Fancy turned around and managed a brave smile. The frock Delmar found proved entirely too big and hung on the poor girls skinny frame in voluminous folds. Shaking her head, Delmar removed it and took the other piece of clothing she had found. This was a faded tunic with a long sash. It also hung off of the girls frame but not as badly. Delmar began tucking and tied the sash in an 'X' shape in front and back.

"There now, that might just work for a bit. What do you think?"

"Yes, it's much better. I can still climb trees in this!" Fancy exclaimed excitedly. Delmar laughed.

"Then we best find you some kind of leggings. I'll go to the storage barn and see if I still have any of Trish's clothes."

"Who is Trish?" Fancy asked.

"Trish is my daughter. She is grown with youngins of her own now. You'll have to wait until tomorrow though. I can't leave right now, too many hungry people to feed!"

"Oh, you have done so much! Please don't trouble yourself anymore on my account!" Fancy replied quickly.

The red-haired woman, Becky, came around the shelves. Stacked high with bags of various items, the shelves kept this area by the hearth from the rest of the kitchen. Delmar liked it this way, so her kitchen stayed a bearable temperature. Becky poured the last of the cool water into the tub, then leaned down to test the water.

"It's ready Miz Delmar. That child gonna need lots o' redbelle sopa!" Becky wrinkled her nose at the 'fish and moss' smell of the poor girl.

"Right here!" Delmar removed the packet from her pocket and placed the sweet, fragrant soap in Fancy's hand. Fancy stared at it a moment then clutched it to her chest with a rapt expression of gratitude.

"Really? For me? Lady Delmar, you are wonderful! Thank you, thank you!" Fancy's eyes glistened with tears of joy. She turned to the inviting, steaming tub of warm water with enthusiasm.

"Go ahead child, no one will come back here to disturb you, but me. I might have to check on that rack of venison on the fire. That's IF you get to enjoying that bath too long!" Delmar smiled at the young girl and nodded to the tub. She laughed and walked back out into the main kitchen area. Fancy began to rip off her tattered rags with enthusiasm and joyfully eased down into the warm, steamy water.

Fancy dunked her head, then lathered the fragrant, flowery soap all over her dark-blonde, extremely tangled hair. Scrubbing with fervor she failed to notice Delmar slip in. Watching the girl scrubbing with such ferocity, she knew this child was not raised accustomed to dirt. There were a great many details about this little waif that did not add up. Delmar went to the hearth and began basting the roasting meat.

"Do try to leave a bit of skin now. It wouldn't do to have to call the doctor! Now tell me child, what brings you to my door?"

"Well, m...m...milady Delmar I was looking for work. I'll do anything you need done. I'll haul water, sweep, peel vegetables, wash dishes or wait on tables for you. Please, I really need work." Fancy held her breath as tightly as the wash cloth she clutched in her hands. Delmar shook her head. Fancy's hopeful face fell instantly.

"Have you run away from your parents, child? Why are you here alone and in such a state?"

"M..my parents are dead, Lady." Fancy muttered painfully then began to softly weep. Delmar dropped her spoon, grabbed the thick chakkor towel warming by the fireside and wrapped it around Fancy's shoulders. She stood up and hugged the wonderfully warm towel to her, tears still streaming down her face.

"Oh, dear child! How? Start from the beginning for me, okay?" Delmar sat down with the girl and held her as she recounted the story of her family and Glacier City. Delmar's face grew stormy as she told about the massacre.

"Yes, child. I remember those horrible Mysians. They held my Inn for almost a year. They took my husband away and almost killed him. How did they succeed in killing so many of the towspeople?"

"Father said it was because the Mayor made that stupid decree. 'No weapons were allowed in Glacier City'. You know, Glacier City used to be the place all the miners came to have fun and get supplies. They could get rowdy now and then mother said. But when the Mysians came they just killed everyone, we had nothing to fight back with." Fancy's eyes glazed over with the horror of remembrance. She continued to recount the downfall of the town until she escaped.

Delmar held the girl until she could regain her own composure. The story reminded her of the horrible occupation Innis suffered about the same time. She reached over and lifted the faded tunic.

"Here child, put this on and let me bring you some warmed milk." Delmar shook her head and returned to her kitchen, leaving Fancy alone. The freshly scrubbed girl leaned back and took a deep breath. So much had happened! She couldn't believe she had told this wonderful lady the whole ugly story! She rubbed the toweling on her body and slipped the tunic on. Trying to duplicate exactly what Delmar had done, she came out with a reasonable facsimile with the long sash. She tugged her fingers through her clean hair and realized the hair was hopelessly matted. She looked around and spotted a large knife. She grabbed it. She leaned over, biting her lip and sawed through the hopelessly offensive hair. Now her once long hair only came to her jaw line. She grabbed the other side and cut it in about the same place. She put the knife down on the hot bricks and stared at the twisted mass of knots in her hand.

"Oh Child! What have you done!" Delmar exclaimed. Fancy immediately cringed. When the expected blow did not come, she opened her eyes.

"Poor little lamb, I'm sorry I startled you! Did they beat you at that place too? It's just, I could have helped you comb out those tangles. Oh well, you look as pretty as a flower anyway! Your hair is much lighter than I first thought. Why it's a dark gold! How pretty." Delmar tried to make her feel better. She sat down with an ornate comb and with deft strokes of her knife, she straightened out Fancy's rough cut.

"Now, my Inn is crowded right now and I don't have any extra beds. You could sleep here on this bench. I am going to hire you to sweep and peel vegetables for me. Three meals a day and one kepa a week. How does that sound?" Fancy smiled at Delmar gratefully.

"I'll do a good job, you wait and see! Don't worry, I'll find a place to stay. Thank you, Lady. Thank you very much! I have an idea about where I could get a place to stay." Fancy's eyes were shining with unshed tears. Delmar had to look away or start to weep herself.

"The bench is always here for you. Start tomorrow?"

"Yes, Lady. I have an errand to run first, then I'll be back." Fancy took up her ragged bundle of clothes and placed her tattered slippers back on. She had rubbed them clean too, so they squished as she walked. She curtsied to Delmar and dashed out the back door. Running as quickly as she could, she ran to the livery stable. It sat next to the building with the forge in it. Cautiously opening the door, she slipped in and made her way through the center aisle talking to the curious horses. Finally she found the enormous companion to the smithy. Unwinding the bundle of rags she carefully withdrew a bit of her supper. Three lovely cooked carrots. She held them up to Hamby's large nose. With a sniff he quickly decided to accept her gift.

Charius was touched by the girls thoughtfulness. He tried not to move a muscle so he would not frighten her. He was in the opposite stall, brushing its occupant when the young girl slipped in. Moving back into the shadows he watched her slip along the stalls until she located Hamby.

"You have a friend for life now!" Charius grinned as he stepped up to the stall door and into the dim light. Fancy sucked in her breath and spun around to face him. Charius held up his hands and smiled at her.

"I won't hurt ya' none. Promise! I'm big-n-slow and mighty dumb. I cain't match a smooth operator like you! I surrender!" Fancy studied his face in the dim light of the barn. Finally she giggled. Charius' face instantly split into a bright grin and they both relaxed.

"Sir Smithy, I w...was wondering if I c...could rent a bit of space in your hayloft. I won't be any trouble, I promise! I'll feed the horses in the mornings in exchange for it! I'll be here in the barn in case any of your horses get sick, I can let you know right away." Her tongue finally loosed, her words almost collided coming out! Charius smiled at her.

"Sweet child, no one ever addressed me with such grandeur. I see you got you a change of clothes. You a run away?" Fancy did not miss the fact Charius was extremely touched by her use of the proper title. While curious, she had to keep her mind on working out this situation. She was on her own now, no more workhouses for her!

"Please, Sir Smithy? I will do chores too, as long as we agree on them ahead of time. I must not disappoint my daytime employer." Fancy stated matter of factly. She hoped she sounded just like the workhouse manager when he haggled over rental price for the 'child teams'.

"Daytime employer?" Charius' face fell into a partial frown.

"I am working for Lady Delmar at the Inn." At Fancy's reply, Charius' smile returned.

"Oh, I see. Well then Hamby, we cain't interrupt Lady Delmar's schedule! Might not get my lunch on time and that would be bad." Charius fought to keep a straight face. Fancy faced him squarely.

"How about the space? Morning feeding and watering in exchange."

"I have an extra room in my cottage..."

"Sir Smithy, that would not be proper. You don't have a Lady and people would get the wrong idea. Beg pardon sir, but I must do things properly." Charius nodded thoughtfully, he hadn't even considered it. The girl had more to her than met the eye.

"Morning hay and feed for the loft. I'll haul water, its too heavy for a little bit like you. Deal?"

"Deal!" Fancy smiled happily. She stuck out her hands and shook Charius' large hand with both of hers. She spun around and took quick note of the loft ladder. He grinned and reached over to pat Hamby. Fancy was already up the ladder, busy making plans for her 'loft'.

"I'll meet you here in the morning for my first set of instructions on feeding each of the horses." Fancy called down, excitement in her voice.

"You watch over her now Hamby, you hear?" Charius admonished the big animal. The big horse nodded his head emphatically, mane flipping, as if he agreed.