Ogre

“I’m no monster. Sure, and the wee humans go runnin’ when they see me ugly arse, but I wouldna harm a one.”

Tosh pulled tender young leaves from a plucked branch, alternately smashing them between her stubby fingers and tossing them into the breeze. Next to her, Rua concentrated on the daisy held in her delicate hands, mirroring Tosh’s actions.

“To say to me, ‘Yer a bleedin’ monster.’ Ach, ‘tis a sadness, I tell ye.”

Rua rocked back and forth with the gentle gusts. She remained as silent as the pillowy clouds that drifted overhead to temporarily block out the sun. Warm rays broke through to hit the pair in their faces. Rua blinked once, dropped her depetaled daisy, and selected another. She pulled at the velvety petals, sending each to drop to the ground with the ones that went before.

“We best be getting’ in, Rua,” Tosh said. She rumbled to her oversized feet and offered a bronzed hand to the girl. “Cook’ll be havin’ a snack ready for ye.”

“Rua get snack?” the girl asked. She popped up, daisies forgotten, and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Rua hungary!”

Tosh marveled, not for the first or last time, at the child. All of eleven years old, she looked the sweet young lady. Strangers expected nothing unusual from the smiling girl. If she remained quiet, she’d be noted only as a beautiful young lass. Utterly vulnerable, Radua required a caretaker who would understand and protect her.

“Gonna go see ogre gramma?” Rua begged.

Tosh sighed. Her mother spoiled Rua with sweets and pastries, but she daren’t keep them apart more than a palmful of days. Each would punish her in their distinct ways.

“Soon, dear one. I’ll ask your mother whilst you eat.”

Satisfied, Rua skip-ran into the manor home’s kitchen entrance. Peals of laughter soon followed. Tosh frowned. Her mother hadn’t waited for a visit and was certain to be feeding sugar to Rua and stories to all. Tosh trudged through the human-sized door—always a bit of a strain, to be rightly honest—to find the entire staff in the roomy kitchen.

Rua’s mother was present, as well. When she met Tosh’s look, Laria grimaced and signaled Tosh to follow. They met at the other end of the manor, in the dusty parlor.

“Trouble, mistress?”

Laria pulled a sheet off a cushioned chair and sat. Tosh followed suit.

“Yes, Tosh. It seems our esteemed neighbor, Master Traphire, has complained to the Magistrate of your employment. I was called to court this morning to defend my right to employee whomever I deem worthy.”

“My thanks, mistress.”

Laria waved it off. “Nonsense. That is what I said this morning, and it is what I say now. Not a one of the countless caretakers have made the difference you have with Rua. Unfortunately,” her brow creased in a most unattractive way, “the Magistrate’s people already had it in their minds that I was in the wrong.”

“Oh dear.” Tosh’s stomach rumbled with warnings of doom.

“They have given me an ultimatum,” Laria said. She paused. “Tosh, they say I am to discharge you from our service, or I shall forfeit all that I have. They had no care for Rua’s needs, or for yours.”

Tosh stood, kept her eyes focused toward the floor. “I’ll be getting’ me bags ready as soon as Rua is in bed tonight. A clean break will be best.”

Laria’s mouth widened. Tosh never saw a human’s jaw possess such flexibility. The deep flush that stained the woman’s skin, however, surprised Tosh. More incredible, Laria flew to Tosh’s side to hold her by the arm.

“You misunderstand,” she said. “I’d never let you go, not willingly.”

“Mistress, ye said…”

Laria shook her head. “I said that the court gave me an ultimatum. I chose neither option. Rua and I will leave with you in a few hours. There are a number of locations we can choose for our new home.”

Tosh’s head buzzed with the news. “Have ye forgotten, I’m an ogre, and not many folk can tell the stories from the truth. We’ll stand out and get captured. It isn’t safe for you to travel with me. This is why I never took either of you for a visit across the Manning Plains. Ogres are hunted like deer.”

Laria set both hands on Tosh’s sun-darkened skin. “We are not going to let a self-serving bastard dictate our lives, are we? No, Rua and I will go with you. We both need you. Why, you’ve become family, if I may be so bold. For all that you have done for us, it is no less than our duty.”

It was Tosh’s turn to gape. “Mistress, I’ve not enough words to tell ye how I feel.”

Laria stepped back. “Well then, dearest Tosh, let us pack.”

* * * * *

END