Beneath, part three

Sasha placed small wooden bowls on a small wooden table in the small cottage kitchen. Demy came hobbling out of her bedroom to the scent of a hot breakfast cooking over a roaring fire.

                “What’s all this now?” she asked surprised to see the child up so early in the morning.

                “You have given me a name, a roof over my head, a mat to sleep on, the least I could do is give you some breakfast,” she said as she lifted the great cooking pot to the table. She was light and agile as she danced a beautiful ballet through the kitchen, plucking this and that from the shelves and running them to the table. She was different this morning then she had been. Now she was alive, and Demy could see it visibly on her face, in her movements, in her air.

                “There was no need child, I wasn’t planning on letting you stay for nothing,” she told the near sprit of a girl.

                “No of course I can also help you in the garden, and you shouldn’t do that without a solid meal in you.”

                Good lord the girl was even smiling as she flitted about. Demy was shocked at how quickly the girl had transformed, but she wasn’t about to turn down such a wonderful smelling breakfast. So she sat down at the table. Sasha scooped out a thick hearty porridge into the bowl that sat before her. She also had warm tea brewing on the table, and poured some into a waiting mug. Then she sat and watched Demy eat the entire meal without serving herself.

                “Aren’t you hungry dear?”

                The girl shook her head vigorously. She really hadn’t had much of an appetite since she had returned. But she pushed the thought of her life before far from her mind. Now things were different, and no thoughts of that past place would spoil her life here.

When old Demy had finished her morning meal Sasha cleared the bowls away and cleaned them quickly. The old woman swiftly moved about the cottage and gathered her shawl. Sasha quietly followed close behind like a shadow. Demy turned and looked up at the girl. She was thin, but strong and quick, a fine young woman. She smiled a little in spite of herself.

“I’m going to visit my son to see if I can borrow some grand children to thatch my roof,” she told the girl, “Would you like to join me, deary?”

The girl’s head bobbed enthusiastically in assent. Old Demy nodded and the two walked out along the path that led to the far side of the property. The girl flitted about like a bird as they walked, thoroughly enjoying the morning light. Demy watched her with great interest as she ran back and forth into the woods on either side of the path. She tried to keep up with the girl’s flight, but it was difficult to follow her nimble flashing silhouette. Old Demy had owned dogs that were less precocious. The girl finally came back to Demy’s side when she had strong hold on a squirrel that had obviously not been fast enough to escape her grasp. Demy watched as the girl played with the wriggling creature, carefully turning it over in her hands. What amazed the old woman most was the creature’s obvious reluctance to bite or thrash out against its captor. When the creature finally got free of the clutching hands it sat in the path where it had fled looking back at the girl. Demy and the girl stood staring back at the small animal. Sasha gave a slight bow to the creature, and Demy could almost see the queer little thing bow back before it disappeared into the forest.

“You have quite a way with the lesser creatures, young Sasha,” Demy commented as the girl righted herself.

“Do I?” was all she said in reply before disappearing into the woods once more.

Demy had seen people with an affinity for animals, some who had a god given gift, but this was by far the most bazaar happening she had ever witnessed. Demy did not try to push the subject upon the girl, but instead took note of yet another peculiarity she possessed.

 

Together they reached the small homestead at the edge of the property line where Demy’s family all lived. Sasha watched as dozens of young children came racing out of the houses and across the fields. The entire world was alighted with news of granny’s arrival. Sasha was nearly overwhelmed with the collision of bodies. The children took Sasha and Old Demy by the hands and led the pair away. Sasha watched as older family came from the houses and the fields. The children marched the two to the edge of the wheat and deposited them and waited patiently for the pair to be released.

A giant of a man stepped out of the field and engulfed Ma Demy in a hug. “How are you dear mother and what brings you all the way out to our side of the acreage?”

“I just wished to look upon my wonderful son, and his many young, strong sons,” she smiled at him.

He bellowed with deep hearty laughter, “And How many of my sons were you expecting to look upon exactly?”

“Enough to thatch my roof, perhaps?”

His laughter filled the air like a thick fogs rolling off the bay, and covered the land with a blanket of joy and contentment. “And what if I need my sons for the fields, hmmm?” he chided playfully.

“Oh you wicked thing you,” she complained, “Do you really want rain to come and soak your poor elderly mother to the bone because you refuse to spare a few of your sons for a day or two?”

“You could come and live with us, mother. Our roofs don’t leak even a drip.”

Old Demy clacked and bantered on with him. As they talked on Sasha got the feeling that this was a common argument between the two of them. He was concerned about her living alone in her little cottage, but she refused to give up her independent life style. He was concerned, but not enough to take any of his mother’s many small joys. They continued their goading and teasing of each other for a while longer before he finally consent to loaning three of his strongest sons to thatch the old woman’s roof. He called over the boys and as they stood slack jawed staring past him he came to notice Sasha for the first time.

“Who’s this now?”

Demy took the girl’s hand and pulled her forward, “This is my friend Sasha, from the north.”

Sasha being raised in a world of endless social etiquette did what came naturally to her and curtsied. Everyone stared in what seemed to be a mixture of confusion and amusement. The children out right laughed at her, finding the display ridiculously humorous. Sasha lit up red with embarrassment.

“Was that not right?” she whispered to Old Demy, concerned she may have caused some offense.

“Oh no, dear child, it’s just we aren’t quite so formal around these parts.”

She flushed even brighter and dropped her head in disgrace and new embarrassment. That was when one of the boys returned the gesture. The children again erupted into laughter at their relative’s foolishness. The boy closest swatted at his brother’s head as he rose.

“While I find it to be a wonderful gesture indeed, there is one that I personally prefer,” Demy’s bear of a son said, and he wrapped Sasha with his arms.  

She could feel the heat of his body, the strength of his arms, the sweat from his work in the fields, but also his heart beating like a drum against his chest. It was a good, full heart. And so she returned his gesture of goodwill.  It was a gesture of love and friendship like she had never truly known. She wished that such things never ended, but alas nothing lasts forever. And she obligingly slid from his grasp when he released her.

One of the young girls Sasha did not notice coming behind her pulled on the back of her shirt when she stepped back towards Demy. Sasha looked down at the child from under her arm. The child looked very concerned. Sasha knelt down next to the small figure, and the child leaned in close and whispered, “Sasha’s my name.”

“Your Grandmother said I could borrow it for a while, if that’s alright with you of course,” the young woman replied quite seriously.

The girl twisted and looked so painfully shy, “Yes, that’s fine because I like you.” And away the child scampered across the yard. What to the young woman had seemed a very private and intimate moment was in truth very public, and precious.

Demy put her hand on Sasha’s shoulder as she followed the bobbing form of the young girl with her eyes. She turned her gaze up towards the old matron, the hint of a question that was never to be asked still clinging to her face. Sasha stood and met the full breadth of the gazes that had fallen upon her. A certain air of approval resounded clearly from them all. She stood forgetting for one moment that she was a new person and displayed herself, daring any to challenge her. The gazes fell away, leaving her cool.

“A very sweet and considerate child.”

“If you’re borrowing the name what’s it replacing?” Demy’s son asked as they walked back towards the house.

“A name that I no longer want or deserve.”

Nothing else was said on the matter. She had left a mark upon the moment that could not be undone. A scar on the beauty of the event, but quickly it left everyone’s minds. She walked a step behind Demy, who strode nearly in step with her son, which was quite a feat indeed. The young men who were to be loaned to the woman for the next few afternoons walked only a few more paces further behind. Except for one who stayed very close. He tried to match step with Sasha but she had an odd gait. It wasn’t a limp, but it wasn’t far from one either. She refused to look at him, at the same time he refused to stop looking at her.

“I’m Nathan,” he told her. She said nothing. “Are you from a royal court or something,” he asked in a hushed tone. Again she said nothing. “I bet you’re a princess or something, running away from an arranged marriage,” he burst out.

“Nathan, stop pestering the girl,” his father warned over his shoulder. He mumbled something about reading too much, but Sasha didn’t catch anything after that.

“You’re beautiful enough to be a princess,” he whispered before falling back towards his brothers.

Sasha glanced over her shoulder at the boy and smiled in spite of herself.