Chapter 1
Kyna kept a close eye on Maggie as the girl huddled in the frame of the kitchen door way. The older innkeeper brushed a wisp of silver hair away from her face before she began chopping meat for the evening stew. The loud sounds of the inn assaulted her ears. Her blue eyes constantly shifted over to Maggie. She knew Maggie was scanning the crowd and tables. It was only the afternoon rush, but it was still enough of a crowd to keep the kitchen staff busy. Working as part of kitchen crew, Kyna had taught Maggie that the tables were to never be empty of food and the mugs constantly full of ale. Maggie was responsible for watching the other serving wenches move around the room. They would give the girl small signals of when certain items were needed. When Shayla motioned for more ale by holding up her pitcher, Maggie turned back into the kitchen. She filled another pitcher from the cask standing in the corner. Just as she finished, Shayla appeared and grabbed it briskly from her hands. The serving wenches never really cared for Maggie; then again, Kyna knew the Maggie avoided the serving wenches as much as possible in between the different meals. Too many nights watching the floor had given Maggie an education about what could happen in the main gathering room. Yes, Kyna knew what happened in the dark corners and why her girls returned to the kitchen looking disheveled. The smell of sex lingered on them as they came to pick up new trays or pitchers. That wasn't her Maggie. Maggie was not allowed out into that heated cattle call. The doorway was as far as Kyna could bring herself or Maggie to go.
Kyna looked up from Maggie's position back to the butchering table. There were times that Kyna could still see the small, twelve year old girl, not the woman of 19 years in front of her. The girl was strong, being able to handle the various heavy loads of food and ale that were brought into the kitchen each day with no complaints. She was also smart, easily calculating money and tabs for the serving wenches. She had a talent for cooking that Kyna had never seen before and a knack for avoiding trouble with all people. While the girl could hold her ground in a fight, she never went looking for trouble.
Kyna's mind flashed to the day Maggie had been brought to her. The poor, emaciated girl had a dirty face gaunt with hunger. The clothes she wore barely hung on her small frame. She kept her head low. Even when the tiny girl did attempt to make eye contact, it brought a swift smack from the mother. The girl, in obvious pain, would flinch and take the blow. Never did she cry. Kyna stood in the doorway of the inn with her arms crossed, listening to the wretched woman explain the family's dire need of money. They had decided to sell the girl to the highest bidder. The parents explained that the girl was stupid; she couldn't even talk. For Kyna, the idea of buying a mute girl to work in her inn was not of interest to her. However, when Kyna was told the girl was going to be walked down to the brothel on the corner after the parents' stop at Kyna's inn, the older woman felt a sense of instinctual protection.
Kyna knew what it was like to walk into the doors of a brothel at a young age, losing her innocence to a drunken, sweaty slob. She wasn't about to let that happen to another poor girl. Without another thought, she gave the parents their asking price. They wandered away, counting the money between them. Kyna's heart broke as she watched the girl reach for her parents, but unable to call to them. Kyna took her by the hand and brought the sad girl into the kitchen. It was about a week later that Kyna heard the locals discussing the dead couple who were found in the alley but two blocks away. It appeared they had died from starvation and other possible nefarious means.
For many days, Maggie simply remained in the corner, standing very still as she watched the comings and goings within the kitchen. Kyna did have to wonder if the girl had a single thought of sense in her brain. However, that changed when Kyna pulled her into the daily happenings with the other workers. She taught the girl how to make various types of foods and breads. As time passed, she showed her how to count and read. As the girl grew stronger and bolder, it became quite evident that she had quite a head on her shoulders. There was nothing stupid about her at all. The best part was that Kyna felt like she had found a daughter of sorts. Every time she thought of the girl's dead parents, it resulted in another hug for Maggie. Sure, Maggie would only smile and nod, patting the innkeeper's arm or hand as if to say she understood.
Ultimately, Maggie had become one of her best workers. To get around Maggie's inability to speak, they had come up with a series of hand gestures to help her become more efficient in the kitchen and while cleaning the main gathering floor. That was over seven years ago. Now, Maggie was a grown woman. Kyna had been offered a pretty asking price by many men in regards to the girl's virginity; however, she would simply smile and shoo the men away. Maggie was quite the beauty that men stopped to admire. Her raven black hair shined and her silver gray eyes always seemed to be smiling. The girl's face gave away every one of her emotions. She was well endowed with a womanly figure, breasts that were accentuated over her corset and hips that gently flared beneath it. Maggie's life, whatever it was meant to be, wasn't for sale. It would be the girl's decision who could have her maidenhead. Thought Kyna was very much her mother, she had no right to take a single coin for what truly belonged to the girl.
To keep further temptation and trouble out of the girl's way, Kyna had instituted the rule about going no further than the kitchen door. The nights on the gathering floor could be hectic for any woman. Many drunken men, roaming hands, and propositions of sexual desire were rampant. Kyna did not want Maggie to have any additional trouble that came with the main gathering floor of the inn. It was best to keep the girl in the kitchen out of harm's way. Kyna let out a low whistle, and Maggie turned her head to gaze back at the older woman.
"Maggie, come help me with this stew."
Maggie nodded and moved back to the table. Kyna pushed a pile of vegetables in front of the girl. Maggie deftly used a large butcher's knife to peel away skins and chop the items into smaller pieces. It wasn't long until everything was done. Maggie looked up with a smile, proud of her work. Kyna caught the small hand gesture Maggie made close to the table. Kyna nodded, and Maggie all but ran to the spice shelves. Over the years, Maggie had developed a few hand gestures to help herself communicate with a few select people. Kyna, her adoptive mother, was one of them. Fergus, on of the other kitchen helpers and Maggie's best friend, was the other. All three agreed that it would be best to keep the gestures to themselves, so they were only used when others weren't watching or were less likely to notice.
Maggie danced in front of the spice rack, pull out bottles and small jars. She was always looking for new flavor combinations to add to the food. Actually, Maggie had quite the palate. Her knack for picking unique and flavorful combinations of herbs and spices had drawn quite a crowd for all of the meals served at the inn. Many of the patrons commented on the excellence of Kyna's food. The innkeeper would take the compliment with a "thank you," but it was always Maggie who earned a huge hug after each of the meals. Maggie returned to Kyna's side by the pot, putting pinches of this and that into the mixture. Kyna simply nodded with each addition. With all of the elements added, Maggie returned all of the bottles and jars to their correct stations within the kitchen's spice rack.
Maggie knocked on the spice shelf twice, and Kyna looked up from the pot. Maggie motioned that she would be right back. Kyna nodded and continued stirring the meat and vegetables within the pot. When Maggie returned to the kitchen, she had a huge smile on her face. Her arms were covered with dirt and her hands were behind her back.
"What do you have now, girl?" she asked as she stopped stirring the pot. Kyna loved the mischievous look the girl would get when she had a good idea or was particularly excited about a new culinary find.
Maggie brought her hands forward, showing a batch of wild onions and parsley. Her smile about the rare find was infectious. Kyna let out a small chuckle.
"You must have found the growing patch this morning," Kyna commented. Maggie nodded and made her way back to the cutting board. She made quick work of the onions and herb. Gathering all of the elements into her cupped hands, she brought the load over to the pot and dumped it in. Kyna stirred the pot. The smell of the onion and parsley already were already adding a savory perfume to the air. Maggie gave the innkeeper a quick hug and returned to her position by the door. Kyna dipped her spoon into the stew pot and brought out a ladle of broth. She tentatively tasted the hot broth. A small exhale of enjoyment left Kyna's lips, denoting the deliciousness she had just consumed. That was the sound that really made Maggie smile.
