"Every single thing? Handled very carefully? And you'll bring it directly to me?" Sileas replied. Truthfully, she longed to see the inside of the manor but that was a rather shallow reason to trek into possible danger.

"I vow this to you, my lady," Xavier said with a bow. "Besides, Wulfsen would have my head if I let you venture out and something happened," he added with a grin. "Go on back to the keep and I will find you upon my return."

"Them mermen won't be tryin' ter make babies wiv these knights." Questa told Sileas.

"All right, but remember I will be watching for you. Every little crumb from the manor had better be in the trunks and crates," Sileas said as she climbed down out of the wagon.

Questa jumped down from the wagon, beaming with relief.

"I even promise to send someone to find you while I wait here and guard the wagon until you can supervise the offloading."

Questa was fine with that, but she waited to make sure Sileas wasn't going to do something daft, like try to run over knights in the wagon.

Her feet on the ground, Sileas handed Xavier the reigns. "I'll be watching and waiting for you," she said before heading for the keep.

Questa calmly swung her arms as she walked back to the keep.

---- to the keep

By the time Sileas reached the stables, she was shaking with anger. Only she didn't know who she was angrier with. Her aunt for being unreasonable, Yehudit for being stubborn or herself for not just running off when she had the chance. Now she wouldn't be able to purchase anything to hide the door to her room. Yehudit would recognize it.

"So the bloody millstone is comin'?" Questa was not thrilled. Yehudit was so weak and clumsy even before her ankle was damaged Questa did not know what Sileas saw in her.

"I knew there wouldn't be any way to keep her away. I wonder how she found out we were going?"

"Probably wen Lek said we were gonna Portside." Questa said.

Sileas groaned. "Of course. I certainly hope he doesn't slip up about our rooms."

"Idjit were goin' on ter his sister, tryin' ter get 'er ter come along even fough she's even more useless than the millstone 'round yor neck. Cor blimey guv, and Yehudit were right there listenin' ter evry word." Questa grumbled.

"Millie's not useless, her strengths just aren't in this sort of endeavor. I'm sure she doesn't even want to go along. She's probably content helping Difyr with patients or her mother in the kitchen." Sileas sighed. "Millie acts the way a  young lady should. Unlike me."

"Bein' lady-like is so useful she almost got carried off by a merman and we 'ad ter save 'er arse." Questa said.

"I would be happy being a mixture of both. A person who knows how to protect herself and those she loves but also knows how to be a lady and run a home."

"Why, isit? That'd be so borin'. And yor not a lady, yor a grown up street kid 'oose muvver were a 'oore." Questa said.

"Aunt Brie isn't a whore!" Yehudit yelled angrily as she hobbled into the stable.

"It won't be boring if I'm a mixture like I said." Sileas toyed with her sleeve hem. "I think she means she who gave birth to me, Yehudit, not Mama."

"Oh." But Yehudit was not happy. "And Sileas is a lady, much more of a lady than you are!" She told off Questa.

"I am no lady. I've been lying to myself for years," Sileas said.

Yehudit scowled. "You don't sleep around, or steal. Or threaten people when you're up to something wrong."