Samantha found herself in the unenviable position of being confined to a “bed” to recover. It had taken her captors a long time to explain the concept of a bed, but she eventually got it. It was like a sleeping sack but for the extremely wealthy. Her own cloak had once been a sleeping sack, well her own and her Papa’s who had sown the two together for her to have a little more comfort during lights out. If he could see her now, what would he say? Would he come to her rescue or negotiate with her jailers? Samantha contemplated this question as she struggled against the straps and belts used to tie her down. After her fifth escape attempt, they decided to reduce the risk of injury and keep the girl contained at all times. In her weakened state her shadows weren’t strong enough to break the straps or unfasten the buckles. That did not stop her however as she mentally commanded a shadow tendril wielding a spoon to grind away at her constraints. What fools her jailers were, they fed her the admittedly delicious gruel the first few days and then allowed her to feed herself for the remainder of her imprisonment. They had no idea she was stockpiling her strength for her biggest escape attempt yet. She could feel it, the strap was mere moments from breaking. Once that was done, she would have her freedom!

James watched his house guest laugh maniacally to herself and command a whispy tentacle of darkness to rub the smooth edge of a spoon against one of his nicer belts. He wasn’t quite sure what she hoped to accomplish having made no progress in the hour she had been sawing away or what she would do about the other five belts if she managed to break the first. It was interesting to watch at the very least, if someone described this scenario as an anecdote or drunken story, he would probably laugh at the absurdity, but sitting right next to Samantha as she was laser focused on her next escape only perplexed James further. He had so many questions for this girl and wasn’t sure he would get a single answer that wasn’t complete insanity. Valerie did previously attempt to interrogate the girl following her first escape and for most of the following day, yet a week later and Samantha hadn’t said a single word to his niece only glaring when she entered the room. Valerie had all but given up communicating and instead helped take care of the girl’s daily needs that her uncle couldn’t or shouldn’t assist with. Otherwise, she busied herself with gathering provisions and hunting game showing real care and responsibility perhaps as a way to atone for her recklessness. Focusing on the mark still bright and plain on his guest face, James hoped the two’s contentious relationship wouldn’t spell the end to a potential friendship before it even had a chance to blossom.

Despite the fading bruises and deeps cut, Samantha was much improved compared to the ghost of a girl they had met a week ago. Likely in no small part thanks to her “gift” and all the wondrous, terrible benefits it bestowed. Where once was a deathly pale complexion and sunken cheeks, a bit of colour and shape began to appear again. She was still a skeletal fright that was one bad gust away from crumpling into dust. All this could be improved over time yet, there was one thing about her that unsettled James that he doubted any level of care could correct. It didn’t matter what time of day it was or if they held a candle up to her face no light seemed to reflect from her eyes. Whenever he managed to catch a glimpse a shudder would travel down his spine from the utterly devoid of life pitch black voids that were her iris and pupils. Although he wasn’t an expert on magic, James guessed it was a product of her power but it would cause such a change he couldn’t say. As if on cue, James was brought back to reality by that very same power dropping the spoon to rattle against the floor.

James looked to the spoon then at Samantha who copied his motion. Staring into the pair of empty abysses surrounded by murky white sent goosebumps running up and down James arms. Breaking eye contact, Samantha reached for the spoon with her shadow tendril, the barely arms length wisp of magic unable to stretch far enough. The scene reminded James of when Valerie had been younger and tried to grab things off the dining table or a high shelf, always just out of beyond her grasp which infuriated his niece to no end. Smiling nostalgically, he knelt out of his seat and picked up the spoon before setting it back on the bed beside Samantha who immediately used her shadow to snatch it up and begin hacking away once again. Letting out a long sigh, James sat back in his seat and addressed the jailbird.

“Listen Samantha, as entertaining as this is, I don’t think you’re going to get anywhere. I’ll make you a deal: I’ll take off one of the belts if you promise to answer some of my questions.”

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Samantha’s botched escape halted as she glared at James before immediately resuming answering his offer in a quiet unsteady voice.

“You’re just trying to trick me. I’ll get out and when I do you and… you will wish I hadn’t!”

James dragged his hand across his face and let out a groan. Both he and Valerie had told Samantha their names multiple times, yet she either refused to remember or was too gone with the fairies to recall anything beyond her own name. Changing tactics, James made a new proposal upon recalling the stack of empty bowls this girl made on the daily.

“Very well, then how about this? You answer my questions, and I’ll bring you some more stew.”

Samantha stopped once again staring hard at James. Squinting her eyes she took the bait.

“Two bowls.”

“Deal.”

James answered without a second thought. Any chance to get the slightest bit of information out of this riddle was worth it. Ofcourse, answering a question did not stop his guest form continuing her doomed escape, the sound of her spoon scraping against the belt persisting and unwavering. Sitting forward, James began with what he believed the most prudent questions were.

“Apologies for my language but, who the bloody hell are you? Where did you come from? How did you get here?”

“I’m Samantha. I came from the mine. I walked. Okay, stew time.”

James fell back against his seat again, annoyed with himself. Ofcourse she wouldn’t elaborate or give meaningful answers. The part about the mine was new but not very informative. It was a start however and you had to follow a lead when it was presented to you.

“I’ll get you your stew, but my questions aren’t done. What is the mine? Where is the mine?”

Samantha was about to state the obvious when she stopped. Bringing her spoon up to her chin, she scratched absent mindedly while looking off at nowhere in particular. What was the mine? She never really questioned it, just dug deep and transported some fancy rocks every now and then. As for where, what was she a cartographer? It was way over there in whoknowsville right by I-don’t-know Valley. That likely wouldn’t go over well with her warden, so might as well be honest.

“I dunno, a place? Why, have you never been?”

Samantha suddenly looked at James differently, a thought entering her head.

“Were… were you not in the mine? Were you one of the guards?!”

She asked with curiosity and suspicion turning her spoon to point menacingly at James. The older man pondered this question before answering.

“No? I am not a guard for the mine, and I never have been. I have lived here with my niece for quite a few years.”

Samantha’s face relaxed and she turned back to her activity, content she heard no lies. James stewed on this odd revelation. There were no mines in the area as far as he was aware. The closest settlement was a farm stead and the one after that was tiny fishing hut. He could keep asking Samantha about this supposed mine and why it would need guards or why she looked so apprehensive at the idea he was one. Clearly though she was more interested in her task and further questions were pointless for the time being. A part of him wanted to ask if she had any family or people who were looking for her, but the state she was in painted a bleak picture. Rising to grab his promised reward, James stopped at the door and turned to asked Samantha one last question.

“Samantha, what do you want out of life?”

It turned around in his mind relentlessly, if this person was here to influence his niece best to know she wasn’t out to do anything outrageous like get revenge against the mine or something to that effect. Samantha slowly ceased her escape attempt to look at James and then past him towards the door to the outside world. Papa’s words and wishes sprang forth and she spoke without a hint of weariness, suspicion, or malice.

“I want to see the world before I die.”

Blinking rapidly James soaked in her words before nodding and exiting the room. Grabbing a pair of bowls and ladling out a hearty helping from the pot above the hearth, James smiled to himself. There was no escaping this girl would bring about a change in his niece and if it meant she too could see the world, well that was fine by him.

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, James was struggling to sleep yet again. He built the chair he currently used as a makeshift bed and once had been proud of it. Now, however, after being relegated as his new sleeping area, he was finding all sorts of issues with it. Without much else to do he thought on Samantha’s words and decided it would be worthwhile to venture out and try to find this mine. He might be gone for some time scouring the woods, but he was sure Valerie would be fine to take care of Samantha.

The door to his former room opened as his trapped guest walked out yawning and headed for the hearth where that night’s leftovers were left to simmer in a pot. She ladled out a helpful portion before sleepily returning to her room. A gobsmacked James watching from his seat as she scarfed down the food and then slid herself back into the series of belts restraining her and began lightly snoring. On second thought, maybe James would delay any departures until he figured out what exactly was going on with his house guest.