Part 3 (1/2)
CHAPTER THREE.
Mrs. Ta.s.si bustled about the cafe setting up tables. ”Sun will be comin' up soon.”
”Yeah,” murmured Eve. She sat in a chair, arms wrapped around her legs, her knees pulled up to her chest.
Mrs. Ta.s.si stopped for a moment. ”I'm sure I can find someone to help out here for a few weeks.”
Eve's mind wandered to some far off place. ”I can't help him out there.”
Mrs. Ta.s.si turned to face Eve. ”I seem to recall a little girl who didn't want something to be found; her teeth bared, claws extended, ready to take on a whole horde of bandits.” A little smirk, the one Eve had unknowingly copied over the years, formed on Mrs. Ta.s.si's lips. ”I don't think the fact she might not be able to actually take them on ever entered her mind.”
Eve looked up at Mrs. Ta.s.si. ”I didn't know what I was doing.”
”You knew you aimed to protect Max, no matter the cost.” Mrs. Ta.s.si sat down in front of Eve. ”And from what you said about that messenger, you may need to do it again.” Mrs. Ta.s.si gently took one of Eve's hands. ”What's stopping you?”
Eve started to whimper. She looked down at the floor. ”n.o.body cares about the laws against the lacarna out here, but in the city I'll be watched wherever I go. To make it worse, Max is going to the Protector's Headquarters. I can't go there. I won't be able to help him, and when Max finds out that I'm the enemy; that Protectors don't a.s.sociate with lacarna...” Eve shook her head. ”If I go, I'll only be sent away. It's easier to stay here. Then I won't have to see him when he finds out about the lacarna...about me.”
Eve brought her tail around, tightly grabbed hold of it with her free hand, and softly cried. Mrs. Ta.s.si, still holding onto Eve's right hand, leaned over and put her arm around Eve's shoulders.
”Do you honestly think that boy would send you, his best friend, away?”
”He has to if he wants to become a Protector.”
”Eve, I thought you had figured out by now that people always do what they want to. If anyone says someone made them, it's only because they were too weak to do anything else. Think about Max's father. Did you ever see him back down, even in the end? Then there is Chiron, who has cared for Max all these years. He certainly broke rules when he helped us adopt you, a lacarna.
Eve's ears perked up, she stifled a sob. ”What does Mr. Penna have to do with me?”
”I don't know much, but he worked for the Protectors when he helped us get you out of that awful market. The rest you need to ask him about.”
Eve slouched. ”But, just because you guys broke the rules doesn't mean Max will. It's his dream to be like his father, to be a Protector.”
”Don't you remember how well Max's father treated you? Max got to see that, and Mr. Penna has done everything to teach that boy how to make up his own mind about things. Max has also had you, Eve. He's seen someone first hand fight for what they believe in. He's even had a lacarnian risk her own safety for him. A thing like that is not easily dismissed. Can I promise you what Max will ultimately do? No, but he deserves a chance; the same chance you want for yourself. Until then, if you care about him that much, fight for him like you did all those years ago, no matter the cost.”
Eve's voice steadied. ”But, how am I even supposed to get into Moenia? A lacarnian can only enter with their owner.”
”I'll transfer owners.h.i.+p to Mr. Penna or Max.”
”No!” Eve bit her lip and looked down. ”I mean, I've never belonged to anyone else.” Eve stamped her foot and stared back at Mrs. Ta.s.si. ”And I don't want to either! You're my mother.”
Mrs. Ta.s.si let go of Eve's hand and stood up, smiling. ”There's my girl. Eve, that piece of paper never legally made me your mother, only your owner, and you know it. Your father and I decided you'd be our daughter and not some slave. I tell you right now, as long as you'll have me, I'll be your mother whether I own you or not. Now, I'll take care of the details with Mr. Penna. You hurry up and go pack. There isn't much time.”
Eve got up from the chair to walk towards her room. The sound of her mother's agitated voice stopped her. ”Oh, and Eve, for goodness sakes, get rid of that mouse or take it with you. But whichever it is, don't you dare leave it here.”
A smile formed once again on Eve's face. The anger in her mother's voice sounded a little too forced.
CHAPTER FOUR.
The first light of dawn had appeared in the eastern sky when Max and Mr. Penna arrived at the stable. Tyco was waiting for them next to his horse, his things already packed.
”The stable master has Starlight saddled up for you, Max. I'll help you get your gear fastened. As for you, Mr. Penna, he has a couple of horses for you to choose from. He's in the back of the stable.”
Max walked up to Starlight. ”I sure hope Starlight will be okay. I've never taken her on such a long ride before.”
Mr. Penna laughed. ”She will be fine, Max. She has seen far more country than you can even imagine. After all, she was the one that brought your father here so many years ago.” Mr. Penna turned and started for the stable. ”Now, I shall go and see what our fine stable master, Hektor, has for me.”
While Mr. Penna sought out Hektor, Max inspected Starlight. He never grew tired of looking at her. Her coat was pitch black. Here and there she had small white circular patches. From those circles, thin, short strips of white hair stretched out in various directions. These patches closely resembled the stars s.h.i.+ning in the night; thus her name, Starlight. Her coat, well groomed over the years, still held a beautiful s.h.i.+ne. Max had a feeling Hektor loved her as much as he did.
Tyco helped Max fasten his bedroll and traveling pack onto Starlight's back. He brought the most basic of necessities. Max was tightening the last strap when Mr. Penna came out of the stables riding a rather plain looking brown mare.
Tyco furrowed his eyebrows. ”I've never seen that horse before.”
Mr. Penna chuckled. ”She belongs to a merchant in Moenia. The mare injured her leg when he was here a few months back. He left her with Hektor to mend. Hektor took good care of her and now she's ready to be returned to the merchant. Seeing how we are going to Moenia, I volunteered to deliver her.”
Tyco grimaced. ”In other words, you got a free ride.”
Mr. Penna winked at Max. ”Precisely.”
Tyco mounted his own horse, Teak, a large brown stallion with a white blaze of hair on his head. Max could only imagine the foals he and Starlight might have because the two would not have anything to do with one another.
Tyco gripped Teak's reins. ”Well, are we ready then?”
Max's gaze wandered up the street. ”Yeah, I guess so.”
Tyco, impatient, chided him. ”Then you might want to try getting on the horse. We'll move quicker that way.”
”Yeah, okay.”
Max mounted Starlight and moved her beside the other two. They faced out towards the open countryside. The morning dew sparkled in the sunlight, but Max sat unaware of its beauty.
”I thought she would at least come and say goodbye.”
Tyco nodded his head. ”Good. It's just as well that she didn't.”
Max looked oddly at Tyco. ”What do you mean by that?”
”You'll see soon enough. Besides, it's time we got moving.”
Tyco nudged Teak with his heels.
”But...”
Mr. Penna smiled. ”Do not worry about it, Maxwell. Tyco likes things neat and orderly. We both know that is not exactly Evangeline's style.”
Mr. Penna followed Tyco. Max didn't feel that's what Tyco meant, but he wasn't going to contradict Mr. Penna. Instead he leaned forward in the saddle, preparing to follow the others, when he heard someone call his name from behind. Turning, he saw Eve running up the street towards them.