The Chicken Reform

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Chapter 3 - Offer in the Baking

Liam sighed and turned his eyes skywards before reaching down a helping hand to Killian. His little brother seemed to be in quite the day dream this morning. He had already fallen on his face three times after tripping over two rocks and a tree root and they still hadn't reached the village.

"Killian, what has gotten into you? Can you not see you where you're going?" Liam put his arm over his brother's shoulder and took to directing him around any potential obstacles that could be tripped over, fallen on or walked into.

"Sorry," was all Killian said as he bit his bottom lip. He didn't want to explain that a whole day later he was still dazzled by his serendipitous encounter. That he, Killian Jones, abandoned, shipwrecked, poor as dirt, coal boy, had truly been in the presence of actual royalty.

And they'd been kind to him! It really was quite the event for one small boy to take in.

"Hard work awaits, brother. You need your wits about you in the mine. I can't watch you every second," Liam admonished. He saw Killian scratch behind his ear. Something he did when he was agitated or embarrassed. "It's alright. Just get your head out of the clouds." Liam stopped them both and turned his brother to face him. "I'm very proud of you. I feel bad that I have to let you go down in that mine. You work hard and you don't complain but I know how much you hate it. We'll keep looking for other work. Something safer. You're all I have left, Killian," Liam's voice broke slightly on his brother's name. "I'd give my life to keep you from harm."

Killian ducked his head to keep from looking into Liam's eyes which he knew would be uncharacteristically shiny. His brother was rarely given to sentiment, usually showing his regard by thumping his little brother's arm or a gentle ruffle of Killian's hair. Both boys were feeling a bit fragile. The life threatening events of the shipwreck and, being perpetually exhausted from work that was too strenuous for their immature frames, catching up with them. They were just too young to cope with all that life had thrown at them in their short lives, but they still had each other and together they made a formidable team.

They made their way to the village and purchased a scant breakfast of a slice of bread and a boiled egg to be washed down with the weakest of tea. They ate in companionable silence. Killian's gaze gravitated to the bakery across the square where he found Granny Lucas was looking intently back at him. He gulped and dropped his eyes to his breakfast immediately, feeling very uncomfortable under such close scrutiny. Liam had observed his brother's odd behavior and looked up to see what had disturbed him. He saw the owner of the bakery heading towards them and he wondered what Killian could possibly have done to warrant such attention.

Granny had been keeping an eye out for the two boys since sunrise. When she saw them enter the square, she refrained from immediately approaching them in favor of observing them first. The older boy was nearly a full head taller than his brother. He had dark curly hair, a strong jaw and blue eyes, slightly lighter in shade than his sibling. Just like his brother, he was very thin, but his height and broad shoulders foretold of the solid frame he would have at maturity, provided he received enough sustenance in his growing years. The boys were close, that much was clear. The older boy had a protective arm about his brother and the younger's blue eyes were filled with love and pride as he listened intently to what his brother was telling him.

Granny had the uncharacteristic maternal urge to grab them both up in a tight hug.

She clucked her tongue and shook her head, affronted at the meager meal the boys purchased from Mrs. Beale's stall. Granny considered a slice of bread and a boiled egg to be a woefully inadequate breakfast to fuel the sort of work she knew they would undertake in the mine. It also didn't escape her sharp eyes that neither one carried nor bought anything that looked like lunch.

'Well, that just won't do,' Granny decided. Trying to look as non-threatening as possible, quite the challenge for her, she approached the boys. The younger one's eyes went very wide and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there when he realised she was coming towards them. Granny would not be deterred, though, especially as she was following a royal command. Snow was interested in the story behind the boys and it fell to Granny to obtain the details and report them to the Queen.

"Morning, boys," Granny greeted them.

Liam seemed slightly suspicious that she had come up to them but always erred on the side of good manners, so he gave her a quick bow.

"Good morning, Milady," Liam responded, cautiously. He stepped in front of Killian, ever the protective older brother.

"Milady?" Granny, almost snorted. "Most all folks here call me Granny. I guess you two are new in town? I know pretty much all the young'uns here," Granny said. She took off her glasses and gave them a polish, fully aware the action made her appear slightly distracted. It made the boys feel a little less on guard.

"Can't help but notice that you two have yet to sample the fare at my bakery. Finest cake in the kingdom, so I'm told," she said, not at all shy about the claim. She knew her worth, after all. "Even attracts royalty," she said with a pointed glance at Killian over his brother's shoulder. Liam was going to interrogate Killian about that look, later.

"You two got names?" Granny asked.

"Liam Jones, and my brother, Killian," Liam said, and bowed again with Killian scrambling to his feet to follow suit.

"Well, Master Liam, you've got better manners than most. Your parents must be very proud?" She asked, knowing it was obvious the question was a ploy to pry but felt she could push a little.

"Alas, we have just ourselves, Milady, but I am proud of my brother. He is a fine young man," Liam said as he clapped Killian on the back. The attention resulted in a Killian's pale skin flushing bright red. Granny bit back a smirk as Liam was still very much a young man, himself, despite his fine manners and solicitous attitude.

"I'm guessing from the half of the coal in the kingdom that you're wearing on your clothes that you've been working in the mine?" She asked.

"Nothing wrong with it. It's honest work," Liam said, drawing himself up to his full height. He was worried, now. The foreman had warned them they were over young to work in the mine. If this woman made trouble about their ages they could lose what chance they had to feed themselves.

"Settle down, lad. I'm not faulting you for it, but," she gestured for Liam to come a little away from Killian so she could speak quietly to him. "But you got to know that mine is no safe place for either of you? Maybe I can help with that."

"What you say is true. I don't want Killian in the mine. But there's no other work to be had, Milady. We tried. No-one else would have us," he said, his tone slightly bitter. "We even asked at your bakery, but the lady said, no."

Granny looked perplexed at that. She couldn't imagine a soft touch like Ruby would have turned these two young gentlemen away.

"When did you ask?" Granny inquired.

"Two weeks ago," Liam advised.

Putting the time frames together she realised what had happened.

"Lady you met? Was she short with grey hair? Look even older than me?" She asked. Liam nodded, a small scowl on his handsome face. "That was Miss Orwell. She was minding the shop while Red, my grand daughter, and I went to do some deliveries. I can't imagine she was too friendly. She's not one for youngsters."

Liam shook his head in agreement, Miss Orwell had all but tossed them out of the door. He had been quite offended as he saw no fault in seeking honest work and he had been as polite and respectful as he knew how.

"How about this?" Granny fixed him with an intense stare over the top of her glasses. Liam could practically hear her mind ticking over. Her mouth, which had been drawn tight as Liam had spoke, quirked into a small, conspiratorial smile. "Red doesn't always keep her mind on the job and she's a might flighty for shop work. She's going to leave me one day. I know she's got her heart set on working at the tavern." Granny rolled her eyes to indicate her opinion on that life plan.

Killian was all agog at the idea of anyone not wanting to work in a bakery with all that wonderful food.

"I can always use some help. Lifting flour sacks, making deliveries and such. Maybe, just maybe, one of you might be worth training up to take over from Red," Granny mused. She made a show of looking over both boys. "Take's a special touch to work pastry. Red hasn't got the patience."

Liam and Killian both gasped at the offer. Killian's thoughts turned immediately to the possibility of being in the bakery if, and when, the golden princess returned. Liam didn't want to lose the chance to get Killian out of the mine, but he wasn't one to make a hasty decision. What Granny was offering sounded all well and good as a possibility, but the reality was that they both had jobs, right now. The foreman had been good to them and Liam didn't want to repay his kindness by throwing his job back in his face after only two weeks.

"Milady, you make a generous offer. May we speak to you tomorrow? We must get to work or risk our wages for the day," Liam said. His mind was a whirl trying to look at all the angles of the offer on the table..

Granny could see the hesitation. "I know you miners get a noon break. Why don't you both come to the bakery then? I'll throw in some lunch, too. You're both skin and bones." She held up her hand to still the protests from both boys. "We can talk over what I'd expect from both of you. Deal?" She held out her hand to Liam.

Killian was on tenterhooks as his brother took a deep breath and release it through his nose while he considered the proposal. Liam hated charity, but he would certainly accept a meal for his brother.

"Done!" Liam confirmed and took the proffered hand to shake it firmly.

The two lads smiled brightly at Granny and took off to begin, what they hoped, might be one of their last shifts in the depths of the mine.

Granny watched the boys run off. She hadn't expected such manners from the two ragamuffins and found herself unable to stop smiling as she went back to her shop. It was going to be a genuine pleasure to help the brothers and the notion of seeing those bright blue eyes and adorable smiles every day, warmed her through. She tried not to get too carried away, however. She was quite certain that once Snow met them, she, too, would see that there was something extraordinary about the Jones boys and would likely move them where she could directly participate in their lives and welfare. They were destined to grow up heart breakers, the pair of them.

'Just got to get them out of that mine in one piece first,' Granny reminded herself.