Chapter 20: A Bargain

Before anyone else can add more to this conversions I break away from the group by the bed, deliberately heading for Marcus. My sword flashing as I stride up to him.

I give him quick smile of this is your misfortune and slam my fist through the soft plaster and gypsum board by his hip.

Marcus chokes out a noise of protest until he realizes that I didn't hit him in the groin. As a matter of fact I didn't hit him anywhere. I only wanted a hole to prop my sword into. After fashioning the hole I put the hilt in and let the sword rest in the wall. I feel it should hold long enough for us to have what conversation we must before I continue my hunt for Saul.

As worried about him as I am, I know that we need to talk to these two young women. Saul should be safe enough with the 2 other protectors, I hope.

I kneel down in front of the sword torch and turn around.

"Please join me. I wish to hear your story." I wave the girls over.

Cynthia joins me right away, curling up by my side. Simone takes a moment to adjust her robes and straighten out her hair. She then, with a regal tilt of her head, glides over the floor to us. She pulls her robes up a touch and slowly kneels across from me.

Marcus takes this time to inch away from me. trying to put as much distance between me and the wall. Mabel on the the other hand joins my little group she makes a place for herself to my right between me and Simone.

Holiday makes no move to join us, he has been slowly making his way around the room until he can watch the door and all of us are in his sights. Then he just leans up against the wall.

"You girls have traveled a long way." I start the conversation. "Why did you leave your home?"

"The bad men," Cynthia whispers.

I look over to Simone for clarification.

"The new American army," she says.

"Go on," I prompt.

"They come all the way up to salt lake city this summer. They had never done that before. Daddy got worried, he said we needed to leave in case the Empire did take over. So Daddy sent us out of the city. we were going to stay with some safe families some farmers or something, But those dam injins came along and burnt us out. So I took Cynthia and ran." She ends her narrative with a huff of exasperation.

"and you have been running ever since?" I asked.

"We got lost but once we got to the big river I knew where we were. I knew if we followed it we would get to a big city. I was hoping for Orleans or something."

"You didn't know that the rest of the cities outside of the Mormon held territories were wrecked did you?"

"No," she admits gloomily. "I had hoped to find some help." her regal posture collapses as she looks around at the Nightingales.

"Who are you?" she looks over at me, and this time takes in my buckskins skirt and top. Holiday also in buckskins, with his shiny pistols strapped to his hips.

"you aren't with these city folks?"

"No, we are the Kindred." I look at Holiday for permission to tell her about the compound. He shrugs, I guess I will just wing it. Like I have so many other things.

"We live in a survivalist compound about 75 mile south of the city. We are here because we were looking for some medical help. We too were kind of surprised at how bad the city looks."

"you talk funny," Cynthia says in a giggly voice. "She sounds like daddy's bailiff (better word)." she says to her sister.

"oh," I smile at Cynthia. And sigh as she is right. The kindred have always been too polite to say anything about it.

"I am thinking we can maybe help you, if maybe you help us." Simone says slyly.

"We have whole cities back home full of doctors and them medical folk alike."

"A trade?" I ask and give her a dubious look.

"A trade. yes we can trade." she smiles at me.