The King's Justice

Part 1 Chapter 6

After that first night, Aydra was coaxed into spending a few more days to relax. She grew so comfortable with the elderly caretakers, that she tentatively asked who lived in the little stone cottages. She was completely flabbergasted to learn that no one did; the cottages were in fact kept empty for guests and extra servants when his lordship was in residence.

"Do you think his lordship would mind if I sort of borrowed one for a bit? I can help out here! I won't be a bother, or make a mess, or ..." Aydra wasn't aware of how anxious her expression got as her voice rose higher and her hand's twisted together in worry. Maisie and Malcolm were though. They both set about trying to reassure her in their own way that she wasn't a bother at all, that they weren't worried about any mess and that they would love for her to stay and help them out.

"His lordship's been on us about getting someone to train to take over, and truthfully, not many want to be out in what they consider the wilderness. Leastwise, someone we can trust! I'm certain it won't be an issue!" Maisie soothed, her hands carefully patting and petting Aydra's face and arms before grasping her hands and squeezing them gently.

"Ye taint be no bother fer us, missy! We be jus' as much in charge here as his lordship and we can have us a guest as much as anyone!" Malcolm insisted, his face stern but his eyes gentle and caring. Once again, Aydra reflected that their accents, words and bearing didn't match up with typical wilderness dwellers. Before Aydra could say what she was thinking however, Maisie was hurrying to reassure her that the cottages were meant for exactly what Aydra needed and that of course she was welcome to stay in one.

"You needn't move out of the room you're in, dearie! You can stay in that one as long as you please. Or, if you aren't comfortable there, we can put you in a guest chamber down the hall. I promise it's no trouble at all!" Maisie looked troubled, and a bit wounded at the implication that Aydra might not feel welcomed to stay in the main house. Something Aydra felt deep in her heart as she hastily spoke up in reassurance.

"Oh! The room is so lovely and comfortable ... but I feel as if I NEED to be in the cottage! I don't know, it just feels as if ..." Aydra faltered, turning to look all around and then shrugged helplessly. She couldn't explain that she didn't feel right staying as a guest in the manor house, where as the cottages felt like a perfect fit for her new life. A perfect fit for the life she had always wanted.

Maisie and Malcolm reluctantly conceded that they couldn't fault Aydra if she felt that way, and again pressed upon her that at any time she wanted to, she was free to resume her stay up in the manor house. Aydra, touched by their caring, hugged them both tightly and again thanked them for everything they'd already done for her and assured them that she fully intended to work for her lodgings!

Soon, one week stay turned into two and Aydra finally started to relax. It was quiet there, peaceful. There was no one to complain about what she was doing wrong, give her a slap or lock her in her room when she had failed to live up to impossibly high standards. In fact, there was no one to please but Maisie, Malcolm, Thunder and herself! She reflected on this with no small amount of pleasure as she sat in one of the gardens of a little stone cottage. There was a measure of peace to be had in carefully pulling weeds and nurturing along the delicate plants there. Maisie and Malcolm had told her a bit sheepishly that they'd let all the "little" gardens go as the kitchen garden served their needs quite adequately and they were more than happy for her to take them over if that's what she wanted. Aydra had the niggling suspicion that it was also that as they were getting on in age, the extra gardens were just too much work. That wasn't something she was willing to say to them however, especially not after discovering that the pair indulged in afternoon rest periods.

She had even started humming; soft, tuneless little hums while she worked. She was so wrapped up in enjoying the afternoon that she didn't notice that she was no longer alone. Sitting there, listening to the birds trilling and feeling the gentle breeze on her cheeks and the back of her neck, it took her a bit to realise that the breeze couldn't be on both. Her hands were dug in the soil, in the act of turning it over and loosening it up, ready for the little flat of seedlings Malcolm had given her when the knowledge clicked in the back of her mind that the breeze on her neck was a steady, hot gust of air.