Chapter Two, Moving into Nampara
"'There was an old couple and they was poor... They lived in a house that had but one door. Oh, what a Poor couple was they, was they...'" Demelza sung as she walked alongside the horse, Garrick bounding happily beside her. Ailla smiled from where she sat in front of Ross on his horse, as she looked at the beautiful scenery before her, being back here soothed the somewhat fresh memories of the Wizarding War that happened two months past. She may have loved Hogwarts, but she preferred being here in Cornwall with her cousin; even if it meant being beaten.
Her right leg twinge'd causing her to flinch in agony and to accidentally lean against Ross's broad muscular chest. It was a wound she'd gotten from the war when she was captured by the Snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor, where she was tortured by Bellatrix. It had never fully healed due to Bellatrix using her dagger and not even a month later it was re-opened when she pushed Fred out of the way of the falling wall and again last night during her uncle's beating. "Are you alright, Lady Ailla?" Ross asked concerned as he felt her flinch as she leaned against him. "No one has ever called me that." Ailla whispered to herself, but unfortunately for her Ross heard her and stopped his horse so he could look at her.
He gently cupped her chin in work chapped fingers so he could look at her which only caused Ailla to lean more fully on to him. Ross frowned on concern when he saw her dull emerald eyes. He was confused by the girl before him; not of did she hold herself in a somewhat defeated manner but also like someone who was accustomed to the life of war. "You wasn't supposed to hear that." She said softly as she looked down at her hands refusing to meet his gaze.
"How come no one has ever called or treated you properly?" He asked. He knew he was pushing the boundaries but he was concerned by what had happened to the girl. "My Aunt Melyor, Demelza's mother, my Godfathers and my friends and their parents treated me as if I was one of their own. And I was told my Mama and father treated me well. It is only Uncle Tom and the Dursleys who didn't." Ailla denied, she didn't know why she was telling him this she barely even knew him. Maybe it sad because he said lived near where her parents used to live or that he knew about her 'gift' because his father was a friend of hers.
Or it could be that she felt a connection with him, he was a broken soul, lost like she was and her magic was calling out to him. Whatever it was it caused her to feel safe around him enough to talk, but she refused to say anymore and he seemed to realise this as he sighed and ether his horse into a trot again. After they had left the tavern Ross had led them to where his horse had been tied. Both herself and Demelza had stood and watched as Ross mounted his horse before he paused and looked at the pair of them, as if only now just realising the problem to his plan.
Ailla had been unable to convince both her cousin and the man that she would be perfectly fine walking alongside and that her limp was nothing, when the man pointed it out. Though she knew neither believed her especially Demelza who knew exactly how she'd injured her leg. In the end she'd given in and allowed Ross to pull her up on to his horse in front of him. "Where're you going?" He'd asked her as he took hold of the reins and led them away from the market and to the dirt path that led to the cliffs which then lead to the crossroads that would lead them home.
Sighing Ailla had told him that herself and Demelza were going to check in at Potter Manor and get some work done there before they headed home to Illugan. As they rode Ailla told him all about her magic; the Wizarding War; how her parents had really died; how she was treated by those in the Wizarding World and her own family and of the war she'd just finished fighting in that was at her school. She'd even told him her fear of being a burden and everything that had happened during her time at Hogwarts for she knew he would understand the after affects a war had on someone having been in one himself.
When she was finished she knew she'd shocked both him she get cousin for she hadn't told Demelza everything for fear that she too would leave her. And told her so when Demelza asked which only caused the older girl to sigh and shake her head. Ailla had first been hesitant in telling him in spite of ending up telling him everything in the end. And seeing her hesitance to answer his questions, Ross had told them about his own dreary circumstances and she felt slightly better about spilling her heart out. For the rest of the journey the three of them had lagged into a rather comfortable silence, until Ross stopped his horse at the crossroads.
"Illugan's that way." Ross stated as he pointed to the right path of the crossroads they had come across. They had told him they would go home first for if they weren't home when Tom hit back from the mine they'd be beaten worse, and that they'd sneak out later to Potter Manor when he was at the Tavern. Demelza helped Ailla off of the horse and they thanked Ross before making their way down the road to Illugan with Garrick at their heals. Ailla looked back and saw Ross still sat there looking at them with an odd expression on his face, shrugging mentally Ailla turned and hurried to catchy up with Demelza when they were stopped by a voice drifting yo them on the light breeze. "I'm in need of a kitchen maid."
"Aye, Sir!" Demelza says not letting anything show on her face. "You'll get a bed, food and proper clothes that'll fit you." Ross continued, he hoped Demelza accepted his offer for he knew Ailla would not if her cousin didn't, for he knew she would not leave her cousin alone at home. "There'd be Garrick, Sir! He and me be friends! Where I go he goes. And Ailla would be coming too or I'd not be working for ya." Demelza said fiercely.
"You can bring your dog, but he is to stay outside. I'll have no crawlers in my house. And I was going to ask Lady Ailla if she would care to live with us, once you accepted." Ross told the girls.
"I accept your offer graciously Mr Ross." Ailla spoke quietly. "But I won't sit around doing nothing, I'll help around the house and land and even the mine if your willing to open it. I can offer some of my money if you'd like. As an investment, for I fear some men would pull out at the first hurdle."
"You do not need to help out." Ross disputed but was interrupted by Ailla. "I do. If I'm to be living there I will pull my weight and help you get your land making profit once more. And I meant what I said about the mine." Ailla said firmly.
Ross sighed deeply for he knew he wasn't found to win this argument. "I see I will not change your mind." Ross said with a sigh. "I thank you for your offers Lady Ailla and I'm sure your advice will not be wasted. Come it is getting late and there is much we all must do before we retire." Ross told them as he helped Ailla back on to the horse and headed for home, Demelza and Garrick following along beside them.
* * *
"Who be these then?" A rather plump woman asked from where she stood in the doorway to the house blocking entry, from the way she was dressed Ailla could yell that she was a servant, but refused to do most if not all of her chores. Ailla was glad that Ross had accepted if not grudgingly, her offer to work. She would have done it anyway, but it was better to have Ross accept it then Ailla wouldn't have to go behind his back.
"Prudie, where is Jud?" Ross asked as he helped her down from the horse once again. The woman now known as Prudie glared at her and Demelza as Demelza led the horse I into its stable, giving it food and water and relieving him of his saddle. "He be inside Sir." Prudie finally answered, she turned in the doorway and shouted for her husband. "Jud! Mr Ross be wanting yer!" Not five minutes has past when an old man with an equally round belly appeared in the doorway behind Prudie. "Finally! What took you so long? Been at my rum have you?" Ross asked darkly as he stared at the two tipsy servants.
"That not fair Mr Ross. It ain't friendly. Tis not right!" Jud disagreed, but it was futile as the slurring of his words was a dead give away. "This is Demelza Carne, she is the new kitchen maid. I expect you to make her feel welcome." Ross demanded the 'or else' was left unsaid but everyone knew it was there. "And this is Lady Ailla Cordelia Potter, Demelza's cousin. She will be staying with us until she decides otherwise. You are to make her feel welcome also and do treat her sign the respect she deserves. And just because Demelza and Lady Ailla will be helping us make this land a profitable one, you will not be shirking your duties otherwise you'll be out on your ear, my father's friends or not." Ross ordered.
"They'd have crawlers." Prudie protested.
"So I'll give them the same treatment I gave you." Ross quipped.
"We don't have crawlers Mr Ross." Ailla said drawing the attention to herself, which caused her cheeks to heat up a fire red colour that clashed with her hair. "I make sure that neither I or Demelza or Garrick have crawlers."
"Well then, there's nothing to worry about. Let's head inside and find you and Demelza some proper clothes." Ross said as he lead them inside, only after Ailla assure him that she treated Garrick monthly for fleas did Ross allow him inside.
As they were heading in Ailla heard Prudie and Jud mutter none to quietly about her not being Lady Potter, but a whore. Ross seemed to have heard them as well for he ordered them to start on the corn field and they were not allowed to come in until they were finished and only after he'd checked their work. "I'm sorry Lady Ailla." Ross apologised on his servants behalf. "It's fine Mr Ross. Name calling does not bother me." Ailla replied with a small smile in his direction. "And you can call me Ailla."
"If your sure." Ross said hesitantly for he'd seen the hurt flash through her eyes, it was one of the reasons he'd been so harsh on Jud and Prudie. "Only if you call me Ross, then." Ross returned once Ailla had nodded her head. He smiled when he heard her bell like laugh, it was truly the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.