“You understand food, right? If you’re gonna kidnap someone, you gotta feed them.”
Shaking off his shock, he nodded. The bonds of hospitality did require the offering of food. “Of course. Come this way.”
An hour later, he was beginning to wonder if his food replicator could keep up. The boy, after identifying himself as Whit, had consumed three full-sized portions, the remnants of which now covered his face and hands as he grinned cheerfully at Krampasarian.
“It might’ve looked funny but that sure tasted good.”
“You are full now?”
Whit rubbed his stomach thoughtfully, then nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. I could always have a snack later, right?”
“If you wish.” He studied the boy and tried to hide his disapproval. Whit was far too thin, his clothes were little more than rags, and he was in desperate need of a bathing facility. His caretakers were not doing an adequate job. “Who looks after you?”
“I take care of myself,” Whit said belligerently.
“You are not doing an adequate job.”
“I’m doing the best I can. Knut don’t pay nothing, and I have to give old Linnea most of it to take care of-”
“Take care of?” he asked, when the boy came to an abrupt halt.
“Nothin’.” Whit averted his gaze, obviously lying, but Krampasarian decided not to press the matter. “Now what?”
“Now, you will take a bath.”
“No, hell, I won’t.”
“Yes, hell, you will.” Krampasarian grabbed Whit as the boy tried to dart past him and lifted him into the air, his claws twisted in the boy’s shirt to hold him at arm’s length as he kicked wildly. “Bath. Now.”
By the time the bath was accomplished, he was as wet as his young victim. Wrapped in a large towel, Whit glared at him as he programmed his replicator to produce clothing for the child. Even clean, he was not a particularly attractive child. His ears were too large, his face was too thin, and he was covered with odd little specks of pigment. But there was something appealing about his brave defiance and his engaging grin. A grin that was sadly missing at the moment.
“I do not believe the experience was as unpleasant as you maintain,” Krampasarian said firmly.
“A little dirt is good for you. Protects the skin.”
“That wasn’t a little dirt. It was a lot of dirt.” Thank goodness the filtration system hadn’t been damaged in the crash. “And clothing is used to protect the skin. Here.”
“What’s that?”
“A thermal suit.” He kept his hand extended, but Whit only scowled suspiciously at the garment.
“That ain’t clothing. Where’s my pants and shirt?”
“In the disposal unit.”
“Well, get ‘em back.”
“It’s too late. They were filthy.” And inhabited by small insects. He shuddered at the memory.
“You got no right to take my clothes!”
“This is much better. It will protect you from both heat and cold, and it resists dirt.”
“Looks like some kinda underwear,” the boy muttered, but he finally took the suit.
“I assume you can dress yourself?” Taking the outraged glare as assent, he continued, “Once you are dressed, you can continue your studies. I have… observations to make.”
The sun had risen during the bathing struggle, and he wished to check on Jaelle and make sure she had recovered from the previous day’s experiences. He was halfway out the door before Whit responded.
“What studies?”
With a sigh, he turned back around. “You have no set course of learning?”
“Don’t need it. I already got a job, don’t I?”
“Don’t you want an education?” From the lack of response, apparently not. “Or a better job?”
Whit shrugged, but Krampasarian saw a flash of eagerness cross his face. “That might be okay. If I made a little more, I could get Cinna some nicer things.”
“Cinna?”
The boy’s face closed down and for a moment, Krampasarian thought he would refuse to answer.
“My sister,” Whit said finally. “She lives with old lady Linnea. She’s nice enough and she treats Cinna good, but she ain’t got much money.” He hummed thoughtfully. “If I could figure better, maybe I could get a job helping out Magnus. He’s got that big shop on the main street.”
“Once you are dressed, come find me on the bridge. Straight up the corridor. I will prepare your lessons.” His plans would have to wait until the boy was settled.
“Yeah, okay,” Whit agreed, then called after him as he turned to the door once more. “Hey, wait a minute. You never told me your name.”
“I am Commander Krampasarian D’Marchandar of the House of Strogar,” he said proudly.
Whit’s eyes widened. “You mean you really are Krampus?”
“Of course not. The names simply bear a very slight similarity.”
Whit ignored him. “Huh. Kidnapped by Krampus. Cinna is never going to believe this.”
Chapter Four
As soon as Jaelle opened her eyes, her gaze flicked to the window. She’d had the strangest dream last night that a man was standing there. No, not a man. Even though he’d been covered in a dark, tight suit that accentuated broad shoulders and a muscular chest. Even though he had long, white hair that curled down around his shoulders in silken waves. Even though dark, compelling eyes had looked back at her from a stunningly handsome face. But the two large horns that had spiraled up from his head had most definitely not been human.
Yet she hadn’t been afraid. In her dream, she had looked across at the window, the curtain parted just as it was right now, and their eyes had met, and all she had wanted was to go to him.
Don’t be ridiculous, she scolded herself. Perhaps she had been alone too long. Perhaps she should consider picking a village man to give her a child…
The thought held even less appeal than usual with the memory of her strange visitor still fresh in her mind. Perhaps he had been the dark spirit that the villagers said haunted them at this time of year, judging the unworthy. The thought made her smile - a smile that broadened when she caught a flash of red at the window and saw Robin peeking through that same gap in the curtains.
Throwing back the covers, she padded over to the window and opened the curtains completely to allow the pale winter sunshine to flood the room.
“Good morning,” she said to the bird as she pushed the window open a crack, shivering as the icy air came rushing in. “I don’t suppose I can tempt you to any breakfast this morning?”
It hadn’t escaped her notice that no matter what she tried to feed Robin, he only took a few small bites, almost as if he was trying to be polite. He chirped in response and hopped back a few steps.
She laughed. “No, I didn’t think so.”
Peering past him at the sky, she noticed the looming clouds on the horizon and frowned. How she longed for the weather forecasting skills of her ancestors but that technology had long since stopped working. All she had to go on was the information recorded in her family’s journals and a lifetime of experience.