Lucky Rabbit

Thaniel and Eleanor both opened their mouths to answer, but once again, Isidor took the lead. He glanced from Eleanor to Thaniel, then said, “She went to get help some time ago. She told us to stay here until she got back.”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, and he hummed softly in acknowledgement. “And what happened here?” He finished flipping through the book, then reached up as if placing it on a shelf. It vanished as it left his hand, making Thaniel give a small, sad, “Eep.”

Isidor’s jaw flexed, and he patted his pocket, where his tortoise now resided once again. “Ellie ate some berries and fell asleep. Ms. Wellington said it was all right. I think she just meant it to be some sort of lesson about not eating anything if you didn’t know what it was. But then a fire elemental came from the ground.” He gestured to the ruins of his clothing. “It attacked me, and she managed to chase it off, then went to find one of the other teachers.”

Professor Beeswick made that noncommittal sound again before crossing to kneel at Eleanor’s side. With surprising gentleness, he turned her head and checked her pulse, releasing Lord Winston in the process. Eleanor sighed in response, but didn’t wake, even when the dragon lifted her into his arms with the ease of a cat carrying a newborn kitten.

He glanced at the bushes, several of which were rather crispier than they had been when the group entered the clearing. “Drowseberry, is it?” he murmured to himself, then looked at the other children, all of whom were standing with their mouths agape, in varying stages of shock. “And what do the rest of you have to say to this? Does that all sound correct to you?”

Abbington and Geraldine exchanged glances, and Geraldine said, “I turned my ankle a ways back. Bing and I weren’t actually here yet when…when everything happened.”

The librarian raised a brow, turning to Thaniel. He didn’t speak, just stared at the boy until Thaniel finally broke. “Ms. Wellington did say Ellie could eat those berries, an’ there was a fire elemental. Then Ms. Wellington left.”

All true, but far from actually confirming Isidor’s story. And why had Isidor lied? For that matter, why was he acting so strangely? Pandy had known there was something odd about the boy, but she had attributed it to his unusual background. This was something else entirely.

“And,” Professor Beeswick said, correcting Thaniel’s speech absently. “Well, if that’s the case, then we shall continue searching. Ms. Wellington must be somewhere, mustn’t she?” Had he come down on that ‘if’ a little harder than necessary, or had Pandy imagined it?

“All right, then,” the dragon said, holding Ellie with one arm as he sliced a claw through what should have been insubstantial air. It parted, the edges glimmering slightly in the gloom of dusk, and through the opening they could see shelves filled with books. “Go on. It’s past dinner time, you know. And you,” he turned silvery eyes to Thaniel, “owe me a week of chores for failing to care for your book properly.”

Thaniel’s lower lip edged out, no doubt helped by the fact that it was still somewhat puffy. “Am I not gonna – going to be able to check out books any more?”

Professor Beeswick’s eyes were amused, though his mouth remained a firm line. “We shall see. Chores first. Flip flap, little ones, through the portal, please. It’s quite tiring to hold it, you know.” He didn’t look like it was tiring, but this was enough to convince everyone to gather their own bags – more carefully than Thaniel had – and practically leap through the opening in the air.

Once everyone stood safely in the confines of the library, Beeswick closed the portal. Clicking his fingers, he summoned a swirl of air that announced its arrival by lifting his long hair playfully. He blew on something invisible, and there was a glissando of giggles that made Pandy’s ears itch. “Tell the chancellor that his wandering hatchlings are back, and we’ll need Mistress Rose.” His eyes rested on Thaniel’s torn, filthy shirt and the shreds of Isidor’s jacket and added, “Mrs. Farrier as well, please.”

Within ten minutes, the library was occupied by what looked like half the staff of the school. The chancellor was there, of course, and he drew Isidor off to the side, where the two spoke too quietly for even Pandy to hear. Mistress Rose and her assistant, Timon, took Eleanor away, but not before promising that she would be good as new by morning.

“Perhaps better,” Mistress Rose said with some amusement. “That child works far too hard. Getting some sleep shall be good for her.” Pandy didn’t know exactly what the doctor meant, but Chancellor Blackwood looked over long enough to nod in agreement, as did Geraldine, and then the doctor and her patient were gone.

At that point the familiar figure of Mrs. Farrier, Jonah’s wife, appeared in the doorway, and she clicked her tongue as she looked at the children’s uniforms. “You should all have a spare,” she said, raising her brows until Isidor, Geraldine, and Abbington chorused agreement.

Thaniel, however, had already torn a hole in the pocket of his other jacket when he tried to shove one too many pinecones into it before the term officially began. There were no pine trees near the Dunning estate, and the boy was fascinated by them, even though their sticky sap had also stained his second shirt.

Mrs. Farrier humphed softly, shaking her head. “Then you shall have to wear a borrowed one for a few days, I’m afraid. I do have some spares left by previous students. You’re quite, ah,” she hesitated, looking for a diplomatic way to put it before simply saying, “small, but I’m sure we can find something.”

Circling Geraldine and Abbington, the seamstress tutted a few times before patting Abbington on the shoulder. “There you are, lad. We can get those dirt stains out, no problem, but I’ll have you in for chores so you can see how it’s done. As for you, miss,” she tutted again, looking at the much darker stains and torn hem of Geraldine’s skirt, souvenirs of her fall, “That will take a bit longer. Two days of chores, I think.”

Finally, she turned to Thaniel. “You shall come to me as soon as you eat something, and we’ll measure you for a whole new uniform, as well as finding something that will fit in the meantime. Then you’ll owe me a full week of chores, at least.”

“Not before I have my week, however,” Professor Beeswick said. “I claimed him first, Emily.”

Mrs. Farrier crossed her arms and shook her head, but her eyes were twinkling. “That’ll delay his new uniform even longer.”

“Then perhaps next time he’ll think twice before getting into such a mess,” the dragon said briskly.

Thaniel wasn’t paying attention to either of them, however, instead, he was focused on something else. “Eat? We still get dinner?”

“Well,” Mrs. Farrier said, “something like that. You’ll get leftovers. We don’t send children to bed hungry here.”

Thaniel grinned. “That’s great! Cassie always made me go to bed without supper when I was in trouble. One time, she was mad at me the whole day, an’ I didn’t get lunch, either. Do people only haveta go hungry when they’re at home?”

The room fell silent, and this time none of the adults corrected his pronunciation as they all processed what he’d said. Mrs. Farrier finally laid a kind hand on his shoulder. “No, lad, no one should ever go hungry at all. Not if they don’t want to.”

Chancellor Blackwood’s lips were pressed together, and he gave Isidor’s shoulder a similar, though more business-like, pat. “Well then, since you children are all safe and sound, I must return to my other duties. Mrs. Farrier,would you please take these four to the kitchen, along with their, ah, friends?” He tilted his head at the pets. Even Brook was there, having come through the portal along with Abbington, and the capybara was looking around the library with her usual unflappable expression.

Professor Beeswick looked pointedly down at the muddy footprints that had been tracked across the library carpet, and said, “All of you will report to me for chores on Monday. Thaniel, you’ll be here the rest of the week, too.”

Mrs. Farrier nodded. “Then I’ll have Geraldine and Abbington on Tuesday, Geraldine on Wednesday, and Isidor,” she lifted her brows, “all week. Thaniel, you’ll come to me the week after.” The children nodded dutifully, then they and their pets followed the seamstress as she bustled out into the hall. The door of the library closed itself behind them, locking with a firm click.

The halls were quiet as the small crowd passed through them. It must have been sometime after eight, because no one was cleaning rooms or sweeping the floor, however perfunctorily. When they entered the dining room, the door was open, and several students sat at the tables, staring down at books or chatting quietly. Among these were two girls who watched the door anxiously, and when they saw the children, they jumped up and hurried to them.

“Oh,” Suzanne exclaimed, starting to reach for Thaniel, then pulling back her hands, much to Pandy’s disappointment. She could have done with some more Corruption Points, and the girl’s Dark Aura was by far the least disgusting way to get them. “Are you all right?” She swept her gaze over all of them, lingering on Thaniel and Isidor’s more obviously damaged clothing. “Where’s Ellie?”

“She needs some rest,” Geraldine said, mimicking the doctor. “And we’re, um, okay.” She looked around, as if making sure they all actually agreed with that small stretch. Thaniel, Abbington, and Isidor nodded.

Matilda sniffed, her nose going up into the air, then coming back down abruptly when Suzanne gave her a Look. “I told you it was dangerous,” she said. Then, eyeing the ragged tear in Geraldine’s skirt, she added, “I suppose you can borrow one of my skirts for a few days, though. We’re close enough in size, and I don’t wish to be seen with someone who looks like a ragamuffin.”

There she went again, and Pandy could see that Geraldine was going to say no. Did no one in this world know how to handle a tsundere? But of course, Thaniel did, because it was the same way he handled everyone.

“Thank you!” he exclaimed, grinning at Matilda. “That’s really nice.”

The blonde girl’s cheeks turned a little pink, and she glanced away. “That’s…of course, it’s just because Suzanne-” She gave a soft ‘oof’ as Suzanne’s elbow met her ribs, and swallowed the rest of her words. Instead, she said stiffly, “I’m glad I can help,” while refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.

Geraldine blinked at her, obviously confused by the way the older girl was blowing hot and cold. “Thank you?” she said, and if she sounded like she wasn’t sure if she was actually grateful, that was understandable.

Mrs. Farrier clapped her hands softly. “Very kind, Matilda. Bring the skirt to me in the morning, and I’ll adjust it for Geraldine. Now, however, I need to bring these students to the kitchen so Mr. Farrier can feed them.”

Suzanne smiled, and when she spoke to the seamstress, there was none of the stiffness that usually made her look like she was about to run away. “We will. Good night, Mrs. Farrier.”

“Good night, dear,” Mrs. Farrier said with a warm smile. “Perhaps tomorrow, you can bring your latest project by so I can see it. You said you had an idea for something to do over the summer, and I’ve been wondering what it might be.”

“Oh,” Suzanne said, shrinking back as she looked down at the floor. “I…didn’t get to work on it after all.”

Something hung in the air between the seamstress and the girl, and then Matilda hooked her arm through her taller friend’s elbow and turned her back toward the dining hall. “Well, we have studying to do. I shall bring the skirt in the morning. Good evening!”

Mrs. Farrier looked after them for a moment before sighing and turning her smile back on the younger students. “I understand you all worked in the kitchen last night, so you know the way?” They nodded, and she hurried toward the door at the back of the large room, opening it and leading the way down the hall, only to pause at one of the closed doors. A small bronze plaque on it read, ‘Mrs. Farrier’ with ‘Seamstress’ in slightly smaller letters beneath it.

“This is where I work,” the lady said. “All of you should come by tomorrow morning, and bring these clothes. If Ellie’s clothes are also damaged, bring her as well.” She gave them a stern look. “Do not simply place torn or overly stained clothing in the basket by your door, please. Bring it directly to me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the children chorused, and Mrs. Farrier smiled, then tilted her head toward the kitchen door. “Now, go on, before Mr. Farrier gets tired of waiting and eats the food himself.” She patted her comfortably padded belly, her eyes twinkling. “He does enjoy his own cooking.”

“So do I!” Thaniel said, grinning, and everyone laughed before the children continued on their way.