Read Online Thieves at Heart by Tristan J. Tarwater - Free Book Online
Authors: Tristan J. Tarwater
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boot and setting his boots under the chair.
“I can sleep in the back of the cart,” Tavera reasoned, letting her head fall to the side. Her hands were still on the cloth and needle, Derk shaking his head and arranging the quilts on the floor to make a bed for her.
“What if we don’t find a cart? What if we have to walk? Eh?” Derk laid on the pile of quilts to test it, sitting up and switching the one on the bottom for the top. “I’m not going to carry you, I’m not.”
“There’s no way we’d ever walk all that way!” she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Derk put his hand on the side of her head and gave her a gentle push, a silly gesture and she just slapped his hand away, laughing. “Besides, I weigh such a bit, just roll me up and put me in your pack. I bet I weigh less than a pair of boots.”
“I’m glad you’re in good spirits but please, be a good girl and go to bed.” He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and stood up, his arms crossed over his bare chest, watching as she crawled into the quilts and wiggled around in them, trying to warm them up. They smelled like herbs, the kind that keep moths out and she pulled the quilts up higher till only the top of her head stuck out, dark hair splayed against a patchwork of green and pink and yellow. “I like when you smile, Tavi,” she heard Derk say. “Are you happy?”
She nodded under the blankets and felt him pat her on the head, smiling under the quilts. His footsteps grew quieter but she could feel the creak of the floor as he walked away, the rustling of the curtain that was the makeshift door. Tavera moved the blankets and quilts back, too hot to stay under them for too long. Her good ear perked up as she made out the whispering of adults in the next room, deep and middle toned voices taking turns in the dark. The hearth was glowing in the front room and Tavera could still see. She heard them talk for a long time, a few laughs drifting on the air. The little girl could be patient and she waited until the laughs came a bit closer together. Then the talking stopped altogether though the bed was creaking.
Tavera crept out of her bed and walked to the door, remembering which boards made noise and sidestepped towards her cloak. As soon as she was sure she could reach it she leaned forward, grabbing a hold of the heavy fabric and giving it a quick flick to get it off the peg. The cloak hopped off the peg into Tavera’s hands and she took the few steps to get back into her bed quickly, sitting on top of the quilts this time. She cocked an ear towards the bedroom, listening. They were still involved with one another so as long as she was quiet they would probably fall right asleep when they were done. Too excited to sleep and by the light of the hearth, Tavera reached into her boot, pulling out the small blue coin Derk had given her. With quick, skinny fingers she placed the coin against her cloak and began sewing it into the fabric, imagining the circle she would create as she pushed the needle in and out.
Tavera was very tired the next morning. She didn’t recall falling asleep but Derk had nudged her awake with his toe and she woke with a start, her sewing and needle still her hand. He didn’t chide her but he did raise his eyebrows, blue eyes narrowed in disapproval. She could only smile sheepishly.
Breakfast was porridge and toasted bread with honey on top. Tavera gobbled everything so fast Derk had to tell her to slow down. After they ate they packed their things to leave. Gam gave Derk the daggerleaf handkerchief she had embroidered and she gave Tavera a few loops of colored thread, a needle and some fabric. She gave Derk a kiss on the mouth that he returned and she pinched Tavera which made Tavera stick her tongue out at her to her face and the woman laughed. “Remember our talk, Tavi,” she said. Derk kissed her again and they left.
“What did you two talk about?” he asked on their way to the temple. The air felt cold but
“I can sleep in the back of the cart,” Tavera reasoned, letting her head fall to the side. Her hands were still on the cloth and needle, Derk shaking his head and arranging the quilts on the floor to make a bed for her.
“What if we don’t find a cart? What if we have to walk? Eh?” Derk laid on the pile of quilts to test it, sitting up and switching the one on the bottom for the top. “I’m not going to carry you, I’m not.”
“There’s no way we’d ever walk all that way!” she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Derk put his hand on the side of her head and gave her a gentle push, a silly gesture and she just slapped his hand away, laughing. “Besides, I weigh such a bit, just roll me up and put me in your pack. I bet I weigh less than a pair of boots.”
“I’m glad you’re in good spirits but please, be a good girl and go to bed.” He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and stood up, his arms crossed over his bare chest, watching as she crawled into the quilts and wiggled around in them, trying to warm them up. They smelled like herbs, the kind that keep moths out and she pulled the quilts up higher till only the top of her head stuck out, dark hair splayed against a patchwork of green and pink and yellow. “I like when you smile, Tavi,” she heard Derk say. “Are you happy?”
She nodded under the blankets and felt him pat her on the head, smiling under the quilts. His footsteps grew quieter but she could feel the creak of the floor as he walked away, the rustling of the curtain that was the makeshift door. Tavera moved the blankets and quilts back, too hot to stay under them for too long. Her good ear perked up as she made out the whispering of adults in the next room, deep and middle toned voices taking turns in the dark. The hearth was glowing in the front room and Tavera could still see. She heard them talk for a long time, a few laughs drifting on the air. The little girl could be patient and she waited until the laughs came a bit closer together. Then the talking stopped altogether though the bed was creaking.
Tavera crept out of her bed and walked to the door, remembering which boards made noise and sidestepped towards her cloak. As soon as she was sure she could reach it she leaned forward, grabbing a hold of the heavy fabric and giving it a quick flick to get it off the peg. The cloak hopped off the peg into Tavera’s hands and she took the few steps to get back into her bed quickly, sitting on top of the quilts this time. She cocked an ear towards the bedroom, listening. They were still involved with one another so as long as she was quiet they would probably fall right asleep when they were done. Too excited to sleep and by the light of the hearth, Tavera reached into her boot, pulling out the small blue coin Derk had given her. With quick, skinny fingers she placed the coin against her cloak and began sewing it into the fabric, imagining the circle she would create as she pushed the needle in and out.
Tavera was very tired the next morning. She didn’t recall falling asleep but Derk had nudged her awake with his toe and she woke with a start, her sewing and needle still her hand. He didn’t chide her but he did raise his eyebrows, blue eyes narrowed in disapproval. She could only smile sheepishly.
Breakfast was porridge and toasted bread with honey on top. Tavera gobbled everything so fast Derk had to tell her to slow down. After they ate they packed their things to leave. Gam gave Derk the daggerleaf handkerchief she had embroidered and she gave Tavera a few loops of colored thread, a needle and some fabric. She gave Derk a kiss on the mouth that he returned and she pinched Tavera which made Tavera stick her tongue out at her to her face and the woman laughed. “Remember our talk, Tavi,” she said. Derk kissed her again and they left.
“What did you two talk about?” he asked on their way to the temple. The air felt cold but
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