Chapter 2 - Payton Hall

Mackinley peered out between the cracks of the boards covering the open hole that was the window. Mistress Sheleigh had hit her again but she didn't understand why: Maybeth had been the one to take the cookies. She was always getting in trouble for what Maybeth did.

The small dark haired girl with bright green eyes watched the distance, having spotted dust. Horses? she wondered, but no one ever came to the small orphanage. Mistress Sheleigh said it was because Payton Hall was where other orphanages sent the girls who nobody wanted. McKinley didn't know if she believed the Mistress, but having lived in three different orphanages already, it was hard not to. Payton Hall was the only one she could remember. Mistress Sheleigh said that she'd been found in the back of an abandoned wagon, the dead all around: Mistress Sheleigh said that was a bad sign that she was evil. She'd been found four years ago and Mistress Sheleigh said bad things followed her: the first orphanage had been destroyed by fire; the second consumed by pox; the third couldn't find anyone to adopt her and now she was too old, too stupid and too much trouble. Mistress Sheleigh beat her twice a week even if she didn't do anything wrong.

Mackinley heard voices coming up from below, calling the girls together: not for the first time she wondered if she stayed hidden there in the attic if anyone would find her. Mistress' voice raised in pitch and with a sigh Mackinley cradled her arm: the bones grating together painfully and trudged down the small stairs hiding the pain. She didn't know how to fix the arm--it wasn't like bruises that just went away: Maybeth had pushed her out of a tree and Mistress had beaten her for tearing Maybeth's dress, yelling that Maybeth would be adopted soon and now she had nothing nice to wear to meet her new family.

Mackinley hoped the dust was Maybeth's new family.

There were ten girls in all, four showed the green tinged signs of faded bruises: Mackinley wondered what they had been blamed for. She hated Payton Hall.

Mistress Sheleigh ordered them into a neat line and marched them out to stand before the collapsing wrap around porch. Madeline had to carry baby Meghan since Mackinley could not. The Mistress frowned but said nothing: the promise of her cane in her surly dark eyes but Mackinley pretended not to notice.

The carriage and two horsemen came into the yard but Mackinley saw the wagon of people did not; it slowed and stopped: the driver only came down with a water bag in his hands. He took it to the mules pulling the wagon. Her attention came back to the carriage as the door swung open.

Her emotions masked behind a calm smile Mackinley waited. It didn't take long for the girls to realize this was not Maybeth's new family, nor was Mistress pleased about their guests. Her eyes were pinched together as she spoke to the girls, "This is Hushai Master Evans and Hushai Master Garvin: you will do everything they ask and if you are very fortunate" she flashed a fake smile at the men, "you will be Chosen."

"Chosen for what?" Maybeth asked, calculation in her blue eyes, debating how to handle the situation. Maybeth was eight and had been at Payton Hall for six years but she'd never seen people like these.

"A hard life," Master Garvin told her. Mackinley noticed the young man's eyes and face never showed any emotion as he spoke and she wondered if his Mistress or Master beat him too. "The Hushai will train you to serve others in all the realms. It is an honor and a hardship to train. You may choose to stay here if you are Chosen, but if you do, you will never be permitted to train with us again. Hushai work hard, we train hard, we serve every kingdom and people, our lives are not our own."

The girls listened and waited: some showed their apprehension, some did not. The two horsemen got down and walked the line of girls: checking their hands and teeth, asking them to walk forward to stand before Master Evans. Master Evans simply looked at their faces then sent them back to line.

Maybeth stepped away and moved down the line of the girls, "I've been adopted, I don't have to do this." She deliberately bumped into Mackinley as she walked away and went back in to Payton Hall. Biting her teeth together in pain, Mackinley focused on keeping the pain out of her eyes: Mistress would beat her later for being in Maybeth's way. She allowed the nearest man to turn and lift her arms and teeth and sent her to Evans. She didn't see him turn and follow her, leaving the other girls to his partner.

"Why is her arm not set?" Master Evans asked of Mistress Sheleigh. Mackinley didn't listen to her response, studying instead the intense gaze of Master Evans. There were gold flecks in his blue eyes but his expression never changed. His clothes were not fancy, for all he arrived in a carriage: shirt, tunic and breeches of cotton and tall boots that nearly came to his knees. All four men were dressed the same. Inside his tunic she caught glimpse of a silver chain and wondered at it. She pretended not to feel the pain when he ordered her to extend her arm, "when did the break happen girl?"

She was surprised to find her knelt to her height, " This morning, Master," she told him, "I fell out of the tree, I'm clumsy. "

"Indeed," he mused, gently feeling the arm. he looked up at Garvin, indicating the other man should hold her and nodded, "try to stand very still, young one, this is going to hurt a lot." His voice was kind, his eyes never left hers. Suddenly he tugged, she felt a flash of pain and gritted her teeth against it, tears welling in her eyes. He watched her a moment more, binding her arm against her chest, "I would like you to come with us," he told her, "to become a Hushai."

Mackinley nodded and Garvin took her good hand to help her into the carriage. Fear was in Madeline's eyes, but Mackinley couldn't help her. Mistress would go back to beating Madeline now that Mackinley wouldn't be there.

No other girls were chosen from Payton Hall.

When the carriage caught up with the wagon Evans and Garvin helped Mackinley into it. There were twelve others already there: some were well dressed: nobility or merchants, others wore rags. The wagon master saw her bandaged arm, "how bad?" he asked.

Garvin shrugged, "broken, but she didn't even call out." He beckoned Mackinley to the side of the wagon closest to the wagon master, "do you have a name, girl?"

"Mistress called me Mackinley, begging your pardon sir," she told him, "some of the girls called me Mac."

"Well, Mac, let's have Master Kurt here see your arm: he's a Hushai Healer."

Master Kurt undid the binding that Evans and Garvin had put on her and watched her face as he moved the arm carefully. Finally he stopped and closed his eyes: as he did Mac felt tingles all through her body and suddenly the pain was gone.

Her mask dissolved: "what'd you do? It feels like nothin' happened?"

"I healed the break and bruises: your body will want sleep. You lot, share a blanket with Mac, she's just had a healing." he nodded to Garvin as the other youth shuffled around in the wagon to give her a blanket. The men moved back to the wagon where Mac couldn't hear them as sleep overcame her. "Riddled with bruises; I took care of the fleas; there's been other breaks but I'll need days to heal those--maybe weeks: they're old. Likely beaten her entire life."

"And her mind?" Evans had joined them.

"That's the most incredible thing," Kurt shook his head, "she has sealed her mind from pain and I wouldn't be surprised if she learns quickly. She reminds me of what you were like when you were chosen, Evans: touching her mind was like touching a stone wall--I couldn't get past it. None of the others have her control and she's very young."

"The council will be pleased," Evans nodded, "It's not often we find any with that strength of mind."

Satisfied with their findings, the Hushai resumed their journey.