Two-Spirit

Chapter 4

"Did you enjoy your time with Henry?" Corie teases as we eat breakfast.

"You are quite the jester." I say not meaning it. I shovel my eggs into my mouth with my spoon.

"Eat any faster and you'll surely choke." Corie snorts.

"No I won't." I'm just excited I get to see Amadah.

"What do you and Amadah do?"

"The same thing you do with your friends."

He scoffs. "You're forgetting that I'm not fond of any of my friends, so I wouldn't know."

I frown, how does he know. "I'm not fond of her."

He chuckles. "We're twins, I can read you like a book."

I give up on lying. "Alright, maybe I am a little."

"You're a little what?" One of the maids appear.

"She was saying she's a little fond of Henry but I know it's more than that." Corie lies before I can come up with something. He could have said different.

"Oh. Henry is the boy you had dinner with?"

"Yes."

"Well it's good that you enjoyed it." She turns around and starts cleaning the fire pit.

Corie shrugs at me.

I quickly finish my meal and leave. When I get outside I see Max laying on the porch. He comes to me with his tail wagging.

"Max!" I crouch down and pet him. "Are you hungry? The maids will bring you breakfast from the Ice house in a bit."

I start to walk off in the direction of the woods but I hear the pitter-patter of little feet beside. I look down beside me and see Max following me.

"Oh you want to come too?" I keep walking and he follows me all the way there.

****

"You brung the dog." Amadah smiles and Max runs to her.

"What's his name?" She pets him from where she sits by the creek. He isn't usually friendly towards strangers, that or he pays them no mind.

"Max. You've met him before?" I ask.

She nods. "He followed me home the first day you all came."

"Oh." I sit down in front of her.

"So tell me how the dinner went." She insists.

I tell her from the beginning to the end what happened. By the end of it we're both giggling together. I like making her laugh it is a lovely sound.

"Tell me, why did you're family leave home?" She asks once our laughter has died down.

"I'm not quite sure of that myself. Maybe for a new start." I say. My parents tell us nothing.

She smiles at me. Something different in her eyes that I can't quite pin. "I'm glad they did."

I feel my belly flutter and my face heat up. Why does this keep happening to me? "Me too."

She tilts her head a little as she watches my face. "Why does your face turn red sometimes?"

"I'm not sure." That isn't true but I can't tell her.

She looks skeptical of my answer. "I think you-"

A familiar sound echos through the woods. I recognize it as the call she did before with her hands to mimic her cousin's.

She sighs. "That's my sister." She does the sound with her hands.

"You have a sister?" I ask

She nods. "Yes. Yona, the women who was with me and my cousin when we found you and your brother. She's younger than me and the only sibling I have left."

"I must go see what she wants although I'm sure she's just wondering what I'm doing. I didn't tell anyone I was going because if the elders found out about me talking to you they wouldn't be happy. Would you like to come with me?"

"But you're people don't like mine."

"She won't tell, besides you aren't like your people." She smiles and holds out her hand. "You'll come?"

I grab her hand and she pulls me up. I follow her as she goes to the sound. We walk for longer than expected before we find her sister.

When Yona see's me she frowns. Her and Amadah start speaking in their language. I can see their resemblance. They both have high cheek bones, sharp dark eyes and of course they are the same shade.

Yona starts to sound angry. Her and Amadah sound like they're arguing and I assume that it is about me. Eventually Yona starts walking away. Amadah turns to me an annoyed look present on her face.

"She thinks I'm putting us in danger."

I frown but think on it. Is she wrong? If father found out that I even talk to her he would surely hurt her, or worse.

"Maybe she's right." I say.

Her brows furrow. "What are you talking about?"

"It's just that if one of my people found out that we have contact, they'd surely hurt you."

"But you won't let them find out."

"No." I can't promise, but they would never find out by my mouth. I know Corie wouldn't tell because I'd get in trouble.

"I trust you." She smiles.

We go back to our spot by the woods and talk. We talk for so long that when I look up the sky is orange and the Sun is setting.

"It's almost dark." I say.

She nods. "You'll come back tomorrow?"

"Yes." We both stand up and part ways.

As I'm walking back I contemplate writing a letter to Elle.

When I get back home. I write a letter to Elle telling her how I've already made a new friend and that I'm enjoying it so far. When I get done I fold it neatly and put it in an envelope. I close the envelope that I'd already wrote our addresses on and drizzle melted wax over it before pressing my seal into it. Once the wax is dried I grab a stamp and put it on the front.

The stage coach doesn't come this way because we aren't near town. I search for Theo one of the male servants who also serves as a coachman. I know how to operate a wagon but why do that when there someone here for it.

I find him in the kitchen cleaning. "Theo, would you deliver this to the mail stagecoach in town when you get the chance."

He takes the envelope. "Of course, I'll go now, Ms.Smith."

"Thank you."

It will be a be a month before she gets it, I know that well.