by Erme Lander
Mika gritted her teeth and brought the switch down, he had to learn to behave. Orai squealed at the air whistling as it narrowly missed him. She dragged him upright and stared hard into his eyes, “Between you and me, I’ve beaten you silly. You know I can and you don’t want it, do you?” Orai shook his head violently, eyes wide. “Just remember, the next apprentice may not have as much patience as me. I’m taking you back to Abran.” He scrambled away and got his things when ordered.
Back in the kitchen, she was greeted with good cheer and teasing over finally having disciplined her charge. She’d not dared ask about Belindros and his woman, her cheeks flushed every time she thought about it.
Orai was still snivelling when she marched him wet legged back to the palace. In the end, that was enough punishment. The other boys sniggered when they arrived, Mika holding Orai firmly to stop him cringing away. Abran merely raised an eyebrow before accepting Orai back. He politely enquired if she would like another trainee. She shook her head, she had other ideas.
Chapter 12
Jon rubbed his nose and waved as Mika greeted him. He’d been throwing pebbles at the wall and kicking his heels while he waited for her. They walked towards the market square while Mika worked out the best way to approach him with her proposal. “Do you like it where you are?”
He looked around, “S’okay.”
“No, not here. I mean, living in the market and with your father. Do you like it?”
His face turned sulky, “Doesn’t matter does it?”
“If you had a chance to get out, would you take it?” His small face crinkled and she rushed on, “I’ve been asked to find someone to train up as an apprentice. I don’t like any of them. I’ve had this brat for the last month, he was terrible. I had to stop myself from beating him silly yesterday. I think you’re far more capable. Would you do it?” He didn’t look impressed. “Yes, it would mean working hard, but it would also mean food and somewhere safe to sleep.”
“I don’t do charity.” He was stiff, she could see he thought she’d insulted him.
“It’s not charity. I think you’re bright. You’ll have to learn things that the other boys already know, like reading and writing, but if you stick at it, you could become a Medici.”
“You need a sponsor to get that far.”
“I get paid a small amount. I’ll work something out if you’re interested.”
At least he was listening now. “Why me?”
“I told you, you’re bright. I don’t like those other boys, they don’t want to learn, they don’t need it. You’ll also get fed, at least three times a day.” Marta had a thing about boys being hungry. Jon would be given more food than he could cope with.
His face twitched. She had him there, he was permanently hungry. Catching her glance he laughed, “You’re desperate.”
“Tell me you’re twelve.”
“I’m twelve.” His eyes were guileless, “Why?”
He didn’t look twelve, his skinny body couldn’t be more than ten, but maybe she could say he was starved and would catch up in size.
“You need to be twelve, everything else we can deal with. Well, will you?”
He shrugged, feigning disinterest, “I’ll try it. Did you mention food?” She chuckled and turned to walk them back home.
Gavin was working out, using his heavy wooden training sword as they came into the courtyard. He stopped and leant on it, sweating in the still air.
“Hey Mikon, where’d you get the monkey? You know pets aren’t allowed.”
Mika snorted. Before she could reply, Jon piped up, “Watch it big stuff, I got a knife.”
Gavin laughed and choked out, “I’m scared, don’t threaten me, can’t you see my knees are knocking?” He turned serious, “Mikon, Marta isn’t going to be pleased with you bringing him into her kitchen.” Mika shrugged and dragged Jon off to the bathhouse.
Jon stared at the pool, “I’ve been here before.”
“Yeah right. Now, strip and wash yourself. That’s soap, use it and wash all over. I’m going to be checking.”
“I don’t remember anything about baths being part of this.” Jon turned stubborn.
Mika took a breath to reply that he had to be clean, when a shadow came in the doorway and they both turned to see Marta standing, arms folded.
“Jon, I remember you from when your mother came here to wash clothes for me.” His mouth hung open, Mika hadn’t seen him lost for words before. Marta turned to her, “Gavin told me that I might want to see what you’d brought in.”
“I don’t like any of the boys Belindros wants me to take on.” Marta nodded as she stumbled for words, “They all seem so sure of themselves, too proud, looking down on me, I can’t teach them.”
“The idea is that you learn how to get them to do as you want, before you start on the patients. Not everything is easy Mikon. You think a street child would be easier?”
“Jon’s bright, he can learn.”
“It won’t be easy. Jon, you will wash yourself. I will be checking.” Jon nodded, unusually subdued. Marta drew Mika out of the room. “I knew his mother, she was a good woman. I lost contact with Jon after she died. Do you understand what you are doing?”
“Doesn’t he deserve a chance?”
“He’s a street child, do you know what habits he has?” She saw Mika bristle. “Yes, you might enjoy your days off with him and I can see why, he was an engaging child three years ago, but now.” She shook her head. “You realise he’s only ten. He’s younger than the others, less educated and smaller. Is this fair on him?”
“I like him.”
Marta sighed, “Well, I shan’t say anything about his age, but it’s up to you to keep him in line.”
Jon appeared with a towel wrapped around his skinny body. His skin showed several shades lighter and the tide marks showed he’d had an honest attempt at washing. Marta took hold of an ear and inspected him as he wriggled. “I will get you a new tunic, then Mikon will de-louse you and you can eat before you see Belindros.” Jon muffled his squeak of protest at the mention of food.
Marta showed Mika the disgusting process of the nit comb. They ended up cutting off most of Jon’s hair, while he whinged that they’d pulled most of it out. When they’d finished, what was left curled slightly, static from the combing.
Gavin wandered in, “Whoa, the monkey’s had a bath!” Jon spluttered swear words in his direction.
Marta stopped him with a look. “None of that in here please.”
Jon’s eyes fixed on the pie she held. He assumed his best angelic face, Mika smothered a laugh, it didn’t work with his sticky out ears and pinched face. His eyes followed the pie as it was deposited into Gavin’s large hand. Gavin grinned at him, took a bite and sauntered out.
“You will behave here,” Marta continued. She picked up another pie, Jon’s nose twitched and he nodded energetically. The pie was finished in short order and licking his fingers, he looked around for more.
Knowing Jon’s appetite for anything edible, Mika stood him up despite his protests that he was still hungry. “We’ll see Belindros next.”
Belindros was in his study, he answered the knock with a mumble. They entered to find him next to the window, a book held close to his face. “What does this say boy?”
Mika picked up the book and read out the paragraph he pointed to. He grunted, “Thought so, nothing wrong with my memory. Fucking Varian, thinks he knows everything. What is that next to the door?”
Mika followed his gaze to Jon. Her insides curdled, “That’s Jon.”
“Do you need a pet? I’ll get you a ferret if you like, they eat less.” He sniffed, “And smell less too. Has it been boiled?”
“You said I could choose a boy to teach and it didn’t have to be one of the boys from the palace.” He was silent, staring down his nose at Jon and she ploughed on, “I don’t like any of them. Jon’s far brighter and he wants to learn.”
“You can teach ferrets too. They catch vermin.
Probably about his size. How old is it?”
“Twelve.” This was going worse than she thought.
Belindros snorted, “If that thing’s twelve then I’m eighteen tomorrow.”
“Congratulations sir.” Mika winced and screwed up her face trying to shut Jon up. “Only a few years to go and you can have your majority.”
Belindros eyed him, “Lippy little shitter isn’t it? I’ve a cure for that.” He walked back to the table and picked up a needle and a reel of thread. Jon raised his chin and stared back.
They stared each other out until eventually Belindros harrumphed and waved a hand, “Make sure I don’t hear anything bad about your ferret, otherwise it’s got an appointment with my dissecting table.” Mika looked blank. “I’ve a mind to find out how those bones animate without any muscle on them.”
Mika hastily thanked Belindros and bundled Jon out into the corridor before he could answer back.
She escorted Jon upstairs and showed him the cubby hole, “This is yours, there’s space here for clothes, you can put books here. I know it’s small...” She trailed off as Jon stood with his mouth open.
“Mine?”
“Yes, we’ll need to change the sheets. They stink of Orai, despite him never having slept in them. Look, you take that end of the mattress.”
Jon slowly took the end and pulled gently, “All mine?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never had a place of my own to sleep.” His face was comical, she almost laughed and then realised he was serious.
“You’ll have to work for it, like I do. Learn to read and write and everything.” He nodded slowly as she showed him how to take the cover off the pillow.
Marta saw her as she brought down the dirty sheets. “Well?”
Mika sighed, “Well, he didn’t say no.”
“Where’s Jon?”
“In his room. I think he’s worried someone will take it away from him if he leaves it.”
Marta laughed gently with her, “I’ll get a change of clothes for him, the less the other children can make fun of him the better.” Another point Mika hadn’t thought of.
“When can I start teaching him? I don’t have much spare time.”
“I’ll talk with Lin. He may make allowances.”
Jon quickly became part of the household, helping Marta in the kitchen during the day and having lessons with Mika in the evenings. He was bright, as Mika had suspected and he became a favourite with the guards. He tagged along behind Gavin and most afternoons the small boy could be found sitting close to the large warrior. Mika frequently had Gavin’s outrageous stories re-told to her by Jon later in the evenings, with his own extravagant comments added to the mix.
“What’s that smell?” Mika stuck her head into Jon’s cubby hole one morning. She’d noticed a smell in there a few times recently.
Jon sat on his bed looking worried, “Nothing.”
“Jon, it stinks. You’ll have Marta in here.” She reached down to pull back the mattress, “Bloody hell Jon...” There was food mashed underneath, slowly rotting. Jon looked helpless. “Did you take this? What’s up, aren’t you fed enough?” Jon had been eating enough for two at mealtimes. He started stammering, trying to explain, tears coming into eyes. All of a sudden he wasn’t the cocky little boy she was used to, he was scared. She let the mattress down with a damp thump and sat next to him. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know.” He huddled next to the wall, refusing to look.
“Are you hungry?”
“No.” His head was hanging. “Are you going to throw me out?”
“No.”
“I messed my bed.” He’d been so proud of his room.
She thought hard, “Look, do you need to keep food here, just in case?” He twisted away from her, not wanting to meet her eyes. “I could get something from Marta, something bottled so you know it’s there and it can’t rot. As something to fall back on. You can tuck it away so no one can see it. Would that help?”
Jon, tense and miserable, slowly nodded. Mika desperately wanted to give him a cuddle like she would her little brother. She reminded herself that she was a teenage boy and had to settle for giving him a hair ruffle instead.
“OK, I’ll get a bowl from the kitchen. I’ll scrape the worst of this off and we’ll take the mattress down to wash and dry it in the courtyard. We’re lucky it’s sunny today.”
He sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeve as Mika hurried out of the room and grabbed a bowl. Marta raised an eyebrow from where she was cleaning shelves and supervising the servants.
“Jon needs some bottled preserves, do you have any spare?” Marta nodded and passed a couple of jars down form the top shelf. Jon had peeled the bedclothes off by the time Mika had got back. He was still sniffing.
“Right, these are yours. No diving into them unless it’s an emergency.”
He managed a shaky grin. Together they man-handled the mattress down. Mika gently began teasing Jon about having eyes bigger than his stomach while they sluiced it down. He sniffed his way through his retorts and looked far happier by the time they’d finished.
Chapter 13
Mika crept down to the infirmary early, looking for bandages. With regular meals and exercise, her monthly cycle had settled down. She’d run out of clean bandages by accident yesterday, having washed them too late. She normally dried them in the warmth of the chimney breast coming up from the kitchen. Keeping them out the way of Jon was difficult, he was too curious. Never having had a place of his own, he didn’t understand her need for privacy. He’d eventually agreed to stay out of her room, but it didn’t stop him from trying to peer in whenever she opened her door.
She rummaged through a pile and found one the right length and thickness, tucked it into her pocket and jumped as she saw Marta in the doorway.
“I thought I heard someone in here. Why do you need the bandages? Is Jon alright?” Mika hesitated, she couldn’t lie to Marta, she liked her too much. Marta appraised her, then came inside and pulled the door shut. She sat on one of the high stools, “Talk to me.”
Tears came into Mika’s eyes, she couldn’t lie about this. She blurted out, “I’m not a boy, I’m a girl. I need them for… you know...” She hung her head, not looking, waiting for Marta to call Belindros and be thrown out. Maybe someone else could take Jon on, maybe Marta would as a kitchen boy if nothing else.
Mika jerked her head up as Marta laughed softly, “I was wondering why you were so secretive. You’re too tidy to be a boy, at least, a normal boy. I thought I’d leave you and that you’d get around to telling someone what the problem was.”
“You’ll tell Belindros? A girl can’t be a Medici.”
Marta stood and shook her head, “Take the bandages. If you need any help then come to me. Although you’ve managed very well so far.”
Mika was stunned at her calm acceptance, “You’re not going to throw me out?”
Marta laughed again, “It’s no one’s business but yours and besides, Lin would throw a fit if someone threw out his favourite apprentice.” She opened the door and left Mika staring after her. Belindros’ favourite apprentice? She walked slowly back to her room, deep in thought.
Bracing herself, Mika grabbed Jon as he came downstairs. “Come on, let’s get some reading done before breakfast.” He started to protest through his yawns. “Two pages before you eat and I want your attention this time.” He sulked his way through the two pages and Mika let him go to eat.
“Problems?”
Mika sighed at Marta’s question, “I know he’s bright, I know he can do this. I just don’t know how to get him to do the things he doesn’t like doing.”
“He’s been out at night again.”
“I know. It’s trying to keep him in that’s the problem, he just climbs onto the roof if I tell him to stay in his room.”
Mika rubbed her eyes. She’d thought Jon would be easier than Orai. Every time she told him off, he’d assure her with wide eyes that he’d d
o better. He did mean it, other things happened and he’d conveniently put his promises to one side. He could memorise by rote easily, getting him to do it was another matter. He couldn’t understand why maths was important, history was worse. The thing was, she didn’t have the time to watch him constantly. As he didn’t have the skills to join in with the other boys, he normally helped with Marta in the kitchen during the day. It was a chore he was delighted with.
“I think you need to clamp down on him. Put him in with the other boys.”
“He can’t read or write properly yet, he won’t manage.”
Marta was firm, “It will either make him work to catch up or he will go under. If he goes under, then you’ll have to make the decision whether to keep him or not.”
Mika straightened and walked into the kitchen. Jon was chortling over an unsuitable tale one of the guardsmen was telling, nearly choking on the food he stuffed into his mouth.
“Jon.” At her tone he looked up, wary. “You’ll be going in with the other boys from today.”
Gavin caught on with a smile, “I’ll take him up, make sure he doesn’t get lost on the way there.”
Jon’s jaw dropped and he swallowed hastily, “It’s a bit short notice, can’t I go tomorrow?”
“No and you’ll stop going out at night. During the evenings you can study with me. You’ll need it to catch up.”
At his protests, Mika gritted her teeth and pointed out he’d said that thumping a child for not learning was quite acceptable. Gavin sat next to them and described Mika’s beating of Orai in the broadest possible terms. Jon’s eyes grew wide and with the most innocent of faces, made a promise to do his best. Mika rolled her own eyes, at least until the next time he was distracted.