windowsill.
All of the things that were truly hers were hidden from sight.
Adesina had discovered a highly useful loose floorboard under the trunk. Inside
the small compartment she created, she stashed all evidence of her true
identity.
Just as she was double checking her room to make sure everything
was in place, there was a soft knock at the door. Adesina’s eyes flashed over
her surroundings before answering.
“Come in.”
Jelana appeared. She surveyed the room and looked pleased with
what she saw. “I see you are all settled.”
Adesina nodded meekly. Jelana regarded the young woman before her
with a maternal expression. “We need to go to the Square to get some things for
you tomorrow. Is now a good time?”
“Yes, of course.”
Adesina and Ravi followed Jelana down the stairs and out the front
door. The sun was past its peak and the beginnings of change were in the air.
They walked down the same way that Adesina arrived. Occasionally the curtains
in the windows of houses would twitch, revealing curious neighbors. More often
than not, people would actually come to their doors to watch the two women
pass. Jelana would greet them all by name, unfailingly polite even though her
expression was rueful.
Their residential area was in the southern section of the city.
The Square was located against the western wall, almost directly north of the
cottage. The business section of the city was separated from the residential by
a large garden, almost a park. Adesina followed Jelana through the tidy garden,
paying greater attention to her surroundings than she had previously.
The grass was trimmed very short, making it crackle softly when
they stepped on it. The gravel walkways were lined with whitewashed stones, and
on the other side of the stones were rows of docile flowers. The shrubbery was
pruned into geometric shapes that dotted the landscape in an orderly fashion.
Citizens of the High City strolled through the garden at a leisurely pace,
nodding to each other with great amounts of dignity.
The two women entered the Square and were greeted by the tall,
uniform white buildings. Jelana first led her young charge to a dress shop to
purchase some clothing that would better suit the city. The small shop was
marked by a simple wooden sign above the door. Jelana walked in without
hesitation, and Adesina followed. Ravi sat down just outside the door, not
inclined to enter the shop.
It was a good-sized single room, with everything inside
whitewashed. Adesina was certain that she would quickly grow tired of all the
white. The shop held an elderly man tending to the counter and two younger men
sewing busily in the back of the room. The young man with bright red hair
looked to be in his mid twenties, and the young man with brown hair appeared to
still be in his teens.
The man at the counter greeted them warmly. “Mistress Jelana,
welcome. Surely you have not worn out your dresses already?”
Jelana shook her head. “No, no, Master Ardley. We are hosting this
young woman and she is in need of a school uniform as well as a carpenter’s
apprentice sash.”
Master Ardley nodded and sized Adesina up. He reached under the
counter and pulled out a length of thick white string with regularly spaced
black marks. The brown-haired young man put aside his sewing and went to stand
by the elderly man. As Adesina was measured, Master Ardley would state the
numbers and the young man would write them down.
It took only a few minutes, and then the man gestured impatiently
to his apprentice. The young man hurried to sort through the shelves of
pre-made clothing. He returned with two dresses and matching aprons identical
to the ones Gainor and the others had worn. Master Ardley took them as his
apprentice hurried off again. With dexterity that belied his aged hands, Master
Ardley began hemming the sleeves and skirts of the dresses.
The apprentice returned with several pairs of brown stockings and
a dark blue sash with a white circle on
All of the things that were truly hers were hidden from sight.
Adesina had discovered a highly useful loose floorboard under the trunk. Inside
the small compartment she created, she stashed all evidence of her true
identity.
Just as she was double checking her room to make sure everything
was in place, there was a soft knock at the door. Adesina’s eyes flashed over
her surroundings before answering.
“Come in.”
Jelana appeared. She surveyed the room and looked pleased with
what she saw. “I see you are all settled.”
Adesina nodded meekly. Jelana regarded the young woman before her
with a maternal expression. “We need to go to the Square to get some things for
you tomorrow. Is now a good time?”
“Yes, of course.”
Adesina and Ravi followed Jelana down the stairs and out the front
door. The sun was past its peak and the beginnings of change were in the air.
They walked down the same way that Adesina arrived. Occasionally the curtains
in the windows of houses would twitch, revealing curious neighbors. More often
than not, people would actually come to their doors to watch the two women
pass. Jelana would greet them all by name, unfailingly polite even though her
expression was rueful.
Their residential area was in the southern section of the city.
The Square was located against the western wall, almost directly north of the
cottage. The business section of the city was separated from the residential by
a large garden, almost a park. Adesina followed Jelana through the tidy garden,
paying greater attention to her surroundings than she had previously.
The grass was trimmed very short, making it crackle softly when
they stepped on it. The gravel walkways were lined with whitewashed stones, and
on the other side of the stones were rows of docile flowers. The shrubbery was
pruned into geometric shapes that dotted the landscape in an orderly fashion.
Citizens of the High City strolled through the garden at a leisurely pace,
nodding to each other with great amounts of dignity.
The two women entered the Square and were greeted by the tall,
uniform white buildings. Jelana first led her young charge to a dress shop to
purchase some clothing that would better suit the city. The small shop was
marked by a simple wooden sign above the door. Jelana walked in without
hesitation, and Adesina followed. Ravi sat down just outside the door, not
inclined to enter the shop.
It was a good-sized single room, with everything inside
whitewashed. Adesina was certain that she would quickly grow tired of all the
white. The shop held an elderly man tending to the counter and two younger men
sewing busily in the back of the room. The young man with bright red hair
looked to be in his mid twenties, and the young man with brown hair appeared to
still be in his teens.
The man at the counter greeted them warmly. “Mistress Jelana,
welcome. Surely you have not worn out your dresses already?”
Jelana shook her head. “No, no, Master Ardley. We are hosting this
young woman and she is in need of a school uniform as well as a carpenter’s
apprentice sash.”
Master Ardley nodded and sized Adesina up. He reached under the
counter and pulled out a length of thick white string with regularly spaced
black marks. The brown-haired young man put aside his sewing and went to stand
by the elderly man. As Adesina was measured, Master Ardley would state the
numbers and the young man would write them down.
It took only a few minutes, and then the man gestured impatiently
to his apprentice. The young man hurried to sort through the shelves of
pre-made clothing. He returned with two dresses and matching aprons identical
to the ones Gainor and the others had worn. Master Ardley took them as his
apprentice hurried off again. With dexterity that belied his aged hands, Master
Ardley began hemming the sleeves and skirts of the dresses.
The apprentice returned with several pairs of brown stockings and
a dark blue sash with a white circle on
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