It seems the visit to the Pharoh went well. I wouldn't expect anything less from these maids in waiting. I think I shall go myself this time. I'll take Allen with me; people seem to take to him. Thomas seems happier at the sanctuary, I'll leave him here. Toren is still ill, he must stay as well. Maid Patty thirsts for knowledge as we wise men do. I think she would like to see a pyramid more than the other 2.
Old Joseph, Allen, and Maid Patty arrived safely.
Old Joseph observed Maid Patty stiffling a cough before one of Lord Stone's guest.I hope she isn't getting ill, best to get her inside.
"Maid Patty," he said fondly, "come inside where it's warm. You can gossip about which man you hope to marry inside as well as out."Maid Patty blushed. Old Joseph smiled behind his beard, thinking how this sturdy woman will make a fine wife to the right man.
Maid Patty had different thoughts on the matter. In her maidenly way she was embarrassed by the suggestion that she would gossip. She was worried about what he thought she may be gossiping about. So much so that she bravely stood before him."Dear Joseph," she began timidly, "I wish to stay at the Sanctuary. I prefer it over marriage."
The woman behind her piped up. "You may change your mind if the right man comes along. I was nothing but a milkmaid, and now I'm a noblewoman."No one answered the woman.
"Maid Patty," Allen addressed her in a soft voice.
"We love having you at the Sanctuary. You work hard on our gardens, tidy the place nicely, have made a nice painting for the wall, and even join us fishing. Would you not like to do these things for a husband? Would you not like a baby?" 
Maid Patty turned to Old Joseph as she answered, for her fate was in his hands.
"A wee bairn would be sweet... I wish to teach. I want to learn all I can and teach it to others. As a married woman I could not do that."
Maid Patty caught herself gesturing as she spoke. She softly let her arms fall.
"Please, let me stay at the Sanctuary."
"Maid Patty, I have made no arrangements for you. If I had, I would have told you so. For now you may study and teach if you so desire. In time I may make arrangements for you maidens. It is only a matter of time before men come calling."
Patty's face fell.
"If you have a man in mind, or you do in the future, I am not opposed to you picking your own husband. Perhaps I won't like the men that come by, in which case I won't make arrangements. I do hope that doesn't happen."
A spark of anger surged through Patty.
"I think you will find teaching your own children a greater joy than teaching any other souls."
The spark snuffed out.
The ninja continued kissing his wife. He picked her up in his arms and turned himself about, and her as well. He set her down then backed up to kiss her hand. Still dizzy from spinning round the room with his wife, he stumbled backwards and fell on the floor with quite the clatter.
The oriental woman fussed over the ninja while he insisted he was fine.
"We love having you at the Sanctuary. You work hard on our gardens, tidy the place nicely, have made a nice painting for the wall, and even join us fishing. Would you not like to do these things for a husband? Would you not like a baby?" 
Maid Patty turned to Old Joseph as she answered, for her fate was in his hands."A wee bairn would be sweet... I wish to teach. I want to learn all I can and teach it to others. As a married woman I could not do that."
Maid Patty caught herself gesturing as she spoke. She softly let her arms fall.
"Please, let me stay at the Sanctuary."
"Maid Patty, I have made no arrangements for you. If I had, I would have told you so. For now you may study and teach if you so desire. In time I may make arrangements for you maidens. It is only a matter of time before men come calling."Patty's face fell.
"If you have a man in mind, or you do in the future, I am not opposed to you picking your own husband. Perhaps I won't like the men that come by, in which case I won't make arrangements. I do hope that doesn't happen."
A spark of anger surged through Patty.
"I think you will find teaching your own children a greater joy than teaching any other souls."
The spark snuffed out.
How can I be angry at a man who only wishes me joy?
Patty and Old Joseph stepped away from the couch, he to greet other guests, she to get a moment to herself.
She noticed Allen checking out the scantily clad Lady Sandy Stone. She couldn't help thinking it would be nice to be looked at that way by a man.
She noticed Allen checking out the scantily clad Lady Sandy Stone. She couldn't help thinking it would be nice to be looked at that way by a man.
She turned away, only to catch another glimpse of manly attention. A couple of Lord Stone's guests, a ninja and his wife, kissed passionately.
Though it wasn't ladylike, Patty couldn't make herself look away. A blush warmed her cheeks as she thought of a husband and kisses such as this one.
Though it wasn't ladylike, Patty couldn't make herself look away. A blush warmed her cheeks as she thought of a husband and kisses such as this one.
The ninja continued kissing his wife. He picked her up in his arms and turned himself about, and her as well. He set her down then backed up to kiss her hand. Still dizzy from spinning round the room with his wife, he stumbled backwards and fell on the floor with quite the clatter.
The oriental woman fussed over the ninja while he insisted he was fine.Lord Stone offered to let the couple take their meal in his room. This met approval by man and wife, though it was questionable if it was for the same reason.
Patty didn't feel hungry. She still longed to be a teacher. She was so deep in these thoughts she missed a lot of what went on at dinner.
She didn't catch Allen looking across the room at her.
She didn't catch Lord and Lady Stone silently sizing up their guests.
She didn't notice the beauty of Old Joseph's gaze.
She didn't catch Lord and Lady Stone silently sizing up their guests.
She didn't notice the beauty of Old Joseph's gaze.
She certainly didn't notice Allen looking past Lady Sandy out of the corner of his eye, to herself beyond.
At last Lord Roland pulled her from her solitude, he done with his meal.
"Excuse me. I wanted to say to you, your hair is very pretty, like Ra in the sky, before he goes to sleep."
"What is Ra in the sky?"
"The bright thing in the sky that warms us."
"Oh! We call it the sun."
"Your hair is pretty, like the sun preparing for his sleep."
"Thank you, what a kind thing to say."
"Excuse me. I wanted to say to you, your hair is very pretty, like Ra in the sky, before he goes to sleep.""What is Ra in the sky?"
"The bright thing in the sky that warms us."
"Oh! We call it the sun."
"Your hair is pretty, like the sun preparing for his sleep."
"Thank you, what a kind thing to say."
Maid Patty thought of how lovely it would be to hear such words from a man who loved her...
Lord Scorpion sat back down at the table. Other guest were already eating the next course of bread and honey.
"Maid Patty, won't you join us?" Old Joseph called.
Lord Scorpion sat back down at the table. Other guest were already eating the next course of bread and honey.
"Maid Patty, won't you join us?" Old Joseph called."Yes dear, aren't you hungry?" Allen offered.
"I'm not terribly hungry this evening, thank you."
"I'm not terribly hungry this evening, thank you."The attention off her, Patty held up her hands thinking of possible painting subjects.
Despite the beauty of this land, I would prefer my wisemen for a painting.
She couldn't thing of who else she'd like to spend her life looking at every day.
Despite the beauty of this land, I would prefer my wisemen for a painting.
She couldn't thing of who else she'd like to spend her life looking at every day.
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