Distinctly Different

Chapter 15 ~ Help

Soon after he entered the castle a servant walked up to him. Rowan sighed and turned to the servant. He raised an eyebrow and the servant quickly began to talk, stumbling on the words along the way.

“S-sir,” the servant stammered. He gulped and tried to speak again. “I-I’m t-to inform-.”

“Take a breath to calm yourself,” Rowan interrupted deciding he didn’t want to be standing here for longer than he had to because of a stuttering servant relaying a message. The servant did as he asked and inhaled deeply, his black hair falling into his eyes at the same moment. Rowan smiled encouragingly while at the same moment wondering how old the servant was. With his hair in his eyes it made it look all messy he seemed much younger.

“Sorry,” the boy sighed. “It’s my first day,” he explained apologetically.

“How old are you?” Rowan inquired. A guarded look passed so fleetingly over the boy’s face that Rowan’s wondered if he had imagined it.

“Eight,” the boy said slowly.

Rowan nodded. “Now, what was it that you wanted to tell me?”

“I’m to inform you that someone is looking for you,” the boy said.

“Who?”

“Um,” the boy replied frowning as he tried to remember, “a woman.”

“So you don’t know who she is?” Rowan laughed. The boy shrugged and shook his head.

“What did she want?” The boy shrugged again. Rowan smiled in amusement.

“Do you know what she looks like?”

“She seemed old. Not actually the way she looked but the way she acted,” the boy answered struggling to explain her. Rowan rolled his eyes.

“Do you know where I can find her?” the boy thought for a moment. He won’t know the answer to that either, Rowan guessed.

“She went to the market,” the boy said surprised Rowan.

“How am I supposed to find her?”

“It seemed like she knew you, and you know her. So I would say she’ll be familiar to you,” the boy suggested. Rowan nodded still not sure of who it could be. “Well I must be off,” the boy muttered quickly. He fixed his hair so it looked more to the standard expected of servants and then started walking away. All of a sudden the boy reminded Rowan of someone.

“Wait,” Rowan called. The boy turned around and gave him a confused look. “What’s your name?”

The boy bit his lip. “Graham,” he responded. Before Rowan had the chance to say anything more Graham was gone.

Rowan sighed and left the castle once more. It would be best to deal with this now while he knew where the woman should be. It might be important. The market was busy at this time. Rowan scanned the crowd but none of the faces were familiar. He sighed at the time wasted and was about to go back when someone caught his eye. She sat in the shadows in a secluded spot and only looked at her feet.

“Thelma Mathews?” he asked incredulously. She flinched and looked up. As she realized who it was she smiled tentatively. Her wispy blond hair was out of her bun and it fell just below her shoulders.

“I hope you don’t mind me coming to see you,” she said quietly. Rowan shook his head.

“It’s no problem. What are you doing here?” he asked. Thelma warily glanced around before answering.

“I need your help,” she told Rowan. “I thought about what you said and I think you are right. I don’t think I should have to live with a husband that hits me.” Comprehension dawned on Rowan.