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gracefully, and Mariah had to force herself not to gawk at her beautiful form. She approached the table and gently lowered herself into one of the oaken chairs while inhaling the various aromas emanating from the dishes in front of her. Mariah could tell she was somewhat apprehensive about eating the food before her, but she simply chalked it up to her not getting anything more than table scraps from Franklin. "I hope the food is to your liking. I am not sure exactly what Strytas like to eat, so if there is anything else I could make for you, I'd be happy to."
    Bryn paused for a moment and smiled up at Mariah. "All this is for me? I've never had this much food before."
    *~*~*
    Bryn sipped the soup and suddenly became overly conscious of her manners. Memories of Franklin's punishments flashed through her mind as she struggled over how to sit and how to hold the spoon in her fingers. She forced herself to take a deep breath and relaxed as she took another sip.
    "It's delicious, Mariah," she said warmly. Bryn paused and looked up at her seriously. "I actually don't know what Strytas eat either. I was taken from my mother before she could tell me." She shuddered at the memory but quickly eased it away with another spoonful of soup.
    Mariah dipped her spoon in the soup and slowly brought it to her mouth as she watched Bryn. "Well then, we will have to visit the Strytas city someday and find out what they like to eat. I am ashamed to say that I really do not know."
    Bryn nodded. "I was born there, but I have not been there in many years," she softly said. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. The pain of her parents quickly washed over her, but she swallowed back the memories along with the tears that threatened to overcome her. "Why were you there? Franklin said only Strytas could go there."
    "I have been to many places over the years, I suppose. I enjoy meeting different peoples, especially ones as intriguing as the Strytas. As for the human thing, well, I suppose I have gotten to know a few of their kind, and they graciously allowed me to venture into their grand city. I think you will really like it there, Bryn. Not often have I seen a place of such beauty."
    "I'm sure I will, Mariah." Bryn leaned back in the chair as she licked the last drops of soup from her lips. The bread was still warm in her hands and she took a small bite. Never in her life had she been given this much food. Although her stomach was full, she still hungered for something else. She ignored the soft churning of her stomach as she always had and sipped the water.
    "Bryn, I hope you do not mind my prying, but could you possibly tell me some things about your life? Do you remember your parents? How was it that you came to be a servant to that horrible man? I'm sorry if these questions are painful. You do not have to answer if you find it hard to."
    Bryn smiled at Mariah as she began speaking, "When I was a newborn, a woman found me in a tree. Her name was Madelyn, and she raised me on cow's milk and honey cakes. When I was a very young child, she died, and since I had no other family that I could remember, I was given to her husband. They had long since split up, and he was part of a traveling carnival that kept various other creatures."
    Bryn paused. "I made friends with the other creatures and felt like I had finally found a place I belonged with them. The staring and pointing from the people wasn't as bad as you might think, and I was given food and a place to sleep each night. I shared my cage with a baby dragon that was the same age as me. He and I became fast friends, and then the man bought a unicorn, and I made friends with him too."
    Her eyes darkened and she wrung her hands nervously. "Then one day, Franklin came to see us. I sang a little song and danced with the unicorn as the people watched. But he saw something else in me and offered the man forty silver pieces for me. The man quickly agreed, and once Franklin saw the