the lives of butterflies

year 1 - a piece of work (autumn pt.5)

It is early, as usual. The burns the seer gave me for every morning I was late still seemed to sting even though they had healed moments after I received them. I stretch across the bed and listen to Master's soft breathing in the bed across the room. Birds chirp outside, the light still weak. A rooster calls.

I make my bed and go to the kitchen. What ingredients were available? When would everyone else wake? What tasks would I do?

"Good morning, Kai." My stomach seizes.

Mother and Father are at the table already, with the loaf of bread still on the table and more than halfway-eaten. Sliced tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs sit on plates and bowls. Each of them sips coffee from mugs.

I blush at how late I am. On the day after we bonded! But I must go on. "Good morning, Mother. Good morning, Father. Please forgive my lateness. I did not realize what the schedule was for our family."

"We forgive you, Kai," says Mother. Her voice is so quiet, but it still carries through the kitchen. "It's difficult to know what you'll be doing when no one has actually told you what to do." She smiles.

"So!" booms Father. Could Master awaken just from hearing his voice? "I'll be showing you what you'll do outside, and Mother will show you the things inside. Sound good?"

"It is good, Father." I bow. "I am ready when you are."

"Have some breakfast," says Mother, holding her hand out to the food. "Unless you don't usually eat until later?"

Was this truly a choice, or was she really telling me to eat now? When was their next meal? "Yes, Mother. I shall eat now."

She smiles. "Then come sit with us."

I eat like the seer taught me: sitting straight, taking smaller bites, chewing with my mouth closed. When I was younger, I had to resist the urge to eat like a wolf. But that urge had slowly faded as I trained with her. I touch the napkin to my mouth lightly and see Mother and Father's empty dishes. "Shall I take these?" I ask, standing.

"I am finished, thank you," says Mother. "What about you, Charles?"

"Yep. All done. There's the soap and towels on the sink." Father smiles at me. "Thank you, Kai."

"My pleasure." I smile back out of habit. I never understood it, but the seer said to do it. Especially with younger humans. Was Master the kind of person I could smile at?

I gather, wash, and dry the dishes, then await instructions.

Father stands. "Ready?"

"I am, Father."

He steps out into the yard. The sun is stronger now, and the animals are all active. "I'll show you the general area, and then you'll be walking Alli to school."

"Yes, Father." Was the school the large building that we passed on our way home?

We walk around the entire yard, with Father pointing out the chickens' area and troughs and hutches and compost and crops and tools to maintain and harvest the vegetables. He shows me the tomatoes, the eggs in the henhouse, the squash they eat and sell, and an area to slaughter animals.

After this tour, we go into the house, where Master sits in a chair near the front door, a bag on his lap. "Alli," says Father. "Show Kai the route to school."

He is surprised. "He's coming with me?"

"Just on the walk. We aren't allowed to enroll him."

"Oh, 'cause he's an omega."