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recalled he himself had not eaten since breakfast. "Shall we go and get something else to eat?" he asked his new little friend, "yes please" came the reply, followed by a big smile. Luken wondered at that moment, how anyone could have deserted this poor innocent child, leaving him to fend for himself, in fact, he had been amazed at how the child had even survived. Judging by the state of him, it had clearly been some considerable time since anyone had cared for him. The two walked together, Taylor clasping Lukens hand, as they walked down the corridor towards the dining room. It was no great surprise when he reached it, to see it empty, and for once Luken was somewhat glad his mother and father were not there. They would be certain to enquire of what his intentions were in dealing with Taylor.
    As it was, Taylor sat quite happily next to the prince, and while Luken sat and ate roast pork with vegetables , the youngster had decided after much coaxing not to choose bread, to eat a bowl of beef and vegetable stew. Luken had a glass of wine, and to his amusement, Taylor imitated his drinking with his own glass of milk, picking up, and placing down the drink as the prince did. They finished off with some fruit, a selection of apple slices, a few grapes and a peach before leaving the table and heading back. "Will you read me some more stories please?" Taylor asked ever so politely, Luken looked down and nodded, "of course, come on," he said as they entered his sitting room. Darkness was very slowly starting to fall, so Luken lit a few oil-burning lamps around his room, before the two resumed their seating arrangement of earlier, with Taylor contently sitting on Lukens lap, listening as he continued the story of the wizard.
    Once the story was finished, Luken closed the book, "I think it is time you went to bed, come on I'll show you where you can sleep," he said lifting the youngster off his lap. Helping him undress, and putting on a nightgown Mitsie had bought for him earlier, he lifted Taylor onto a small bed. Its mattress was soft and clean with cotton sheets on, and there was a soft pillow, and a feathered quilt to go on top. Once Taylor was in bed, Luken pulled the quilt up as far as the boy's shoulders, "time for you to sleep now" he spoke softly. The boy smiled before asking, "Are you going to look after me now?" to which Luken had no other reply than a nod to the affirmative, for which his reward was another big smile, before Taylor closed his eyes.
    Returning to his sitting room , he started to reflect on the peculiarities of the day. Having waved off his brother, he had assumed the rest of the day would have seen him moping around the place. Instead, a little boy, had by sheer chance, come into his life. Although he still did not know what to do with Taylor, for now he thought he would try to help the boy, knowing what an awful time the youngster must have had, it was only right that someone cared for him. One option was definitely out; he would not take him to the orphanage. He certainly did not want Taylor living in a place like that, he thought the boy was safe and looked after with him, for now it would have to do.
    Before retiring to bed himself , Luken went into the small room adjoining his own bedroom to check on Taylor. Dimming the lamp slightly, so not to wake the sleeping child, he was surprised to see the bed empty, but moving the lamp around he spotted on the floor in the corner, a curled up dark shape. Placing the lamp down, he gently as he could picked Taylor up off the floor, and placed him back into his bed. The boy stirred a little; "shush" Luken said quietly, placing the quilt back over the sleeping child. Taylor seemed to sleep soundly, and once satisfied, Luken picked his lamp back up and went to his own bed, readying himself he was certain, for another night of the same strange dream.
    Yet again, the same face haunted his dream, repeatedly it appeared the man was trying to talk to him, but for some