Stray

 

            Willow and I near the house.  She is gripping on the sleeve of my shirt as she was before.  She looks up at the house in awe. 

            “It’s very large.” She says simply.

            I push past her an open the large mahogany doors, keeping them open so she can pass through.  After I’m in I close it.

            “Wow….” She says admiring the welcoming hall.

            I hear shuffling inside.  “Aiden?  That you?”  Sharden calls.

            “Who else would it be?” I ask coldly.

            “A tax collector, my parents, or perhaps someone to see me.”  He says.

            “Who would want to see you?”  I ask.

            “I don’t know.  Maybe someone important.”

            “I doubt that will ever happen.” I say sarcastically.  I lead Willow into the dining area.  She keeps glancing at the ceiling and scanning the room.  She looks like she’s calculating something.  “What are you doing?”  I ask her.

            “Reading.” Sharden replies, emotionlessly.

            “Not you...[What an idiot…]”I say in my first language.  I moved to Peorial when I was 5.  I still remember Gasch from when I lived elsewhere.

            “Don’t speak to me with your tongues, Aiden.” He says with hostility.  He looks up at me and then he glances to Willow and then back to me with a glare that says who the hell is this?

            “[No, Aiden.  He’s not really an idiot he just didn’t know I was here.]”  Willow says in perfect Gasch.

            “Who are you?”  Sharden asks.

            “[You speak Gasch?]”  I ask.

            “[Yes.]  I am Willow.”  She says beginning to give Sharden an upper bow.

            “[Hierarchy’s son, you know.]”  I tell her.  She quickly changes to a master bow.  Sharden gives her a minor bow.   

            “I’m pleasured to make your acquaintance Master…. Sharden was it?”

            “Yes... Just call me Sharden.  Are you here for me or-“

            “Actually she’s here for me.”  I say, cutting him off.  He pierces me with a glare.  I glare right back.

            “Actually in all honesty, I’m here for the juicer.  Where would it be?”  She asks.

            I glare at Sharden for a moment and then lead Willow into the kitchen.  I bring the weaved fruit basket to the counter.  It’s filled with many different fruits.  “Pick out a few.”  I tell her.  She smiles at me.  She palms through the different fruit choices.  She picks out a doum palm fruit, a pomegranate, a silky pear, and a bunch of grapes.  She studied them prudently before placing them in the good pile.  “Why’d you pick those?”  I ask her.

            “Well, aside from the grapes, I’ve never seen any of these.”

            “That’s odd.  All four are very common from around here.”  Sharden says, making his way to the seating counter.  He sits on one of the stools.

“That would make sense, for I am not from here.  Where I live it must be too cold to grow such things.  She replies.

“Where do you live?”  Sharden asks.

            “Well for the time being, it seems I’m nomadic, doesn’t it?”  She says

            “Should I do this or would you rather-“

            “Can you do it please?  Thanks for the offer.” She says, cutting me off.

            “fine.” I mutter

            I go over to the juicer.  It has a simple design, Made out of stone with a crank.  I grab a pomegranate and stick it in an opening in the top.  I shut the lid and start cranking it.  There is a chute out the side that disposes of the rinds of the fruit.  The juice is filtered through several different sizes of mesh.  The finished juice goes into a glass pitcher at the bottom.  As I juice the rest of the fruit, Willow sits next to Sharden and starts talking to him.

            “Where are you staying while you’re here?  Somewhere in town?”  Sharden asks.

            “No actually, I have nowhere to stay.  I’m a waif.  A stray.”  Willow says dramatically.

            I can see where this is going…. And it’s not a good place.