The Song of Gaál - Seven

*** Warning ***

Sensitive situations

Violence; Nudity;

Hard R Rating

Please do not read if you are easily disturbed.

(All characters, places and events reside solely in my imagination.)

The Song of Gaál

…....... Seven ….......

Under the shade of trees with Jaszef, Malek and Todor nearby, Cassava caught his first fish. He knelt down and held the shining silver fish in his hands, his eyes lit with wonderment. Jaszef scooted down the little hill to the small pond and Malek stood on the opposite side, watching Cassava. “That is a fine silver minnow you have there, Cassa!” Jaszef excitedly stated.

  

Cassava glanced sidelong up at Jaszef, a small tight smile on his lips. “It is too small to eat.” Cassava replied as he turned the fish back into the pond. Jaszef blinked at Cassava and turned to Malek. “Do not get any ideas in your head Malek! We are keeping your fish, I am famished!” Jaszef said as he rubbed his stomach.

The three continued to cast their lines to the pond. Jaszef and Malek tossed quips back and forth, telling of the largest fish they caught, each exaggerating to best the other. Cassava kept his back to the castle that sat perched high on the hill. He listened to his companions' voices as he watched the water ripple with the slight breezes that swept down the little valley. He held his fishing rod loosely, more intent on the argument of who caught the largest fish than worrying that he might catch another himself.

  

“Look! Look Malek! Cassava can smile!' He heard Jaszef say loudly from close to his side. Cassava jerked away from Jaszef as he turned to look at the man, nearly losing his fishing rod in the pond as it pulled sharply forward. “Whoa Whoa!” Jaszef laughed, “Cassa has a big one! Bring it in, snippet, and we can have supper!” Jaszef's excitement was contagious and Cassava laughed as he pulled and tugged the fishing rod, bringing a large fish in from the pond.

Seated around the small fire Jaszef built, the three cooked and shared the smaller fish they caught, saving the larger ones for Ursula to cook in the kitchen. Jaszef took apples and sweet breads from his bag, sharing them with the boys. He chuckled at Malek telling him he could only have an apple, he was becoming a portly lad, to which Malek wrinkled his nose and looked at his belly. Cassava grabbed up his portion of the sweet bread and brought it to his mouth. He took a deep breath as he chewed slowly, not wanting the flavours to end, not wanting the day to end. He could not remember a meal that had tasted as wonderful as a simple fire roasted fish and cold bread with raisins. If he turned his head just slightly, the cold grey castle vanished from his view.

*****               *****                *****

Two months after Levente and Malika left the castle, Ursula was delivered of a baby girl. Beata adored the infant and often sat near the cradle learning her letters while the baby slept. Within a fortnight of the arrival of the infant, Levente and Malika returned to Sotete. Cassava was hurried by Ursula to tell Beata to freshen the beds. Beata rushed Cassava away from her and ran from the room, her pale face flushed and her mouth twisted, holding back tears. Cassava rubbed his wrist, leaving red marks on his skin. He glanced at the cradle, seeing only a bundle of coverings.

  

As Cassava walked down the back stair to the kitchen, his skin went cold upon hearing Levente's voice. Levente was talking in a hushed, hurried manner, causing Cassava to halt his descent, undecided to continue down or turn and take another stairway. A second voice, angry, in response to Levente. Cassava's breath stilled. Kisertet.

Cassava slid closer to the stone wall in the dark stairwell, listening intently, trying to discern the heated words being exchanged. He took a cautious step down, his ear turned toward the voices that seemed to be coming from the kitchen pantry. “You told me it would be done before we returned,” he heard Levente growl. “If you do not hold your end, I will resolve the matter.” 

Cassava descended another step. “It has become complicated, Tolvaj, be still and mind my instruction,” he heard Kisertet hiss. Levente's reply was broken, faint and incomplete, despite Cassava's trying to will himself to hear through the walls. “Already it is too long, already..... Malika and.... infant. Be done with it!” Cassava hears some shuffling and a loud crash, glass breaking and a very angry Kisertet. “I said be still, man! Wait On My Word!” Kisertet's voice boomed through the stairwell, then silence. A breath. Two breaths. Cassava heard footsteps moving in the kitchen, heading toward the stairway he stood in. He swallowed hard and erased emotion from his face, starting down the remaining steps as Kisertet rounded the corner to go up. Kisertet lifted his face. Cassava's eyes immediately moved to Kisertet's and they locked. Kisertet's lip twitched up and he squinted slightly at Cassava before continuing his climb, “Your Mistress is back, you best greet her soon.” Kisertet announced as he slid by the boy and disappeared up the stair.  

Cassava was greeted by Malika with a series of slaps to his head. He was not present at the gate when she arrived. She pulled Cassava toward the stair, stopping suddenly when she saw Ursula enter the room carrying an infant.

Malika dropped Cassava's arm and watched Ursula. Ursula did not move. Cassava held his breath, the silence in the room swallowing any will to break it. The infant hiccoughed and settled, the sounds of the castle returned and Malika moved toward Ursula. She tore the baby away from Ursula and turned back, grabbing up Cassava's arm, “Come.” She demanded, moving toward the stair. The infant began to cry. Cassava glanced back and saw Ursula following behind, her eyes brimming with tears.

  

Malika ordered a servant to move the infant's cradle to the nursery outside her rooms. Ursula cried and pleaded that the baby needed her, which Malika outright denied, stating she would provide all the care for the infant, after all, she birthed the baby. Malika declared the baby girl to be Eszerbet Hanna Tolvaj and turned away, leaving a crumpled Ursula weeping on the floor.