And then she stopped coming too."

Agnostic ~ denies the existence of a god

Chapter 3 Perfect Morning

©Astri_Amaroq 2001