Farryn

Chapter 4- Part 1

Farryn returned to the manor, and spent the rest of the day scrubbing and cleaning and playing with the children. At around nine, though, the Trisons left, all dressed up in black, with their carriage filled to overflowing with luggage.

The kitchens had shut down after preparing lunch, so Luli spent the evening with Farryn. Iris seemed to like her, though she kept telling her to stop rifling through the toy box.

"If you're going to town, you'd best start getting ready now," Iris told her a few minutes past ten. She'd given all three of the children bottles, and they were uncharacteristically sleepy already, dozing off in their respective cribs. 

Farryn nodded. "I am, thank you."

They left the nursery, and Luli asked if she could go. "Don't you want to stay here?" Farryn asked her. 

"I don't! I want to go with you! I won't get sleepy, I promise."

Farryn conceded, and headed into her room to get ready for the night. She brushed her hair and changed her dress so she felt a bit cleaner. She couldn't have been more than 15 minutes, but when she returned she found Luli sitting on the floor in the hall, already asleep.

She smiled. "Luli. Come on. Let's get you to bed."

❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥

Luli was too tired to protest as Farryn took her to the servant's quarters and put her to bed. The Head housekeeper, a woman named Martha, was staying behind and promised to check in on her. Farryn hurried out to the courtyard, where a few carts were loaded with servants, heading into town.

"Oy, there she is!" Claud called from one of them. Farryn felt her face heat up as everyone turned to look at her.

"Moon's blessings," she said, scrambling onto the cart. 

Claud and the girl beside him made room. "I didn't think you'd actually come," he said.

Farryn shrugged. "I did." 

The girl waved at her. "You're the new nursemaid, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. It's nice to meet you. My name's Felicia."

The girl introduced herself as Parlis, and the carts began heading for the town. It was soon too loud to have any conversations as the older servants began singing sea shanties and rowing songs. They were all surprisingly crass, and Farryn watched with amusement and slight disgust.

The carts arrived in the now empty market, and people spilled out. Claud yanked on Farryn's hand, startling her. "Come this way! Sordan's Tavern is the best." Parlis and a few of the others on the cart followed them.

Even though it was already past ten, the night was alive with noise and music. A droning bagpipe echoed through the square, and Claud explained that a lot of servants were off on the last day of the week. "We all gather round near East Gate and light a bonfire, if the weather's nice!" Parlis called. "Sometimes we dance."

Farryn followed them as excitement buzzed all around her. Sordan's Tavern was a large building, with its great oak doors flung open into the night. It was already bustling with activity, and Farryn practically had to shove her way in after the others.

"WHERE'S EDWARD!?" Farryn yelled to Claud. She could hardly hear herself over the noise. 

"I DON'T KNOW!" He yelled back. "LET'S GET DRINKS!"

They somehow made it to the bar, where drunk patrons sat giggling and conversing. A woman with very long hair kept calling Farryn sweetness and insisting on buying her a drink. Farryn stayed far away from her,