Ramaeka (The Ramaeka Series Book 1) by G. Corin Page B

was
unconcerned by his attitude, he’d lived with worse for the last fourteen years,
though he was a little annoyed that he had tried to leave him behind. 
    “And who’s
going to pay for it?” he demanded.
    “I will,”
Stripe replied firmly.  “How much do I owe you Ma?” he asked turning to the inn
owner.
    “Not a coin,”
she replied, “Ramaeka is my guest as long as he stays here.” 
    She stood up
and nodded towards the kitchen hearth. 
    “You might
want to wake your friend up lad; it’s about time she got going home.”
     She bustled
out of the kitchen.
    Ramaeka
immediately jumped up and walked over to the figure sitting by the fire.
    “Hey Makkie,”
he said gently.  “Ma says it’s time for you to go home.” 
    He watched as
the under clad woman stretched and stood up.  She must be half starved too he
thought, she had eaten almost as much as him before sitting by the fire to warm
herself.
    “Thanks kid,”
she said looking uncomfortably at where Stripe and Shady were gawking at her.
    “Thank you,”
he replied firmly.  “I might still be lost without you.” 
    She smiled awkwardly
then made for the door.
    “Hey Makkie,”
he called out.  She stopped at the door and raised an eyebrow at him.  He
fumbled in the pockets of his breeches and pulled out the golden disc which
Shady into her hand.
    “Make sure you
get something warm to wear and something to eat,” he told her firmly.  “Take
care of yourself.”
    She stared at
him in open shock, hand closing instinctively around the coin, before nodding
jerkily and rushing away out the door.
    He closed the
door behind her with a smile as Shady and Stripe began to demand answers.

 
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
    Neither
Ramaeka nor Shady mentioned what had really happened outside the wall.  When
Stripe asked him, Ramaeka merely told him that they had been separated in the
dark.  Stripe had looked at him speculatively but let the topic drop. 
    “I wish I
could sweet talk everybody like you,” Stripe said wistfully, five days after
their arrival, as one of the maids ruffled Ramaeka’s hair as she walked past.
    They were
finishing their breakfast in the kitchen.  Shady had yet to appear downstairs. 
    “Well it takes
a lot of skill,” Ramaeka replied wisely, licking his spoon clean.
    “Teach me oh
great one,” Stripe pleaded dramatically grabbing hold of his hand.
    Ramaeka leant
closer to his friend, glancing around mysteriously.  Stripe leaned in
unconsciously.
    “Alright,” he
whispered.  “All you have to do is…”
    He paused and
tapped Stripe on the nose.  “All you have to do is be nice.”
    Stripe scowled
leaning away as Ramaeka sat back, laughing as his friend rubbed his nose.
    “If you two
are finished playing around perhaps we could get to work?” Shady suggested
sarcastically from where he leant against the door way.
    “In fact it’s
about time the little kid contributed to our finances,” he continued walking in
and grabbing an apple from the bowl on the table.
    “Really?”
Ramaeka looked between the two of them hopefully, barely caring that Shady had
called him little again.  So far he had been lookout while the other two
alternately scouted out their target while the other did the actual hit.
    “He’s barely
had any practice,” protested Stripe.
    “Oh please let
me have a go,” he begged looking up at his friend pleadingly.
    “Now I see how
you do it,” Stripe muttered under his breath.  He melted before Ramaeka’s
pleading wide eyed expression.
    “Fine,” he
sighed.
    “I’ll scout,”
Shady said calmly.  “Stripe’s on lookout.”
    Ramaeka bound
out of his chair with a whoop.
    “But before we
start, you need to put these on.”  Shady held up a pair of boots, Ramaeka
scowled at them.  The other two had insisted on buying the boots for him,
telling him firmly that he couldn’t be civilised without them.  Ramaeka would
have happily given up the experience, the contraptions pinched and