Kor meets Aphid / Escape from Grelod
(PART THREE)
"Yes, Miss Grelod," Kor heard the boy say as he finally appeared through the door.
He was a Nord boy, too, but he wasn't stocky like they tended to be.
He was rather skinny, but he was broad shouldered, and he was tall for his age.
That little girl, Eydis, had said he was twelve, but his height made him look even older than that.
Like a teenager--a young teenager, but he stood about as tall as Grelod.
He had long, rust colored hair, which was tied back in a loose and low ponytail, and his pale blue eyes were quite easy to see, perhaps due to the contrast from his hair or just simply for their exceptionally light color.
He quickly set those eyes on Kor and smiled, and even though Kor was in the midst of feeling the most anxiously uncertain he's ever been in his short life, that welcoming smile immediately invoked a small one from him in return.
Grelod, however, pulled Aphid's attention back to her to load him with further instructions.
"I've got supper already started in the pot," she said to him, "Finish it up and wrangle the kids as usual—oh, and get this boy in a bath… and laundry the muck he's got on, but he's going to have to share clothes with Bark too. Somewhat speaking of, you'll need to patch Jaren's breeches. Scuffed right open on the knee—he said Bark did it, of course. Pushed him. I don't care; just get it patched, because I've got no clue when the funds will afford you careless leeches new clo—Urgh. My head's throbbin' on every word…I've got work to sort. Do not pester me unless there's blood…or not even then. Just get a mop—Oh. And deal with Eydis's lying mouth."
"Yes, Miss Grelod," Aphid replied, "I'll handle it. All of it."
The old lady gave a grunt of a huff and stomped off to one of the doors on the far end of the room, what must be her own personal room, and shut herself in with a slam of the door.
Kor had watched her go and then turned his head back to Aphid, who was already looking at him with that welcoming smile again.
But then that tall boy held up a waiting finger and his eyes found the little girl.
"Eydis," he said with a sternness, his smile changing into an expression equally stern, "You've been fibbing again?"
The girl was standing near a bed and had been sweeping little bits of dust underneath it, but she quickly ducked down beside it when her name was firmly called.
"No! I didn't!" she insisted with a whine in her tone.
"Get out from behind that bed," Aphid ordered, "Come here."
The girl whined even more.
"Now," the tall boy ordered once more, his voice seemed quite practiced in that parental tone of I-won't-say-it-again.
The girl hopped up with a frustrated squeak, but promptly began dragging herself towards him.
"What did I say," Aphid began scolding her as she shuffled reluctantly to him, "was going to happen if you keep telling these lies?"
Kor found himself stepping back a little. He was a bit taken by how firm the boy looked and sounded, especially after the others had said he was nice.
At this moment, he didn't look very nice.
With his folded arms and back straight, it added to the height from which his piercing eyes peered sternly down at the girl.
This made the lanky boy somehow appear quite intimidating—at least to Kor and littler kids.
What was he about to do?
Smack the girl?
Kor hoped he wasn't about to smack the girl.
He didn't want to find out "nice" meant something like you get one smack instead of several.
When the girl finally stood before him, Aphid's arms unfolded and his hands indeed went towards her face.
Kor braced, expecting the worst, but Aphid didn't forcibly lay his hands upon her, no.
Well, not with a smack.
He, instead, pushed his index fingers into her cheeks and quite cheekily teased her.
"One more fib," he playfully mocked a stern tone, "and your tongue's gonna turn into a skeever's tail."
He had then blew his own tongue at her.
Eydis pushed his hands down and stamped her foot.
"No it's nooot!" she said.
"Yep, it will," Aphid assured and waved a hand in front of his nose as if something smelled, "It's half way there, skeever-butt-breath."
"Eew! No! Don't say that!" Eydis stamped again, "Bark's gonna keep calling me that now!"
Aphid shrugged.
"Well," he said with a slight return of a real sternness in his voice, "You shoulda thought of that before telling lies."
He then stuck his tongue out at her again, and she folded her arms in a huffy pout.
"Keep it down!" Grelod's voice was heard shouting from her closed room.
"Yes, Miss Grelod!" Aphid spouted back and then lightly bopped a finger upon Eydis's nose.
"Furlough the fibbin'," he said to which she looked confused.
"No more lies," Aphid explained, "At least for today, please."
Eydis was beginning to begrudgingly nod when Aphid added, "Your supper's gonna taste like rat butt otherwise…".
Eydis scrunched her face in disgust, gave Aphid a small push, and scuffled away.
"Heard what I said," Aphid reminded her with a sternness once more.
He then finally put his attention back on Kor.
Kor was smiling with a bit of relief, and humor, at what he just witnessed, but he still shook ever so slightly from the exhaustion his very soul had been feeling… and the tense moment he thought Aphid was going to hurt the girl.
Aphid finally walked over to him. He stopped in front of him and stooped forward, hands to his knees, much like an adult would do with a child.
"Hi, Kor," he greeted with that friendly smile, "I'm Aphid."
The tall boy then knelt down and gently put a hand on Kor's arm.
"And I am truly… so very sorry," Aphid continued with a gentle tone and sympathy in his eyes, "that we've had to meet under such awful circumstances."
Any other kid, under any other circumstance, may have felt a little patronized by another kid talking to them with such adult mannerisms, but there was something about this Aphid. He felt utterly genuine. And safe.
Kor hardly has met him but a moment, but he felt…safe.
Which was slightly unfortunate…
In the sense that this feeling was, with just this barely acquainted moment, attempting to buckle every leg Kor had been standing above the chaos on….
Kor felt that warm mist envelope his eyes, but he was so drained and tired that thankfully no tears escaped.
But Aphid still saw it and gave that welcoming smile.
"How about a bath, hm?" he said and rubbed at Kor's face with his sleeve, doing so to catch a tear that had found its way out, "Your face must be so dry from this grunge."
Kor bit the inside of his lip to still himself from further tears and gave a sniffling nod.
Aphid smiled further and patted the boy's arm as he stood.
"Okay then," he said, "Let's go wet your face."
If Kor didn't pick up on the coded message there, that other Nord boy-- who was lazily laid atop a dresser nearby-- did.
"You mean go cry?" the boy snickered.
Kor saw that sternness surface on Aphid's face again.
Aphid turned towards that other boy, hands on his hips.
"Bark?" he said firmly, "You want to go put your nose to the wall?"
The Bark boy shot up with his hands in a questioning manner.
"What? What did I do?!" he protested, "I didn't even call him a crybaby or anything!"
"And you very well better not," Aphid replied, "…Unless you seemed to have forgot your first day here…..And get off that. What are you doing? Go wipe down the dinner table, would you?"
Bark gave an aggravated sigh, but hopped off and started away, but not before muttering in irritation towards Aphid.
"Yes, Muuum," he said.
"Barakväll..," Aphid spoke with a clearly warning tone and what must be that boy's actual name.
"I'm goooing!" the boy insisted, groaning in frustration, "I'm doooing it."
Aphid snapped his fingers lightly to silence that whining Bark and bring the boy's attention back on him.
Bark reluctantly spun his attention back on the tall boy and Aphid had pointed firmly at him.
"You, Jaren, and I are gonna have words in a bit too," Aphid added with that lingering tone, alerting the Bark boy that it very well meant stern words.
He put on his best, but not very convincing, flabbergasted face.
"Huh? Why??" he questioned as best he could, that he simply no clue what this could be about, "What'd I do noooow? He's lying. Just telling on people! We were just havin' fun, but I didn't do--"
"Heard what I said," Aphid cut him off.
"Urgh!" Bark stamped his foot much like that Eydis girl and spun away on his heel.
Aphid shook his head, but let it go, and put his focus back on Kor again.
"Come on," he said softly, "Hey, I bet those arms are pretty strong. You want to carry the bath basin for me?"
He lead Kor towards an open pantry room connected to the dining room. It was full of pots and pans and brooms and various other equipments.
There was another room beside it, but it was shut off by a door. Kor wasn't interested in it enough to ask, but he figured it was probably the food pantry.
Aphid let him help set up the bathing basin in the foyer and had let him help heat and carry the water for it too.
The older boy then left Kor to undress and set in the tub, as he went and collected other things for the bath, soon returning with a fresh set of clothes, rags to wash with, what looked like crudely made soaps, and he held a comb in his teeth.
Aphid set the fresh clothes on a bench near the wall, took the dirty clothes and sank them in the bath too, and then set the other things next to the tub.
Kor thought the boy would leave him then, but instead, Aphid rolled up his sleeves, knelt down next to the tub, dunked a rag into the water, and actually began washing him.
He gently took Kor's chin in one hand and softly began to scrub a cheek with the wet rag in the other.
Kor's gaze shifting awkwardly about didn't go unnoticed.
"I'm sorry. If you're uncomfortable," Aphid said and paused the wet rag on Kor, "I won't…but I'd rather not leave you alone, at least, if that's okay with you."
"It's…," Kor paused only because he had been taken slightly off guard, "It's okay.."
Aphid held up the rag and made a nodding gesture with it to confirm if Kor had meant with that as well.
Kor gave a small nod in return and the older boy resumed.
"I know you're old enough, of course," Aphid spoke again, "to bathe yourself…But I also know you're tired. Very tired. I certainly know that. I want you to relax as much as you're able to right now, okay? I got your back….Heh. I meant that part figuratively, but I will scrub your back if you're okay with me doing so."
Kor gave another light nod again. He was…so…tired.
And he certainly didn't want to be alone.
He probably wouldn't have particularly minded this anyway.
It was sort of a little awkward, but he certainly wasn't off put having the company here at least.
In fact, the company he was accustomed to having near his bath, was usually in it with him.
He and his father often shared a bath, especially when Kor was even younger, and Kor and the neighbor boy were often tossed in a tub together when having played too muddy….
Suddenly though, memories of such things found their claws back in his mind.
He and the neighbor boy, Stieg, had been like brothers. They were the same age and had been growing up houses side by side.
Stieg's mother had even wet nursed Kor, after Kor's own mother passed during childbirth.
Stieg's mother then passed when the boys were toddlers, after an accident at the sawmill.
So, like Kor, Stieg had only his father too, but the four of them all were certainly like family.
….Stieg and his father never made it out of the fires.
Kor felt the warm mist in his eyes again.
Aphid noticed again, of course, either because he was already focused on Kor's face or this kid was simply very good at picking up on these things.
"I bet…," he said, "you're probably thinking of the last time you've had a bath. Or maybe a fun or funny memory of one.…Or maybe even a time you gave your parents grief over it and you wish now you never did…"
All those thoughts had flashed Kor's mind, yes.
A tear yet again managed to find enough strength to escape. Aphid gently wiped it away with the rag and continued talking.
"I fought my parents a lot on it…," he said and gave a small laugh, "I don't really know why, besides that I just hated the part when you get out and that cold air hits you--"
Kor found himself interrupting. He didn't mean for it to be, but it just came out.
"I almost never get cold….," Kor spoke, his eyes cast down, "…And it was just me and my dad….My Papa….I fought him on it, only sometimes though,…when I.. wanted to k-keep playing instead…"
Kor then suddenly gave an involuntary sniffle, the recollections finding their way as renewed tears and fastly breaking loose from his eyes.
He tried to bite the inside of his lip again to steady, but a whimper utterly destroyed that attempt and it was all over from there.
He began to buckle in grief, just as he had done earlier on the wagon, but Aphid reacted fast and caught him.
"I got you…I got you," the older boy said softly and consoling, "Come on. Come here."
He guided Kor closer towards him and encouraged him towards an embrace.
Kor, at first, only set his forehead to Aphid's chest, but as the shaking sob fought its way up his throat, he wrapped his arms around the older boy and fully buried his face into his shirt.
Aphid rested his hands on Kor's head and the back of his neck, gently rubbing his fingers in a soothing manner on Kor's nape.
"It's alright, Kor," Aphid comforted and assured, "It is….I know thousands of all sorts of thoughts must be running through your head….And believe me, we all wish now that we would have never fought those baths, but I can guarantee your Papa never held a moment of hard feelings about it—no matter how much he may or may not have threatened to hold you under, huh?"
Somehow…someway…that invoked a small chuckle from Kor.
"He…," Kor replied, having turned his head, but not yet ready to let go, "…He never says...said… stuff like that…But when I'd fight it, he'd chase me down with…"
The boy paused and then gave a fond little laugh.
"…with a tankard full of the bath water," he continued, "and he'd always end up catching me in his arm and dump it on me…It was always funny, every time."
He felt Aphid chuckle a little too and then the tall boy spoke.
"Ah, maybe I need to try that with Bark…," Kor heard him say and then Aphid mumbled like he just remembered something he forgot, "..ah wait, did he take his bath last night?...Did I take mine? Oh no, when was the last time I took my--eh, sort it tomorrow…."
Aphid patted Kor's back and spoke out from his mumble.
"Sorry if I, uh, smell…"
Kor found himself chuckling a little more. He pulled away and gave a little smile, but he looked a little sorry about getting Aphid's shirt a bit wet.
"I'm sorry," he apologized and Aphid cocked an eyebrow and looked down at his shirt.
"Oh? That?" he said, "Don't worry about it. Water washes out."
He then suddenly splashed himself with a little water from the basin and held his hands up like he proved his point.
"See?" he said, smiling more when it invoked another smile from Kor.
They resumed the bath with Aphid undoing the slightly tangled ponytail in Kor's hair and setting to work wetting it and lathering it in a soap.
He had Kor lean his head back over the edge of the basin so he could further comb the lather through his hair.
"Would," Aphid began talking again as he worked, "talking some more about your Papa help you feel a little better right now …or maybe not just yet?"
Kor was quiet for a moment before replying.
"I…I don't know..," he said, the uncertainty was evident in his voice.
"That's alright," Aphid replied, "You'll know when you know, and you can talk to me about him, or anything you want, when you want to, alright?"
Kor was quiet again for a moment. This Aphid was just another kid, but he acted and talked so grown.
He could see why he was in charge of the other children, and not just because he was the oldest.
"What…," Kor broke his momentary silence, "..was your dad like?"
"My dad?" Aphid repeated and then seemed to ponder what to say for a moment.
"….Well, to be honest," he started, "We weren't very close, me and him... Don't get me wrong, though. I loved him. I very much did….and I know he loved me too, but… Well.…he never could seem to focus on more than one thing at a time, and most of the time, that focus was on his work…."
Aphid had a sort of disappointed look on his face as he talked of his dad, but then he shrugged it off and replaced it with a warm smile.
"But my mother…," he said and the fond smile grew, "…My Mama…I was very close to her."
The admiration in both his expression and voice grew as he spoke of her.
"She could do it all…," Aphid proudly explained, "And she did it all. Without worry. Without complaint and with or without help…If she was doing it, it got done. And no matter what or how much she was doing, she always found a way to do even more. For everyone. She was there for anyone who needed her. She was someone that anyone would wish to be like. That I very much wish to be like, and someone I am trying to be like for those three in there….and for you now, too."
Kor stared up at Aphid. When he had said for him too, he didn't know how to respond. He felt safe and welcomed, of course, but…those feelings of trying to process his father not being here for him now…
"M-me?.." Kor found himself saying.
"Mhm, of course, little brother," Aphid nodded and then sat the comb down, "…Ready? Hold your breath."
Aphid dunked him under the water to rinse the soap from his hair and pulled him back up.
The sudden submersion sort of reset Kor from his mess of thoughts and onto what Aphid was doing instead.
"Alright, hold," Aphid said, having Kor keep his hair up, so he could scrub the back of his neck and shoulders.
It seemed like everything Aphid did and had been doing was second nature to him.
There was no clunkiness about it.
"I am rather practiced at being a big brother," Aphid said, "and not just because of those three in there…I had a little sister….My baby sister…. Her name was Snofrid… And I always helped my mom whenever I could with taking care of that little scamp… She was really cute. She had freckles like you, well, not quite like you. Not as prominent and only on her face, but those adorable little dots somehow got her out of a lot of trouble."
"What happened?" Kor suddenly asked.
"Hm?" Aphid hummed, not having seemed to caught what he meant.
"To them," Kor clarified, "..Your family…"
"Oh…um..," Aphid suddenly looked a little off guard.
"I'm sorry," Kor quickly apologized and turned his worried, guilty gaze on the other boy,"I shouldn't ask stuff like that….I'm really sorry."
"Oh no, no, no. It's okay," the older boy assured, the momentary lapse in his guard dissipated as quick as it came, "It's alright, really."
He gave a sort of shrug accompanied by a half smile.
"I suppose the same thing that's happened to all of ours, I guess," he said, "……Well, probably certainly not the EXACT same thing that's happened to all of ours.…"
He nudged Kor to turn back around so he could resume scrubbing while he talked.
"I'm from Trollheim," Aphid explained, "Or what was..…It was a secluded territory off in some mountains. We had a village, barely a town, but one of those sort of places that just somehow kept surviving…until it didn't."
Kor seemed slightly more drawn in, turning an ear more towards him and wondering if Aphid had lost his home and family to bandits too…
"Rightfully named, for sure," Aphid continued, "….Home of the trolls."
Although Kor did hear him say it was named Trollheim, it didn't click until Aphid had said that.
Kor had only ever seen one troll in his life, and it was absolutely a horrifying beast. Aphid lived surrounded by them? His family….
"The…the trolls got them?" Kor somewhat blurted out and looked wide eyed over his shoulder.
Aphid sat still for a moment, but then nodded.
"Yeah…," he said, "….yeah, they did."
He went on to explain, though, that they did not all die at the same time.
"My dad, actually, was killed a couple years before my.. sister and mom…. I liked to explore outside our guarded perimeter, you see..…It was silly kid stuff….Dad usually was the one to come snatch me back, so really I think… maybe I did it to get his attention. Still silly kid stuff though, huh? So well, of course, how wouldn't that lead to a tragedy?"
Aphid kind of laughed at that, but even Kor could pick up the forced nature of it.
"And it did," Aphid continued, "…The real kicker was I wasn't even out that time. I was napping nearby from his forge, waiting for him to not be busy, because I had a gift I made him—a vest I made all by myself for him. Anyway, I guess he didn't see me where I was. I was near some shrubbery…..and…well. I wasn't out there, but it was my fault he was."
Kor cut in with similar words to what Aphid had comforted him with just a little bit ago.
"I'm sure your Papa wouldn't blame you…," he said and Aphid sweetly smiled at his innocence.
"….Maybe not," the older boy nodded and gave another slight chuckle, "….But he would probably still give me quite the scolding for it though."
His smile faded as he spoke the next part, about his sister and mom.
"A couple years later, about 3 years ago," he said, "is when I lost Snofrid and my mom…No one could have prevented it…Except, you know, maybe just not living in Trollheim….But something happened that night that had never, ever happened before. Or anything I've heard of since…They blamed it on the area's resources running particularly scarce that year. Everyone and everything in the area was hungry….especially the trolls...And well, our village had what little food could be hunted, fished, and foraged all nice and bundled in with us, and we people already make a good and crunchy snack to those beast…I'm sure we practically added the garnish to ourselves with that."
Aphid paused a moment and gave a sigh.
"….Before that night, never had I ever seen more than two—maybe even three at most—trolls packed together…but that night….it was a horde. A horde. And it was…horrifying…And they…"
Aphid suddenly made a weird gasp and frantically shook his head.
"Oh, wait no!" he said, " No, no. No, no, no. What am I--I'm not gonna fill your head with scary troll stories now, alright?...Uh-uh. Shame on me. Maybe during the Witches Festival, huh, but not right now. Nuh uh."
He blew air through his lips in agitation at himself, but gave a small chuckle afterwards and continued to scrub on Kor's back.
He then again made a noise like he just remembered another thing he forgot.
"Oh!" he said, "Did those three in there properly introduce themselves to you or just talk?"
"Uhm…," Kor began, but that seemed to answer it.
"Ah, yeah, of course they didn't," Aphid nodded, "I can not seem to get any manners to stick with them…."
"They seem okay," Kor replied …..more like someone who was just trying to be polite, though.
Aphid laughed a little.
"Yeah…They're okay enough," he said, "But listen, Kor.…They'll throw you under a wagon in a heartbeat, so be careful not to let them get you in trouble. You seem a sweet kid, so please, be mindful of that…And please don't let them corrupt you either. I'm not quite sure my patience can handle four of ya."
He said the last sentence jokingly, but even Kor could sense the drain in his voice when he said it.
Aphid then continued with introducing the kids that had not done that themselves.
"The Nord boy is Barakväll," he explained, "but we all call him Bark. He's a bit excitable, and a lot of back talk—to me, though, but I'm mostly fine with that as long as it's not to Grelod. Or not tooo sassy with me. I do have my limits, too, you should know. Anyway, Bark has his good moments, but he can be quite the rowdy one. I'd say he's all bark, but he will try to test his bite on you. And by bite, I mean he likes to play rough, but if he actually bites you, you let me know, okay?"
Kor gave his not-sure-how-to-respond nod.
"The girl is Eydis," Aphid continued, "She and Bark are cousins, actually. From what Grelod told me, there was a clan feud gone….bad…and that's why they're here…Eydis can be sweet, but just as I said of them all, if it saves her hide, she will lie on you, blame you, and turn on you like that--"
Aphid snapped his fingers to indicate the hesitancy she'd take on such betrayal,… which was none.
"Jaren, the Redguard, is the quietest one," Aphid continued, "He gets into trouble the least of the three of them, but he'll get you in the most."
"Huh?" Kor questioned.
"He's a tattletale," Aphid explained, "I swear tattling takes up most of the talking he does….Look, I certainly want you all to tell me things you should, but he will tattle on any and every little thing he thinks might get ya in trouble. Gods, he's even gone straight to Grelod and ratted ME out about things. But I honestly can't tell if he wants to get someone in trouble or if he thinks it's the right thing to do, but no matter how much I ask, scold, or even discipline him about it, he just keeps doing it. Ugh."
Kor absorbed what Aphid was telling him about the kids, but every mention of Grelod dug at him to ask…
"…Is…," he finally asked, "…Is Grelod really mean?..."
He felt Aphid immediately pause upon that question, almost as if the boy thought he wasn't eventually going to be asked that.
Kor turned a bit to look at the boy. Aphid had a solemn look in his eyes, a very serious look, and he shut them with a nod and then looked sympathetically upon Kor.
"She's a troll…," he said, "…But listen, like I said, I'm not going to fill your head right now with scary troll stories. I don't want you to worry much about that, alright? You just mind her, and mind me, and things will be alright. I've been here quite a while now, so I've gotten good at reading and redirecting her…fits… And she's gotten pretty relaxed with me handling you kids, so you're in my hands, little brother. No worries, okay? But please, mind me."
There was definitely an insistence on Aphid emphasizing that he be minded. Kor could most certainly be a typically naïve child, but he wasn't exactly a dumb one.
Even he could piece together that Aphid meant, "It's deal with me or her.".
Kor's worry must have surfaced on his face, for Aphid gently put a hand to Kor's shoulder.
"It'll be okay," Aphid assured, "I got you. I promise."
Kor wanted that to comfort him, and it did—a little--,but his mind still pulled towards Grelod and just how mean could she be….
He wanted his Papa…
"Are you ticklish?" Kor suddenly heard Aphid ask, and it drew his bewildered attention back towards the lanky boy.
Aphid was re-lathering the soap rag and then held his own arms up in the manner he wanted Kor to do.
"Arms up," he said smiling.
They resumed the bath in a bit quietness from there, aside from Aphid humming a bit, and then Aphid soon left Kor to finish cleaning the rest of himself while he left to help Bark set the dinner table.
There was apparently dishes that needed cleaning, that hadn't been done while Aphid was outside, and Aphid needed to check the progress of dinner anyway.
From the sounds of things, it was Aphid doing the bulk of the work with cleaning and setting the table—Aphid sounded like a whirlwind of progress, while Bark sounded mostly like shuffling and reluctance.
But Kor also heard him giving Bark, and Jaren who he had called over, that talk he warned Bark of earlier.
Kor couldn't hear all of it, but it was definitely a little bit of a stern lecture of toning down the rough play and stop with the tattling.
And soon, Aphid returned in the doorway of the foyer to check in on Kor.
The lanky boy was guzzling a quick mug of something to drink when he stepped back in, apparently very thirsty.
"Ah, sorry," Aphid gasped as he finished his drink, "….Forgot I hadn't drank a thing since being…Eh. You alright?"
Kor nodded, but the thought of Aphid being locked out all day without even anything to drink took a moment to hit.
By the time it did, Kor couldn't shockingly question it.
Aphid had distractedly tossed his mug back towards the dining table in the other room and elicited startled annoyance from Bark.
"Aphiiiid," Bark whined, "We just set it."
"Set it again," Aphid cheekily teased back.
"That was loud," Jaren reminded him, "Grelod's gonna come in here."
"Let her come," Aphid replied, "It was you guys."
"No it wasn't!" both the boys suddenly chimed back, rather loudly.
"Ey, ey," Aphid suddenly turned fully into the dining room, "Shh. You guys know I'm joking, geesh--Ma'am?!"
Kor barely heard it, but Grelod had angrily shouted Aphid's name from her room.
Even Kor's blood ran cold, though, especially when he heard Grelod's doors fling open.
"Keep. It. Down!" he heard her firmly and furiously order.
"Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again," Aphid responded, and he had quickly rushed to the other doorway to be in Grelod's view.
Eydis came running from the main room for shelter behind him.
Jaren suddenly piped up.
"He tossed--"
Aphid had a hand behind his back that he snapped the fingers of to silence the boy.
"I dropped a cup, Miss Grelod," he quickly intercepted, "It won't happen again. I'm sorry."
Kor sank his water a bit. The air of this moment suddenly felt incredibly heavy.
There was a horribly tense pause.
But then…
He heard Grelod's doors slam and saw Aphid visibly relax.
He then, though, saw Aphid turn his stern gaze on somebody in that room; Kor assumed Jaren.
His assumption was right.
Aphid's hand flew forward with a stern point of his finger and the tall boy said in a scolding tone, "Jaren. Wall."
"Why?" Jaren's quiet voice asked in return.
"For that tattling, after I just again told you about all that..…Go," Aphid ordered.
"But it was the truth--"
"And I also told the truth," Aphid retorted, "Now you heard what I said."
Kor heard Jaren sigh, but the boy apparently obeyed since Aphid's stern finger fell.
The tall boy then gave a sigh himself and coaxed Eydis to let him go and get back to doing whatever she was doing.
Aphid then stepped back into the foyer with Kor to once again check on him.
"You sure you're alright?" he asked.
"A-are you?" Kor asked in returned, wondering how the boy wasn't absolutely frazzled with everything he was handling and was doing.
Aphid looked genuinely unexpected of that.
"Me?" he said, as if no one has ever asked him before if he was okay, but then he smiled, "Oh… Yes, I'm fine. Grelod don't scare me much anymore. But you're sure you're okay?"
Kor nodded.
"Yeah..," he said, "..Um... I'm done."
"Alright," Aphid nodded, "I'll leave you alone to dress. Unless you need me?"
Kor shook his head.
"Okay," Aphid nodded again, "Fresh clothes are right there….I know the shirt is an ugly…pardon my language…piss.. yellow, but I promise it's clean."
Kor chuckled a little at that, but Bark barked from the other room in offense and Jaren tattled on Aphid…. to Aphid.
"You cussed," he said.
"I know," Aphid sighed back.
"That's bad," Jaren reminded.
"I know…," Aphid replied again, "I'll come sit next to you at the wall,… whenever I get a chance to sit down…"
"You never sit…," Jaren replied.
"I know," Aphid cheekily replied that time.
He looked to Kor once more with that I'll-leave-you-to-it nod, but he added in before he stepping back in the dining room, "You can leave those dirty clothes in the tub. I'll get to them after dinner."
Kor got out, dried off, and dressed. Bark's clothes fit him pretty well, with just a little looseness, but Kor figured that'd make them more comfortable.
He joined the other boys in the dining room and saw Aphid actually had gone and sat down on his knees next to Jaren.
Aphid looked to be having a quiet talk with him as he was there, and seeing this, it brought about memories of Kor's father having done things similar.
Aphid looked around Jaren towards Kor and could see the sadness resurfacing in the boy's downcast expression.
"Kor," Aphid called his attention, "would you like to help me chop some leeks for the stew?"
Kor gave his small nod and Aphid nodded in return. He stood up, dismissed Jaren, and Bark, and motioned Kor to follow him towards that closed door he earlier assumed to be a pantry. His assumption would be right again.
However, Aphid also called Eydis over, pulled one of the pins from her braid, shooed her away, and began lock picking the door.
"Grelod keeps it locked," Aphid confirmed as he worked on unlocking the door.
He actually succeeded rather quickly in getting the tumblers where they needed to be and pushed the door open.
"You stay out here," he said as he stepped in, "I'm not even suppose to be in here, but the kids like extra, crunchy, leeks in their stew….Aaand.."
Aphid scanned the shelves and found a couple of bread loaves, as well as a wedge of cheese.
"You want anything? A snack for after supper or--?" he had begun to ask Kor, but Kor quickly said no thank you.
"Wouldn't…," Kor also added, "Wouldn't Miss Grelod notice it missing?"
"Nah..," Aphid responded, "Well actually, …I know she does; how could she not? But she very surprisingly lets me get away with this..…so long as I don't get caught in the act or touch the ice box."
He then whispered to himself.
"Ah, reminds me, need to ask Miss Marise if she has any spare ice wraith teeth…"
"Have you been caught?" Kor asked.
"Hm? Oh..Yep. Just twice, though," Aphid replied, "But I still got the bel—uh…got in big trouble….But growing kids get hungry, so big trouble or not, I'm getting you guys snacks. Really, though, she kinda plays along as long as I just snag the little stuff, so are you sure you don't want anything? It's no trouble, really."
"No thank you," Kor politely declined again.
"Alright then," Aphid replied, though he took another cheese wedge as he scanned about for the leeks.
He glanced and saw that Kor seemed to be nervously watching out for Grelod.
"This used to be an assistant's room," Aphid attempted a distraction. He was thankful for the eyes, but he didn't want Kor nervous. Kor's eyes were back upon him listening and Aphid continued what he was saying.
"They quit my first couple months here," he said, "….for personal reasons… Grelod took the opportunity to turn this into a lockable pantry, since she was convinced the assistant, and us kids, were stealing food. There were different kids here then. An older girl—she aged out that year—and a boy and a girl my age, well my age then, who both got adopted around the same time. It was just me and Grelod for almost a year after that, until Bark and Eydis arrived. Then Jaren came about a month after that—Found 'em!"
Aphid finally found the leeks he was searching for and tossed them to Kor.
When Aphid stepped out of the pantry, Kor suddenly realized Jaren was next to them, almost startling Kor upon the realization.
Aphid held out a cheese wedge to Jaren and the Redguard boy promptly snatched it and scurried away.
"Eat it slow," Aphid pointed after him, "Don't ruin your supper."
He then looked back upon Kor.
"The toll I pay so he doesn't tattle about this at least," Aphid explained and gave an exasperated chuckle.
He then sent Kor to the table with the leeks and the other things as he went back in the pantry, emphasizing he didn't want Kor, or any of the other kids, to see where the knives were stashed—they weren't play things--, and then returned with the said tools for slicing and dicing.
Aphid made mention that leaving the forks out around Bark was bad enough, prompting him to explain when Kor questioningly looked at him, that he was mostly joking. It was just one incident and Bark would surely never do it again….
The two set to work chopping up the leeks, but poor Aphid hardly got started when he was called away by Eydis.
She had gotten a splinter in her foot and whined like she'd bleed out.
"Eydis," Aphid sighed a bit as he stepped away to deal with it, "I've told you time and again not to scuff your feet around on these old floors without shoes…"
Kor began thinking Jaren was right. Aphid looked like he never sat.
When the tall boy returned, he seemed genuinely surprised that Kor had finished chopping all the leeks himself.
"Well you're a good helper," Aphid smiled, "Thank you, Kor. That was very nice of you."
Aphid must not get much help….
The tall boy took the plate of chopped leeks to the stew pot, along with an empty bowl, dumped the leeks in the pot, and then returned with a full bowl to Kor.
"Here, you certainly get first serve," Aphid said and set it down in front of the boy. He then set to slicing the bread.
He tossed a slice on each plate, put the knives away—relocking the pantry, gathered the other bowls and went back to the stew pot to serve the other children and sent them to the table.
Aphid finally came back with his bowl, only it wasn't his, as he went to the equipment room to fetch a serving tray.
He loaded it with the stew bowl, some bread and a tankard, and headed off to Grelod's door.
When he returned after serving Grelod her dinner, he didn't serve himself any of the stew.
Instead, he sat down across from Kor and only ate on the bread.
Aphid's eyes met Kor's, who was looking at him questioningly, but Aphid ignored the obvious question.
"I know your stomach," Aphid began, "probably has more than a few knots from…everything,… but try a few bites at least. Even just a few will help those knots a bit."
"You're not eating…," Kor replied. He meant it as a question, but it come out more a statement.
Aphid playfully looked upon the bread in his hand as if he thought Kor couldn't see it.
Bark, who was sat next to Kor, elbowed Kor a bit.
"Aphid never eats anything but bread and potatoes. Bread and potatoes," he said, "And sometimes gross peas."
Aphid suddenly slopped his piece of bread into Bark's stew and then took a bite of the sloppy bread.
"Lies..," Aphid smirked through the bread in his mouth.
"Is not, you do," Bark replied and then whispered towards Kor, "And sometimes he puts cornbread in a mug of milk…and eats it like soup...He's so damned weird…"
Aphid swallowed his bread, leaned in and whispered back, "It sure taste better than that soap still by the tub in there, that's gonna end up on your tongue if I hear you say that again."
"Say what, 'weird'?" Bark questioned.
"You know what," Aphid replied.
"He's?"
"Barakväll.…"
"Was it 'so'?"
"I'm not saying it, Bark," Aphid replied and then explained to Kor, "He got me with that before. Ended up having to lick soap myself on principle. Urgh."
Bark snickered and Aphid mocked it.
"Hahaha," Aphid feigned the laugh, "Yeah, yeah. Funny. I ain't falling for it again…."
He waited for a silent moment before suddenly muttering, "…ya damned kids…".
They all gave gasping giggles with Bark imitating that scolding tone of Aphid's with Aphid's name.
Jaren, of course, tattled on Aphid…to Aphid.
"You cussed!"
Aphid was stifling his laugh under his hand, but revealed a big smile when he saw Kor chuckling along, which was probably Aphid's intention with all that.
"Alright, alright," he simmered the kids down, "Eat, you guys. Eat."
He eyed Kor again and nodded towards his bowl, still smiling.
"Eat, eat. Few bites, please," he insisted and Kor finally nodded back in return.
Kor ended up eating his whole bowl, his stomach's reluctance averted by the distraction of the kids telling jokes and funny stories as they ate.
He didn't touch his bread, but Aphid seemed well happy enough to see his bowl cleared.
He gave Kor's shoulder a proud little pat as he collected his and the other children's dishes.
The other kids scattered off as he did so, but Kor stayed put.
"You can go play if you want, but you guys keep it down, alright?" Aphid said, but Kor shook his head.
"…Can…can I help you?" Kor asked instead.
Aphid looked at him and gave a smile.
"…..Of course," he replied.
He could tell the encroaching night was starting to set the tips of its claws on Kor's mind….
Kor helped him with the dishes, and with his laundry that had been soaking in the tub.
Aphid told him they'd dump the water off the boardwalk in the morning, as even though Aphid would skirt the rule a bit with the pantry, stepping out the front door without permission was an absolute forbidden.
They did step out into the yard, though, to hang the wet clothes.
With all that done, it was time to start winding down for bed.
Aphid did his best to try and keep Kor's mind off things with gathering the kids for a quiet, but engaging, story time…and he could tell Kor was trying so hard to be brave and calm, but…Aphid knew it was coming….
When the kids were settled in their beds, Aphid sat down on the edge of Kor's, where the boy laid with his back to him.
He was trembling…sniffling…
Aphid put his hand to the boy's back.
"I know, Kor,..I know," Aphid said softly.
Kor had thought he was too tired to shed another tear today….
He hadn't properly slept since….
He thought he'd be too exhausted to even think….
But even one thought….
This is his bed now…
It all had hit him. It all had set on him with the sun.
Kor broke into a terrible sob.
A sob he hadn't since seeing his father's lifeless hand slip from the tarp they carried him in…since watching the dirt entomb him…
Aphid quickly scooted closer and leaned over the boy in a comforting hug.
"I know…I know, shh," he comforted and held close to him, but he gave Grelod's door a glance.
Aphid gently urged Kor to get up and follow him.
"…Hey, c'mere," he said softly and carefully lifted the boy up a bit, "Come on now. Come with me."
He managed to get Kor up and on his feet to follow, and Kor's sobs steadied a little, but Aphid held the boy close and guided him to the foyer, where Kor broke down again.
Aphid sat them on the bench and just held Kor close, letting him cry on him all he needed.
Kor spoke brokenly through his sobs and clung even closer to Aphid.
"I..I just want to go home," Kor cried.
"I know," Aphid said understandingly.
"I want my Papa."
"I know."
"I just want my Papa."
"I know you do. I know…," Aphid soothed, "…but hey…hey…"
He managed to stifle Kor's crying enough to for the boy to listen.
"I want you to know," Aphid said, "that I'm here for you…I know you're scared. You're scared to get in that bed, I know. And you feel so alone right now. I know. But you're not alone, okay?"
Aphid rested the boy's head under his chin and felt Kor press, but relax, against him.
"Nothing will ever," Aphid continued his words, "ever replace your Papa,…but you've got a big brother now, alright? You're not alone, little brother. I'm here…I'm here."
Aphid hoped his comfort and words were helping the boy, and with Kor's quieting cries, it seemed to be.
The older boy just held him, and he was going to hold him until Kor was ready to let go….but….
"Aphid!" that gravelly voice of the agitated old woman barked from the foyer doorway, "…Get that boy in bed right now."
"M-Miss Grelod!" Aphid startled a bit, as did Kor.
"Miss Grelod..," he said again more calmly, but she only looked to them in agitation, "...I'm sorry if we disturbed you, but you know how first nights are--"
"I don't care," Grelod bluntly cut him off, "I'm tired of it."
"Miss Grelod--"
"To bed. The both of you. Now," she ordered firmly.
"But Miss Grel--"
"Aphid, do not. Do not back talk me right now," she warned, "…These kids need to toughen up. Crying ain't bringing nothin' back. Boy, your father will be just as dead tomo--"
"Miss Grelod!" Aphid suddenly snapped sternly to her, "Don't say things like that!"
There was a dead silence as Aphid's snap had Grelod hold a frightening glare on him.
Kor, as unaccustomed to such eyes as he was, still knew that glare meant something awful.
He grabbed ahold of Aphid's hand and started to try to get them back to bed for Aphid's sake, but Grelod suddenly started stomping towards them.
"You mouthy brat!" she growled, "You dare, you dare to try—Come here!"
Kor had tried to pull them along quickly around Grelod, but the woman snatched Aphid by his hair.
"Miss Grelod! Wai--" Aphid stumbled back, and he was trying to slip his hand from Kor, but Aphid was suddenly cut off from his words by a harsh smack on his mouth by the old woman.
Kor jumped back in shock of this, but he didn't run off.
Grelod still held that tight grip on Aphid's hair as she further yanked his head back and smacked him on the face again.
"You think you can boss me now, huh?!" she scolded furiously.
"N-no, ma'am! No, Miss Grelod, I'm sorry," Aphid replied.
He hadn't attempted to shield his face, as his hands were busy trying to shoo Kor away, though obstructing Grelod may not have been wise anyway.
Kor, however, was frozen where he was.
"Kor, go on. Go on to bed," Aphid tried to get him to leave them, but unfortunately, Grelod's attention turned on the younger boy instead.
"Yes, you," she growled and released her grip on Aphid. She shoved Aphid back a bit and reached for Kor.
Aphid scrambled to grab her before she grabbed Kor.
"No, Miss Grelod! Don't!"
But it was too quick and too late….
Grelod took Kor roughly by his arm, spun and slung him towards their bedroom, and smacked him a hard two times on the rump as she did.
"Get to bed!" she ordered.
Kor had yelped with a pained and shocked squeak, but he still seemed to be leg locked….
His Papa had never handled him like this.
Kor's father was exceptionally gentle, even among their soft-hearted townsfolk, but no one back home so easily laid a hand their children either.
The one time, the one and only time Kor's father ever attempted to administer such a punishment, the both of them broke down in tears--and it took nearly smelting Stieg to have even provoke the few pops.
They were all definitely a different breed of Nord…
Kor's overwhelmed mind couldn't even register what she had struck him for at this point, and by Gods, the way she handled Aphid.
Kor was scared. He wanted to go home. He wanted to find his Papa. He wanted to run…but his legs were locked.
…..until Aphid had rushed in and began ushering him along.
Grelod had got a smack on Aphid again too, as he passed her to get to Kor.
"You try telling me something again!" she snipped furiously.
"I won't! I'm sorry!" Aphid insisted, though he had not a tear in sight and only looked concerned for Kor and quickly took ahold of him, "I'm sorry, Miss Grelod, we're going to bed. We are."
He guided Kor along, Grelod just behind them, and stopped in front of his own bed which was before Kor's.
"Go on, Kor," Aphid gently nudged him and then whispered, "I'll come to you when she's gone."
Kor, though, stood recoiled against Aphid. He didn't want to step away from him, but Aphid looked worriedly towards Grelod.
Surprisingly, she waved a hand-- not to strike but to dismiss the iron grip she had started on this situation.
"Keep him quiet," she said to Aphid, allowing the situation to him and she started back to her room, "But if I hear a ruckus again…"
"No, ma'am, you won't," Aphid quickly replied, "….Goodnight, Miss Grelod."
She slammed her door with a huff and Aphid quickly set about checking on Kor.
He had knelt down to the boy and took his face in hand.
"I'm so sorry, little brother," Aphid apologized, "I am so very sorry."
"I-I'm sorry," Kor sniffled, "I got you hit…"
"What?" Aphid said, "No. No…No, Kor. I'm afraid I got you hit. Me and mouth. I'm usually much better at reading her moods, but since I was outside, I guess I didn't realize how frustrated she's been toda--"
"She's…she's so meeaan," Kor whimpered.
Aphid quickly pulled him into hug, of course to comfort him, but also to try and quieten him.
"Yes…yes, she can be," Aphid said, "But I promise you, I usually don't let it get past me. I'm so sorry, Kor….Oh, I am so sorry. This is a terrible first impression. I'm so sorry."
Bark's voice suddenly chimed in from his bed in an elevated whisper.
"Wow, you got smacked on your first day," he said, "Setting a record, new kid?"
"Barakväll, hush," Aphid whispered back, "Keep barkin' and you'll end up getting smacked on his first day too…..Come on, Kor. Come on."
Aphid led him to his bed, but he could feel Kor's resistance.
"Would you like me to sit with you?" Aphid asked to which Kor gave his little nod.
"Alright, okay," the older boy replied.
He sat them both against the headboard of the bed, but Kor quickly shimmied under Aphid's arm and curled up on his side.
The poor kid did not want to be even an inch away, by himself, right now.
Aphid completely understood, though, and gladly welcomed it.
He certainly mucked it up earlier, but if Kor was still comforted by him, he hoped it helped the poor, utterly exhausted boy get to sleep.
In this bed that wasn't, but was, his.
In this home that wasn't home.
After being sent to bed with what had to be the furthest thing from his Papa's goodnight kiss.
Aphid kept his arm held around him and just hoped the comfort of somebody there would help.
Perhaps Grelod would sleep off her mood, too.
"I'm here, Kor. I'm here, baby brother..."