Chapter Two

The Lady in the Carriage

"Stop." Commanded the woman. The driver pulled back the reins as a beautiful lady, dressed in pink silk, got out. She had golden hair and soft brown eyes. On her neck she wore a string of pearls, there was no doubt that she was wealthy.

"Milady, we really should be getting on. If we hope to reach home tomorrow we must leave…" But Kithella hushed him.

"I saw something…" She had sworn she had seen something move in the mud beside the road. She shook her head. It was probably just an animal, she thought. She was about to turn when It moved. "Geoffrey! Come here!" The driver rushed to her side.

"What is it Milady? Did you see any…" He stopped. "Goddess," he whispered, "It's a child."

Magnificent jewel that she was, Kithella of Linshart bent down in the mud and scooped up the starving girl. And without another word she got back in the carriage and Geoffrey, muttering under his breath followed.

* * * * *

"What do ye think happened to her?"

"Dunno, maybe she's a thief. Wouldn't surprise me, filthy little bugger ain't she?"

Aarana could hear voice around her. She peeked from underneath thick soft covers. Two women in aprons stood chatting folding linens. Aarana wondered where she was. She pretended to sleep until the maids left. Then she stood, and looked around.

She was in a large stone chamber with wall hangings everywhere. There was a small window with beautiful stained glass; a thick wooden door faced her. The cold floor was covered with an interesting rug in which a story was told in the weaving. The bed had a canopy and the mattress, pillows and blanket were all stuffed with soft down. There was a wardrobe in one corner and candles were everywhere to keep the large room bright when the sun had set.

As Aarana was taking all this in, she heard the door open. In walked Kithella, lovely as usual in a turquoise and silver dress.

"I was wondering when you get up, it's already eleven o'clock. You've been sleeping for days you know." Said Kithella kindly. Aarana did not understand why this woman did not beat her for sleeping in, but did not ask because she was too shy. Instead she gazed up at the woman with her big golden eyes.

"Oh! I am so sorry. How silly of me. I am Kithella of Linshart Manor. You can call me Kit,"

"Are you a princess?" Asked Aarana foolishly.

Kithella laughed, "Me? Goddess no! I can not imagine anything more dreadful!" She smiled and the young girl, but then sighed, "Will you tell me your name?" Kithella asked carefully.

The word Aarana came out in a whisper.

"It is a lovely name, what happened to you? We found you all alone in a ditch. You look half starved! Me must feed you, come." Before Aarana could answer the question, she was dragged along by Kithella, out the sturdy door, through a corrador, down a mahogany stair case and into a great dining hall where there lay plates of all sorts of delicious food.

Aarana had been changed into a nightgown that was too big for her and she tripped over it from her rush to get to the food. She fell, but it didn't matter, she was right back up and grabbing at handfuls of things and shoving them in all at once. After about five minutes it suddenly occured to her that this food might be for someone else. She looked around guiltily, but all she saw was Kithella trying to keep from laughing. This incouraged her and she dug in once more.

The rest of that day, Kithella had Aarana properly bathed and clothed. It took one hour to wash her and another two to comb Aarana's (what turned out to be golden-brown) hair. They ate another meal (this time Aarana did use utensils, even if the weren't the right ones) and then Aarana was taken to a different bed chamber than the one she woke up in.

"This one is much more grand," Kithella said, motioning toward the room, "And it's right next to mine."

Aarana walked slowly into the room, everything about it was enormous! She needed help getting up onto the bed. Kithella tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Aarana was fast to fall asleep, and Kithella quietly left the room. And for the first time since she had ledf home, Aarana did not have the Nightmare.