"Didn't you hear what this momzer said about you?" Yehudit was furious. "If I hadn't started stabbing don't you know what these two would have done to you?" She glared at the other guard, gripping her bloody fork.

Sileas nodded, "I did. But you've made your point. We probably would have been better served if you had gotten Papa, though. Words aren't a reason for violence."

"He was doing more than talking." Yehudit's eyes flashed with anger. "Getting Uncle Shawn would've taken too long. Anything could have happened by the time he got here."

"He's stopped now," Sileas said with a shake of her head. She was trying to show Oscar how to act and Yehudit was acting like a wild woman."

Yehudit spat on the guard and got up off of him.

"Maybe my mother is right about guards... Some guards anyways. Uncle Shawn would never act like that." Yehudit said.

"I know there are good and bad everywhere. Papa would never allow his men to act in this way."

"What are you doing all the way over here anyways?" Yehudit asked.

"I brought Oscar over to find some food," Sileas replied. "And some clothing, along with a discussion on soap. They," she said, pointing accusingly at the guards, "Accosted him and threatened to smash his hands."

"Is this Oscar?" Yehudit gave the ragged boy a questioning look.

"Aye, this is Oscar. Oscar, this is my cousin Yehudit."

"Woss a cousin?" Oscar asked. "Some bint wot stabs blokes wiv forks?"

"Being a cousin means that one of her parents was a sibling to one of my mind. Though truthfully I'm adopted and my Papa was actually a cousin to her Papa."

"Yeah." Yehudit looked at Sileas. "Are you collecting street kids now?"

"Geeze, collect sounds so wrong. I caught him picking my pocket, and something about him touched my heart. Our stories are very similar."

"If you caught me picking your pocket you'd touch my face with a slap." Yehudit pointed out. "You're taking him home?"

"I would slap you for not learning the skill well enough." Sileas glanced down at Oscar. "If he will have me and our family, I am."

In reply to Sileas (msg # 464):

Oscar edged back a step. "Yer were goin' on about soap!"

In reply to Oscar the Knife (msg # 465):


Sileas laughed. "Soap has never harmed anyone. Unless, of course, you drop it in your bathwater and take a fall on it."

Oscar did not look assured.

"I think you're going to lose him if you keep talking about baths." Yehudit shrugged.

Sileas eyed the lad. "He's the one who brought them up this time. I still want to get him food and clothes but I don't know what to do about this mess."

"Run away?" Yehudit suggested.

"You don't think we'd be caught within five minutes with this so noticeable?" She held a chunk of her hair out between her fingers.

"Chop it all off then!" Yehudit snapped. "Mama will kill you if I'm arrested."

By the time Juniper had gotten into earshot the small fight going on became evident. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I leave for ten minutes!"