Chapter 214: The Doll
The next morning, Hilde was the first to rise, as was her custom. After a quick
wash, she immediately set to work preparing the morning meal. Today's menu was
simple but hearty: fresh rye bread and milk.
The bread had been baked only yesterday afternoon and remained soft to the
touch. The milk had been delivered by the nearby Aegis Legion—cold, fresh, and
brimming with the vitality of the Empire's well-managed livestock. Hilde sliced
the bread into manageable pieces and poured a glass of milk for every child.
Slowly, the orphans began to stir. They rubbed the sleep from their eyes and
wandered into the dining hall, yawning rhythmically.
"Good morning, Sister Hilde."
"Good morning, little ones."
Hilde greeted each child with a practiced smile. Once every chair was filled and
every bottom settled, she clapped her hands.
"What do we do before we partake?"
"Glory to the Sovereign of Evernight! We thank him for his providence!" the
children shouted in unison, their voices ringing with sincerity.
During breakfast, the hall transformed into a chaotic marketplace. Between
mouthfuls of bread, the children debated their afternoon games with such fervor
that breadcrumbs flew like tiny projectiles. Hilde sat among them, acting as the
anchor in the storm.
"Mia, slow down. You'll choke if you keep talking while chewing."
"Thomas, keep the milk in the glass, not on the table."
"Emily, the crust is the best part. No wasting food in the Sovereign's house."
Just then, Anna descended from the upper floor. She had swapped her work habit
for a set of finer robes, looking more like an official than a caretaker.
"Good morning, children."
"Good morning, Sister Anna!"
Anna walked over to Hilde, lowering her voice. "I'm heading out. The procurement
list is on the table—three pages, don't lose it. If an inspector arrives, just
show them the logs. If anything goes wrong, send a runner to the Cathedral. If
I'm not there, wait at the gate until I appear."
"Understood. Travel safely," Hilde replied.
Anna nodded, grabbed her basket by the door, and stepped out into the crisp
morning air. Hilde returned her focus to the children. Once the meal was
finished, she began the daily assignment of ranks and duties.
"Listen up! Here is the plan for today."
"Mia, Thomas, Emily—you're on courtyard duty. Keep the stones clear of leaves."
"Lily, Anton—organize the toy chest. I want every block accounted for."
"The rest of you? You're with me. We have a mountain of laundry to defeat."
The children gave a half-hearted groan of obedience and dispersed to their
stations. Hilde hauled a massive basin of soiled linens into the courtyard. The
autumn sun was kind, bathing her back in a gentle warmth as she worked the
Mana-soap into a lather. Laughter bubbled up from the yard as the children
worked and played in equal measure.
Watching them, Hilde felt a profound sense of peace.
Time slipped through her fingers. Before she knew it, the sun was directly
overhead. She prepared a lunch of potato stew and more rye bread, which the
children devoured with gusto. Afterward, she herded them into their rooms for a
mandatory nap.
In the silence of the afternoon, Hilde scrubbed the kitchen until it sparkled
and sat in the hall to balance the ledger. As the shadows began to stretch long
across the floor, the children woke and resumed their play. Hilde stood in the
doorway, watching them chase one another, a silent sentry for their happiness.
By dusk, Anna returned. She was laden with heavy bundles, her face etched with
the exhaustion of a day spent haggling in the city.
"Hilde, help! These get heavier with every step!"
Hilde hurried over to relieve her of the largest packages. "You bought the whole
market?"
"Winter is coming," Anna panted, wiping sweat from her brow. "The coats were
expensive, but the quality is Imperial-grade. I also found some bolts of sturdy
fabric—I thought we could sew some new dresses and trousers for the little
ones."
They hauled the supplies inside. When the children saw the new clothes, they
erupted into a frenzy of excitement.
"Whoa! New gear!"
"Look at the color! It's so bright!"
"I want the blue one! It matches my Od!"
Hilde and Anna laughed as they watched the children scramble over the piles of
wool and silk. For dinner, Hilde prepared a feast: roasted chicken, vegetable
soup, and soft white bread to celebrate the new arrivals.
After the meal, Hilde and Anna performed the nightly ritual of tucking the
children into bed. The younger ones succumbed to sleep almost instantly, but the
older ones whispered into the dark, their voices buzzing with the news Anna had
brought back.
When the house finally fell silent, Hilde found Anna in the hall, spreading out
the new fabric.
"Still working?"
"Just organizing," Anna said, looking up with a tired smile. "We start sewing
tomorrow. I need a plan before the sun comes up."
Hilde sat beside her, reaching for a pair of shears. "Need a hand?"
"No, I'm nearly through. But... I heard something in the street today." Anna's
voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.
"What?"
"The Big Shot I mentioned? They say the inspection is imminent. Likely
tomorrow."
Hilde's hand paused on the silk. "That soon?"
"Mmh. So we have to be perfect," Anna said seriously. "We represent the
Sunflower legacy. We must leave a flawless impression."
Hilde nodded. "I understand."
They spoke for a few minutes more before retreating to their rooms. Hilde lay in
the dark, her heart thumping with a low-level anxiety. Who is this official? A
General? A Minister? It took a long time for sleep to claim her.
The next morning, Hilde was up earlier than usual. She scrubbed every corner of
the Sunflower House until the wood shone. She prepared a breakfast that would
have satisfied a minor noble. As the children woke, she gave them their final
instructions.
"We have a guest today. Be polite. Be quiet. Be the children the Sovereign would
be proud of. Understood?"
"Yes, Sister Hilde!" they chirped, looking adorable in their new, albeit
slightly oversized, clothes.
They waited.
The sun climbed to the center of the sky.
No one arrived.
By noon, the tension had turned into a dull ache of anticipation.
"Could the information have been wrong?" Hilde whispered.
"Unlikely," Anna frowned. "The merchant at the fabric stall was quite certain.
He said a carriage of the highest rank was seen heading this way."
Another hour passed in silence. Hilde sighed. "Perhaps the schedule changed. The
children are hungry; let's prepare the midday meal."
They retreated to the kitchen. Just as the first pot began to boil, a sharp,
rhythmic tapping echoed from the front door.
Hilde and Anna exchanged a look.
"I'll get it," Hilde said, wiping her hands on her apron. She walked to the
heavy oak doors and pulled them open.
The street was empty.
No carriage. No guards. No official.
But there, lying perfectly centered on the doorstep, was an object.
Hilde blinked, stooping down to pick it up. It was a rag doll. The fabric was
yellowed with age, and one black button eye hung precariously by a single
thread. The stitching was crooked and crude, clearly the work of an amateur.
"Hilde? Who was it?" Anna called from the hall.
Anna walked over, her eyes landing on the object in Hilde's hands. She froze.
She lunged forward, snatching the doll from Hilde's grip. "Wait... I know
this..."
Anna turned the doll over, her fingers trembling as they traced the faded
fabric. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"This... this is my doll."
Hilde looked at her, confused. "Your doll?"
"Yes!" Anna nodded frantically. "I remember it perfectly! My father gave this to
me on my fifth birthday. But... it got so old and tattered that he told me he
was going to buy me a new one. He threw this one away over ten years ago."
Anna's voice trailed off into a whisper. She stared at the doll as if it were a
ghost. "It's been gone for a decade. How is it on our doorstep today?"
Hilde felt a chill that had nothing to do with the autumn breeze. "Are you sure
it's the same one? Not just a similar make?"
"Look here," Anna said, pointing to a small, clumsy patch on the doll's blue
dress. "I ripped this when I was six. My mother sewed this patch on for me. And
the loose eye... I did that, too. It's identical. It's mine."
Hilde remained silent. If this was indeed Anna's childhood toy, why had it
returned now? And why today, of all days?
"Wait..." Anna murmured, her expression shifting. "My father mentioned a
'strange big shot' visiting his shop a few days ago. He said the person was
asking about old debts and lost things."
She looked at the empty street, then back at the doll. "Could it... could it be connected?"
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