Edward Teach, 34th Lord of Roseshire had returned to town after a week and a half. He had done some respectable trading, but his mind kept wandering to that girl. So, here he was, in the same tavern, waiting. He had waited all yesterday afternoon and last night. He had waited most of the day as well, here she came walking in through the door, as if it were her own place. She was looking around and finally saw him. She waved, timidly and he waved her over.
He was impressed. She was relatively clean and still wore the same clothes, but it was plain she had not been sleeping in the streets anymore and had a greater sense of self confidence. He patted the chair next to him. He just stared at her for awhile. She began to squirm and finally he realized he had been staring. Still it never ceased to amaze him what a little kindness and hope could do to a body. Oh, most, their spirits were better, very few had such a dramatic change as this child. Coughing to cover the hitch in his voice. "Here" he said, pushing the bundle of clothes, a second pair of boots and a belt knife so big that on her it was just short of being a sword.
She sat there a long time looking at him and glancing to the bundle and knife. She remained quiet, but took the knife and slipped it into her waist band. "You came back", she finally said. "I said I would", he retorted. "I didn't think you would really come back." she whispered. He snorted and answered, "And yet, here I am." They looked at each other for a long moment, then she looked away when the serving girl came to the table. He ordered a large dinner for them, spiced wine for himself and goat's milk for her. Her nosed wrinkled at goat's milk. Looking up she saw the prettiest pin on the serving girl, it looked like a rose, viewed from the side. She asked bluntly, "That's a pretty pin, how can I get one?" Edward snorted wine through his nose, the woman laughing patted his back. "Catching them early to train up right, Edward?" she teased him. He glared at the serving woman. Still laughing she turned to go, saying, "The meal will be right out and your regular room is being prepared." He called after her, "She'll be needing a room too."
He turned and looked at Roon. After a few minutes he took a pin out of his pocket. It looked different from the woman's pin. It was an open rose, face on and it was gold not silver. He reached over, waiting at the last second to see if she would shrink back. When she didn't, but poke her chest out instead, he smiled. He fastened the pin to her shirt. He looked at her wearing her pin and said: "That pin she wears is for women who.... I have a different kind of relationship with. This here is for people who are friends and family." She looked confused. She didn't remember ever having family and the few friends she had were all other street kids. She told him so. He looked her with kindness in his eyes and said, "Not anymore, Roon, not anymore." The food arrived and they fell to with a fury.
They eventually went to their rooms, Edward ordering a bath for her, he'd had his in the little hours of the morning that day. They went to their separate rooms, but a little while later there was a soft, tentative knock on his door. When he opened it, he saw Roon standing there in just her shirt. It came down her thighs, just short of halfway to her knees. She was holding soap and a sponge in her hands. She looked up at him and then down again and said in a soft voice that he heard crack. "I don't know how..." He leaned down and picked up in his arms and said softly into her ear, "Well, we'll just have to teach you won't we?" She didn't seem to notice his voice cracking.
He carried her to her room and sat her on her bed while he checked the temperature of the water and and explained how to mix it so it felt just right, to always use the skin on the inside of her wrist to test it. When he was satisfied with the water he walked over to her and stood her up. He pulled her shirt over her head and slipped her under garments off. He picked her back up in his arms and carried her the three steps to the tub and gently sat her down in it. He taught her how to bath. He was quiet and easy with her. He even blushed when he explained how she had to be sure to clean her woman parts real good or she could get an infection. When the bath was finished he just sat down next to the tub and sang softly or listened to her tell stories of her day to day life. When she started to complain that the water was getting chill, he stood and picked her up again and took her back to the bed and stood her on her feet as he toweled her off. He pulled a new shirt and new undergarments from the package and tucked her in bed saying he would see in the morning, down stairs at breakfast.
When he got back to his room, Franny the serving woman, was waiting on him already stripped to nothing but her shirt, hanging loosely on her. There was affection and tears in her eyes. He took her in his arms and she shivered. "Edward, that girl" was all she got out before a tear left her eye. "Its a good thing you do." He removed Franny's shirt and his own clothing and tumbled the two of them into bed. She didn't leave till morning.
The next morning, when she came down to breakfast, Roon looked happier, less wary and more self possessed. She joined him at the table and he asked if she wanted to order. She looked a little scared but he smiled at that and assured her she could do it. She ordered eggs, ham, biscuits, grits, sausage and small beer. She looked at him to see if she was getting it right. She received a smile and a nod. Then they sat there in silence for a long time. Finally he said to her, offhandedly, "When I leave here this afternoon, you are coming with me". The breath left her body. When she had it back she simply said, "Ok." Then she thought for a minute, "Ah, what do I call you?" "Edward" he said and smiled a smile that was like the sun breaking through the clouds of a stormy day, down on her. She beamed right back. "Ok, Edward. Where we going?" Chuckling he said he was a traveling merchant and moved around a lot, but eventually they would go to is family home called Roseshire. At the name she took her pin in her hand and looked down at it. For the first time she could remember, she was happy.