"Oh Daniel, he's been abandoned. We can't just leave him here, we have to take him with us." Daniel knew it would be harder to travel with a baby, but he also knew - having lived with four women and only one man his whole life - that there was just no arguing with a woman when it came to anything maternal, or feminine for that matter.
"Alright, but when it gets too dangerous, too hard, we have to give him away. You have to be willing to give him up when the time comes."
"I'll be ready to do what is best for him. We should be going now. The sooner we go, the sooner we will arrive at whereever it is we choose to go." Daniel smiled as Isabelle brushed her nose against Gregory's, bringing for a coo of joy from the infant, and held him close. While they walked down the road to an unknown destination, both forgot of the painful event that lay behind them. Isabelle hardly took her eyes from the baby, who after looking around for awhile was content merely to sleep in Isabelle's arms. Daniel was surprised at how well Isabelle handle Gregory, neither of them had every had to care for a baby alone (his sisters were younger than them, but not that young). Maternal instinct, a woman's touch I suppose he thought to himself. He watched the few scattered trees pass by and the meadows on either side of the road, and his mind was clear of all thoughts of his father and what was to become of him, only aware of his surroundings and nothing more.
Gregory in her arms and the peaceful environment around her, Isabelle forgot of any exhaustion she previously felt, as if this sleeping baby had rejuvenated her, given her energy. Why would someone abandon this little baby? It surprised even Isabelle that, judging Gregory's reaction to her, she was fairing well at handling him.
It was another half hour before they saw a town before them, a quaint, friendly looking place. They had been walking all night and this looked like a good place to gather some supplies and rest. The sun had risen above the horizon, but only just. Isabelle hoped it would not be too early to go calling on complete strangers in their homes.
"It looks as if someone is awake in that house," Daniel pointed to the house closest to them, there was smoking coming from the chimney. "Shall we see if they will help us?"
"Gregory is in need of some milk and clothes." They walked to the front door of the medium sized cottage; Isabelle held Gregory closer to herself. Daniel knocked on the door, and in a moment it opened revealing a tall, rather lanky woman with red hair barely falling to her shoulders and a face filled with freckles.
"Why hello there little ones. How are you this morning?"
"We are well, thank you." Daniel responded. "We have been travelling most of the night and would be much obliged if you might allow us to rest here for a short while, and maybe supply us with something to eat."
"Oh of course. How could I say no to those faces, and a baby. Come on in." She led them into the kitchen and they sat down at the table while she took the pot of soup out of the fireplace.
"We really appreciate this..."
"Nora. It is no trouble my dear, I always prepare extra food. He really looks like the two of you."
"Who does?" Daniel asked.
"Your son of course."
"Oh he's not are son," Isabelle interjected. "Actually, we've only just found him along the road with a note saying that he was alone and to care for him."
"How kind of you to take him in. You say you found him near by?" They nodded. "Now that I think about it, he does bare a resemblence to Franklin and Amelia. What is his name?"
"The note said Gregory."
"Then it is their son."
"You know his parents? Do you know where we can find them, so we can return him to them?" Daniel asked, Isabelle was looking at the sleeping babe in her arms.
"I'm afraid they have passed away. Young Gregory has no one. They used to live in this town. Franklin was killed in a dispute between another town right before Gregory was born, Amelia died in child birth. Several instances led the town to believe the young infant was possessed by a demon or something along those lines. Eventually the towns people were no longer willing to keep this child within its borders. Someone took him from the town, to save him from the people. Whoever it was, they must have left him along the road hoping some kind people would find and raise him."
"How horrible."
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