Descendants of the Kings (Book 2)

Ch 6: Tea in a cup

Ella did not consider herself a snoop, strictly speaking.

She was curious, and she was prone to eavesdropping and collecting tidbits of information--a habit that usually came in handy--but she generally considered herself respectful. She was a fiercely private person, and as such, she tended to respect others' personal affairs with the same delicacy.

However, it was rather difficult not snooping when left to her own devices in a stranger's home, with nothing more to occupy her time.

It hadn't been on purpose. Ella had been searching for needles and thread to mend a tear on her petticoat, and inadvertently, she'd stumbled upon a drawer full of correspondence. Neatly stacked letters, written by or addressed to the same person, T. Or, as Ella had taken to calling her, Tea.

Tea was the house owner, Ella had learned. By the feminine cursive and by the belongings scattered around the house, she guessed Tea was a young woman, not too far off in age from herself. Over the next couple of days, Ella learned many things about her.

Tea was a knitter and a crafter. She made beautiful drapes and intricate tablecloths, as well as a few patterned aprons Ella found in the kitchen. She was organised, as despite the house being empty, everything was spotless and well-kept. Jars were labelled and cups were symmetrically stashed. The bed, which Ella had avoided due to feeling it was too invasive, was still pristinely made, corners tucked and pillows fluffed, as if made just that morning.

Tea was also a guardian. A very loving one, it seemed. The child that lived with her, a boy, must not have been more than six or eight. His name was Jasper, and according to the door frame, where his height had been meticulously documented over the years with small notches, he was just a tiny slip of a thing.

Jasper was a budding artist. His colourful doodles littered every corner of the cabin, vines twisting up table legs, flowers and clouds in faded paint decorating window sills, even a fierce pair of dragon eyes etched over the door jamp, watching over the house.

Despite how meticulously clean Tea kept the place, she seemed not to mind the child's art, rather it was proudly displayed all over, especially over the mantle, where she kept a framed piece. A green meadow, with a smiling sun at the corner, where below a cheerful rainbow, two figures stood. A green little boy, with sharp fangs, holding hands with a taller figure, a girl with pink flowers in her hair. At the bottom, in childish scrawl, it was signed by Jasper.

Ella didn't know them personally, but after a few days, she almost felt like she did. She couldn't help but feel fondness for this little family. A sense of responsibility for them, like she had to pay them back somehow.

Though Ella did not read Tea's correspondence--despite being slightly curious--she did uncover a few useful scraps of paper, namely, the address of a few shops where Tea did her shopping. With that, Ella found out how to reach the nearest town.

Heavens knew she certainly needed it. She'd been at the cabin for quite a few days now, subsisting mostly on biscuits, which couldn't possibly be healthy. There was also the matter of firewood, which was now down to a few measly logs. Ella was beginning to grow desperate. She feared that if the snow didn't let up, she'd have to toss a few books into the hearth to keep warm.

Before she had to resort to drastic measures though, on the sixth day, she awoke to a mercifully clearer sky. The ground was still frozen and covered in snow, and it was cold enough to chill the dead, but the storm had finally let up.

It was then that Ella finally ventured out, armed with a cart, a basket, and a purposeful mission.

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