Escape from Whitestone Hold

Calm Before The Storm- Chapter 6

Sapphira awoke slowly, finding herself sunk deeply into the soft mattress. The sun was streaming through the curtains and lighting the room with a cheery, golden glow. The green canopy above her was supported by the four wooden posts at the corners of the bed, evoking the illusion that she had spent the night in a forest. Her bruises and sharp pains had receded into dull aches during the night, and her legs felt a little stiff from the tight fit across the bed, but she felt decidedly refreshed, overall. She rolled over carefully to find Rowan still beside her, sleeping contentedly with his mouth hanging open and a small puddle of drool on the sheet below his head, along with a second, more-suspicious wet spot below his improvised diaper. She gave him a sniff, surprised to find him still clean. She took a deep breath, rolling out of the bed and stretching widely. It felt good.

She gently slipped her hands under the child and lifted him without waking him from his slumber. However, she made sure to hold him out away from her body, to avoid tainting her clothes with his wetness. As she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, she was greeted by the familiar smell of cooked meat, along with the faint hint of dragon fire. She was reminded of home, and she began salivating, realizing her hunger. As she descended the stairs, still mindful of her foot, she saw Maltheus sitting at a table that was comically tiny for him, with a half-eaten plate of yesterday's meat in front of him. He smiled up at her with a cheerful wave.

"G'morning!" He called, covering his half-full mouth.

"Good morning... I see you found my note?" She chuckled, reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah! It's good. Thanks so much." He nodded vigorously, still chewing. She couldn't help but laugh at his struggles to speak clearly.

"Glad to hear it." She replied, bringing Rowan into the kitchen and stretching out a towel on the counter to lay him on. She studied his makeshift diaper, wondering what pillow or drape Maltheus had sacrificed in order to fashion it. Rowan continued to sleep soundly on the counter as she looked through the cabinets for anything more effective or absorbent. Unfortunately, there was very little to be found. She poked her head back into the main room, scanning it for clothing, cloth, or anything useful. Meanwhile, Maltheus continued eating at the table with his back turned to her. "Hey, Maltheus?"

"Mmph?" He grunted as he turned to face her, still eating.

"What did you use to make Rowan's new diaper?" She asked. He grimaced, closing his eyes.

"He needs a change again?" Maltheus complained, opening his eyes once more with a defeated look. Sapphira nodded disappointedly. "Ugh, I got it..." Maltheus mumbled, standing from his mostly-empty plate, and heading towards the kitchen.

"No, you don't have to-- I just wasn't sure what you did..." She defended as he stretched his arms high and groaned as his back popped.

"Ugghhh, sleeping in armor was not a good idea..." He grumbled to himself as he ducked to fit his large frame through the small doorway. She followed through the door as he approached Rowan and gently flipped him over. "Oh... He's just wet?" Maltheus asked, looking to Sapphira for confirmation. She nodded again, watching Rowan begin to stir. "Hmm... Alright, I've got an idea, then." He decided, setting to work. Sapphira drooped in slight annoyance, but she was also relieved to be free to find something to eat. She slunk away to the refrigerator, poking around for anything that still looked edible. There were only a few meager choices, like some wilted vegetables, mushy tomatoes, an entire wheel of cheese, and the nearly-empty bottle of milk. It looked like the previous residents of the house didn't keep their house very well-stocked. Her stomach growled angrily, and she set her jaw, trying to decide what to nibble on.

"Hey, are you done with your plate?" Sapphira called over her shoulder.

"What? No, I'm just doing this first." Maltheus replied, turning on the faucet. Sapphira turned back to the refrigerator, glaring at it as though it might suddenly spawn some better options. "Why do you need the plate?" He asked obliviously. She looked intently at his back for a moment, unable to tell if he was joking. He was apparently too busy working with Rowan to notice his mistake. After a moment, her silence caused him to turn in puzzlement and see her peering at the interior of the refrigerator. "Oh! Wait, did you want some?" He asked, struck by the brilliant revelation of what she was talking about.