The Story of Ryden and Kara by Tashara Tavernier (free romance novels txt) 📕

“Ryden you’d better be getting that coach prepared for what I think it’s for,” shouted Adelaid from atop the balcony.
Ryden looked up from stacking crates to see a red-faced, wind-blown, frantic looking women wagging her finger at him. Great. What now?

he thought as she clamored down the rickety steps of the orphanage. Adelaid was not yet twenty-five, but she carried herself with the maturity of a fifty-year-old. Ryden thought that she definitely needed to lighten up. But, I guess it would be hard to take things lightly working in an orphanage that housed hundreds of young, hungry kids who all want to have families of their own.
“I told you to pack up the crates and come back inside. What is taking you so long?” Adelaid scolded.
“I wanted to make sure that everything was secure before I let the carriage take the food down to Sir Isaac’s,” Ryden knew he took longer than necessary to pack up all the crates, but he liked to dawdle on this task because it was the only chore he could do outside the orphanage. Everything was so besmirched and dark in there, he liked going outside where the fresh air was available to breathe in.
“Typical Ryden. All right then, you’re done with your chores. You can go inside now. I wouldn’t want you to catch cold,” Adelaid urged the carriage driver on and hurried Ryden inside.
Saint Mary's House of Holding was the emblematic place one would think of when someone spoke of it. It really was a house of holding; holding the orphans at least. But it wasn't a pleasant place to be held. The walls were smeared with multiple colors from different fluids, food and other unnamable substances. The floors were cold and bare; deteriorating in some areas where water leaked through the roof. The air was thick and muggy, making it difficult to breathe. The worst part was the noise. The noise of all the children running around crazy, screaming and fighting.
"Ho! What is this? Why are you all screeching like the wild banshees of the forest? This is a home for well-behaved orphans!" Adelaid rushed around like a mad woman spanking those who would not listen to her never ending lectures of how 'no family would ever want to adopt a child who was misbehaved' and left many little girls stricken with tears.
Ryden quickly exited the hallway, wanting to escape the hysterics of the others. True, he was but ten like the most of them, but he acted far beyond his years. Miss Adelaid had told him so when he first came to Saint Mary's.
"And who brought you here, Mr...?" Adelaid questioned the boy who stood in front of her.
"Ryden. My name is Ryden. I have no home to go to. I brought myself. I have been living on my own ever since my father died last winter. Pneumonia got to him. He told me to find a safe place to live. I have been wandering around the past few months from alley to alley, and finally ended up here. I found out about it from the nice Lady Richard down the street. So, Miss. Can I stay? This is a home for orphans, right?"
The pleading look in his eyes and the thin contours of his body touched Adelaid's heart and she opened the door further. "Yes, yes it is. Please, do come in. We don't usually find orphans coming up to our doors once they reach your age. They seem to fend for themselves, however unintelligent that decision is. But, independence is an issue with lads like you. How old did you say you were?"
"Eight, Miss."
"Eight? My, my. You do seem older. Much older for your wee age of eight. More like ten. Well, no matter. You may stay here at Saint Mary's House of Holding. I am sure it will keep you in comfort."
"Thank you. I hope it does."
Ryden managed to slink past the rooms where many orphans were sitting in a circle, fascinated with the falling droplets of water above their heads, and in the process, avoided talking with them. He had no time to dally with meaningless drivel. He had work to do.
As he reached his room at the far end of the hall, one of the boys he shared it with came out of the room with the water droplets. "Ryden! Come and see the water fall! We made a new game out of it. It's called Race the Raindrops. You have to stick your hand underneath the falling drops as fast as you can without getting wet. It's pretty tricky, but so far I'm doing the best," the boy looked proud and his eyes shone with excitement.
"No thanks, Aiden. I'm okay. I have other things to do right now."
"Oh. Alright. Maybe some other time then?" The boy's face dropped and his shoulders slumped.
"Sure, maybe." Ryden turned and entered his room.
The room was a small corner space that had three small beds crammed into it; two boys to a bed. It wasn't the most comfortable or convenient way of living, but it beat living in cold, dark alleys.
He lit a lamp and turned it up so the room was illuminated. The beds were made nice and neat; the blankets folded over, the corners tucked in, no creases could be seen. But, that was what happened every morning before anyone received breakfast. That was the first chore of the day, to see that the beds were made. Since there were six boys to three beds in that one room, it took no time at all the straighten the sheets that kept them warm at night.
There was no door to the room. The orphanage didn't believe in secrets, so their views on doors were of absolute distaste, for they felt that doors hid secrets that needed to be known. Because of this matter, Ryden had to be extra cautious with what he was doing.
He got down on his hands and knees once he reached the side of the bed closest to the corner. He stuck his hand under the bed and felt around. His hand touched cold glass. Perfect, he thought. Ryden pulled out the jar filled with an assortment of coins. Dusty coins, dirty coins, shiny coins, small coins, large coins; it didn't matter what the coin looked like, they were all precious metals to him. The kind of metal that would get him out of this place. He worked hard for these. He earned every penny.
"Ryden, what's that?" Ryden quickly shoved the jar back under the bed, whirling around to see Aiden standing in the opening of the room.
"Uh, nothing. What are you doing barging in like that!" Ryden panicked. If Aiden, or anyone, found out about his savings he didn't know what they would do to him, especially since he had kept it a secret for all these years.
"I didn't think you were doing anything...well, important," Aiden looked uncomfortable standing in front of Ryden. He kept looking down and fiddling with the ties of his shirt.
"Well, next time, call out to warn anyone that you're coming in. Remember, there aren't any doors in this place."
"Yes, Ryden."
Ryden felt guilty that he was so firm with Aiden, but he had to be careful. Next time, he would be sure to watch for anyone coming. Aiden had been so quiet coming in, he had startled Ryden so greatly he almost dropped the jar!

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Scene: Gavion

"You are going to go through this task, correct? You chose to perform it?" The hooded figure loomed over Ryden.
"Y-yes, sir. I did," stuttered Ryden. He could smell the foul stench of his adversary standing in front of him. He felt the intensity of the situation; the pulse of his heartbeat was pounding furiously in his ears.
"Good. Very good. You'll do nicely, I think. Don't disappoint me," the bulky shadow murmured deeply.
"Yes sir. I won't let you down. I will kidnap her just like you asked," Ryden's hands shook madly as his superior stretched his large appendages forth and presented him with a gold locket.
"You must not lose this, whatever happens. This is your token that will allow you into the castle. If you, by any chance, misplace this item, or it falls into the hands of our enemy, you will have failed this mission. I will fairly warn you not to return, lest you mislay it. For you will not be welcome, and my men would be ever so happy to dispose of your presence, if you catch my drift," the man laughed at his dark joke.
Ryden swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat with great difficulty, and laughed weakly. "I understand, sir."

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Scene: The Journey

The sun broke over the horizon in rays that made the sky burst into brilliant pinks and golds. The air was brisk and a slight breeze whistled over the trees. All was serene; until Ryden woke up to the sound of Kara's dramatics.
"Oh, this weather is cold! Why did you have to bring me out here? And why did you tie me up? It's not like I could go anywhere! What do you want with me anyway?" Her lips formed a pout and her eyebrows puckered above her dark emerald eyes.
"I've told you many times, Princess, this journey will take awhile and I'm not letting your complaints slow us down," Ryden heaved a sigh of regret for taking up this task. It was much more difficult than he thought it would be. Getting her out of Alahand was easy. It was the traveling with her that would be the death of him yet.
"'I'm not letting your complaints slow us down,'" Kara mimicked disgustedly, "You are quite possibly the most horrid brute I have ever met!"
Yah, sure I am, Ryden thought, wait till you've met the others. He felt a pang of guilt at his thought of taking her to the people he most feared, but she deserved it, didn't she? She was a pain in the behind and all he could think of was to get rid of her; and fast.
He took hold of the rope that was fastened to the trunk