Grelod the Kind's page

"The clothes, yes, thank you." Grelod puts the broom to the side and takes a look at the clothes.

"But I have a request: Could you go shopping for me? When people see me, they expect that I ask for alms. If I appear with that much money they might get the impression I'm rich, and no longer feel charitable. Then we'd just be as poor as before."

"I need warm blankets. At least a dozen, better two dozen. The nights are getting cold already. If there is still money left after that, I'd take more clothes."

"Hello, come in." Grelod is busy cleaning the floor.

Grelod smiles a knowing smile. "I would have given her the toddler for free."

"It was one mouth less to feed. And a life for the kid where he'd never have to sit hungry in a cold drafty room again."

"There isn't much to tell. A woman came one day and brought her baby. She said she'd lose everything if she kept the baby. I took that little bugger in."

"About two years later Merileth from the House of Flame showed up. She demanded I hand over the baby and put a bag of coins on the table. And that was it. I never heard of him again until today."

"Dearil." Grelod repeats.

"So that little brat calls himself a duke now." Grelod smiles a happy smile while lost in thought.

"That is indeed a long time." Grelod agrees.

"It is not you who got that inheritance, is it?"

The stew is a crude mix of all kinds of vegetables, pearl barley and lots of water.

"Ten gold is a lot. It's new clothes for all. We could buy coal. It would even allow some repairs to the building. Who was it that mentioned us in their will?"

"Join us for supper." Grelod suggests.

She turns and walks in after the last kid hurried past her inside. It is a large room with an open kitchen and a huge table. There is a young woman, stirring a stew in a cauldron over the fire. The kids all take a wooden bowl and a wooden spoon from the cupboard and line up at the cauldron.

Grelod lines up there too. "The orphanage isn't funded. Everything we got are gifts. Those you see here standing in line, as well as what's in that stew. I send the kids on the market asking the farmers for food."

"Or Merrymead - you take what you get."

"The temple sends some gifts every now and then. Tools of some trade. And of course Alendru who teaches the kids. That is a great help."

"In charge." Grelod chuckles. She repeats to hear the words again. "I'm Grelod. Those aren't the words I would use, but yes."

She looks with a friendly smile at Persephone waiting to hear her what she wants.

The orphanage is in the old part of town. Persephone is pointed to a large but run down building. A dozen of kids of all ages up to ten are playing in the yard.

A woman comes out of the building. "Come in kids, time for supper."