Orphanage Dynamics

As they wandered into the hall, most of the children had already sat in silence in their seats. God forbid they make noise. Even if they didn't get beat by Anabella, they were sure to have their food halved for the day. Some plates had already been set on the table, yet nobody touched them yet - despite the gluttonous looks everyone had on their faces.

The seats were arranged according to age and gender, so Leo and Yuki naturally split up on either side. There were 15 children at the big table, with the biggest being a boy Luca. He'd already reached his late teens and sought some part time work in town. He was also the chief bully in the orphanage. Fortunately, he was almost a legal adult, and would be kicked out of the orphanage soon.

The rest were a mix of malnourished brats aged 3 to 14. They sat respectfully at the table with a dazed look on their face, and restlessly waited for Anabella.

After a bell was rung twice, they waited for another minute before standing up in unison. Anabella stood at the end of the table and had them raise their hands to ensure they cleaned them. After ensuring there was no grime on their palms, they assumed a prayer posture and closed their eyes.

"Pater Noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum... (Our Father, Who art in heaven, hollowed be thy name...)"

As she recited the latin prayer with a solemn voice, Leo could swear she seemed way too pleased with herself. This daily performance must have been her favorite. After all, preachers were of high status in the kingdom, and this little authority must have meant a lot to her.

As a young nun disavowed from marriage, it's not like she had much to look out for. Just like the previous abbess, she'd likely grow old and die a bitter old sow.

"Amen." They recited the last part in practiced unison.

Even Leo had to swallow his grumbles and once more keep his complains to himself. Finally sitting down, they distributed the food and proceeded to eat in silence. Relatively silent, and only if the barbaric munching and slurping wasn't taken into account.

This was no noble court, but even so, each meal irked him to no end and reminded him of his usual migraines. With another muffled grumble, he tore into the cement bread and mixed it with some of the shroom stew to soften it, before greedily gulping it down just like the rest of the starved wolf pack.

As far as the food was concerned, for the kids it was a special occasion when they had bread. For modern folk, it would have been called a travesty. Knowing a plethora of contemporary recipes and having experienced some feasts in his recollection dreams, Leonardo confirmed first hand that ignorance is bliss.

"Luca, it's your turn to wash the plates." Anabella shot the boy an authoritarian glance that sought no rebuke.

The boy seemed displeased with the news, and seemed old enough to rebel by now. After some consideration, he reached under the table and kicked the younger boy next to him, before shooting him a vicious glare.

"Sister Bella… I... I will wash the plates today." The boy offered somewhat involuntarily. Rather than get stepped on, might as well have his pride take the hit.

Anabella seemed nonplussed with the result, either unaware or unbothered by the machinations beneath the table. She simply nodded as she finished her plate and sat up nonchalantly.

"Fine. Don't forget to wash your hands and prepare for evening mass. I will have you recite your verses tonight. Those who forgot them... hmph!"

A subtle but audible groan echoed through the hall. Education wasn't the most popular activity among the kids.

There were some among them who groaned for another reason, however. Leonardo for one was already somewhat fluent in latin, the various dialects of early italian and even the early saxon tongues. Malta was a hubbub of activity, and he'd pick on everyday conversations very easily.

As such, whatever education the tit-brain had was an utterly dull affair for him, one he nonetheless had to play pretend for. Yuki was surprisingly excited to go along, however. Despite being tutored personally by Leonardo, she always had untapped enthusiasm for her sister's lectures.

Having left the plates for the pushover kid to deal with, Leo and Yuki snuck back to his room, where he promptly handed her an apple.

"What do you say?" he asked her in greek.

"Thank you very much, big brother Leo," she answered in the same tongue after some contemplation.

"Good girl!"

Patting her head with a satisfied smile, he gave her some time to devour the apple before reaching out for a pair of chiseled sticks in the corner.

Having finished her food, she sat up and gazed at the 'swords' with a wince.

"Don't give me that look. You must practice from a young age if you want to make something of yourself."

Handing her a sword with an unusually strict gaze, he came to her side and together they assumed the starting kata (martial posture) for their practice.

"Widen your feet a little more. Straighten your left shoulder. Don't slouch your back. Stop looking at your feet!"

Constantly issuing rebukes, they gradually came into sync and their maneuvers grew more and more fluid as they danced across the room in silence.

"Good, you're doing good. We'll speed up a little in these transitions."

He didn't forget to encourage and praise her either, though this occurred somewhat rarely. The girl briefly lost herself in her pride and lost her stance, causing Leo to grimace and rebuke her again — only to start the cycle anew.

As the hours slipped past, the duo gradually forgot themselves in their seclusion. When they grew too tired to maintain their training, they would take a break and Leo would narrate some of the tidbits he recollected from his memory puzzles. Whether translating poems or reciting and extrapolating on the occasional oriental idiom, they made the best use of their time.

It was only fifteen minutes before evening mass that Leo had her stop and wash away her sweat with a cold rag.

"It's almost dinner. Let's go eat and then go to bed. Tomorrow we'll go early. If you're lucky, we might catch a rat in the woods."

The girl smiled brightly at the prospect of their hunt and cheered as they raced to the kitchen to ensure they were in time.