Alone

9

Parker pulled off the sheets and went into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day, she got dressed in jeans and one of the T-shirts she and her dad had gotten in one of the many countries they had visited.  This one was red and showed a picture of a great stone structure in Galacia.  She walked back out and found Austin finishing making the bed.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Did you not want me to?"

"It's fine I'm just capable of doing it myself."

"May I ask a question?"

"Sure."

Austin took a breath in, he was pretty sure this wasn't allowed, but he asked anyway.

"Why are you so much different than everyone said you'd be?"

"Well that depends on what everyone said I'd be."

"Hard to appease, becasue you would've been served by some of the best slaves in the world."

"Oh, that one.  That's becuase it's not true, my dad and I both had a totally different view of slavery than society does, so we made it a point to never settle anywhere long enough to need it.  We never wanted to get caught in you know.  So I'm used to doing things on my own, I kind of like it."

Austin looked back towards the ground, he had disapointed her by doing things, he didn't know how to handle this.

"Gosh, I miss him so much.  Of course you've probably got it worse, don't even know where your parents are."

"Actually my parents are here. I don't see them a ton, but I have no idea what you're going through, except my sister of course."

"Do you want to tell me about her?"

"She died when I was 10, she was 8, along with masters son."

"Wait, Sam died?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't Nate ever tell us?"

She put her head in her hands, she had been great firends with her cousin Sam when they had spent time here in the past, she couldn't believe he was gone.

"I'm sorry about your sister, that's horrible."

He shrugged, he had mostly recovered.

"I'm supposed to go down for breakfast, what will you do?"

"If it's all right with my mistress I'll go down to the slave's quarters to eat.  I can be back before you're done."

"Nah, take your time and hang out.  I really don't want someone hovering around all the time.  I'll just come down if I need you ok?"

"If this is what my mistress wants."

"Seriously, I'm just Parker."

"Ok. Thank you, Parker."