Chapter Two –
I stared at Sanji’s pants, the silence weighing down on me like a sack of flour. Sanji was staring at Lilli’s purple dress, who was in turn staring at Mama. We all had nothing to say. Mama and Calman were sitting across from each other, at the heads of the table. Next to Mama was Lilli, then me. Between Sanji and I sat Zinthia, playing with her night clothes.
How jealous I was of her. Young, carefree, and no one cared what she wore at the table.
Suddenly Mama’s voice broke through the air, causing everyone to jump.
“Where’s Nian?” She asked, her eyes widening. Jumping to her feet before we could say anything, she was out of the room and up the stairs like lightning.
“I’d better go get the healer.” Lilli sighed.
“And I’ll get the wet cloths. Sanji, take Zin outside for some fresh air.” I pushed back my seat warily.
“No. Zinthia will not go outside until she has proper clothes on.” Calman snapped angrily, stomping past me. Just before he walked out Mama rushed back in, looking terribly stressed.
“Nian’s sick! Get the healer, Lilli-“
“She already left to do that.”
“Oh. Go get some wet cloths-“
“I’m leaving to do that.”
“Then, Sanji, take Zin-“
“Told him to do that.”
Mama gazed around the room, looking dumfounded.
“Well, Calman, come with me.” She said briskly, turning and walking out of the room. My brother followed her like a duckling.
And just as soon as they left Nian came trudging into the room. Her black hair hid her eyes, and her sickly pale skin looked yellow in the torchlight. She was the shortest in our family, not having our parents genes like the rest of us.
“Nian, Ma’s gonna freak when she finds out your not in your room.” I sighed. Sure enough a loud scream erupted the house.
“Where’s Nian? Where is she!” Nian gave me a twisted grin, and one of her grey eyes showing through the curtain of hair proved great amusement.
“Stop wandering around.” I grabbed her hand and started dragging her back upstairs. Mama was in her room, flailing around like a lost chicken.
“Nian!” She cried, pulling my younger sister into a hug. “Get in bed, you’ll get worse! Ko, hurry up and get those cloths! Where is Calman? Tell him to get in here!” I dipped my head.
“Yes Ma’am.” I turned and trotted out of the room before I could start laughing.
As I was wringing out the cloth Lilli stopped by my side.
“Well, the healer says Nian will be fine. Just needs some more rest and fresh air. Do you and Sanji want to go out riding with me? Apparently we’re not having breakfast any more.”
“Well, sure, I think Sanji wouldn’t mind. But what about Zin? She’ll want to come.” I filled up a bowl with water, draped the cloth over my shoulder, and started trudging back upstairs.
“She can come too, I guess. But she’ll have to ride with one of us.” Lilli sighed and followed me.
“I have a feeling I know which one of us she’ll pick.” I smirked. I placed the bowl besides Nian’s bed. Her elbows were propped up on the window ledge, her hands cradling her head as she stared out at the forest. Mama and the healer were whispering to each other, they didn’t even glance at me when I walked in.
“Here Nian.” I held out the cloth for her.
“I don’t want it.” She frowned but didn’t take her gaze away from the trees. I sighed.
“Mama will be angry with you if you don’t.” I whispered.
“No she won’t, Ma’s never angry at me.” I almost hit her, though thought better of it.
But it was true.
Because of her sickness she got away with the most terrible things. Things that she enjoyed doing. Like wandering outside at night, or just walking around the building. Hiding and causing Mama grief. Oh, how she enjoyed making problems. And she always got away with it.
“Just take it.” I growled through clenched teeth, shoving it in her hands and walking out. “I’m going to kill her someday.” I muttered at Lilli, who giggled.
“Oh, I’ve already tried.” She shrugged, still giggling, and darted down the hallway. “Come on, Ko!” And she was down the stairs. I muttered nonsense and ran after her.
~~~~~~
“Here you go, Zin.” Sanji chuckled, picking her up so she could lean over and stroke the horse. The mare stood still eying the humans around her. Lilli gave her a quick pat before turning her attention to her own horse, Quidet. Stroking his nose lovingly, she started combing out his mane with her fingers.
“I wanna ride Nasc!” Zinthia bounced in Sanji’s arms, and he glanced at me for approval. I nodded, and he squeezed the little girl.
“We’ll ride Nasc, then!” He put her on the ground and she ran off to find the horse’s stall. I raised my eyebrows at Sanji as he shrugged and walked after her, his fingers running through his brown hair. He dared a glance in Lilli’s direction before calling for Zinthia to wait up.
My own horse was Dawn. I had raised her from a filly, and Calman had helped too.
That was before Papa died. Before his heart turned cold. I swallowed and shoved the memories away. They wouldn’t help.
Everyone was tacked quickly, and Lilli surprised us with a small basket of food she had cooked.
“I wanted to go on a picnic.” She smiled. “I’ve seen a field, full of flowers. It would be a wonderful place to have a picnic, especially on a day like this.” We all agreed.
As we were leaving I felt someone watching us. Turning my head I saw Calman watching us from a window. I was too far away to see what emotion might be lurking in his gaze.
It didn’t take long; only a couple minutes. Zinthia, who was sitted at the front of Nasc’s saddle, was kept busy by Sanji. Lilli and I chatted about random things. The weather, how Nian was such a nuisance, what should we offer the cook’s to make for dinner. Random, happy things. And yet something was nudging the back of my mind. I just wouldn’t let it in. But the bigger my grin, the louder I laughed, it still grew insistently.
When we had our horses tied up, Lilli spread out a blanket and set the basket down.
“Before we eat I need to tell you guys something.” She said, pulling her legs against her chest. She knew that no manners were needed here. We all stopped talking and transferred our attention to her. She took a deep breath, looking around uncertainly.
“I…I think Calman is planning to kill Mother.” We all exchanged looks, except for Zinthia, who stared at her hands. “I walked into his room to talk to him but he wasn’t there. He left a notebook lying open, and I couldn’t help but just glance at it. It said ‘I must be patient; timing is everything Amrera has started to suspect me but that is of no matter. She will be gone by the time she can prove anything. About the others…I’ll need to hide her’ – and then it stops.”
“He’s planning on hiding her what?” I asked. Lilli shrugged.
“How do I know? But listen guys, don’t tell anyone.” She whispered, leaning forward.
“But what if he’s actually…!” Sanji’s cry was cut off by Lilli’s hand. After a second she pulled it off his mouth and glanced around nervously.
“I’m not sure. I just said I think. Who knows what he can be talking about? Anything, really!” We all looked around as if expecting my older brother to jump out of the forest at any minute.
“He was watching us while we were leaving…” Sanji muttered. So he noticed too!
“Well, come on, let’s just enjoy the meal. We’ll deal with it later. Right now I think we should make the best of sunny days. The old mage in town says gloomy storms lie ahead.” Lilli smiled and opened the basket.
Again we started laughing and smiling, but this time I could tell we were all faking it. A dark shadow hung over our heads now. We just had to trust each other to keep the secret.
I glanced at Zinthia. She was being abnormally quiet for her usual, jumpy self. Even though she was only six, I was sure she could be trusted with this. But I had to be absolutely positive. While we went to get the horses I picked her up and started trailing behind the other two.
“You aren’t going to tell any body, right Zin?” I whispered in her ear. Her head bobbed up and down.
“I won’t tell no one, not even Mama.” She said defiantly. I nodded and put her down. I was a little uncertain, but there was nothing I could do except keep watch over her.
The ride back was a little better. We took the long way back, under Sanji’s suggestion. We started talking about random things again, and we didn’t have to fake laughs any more. The annoying tugging at the back of my mind went away. The horses seemed happier, and every once in a while we would start racing. Zinthia clung to the horses mane and laughing so hard she was crying, with Sanji practically falling off. Lilli would continue to urge Quidet faster, but it was Dawn who always won. She was the youngest, and her legs were always a bit longer than they should be. Papa, Calman, and I had always wanted to enter her in a race, but Mama stopped us.
“Racing is for brutes. Besides, who would ride her? Calman and Kohan are too young, too tall, and you are much too old and too large for her! With all this nonsense that you want, we’ll be poor before no time!” Papa had just laughed and ran his hands through his black hair.
“Look around, Amerra, my darling. We are royalty! You need not worry about becoming a peasant.”
Oh, what I would sometimes give to travel to the past.
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