The misadventures of the necromancer

With Delmic in her arms, Esther could see Saca and her friends approaching her house. Around her were her three youngest children, since the eldest had gone out with their father. The oldest of the three was responsible for watching the youngest and was currently playing with him. At the same time, the other ran around shouting, drawing the baby’s attention.

“Look, your sister!” she says to Delmic, pointing at the girl approaching. He responds with a happy smile and stretches his hands toward the group coming their way, making her smile in return.

Only then does she notice that the girls have strange expressions on their faces, as if they were pondering something they didn’t quite understand. At least, that’s what it seems—until they notice her and Delmic.

That makes them start walking faster, pulling ahead of the boys. Saca smiles and reaches out her hands for her brother.

“Sweetheart!” she says as Esther passes the baby into her arms.

Behind Saca, Sena can be heard saying, “Someone’s happy to see us!” before leaning in to kiss the baby on the forehead, prompting more delighted sounds from Delmic.

Finally, Esther addresses the girls. “You’re late! I was starting to worry.”

“Oh! Yes, Esther… sorry,” the girl begins a bit clumsily. “We went shopping and took longer than I expected. Otherwise, I would have told you beforehand.”

Esther listens, nodding as she considers it. It’s the kind of thing that easily happens, though today is a bit inconvenient for her. Still, Saca had no way of knowing, since Esther herself had forgotten to mention she’d be going out.

Fortunately, they’ve arrived in time, so there’s no real problem. Letting curiosity take over, she asks:

“It’s alright, no problem. What did you go buy?”

“Weapons,” answers one of the boys.

Turning toward the voice, she sees the oddly dressed young man, the one who rarely speaks.

“We bought some knives so everyone can have some protection,” he finishes. While the others nod with an intensity that makes it seem like they’re afraid not to agree enough.

“Yes, yes, that’s a good idea,” she replies. Given what’s been happening in the city and how far they live from it, it’s only natural. In fact, she’s surprised they weren’t armed before.

Especially considering the story they told her about what the girls went through with the clans in abandoned lands.

How had they managed to escape the clan that killed Saca and Delmic’s family without weapons?

As the two similarly dressed boys in cloaks approach to greet the girls, while making funny faces at Delmic, she watches the one who spoke: Nero.

It’s not the first time she’s been in this position. The first was after the girls told her their story, and she offered to help. They had gone to fetch the rest of their companions so they could discuss things together. Something she had no problem with.

At the time, she was weaning her youngest and had already discussed with her husband the need to increase their income. With a growing family, even if not among the largest, as she knew families with over ten children, any extra help would be useful. At least until the older ones could start contributing to the household.

And, with the poor girl having lost her family and being the sole support of a child, Esther had felt compelled to help. Given her husband’s past, he would hardly object.

That was when she met two of the boys: the dark-haired one in a cloak, Adar, and the strange Nero. Someone so poorly dressed that, for a moment, she had thought a beggar was intruding on the conversation, until the girls formally introduced them.

That only made things more confusing. During the discussion, whenever there was a doubt or question, everyone’s eyes would turn to the “beggar.” At one point, Esther herself had found her gaze drifting toward him, waiting for his decision.

And yet, throughout the entire conversation, the young man never spoke. Or at least, she doesn’t remember him doing so. Adar had done all the talking—he laid out the agreement, negotiated the payment, and even suggested that Delmic could stay with her.

Even so, there was no doubt about who was in charge. Nero would nod, question with a glance, or let things pass with a shrug—but the final decision was always his.

“We have to go,” the raggedly dressed young man suddenly announces, pulling her from her thoughts. “Come on, Sena, you still need to get to the inn.”

The other girl nods and starts moving away—likely running late herself. Meanwhile, Delmic stretches his arms toward the strange young man, as if calling to him. But he simply waves and says calmly to his companions:

“Let’s go. I still have some things to think about.”

“So, Mom, are we going or not?” asks her eldest son, dragging his siblings along by the arms.

“Oh, are you going somewhere, Mrs. Esther?” Saca asks, surprised.

“Yes, dear. We’re going out for a bit,” Esther replies, turning to the girl holding her brother, who is wriggling, trying to reach the departing group.

“But don’t worry, I’ve already fed him. If he gets hungry later, I made some porridge last night, give him as much as he can eat,” she instructs, considering that Delmic should already be able to eat more than just milk. “But we should be back well before that.”

The girl nods, then asks, “What do you need me to do?”

The question gives Esther pause.

The young girl in front of her is paying her to feed her brother. On top of that, she helps with housework, assisting with the many daily tasks.

And she tries, she truly does, though not everything is done with the speed or skill Esther would like, revealing her inexperience.

Still, she tries.

And in truth, the roles should be reversed. Esther should be the one feeding the child and then helping in her employers’ house. If they were wealthy.

Yet from her conversations with the boys, she sensed their concern wasn’t really about money, but about having her live with them.

Perhaps that’s because they bought a house so far from the city.

But even that isn’t the most striking thing.

Looking into the girl’s eyes, Esther realizes that her “servant” is, in essence, almost a noble.

From their conversations, she had learned that Saca was the daughter of a clan leader and later married the leader of another clan, the very one that wiped out nearly her entire family.

In a way, she is almost like a princess. Not quite the same as true royalty, but still.

And now, because of tragedy, Esther has a former princess working for her.

It’s the kind of thing no one would believe if told.

Looking at the girl’s pure eyes, someone struggling so hard just to keep her brother alive, Esther doesn’t feel like giving her orders.

“You know… I can’t think of anything that needs doing. Why don’t you come with us?” she suggests instead.

“Where?” the girl asks, curious.

“To the orphanage,” Esther replies with a smile.

“Come on!” she calls to her children, who immediately fall in line behind her.

“Orphanage?” Saca asks, unsure she understood.

“Yes. Unfortunately, sometimes children lose their parents, and the city’s orphanage takes care of them.”

“How do they lose their parents?” the girl asks, perhaps thinking of her own past.

“In many ways… usually poor families who can’t afford something as simple as a potion. Even in our city, there are cases of women dying in childbirth because they don’t have the potions that could save them,” Esther explains.

“Oh… I see,” the girl says as she walks beside her, holding her brother. “But why do you go there?”

“My husband, Alvor, helps there whenever he can. But today he had an errand with my daughter… so I’ll be taking his place,” she explains.

Saca silently asks why with her eyes.

“He was raised in the orphanage,” Esther says, surprising the girl.

“His mother died giving birth to his youngest sibling. And a few years later, his father died in an accident,” she continues, as Saca listens attentively.

Meanwhile, her children run past them, playing, making Delmic restless as he tries to join in.

But Esther keeps her focus on the conversation.

“If it weren’t for the orphanage, I don’t even want to think about what might have happened to Alvor. At best, he would have grown up as a beggar. At worst…”

Just thinking about it makes her shake her head, pushing the thought away.

“Because of that, he feels indebted and helps there,” says Saca, showing she understands.

“Not just that. It’s also something pleasant to do… helping the next generation,” Esther replies, repeating the words she had heard many times from her husband.

That makes Saca nod once again in agreement.

“Today, we’ll probably help wash the bed linens,” Esther explains, revealing their task for the day. “There are many beds, and the woman who takes care of the orphanage is already quite old... doing everything alone is difficult for her.”

“I understand,” Saca answers firmly, not shrinking from the work ahead.

“Some of the older children should help us…” And looking at her own children running along the path. Or at least the youngest is trying to, while the other two encourage him. She adds, “The children can play with the orphans… they like that.”

“Alright,” Saca agrees calmly, though Esther suspects she’ll keep a close eye on her brother.

With that, they approach the house in a less inhabited area of the city where the orphanage is located.

To her satisfaction, she spots the tall, thin figure of her cousin Boris, who seems to be about to enter the orphanage grounds.

“It’s good to see he’s starting to come to his senses,” she remarks.

A quiet hum from beside her prompts her to explain the situation to Saca, who has never met the young man.

“My cousin Boris,” she begins, gesturing toward the distant figure. “He’s been a bit… restless.”

“But lately he seems to be getting back on track. He’s even started a new job and has been coming to help at the orphanage from time to time.”

“Oh, that’s good,” the girl replies, seemingly unsure what else to say.

But Esther feels content. Her family now has a bit more money thanks to Saca and Delmic, and at the same time, she can do a good deed. On top of that, the problem that her cousin seems to have resolved itself.

This is turning into a very pleasant day, she thinks to herself, feeling the warm sun on her face.

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