Swan Song

Seven

  Anike's fingers got knotted up in her knitting. She couldn't concentrate on her chores and she hated knitting anyway. She and several other women including the princess were in the sewing room. It was time to mend the dark season wear and make new clothes for young children before the cold came.

  They all pitched in though it might be better if a few of them didn't. The only ones worse at knitting and sewing than Anike were Odessa and Sakina. Karina was redoing a sock Sakina had "mended" after having closed up the wrong end.

  Maria on the other hand had the magic touch when it came to sewing. That dress she'd made for herself a few weeks back was a dream and she and a few others were working on Odessa's birthday dress. The finest silks and lace had been made available to them and though they were quite skilled Odessa was still afraid she was going to end up looking like an overstuffed cream puff. When it came to a royal affair her father was of the mind that more was not nearly enough.

  "Nervous about something?" Sakina asked.

  "What?"

  Sakina pointed to Anike's blanket, which was really more of an angry bundle of knots.

  "Oh. I..." She yanked her finger out of a loop and began to undo it.

  "Usually I'm the one making abominations instead of clothes. Something wrong?" She asked helping her with the knots.

  "It's nothing. Really. Just...I'm meeting someone today."

  "A man?" Sakina's eyes widened and she leaned closer. "Who is he? Where's he from?"

  "Nothing like that. It's just an old friend, someone who knew me as a child. I'm hoping that they might know something about my parents."

  "Oh. I see." Sakina nodded. She knew Anike had trouble with her past. Her own parents had died when she was young so she understood in a way. If it hadn't been for her aunt and uncle she might have ended up like Anike with no real family to call her own. "Well, then I hope this old friend has answers for you." She took Anike's still shaking hand in her own. "And if you get in trouble don't forget to make them SING." She winked.

  Anike laughed remembering Fabian's lesson on hand to hand. S-I-N-G stood for, solar plexus, instep, neck, and groin, the places she should target on an opponent to defend herself. Sakina was also the best at hand to hand. She'd taken down poor Fabian several times now.

  "Thanks Sakina. I won't forget."

***

  Where is he? Anike wondered. It was past noon, there was no trace of Roan and she was expected in Madam Rumbel's shop at least ten minutes ago. She was about to turn to go when someone bumped her.

  "Watch it, peasant." he grumbled.

  "Excuse, you," Anike muttered as she noticed the seal on his uniform. One of the king's personal gaurds. What was he doing out here? They almost never went out into town especially when the king was at the palace. Soon three other guardsmen joined him. Strange. Anike shrugged it off though. Perhaps they had some free time and were out to have a little fun.

  Anike walked off and quickly found Julia's shop. She knocked and the old woman swiftly opened the door yanking her inside.