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MillionNovel > Grandmother's Teeth > Bait the hook

Bait the hook

    Chapter Bait the hook


    When Rose arrived back at Sadko’s house wheezing with exhaustion she quickly took back the broom from Martha knocked down on her side, perfectly frozen in her last position. “Did you feel those tremors Martha? They very much startled me.” Martha blinked, looking around confused.


    “I do believe you bumped your head.” She cupped her hand over the back of the little girl’s turban for there was some blood that leaked through. Martha pushed her back and seeing one of Sadko’s hats she placed it over her turban defensively.


    Rose frowned with concern and said decisively, “I shall fix you up later.” She said this swiftly, for she saw her Father through the open door making his way up the hill. Noting that her clothing was covered with dirt and hay she threw on one of Sadko’s big buttoned coats.


    Ivan entered with menace in his eye. The Frost had escaped him and he suspected his daughter had been in the woods. She was splashing her face and wetting her hair with water from the kitchen pot.


    “Indeed Father we have had quite the scare, the whole floor started shaking!” Rose helped Martha to stand up.


    “Have you been outside of this hut?” Ivan asked Martha not Rose and his eyes were suspicious. Martha thought for a moment, and then shook her head.


    “You have not accomplished much here.” Ivan observed,


    “I’m sorry I think we did play dress up more than work today. We shall do more tomorrow.” Rose bowed her head obediently.


    Ivan suspected but he could not prove that this did look like a normal scene he would come upon when the girls were playing. “Well go wash up together than and start dinner.”


    “Yes, Father , come Martha!” Rose smiled and grabbed up her companion''s hand and the broom running out of the room with both of them.


    “Oh dear me, Martha,” Rose pouted once they got half way down the hill. “I really don’t want to take this coat home for Father will never wear it. I think I shall give it to one of the young boys to keep until they grow into it. Martha tugged her sleeve and pointed to the lodge.


    “Yes I know we are to begin cooking. Will you please begin without me?” Rose entreated and Martha smiled because Rose was always making such excuses.


    The children were coming home with their parents. Emilyan and his old Father the Tanner seemed headed in the direction of the lodge. Rose tugged the old man aside.


    “Sir, I would like to give Emilyan this coat that Sadko left for him. I don’t want the other children to get jealous. May I enter his room so I can hang it up for him?”


    The Tanner looked very pleased, “I was unaware the merchant had been fond of my boy. Well I don’t think it would do him harm to show you the way. I don’t want to miss your Father’s hunting tale for today.”


    Rose took Emilyan’s quivering hand. When they got far enough he said with narrowed eyes. “I don’t want to talk to you about monsters anymore.”


    “How did you know?” Rose asked, startled.


    “Know what? I just don’t want to talk about them anymore.” He kicked the dirt as they walked.


    “Oh Emilyan I don’t want to frighten you. I just want you to know I believe you.” Rose ruffled his hair with her hand.


    “That frightens me.” Emilyan grumbled.


    “Listen tonight I don’t want you to be in your bed. I want you to sleep somewhere else.”


    “Where am I going too?” Emilyan whined, and she quickly covered his mouth.


    “Anywhere as long as you trade with me and I can sleep in your bed.”


    “We are going to fool my parents? How will I keep warm?” Of all the other little boys Emilyan was the most scittish yet curious.


    She took off the coat and draped it over him. “There better?”


    “No, I may be scared in my bed. At least it’s my bed. Everywhere else is scarier.” They had entered the hata. He showed her into his bedroom and wildly jumped on top of it.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Out of the pocket popped the bright colored hook. It landed on the bed with a bounce.


    “Careful!” Rose shouted and scooped it up before his foot could land on it.


    “Oh what’s that?” The little boy was suddenly mesmerized.


    “Nothing,” Rose put the hook behind her back.


    “Let me see! Let me see!” Emilyan jumped down and Rose continued to spin to keep him from the object.


    “It’s only an old fishing hook.” She shrugged,


    “I saw it! It looks new and shiny.” Emilyan folded his arms assertively like his Father.


    Rose suddenly got an idea. It was an idea she did not like given her new fond attachment but protecting the children was more important.


    “Emilyan, I’m going to go down and finish cooking if you follow everything I say I will give you this hook.”


    “What must I do?” Emilyan licked his lips.


    “Why, sleep above the stove tonight. The new brick one that was built in the kitchen. It has a nice wide shelf above it and you will stay nice and warm. Do this and the hook will be yours.” The child’s bright eyes followed the object as she pulled it out and continued…


    “Just pretend to be sick and I’ll say I’m taking you home. Then I will get under the covers in your place.” Emilyan thought about it. As long as he wasn’t outside in the dark this plan sounded fine. And he was old enough to know how to keep a fire going if he needed to.


    “Okay, he nodded.” And they shook on it.


    Rose hurried to the kitchens and helped Martha to finish dinner as soon as possible. Marousha, among the other women, was startled with her new fervor. Rose snacked excessively as she worked, not that she was truly hungry. Even after the days draining exercises she was too nervous. Still she knew it was important to keep her strength up and more importantly to keep up appearances. She kept handing Martha food too.


    “You know you’ll get too busy serving and then you will hardly eat anything.” Martha shrugged at her with a blank stare continuing to eat anything she was handed.


    When they did enter to serve, which to Rose seemed to take an eternity. She overheard Tanner attempting to speak to Ivan in low tones which of course was drawing more attention as others stopped to listen in. “So you see Sir it is an excellent match is it not? He is but a few years her junior by comparison to the other boys and she would never have to leave the village.”


    “A few!” someone scoffed until Tanner glared at him drinking out of his cup.


    “This would make Emilyan my selected heir would it not? A heavy burden to be headman, give the boy some time to grow and I shall dwell on the matter.” Ivan’s hand brushed over Rose’s as she set out drinks.


    “She is the only reminder I have of her mother. Her happiness means everything to me.” Rose felt a little thrill of pride at this compliment. And a momentary lapse of guilt for what she was about to risk.


    When all the plates were out she excused herself to do dishes. During this chore the temptation to look at the back door frame to possibly glimpse a set of white fingers came up as it did almost every night. Emilyan today had especially reminded her of him. The absence of them once more made her more resolved. The task of clean up as always was daunting however she was not so little anymore and collected everyone’s plates even before they wished it at times. She finished as everyone sat around drinking and interrupted Ivan just as he had begun his greatest drinking story.


    “And the demon bear landed on me full with his belly and tumbled me twice over!”


    The party gasped and Rose interrupted to everyone’s disappointment.


    “Father, I think I shall take Emilyan home. His belly aches.” On cue the little boy moaned.


    Tanner nudged Ivan with his elbow and winked. Irritated Ivan waved his assent,


    “Alright then go to bed with Martha.” He ordered, Martha had been collecting cups immediately dropping her tray on the table following them.


    “Martha, we ought to stop by our hata first. I want to take one of Mother’s decorations to Sadko’s. Rose remarked cheerily, grabbing the broom she left in the kitchen. Martha nodded, and when they entered Rose pointed to the pretty woven reef above their bed. Martha generously got on the bed first to get it down. “Do not squeeze it with your hand, it is fragile!” Rose’s exclamation made her pause.


    “Here hook it through the center with this.” Rose handed up the broom and Martha smiled as she took it. She froze right where she stood.


    “What did you do to her?” Emilyan backed away when Rose pushed her over onto the bed.


    “Oh this is a little game we played earlier today.” Rose said with a laugh though inside she feared she was hurting Martha again.


    “Whoever holds the broom must be the most still no matter what. I’m going to dress her up like me and put her under the covers. I bet she’ll get uncomfortable and move.”


    Emilyan clapped with admiration as Rose took off Martha''s hat and threw her hood over her. Then more covers. She then fixed the blankets on the other side to look like another person and set the hat on top of it like it was Martha.


    “She is really good, she hasn’t moved at all except to breathe, even when you covered up the broom!”


    “Yes she always beats me at this game.” Rose pretended to be jealous. She whispered in his ear. “Let’s sneak out. She will never know.” Emilyan giggled loudly as they left had Martha not been under spell all would have surely been for naught.


    Rose managed to hush him before they entered the kitchens. “Emilyan you must hide behind the spices until everyone in the other room leaves. Then you can climb atop that shelf if you wish and sleep.


    “Why do you want to be so badly in my bed?” Emilyan asked.


    “Because Emilyan I’m going to kill the demon that lurks near your room at night.” Rose told him boldly for at least one person would know her good deed if she failed.


    “You must not Rose. You could not.” Emilyan looked at his shoes. A sound in the other room made her ferret the boy behind barrels.


    “Emilyan it will be alright. I am a huntress, well trained by my Father.” This reminded Rose that she must gather weapons in the forge before sneaking into his home.


    “No I mean you will not be able to because you know her. She is a woman in our village…she…I’ve seen her change before and you…you would not believe me anymore…” He looked down to his shoes again, his eyes getting damp as he stammered.


    “Hush Emilyan, I told you I believe you.” Rose pulled him to her in a hug. “You will be protected so long as I live.” She kissed his forehead then scrambled out to get weapons from the forge.
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