Read Online Wintermoon Ice (2010) by Suzanne Francis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Francis
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war, anyway."
They crossed into a warren of small rooms off the main hall. Each of the wooden doors had a number painted on it. "These are the ablutions rooms. We assign newcomers a number, and a time for bathing. Everyone takes turns keeping them clean. Hot water is often a problem," she added with a grin. "But cold showers are always available."
Suvi turned away to take Tom to the kitchen. Surreptitiously he removed an object from his pocket and held it up to his eye. When she called his name, he hurriedly replaced it, and caught up to her.
"This is the kitchen," she was saying. "The details on cooking duty prepare a hot breakfast and dinner each day. Right now, we have about two hundred people to feed, so it is a big job. When the electrics are working they use the stoves, but if not, we build fires in the brick ovens."
"Where do you get enough food to give everyone two meals a day?"
"We get many supplies by scavenging. There are a lot of ruined shops and houses around here, with things going to waste inside. We also get what we can from wholesalers and markets, mostly by not asking too many questions about how fresh something is or where it came from."
After they had visited the dining room, and the schoolroom, and Tom had seen the workshops, they returned to Suvi's office. They worked together in silence, stacking bricks, sweeping and dusting.
Tom re-hung the door and oiled the hinges. "There, good as new."
Suvi smiled gratefully and fingered the set of keys she wore around her neck. "You have no idea how much I would have missed it. This is one of the only doors with a working lock, and I have a few things that I need to keep safe."
He gave a low whistle when he saw a fancy yitar propped against the wall next to the bed, miraculously undamaged by the fallen brick. The neck had been turned with scrollwork, and a winsome mermaid decorated the head.
"This must be one of them. Is it yours?"
Suvi nodded. "One of the few souvenirs from my former life as a Harp. Many of my Soli are professional musicians. I took lessons for years, but I seldom have time to play now. I should probably sell it, but I guess it reminds me of home."
He ran his graceful-looking fingers over the strings and quickly adjusted the tuning. Suvi had time to notice that his fingernails seemed quite clean for someone who worked on engines for a living.
"Mind if I have a go?"
She waved her hand casually, not expecting much. "Be my guest."
When she had been in practice, Suvi was a mediocre player at best, but it soon became clear that Tom Finn could coax astonishing sound from the fourteen strings of the yitar. She listened entranced, as his fingers fairly flew on the fret board, in waves of double and triple harmonies. Suvi couldn't help thinking it was a very odd talent for a Rose.
She nonetheless applauded wildly when he finished. "You must come back for the banquet on Friday. There is entertainment afterwards. Would you play? The children look forward to it all month."
He seemed uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't know. Are you sure anyone would want to hear me?"
"What? You were amazing. I only wish I could play as well."
"Then what will
you
do for the show? I don't want to take your instrument from you."
Suvi blushed. "Oh, it's all right. I can sing. A little. Perhaps we could do something together. Can you play any folk songs? How about, 'Oh Rose, Oh Rose' ?"
He smiled. "Sure, I can play it. Every Rose knows that one."
"Well, go ahead, then. I will come in after the introduction." She stood still, waiting.
Tom's smile froze. "Um, maybe you should just start singing. I am not quite sure I..."
Marja Kinnock rescued him, when she appeared in the doorway. She looked tired, and worry had etched deep lines on each side of her mouth. "I am sorry to interrupt, Suvi, but I need Riku's medicine. He says his head feels like it is caught in a vise."
Suvi frowned as she unlocked her desk. The deep blue folder that held the stolen papers lay
They crossed into a warren of small rooms off the main hall. Each of the wooden doors had a number painted on it. "These are the ablutions rooms. We assign newcomers a number, and a time for bathing. Everyone takes turns keeping them clean. Hot water is often a problem," she added with a grin. "But cold showers are always available."
Suvi turned away to take Tom to the kitchen. Surreptitiously he removed an object from his pocket and held it up to his eye. When she called his name, he hurriedly replaced it, and caught up to her.
"This is the kitchen," she was saying. "The details on cooking duty prepare a hot breakfast and dinner each day. Right now, we have about two hundred people to feed, so it is a big job. When the electrics are working they use the stoves, but if not, we build fires in the brick ovens."
"Where do you get enough food to give everyone two meals a day?"
"We get many supplies by scavenging. There are a lot of ruined shops and houses around here, with things going to waste inside. We also get what we can from wholesalers and markets, mostly by not asking too many questions about how fresh something is or where it came from."
After they had visited the dining room, and the schoolroom, and Tom had seen the workshops, they returned to Suvi's office. They worked together in silence, stacking bricks, sweeping and dusting.
Tom re-hung the door and oiled the hinges. "There, good as new."
Suvi smiled gratefully and fingered the set of keys she wore around her neck. "You have no idea how much I would have missed it. This is one of the only doors with a working lock, and I have a few things that I need to keep safe."
He gave a low whistle when he saw a fancy yitar propped against the wall next to the bed, miraculously undamaged by the fallen brick. The neck had been turned with scrollwork, and a winsome mermaid decorated the head.
"This must be one of them. Is it yours?"
Suvi nodded. "One of the few souvenirs from my former life as a Harp. Many of my Soli are professional musicians. I took lessons for years, but I seldom have time to play now. I should probably sell it, but I guess it reminds me of home."
He ran his graceful-looking fingers over the strings and quickly adjusted the tuning. Suvi had time to notice that his fingernails seemed quite clean for someone who worked on engines for a living.
"Mind if I have a go?"
She waved her hand casually, not expecting much. "Be my guest."
When she had been in practice, Suvi was a mediocre player at best, but it soon became clear that Tom Finn could coax astonishing sound from the fourteen strings of the yitar. She listened entranced, as his fingers fairly flew on the fret board, in waves of double and triple harmonies. Suvi couldn't help thinking it was a very odd talent for a Rose.
She nonetheless applauded wildly when he finished. "You must come back for the banquet on Friday. There is entertainment afterwards. Would you play? The children look forward to it all month."
He seemed uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't know. Are you sure anyone would want to hear me?"
"What? You were amazing. I only wish I could play as well."
"Then what will
you
do for the show? I don't want to take your instrument from you."
Suvi blushed. "Oh, it's all right. I can sing. A little. Perhaps we could do something together. Can you play any folk songs? How about, 'Oh Rose, Oh Rose' ?"
He smiled. "Sure, I can play it. Every Rose knows that one."
"Well, go ahead, then. I will come in after the introduction." She stood still, waiting.
Tom's smile froze. "Um, maybe you should just start singing. I am not quite sure I..."
Marja Kinnock rescued him, when she appeared in the doorway. She looked tired, and worry had etched deep lines on each side of her mouth. "I am sorry to interrupt, Suvi, but I need Riku's medicine. He says his head feels like it is caught in a vise."
Suvi frowned as she unlocked her desk. The deep blue folder that held the stolen papers lay
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