Custos Unicorium 2: Nova Turba~ New Company

Chapter Eight: A Scared Family

"Greetings, keeper of the Miran's shop," I strolled calmly over to the boy, avoiding the scared family and hoping Edgar and Edelia would do the same.  

His attention turned from the family, a smug look still planted on his face. "My name's Miramo," he growled.  

"Sorry," I tried to sound polite. I wanted that tea. "We're not from around here." 

A gasp came from the family behind us. They were afraid of us outsiders.  

"What do you want 'round here?" Miramo asked. 

"You supply the innkeeper with the tea they keep there, right?" I asked.  

"Yeah," Miramo said bluntly.  

"Don't worry guys," Edelia's voice drifted to my ears, we're here to help!" I didn't turn around and look, but all my instincts told me she was talking to the family.  

"We've got jars this size," Miramo held up a pretty nice sized jar filled with tea, "for five brozys." 

"I'll take five siivlays worth," I growled. 

Miramo looked surprised as I pulled out the circles, but he put the four jars of tea in a thin leather sack and we exchanged our items. 

"The village with the unicorn haven?" the boy was asking Edelia. 

"Yep! You've heard of it? Wow! Well, that's where were from, and we're going to help"! 

I turned around to meet a shrug from Edgar. He stood a few paces away from Edelia, facing me. I walked over to him. "What's up?" I whispered. He only shrugged again.  

"Edelia," I sighed, walking to stand beside her, "we're only checking things out now. You can't promise we'll be able to help." 

"But--" 

"No buts Edelia, we'll do our best, but no promises." 

"You're here on work?" the black-haired girl asked. 

"Yep!" Edelia chimed. 

"Work momma," she whispered to the lady. The mother shook her head. "Lelara, we can't." Her voice rose, she was talking to us now. "We have to go." She turned, and the two younger children followed. It wasn't until then that I noticed that she was carrying an even younger child, an infant. Five children, and on the run. 

The black-haired girl, Lelara, and the oldest boy stayed where they were, watching us. It was easy to tell that they saw hope in us. The boy turned away first as their mother walked away. Lelara didn't, and when the lady noticed that her daughter wasn't coming she stopped and let out a sigh. 

"Fine Lelara. Bring them to the house though. Not out here," the lady turned and kept walking. Lelara motioned for us to follow. None of us three said anything until we got to a small thatched house in the residential part of Lavetin. 

I looked around before we went in. Most of the houses in Lavetin were wood. Thatched houses--the norm in my village--were well, ratty, here in Lavetin. 

Once we were inside we all sat in a circle. Enough chairs for all of us sat in the room.  

"Where are you from?" Edelia asked, pulling up a hair as comfortably as if she'd been one of the family. 

"We lived in a town smaller than this, and before that one bigger than Lavetin. Both times the army showed up on our doorstep once we got settled in. It's like no where is safe for us," Lelara explained. 

"I had two other sons," the mother's words echoed bitterly. "Thomas tried to stand up to them the first time. He didn't make it out," she paused to collect herself. "My other son, Markus, was younger than Victor here," she motioned to the black-haired boy. "We got separated the second time, and I think the soldiers took him. I don't know if he's still out there."