I closed the door softly and turned toward the yard. My eyes scanned and landed on a small girl that was standing underneath the tree watching the others in the yard.
I smiled gently as I came up to Neta from behind and swept her up in the air in my arms.
She shrieked and broke into a fit of giggles when she saw it was me. She was a dwarf girl of four years. Her parents had died in a tragic carriage accident about a year ago.
“Z! I mished yoo! “She exclaimed with pudgy cheeks and solemn large brown eyes.
I set her on my hip and tweaked nose with one of her uneven braided pigtails. “I missed you too Neta. Have you been good?” I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrow in an exaggerated manor and she giggled again, then bit her lip and nodded her head quickly.
“Really?” I asked teasingly, “Cause I believe a little bird told me that you got James back for putting a toad in your spot on the pallet.” I wished I could give them their own beds, but they all slept together to conserve space, money and heat.
Neta’s eyes widened, “Wat burdie? N’ he dasavved it.”
“Really now, and what did he deserve?”
“He dasavved get booket dumped on ‘im.”
I held back a giggle and tried to make my voice somewhat stern, “A bucket you say? Hmm, and what was in this bucket?”
Neta twisted her little mouth to the side and with pride said, “Dity dish wata.”
I looked at her for a moment working to contain my amusement. Awa was going to love hearing this tale. “Now, Neta, what’s done is done but let’s try to play nice from now on, ok?”
A shy smile graced her face and she said, “Okee, but he statted it.”
I bit my lip to hold back yet another smile and said, “I don’t care who started it, it needs to stop, ok sweetie?”
Neta sighed but nodded. She gestured for me to let her down. I did so somewhat reluctantly. One day… I shook the thought from my head. I couldn’t afford to dwell on that.
She stomped over to a little boy, James, and held out her hand saying something that I couldn’t catch from all the chatter around the yard but understanding seemed to light James’s face. He nodded reluctantly and put his hand in hers. They shook and quickly released turning away from each other for a moment before turned back around and holding hands and walking off to play with the other children.
I smiled softly; they reminded me of myself and Dusty. I felt a pang in my heart when I thought his name, it was guilt. I let him think me dead but I wasn’t entirely sure someone didn’t want me dead and I wouldn’t endanger him, I couldn’t. I had run and this time he hadn’t caught me, because this time he didn’t know to chase me.
I walked over toward the others saying hello and joining in their games, there were many different children here; some were dwarfs, elves, giants, fairies, guardians, and even a few shifters. My heart pained at their loss of family but a smile lit my face at their joy of being with one another, they had formed a unique bond that I found I sometimes envied. They had a new family even if they didn’t realize it.
They took my hand and pulled me into the game that they were playing. We ran and jumped until they were exhausted. I tried to ignore the ache in my leg but it slowed me down and I collapsed with them. The oldest was a twelve year old boy, named Eric, at thirteen they were sent to train the local academy, and taught how to either become a farmer or a soldier and water skills. The girls were sent to the same academy to learn cooking and cleaning as well as basic water skills. It gave them a chance to earn a living but lately its funding had been cut short and they had had to start kicking out those who weren’t learning as quickly or couldn't pay a fee to stay.
And the orphans, although having a good work ethic installed in them by Galena, could not pay the fee. The same thing was happening all throughout Oceana. Where was the money that had been funding these things? Good question. Our government was falling apart from the inside out. We needed reform but no one had yet to start the wave. And I wasn’t sure how to do it. We needed a leader but I knew it couldn’t be me. They needed someone that didn’t have to hide.
I looked at the children and they smiled at me tiredly pulling me out of my brooding thoughts. I sighed in contentment in the sea of wriggling bodies I was lost in. I smiled back at them all and then one yelled out “Flood Zea!” I sat up to bolt for it, only to be toppled onto the ground again as I was mobbed.
I laughed and then gasped out, “I surrender! You win! Terms!”
They piled off and sat around and one called out, “A story!”
Another shrieked and said, “The one about the Queen!”
Yet another said, “The one about the battle of the dragons!”
“No, the battle of Balmentia!”
I held up a hand and shouted, “We shall vote!”
They all fell silent eager to choose.
“Now then you know the rules, one vote per person and no talking while I count, ok?”
They all nodded solemnly, they loved stories.
“Good, now then the options are as follows: the Dragon War, Battle of Balmentia, the Queen’s Forbidden Actions, and the Pirate Duchess. Think them over carefully for a moment. Now then all those for the Dragon war raise your hand,”
Two boys and a girl raised their hands. I shot them an apologetic look and they smiled at me and shrugged, knowing that I’d tell them it another time perhaps.
“Those for the Battle of Balmentia?”
Ten boys and five girls raised their hands.
“Those for the Queen’s Forbidden Actions?”
Nine girls raised their hands and two boys. I smiled at them again and they smiled back, not upset that they hadn’t won.
“Those for the Pirate Duchess?”
Two boys and six girls raised their hands.
“Well it was close guys but the Battle of Balmentia wins, but first lunch.”
They started to protest and I raised an eyebrow at them and they silenced. I had an intimidating reputation ever since my pistol had fallen out of my boot the one time. They never forgot it and treated me with more respect afterwards as well. It saddened me a little but they still played with me but when I raised my voice they responded faster. I almost thought them afraid of me but Galena assured me that they simply held me in a higher respect than before; after all I wasn’t that much older than them.
“That’s what I thought now let get cleaned up and help Galena with setting up for lunch, ok?” I asked with a smile.
Most of them nodded and took off towards the creek to wash their hands. I smiled and sighed, slowly getting to my feet. My leg wound had opened again, and I needed to clean it. I stepped inside. Galena stood at the table cutting up some of the meat I had brought and putting it into the iron pot. “I’ll be cleaning up in the back, Galena, if you need me.”
She nodded absently as she chopped the meat humming a lively tune. Ernie had asked her to dance with him, I could tell, since she was tapping her foot to the beat and spun to put the meat in the pot and spun yet again as she added vegetables and water to it, placing it over the hearth. I was glad to see her happy about something, especially someone. She needed to have someone who understood and could be there for her, Brandon had been gone for almost two years now.
He had been a lively fellow with a deep laugh lines despite his hard life. Galena had had a hard time adjusting to running the orphanage by herself after his death.
I picked up my bag and headed into the back. I grabbed a clean rag and lifted my skirt to examine the cut on the inside of my calf. I wiped it down with the rag and used another to wrap it after applying a small amount of salve to prevent infection as well as speed up the healing. I sighed and glanced around the tidy but sparse room. I cleaned up after myself and hung my now clean rag out to dry. I turned and headed into the kitchen and froze just inside the thin brown curtain as I saw a man standing beside Galena.
“Where did this meat come from Mama?” He spoke in a voice that rolled out of his mouth like water flowing in a stream.
I bit my lip as I studied the man who I presumed to be one of Galena’s three sons. He was surprisingly tall for his guardian heritage and built like an oak, sturdy and well muscled.
“Zea, my dear, I told you about her.”
He remained tense and said, “How do you know you can trust her mama? Do you even know her last name?”
Galena set down the stack of bowls roughly on the table, “That is quite enough, Neal. She has been nothing but helpful and I’ll not having you judging her before you even set eyes on her. I’ve known her long enough that I don’t need to know everything about her to know her heart. People are allowed to have a past. She’s been here and never once has she asked for anything, so you watch it.”
“I’m just trying to look out for you, mama; I don’t want dangerous people around here.”
I slipped back behind the curtain before stepping out as I looked down into my bag and called out, “Galena, would you like me to-“ I cut off as I looked up acting surprised to see a strange man there. I looked at him and blinked, mentally shaking myself now was not a good time to act like the hormonal young woman I was, and turned to Galena, “- I was going to ask whether you wanted me to gather the children, but I can take care of finishing lunch if you are needed elsewhere.” I stated cautiously as my eyes darted back and for the between the man and her.
Galena beamed at me and said, “Nonsense child, this is my youngest son, Neal; he was kind enough to bring us some bread that his sister had made for the children. Neal this is Zea.”
I smiled and nodded guardedly at him and he narrowed his eyes at me.
“He’ll be staying with us for lunch, and that would be wonderful Zea. I’ll be out shortly.” Galena stated seemingly unaware of his analysis of me.
I smiled for real at her and left to gather the children. My mind still on the man standing next to his mother almost protectively, I felt both insulted that he thought I would mean any harm to Galena and felt a small ounce of respect for this man who was so protective of his sweet elderly mother, who had a bit of fire inside of her if I did say so myself. I wouldn’t want to get in a tussle with her.
As I exited into the back door, I began to sing, "Wash up your hands, gather all your friends, the meal is ready and the last here smells of Teddy." I repeated about three times walking around the large yard and the children came running. They chattered excitedly, until the noise was overwhelming. I narrowed my eyes and let out two sharp whistles. Silence.
"Now then, you know the drill. Show me your hands, cannot have contrabands among us..." I said, in an accent like a pirate while I stood in an intimidating manner.
They all scrambled into a line and held their hands out in front of them, and giggled. I stalked down the line in an exaggerated manner, examining their hands with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. I glared at them playfully as I turned around swiftly to see them all.
They giggled again.
"Attention! All hands have been accounted for as clean. You may grab your bowls and choose your spot on the blankets. Dismissed." I cried in the same voice.
The girls giggled and the boys snorted in laughter.
"That bad huh?" I asked in my normal voice with a wry smile on my face.
They nodded and continued to laugh. My smile slowly grew; I'd act crazy anytime if it made them laugh.
"Ahem..." a deep voice sounded not fair behind me. I twirled to face him and my face flushed at the amusement and knowing grin I saw on Neal's face before he turned his bedazzling smile to the children.
"Now, mates, listen to her, after all you wouldn't want Captain Galena to come out before lunch was served, would ya?"
They all shook their head vigorously no, and scrambled to grab their utensils and bowl. I observed them with a smile. Then I turned and headed in to help Galena bring out the pot. Neal followed me.
Galena smiled a little too brightly and I gazed at her quizzically. "I'll let you two youngsters carry the pot and I'll bring the ladle."
I took a dish towel and grabbed one end of the pot and he did the same to the other side. We proceeded to hobbled to the outside fire ring where we sat the pot in the dead ashes.
Galena trotted over and cried out, "Lunch is served."
The children all scrambled up but pushed all of the younger ones to the front of the line, to make sure that they would have a full bowl. The sight made me proud and sad at the same time. After everyone was through I went over to where I had set my bag and grabbed the jerky I had packed for my lunch. I refused to eat what I had brought, it felt too selfish and I told Galena as much anytime she tried to get me to eat more, which she did every time.
I bit my lip as I tried to remember how the old ballad about the Battle of Balmentia went. I took another bit of jerky and dwelled on it while I chewed. It had been a long time since I had told it using the actual ballad, maybe I would give it a shot, but I wouldn't be singing it, it was much too long for that and besides singing wasn’t exactly a skill of mine, at least I didn’t think it was.
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Edited 1-26-13