The Vanquine Orphans
A Lilly & Sasha fanfic by Aisling Yinyr Ngaio
Chapter Two: The Theft
It was intolerable. What gold coins they gathered from the Vanquine treasury before their flight had long since been exhausted in purchasing food. The clothes they wore were the same ones they arrived in Quenera in. And the small house they were forced to find shelter in was sufficient only due to its sprawling basement, which was so filthy and dangerous that only boys above seven with nimble fingers and a pointy implement were allowed there in the beginning to disinfect it of rodents and other small creatures before it was judged safe enough to move the youngest children in.
The orphans of Vanquine had to quickly learn to ration the little food Edmund brought back every day. They learnt that huddling together during cold rainstorms was the only way to keep warm. They learnt that, except for each other, they are now left friendless in the world. And they gradually learnt that their parents were gone forever.
Each time Edmund came back now from working odd jobs around town, Valerie watched with increasing trepidation at the amount of food he brought back. Sometimes Edmund would be lucky enough to be asked to track down a rascal of a Grammy, and that granddaughter of hers would pay much more than the others in these frequent hide-and-seek. Once, there was a week in which he helped at the local inn due to an influx of travelers come to visit Quenera on festive day. It was a happy week for the Vanquine house. But it hadn't happened since.
A few days before, Valerie had, in a fleeting moment of bravery, asked Edmund if she too, could go out and help him earn money. She would always remember how Edmund's emphatic "NO!" startled her. As the second oldest of them, she had felt a right and duty to aid Edmund in getting their daily victuals, if nothing else. Sensing her hurt and confusion, Edmund had knelt down and explained gently, "Valerie, I need you to take care of the little ones while I'm out. Who's to look after them if you go out too?"
"Peter can, Edmund. He's almost ten! And he killed more rats than anyone else when we came here, remember?"
Edmund chuckled. "I'm sure Peter is very brave, Valerie. But bravery alone cannot attend to other children's needs."
"But-"
"No, Valerie. I cannot risk any of you taking to the streets." In an aside he thought she couldn't hear, he muttered, "I'd die before I risk any of the children being assaulted by dangerous characters."
Valerie didn't really understand, and she continued to watch with alarm as Edmund became more tired and haggard with each passing day, but Edmund considered that the end of the matter for a while.
Until Valerie fell ill.
Nobody in Vanquine house knew what happened, not even Edmund. As soon as he saw Valerie's uncharacteristic lethargy and felt her burning forehead, however, he quickly quarantined Valerie away from the other children and put Peter in charge of them. Valerie tried to be brave about it, assuring Edmund that "It's probably nothing. I have the strongest constitution ever. Papa said so. I'll be fine."
But Edmund wasn't so sanguine, especially after a few days with no sign of the fever breaking. Had Valerie been as robust as before he could have accepted her assurance. However, he was now more aware than ever of the fact that, though the children took it in their stride, they were underfed, malnourished and living in unhygienic conditions. Valerie might have been the first, but if their circumstances continued as it was or even worsen, not only would Valerie die, but the others might follow suit, especially the infants and toddlers among them.
Having no choice, Edmund was forced to conclude that Valerie would need a potion, even a tiny one, and more nutritious food for her and the rest. However, he knew in his heart that it was next to impossible to procure both. Potions were expensive, and buying the potion with his meager earnings, even if he were to save enough, would take the food out of the mouths of the nine other orphans under his charge.
But Valerie must have a potion.
Touching Valerie's hot forehead, he gently murmured, "Don't worry, Valerie. Take care. I'll be back." Valerie nodded trustingly before burrowing under the covers of what used to be a burlap sack, hardly noticing when Edmund left the house, shutting the door behind him.
It was hours before Edmund came home that evening. Even in her fevered state, Valerie was surprised to find not only a small vial of the much needed potion brought out from under Edmund's cloak, but several packages of food, three times more than Edmund had ever brought home, and more than she'd seen ever since they left Vanquine. Dropping the parcels of food onto the floor, Edmund carefully lifted Valerie's head and brought the potion vial to her lips. Within minutes, she felt well and rejuvenated again.
Struggling out from under her covers and standing for the first time in days, she hugged Edmund and professed her thanks emotionally, followed by an immensely curious, "However did you manage it?"
Looking away, Edmund said instead, "Now, now, Valerie. Questions later. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to eat well today." Valerie frowned at the sidestep, but nevertheless helped Edmund gathered up the parcels and brought it down to the makeshift kitchen. Cries of happiness were heard from the Vanquine house, as its residents celebrated Valerie's recovery and Edmund's bounty. While everyone tore into their slightly larger portions ravenously, Valerie could see that Edmund was more pensive than before. He would usually try to entertain the children while they eat with stories of his "day at work", but today he was silent despite the deafening noise about him.
She got her answer later that night, when everyone was asleep. Edmund, always the last to bed, did his usual round in the bedroom. Pretending sleep when he paused at the foot of her cot, she heard him walk up to her form, felt him brush her now-cool forehead, and then, as he walked away, heard him whisper in a choked voice, "Father, forgive me for the honour I've disgraced by stealing today."
- To Be Continued -