"Is your head in the sky? Is there naught but wool betwixt those ears?" You smile and skin another potato, but don't say
"Emery! Snap out of it! We need those potatoes done before the noon meal, not breakfast tomorrow!"
You jerk your head up from your work to see Mrs. Gavin scowling down at you.
a word.
"Are you hard of hearing as well!?" Mrs. Gavin's voice rose. "Naught but a child of ten summers and you think you can ignore me eh?"
Something heavy is flung on you and before you can react, you fall from your stool. You yelp in shock. You glance up quickly, and a potato peel falls off your nose. You look at yourself, and you realize you are covered in potato peels, they bury you.
The whole kitchen staff chuckles and laughs at the performance as they work. Mrs. Gavin stands over you holding the big empty bowl you had been filling with peels the last hour. She breaks into a smile .
"That will teach you to ignore the old head cook." She offers her hand to help you up. You break into a smile and laugh. You accept the hand and she brushes you off.
"Off you go now, I reckon you have worked hard enough for one day."
She pushes you toward the door.
-----------------------------------
"Get your thumb out of your mouth Em." A servant girl reminds you. You reluctantly pull it out and wipe your hand against your shirt.
"Come here, let me show you." She says to you, and she pulls you into her arms.
"You wash the walls like this," she guides your hand across the wall. "Then you just dip." She tipped the cloth into the soapy bucket. Some got on your hand, and you giggle happily. "Then back to the wall, back and forth and back and forth," the servant girl whispered in your ear. It tickled, so you tried to squirm away.
The servant set you on your feet gently and she herself stood.
"Mrs. Gavin said no supper till you clean the wall." She ruffled your head.
"Try not to draw on the wall anymore Em."
You watch her as she turns down hall and out of sight. You turn back to the wall. You think that the mud on the walls look pretty, and you don't understand why Cooky didn't like them. You shrug and dip the cloth back into the water.
////////////////////////
You tug on the stable masters breeches. He is busy with another person, but soon that person walks away and his attention is on you.
"Well now little one, what brings you out here to the stables? " he knelt down to be even with you.
"I am not little, I am 11! That is plenty big, Almost an adult even! "You grumble, crossing your arms.
"Ah I suppose, what can I help you with?" The man laughed.
"I want to ride, I am sure I'd be really good at it, I swear!" You insist.
"Hmm." The man stands and eyes you. "Very well, be here with the other boys at sunrise tomorrow, right where I am standing now."
"I will sir I swear!" You spin on the spot and run out of the stable, so he wouldn't change his mind. You hear his booming laughter behind you as you race away, excitement sitting in your gut.
////////////////////////
You stare at the water forlornly. The moon is out, but even that doesn't cheer you. You come to this part of the woods because it calms you, but tonight it couldn't ease your sadness as it usually did. You pull the grass around you and toss each blade one by one into the water. So intent is your mood, you don't notice you aren't alone until someone sits right beside you. You jump in fright, but relax when you realize it's your friend Ava.
"Emery, what is wrong, you know we aren't allowed in the forest?" She asks softly. You sigh. "How did you find me?" You ask her.
She lays her hand over yours. "I am your friend, what kind of question is that?" You stare at her hand, laying over yours, just another reminder of how different you are.
"Look at your hand, then look at mine," you compare, lining up your forearm with hers. Hers could reflect the moon, with its smooth color.
"Why is your skin so white, like milk, while mine is just a few shades lighter than the bark from a tree?" You let your hand drop into your lap. "No one else looks like me. Why am I different from you?" You stare out onto the lake. These thoughts had been eating at you for a while.
"Is this why you have been ignoring everyone? " she murmured.
You wince, for she hit it right on the mark.
"Nobody cares about the color of your skin Emery, it's pretty and unique, just like you. Why would skin matter anyway? It's what matters here," she tapped you on the head, "and here" tapping you on your heart. "Ask anyone, they will tell you." She said. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
"It's not only that Ava. Who were my mom and dad? If they were still alive, would I be a different person? Someone different than I am today?" you quietly toss more grass into the lake.
Ava was quiet for a long time. They stared at the water, watching the night pass on.
"I don't know how to answer that Emery." She said softly. "My mama said your ma was beautiful, caring, and a great friend to her. I don't think it matters if you would be different or not. What matters is if they would be proud of you now." Ava wrapped an arm around your shoulder.
"They are proud of you Emery, your their kid, everyone is proud of their kid."
////////////////////////
You dash over the marked line in the sand. "I win!!" You yell loudly, pumping your arm in the air.
Ava and James puff behind you, finally catching up. "No fair!" Ava complained. "You get to wear those leggings while my ma dressed me like this!" She motioned to her ensemble.
Her dress stuck to her neck and legs, sticky from sweating in the summer sun. Her dress had been fresh and pretty when they started out to collect the eggs, but everyone knew the infamous trio would get in some sort of trouble.
You laugh at your friends sweaty faces. You love to run, and this race didn't even steal your breath. When you ran, it was like time stopped, and you didn't have to deal with anyone, just your feet and the dirt.
James on the other hand, had his hands on his knees.
"Why," he gasped, "are you," he took another breath, "so fast?"
You grin widely. You raise a hand and throw out your chest. "I never tell a secret."
James glanced at Ava. She knowingly nodded. "Get em!" James roared, and they both pounced.
"No no! I have the eggs!" You scream, trying to stop them. You hit the ground, a mass of wiggling bodies trying to get free. You feel the eggs as they crush against you.
You all stagger up, laughing at each others yolk covered clothes.
Ava seemed to realize the severity of the situation first. Her face fell. "The eggs!" She gasped.
You sobered as well as James.
"Mrs. Gavin is going to kill us!" James wailed. He dropped to the dirt and began picking up the broken shells.
That's pointless James," you hiss, "we can't put the eggs back together!" James let the shells fall from his hands. He was in full panic mode now. You think quickly.
" Do you still have those paper rocks from school today James?" You ask.
"Yea yea, here!" He pulled out several from his bag. You pick up the basket and place the paper rocks into it. They look like real eggs to you, and you think they will pass. They were just paper, flour and water, but you couldn't tell the difference.
You look at yourself, then your two friends. "Your less dirty Ava, you have to do it," you decide.
Ava frowned. "Why me, that's not fair. I already got in trouble this week."
James smirked. "What's the matter Ava, you to chicken?" He strutted around crowing. "Bawk bawk bawk!"
You chuckle at your friends silliness.
"Your more chicken then I will ever be!" Ava shot back as she took the basket.
"Just drop it and walk away. Don't say a word and act normal, don't look anyone on the eye," you advise.
"That doesn't make sense! I talk a lot! " Ava fretted, patting down her clothes.
"Just do it." James muttered.
"Alrighttt, but I am not going to like it.."
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