Remy

  There was dust everywhere.

  The couple who lived in this house had stopped cleaning many of the rooms. So I went from room to room with a broom and a rag and cleaned. It was the first time I cleaned myself. It felt wrong, beneath my dignity.

  My parents had employees for that. Young girls from the poorer streets, who came once a week and cleaned the entire house for little money. Since I was pnning to hide someone, I guess, I had to get used to cleaning. I didn’t pn to ask Lou and my three faithful dragons. Asking them was likely to be more than just in vain. They were always willing to help, but abusing them as cleaners? At least that's how they saw it. And they didn’t need money. They had no use for that. Helping me, when I needed it, yes! Be a permanent cleaning dragon? No.

  I couldn't hire someone to clean, no matter how cheap it might be. Even though my parents expected it. In a prestigious house, only servants cleaned. And they were lucky enough to earn money. We all worked to survive, but my parents' arrogant attitude was worse than mine.

  Well, in my eyes, it was too little that my parents paid. But the girls, who were about Lou's age, seemed content. I didn't have any employees. My dragons had already helped me a lot with cleaning and decluttering, but it wasn't all done yet. I wanted to take care of one room in particur on my own. I liked to clean here. But NOT in all the other rooms!

  Not my own bedroom. No. There, Narcisse had been going wild. He still wanted to redecorate. (With my money.) Renan and Basil were tasked with stopping him from doing so. No matter how!

  I liked the old furniture of the previous owners. I'd let Narcisse change the bedding and set up my own wardrobe in the room with Renan's help. Narcisse thought the closet was ugly. He grumbled about it for hours, even though it was my bedroom. Not his... The former cupboard now stood in a small chamber with a pretty window overlooking the inner garden. This room was supposed to belong to Lou. It was small and a bit hidden. Just right for hiding someone precious in it. I swept the sand out of the room, hung a thick curtain of light blue fabric in the window, and renewed the bedding. My old bed was now in this chamber.

  I had taken all my furniture with me, and if it could fit in the room, it was now Lou's. Everything else Lou needed, I bought new. Like the bedding. I had chosen and bought this together with Narcisse. When asked, I said the things were for a guest room. Everyone assumed that I was thinking of a young dy whom I was probably secretly courting. That was nonsense, of course, but I didn't correct it. Renan and Basil didn't want to go with us, but I didn't know how much they could help. So far, Narcisse seemed to have a good sense of what Lou liked. I could hardly say that about myself. As a child, he liked everything pretty. Decorated, beautiful fabrics... I didn't know much more.

  Narcisse had also insisted on buying more ribbons and jewelry for Lou, which set the rumors on fire. I didn't want to buy him such girly things at first, but Narcisse annoyed me until I gave in. Lou had never owned anything beautiful and seemed to like the ribbon. As I said, Narcisse was better at estimating Lou's preferences. The beautiful things now y on a small shelf that had been carved into the wall of the chamber.

  Lou's new bedding was light blue and soft. There was a soft, also light blue sitting area, and the closet was filled with clothes. My old clothes from my time as a teenager and some new stuff. Mainly beautiful scarfs with which he could protect himself from the sun. (Narcisse chose that too.) My parents were hardly surprised when I took them with me. They thought I was nostalgic.

  My old clothes were in very good condition. Like new. My parents had spoiled me so much that I was constantly getting new ones. I hoped the clothes would fit Lou. I had roughly estimated the size he needed and then picked out the right things. Larger clothes now y in an ornate box that stood in the hallway.

  My parents hadn't visited me before, but that was fine with me. My mother was ashamed of my misbehaviour, and my father believed that I had a secret mistress whom I preferred to receive in a house of my own. My mother would be ashamed of that, too. A respected wizard behaved conscientiously and in an exempry manner.

  Well, I didn't give a shit about their opinion.

  Sighing, I left Lou's future room and put the broom away. I grabbed my keys, a rge cloth bag, and my wallet and made my way to the market. I was hungry and needed new bread, fruit... I had to take care of that myself now roo. My new neighbors greeted me politely, but they whispered behind my back. I ignored her ridicule. The rumors. Many wondered which young dy I was courting and why I went shopping myself instead of hiring servants. Others thought I was just being rude. Not a good son. Others were afraid of me. After all, I rode on dragons and my magical talent was tremendous.

  I called for the fire of one of the torches with which a juggler amused children in the marketpce, and made a phoenix out of it. Smiling, I let it fly over the market square. I loved the feeling of power. The phoenix attracted the gaze of small children, who happily pointed to it. There was a hustle and bustle between the small stalls. Merchants loudly advertised their goods, and customers tried to haggle over prices. Two merchants were arguing because their stalls were close to each other and they were selling simir goods. Children ran through the crowd ughing, or begging for sweet delicacies.

  I bought a loaf of white bread, some ripe dates, nuts, and cheese. Also, I needed tea. I passed Lou's father, who was selling pottery. His daughter Nina tried to charm the customers. The girl looked at me with bright eyes. Smiling, I stopped at the stand. Father and daughter sat on a bnket surrounded by their goods. I saw simple cups, cy jars... The pottery was coarse, the colors pale.

  "Hello, Wizard Remy!", the girl greeted me.

  ?Hallo Nina. Yorick.“

  Lou's father bowed his graying head. Nina, on the other hand, pointed to the cups. "Would you like something? Everything is handmade. Made with love!" Nina had beautiful eyes and a curvy body, although she was very skinny. But unlike her older siblings, she wasn't particurly pretty. Her hair was thin, her skin yellowish and full of dark freckles. Her teeth were crooked and very rge. Like the teeth of a camel. She came more after her father, who was a little luckier than his daughter in terms of looks. He told me on my st visit to her little booth that Nina looked just like his grandmother. Lou and Louise came after their mother. Nina gestured to the cups again, smiling. "You won't find any more beautiful!"

  "I see that." I picked up a blue cup. "I like this one. How much does it cost?" The st time I bought a jar. A birthday present for my mother. She had liked it, even if it was poor quality, she said.

  "Three pennies", Yorick murmured. He looked tired. Tired and sad. When I saw him like that, I almost felt sorry for him. Was he mourning his missing son? Or was he relieved?

  I gave Nina the three pennies and put the cup in my bag. "Thank you very much." The mug was for Lou. Something from his family might help him feel better. I kept walking until I arrived at a stall selling dolls. I remembered that Lou had once wished for one. Smiling, I stopped at the stand. The dolls wore beautiful robes and gorgeous, sparkling jewelry. Presumably, Narcisse was right. Lou will like the jewelry.

  The salesman, an elderly gentleman, smiled toothlessly. Next to him sat his wife, who was working on another doll. "Do you like one of the dolls?", she asked. "For young or old, a doll is always a good gift. I also customize if you want to order something special."

  "For a girl?", her husband asked indistinctly. "A young dy?" He held out one of the dolls to me. "This one is very fine!"

  His wife nodded. The doll was small, with bck woolly hair. "She's very pretty, yes. But..." I looked at all the dolls until a slightly rger one caught my eye. How rge was it? Maybe 40 cm? More? Lou had poor eyesight, so small dolls were not a good choice. But this one was quite tall with white woolly hair and a scrawny, boyish body. The doll wore a white robe made of light fabric and shimmering silver jewelry. "How much do you want for this one?", I asked. There was something mencholy about the doll's gaze.

  "That one? Oh! It's one of our best! Twenty pennies", mumbled the old man.

  "Is it for a beauty?", his wife asked, ughing, as she embroidered eyes on her newest doll. "A beautiful girl should get a beautiful doll." Then she giggled softly. "Or a handsome young man?"

  "Certainly", I answered and handed the old man the money for the doll. "Not a young man, no.".

  "The dy will be pleased!" The old woman smiled. "It's a special gift."

  "Definitely. Thank you very much!", I said goodbye with the doll in my hands. This, of course, was not for a young dy. Or a young man. The doll was for Lou. For my little brother. He would finally get one.

  sasi