The Fairest Beauty

Sophie nodded.

 

Gotfrid nudged Vincz’s shoulder with his fist, waking him again, and they both followed Dolf and Heinric into the kitchen as well.

 

Dominyk and Walther began discussing the weather. After exhausting that fascinating topic, Walther began to relay the events that led to Gabe getting shot. Sophie cringed as he told the part where Gabe jumped in front of her.

 

“I saw him aiming straight for Little Sophie. Before I could place arrow to bowstring, he let his arrow fly. Gabe jumped in front of Sophie without hesitation, taking the arrow in the shoulder, or it would have hit her square in the chest. That villainous ruffian was getting ready to aim again when I managed to shoot him in the back. He tumbled forward into the river. I’m only sorry I hadn’t gotten there a few minutes sooner.”

 

Sophie felt a bit dizzy and weak in the knees at the vivid reminder of what had occured, and how close both she and Gabe had come to being viciously slain. She was glad Walther and Dominyk weren’t paying attention to her at the moment. She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, but she still couldn’t get Gabe out of her mind, his face tense with pain and pale from loss of blood.

 

Had she thanked Gabe for saving her life? She wasn’t sure she had.

 

She would check on him again the first chance she got. Would he be all right?

 

The kitchen door burst open and Siggy stuck his head out. “S-s-s-s-s.” He stopped and tried again, closing his eyes and reopening them. “S-s-s-s … supper is-s-s … ready.”

 

Sophie smiled at him, wanting to tell him that he was doing well, but she didn’t want to embarrass him. His face was already beet red.

 

Walther and Dominyk let Sophie go first, and she walked into the kitchen. After they all sat down at the long, rough-hewn table, Dominyk commanded, “We shall all formally introduce ourselves to the lady.”

 

They went around the table, nodding respectfully at her as they said their names.

 

The last man, with neat brown hair and a kind face, held up two fingers and drew them across his forehead and down his cheek.

 

“Th-that means Dolf,” Siggy said, and repeated the action with his own hand.

 

Sophie nodded back at them, smiling. “And I am Sophie. I am very happy to meet you all, and I thank you for your kindness and hospitality.”

 

They nodded, several murmuring, “Bitte sch?en.”

 

Supper was venison stew, which didn’t taste bad, though it also didn’t taste as good as it could have. A few herbs and spices would have livened up the flavor considerably. The bread was also lacking, as it was doughy and flat. Glancing around at the dust and cobwebs in every nook and corner, the house didn’t look like it had had a good cleaning in months. Perhaps I can help the men with a few things before I leave.

 

They started their meal in silence, as if the men were afraid of disturbing her. They all had good manners, much better than the servants Sophie was used to eating with. After a few minutes, some quiet conversation began. The men, including Walther, discussed the advantages and disadvantages of crossbows and longbows, which only caused Sophie’s thoughts to wander back to Gabe. Everyone spoke politely, except Heinric, who didn’t seem to follow the conversation at all but interrupted several times to ask for more food or drink. The others served him, and he smiled, even while he ate, chewing happily while bits of food fell from his overflowing mouth.

 

Dolf’s hands and fingers moved in deliberate precision, accompanied by soft grunting noises, prompting Siggy or Bartel to speak aloud for him. Other than to interpret for Dolf, Bartel did not speak.

 

Vincz kept nodding off to sleep. Sophie watched, fascinated, as his head sank toward the table and his half-eaten food. He would jerk his head up, but a few seconds later, it would start to fall forward, dipping lower and lower. Just as his forehead neared his plate, his head would come back up again, as if pulled by a puppeteer’s string.

 

Gotfrid argued with almost everyone else’s opinions. But other than Gotfrid and his scowls, everyone seemed to be enjoying the camaraderie — even Walther, who joined in as if he’d always known the Seven.

 

When everyone finished eating, Siggy and Dolf began clearing the table. Sophie stood and began to help them.

 

“You don’t have to do that,” Vincz said, jumping up to help. Then they all starting helping, and in no time, the table was clean and everything had been put away.

 

Sophie turned around and found all seven men, plus Walther, staring at her. She smiled at them. “Thank you. Thank you all for everything. If you will allow me, I would be happy to cook breakfast tomorrow. I learned to bake in the kitchen of Hohendorf Castle.”

 

Their faces all lit up, except for Gotfrid’s. Sophie wasn’t sure Gotfrid was even capable of smiling. He seemed to wear a perpetual scowl to match the curved scar on the side of his head.

 

“Can you make fried apple pies?” Vincz asked.

 

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