Don't Cry For Yourself, Cry For Others Chapter 20

After his mother left, Bannon put down the quill and looked over at his sister quizzically.

What had they been whispering about? Curiosity was truely a torturous thing.

Miriam hopped over to Bannons side like a toucan and leaned over his shoulder to look at his progress.

Imaginary black lines appeared on her face.

What was this chicken scratch?!

Looking at him holding his quill with the right hand she thought for a moment before saying "Try with your left hand now."

Bannon looked at her with shock on his face at the thought of this suggestion. Weren't you supposed to write with only your right hand?

Ah! Did mum tell him the wrong information?

As if sensing his thoughts Miriam, put her hand over his right hand before yanking it behind his back.

"Now try. I just want to see if this hand can make a roosters clawmarks instead of a chickens scratch."

Rolling her eyes a little, she encouraged him to try with his right hand.

The poor 5 year old little boy had no idea what his sister was referring too. Why did she start talking about poultry? Was it because of his red hair?

Bannon felt like crying. Everyone hated his hair but his mum.

After fighting back tears, Bannon attempted to write with his left hand.

The result was about the same as with the right hand.

Letting out a sigh, Miriam bemoaned her fate of probably finding the one child who had the worst handwriting.

Letting go of his hand, she said "Nevermind you can write with your right hand again. Start over again."

Time passed by quickly and Bannon made quite abit of progress. She could now figure out what he was writing if she squinted her eyes.

"I'm tired.... my hand hurts." Bannon stated as he put down the quill. Shaking his hand he rubbed it quite abit to try and loosen it up.

Sighing Miriam looked over his work and nodded her head slightly. This was good enough for the first day. First subordinate acquired.

"We can go to bed now, first wash your face and brush your teeth. Then change. I already changed when you were busy practicing." Said Miriam as she cracked her neck to one side before climbing into the 'bed.

Bannon sighed and did as he was told. When changing his clothes, he turned his back to his sister, as he was abit embarrassed with a girl other than his mother in the room.

Bannon was certianly a shy boy!

The cold and uncomfortable mattress pressed into Miriams back. She lay there silently thinking about many things.

What was she planning for? How could a woman be truly independent in these times...

She may have bamboozled her father this time, but he was the kind of person who just wanted benefits. She was sure that he'd throw her into a den of wolves if said wolves would benefit him enough.

Bannon eventually finished changing and washed up as best as one could before slowly coming to the edge of the Inns small bed.

Noticing his approach Miriam opened the. overed by lifted up one of her arms.

"We have a long journey still so let's quickly get to bed. I don't want to look like a zombie in the morning."

Said Miriam as she rolled over to face the wall on the right side of the bed.

Hesitantly Bannon inched foward and after about a minute sat onto the bed without entering the covers.

Miriam was almost asleep when she thought she could hear some ever so soft sobs from the other side of the bed.

"Sigh... He's only around 5 afterall.'

Rolling over, Miriam wiggled underneath the covers and slithered to the other side of the bed.

Speaking of slithering, Miriam had fed her pet snake with a cockroach earlier that she had found in the corner of the room. Of course when Bannon was focused on his writing.

Samantha currently was snuggled near Miriam.

Sometimes the girl wondered if the snake was a little "special".

Perhaps it had hit its head during the fox attack. But who knows?

Peaking her head from underneath the duvet, she also reached out her right arm and hooked Bannon around the waist and susquently pulled him underneath the waves of fabric.

Shark girl!

Bannon let our a 'Eeip!' noise before he disappeared underneath the blanket.

"Don't cry unless its sympathy or empathy for other people. Never cry for yourself. It will only hurt you." Miriam said candidly.

Looking at the dark little figure underneath the blanket Bannon wondered why his little sister was so grown up at times. Was he just too childish? He was just stewing over the all injustices he had faced.

Earlier his father barely gave him a glance while he openily cattered to Miriams every whim. Was this the difference between bastards like him and the legitimate children like Miriam?

Or perhaps it was his haircolor?

Miriam reached out to Bannon, sensing hhos currently negative aura, and pinched his cheek lightly.

"Children shouldn't worry so much. To have food and a roof over your head, just wait for the future. Surely you have a big dream too. Whatever it is let's work towards it together."

Miriam smiled from the bottom of her heart brightly like a ray of summer sunshine, even though underneath the covers her smile could not be seen, it was still bright.

"All we have to do is grow up and we shall be able to fight the world for what we want. I will not lay down and accept handouts. I will go and take what I deem destined for me. Tough times ahead shall make for even better times in the further future. Let's go to sleep so we don't stunt our growth and end up like midgets." Miriam said all this as she released his cheek from her grip and lightly patyed hos head befpre retracting her arm and turning back over to sleep.

She rolled back over to the right side of the bed, taking into consideration to be careful of Samantha.

""Goodnight, love you all." Miriam saod groggyly before drifting off into dreamland.

Bannon had one thought before he alsp fell asleep, and that one thought was...

'Why did she say you all, weren't they the only two in the room???'