After Robin Book 1: The Burning Testimony

Chapter 2

-This part will be from Callum's POV-

I hurried down the hall as fast as I could walk (Since it was a rule that we weren't allowed to run in the hall). I wondered what the Baron wanted with me and it was best to not keep the Baron waiting. As I rushed through the halls I tried dogging maids, trays of food, other wards, and even a few dogs. It was very difficult to stay on your toes on Saturday morning. I eventually got to the Baron's office only to be kept waiting for fifteen minutes on the wooden bench in the waiting room and the castle. I was about to get up and get a closer look when the official came out and closed the door.

"You can go in now, boy." The man said to me.

I quickly went into the office and closed the door behind me, standing patiently for the Baron to speak. He was looking out the window at what I assumed to be the wagon I had seen coming down the road.

"You see that wagon, Callum?" He asked me, still looking out the window.

I walked closer to get a better view and said, "Yes sir."

"You see that girl with the blonde hair in the blue dress, sort of lingering towards the garden?"

"Yes sir."

"She's only one of the orphans that will be living here. I want you and Emma to show her around the castle. Tell her the rules and such what."

"Yes sir."

"And another thing, I want you to make sure that Emma does most of it. She's not getting any better you know."

"Sir, it's not her fault."

"It's no use kidding ourselves, Callum. No, of course it isn't her fault, but we have to do all we can."

"Yes sir."

I left the room to go find Em, but I knew it wouldn't take long. She was always in the same place. At least, most of the time. She wasn't really allowed to go anywhere else without anyone.

I walked down the stairs leading to the back door, thinking about what the Baron had said. I felt as if he had been slightly implying something; but I couldn't put my finger on it. I went out the back door that led strait to the garden and sure enough, I heard a soft voice singing a well known song in the village.

                                                                       Softly blows, the breeze of mornin'
                                                                       Sing ye winds, your mournful sound,
                                                                       Blowing from, the eastward corner,
                                                                       Bind this traveler where he's bound. 

"Hey, Dax! Come!" Em commanded, her voice as fierce as it had been soft only a minute ago. The ferret was about to jump into the pond and disturb the duck that were swimming there.

"Em, what are you doing?" I asked her. I felt like she never had anything to do being cooped up in the garden walls. Then she voiced my thought.

"All I 'can' do in this flowery coop." She said it so bitterly that I couldn't stand it anymore.

"The Baron wants us to show a new girl around the palace. But once we're done with that do you want to go for a ride?"

I knew it was her favorite pass time.

"Fine."

She got up from her sitting position by the pond and picked Dax up, placing him on her shoulder.

"You know, you could be just a tad bit more enthusiastic." I told her.

"I didn't get very much sleep last night. It's a lot harder to be enthusiastic when you're tired than you think."

There was a crisp breeze blowing and even with the castle walls I could still feel it pushing against me with a substantial amount of force. I was perfectly fine with it but it was blowing Em's hair in all sorts of directions so I had to stop a minute while she flipped it over and pulled it up into a ponytail. I could never understand how she did it so well every time. It must take a whole lot of practice. It only took her a minute to wrap the leather string around her long brown hair. Once she was done she asked me if we could go to the lake when we went for our ride.

"I guess so. We should have enough time to hang around there for a couple of hours."

Suddenly, I heard the voices of the two most annoying people in my life. Aland and Kevin. I could hear them jeering at some unfortunate person, making their day miserable. When I walked towards the voices I could see three heads above all the plants. Aland's black hair, Kevin's brown, and the blonde head of the same girl that we were looking for. We walked up to them just in time to hear Kevin say, "Oh, is the little orphan scared?"

"I don't know about her but I know a couple of boys who should be." I said.

"Go away Callum, this is none of your business. And it has nothing to do with that patient of yours either." Kevin said.

I saw him shoot a glare at Em and it made my blood start to boil over.

"You see, that's where you're wrong, Kevin." Em said.

"This is our business. We were assigned to this girl here to show her around the castle....And you're the ones who are about to be the patients. Dax!"

Dax leaped at Kevin's face and started clawing and scraping. Kevin fell on the ground, screaming and wrestling with Dax. This went on for several minutes before I put a stop to it. As mad as I was at Kevin, if it went on much longer we could get in serious trouble.

"Alright Em, that's enough." I said.

"Dax!" Em said. Dax immediately stopped.

Em knelt down on one knee and stretched her arm out, making sort of a ramp for Dax. Dax quickly climbed up and made himself comfortable on Em's shoulder.

Kevin quickly scrambled up and ran off, Aland not far behind.

"Thanks." The girl said gratefully.

"No problem." I said, smiling.

"I'm Callum and this is Emmalina."

-Alright, there is the next chapter. Sorry it took so long for me to post. Hope you like it :D- Anna