Cedany's Voice

Fire and Gas Don't Mix Well

"Cedany!" He yelled. His voice frantic with fear and panic. His footsteps could be heard from down the hall. Young Perenelle was startled awake and began to cry an ear-wrenching sob.

"TEDDY!" She shrieked clawing at Cedany's neck. She screamed again and again until Mama S. had picked up the poor girl and the bear, Teddy, and began to rock them soothingly. Many little footsteps could be heard coming down the hall and the once quiet, sleeping orphanage was wide-awake with about thirty sleepy looking children.

"Mama... what's going on?" A boy around the age of eleven asked. Sarabeta never got a chance to reply, that was when he made his appearance.

His hair flared in every direction, his shirt unbuttoned and wrinkled. His whole body looked like he had gone through a windstorm. His eyes, his brown eye, wide in a frantic panic almost confirming the wind idea. He stood in the doorway of the room looking into all of the children's eyes and his search stopped as he laid eyes on Cedany. A breath of relief was released from his mouth and everything about his body relaxed.

"Cedany... You're safe..." He whispered and leaned against the doorframe and slowly slumped to the ground. Cedany had rushed to his side and looked over him. His face flushed red and heat radiated off his forehead like a furnance.

"Here, let me take him."A dark voice whispered from besides Cedany making her jump inside. Besides her was the darkest boy she had ever seen, his skin the color of chocolate his eyes the color of midnight. He smiled at her revealing startling white teeth.

"Thank you, Letholdus." Sarabeta had said after placing the sleeping Perenelle on top of the dining table. She turned to the children, looking each in the eye. "Cedany, would you mind helping Letholdus bring Rowan back to your room so I can get these guys back to their rooms and tucked in?"

Before Cedany could, reply Letholdus had started walking away beckoning Cedany to follow.

"He is rather loud, your brother, isn't he?" Letholdus asked as he walked past open doors.

"He isn't my brother. I don't know much about him at all." She said. Did they look alike?

"Oh, he is your lover then!" He said smugly. He carried Rowan over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Cedany felt the blood rise to her cheeks and nearly stumbled at Letholdus' abruptness.

"No! No! He is not my lover or my brother! Not even my friend!" Cedany mumbled walking down the hall. She heard Letholdus chuckle then fall silent. It seemed to take them years to get to the room.

Cedany watched Letholdus has he walked. His arms strong, she watched as the muscles moved smoothly under his dark skin. His eyes were like pictures, revealing his every thought but many still a mystery. Letholdus wasn't not flashy, he wore thread bare pants and shirt. His hair short leaving him with little hair.

"Here, let me get the door!" Cedany offered as they reached the end of the hallway. From down the hall they heard Mama S. lead the children back to their rooms, the younger ones first. Letholdus nodded keeping his mouth shut. As she opened the door, she couldn't help but feel Letholdus was looking at her backside. He walked into the room without a word and waited for Cedany to tell him which bed.

"Put him in the one by the window," She said coming over to them, "Could you please open the window? The cool air might help him cool down from the fever." She finished before walking to the washbasin and dampening a cloth that lay besides it. The water was cold and perfect for what she needed. She returned to Rowan's side and placed the icy clothe to his forehead. He sucked in a gasp but remained unconscious. His forehead and cheeks flushed a bright red from his fever. Cedany looked at his face carefully before looking away, she noticed a long thin looking scar across his eyebrow and he long eyelashes...