thinking.”
Relief edged its way through the fear, but couldn’t take over entirely. “So where do we go, and when?”
Cerise rested her back against the wall. “You've heard of Vloraisha?”
“Yes.”
“It’s supposed to be great down there. I went once when I was really little. I don’t remember much, other than sitting on a beautiful beach. As far as I know the Welgos haven’t gotten there. Hopefully they don’t have any want to either. It’s due south.” She took Ackerley’s hand. The fear really did fall away now. “Let’s do it. If we hear anything about the Welgos closing in—or if your brother gets here—or, or just if we feel like it.”
“But it’ll be so dangerous.” Ackerley said, disappointed. “And we don’t have any horses.”
Cerise’s eyes shined with determination. “Then we wait for now. The second we get an opening we’ll go. There’s nothing else here for us. There’s nothing else anywhere, actually.”
Ackerley nodded exuberantly. “Chell’s gone.” He said. He didn’t feel the pang like he thought he would. “Vloraisha’s the only hope for people like us.”
Cerise wrapped her arms around him. “Don’t go without me.” She whispered in his ear.
“Never.”
He didn’t want it to end. He hadn’t had a proper hug in a while, and this one was far different than the ones his parents used to give him.
“Come on now, you two.”
The two of them jumped away from each other, looking to see who the voice belonged to.
Jarn walked towards them, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Right here in front of everyone?” He said.
Several people including Yinnib watched from the doorway across the front lawn.
Jarn barely suppressed his grin. “Time to go in, but don’t worry, I’ll leave you two alone tonight.”
“Shut up, Yarn.” Ackerley said, his face burning. “We’ve had a good day today, that’s all.” He grabbed his friend by the shoulder and pulled him in close. “Here, one for you too since you’re feeling so left out.”
“Oh no, I’m good.” Jarn pulled himself away. “I’ve gotten about twenty hugs from people so relieved to be someplace safe . . . though none quite like that.”
Cerise looked resentfully at him but didn’t say anything.
They closed the gates, locked them, and went back inside.
Yinnib clapped his hands together, his eyes welling up as usual. “I knew I picked the three best candidates for this. You all grew up with such great families, the perfect trio for work like this. I know you’ll do Chell great when you’re older, I just know it.”
Ackerley agreed half heartedly. His mind was filled with never ending fear and the promise of a country he had only recently found out about to escape that fear.
The next day it was their job to take registry of all the families. They went around the basement cataloging their names and where they were from. Yinnib seemed to think a registry was just the sort of thing posterity needed.
“One day, future Chells will want to know who lived here during the war. The history of Chellion castle will undoubtedly be taught to every young Chell. My name will be right there as the fearless leader who helped hundreds.” He said excitedly to the three of them when they had finished.
The few nobles who were left tended to the children on the third floor. Yinnib didn’t trust them with the families down below.
Food was getting scarce. No new shipments came and the worry grew that something bad happened to the manor region. Ackerley didn’t have time to dwell on that too much as his duties with the families grew. He dealt with their needs. At first it was easy as they all were so thankful for the safe place to stay. But that changed by the end of the second day. Age old feuds swelled up among two of the towns that had evidently started over a hundred years ago with the stealing of a goat. Ackerley spent most of that afternoon separating the families from those towns, sending them to opposite ends of the large room. It didn’t help much as they could still yell foul words back and forth over the heads of whoever was in between them.
The food scarcity only made things worse. To make sure everyone got at least something to eat only one meal a day was promised. This made almost everybody in the castle peeved.
“I thought this was a great castle?” Someone had yelled at Ackerley. “And suddenly you don’t have any food. It’s because we’re not nobles isn’t it?”
He lost track of how many times he had to explain to people that the Welgos had torched all the farms and food. That should have been something that they knew already.
“They just want someone to blame and nobles are the easiest target for them.” Cerise explained. “Thrindle always blamed the commoners, so it goes both ways.”
Yinnib carefully explained that Ackerley wasn’t a noble either. “He’s just like you all!” He had said, expecting all to be well. All that did was turn their anger towards him or Cerise.
On the second night the four of them huddled together in Yinnib’s bedroom on the first floor. The walls were covered with bookcases, and all the bookcases were filled with little wooden figurines. Some were of people, but most were animals or little houses. Yinnib dismissed them with a wave of his hand. “I get bored.”
“It’s getting to be a nightmare with them.” Jarn lamented. “If we had food that’d be one thing, but since we don’t. . .”
“We just have to explain the situation to them better.” Yinnib said hopefully. He looked ragged and tired.
“We’ve been explaining it to them.” Ackerley groaned. “I don’t know what more we can do besides saying ‘deal with it and shut up’. It’s not like they have any place better to be.”
“They’re just scared.” Cerise said calmly. “People do weird things when they’re scared, especially in large groups. Be glad there hasn’t been an uprising already.”
Jarn yawned loudly. “I can see why so many nobles left.”
“Don’t say that.” Said Yinnib kindly. “The princess is right, it’s just the fear talking.”
Cerise shifted uncomfortably at being called a princess.
“What’s the long term plan?” Ackerley asked, glancing quickly at Cerise.
“It’s best not to think too long term.” Yinnib said. “I’ll go into the food stores tomorrow and ask Chellion if he knows of any other food that’s been put away.”
“We can ask.” Jarn exclaimed, clearly ready and able to finally check out the fourth floor.
“Alright, go on tonight if you want. He usually stays up late.”
A few minutes later the three of them were on the third floor, the hidden staircase open in front of them.
“It’s about time I get to go on an adventure up to the fourth floor.” Jarn said happily. “I’ll lead the way.”
The fourth floor hallway was as nice as always. The door to Thora’s room was thankfully closed. Ackerley had no intention of dealing with her. He noticed Cerise’s hands clenched into fists as she walked by the room, refusing to look at it. At the end of the hall they knocked. Chellion opened the door and invited them inside. Jarn took in the large ornate room with awe.
“You’re Rogerseen’s boy, right?” Chellion asked. He was wearing a thick nightgown and the usual yellow cap.
“That’s right.” Jarn answered, bowing deeply.
Chellion chuckled softly and shook his head.
“Sir,” Cerise began, “Yinnib sent us up to see if you had any extra food hidden away somewhere. There are so many people in the basement that it’s getting hard to feed them all.”
“Ah, what a wonderful idea that was.” Chellion said dreamily. “It’s so nice to be helpful to your neighbors.”
“Um, yes, but do you have any food?” Cerise asked again.
“I have a store room under the gardens. And aren’t they looking dreadful? The gardeners all left. But anyway—yes, there i
s a hidden entrance to it right in the fountain. The water’s been drained so it should be easy to find it. My father built this castle. He sure did like his hidden rooms and such.” He gave a small laugh. “I do to. It’s always nice to have a touch of mystery.” He suddenly grew very serious. “I’m terribly sorry to hear about Indigo.” He looked at Cerise sorrowfully.
Her face went red and she mumbled something.
“Of course the Great Spirit will have been very friendly to your family.”
She folded her arms and stared at the ground.
“Thank you.” Ackerley said loudly, wiping sweat from his hands. “We’ll go and check the store room tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, and I have something for you, Cerise.” Chellion went over to a drawer and pulled out a key. “This is for the room across from Thora’s. It’s where I kept all the treasure from Indigo. I figure it’s all yours now, so you should have access to it.”
Cerise took the key and managed a weak “thank you”.
They left Chellion’s room and stopped halfway down the hall. Cerise put the key in the lock and turned. The door glided open with a small click. The light from the hall flooded in and revealed stacks of crates, all with the word Indigo printed on them. Cerise touched the word tenderly and opened a crate. She pulled out a small silver pitcher. It glistened in the hall light.
“This was my mom’s.” She said faintly. “My grandmother gave it to her.” She held it out for Ackerley and Jarn to see. “You leave it open by your bedside. After waking from a wonderful dream you snap the lid