Ravenswood Ch. 08

Maura was confused. "So it was supposed to bring me here instead of there?"

Vera smiled as she picked up her knitting needles. "Yes, but in your state of mind, coming here might have been disastrous."

Maura thought of her charge out of the bedrooms in Jason's apartment, she almost killed his grandmother. "Oh, yes, I see."

They were silent for a moment until Lisa stood up and poured a cup of tea for the three of them. "How did you manage to get by? You didn't understand the language or anything, did you?"

"The human language here isn't that much different from my native language, at least a few of the basic words seemed similar; and the structure made sense - after a while I mean. My mother began to teach me her native language when I was little so some of the basic words were familiar. It was enough to get by at first. I suppose everyone thought I was homeless, or a foreigner, which I was, and maybe a bit crazy, which by all rights I should have been."

Vera nodded and continued knitting.

"Over time, I began to understand the language better and I managed to scrape by getting odd jobs and sleeping in vacant buildings. I couldn't get anything permanent because I had no identity. Eventually, I landed that job in the college library vaults. I guess because colleges are so used to working with foreign students I was sort of accepted as just another exchange student. I met a friend there, her name was Natasha. She was from Latvia and really helped me understand everything. I really owe her a lot. The last I heard, she had to move back to Latvia to be with her family, political troubles or something was the cause. I never heard from her again but I hope she's okay."

Lisa leaned her chin on her hand as Maura's story continued to unfold.

"I'd been here six months now and having a job opened up a lot of doors for me," Maura said. "I started to study and I was beginning to adjust to life in this world. And, because I felt that I needed to understand humans more, Natasha suggested that I take a few courses so that I could learn the culture better and not stand out so much. Besides, taking one a semester was free to college employees, so why not?" She shrugged with a grin.

Lisa glanced at Vera who nodded.

"That's when I met Jason. He sat in front of me in math, and he was struggling." She shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "Well, math is math wherever you come from, and it's always been easy for me. So, the rest you know."

Maura took a long drink of her tea, slumped back into the hearth seat, and looked from Lisa to Vera who both sat silently for several minutes lost in thought.

"Lisa, I need to speak with Meirhm. And there's someone else I want you to introduce to Maura. Would you keep an eye on dinner for me?" Vera moved swiftly across the kitchen and out the back door.

"Sure thing, Grandmother." But Vera was already out the door and far down the lane that led from her cottage before the door even closed.

Maura sat up with a grin. "Wow, she can sure move fast!"

Lisa chuckled. "And that's not even under a full head of steam!"

Maura stood up and walked to the counter. "Can I help with dinner? I feel like I'm such a burden around here."

Lisa grinned impishly. "Absolutely, I'm a horrible cook so if things go wrong I can blame you!"

Maura stood stirring the meal bubbling on the stove. Lisa stepped out of the front door a moment later with an excuse of meeting a friend. She left her to stir the stew.

A moment later, the front door opened and Natasha walked into the room followed by Lisa. "Maura, I've a surprise for you," Lisa said with a lyrical tone.

Maura turned and dropped the ladle; it clattered to the floor. "Natasha? What are you doing here?"

The girl Maura knew as Natasha smiled meekly and twisted her hair in her fingers. "Actually, it's Fen, and I live here. I'm a guardian apprentice to Master Yaol. I'm sorry Maura, I was assigned to keep an eye on you while you transitioned."

"You mean that whole library job was a set up?"

"No, no, that was legitimate, I used my work in the catacombs to maintain a surveillance on you. It just worked out that you got a job in the same place. I guess that was providence looking out for you."

Maura stood for a moment, perplexed. "So you're not from Latvia?"

"Oh yes, I was born there, but my parents brought me here when I was two. They immigrated to work here as guardians."

Maura moved out of the kitchen and joined both girls at the table. She reached across and clasped Fen's hands. "I'm so glad to see you again, I've missed you."

Fed blushed. "I was afraid that you'd be angry with me, deceiving you like I did."

Maura shook her head. "You shocked me, walking in like you did, but anger me? No, you did a very important job, keeping me safe and helping me navigate a very complex and different world. So, thank you."

Fen stood and moved towards the door. "I need to go, Master Yaol only let me visit you for a short time."

Maura stood and pulled Fen into a hug. "Will I see you again?"

Fen nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I was hoping so, maybe this weekend, we can go shopping at the general store?"

Maura wrapped her arms around Fen's shoulders and grinned. "That sounds great, I'd love that."

"Me too, I want to go," Lisa said enthusiastically.

"Of course, and Lisa," Fen said reaching over to touch her arm, "thank you for encouraging me to meet Maura, you are a true friend, to both of us." She turned and opened the door. "Bye, and thank you Maura, for understanding."

The following morning Maura woke early. She grabbed her robe and tiptoed out the back door and across the lane to the bathhouse. She closed the bathhouse door gently and turned to see Lisa just settling into the bath.

Maura turned to step back out of the bathhouse. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was up. I'll come back later."

"No, no, don't be silly, this tub is big enough for the both of us." Lisa moved over to make room for Maura. "Besides the water is perfect and no one is up yet so we can take our time. Pull the latch shut and lock it so we won't be disturbed."

Maura set the latch, dropped her robe and towel then turned to sit on a small wooden bench. She washed her body with soap then dipped an oak bucket in the bath and poured the water over her head. She did this several more times until she felt rinsed clean than she set the bucket on the bench, and slipped into the pool of water. "Ooh, this does feel good."

Lisa leaned back. "Is Jason still sleeping?"

"Yes, he doesn't toss and turn as much now. I suppose he's adjusted to my blood. I mean, I know he's Sirin and not human and that should make a difference but...I just don't know for sure. Lisa, if he had a negative reaction..."

Lisa snapped. "Stop it! What happened to the woman who killed three assassins in the blink of an eye? Pull yourself together, Maura. You're no good to Jason if you constantly worry about what will happen to him next. You have to be strong for him like he's strong for you.

Maura was taken back a bit. "Damn, that red hair suits you."

Lisa began to tear up. "If you think I'm some sort of wonder woman you've got it all wrong. I fold like a house of cards inside every time Carl goes off on a mission but I can't show him that or he'd be constantly worrying about me and lose focus. I have to stay strong for his sake as well as my own."

Maura pulled Lisa into a hug. "Then we just have each other?"

"Yes we do." Lisa nodded. "Sorry I snapped at you."

Maura settled back against the tub. "That's okay, I had it coming I suppose. Still you are scary when you do that."

"Yeah, I know." Lisa giggled.

"This hot water certainly helps my sore muscles," Maura said softly.

"Mine too. About Fen, you know she training to be a guardian, right?"

"Yes."

"She supposed to complete her training next week, then she's going out on a mission, hopefully it'll be just a patrol."

"We should do something for her, to celebrate her graduation," Maura suggested.

Lisa twisted around and grinned. "Let's take her to the tavern."

"The tavern?"

"It's by the general store, only not so far. They have Birch Beer there, it's the best."

"Really? Count me in, Lisa, I think the world of Fen, and we should celebrate her becoming a guardian, that's a big thing, isn't it?"

Lisa stood and grabbed her towel. "It is, very big, it deserves a celebration, and we should give it to her."

Maura stood and stepped out of the tub, grinning enthusiastically. "We will." She wrapped the towel around her body and opened the door to a couple of surprised women standing outside in their slippers. "It's all yours, ladies," she said with a grin as Lisa followed her out of the bathhouse.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The author copyrights Ravenswood and all of its parts. The reproduction of any part of Ravenswood without the written permission of the author is expressly prohibited. This story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, their names and the places they visit, are from the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to persons, places, or things is not intentional and purely coincidental.