Metal and Flesh (The Rohvim, Book 1)

8.2 Whitehall

Aeden awoke in the late afternoon, and seeing the food newly delivered, began at once to prepare a meal for them both. He ate, allowing his mother to sleep, for she in particular had restless nights on their journey, and dark circles ringed her eyes. He unstrapped his sheath from his back and laid the sword-the prize from the lord of the city of Elbeth-on a trunk at the foot of his bed, and began unstrapping the armor he wore still since the invasion. He had no opportunity to find fresh clothing during the journey, and his mother had only packed his Chronicles, a quill and ink, a few pieces of dried meats and olives, his tinder, one set of fresh underclothes, and a few important documents-an official copy of his family's line of descent proving his nobility, copies of contracts with several of the families in the service of the Rossams, and a few other papers, along with a small bag of coins.

   He placed the filthy, bloodstained armor off to the corner of the room and rifled through the clothing the servant had brought, selecting a white tunic and fine blue leggings. Catching a draft of ripe odor as he undressed, he quickly dressed in the new clothes, pulled his boots back on and left the small building to find a bathhouse. He walked all over the estate, finally finding the bathhouse that the servants used, and entered. The large bath itself was empty, apparently in the process of being cleaned, so he undressed, found a bucket of cold water and washed himself. As he redressed, a servant entered the house, and, seeing Aeden's fine clothing said,

   "My lord. Please come with me and I will show you the bathhouse that I am sure the lord would have you use."

   Aeden waved his hand, "No need, my man, this house was sufficient-it is more spacious and fine than my own bath back home."

   The servant hesitated. "Very well, my lord, but please, let me show you the other one so that next time you may at least have the choice. I insist."

   Aeden relented and followed the older man out the door. He led the boy out towards the castle itself, passing the Rossam's temporary residence on the way, and wrapped around behind the large granite building, revealing a stone paved courtyard with a fountain, a small orchard, and another building, larger than the one the Rossams stayed in, which was the bathhouse of the lord of the city himself. The man pointed, saying, "The lord insists that you use his bath while you are a guest here. You, and your mother, and any of the other visiting nobility that desire also to use it."

   Aeden thanked the man as he returned to his duties, and decided to linger a bit in the courtyard. It reminded him somewhat of his own courtyard back home, only larger and much more magnificent. The orchard boasted many lemon, orange, and grapefruit trees, several peach and plum trees, and a large expanse of long rows of raspberry bushes. He sat down on the lip of the short rock wall surrounding the fountain and swirled his finger around in the water as he watched the cascading liquid splash the stones below.

   "I come here every morning. The sound of the water and the beams from the newly risen sun bring me comfort and refreshment."

   Aeden looked up at the speaker. A tall, dark haired woman approached the fountain, stopping just feet from the boy. She continued, "I heard about Elbeth. I'm sorry. It pains me greatly to think of all those people, many of them kinsman to us here in Ramath."

   "Are you the lady of the city?"

   "I am. I was born in the capital city, but came here when the lord asked for my hands in marriage. I have lived here for forty years. Do you see that orchard?" she asked, pointing to the grove of trees to the west.

   "Yes"  

   "That was my wedding gift from the lord. I've always loved fruit, and trees, and my father and mother owned many large orchards south of the capital city that I often escaped to, and I did not want to leave them, so my condition for marriage was that the lord plant for me an orchard, and have water flowing near it. So the fountain was also a wedding gift. Do you like it?"