3 Chapter 3 – The Boy with Black Hair

Moving back to her chair, Tania stood before it instead of climbing back into it. She was really too little to be able to get into it without looking a little silly and that was definitely not the look she was going for at the moment. The boys were watching her curiously, their eyes telling her that their hopes of actually being adopted were slim.

"Countess Tania, I would strongly suggest you not choose any of these troublemakers," said the director, glancing around at the empty room before settling his gaze on her.

"Director," she began, clasping her hands before her as she had seen her mother do when she got upset. "I believe there is still at least one child you haven't brought before me, and I find my patience running low."

The flinch that flew over his face was brief, but it was obvious he knew exactly who she was talking about. His lips clenched tightly together and she could tell he was not going to answer her.

"Take me to the reflection rooms," she said, turning to the servant at the door.

He quickly bowed, his eyes flickering towards the director as he started to splutter, and then turned to hold the door open for her as she headed towards him. Walking with her head high, she forced her legs to stretch so she could walk even faster. Clara stayed close behind her as the servant left the building through a side door and led them towards the backyard. Hidden behind a decorative wall stood the remains of an ancient well house.

Tania scrunched her face at the rotted boards and watched in shock as the servant started to pull the warped door open. Glancing behind her she saw that the director hadn't followed them, and took a breath. How much trouble was she about to get into?

Clara moved to her side as Tania inched closer to the door. There was no floor in the tiny building and as her eyes adapted to the dim light, she could see the well dropped a dozen feet and ended in a jumble of rocks. Hunched in the middle of the room was a small figure who didn't even bother to look up at them. It was too dark to see if he had dark hair or not, but Tania knew. This was him.

"Hello?" she called down to him. What if it was all a ruse? The only person she remembered having black hair had been a mage and her history with them wasn't that good.

He flinched as if expecting to be hit, and then finally looked up at her.

"Why are you down there?" she asked when he didn't immediately respond to her.

"I.." he paused to clear his throat as his voice cracked. "I was accused of stealing a locket…"

She could tell he was telling the truth, even though she wasn't sure why.

"You were thrown in a pit for supposed theft?"

He nodded up at her.

"I believe you. What's your name?"

He jerked at her words and stood up, stumbling back in his haste.

"You… you believe me? But, there's no proof!"

"Should I not believe you?"

"No, I… Thank you, my lady. My name is Sebastian." His voice cracked but sounded stronger than it had before.

"Are you a mage?"

She watched as he hung his head and wondered for a moment if he was going to answer.

"I am. I believe it's one of the reasons they hate me so much…"

"What is your magery in?"

She could remember that he was a mage but not what kind. She didn't like the idea of avoiding Suzanne and then getting another mage with mind controlling abilities.

"I have magery in elemental magic, my lady," Sebastian said, turning his eyes up to look at her.

Pressing her lips together, Tania's mind flew through the possibilities. She would normally have not had a clue what could be done with such abilities, but with her memories of having lived this life once already, she couldn't help but feel true excitement course through her. With his abilities, her mother could ensure there would be no droughts in the fields, among countless other benefits.

"Would you like to be adopted?"

The strangled laugh that darted out of him seemed choked in disbelief.

"Me? Adopted? The director would kill me first!"

"But if it was offered, would you accept?"

"You assume I would be given the offer, my lady. Forgive me but I doubt that would ever happen."

"So, you're not interested?"

"Wait, you're serious?"

His voice was so quiet she almost missed it, but the look of hope that bloomed on his face in the darkness he stood in was enough to make up her mind. Turning to the man standing next to her she watched as he nervously rubbed his hands against his pant leg.

"Pull him up," she said, stepping back for the servant to have access.

He hesitated only for a moment before nodding to himself and grabbing a thick rope that was hung over a hook on the inside wall by the door. They watched as he threw the rope down, and then began to climb down into the well. Tania looked over at Clara who had a grim look of disbelief on her face. Turning back towards the door, she saw that the boy was so weak he barely managed to hold on as the man climbed back up.

"Thank you, m'lady. I will follow you forever as you are the only person to ever believe in me," Sebastian said, trying to stand upright and proper after sliding off the servant's back.

Raising an eyebrow, Tania nodded to herself and turned to Clara.

"This is the one I was telling you about. I choose him to adopt."

"Then we should head to the main office to fill out the proper paperwork," said Clara, eyeing him as he struggled to stand.

Tania turned back to look at him again, and noted that he was favoring one of his legs. How long would he be able to actually walk? His clothes were even worse than they had been when she saw him earlier and she was certain there were more bruises and scratches on his face than before. Had they beaten him up before throwing him in that horrible hole? Squaring her shoulders and straightening her back she gave him a small smile and held out her arm.

"Perhaps you could escort me to the main office?" she asked.

He nodded quickly and took her arm, almost falling in the action of stepping forward. Tania quickly moved so that his moment of weakness was mostly hidden and then proceeded to let him lean on her as they moved towards the building. What could the director possibly be thinking allowing such treatment? She was definitely saying something to her mother!

At the thought of her mom a sob rose in her throat and she had to quickly clear her throat to keep it from escaping. Thankfully no one noticed as Clara was eyeballing the servant who clearly felt uncomfortable with this boy actually coming in contact with Tania. All but dragging him across the yard, Tania rushed back into the building and headed towards the office they had passed when they first entered the building. She didn't know where the director was, or when he might show up, and she wanted to get the paperwork finished before he could stop them.

"I know where the papers are," he said as Tania dragged him into the room.

"You do?" asked Clara in surprise, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"I've spent a large amount of time hiding in here," said Sebastian, glancing at them then back at the stacks of parchment that covered the tables and desk. "They don't look in here for kids because most of the kids are too scared of being caught in here."

"Can you read?" asked Clara, moving to look through some of the papers.

"No, but I recognize my name," he said, moving over to a box that had been shoved under one of the tables in the corner.

Tania turned to watch the door uncomfortably, expecting the director to burst into the room at any moment, but even the servant had disappeared.

"Here it is," said Sebastian softly, pulling out a tattered piece of paper that held his information. It looked to have been crumbled and spread back out again. "They tried to throw it away but I was able to save it. I hid it here so they didn't know."

Tania took the paper gently and read over it quickly. He was two years older than her! She glanced up at him again and shook her head. He was so malnourished that he was only as big as she was.

"When was the last time you ate?" she asked, glancing back down at the paper at the look of pain that bloomed in his eyes.

"I don't know," he whispered, fighting the urge to stay standing.

"We can see to it he gets a good meal when we return to the estate," said Clara, taking the paper from her hands and glancing over it. "I believe the director needs to stamp this and then you will need to sign it to make the adoption final, my lady."

"Oh! I know where that is!" gasped Sebastian, turning to the desk and pulling open the bottom drawer. "I've watched him use it to stamp things before."

"You would hide in here when he was in here, and he didn't catch you?" asked Tania with surprise.

"I couldn't leave my hiding spot once he came in the room," answered Sebastian sheepishly, handing over the stamp.

Clara quickly made the appropriate corrections to the paperwork and then tossed the stamp into the fireplace in the corner.

"Why did you do that?" gasped Tania.

"Oops," said Clara in a voice that made it clear she hadn't made a mistake at all. "Well, I guess the director won't be able to undo the document until he gets a new stamp, and we'll be home by then."

Tania closed her mouth and nodded in understanding. Even if he caught them now before they could leave, there was nothing he could do.

"Please keep that document safe, Clara. I'm sure my mother will be very interested in it when she gets home."

"Of course, Countess Tania."

"Countess?" whispered Sebastian with big eyes.