| The hours slipped by and as it grew dark Odeedo went to the kitchen and brought out dinner. We ate in silence and after we cleaned up Odeedo said, "It is late. You're probably tired, so why don't you go get some sleep. Breakfast will be at 7am., so I will wake you up this time, but you will need to start getting yourself accustomed to early rising." |
| "That won't be a problem Great One. Being the daughter of a priestess has trained me in waking early and doing work." |
| "Okay then. I will se you in the morning Daughter Mati. Goodnight." |
| "Goodnight Great One." |
| I went to the magical door, thought of my room and walked in. I looked through everything , noting that all of my baggage Mother had sent ahead of us was put in a place. I pulled on my nightie and crawled into bed and fell asleep. |
| Chapter 2: Day 2 |
| I awoke at dawn, grabbed some clothes, and went to the bathing area. I took a bath and dressed. Then I proceded to the kitchen. Odeedo was there preparing the morning meal. |
| "Good morning Great One!" |
| Odeedo turned and smiled, "Good morning Daughter Mati. Did you sleep well?" |
| "Yes, indeed I did. How about you?" |
| "Slept as well as an old lady can expect. Now why don't you come help me prepare this?" |
| "Yes ma'am." |
| After the food was prepared and ate, I helped Odeedo clean the mess and then retrieved a bucket, filled it with oats and headed out the door thinking of the stable, and found myself opening the door to the stable where three horses were. Odeedo had follwed me to make sure I was doing what I should. |
| I turned to her and said, "I thought you said you knew my mother?" |
| Odeedo looked at me in surprise. "Of course I know your mother." |
| "Then you know that she did not shelter me. We owned horses and every morning, noon, and night I tended to them. We also had vegetable gardens which I tended to. I did the household chores. I watched the children of the people that came to see my mother and ask for the goddess' advice and aid. There is no way I am going to shirk my duties now after years of training in doing them. For I have been working since I was old enough to walk." |
| "Sounds like your mother worked you a little hard." |
| "Not at all. She did what any good parent would do. Plus my mother told me that her mother did the same to her. I feel that if my mother can survive working like that, than I can too." |