The Lord of the Crows

Part 11 - Good Morning

I was awakened by the smell of hot, fresh milk.

It took me a few moments to realize that I was not in my hut and in my bed.

"Good morning", she smiled.

"Mhm. It sure looks and smells good."

She laughed and handed me a cup.

"And it's about to come to an abrupt end. Lela will be here any moment, and if you don't want another lecture about why you shouldn't be in my bed ... "

I accepted the cup and pointed to the side.

"I'm not even close to your bed."

She leaned and touched my lips with her lightly. They smelled of honey.

"Explain that to Lela," she murmured, stroking my face gently.

I grimaced and drank some milk. It tasted the same as the honey on her lips. I got up slowly and handed her the cup back.

"It's my unfortunate fate, ma'am," I sighed. "I was thrown out of your bed without even getting into it first."

She almost choked on those words.

"What can I tell you, dear sir? Except to wish you more luck next night."

I looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Hmm," I confirmed, turned, and walked out.

I met Lela, but at the entrance to my house, almost in tears. I rushed to meet her, hurried by that dull feeling of heaviness in my stomach.

"What happened, Old Lady?"

She hung around my neck. I winced, but I hugged her back, more and more frightened at the sight of an old woman trembling like a leaf.

"Lela, what happened?"

"I thought ... you left."

I was about to explode and curse her for having me scared so much. However, her motherly care moved me, and I managed to force myself to be gentle. I stepped away from her and looked into her eyes.

"Where did you get that? Did you really think I would leave without saying goodbye to you?"

"I found the bed and things intact. There was no fire and ..."

I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. Holly Crow, what am I going to tell her, where have I been all night!

"I had a really bad night, Lela", this, however, was not completely a lie. "It took me a while to calm down and clear my mind."

Surprisingly, she didn't question me further. She just nodded and muttered the same thing I had heard from Daina last night.

"It's all going to fade away slowly, son. It will hurt less."

"I hope and pray your words to come true, though I doubt it," I murmured, and headed inside. "Do you want to have breakfast with me, Lela? I don't feel like eating alone..."