2 The Two Bohemians

As the noontide sun still shone down across the hill of the ash tree to stretch out a long and unnerving shadow that was almost crawling quickly with every ounce to lurk closer in the hollows of other gentle trees that proved to only avoid when the shadow touched their wood. With some sort of hunger, the shadow rapidly began to attempt a much farther reach towards the full-blooded puritan town of Salem, it still darkened all around the forest to condemn it into itself of being a dusk-like cascade of pure ugliness to hide the forests perfect beauty.

Nevertheless, the drifting shadow finally reached its destination inside the fully aware village to then cast upon heavily over the only prideful church so far in Salem that has stood even after nearly twenty years because of the settlers arrivals.

Unfortunately, the church has started to wither away by the wood that was its frames that even still keep it together even now at its worse, the roofing was nearly sinking through due to odd winters hitting down at the unknowing church that supposedly wouldn't have guessed such destruction existed in this new land, and lastly, the once beautiful stained glass windows were now leaking away their old vibrant colors to then melt away into only a bleak gray.

While the shadow loomed high above the church like an angel of death, inside the magistrate, a holy man of the church who was minister Acros was pleading his sorrow to his honorable judge, Randal Stewart, which was the very same shameless judge that had hung the three witches; including of course, Mistress Wilmot.

Minister Acros was a peculiarly short man with a well-rounded body that closely resembled that of the exact same bell inside the tower of his tiring church he used to ring only fifteen years ago, but because of his old age he now lets the bell stay silent in the tower, unlike the over communicative old man that proved to have much of an opinion to state whenever he wanted to say one, "Perhaps this should stop, Mr. Stewart, with the loss of fair maidens I am beginning to wonder if Salem will even make it next fall." He said, addressing his fully sleeved hands towards the splendid autumn forest, "Without maids, how do we intend to hail our God without puritan blood to show him that we care?"

Judge Stewart also was peculiar, but that was because of his bright, fiery ginger hair that always glistened along with the very slight strands of gray hairs in his mop.

Another factor of his strangeness was the way he smiled at the cruel and awful..so, that was what his friends and neighbors remembered him for, his smile of death that the name for him since the only time he'd smile was for a witch hunt or hanging.

Completely unfazed, the judge shrugged, "Are you suggesting we hang our brothers instead?" the powerful man snickered at his companion, "That'll never do for either of us, minister."

Minister Acros's face burned with red in slight rage for being misheard by the honorable judge.

Yet, slowly but surely Minister Acros put his hands together to hold them to go back to the holy man ways that he's spent fifteen years adapting to, "Not quite, I just worry that our other friends will begin to fear superstition so early in our years of being here."

"Fear?" Judge Stewart echoed curiously down at him, "Clearly, you must be thinking of something else. No, instead of fear these trials are a way for our God to believe that we can balance holy with the wicked all at once."

"Perhaps, but-" Minister Acros began, but was silenced with the judge's index finger to be swiftly placed over his words.

Behind Minister Acros a plain gray gown swayed over the yellow blades of grass with grace, "My minister, I've been looking everywhere for you."

Lydia Jane, a blonde headed maid with pale gray eyes that matched perfectly with her plain gown that nearly made her eyes glow in belonging with the rag she wore; she had rosy cheeks, a thin nose full of freckles, and almost not really noticeable laugh lines stretched from the corners of her mouth to show that in this youthful appearing woman that was really nearing her thirties, truly knew how to enjoy her once young life.

Another brilliant factor to her, of course, her gray feline-like eyes that stared with only curiosity and gentleness all the time whenever anyone in Salem would see her.

In such, she was a true delight, and that was what frightened the minister so much.

The well-aged maiden curtsied at them in respect to make up for not doing it before, but to also demonstrate how well educated she was into being  so properly mannered throughout her entire life despite her laugh lines which showed otherwise, "Am I intruding on anything, my sir's?"

Judge Stewart stepped slightly backward to remove his index finger from Across mouth to let the short minister speak.

"N-no, Miss. Jane, we were just discussing plans for our next election." The Minister lied, though he knew it was a sin, "Please, do not be so mannered towards everyone in Salem. Surely, there are other ways to show respect to others instead of giving an example of what you've been taught in London."

The gray feline eyes danced around like a ricocheting bullet back and forth on the judge and Minister with such curiosity that she desperately almost wanted to ask what they were doing.

Unfortunately, her curiosity was not going to have it's the day to ask, so she just nodded with a smile because her properness got in her way again,

"I understand well, Minister Acros." She said gayly to him, "Though, what I was going to tell you before was that my nieces are arriving soon from London and will be staying with me unless ever their parents decide to sail here sometime later too. Sadly, I highly doubt it considering my brother Daniel became bankrupt only a few weeks ago, thus why he is sending his children here because he can no longer care for them without a wife..but, my nieces, Evelyn Jane, and little Dorothy Jane will be attending church with me. So, it shall be very delightful to me since I haven't seen either after I left London for Massachusetts only eight years ago."

Judge Stewart folded his arms, slightly interested to hear the new arrivals that he is only Learning about now. Even though, he is supposed to know everything before a decision is made.

Indeed he was annoyed, but he reminded himself that Lydia Jane was once newer there eight years ago, a new lady in this village when everyone else was going on their twelfth year of being residents.

So, he nodded his head slowly to Minister Acros to let this one thing slide.

Minister Acros stared up to Lydia since she even was taller than him, "How old are the girls, maybe we could enroll them into our school as well?" He suggested with sweat dripping from his head down to his shoulders like a river because he was worried for the maid.

"Evelyn is fourteen and Dorothy I believe is only eight, she was born during my emigration." Lydia explained with enjoyment to talk about her Niece's, yet she knew it was time for her to head to the docks, "It is almost evening, I must be going to the docks if I am supposed to see the girls. Goodbye to you both, Minister Acros and Judge Stewart!" In a flash, the gray gown was out of sight as it was last seen to leave past a corner of a log cabin.

Again, it was Minister Acros and Judge Stewart to argue over the three last trials to decide whether or not if it was going to happen again.

A wafting smell of salt water hit the back of Lydia's throat when she was stepping awkwardly through the soft patches sand as she headed towards the dock where a ship was docked at; the ship was old as well as the church for the same reason.

After all the many times the same ship has come and gone, the weather was the only problem.

On the ship, a man walked down old stomped on drawbridge with two girls of different ages in front of him so he could keep an eye on the two.

The eldest to the right of him possessed long blonde hair that reflected off the rays of the sun, her eyes were dark charcoal black, and the dress she wore was also a mucky black which unsettled Lydia.

Thankfully despite the oldest dress, the little girl whom Lydia assumed was Dorothy looked to be more cheery than Evelyn her older sister.

"Miss. Jane, I presume?" The dockman asked.

It was expected, the aged well woman curtsied to the dockman with her eyes on the two girls, "Yes."

With caution, Evelyn Jane pulled Dorothy behind herself so then if anything happened then she'd be able to protect her little sister from anything.

The dockman fished through his front pocket for his notepad and pen, "Are you the only guardian here while Mr. Jane is in London?" He brightening questioned her as his eyes tiredly looked over his notepad for the Jane girls names.

Lydia nodded with her hands stretched out to the girls in hopes Evelyn would remember her since the fourteen-year-old was six when she left, "Daniel and I were the only children of Dawson Jane and Ruth Jane, I'm afraid. Thus, I am the only rightful guardian to the girls."

Dorothy's exact charcoal eyes grasped on to her aunt's hands, "You know our grandparents?" The eight-year-old asked.

"Of course she does, Dorothy, don't be so stupid." Evelyn snapped down at the younger babe, "She is our aunt which makes her our father's sister, that is why we're here in this wretched place out of our hometown."

Lydia's eyes narrowed closely at Evelyn so then she could wonder how such lack of manners came to exist in one single child.

Yet, she picked up Dorothy to rest her on her waist so then she could hold the girl better, "Shall we go now, Dockman?"

The dockman instantly crossed off two names on his notepad now that he was called out on it, "Yes, but I am here on very strict orders."

"Orders?" Lydia cooed at him, "Like what?"

The dock man's eyes lingered over Evelyn to remind her of something.

Quickly, Evelyn pulled out a folded paper that she was going to hand to her aunt, but it was snatched out of her hands by the dockman.

Lydia's feline eyes darker at the dock man, and so she pulled her other niece next to her.

Now, the dock man's eyes Lydia noticed were trailing over something important in the paper that she began to realize he was reading more than once, "If ever my sister, Lydia Jane,  could never care upon my children then I, Daniel Jane requested my children, Evelyn and Dorothy Jane to sail back to London with payment." He finished saying after reading the paper.

"Why?" Lydia gasped in disbelief, "My own brother would sue me if ever I sent my nieces back to him? That's ridiculous, sir!- I demand to see that paper as well!"

In one briskly easy move, the dock man folded and placed the paper of requirements into his pocket before Lydia could even think to get it, "Your brother, I've told you before, gave me strict orders. I apologize, Miss Jane, but if his demands are not met then these two girls will have to be sailing back to London with your wealth along with them."

Miss. Jane sighed, "Very well, I accept these terms-"

"As long as the girls are on this land, then it wasn't a choice, to begin with. Luckily for you, that was the only demand Mr. Jane cared for involving you, the aunt and guardian of his children. So, perhaps this may be easier after all." The dockman lazily yawned to her, "Sorry, but I must go, and I'm taking this paper with me."

Evelyn, Dorothy, and Miss. Jane watched the dockman enter onto the ship then to only disappear in the darkness before the drawbridge lifted up to a close.

Now, Miss. Jane was with her two nieces at last.

Too bad, anger was the only emotion visible instead of happiness that she was supposed to be feeling.

However outraged she was, she had her nieces and that was all she cared for right now, "All right, it's time to enter Salem, little misfits."