Escape Vo'Arum

Chapter Five

Safe in their quarters, Nanny set to stripping Mila's dress and stockings off and with a frown stripped off her knickers too.

'Quick, quick, into the shower with you.'

She caught Mila's hand, guiding her toward the bathroom.

'But, Nanny,' Mila tried to protest, voice rising and falling with her exhaustion. 'Uncle, Nanny, Uncle.'

'Come on lovey, let's get you into the shower. There's nothing to be done, Great Uncle Ilder had been unwell for a long time. You remember that. He needed to pass on, to be reborn again strong and new. Stop crying now that's enough.' As she spoke Nanny pulled the cord to the bulbous shower head, starting the flow of water. She held Mila's hand tight, keeping her back from the scalding water that always came out first.

'No, Nanny, Uncle Jeran. Poor Uncle Jeran.'

Nanny at last looked down at Mila, her eyes wide. She laughed.

'Silly girl! Uncle Jeran isn't due back for a couple more days, but he's fine. You know he's fine. We'd all have felt it otherwise.' Nanny pushed Mila under the water. 'Go on now, there's a good girl. A proper wash, I'll get a warm towel.' She turned, her long plait of white streaked brown hair swinging out as she left the room.

Beneath the soothing warm spray, Mila swayed and began to nod off then jerked awake, heart leaping.

The images of that room were there, right behind her eyelids.

Mila shivered at the memory and crouched down, staring at the water swirling around the drain hole before it vanished.

Must tell them, she thought. Must. Uncle Vidna wants to kill me.

'Mila! You hurry up in there!'

Nanny's shout snapped Mila out of the encroaching heaviness of sleep. She pushed to standing and seized the pot of soft brown soap, scooping out a handful and smearing it all over. It didn't take long to wash, but the effort felt enormous. A yawn so big it made her jaw creak sent Mila tottering out as she stepped on the raised tile area, straight into a towel held wide by Nanny.

'Oooooo.'

Nanny laughed at Mila. 'Nothing better than a warm towel after a shower. Come now, I have a hot mug of milk for you. Then off to bed sleepy miss.'

With the towel clutched close, Mila made her way to the kitchen table and slumped into her seat. The cup of warm milk was spiced with cinnamon, the fragrance tickling her nose and the back of her throat as she sipped.

Nanny came into the room from the bedrooms wing, carrying Mila's favorite nightgown with the embroidered water dragons in green and blue on a yellow background. She set it on the table and sat in the seat next to Mila's, watching her drink.

'Better?' she asked as Mila finished, smiling at her nod. 'Good, now, let's get this on and off to bed with you.'

Mila struggled to get her arms in, sleepily trying to tell Nanny why she'd gone down the manhole, and what she'd seen.

'Oh hush now, we can talk about it later, come on.'

She lead Mila into the short corridor that led to both hers and her parents rooms. Nanny slept in the second bed in Mila's room.

The climb into the soft sheets and cushy green coverlet embroidered with entwined flowers made the awful part of the day seem like a bad dream.

Perhaps it had been.

Mila thanked Nanny as she closed the door, wishing Mila a good sleep.

Moments later she jolted awake body tense and mind alert, heart in her mouth.