Chapter 8
Part 2- The Dawning
Dust gathers even on the statues of great men.
In the last week of the month Darling had given them, Phoebe and Maia sat in the garden. The stone was cold beneath Maia’s fingers. They were talking about erratic things, never staying on the same subject long, and then lapsing into silence. During one of these silences, a form appeared at the end of the long stone pathway. It grew nearer and nearer, and Phoebe flew up, and ran inside to tell Darling. Maia was left alone. She stood up and was about to follow Phoebe, when he picked up speed, and arrived right before Maia.
It was a boy. He stood around six feet, and was terribly dirty. The mud was cracked and dry, but he had obviously tried to clean himself. He stood haughtily despite his disheveled state.
“Is this a residence that will allow me to stay for a couple of days? I am parched, and hungry.” Maia was taken aback. Not by his request, but by the manner in which he spoke. It was entitled, haughty, and pretentious.
“I- I’m not the mistress of the house...she is coming soon.”
“Please. Please. I'm weak with hunger, and faint with thirst,” this omniscient mask was lifted for a moment, and a pleading, hungry, lost 17 year old boy was revealed.
“Really sir, she will be out momentarily!” the mask fell back into place. He opened his mouth, but just then Darling glided out. She scrutinize him and said,
“Who are you,” in a manner that suited her just fine.
“Sydney Alastair. Would you allow me to lodge her for a brief time? I have been traveling, and need to regain my bearings.” he wobbled a little bit, and Maia perceived that it was not for show. Darling looked to Maia and Phoebe.
“Let him stay Mother. A few days can do no harm. Look at him! He is dead on his feet.” Darling nodded her approval and gestured for him to come inside. The second he crossed the threshold, he cutche the wall, and again the mask was lifted.
“Please. Water.” Darling rushed him off to one of the spare rooms, and she called for a servant on the way.
Maia and Pheobe sat in the sitting room, knowing Darling would come. She did, exclaiming
“Most odd… sincerely odd! Quite, quite odd!” she sat down. “Asking for lodgings is quite reasonable, but the fact that he needs lodgings - and so young!- is quite incomprehensible. I will ask him when he is recovered. He fell asleep directly after drinking some water, and eating a roll. Very ravenous. Poor boy!” Darling’s maternal heart was sympathetic.
Mr Hart and Benjmain were told, and the former responded amiably, and the latter was interested. There wasn't much to tell.
A boy showed up.
He was hungry and weak.
He was now staying for a few days, and then would be off again, hopefully wiser. But it was not for a few days. After a day of him sleeping, he woke up in a dreadful fever. It looked like Sydney would be staying at the Hart residence for a while.
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