must have seen us come in here but nobody else is here. Why not?’
‘That will be a well-known principle that the blemmyaes have used to their advantage for centuries. When in doubt, follow the crowd . Chicken?’ he asked, producing a whole roast chicken from inside his bag. ‘I’ve got an apple and some goat's milk as well. I thought we might need a snack.’
As they walked on through the narrow corridors the windows disappeared, and were replaced by high candles that threw out long shadows against the walls. Elli walked close to Rufus until finally they came to a large dark door. He went to open it but was pulled back by Elli.
‘What’s in there?’ she asked, pulling at his coat sleeve.
‘Prepare yourself for the worst!’ he said dramatically, flinging open the door. Her eyes took a while to get used to the natural light again, and she saw that the room was large with books lining every wall. In the middle of the room was a sturdy wooden desk with papers in one neat pile in the middle. Sitting behind the desk was a blemmyae. He looked up and gestured for them both to sit down. His seat was raised behind his desk, so that his gaze was level with Rufus.
‘Oh well done!’ said the blemmyae, his voice showing some genuine enthusiasm. ‘You did well to get here. I’m Norman, and I’m here to facilitate your arrival into Brayston. Can I take your name please?’ His manner was so dif ferent to the blemmyae she’d encountered the day before that Elli looked up at Rufus, who shrugged his shoulders.
‘Elli, full name Elspeth Sparrow,’ she said, noticing that his black, straight hair was down to his shoulders.
‘Thank you Elspeth. And you, Sir?’ he asked Rufus, who appeared to be startled.
‘DH Rufus. My last known address here was the Archways, Cannyngs .’ The blemmyae nodded.
‘And am I to understand that this young lady is visiting you Sir, and will be staying at that address?’ Rufus nodded mutely.
‘I see,’ said Norman. ‘If you will excuse me one moment I’ll just need to verify those details. I’ll be checking for any outstanding criminal convictions at the same time,’ he said, as Rufus’ eyes widened. Elli waited for Norman to stand up but he remained in his seat and closed his eyes. His clothes were deep black and more untidy than those of the other blemmyaes she’d seen, and she saw that his pupils were moving frantically beneath his closed eyelids. He began murmuring quietly at first, and then became increasingly loud and apparently distressed. Rufus, who remained silent, gripped the arm of his chair.
‘Alright, alright, by ten,’ Norman called out, piercing the quiet in the room. 'Stop going on!’ Elli and Rufus looked at one another, and then looked back at Norman who opened his eyes. ‘Did I say anything out loud then?’ he asked sheepishly. Elli nodded and gave him an understanding smile. ‘Sorry about that,’ he said, twiddling his fingers. He cleared his throat and looked back at Rufus.
‘Everything seems to be in order Sir. You’re to stay at the Archways and tell us immediately if you change address. There were no outstanding convictions although we are aware of your previous criminal convictions. Our records show that you went to live with the Dogheadhood in Aylebury. Is that information correct?’ Rufus nodded. ‘And are either of you wanted for any crime outside of Brayston?’ Rufus shook his head emphatically. ‘In that case you can stay for an indefinite period. Tax is set as ten groats per month. As for you Miss,’ he added, turning around in his seat to look at her, ‘you are welcome to stay for a period of three months at a rate of five groats per month on account of your age. You will need to keep this somewhere safe.’ He wrote her name, address and date of departure on a piece of strengthened green parchment and handed it to her. ‘I can relate a list of current Vacancies if you wish.’
The list was long and generally uninspiring,
‘That will be a well-known principle that the blemmyaes have used to their advantage for centuries. When in doubt, follow the crowd . Chicken?’ he asked, producing a whole roast chicken from inside his bag. ‘I’ve got an apple and some goat's milk as well. I thought we might need a snack.’
As they walked on through the narrow corridors the windows disappeared, and were replaced by high candles that threw out long shadows against the walls. Elli walked close to Rufus until finally they came to a large dark door. He went to open it but was pulled back by Elli.
‘What’s in there?’ she asked, pulling at his coat sleeve.
‘Prepare yourself for the worst!’ he said dramatically, flinging open the door. Her eyes took a while to get used to the natural light again, and she saw that the room was large with books lining every wall. In the middle of the room was a sturdy wooden desk with papers in one neat pile in the middle. Sitting behind the desk was a blemmyae. He looked up and gestured for them both to sit down. His seat was raised behind his desk, so that his gaze was level with Rufus.
‘Oh well done!’ said the blemmyae, his voice showing some genuine enthusiasm. ‘You did well to get here. I’m Norman, and I’m here to facilitate your arrival into Brayston. Can I take your name please?’ His manner was so dif ferent to the blemmyae she’d encountered the day before that Elli looked up at Rufus, who shrugged his shoulders.
‘Elli, full name Elspeth Sparrow,’ she said, noticing that his black, straight hair was down to his shoulders.
‘Thank you Elspeth. And you, Sir?’ he asked Rufus, who appeared to be startled.
‘DH Rufus. My last known address here was the Archways, Cannyngs .’ The blemmyae nodded.
‘And am I to understand that this young lady is visiting you Sir, and will be staying at that address?’ Rufus nodded mutely.
‘I see,’ said Norman. ‘If you will excuse me one moment I’ll just need to verify those details. I’ll be checking for any outstanding criminal convictions at the same time,’ he said, as Rufus’ eyes widened. Elli waited for Norman to stand up but he remained in his seat and closed his eyes. His clothes were deep black and more untidy than those of the other blemmyaes she’d seen, and she saw that his pupils were moving frantically beneath his closed eyelids. He began murmuring quietly at first, and then became increasingly loud and apparently distressed. Rufus, who remained silent, gripped the arm of his chair.
‘Alright, alright, by ten,’ Norman called out, piercing the quiet in the room. 'Stop going on!’ Elli and Rufus looked at one another, and then looked back at Norman who opened his eyes. ‘Did I say anything out loud then?’ he asked sheepishly. Elli nodded and gave him an understanding smile. ‘Sorry about that,’ he said, twiddling his fingers. He cleared his throat and looked back at Rufus.
‘Everything seems to be in order Sir. You’re to stay at the Archways and tell us immediately if you change address. There were no outstanding convictions although we are aware of your previous criminal convictions. Our records show that you went to live with the Dogheadhood in Aylebury. Is that information correct?’ Rufus nodded. ‘And are either of you wanted for any crime outside of Brayston?’ Rufus shook his head emphatically. ‘In that case you can stay for an indefinite period. Tax is set as ten groats per month. As for you Miss,’ he added, turning around in his seat to look at her, ‘you are welcome to stay for a period of three months at a rate of five groats per month on account of your age. You will need to keep this somewhere safe.’ He wrote her name, address and date of departure on a piece of strengthened green parchment and handed it to her. ‘I can relate a list of current Vacancies if you wish.’
The list was long and generally uninspiring,
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