Chapter II
The Moren Estates
Christina stood up, placing her palms on the table.
"Well, I better be going"
Marcus went back to silently devouring his soup.
Leona jumped up from the table, and started clearing up, grabbing even her husband's soup bowl out from under his lifted spoon.
He frowned and stood up.
"Good luck, then. Come back and eat our food often.."
"I will." Said Christina, voice dripping with sarcasm as she walked towards the loft.
Leona winked at her and carried the dishes to the washtub.
Christina climbed the loft and walked into her room. She unied her apron and tugged off her brown house dress, replacin it with a light green dress with a gold sash and her green woolen cape, fastening it with the leaf broach.
THen she slung the pack onto her back and walked down the stairs.
Leona smiled at her daughter, who smiled back.
Marcus was nowhere to be seen, so Christina pulled the sword out of her sack and buckled it around her slim waist.
The two elves embraced briefly and then Christina walked outside, letting the door slam behind her.
Leona came running out behind her. "pet, the leaft on your broach is called a mallorn leaf"
Christina burst out laughing. "that's why I never recognized it!"
Leona hugged her again and walked inside.
Christina stared at the little house for a few minutes, hand on hilt, black hair flowing to her waist.
THen she turned abruptly and walked towards the Moren Estate and her new life.
As she walked past Foren's Forest, she waved frantically hoping that Murphy would see her.
She thought she heard leaves rustling, but kept walking up to the Moren Estate. She came up to the gates and rang the bell. Then she waited.
After a minutes or so, Christina heard footsteps coming towards the gate.
"Yes?" said a pleasent, but muffled voice.
"Christina - the .. helper?"
"Oh! Oh, yes!" The gate swung open quickly and a lantern shone suddenly in Christina's eyes.
"Come along, darling! you'll have some supper and I'll show you around, pumpkin."
Christina could barely get a word in edgewise as the woman talked and talked and talked but it gave her time to collect her thoughts.
The dusk was beginning and she was to meet Murphy at Forens Forest soon.
Christina wondered how she could slip out of the house..
Of course! She could 'forget' something from her home.
Christina returned her attentions to the woman's chatter.
".. and my goodness, dearie, I haven't event old you my name! well it's Marolyn. you can call me Marolyn. none of this 'miss Marolyn' or 'Marolyn, Ma'am'. I detest that..."
Christina blinked, and then they were at the house.
I wonder how far it is from the gate to the house.. she thought.
"come on, strawberry, I'll show you your room!"
Christina nodded absently.
When Marolyn showed christina her room, she said, "I'll leave you to unpack just holler when you're done."
"All right" said Christina, distracted.
All of a sudden Marolyn satrted and her Voice was reeking of suspicious caution. "Why do you need a sword, squash?"
Christina was alarmed, having forgotten about the sword.
She laughed high and innocently.
"Oh,no, Marolyn," she said, seeing the look in Marolyn's eyes. "My Mother taught me how to use it when I was young. for defense."
Marolyn's eyes retured to their normal shape and she nodded, content with the information.
"Well, then, peach, I'll leave you to pack."
Christina nodded and waited until Marolyn went downstairs. She would unpack, and then go meet Murphy.
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