Kaleb's house was built the same way as the neighboring ones, and it was just as moss-covered. In the districts Sophia had seen so far, she had not noticed any great difference in the size or structure of the houses—aside from the moss, of course.
Why is that moss so important here? she wondered, but she had no time to ask.
Liza hurried ahead again. By the time they opened the gate, she was already busy at the open-sided but roofed wooden structure outside, helping a well-built woman.
Sophia couldn't hear what the woman said to her, but Liza immediately hurried toward the house.
"The weather allows it—we'll have dinner outside again today," Kaleb said before Sophia could even open her mouth to ask about the moss.
Sophia liked the place. Everything seemed practical, and nothing was overly decorated. The house stood on the right side of the yard, and on the left was the wooden structure she assumed the family used for outdoor meals.
Kaleb led her there directly.
"She's the cook, and Liza enjoys learning from her," the boy explained. "She's from the Eleventh District. She already has a family and sleeps at home in the evenings."
"And Liza?" Sophia asked immediately.
"Well, those who don't yet have a family don't go home in the evenings either. She's learning here from the other servants."
"But didn't you say that service ends if the family sends another girl to serve, or if the girl gets married?" Sophia asked, surprised. "The cook has a family, yet she's working here."
"That's true," Kaleb nodded. "She has two daughters. One of them is small and frail. She redeemed her daughter from service by returning to us as a cook. We were glad she did. Our family grew very fond of her, and we missed her. She loves cooking—and perhaps, perhaps she missed the work as well. I dare hope she missed our family too, and not only wanted to free her younger daughter from service."
Sophia thought of Ulf, her best friend. In her own world, it had been entirely his free choice to found a creative cooking circle in the Creative District.
As they reached the wooden structure and sat down at the outdoor table, Sophia told Kaleb a little about Ulf. She fully understood why the cook had returned to the activity she loved.
Because she compared her to Ulf, Sophia instantly took a liking to the full-bodied woman, who was now approaching from the house with Liza, carrying two medium-sized handled baskets covered with white linen.
"And what does the cook's older daughter serve as?" Sophia asked.
"She's a cook as well—and an excellent one," Kaleb said proudly. "You'll find her inside, by the hearth."
Now Kaleb knew that, at least for this reason, Sophia would not judge their world.
"So how many cooks do you have?" she asked curiously.
"The two of them. For now, one would be enough, but you see, I have two sisters. The drawing of lots may turn out so that all of us start families here, in this house. Then even two cooks won't be enough," he explained. "Of course, it could also happen that after the drawing, we all move into mossier houses."
Sophia assessed the size of the house. It seemed spacious enough to accommodate several families if necessary.
"Well… if you all stay here, she could bring her younger daughter as a cook too," Sophia mused.
"Oh no, that's not possible—she's already been redeemed," the boy shook his head.
"And what does that girl do with her time?" Sophia asked.
"Oh, there are plenty of ways to spend time in Nexoria. If you can't make it home for several days, you'll see," Kaleb replied mysteriously.
Sophia was tempted by the thought of not even trying to return home until she learned more about Nexoria. In her world, people would worry about her disappearance—but she would return with an abundance of information. They didn't need to know she could have returned earlier.
Here, with Liza and Kaleb, she was safe.
And then there was the risk that she might not be able to return to this same time—to Kaleb and Liza—at all.
They'll be glad when I return with all that information, she thought. And yes, I'll also try to find out whether Rhys is imprisoned by Drakthor because of his wandering by the river. If that's the case, everyone at home will be relieved. Drakthor will release him after the hearing.
She had rather good reasons to stay in Nexoria for several more days.
"You know, in our world, a transformer opens and closes spaces. It only takes a single moment," Sophia explained in turn.
"In ours, servants build and repair the houses. What you tell about your world is more interesting than the evil eye, mind reading, and other strange abilities Drakthor searches for so eagerly."
Kaleb meant it as a joke, but Sophia didn't laugh.
"We don't know what he's searching for, or why. After all, he met Miraelle of the Twelve, and he knows very well that strange things do exist. And we aren't looking for ordinary things either."
"Oh, you're defending him already," the boy teased.
Now that the full-bodied woman and Liza were within earshot, Kaleb's good mood returned.
"Which district are you from? I don't know you," the woman asked.
Liza had not told the cook about Sophia. Her tasks had kept her too busy to talk.
Sophia looked at Kaleb. She hoped he had already come up with a good, believable story for her sudden appearance.
"She's looking for a friend who passed through the area seeking work. I invited her to stay with us because she has nowhere else to go," Kaleb lied.
"I see. This evening, I'll ask the shepherds, blacksmiths, cooks, maids, and farmers in our district whether they've seen him," the woman offered readily.
"His name is Rhys," Sophia added quickly.
She followed this with a detailed description of the boy's appearance.
"I'll bring you an answer tomorrow morning," the cook promised. "If he was headed this way, he must be here. There's no other settlement nearby."
"How far away are the other settlements?" Sophia asked with her characteristic curiosity—
only after thanking the woman for her kindness and willingness to help.
"Far enough that strangers rarely come near us," the woman replied.
Sophia would have liked to ask whether those settlements also belonged to Nexoria, but she caught herself in time. That question would give her away. She resolved to think carefully—twice—about what she said and asked throughout the evening.
The woman now extended her hand. Sophia already knew what to do.
"I'm Diana," the woman introduced herself.
Meanwhile, Liza took tablecloths out of one basket. Diana began arranging plates and cutlery from her own.
Two girls walked toward the table from the house.
"They must be your sisters," Sophia guessed.
Kaleb nodded.
"The one in red is Flavia, my older sister. The one in pink is Miriam, my younger sister."
They gathered around Sophia with warm curiosity. Now it was Sophia who told them why Kaleb had invited her to stay with the family.
"After dinner, we'll show you the Square," Miriam said enthusiastically.
Sophia didn't know what awaited her at the Square, but she gladly accepted the evening plan.
Soon, Kaleb's parents joined them at the table. Mariann and Stephanus greeted the unexpected guest kindly. They did not mind at all that Sophia would sleep and stay the night in their house.
After hearing her story, Stephanus promised that the day after tomorrow he would ask Drakthor whether Rhys—the stranger—was imprisoned for wandering by the river. That was when he was due to go to the castle for a hearing.
"If he's there, you'll see your friend again the day after tomorrow," Stephanus promised.
He would also bring up the boy's case and request a hearing for him. After such hearings, Drakthor did not usually send river wanderers back to the castle prison.
Sophia was overjoyed at the thought that Rhys might be released. Where else could he be?
Assuming she hadn't arrived at the wrong time—and that Rhys was not yet here, or already gone.
Now she felt no guilt about those at home worrying over her absence. She had a good reason to remain in Nexoria until Stephanus brought news of Rhys.
Liza walked around the table with a bowl of water; Diana followed with a towel.
Sophia observed that the family ceremonially dipped only the tips of their fingers into the water.
"As water, so earth, fire, air, and Spirit be our guests at dinner, and firmly hold our food under their protection," Stephanus said solemnly.
Sophia hoped she wouldn't do something inappropriate.
I'll simply imitate what the others do, she decided.
Kaleb carefully lit the incense beside the table. Flavia lit the small oil lamp on the table. Miriam sprinkled a pinch of salt toward one of the cardinal directions.
Then Stephanus broke off the corner of the bread Diana had already placed on the table. He handed half of it to Sophia.
"As long as you are a guest in our home, no harm may come to you unpunished. We swear it. By the will of the Spirit, the ritual of hospitality is hereby sealed."
Sophia was deeply moved that the family had sworn an oath for her safety. An oath. A serious matter in Nexoria.
Since Stephanus put his piece of bread into his pocket, Sophia did the same.
Only then did dinner begin.
They did not speak at all during the meal.
Sophia adapted to this as well. The silence even felt good. She had been overwhelmed with impulses that day—and the day was not yet over.
After dinner, they would go to the Square.