Chapter 14 The Warm Reception (2/2)

Rassa gave a small smile, ”The rest of us don't get to learn, Dig, you should at least try for us. I know I would be very happy if I could learn to read”.

After all, his father had taught him without the knowledge of the rest of the villagers, and Rassa couldn't read in front of his friends for fear of them thinking ill of him. Being literate was a sign of higher status, and clearly, with Phillip being a mere farmer, Rassa was not of a high status, at least, not in the eyes of those in the village. If he was to say he now had a family name, and a Duke's family name at that...there was no telling how they would react.

Falla's eyes stayed on Rassa, ”You want to learn how to read, Rassa?”

Rassa hesitated, then nodded.

”What use is reading around here?” asked Jane, scoffing, ”There are so many better things to do!”

”Exactly,” Diggory pointed at Jane, then seemed surprised he was agreeing with the girl. Jane seemed surprised too, and frowned at him in annoyance.

”Come on, we're going to go and help with the apple picking,” Jane insisted, then she grabbed Rassa's hand and began dragging him towards the orchard. Despite the fact that it was now incredibly easy for Rassa to resist, he relented, letting himself be dragged by Jane. He looked back over his shoulder at Falla and Diggory.

”See you!”

Diggory had lessons, besides the fact that he would never hear the end of it should his father catch him doing the job of someone of a lesser status. And Falla...well, her family was more a merchant family than farmers. She often took lessons with Diggory, though Falla never talked about them, and never endeavoured to show her knowledge.

After they were well on their way, Jane dropped Rassa's hand awkwardly and dropped back to walk beside him.

”Are you really okay?”

Her voice sounded smaller than usual, not as straightforward.

”I'm really okay,” Rassa reassured her.

”Because when you disappeared like that...then they brought you back like that...well it scared me,” Jane admitted.

Rassa looked forward, ”Well I promise I'm fine. How are you?”

”Huh?” asked Jane.

”You fell over when we were chasing the rabbit, you're okay now right?” asked Rassa.

Jane's eyes widened in realisation, ”Oh, right, yeah. I'm okay. The doctor gave me some bandages”.

Rassa nodded in acknowledgement.

The truth was, Jane had complelety forgotten about her own injuries. She'd been so busy worrying about Rassa for the past few days that she hadn't cared much about her own pain.

”Well anyway,” Jane perked up with a smile, ”Mr Harold said that the harvest this year is especially good!”

Rassa listened aptly as Jane animatedly told him the happenings of the last few days. And all the while, he could not help but wonder.

Will she still smile at me like that when she finds out I'm a monster?

He did not realise how much he appreciated her smile until he realised it might be taken away.