“Children” Headmistress Drane caught their attention in an unpleasant tone. Even so, some took only a quick glance at her, so they could look back at the angel. “Lady Sëdara has come here to share her generosity with a gift to each one of you.”
Ayalal looked at the angel with more attention and noticed that she carried in her hand a bag full of something. She took a step forward and leaned a little, to be at the children’s height. On her back, the wings fluttered slightly.
“Hello, everyone,” she said nicely. “I'm very happy to meet you. The lady headmistress told me that you are all very good children, so I brought you these...”
She opened the bag and took out a cake the size of a closed fist. She held it out to the nearest child, Myria, who was looking at her in fascination. The little girl's eyes widened and she shyly stretched her arms, taking the offering as carefully as she could with her little hands.
“Thank you!” Her voice, thinner than usual, betrayed her near-hysteria.
The angel laughed and caressed her head, which left the little girl in the clouds, before distributing the rest of the cakes among the other children. Some smiled at her in thanks, two dared to hug her. By reflex, the headmistress opened her mouth to scold them, but she thought better and held back her words.
Ay, the last to get a cake, took the one that was offered to him. He had never had a piece of cake so large in his possession. He would keep it to share with Lysa and he would ask to visit Yudarh, so the master could also eat a little.
“Thank you,” he murmured, looking up at the angel. She watched him with a smile that was more than nice. There was some amusement there, and the expression held a disguised interest. For some reason he could not explain, he leaned closer to the wall in an attempt to widen the distance between them. He looked at the cake again, uncertain. Could it be poisoned?
“There are some left,” said the angel, glancing at the headmistress. “Maybe they can be divided among all the children, later.”
Drane agreed with a serious nod, before glancing at the satisfaction of the children. Her expression relaxed a little.
“Lady Sëdara also wants to adopt some of you,” she announced. And suddenly the cakes were forgotten, the whispered comments were hushed. The ragged bunch of children now focused completely on the angelic young woman.
“It is true. I would like to be a mother to five of you. For now. If that would be alright.”
And after the silence, there was a sudden turbulence of hands shooting up and children surrounding the young woman who raised her eyebrows, stunned with so much commotion.
“Oh, so much enthusiasm! Let's calm down, let's calm down...“ she said softly. “Come on, I'm not leaving yet...”
Ay stood where he was, while the children chattered all at the same time, trying to make themselves heard and claim a place in the angel’s family.
“Children!” The Headmistress' voice was heard above everyone's, harsh, sharp. It was not an instant effect, but the orphans calmed down. “To your places, immediately. If you do that again, you will be grounded until you are adults.”
The angel took a deep breath and straightened out the simple yet good quality dress to which some of the children had clung.
“I” Sëdara emphasized the first word “will choose you.”
With difficulty, the small children restrained themselves. The angel went to the opposite end of the hallway to where Ayalal was. She walked slowly in front of them, studying them and indicating with one finger each of her chosen ones. The fifth person, a 10-year-old boy, located three places away from Ay, smiled with pure contentment as a finger fell on him. Behind them, Myria was already jumping in place, laughing and crying at the same time.
The woman stopped, bringing a finger to her lips, pensive. She took two more passes and stopped in front of Ayalal. The boy tensed and swallowed as he saw the angel bend over, resting her hands on her knees.
“Actually, six is a perfect number. Come with me, little boy.”
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