Emma Barnweed waited in the kitchen of the orphanage. She expected Iris to arrive soon. Her colleague was still upstairs putting the last of the children in bed. In the meantime, Emma prepared a potato dish with the little time that was left. Iris worked only in the orphanage for about two years. Far less than Emma, that’s for sure. Nonetheless, Iris and Emma didn’t get to know each other well in that time. Was it really because they didn’t get the chance? Secretly Emma didn’t like Iris very much. As a matter of fact, she found Iris very rude, and neither did she show any respect for Emma. In contrast to Emma, Iris came from a very good family. Why did she come to work in the magic well, an orphanage in the sorest quarter of Bree, in shortage of funds and almost completely relying on gifts? Wendy, the mistress of the magic well and a respectable lady in her fifties, founded the orphanage twenty years ago in a pure act of benevolence, and managed almost all practical aspects. Only for accountancy she received help from Claude, an honest volunteer who’s active as a librarian in his retirement. He used to work as a clerk in the town hall, Emma recalled. But Iris, who always boasted about her ambition, where did she fit in all of this? Emma couldn’t say.
Now that a disturbing peace had returned in the orphanage, Emma sighed. She leaned backwards on her chair. She didn’t feel very much for that last potato, and neither did Iris finish her dish. But Iris was so young, Emma thought. And at least, she still had a choice. Yes, not all was untrue about what Iris said. Emma had never really been clear about her children. And admittedly, she DID run naked on the street. But that was a very unfortunate happening, completely beyond her control. Quite the gossip went around in town when that happened. As a matter of fact, Emma had a very particular reputation in Bree. She was regarded as a true gossip, and she was a bit too comfortable around people, but nobody ever took her very seriously. Even though she thought herself very smart. The folks found her quite a lunatic, but she liked to keep it that way. Best for the jobs purposes and all. Then again, in the bakery she was a very different person than she would be in the tavern, and neither of two resembled in anything when she worked here, at the orphanage. Emma had many different faces. She and her sister lived in precarious circumstances, and this got Emma into one and the other. But Iris came from a good family with willing parents. She had plenty of opportunities, but hanging out with Mr Grainhop, that did not feel right. Wouldn’t a sensible woman feel a bit misused? If not now, then at least later for sure. Emma absolutely detested Iris for her ambition and naivety, basically her privileged situation. But she also wanted to protect Iris. After all, nobody should be like Emma.
