"Well? Did yah see her?" Asks Olivia.
"Yes ma'am I did." Answers Ardan.
"Well go on! How is she?" She asks impatiently.
"Healthy as a horse ma'am and pretty too." He replies.
She makes a face at him as if to say 'try courting her and I will smite you'. He scurries off immediately.
She sighs in relief as Gerald walks in. "Why so chirpy?" He asks.
"Because my loves are prospering. When am I going to see them?" She asks.
"Soon Liv, soon. Right now ma needs to think that you are dead for this to work." He says.
"Good point. I cannot wait for that wretched hag to get her dose." She replies.
***
"Pa, do yah ever think that ma might have gone to be an angel?" Asks Elsa.
"Why would yah say that sweet pea?" Asks Bartley.
"It explains why she's been gone for too long." She replies.
"Well sweet pea, maybe she's playing a game of hide and seek and is waitin' for somebody to find her." He says.
"Somebody like who pa?" She asks.
"Hmm, maybe a lass with a pointy nose grey eyes and a cheeky smile?" He asks pinching her nose and ruffling her hair.
She laughs then gets up to continue preparing the firewood for their bonfire.
'I hope the wrong people don't find her' he says to himself secretly hoping that he is right.
She had always been good at sneaking around especially to get away from palace guards and meet with him.
Suddenly, he hears a loud thud followed by a groan. He rushes outside to see what it could be.
"Sweet pea! Are yah okay lass?" He asks frantically searching for any bruises.
"I'm okay pa, just a sprained foot." She replies.
"A sprained foot is no joke sweet pea. It could be broken yah know." He says scooping her up and taking her inside.
He then rushes out to get help and comes back with lady Afric the nice old lady who also happened to be a medicine woman.
She tries to keep Elsa still as she works on her foot. "Yah know, in me days, when children refused to be treated they were eaten by ogres." Says Lady Afric tying Elsa's leg and making a face and scary noises.
Elsa laughs and shakes her head and says, "No ogre is a match for me." Flexing her tiny muscles and grinning widely.
Her father walks in and pats her gently on the head, "You'll be served with hot soup before yah know it lass." He says and turns to Lady Afric, "How is she doing?"
"She is doing fine. Should be up and running in a fortnight or so..." she is stopped in mid sentence by Elsa.
"A fortnight?! Pa how will I ride diablo like this?" Says Elsa in protest.
"Don't worry sweat pea, you'll be fine before yah know it. Thankyou me lady. Please, have something to eat before yah go." He says.
"Ah, no need me boy. I'm not that hungry yah know. Besides all the work you and your lass do for me is all the thanks I need. I better go before somebody steps on me herbs." Says Lady Afric as she leaves the barn.
He then looks at his only daughter as she makes a face at her sprained foot.
"Cheer up sweet pea, besides look at how yah hair has grown!" He says making a moustache with a few strands of her hair and flexing his muscles. She laughs and pretends to shave it off him.
"Not so muscular now eh?" She says pouting and he tickles her breathless, gently minding her sprained foot.
I'm back my loves! Let me know what you want me to include in the next chapters. Enjoy!
YOU ARE READING
Destined Hope
Ficción histórica"Go! They will surely have our heads if they know of this!" She says handing the baby to him. The guards are catching on and there is no time left. With one last look, she says, "Promise me you will never let her out of your sight." "But..." he sta...
