A Terrible fate

Part 14

Amal was similar to Sahid in doling out stuff for the three of them. Giving half of his own portion and half of what Sahid gave him to Hanan and giving the other half of his portion to Sahid and then keeping the last little portion to himself. He was the middle triplet and he had been the one to approach my uncle in the ruins.

He was always the most trusting one, going along with anything all the time with anyone. It got him in some trouble sometimes, and not the fun kind of trouble, so Sahid and Andranik were often busy keeping him and Hanan from wandering off.

Amal was always curious about everything around him. He loved to read and to write and draw and play instruments. He spent a lot of his time in the garden with me, watching the little bugs and butterflies go about their day while we sat and read and signed to each other for hours.

Hanan was the youngest of the three, and he was the gentlest and kindest. He was always with Sahid or Amal or Andranik or uncle. He was never allowed to be by himself because it wasn't safe.

Father said it was because he couldn't hear and couldn't speak and he also couldn't see very well so it was hard for him to get around safely. He had been allowed to be by himself a bit more when they first got here, but then he fell into a pond and it scared my uncle so badly that he didn't allow him out of his sight for weeks.

Hanan had a hard time learning to read and write, but he loved to 'read the world'. That's what mother called it. He would spend all day feeding and touching things. Sticking his hands into ponds and streams, finding animals to pet and watch, plucking leaves and plants off their steams, and building little towers out of rocks and stones.

He loved to watch everything go on around him, and he was most content snuggled up to one of us while he did that.

All three triplets were from the desert kingdom across the sea where uncle and father had started trade routes with. They had golden brown skin, big brown eyes that were as wide as the canals of Rimougue, and hair as soft and shiny as silk.

The three of them were almost always together and usually were seen tagging along behind Andranik, like ducklings following their mother.

Sahid had clashed a lot with Andranik when they first got here, but after watching him dive into the freezing lake to snatch Hanan from the clutches of winter and water, he had warmed up to him.

Before everything had fallen apart the four of them were thick as thieves, the three eleven-year-olds tottering after their older brother ready to cause some mischief or just to snuggle up with him while he did his lessons for the day.

The three of them had died so horribly, and far too soon.

"Princess?" Lionel's soft whisper and a gentle hand on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts. He was staring at me, worried again.

The blankets had been dropped to the floor, forgotten once he had seen the state I was in.

"Are you alright? Is it too cold here today?" again he put the back of his hand to my head, eyes flicking around my face for any sign of illness. "You're pale as the snow outside, are you feeling unwell?"

I said nothing, as I usually did. Just staring at him while he fretted over me.

After deciding I was alright to stay where I was, he bundled me with the thick furs he had dug out of a chest in the bedroom. Tucking one around my waist and legs, another over my shoulders, and a third covering my lap entirely.

"That should keep you warm enough. Now, let's get you set up for dinner." Lionel moved quickly after tucking me in and bundling me thoroughly. "The chef said you had this on your birthday this year. It's light so it should be easy to eat and he said you liked it quite a bit."

The dinner tray was placed gently on my lap, the periwinkle blue brown was filled with swirling soup. It was a blossom soup that my mother had had the chef make for my birthday this year. It was light and floral, made from thick slices of beef with a cherry blossom broth, and side of vegetables, and a soft bread to dip and mix into it.

"I don't know why they put flowers into it, but if that gets you to eat then it's fine I suppose."