The Son of Thunder

Chapter Forty-Four

 Magpie reduced the entourage to Warrior. Shawna and Lightening would never notice if she sent Bastion, Milk and Galen back to their duties. Warrior, however, had the chief duty of being in the presence of one or the other of them.

Lorid rose when they entered. "Magpie, what is this?"

She stopped in the living area. "Oh, I'm sorry. Warrior." He turned and waited. "This is my mother and father. Mana, Pata, this is Warrior. And these are my siblings." She had too many to introduce individually. Hobs waved, the rest sat still. "Warrior is helping me pack."

"What for?" Lorid said, strutting across the room.

"I'm moving to the ruling wing."

"Now just a minute," he said, throwing his finger out at her.

"Lorid," Glenada said, pulling him back and whispering to him.

Magpie's temper rose and she drew Warrior to the stairs before she caught any snippet Glenada was slandering her with. Once in her room, Warrior said, "I've never seen a room so barren since I first entered Shawna's."

"Aside from clothing, my bow and cannon of arrows, what do I need?"

His eyes flickered over the area. "Apparently nothing."

Magpie opened the closet to the eight or so dresses she had and pulled them onto the bed. How Lightening had changed her world. This room was so small. It had a window, but it showed the wall of Thundonia. A purposeless contrivance.

She jerked open the drawers of her bureau. The note and dried rose. Tears gathered, but she pushed them away. The top drawer had sundry rubbish that she couldn't bear to part with, buttons, a thimble, other notes from Lightening and Shawna. The top drawer at the right had color. The rest of the drawers were empty. Magpie put her hand on the dresser itself. Her father had carved each bow on the ledge. His daughter, the archer.

Magpie slung the bow over her shoulder.

"Is this all that you want from the room?"

Magpie couldn't even fill all the drawers, but Lorid had made this dresser for her. Canary had always wanted it. The inn made a good living by the time she was conceived; Lorid had quit wood-working by then. Their parents had simply bought a nice one for each of her siblings.

Warrior laid the clothes on the bed. "I'll get Galen and Milk. I'll be back briefly."

Magpie wanted to stop him, to call him back, but she was thankful in her heart that he was going to deliver her dresser to her new world. Amazingly prompt, he returned with the pair.

"I can lift it," Milk said, brawny arms and a solid chest. He was the cook, which explained his portly gut. His hair was red and tamed into a band.

Galen had a hunched back and a wiry frame. He said, "I lift the bodies of the long dead often. They're more difficult than you think. But I don't know that I can lift it without damaging it."

"Then you take the clothing, Galen. Magpie, are you finished here?"

Magpie stared at the barren walls. Her heart ached. She had no pictures, no trinkets, frivolities, she had no patience for it. Her world was outside hunting. Not inside with toys.

"Well enough," he said. "Let's go. Milk needs to start the afternoon meal."

"I can make a snack," he said. "Shawna won't mind under these circumstances."

Galen put his hand on her shoulder, drew her away.

* * * * *

Magpie was thrilled to wake up each morning and find Milk prancing around the dining area. Lightening would spike his mask at the wall and laugh when Shawna rolled her eyes at him. They had made an official visit to Acidonia and Magpie had gotten her immunizations. Magpie had delighted dancing with Yadrow and General Chai. Lightening had taken up hunting and was honing his skill. Magpie likewise was learning to spar. She was not to be in the Playground against criminals, but all agreed that this was a necessary measure.