The Thief King

5 | Fish & Coin

In sleep, her arm extended to Kole's side of the bed. Cold sheets met her fingertips waking her instantly. She eyed the smooth pillow and the patted down sheets. He had not returned as promised. Sera rubbed at her eyes, determined to wake now that she had reason. It was not difficult. Sleep fell from her like a loose shift and she extricated herself from the sheets. A peek at the high window told her dawn was approaching, Hannah would be waking soon. The girl woke like a cockerel.

The preparations for the day did not take very long. Breakfast for three-hopefully-a small lunch for Hannah, even though Porter did offer some snacks for the children. Hannah had an appetite like a young, growing boy. There was also the hardship of tying her unruly locks into a presentable braid. The small looking glass Sera owned reflected back a messy, but secure braid of russet hair due for a chop. Sera pursed her lips, giving it a final tug.

By the time Hannah emerged, pushing the curtain-door aside with her face contorted in a yawn, Sera had finished packing her washed work clothes and employment papers into her satchel. She sat with a hot, bowl of oats before her.

Hannah's blue gaze swept the room before settling on the cooking pot. Her jaw jutted to the side as she stomped towards the pot and dished herself a hearty serving.

"Did you sleep well?" Sera asked.

Hannah nodded.

The disappointment Hannah was feeling was not unjust. Sera could not help feeling the same, having heard the promise and seen the hope it brought. Kole's life, being as it were, left little time for his sister. Or at least, the time left was when Hannah was either sleeping, at Porters or with her friends - doing what all ten year olds should be doing - having fun.

Sera licked her lips, preparing to find an excuse halfway through her first word.

"You don't need to tell me it's work," Hannah said. Her eyes downcast, she filled her mouth with another spoonful of oats.

"He may be home early this evening. He surely had good reason for deciding to work instead of being here. You always come first."

"Don't always feel that way though." Hannah's curt response cut through Sera's chest like a cold wind.

"Don't speak like that, Hannah."

"Why not? We street folk? Why do we gotta act any better than our neighbours and friends? Joey says-"

"Any sentence starting with Joey says, is not a good starting point."

Hannah scowled.

"Look, if I see him before tonight I will give him a hard time."

"Like the last time he brought home that cat?"

Sera shuddered at the memory of the filthy-flea-ridden-mange-infested-feral beast. Broken leg and half stared, the thing scratched Sera raw and cost her a good shirt, but she still mended the leg, only to have rid of it that much sooner. "I was rather harsh then." Once the cat ran off, she turned on an already sulking Koltin and made him eat watered-down potato soup for almost a fortnight.

"You have my permission to feed him cow fodder."

Sera chuckled. "Not much in cow's fodder. We don't want him to starve. He still has to bring home coin so that we can eat."

Hannah grunted, dug her spoon into her oats and shovelled the load into her mouth.

"Hannah? Hannah, look at me, please." Sera pushed her bowl away and leaned across the round table to take the small, stubborn chin between her fingers. "I promise he will have a good reason, kiddo."