Chapter 2

"There is something different about you today" Renault, the twin of Renart, observed as he came to breakfast, just in from feeding the few horses they had.

"Uglier right?" Renart snickered, entering after him. At this, brother number four, Conrad, who was behind Renart, smacked him upside the head causing Arba to laugh at the grimacing Renart who soothingly patted the back of his head, arranging his blond locks back into place.

"Good morning, Conrad" Arba greeted another brother who is way better than Renart.

Already seated, Conrad mumbled back a reply to her as his mouth was stuffed with a bun he had taken from the table without Mama's notice.

"Don't you see it, Con. Arba looks different this morning" Renault said returning back to his earlier topic as he took his seat next to Conrad. Everybody had their assigned seating positions at the eating table, and this wasn't in any particular order. The seating arrangements just haphazardly fell into place over time, largely based on wherever you were sat more

"I reckon it's that wretched dress she is wearing, makes her look like a soggy sock" Renart was at it again.

Mama who was just entering the kitchen at that time, having left a few minutes ago to go call Pa and the others for breakfast, heard what Renart had said and sharply replied to him.

"Hush your mouth boy" she berated him. "I won't have you talking about your sister like that, do you hear me?"

"Yes Ma" he rightly and obediently replied, taking his seat.

"And I will have you know I made that dress myself with lots of love, especially for your dear sister" Mama added as she moved to the kitchen, to grab a jar of fruit jam she prepared just yesterday, off the cupboard.

Soon after everyone was seated, they began incessant chatter and banter as is natural in a house of ten children, as they waited for Pa and the eldest, Gosforth, to come to breakfast. They were yet occupied with their chores.

The backdoor leading outside opened ushering in the last two to come to the table. Immediately Pa sat down, along with Gosforth, all chatter ceased. Everyone knew that Mama is a force, but Pa is truly the one to be feared. It is just like Mama is a fierce wind announcing the coming of a thunderstorm, strong but not doing much harm itself, while Pa is that thunderstorm.

"The table looks beautiful, my love" Pa said to his wife, Eunice.

"Oh well, of course it does" Mama said blushing a bit, her youthful beauty that remained still despite her middle age and rearing a handful of children, shone through at that moment.

"Our dear Arba helped too" she added.

"You both did splendidly then" he said, smiling at Arba. When he smiled, which is not so often save for times like this when he paid them compliments or praised his wife, it took a bit off his intimidating persona.

"I did something too, I brought the jug to the table" Renart said, digging for praise. This only earned him a stern look from Pa which shut him up completely till the end of breakfast.

"And you are looking different today, Arba" Pa noticed. "In a good way"

"She really does right Pa? I know I was right earlier. There is something different this morning, but I just can't place it...."

"Renault" Gosforth said sternly, shutting him up before he could finish what he was saying.

Renault has always been the perceptive one of all her nine brothers, right from when he was a little lad. He notices things the others easily dismissed, kind of a direct opposite of his younger twin who seem to dismiss even the things others would normally notice. Renault's perceptiveness made him the brother she would likely run to if she ever needed some emotional backbone from any of her brothers, to maybe discuss certain things.

Conversations didn't pick up until much later as they ate breakfast, filling plate after plate with her, her brothers and father ravenously eating with their beastly appetites. Her mother always complained about the way she ate with the same ferociousness as her brothers and father. It is just not her fault that she has healthy appetite and a big stomach to feed. It also didn't help that she used to have eating competitions with Renart and Renault from when they were little, and she has never been one to lose a challenge, so she had to eat as fast as them and even won on many occasions, thus increasing her appetite.

"Can Arba come to the ball tonight?" asked brother number seven, Archer.

Remember the town bell that rang seven times this morning, indicating that today is an important day? Yeah, that was for the ball that would be held tonight and everyone would be attending, perhaps except Arba alone.

"You know she can't, Archie" Erc replied.

"But why not? Have we not hidden her for too long" Renault asked in between his final spoons of breakfast.

"No, she will not be attending" Mama stated firmly, "And you know why, now finish up, you have chores to get to"

"But Ma…..."

"Archer!" Gosforth sharply said, "That's enough." Gosforth, with majority of the others looked to Pa but he remained silent as he looked at his daughter, Arba, who refused to look up as she ate quietly. As he looked at her, his eyes held emotion highly similar to sadness. Pa may be a stern, intimidating man, but he loved his family, held his children dearly to his heart, more especially his daughter who will be celebrating her two decades of existence soon, yet have never been able to go away from home, to go into town, to see any other person but her family. Of course, he wants his beautiful daughter to experience life out of the confines of her home, but the town is dangerous to people who are like her. So, they have to keep her safe and that by hiding her from the townsfolk.