Julina's horizons expand yet again as she and Pomma pay a visit.

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Disclaimer:

The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended.
This story is copyright © 2013 - 2020 Julia Phillips. All rights reserved.

It uses some of the associated characters and situations that arise from the world called ‘Anmar’ created by Penny Lane, whose stories
are also copyright © 2010 - 2020 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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Oh beautiful sweet relief!

And followed by beautiful sweet pel!

I suppose it was somewhat inconsistent that all three of us women were in such a hurry to replace the fluids we had just delightedly ejected, but there is something calming and settling to sit in a friendly home and sip on a warming mug of well-made pel, after a few bells in the saddle.

These pleasures had, for me, been just a little delayed since it was I who was the one who actually knew the most people here and thus it was I who was required to make all the introductions.

There were 8 in our party – Captain Bleskin, Master Bezan, Master Brydas, Mistress Sukhana, Mistress Pomma, Master Suril, Parrier and I.

Then at the farm were the ones I knew – Goodman Brethen, Mistress Rathina, Venna, Kalisel, Matwyn, Portra, and the older woman, Tarina.

Two of their men were down in town, earning coin – Denesar and Brandar - and the grandfather, Hamenar, was still hanging on down there as the healers did what they could.

There were three faces I didn't know, who turned out to be Jorilda (the ancient one they also called Ganna), Renys, a shy girl about 11, I guessed, and young Toren, who was 6, I was told. These last two were a little reserved somehow, as if they felt they didn't really belong – but I couldn't work it all out right then.

So our entire collection numbered 18, exceedingly crowded inside the sitting room of the house – a room that was getting warmer with every second. They opened all the windows and doors, and kept the small ones out of the way in a corner so we just managed somehow. You can imagine how long it took before all these introductions were done, and how quickly the pots of pel needed replenishing! Once introduced, then the children were ushered away which helped with the overcrowding, and also the faster delivery of pel!

The family were grateful that I had found the time to give them two full and two half days for some writing training, and fully understood the need to travel with a companion, so were just as grateful to Pomma for making it all possible.

Later, when it was less crowded in the house, the women were even more grateful when I unpacked one of my little chests and gave them enough food for Pomma and I for a week! I also offered to help a little in the kitchen, but wanted to have two or three bells a day to see more of their almost private vale. One thing led to another and I offered to do a ganifil that evening, a task I enjoyed always, and which was almost second nature to me. There were the usual protests and so on, but I insisted and got my way.

As the Captain had a limited time for his look around the vale, he and Master Bezan were keen to get on, and Uncle and Sookie, Suril and Parry were going with them, so there was a little friction as they struggled to get under way, with Goodman Brethen leading them. Eventually, they managed to organise themselves and get going.

Once he had mounted, the Goodman issued some terse instructions having called Venna, Kalisel, Renys and Matwyn to him, led by Rathina.

“You will have to take the fodder to the captive pakh – I'm sorry, but you'll have to manage on your own this time. Take the dray. And don't go in there, any of you! Your Honour, we may depart!”

And off they went, promising to return to say goodbye on their way back to town.

The Goodman's instructions were very intriguing to me, so I asked Rathina about them.

“Down near the narrow access passage, to the right as we look at it from here, there is a rock fall. You can see it as different to the others by the fresh rock scars up near the top, comparatively speaking. We had a low-flying grakh and, when some of the pakh panicked, they fled down there. Now you probably know that pakh are very stupid. Very stupid indeed. So twenty or so of these stupid creatures rushed to the rock fall and squeezed through a narrow gap. We know there must be a cave of sorts behind there because we can hear the animals. They just can't find their way out again, even if we lay food right by the only way in and out.

“Brethen went down there once with Denesar and Brandar, they tried to widen the passage and were nearly injured when a further rock fall came down. I was furious. The only three able-bodied men in this family were nearly all killed at the same time. It took a very concerted effort to get my message through but eventually the three of them finally understood how they had endangered us all. I actually asked them if they were stupider than the pakh! And all they achieved was to make the entrance smaller. Men!

“Now, of course, he, well, they rather, are over-protective of the rest of us. We are thinking that the work down in town will provide enough for us to hire a dranakh team to clear that rock fall. It will, we hope, afford a cave large enough to protect our herd from the worst storms, and prevent us having to repair our outhouses. It's a gamble, but we feel that it would be worth it as we see that most of the pakh farming must be up here or above the ridge that leads to Larsenar's when you go directly from town.”

“Larsenar? I heard the name recently, I feel.” I felt my brain searching for a connection or something. But the simple name didn't seem right somehow. There was something, though. Something else. Something not to do with this man. I tuned back in to what Rathina was saying.

“...... years up there. He is an ancient recluse who lives above the Bray Valley head, up against the Stone Sea wall. There is a tumbled down ruin there and he has built a lean-to against the one good wall. He makes Jorilda here look young.”

“Ah yes. Goodman Brethen mentioned him in describing the Vale access points to the Captain.”

“Mayhap. Seems likely. Now, we must load the dray and get down to the rock fall, we are running short of time.”

“Oh, Pomma and I can help you, and we have frayen that are rideable. Surely we can make it a little more efficient?”

And so it was that Matwyn and Renys were able to stay behind, for which they were grateful. It was plain that they did not like this chore. Actually, the other two children could have stayed behind as well, but they wanted to be with these freshly-arrived strangers as much as possible.

We went down to the rock fall in question, and I could see what they meant. The gap at the entrance was not big enough for an adult, and the only ones small enough would be the children, who certainly couldn't be asked to go in there. I could see where the recent rock fall had made the gap smaller than it had been, and I could also see that dranakh were required to pull the rock fall away. Right up at the top, there was clearly a quite large gap above the jumbled rocks, between there and what appeared to be the roof of a cavern leading back into the gloom. That roof must have been ten or so strides above us, and I guess that the top of the rock fall was seven or so strides above us. The floor of the cave was obviously uneven, but there was a slightly deeper channel that emerged under the jumbled rocks, down which a little strongly-smelling water flowed, eventually joining the stream just before it went into my hated narrow gorge.

We laid some food by the entrance hoping to entice some activity from within but nothing happened except for a few pakh bleats that sounded far away. We waited quite a long period but, with no sign, Rathina and the girls turned to get some long poles. Each I would estimate to be four strides long, with a smallish flat board attached to the end. I wondered what they were for.

Just then, there was a scrambling accompanied by a loud and pathetic bleat. We all swirled round and saw a tiny baby pakh emerge down the tunnel. I suppose seeing five humans, most of whom were armed with poles, scared it, for it screamed in fright, at least that was what sounded to me like a scared pakh scream, and then it turned round as soon as there was space and it dived back in again as though a whole army of grakh were swooping down. I had time for my brain to wonder if grakh actually swooped in armies, or maybe it should be herds, or flocks, or …...

I blinked and found we were all looking at each other in amazement. That poor animal had had wide eyes that melted our feminine sensitivities.

But it was absolutely filthy which upset our feminine sensitivities.

No matter how entreating we made our tones, we were unable to encourage any further sign of the poor baby, so the fodder was poked in with the poles, using the flat boards (now I understood their design) and we headed back towards the house.

But first I had them pick up some chalky rock that I tested by scribbling on a darker rock. Yes, it made marks and could be rubbed away. Another teaching tool found, one that would protect my little stock of precious reedlets.

I had an idea and asked if Venna would like to sit up on Dralla in front of me so I could hold her. Her little face nearly burst with her smile, and of course Kalisel had to go up with Pomma. This left Rathina alone, which was good since she had an old-style saddle. It was also good, since the children were not carried in the dray and so we could all progress at a faster rate than that which we had used on the way out.

Of course, upon our return there were jealous cries of envy from the other children once they saw the young riders, and they were followed by even more jealous cries when they heard of sighting the baby pakh, an event that the two who had accompanied us loudly declared before they even dismounted.

“Julina? Hello, Julina?” Again there was some idea was trying to make itself felt.

I shook my head to dispel my thoughts as I dragged myself back to the assembled company. I swung down from Dralla's back.

I must have stood still again, because Pomma nudged me quite hard, and we all trooped indoors. That idea was forming in my head, something to do with that entrance the baby pakh had come out of, but I still hadn't managed to get it all lined up. I sent it back to the back of my head to simmer there, while I went to fetch my paper and my reedlets. I had also found a large slate that Rathina allowed me to use, and I tested it with the chalky stones I had found. It all worked perfectly.

And so the day turned to lettering lessons.

I wanted to start by showing the children these tools and to impress how precious they were. I mentioned not to hold the reedlets for long, since the wax might melt, and they seemed to get the message. So I let them make some meaningless marks with them on one piece of paper and then did most of my teaching with the chalk and slate.

One thing led to another, and I found myself fully into the delights of training receptive minds when there was a call from Matwyn, who was peering from time to time out of the opened window.

“They come!”

So suddenly everyone swung into action. Pel was put on to brew, and a handful of honey cakes were set out for the travellers, to give them strength before moving on.

… … ...

“No, no, Mistress. We could not possibly.”

“Oh we have had ours whilst waiting for you, your Honour,” lied Rathina with a straight face.

“Oh very well, we thank you.”

Sookie came in from the outhouse at that moment and smiled a heartfelt 'thank you' to us all. They told us of their ride, and of the sights that they had seen. A field picnic had been their lunch, hurriedly consumed to waste as little time as possible.

Goodman Brethen asked about the task he had given them as he left and the children told him about the baby pakh. He paid attention to the young ones, but nodded his thanks over their heads to Pomma and I for helping.

“You went back to the lakeside of the gorge?” asked the Captain disbelievingly.

“Oh no, Your Honour! We stayed this side of the gorge! There is a rock fall that has trapped some pakh, and we have to feed them through a small entrance tunnel. It is too small for a grown man and I will not allow the children to risk entering. We hope soon to be able to afford a dranakh team to clear the cave entrance that we might then have a cave for weather protection of the beasts. 'Twould be best to leave a stout wall across the front and have a safe passage through it.”

“Hold! We heard pakh noises behind a rock fall when we arrived.”

“Of course, your Honour. That's what we were telling you.”

“No, no, Mistress. We were the far side of the gorge.” Master B, Pomma and I all nodded in agreement.

There was a stunned silence.

The quiet was broken by my voice saying: “Deegrum! Deegrum and Jeefer! It must be investigated.” That brewing idea had just come together and forced its way out of my lips.

Master Bezan hissed an intake of breath before he agreed with me: “Why you are right, Mistress Julina. That would be an excellent idea, if he would take the risk. I will speak with him this evening, and if he is agreeable, I shall bring him back on the morrow, or the day after. No, hold! The day after that, then we can escort you two ladies back to town, leaving Goodman Brethen to his duties here.”

The Captain expressed himself in agreement with that and Sookie and Uncle eventually started nodding. Everyone else was left looking very confused.

“I shall explain later, to everyone here, and you can bring Suril and Parry into the know on your way home.”

“Thank you Mistress Julina. So be it! And now, good people we must take our leave. We are grateful for the refreshment.”

So saying, the Captain stood up and went to the door, followed by his fellow travellers.

… … …

Brethen and Pomma went off somewhere on frayen, taking the two younger ones who had not ridden, Matwyn and Renys, with them, much to their delight. They wouldn't be the first to have done it, but they would be getting a MUCH longer ride. So ran the sibling rivalry that erupted at that moment. Brethen and Rathina told them that unless it stopped immediately, no-one would ever mount a frayen again as long as we were with them. That worked.

I told Brethen to take Dralla so both children could be carried. Pomma had mentioned, far too modestly, that she had some talent with drawing and Brethen had said he knew just the place to take her. He would like a picture for his family too, to remind them of their beginnings.

I had, in fact, been put out a little by all this as I had imagined that I would have all the children at once, but we arranged it such that Venna and Kalisel were to be taught to be the teachers, so they had priority. This also went some way to mollifying their disappointment that the younger two would have so much more time in the saddle.

Jorilda and Tarina declared themselves too old to be bothered to learn to write and count, since they had comparatively little time left to them. And I could find an easy exercise for the little ones (Portra and Toren) to keep them occupied, which left an intensive lesson for Rathina and the two elder sisters. The younger ones would pick up some information as they listened while working on their task.

I actually started all five of them off with the same little exercise.

“Who would like some pel?” I asked.

Tarina and Rathina both got up to get it but I waved them down and sent a message with my eyes. They subsided and looked on with interest.

The four children politely held up their hands and chorused: “If it pleases, for me!”

“Fine. Then you shall have some,” I paused, “as soon as one of you can write the word 'pel'.”

The grown women grinned.

This is what the final version SHOULD look like ------

My earlier lessons were then employed, for I had told them back then about words being made of letters, and we had all begun to do a 'p' already.

This was always a favourite letter to do, being squiggly and curly curves, so I had long ago discovered it was a good one to start with. Actually, 'a' is a simpler letter, being as its symbol is in fact just the top half of the 'p', but I find it causes a little confusion to teach 'a' then later 'p'. Doing it the other way round is simpler to grasp for students, it appears.

(I interrupt this story to explain a little more about what I have just said. This is because in an 'a', the symbol in question is the body of the letter, indeed is the whole letter, whereas, in a 'p', the same symbol is merely a top to the body of the letter. Sigh. Tops and bodies. I didn't want to do this right now, so I hadn't mentioned any of this to the students. I would soon be telling them about the body of each of the letters, and how some letters have tops and some have tails (and some words have letters with both), but it is easier just to let them draw the basic letter first in their own way. In our script, what we call the bodies of the letters are all lined up next to each other, creating the line on the page; the tops or the tails then extend either above or below this line-up. The bodies of each letter are supposed to be all the same height, but I confess that not doing so is a minor flaw in my writing. Here is how the word 'paper' should appear …....

….... as you can see, the bodies are all the same size and all in line. See also that the letter 'a' is larger than the same symbol used simply as the top on the letter 'p'. And now back to the tale …..)

So I told them now to write a 'p' on their scrap of paper.

(By the way, I was deliberately repeating the word 'paper' because that was going to be a word to do soon – bringing in the difference between 'a' and 'p' – and I was using other related words such as 'scrap' – we teachers need to be cunning sometimes.)

Rathina had the best memory and was soonest finished with her 'p'. The other two were not so far behind. The letters were a little uneven, but I knew practice would soon ease out the shaky handwork. I told them not to try to be so painstakingly accurate as that was just blocking their fingers and their wrists. Try to let it flow. We would refine it as we went along.

Then I told them to draw a hand of 'p's – as quickly as they could. Then we went back to writing our word 'pel' and, sure enough, the first letter just flowed much easier, and they understood my message about just doing it.

“So, the word 'pel'. How many letters do you think there are in it?”

We settled on three quite quickly as I went “Per - eh - ell”.

“Do any of you know how to draw that middle letter? No? Well some say it is the easiest one of all. Look, this is what we do …....”

… … …

“ …. and can you remember the colour of the rocks over there? Were they covered with little plant life?”

Pomma was teaching the two children who had gone with her how she coloured the sketches she did. She had some dyes which she mixed with water and then brushed onto her drawing to bring the subject matter to life. All six children were closely attentive, and also the older ones in the room were impressed by her drawing, even uncoloured.

We had had a simple, but pleasing supper, the older women being impressed with the way I did my ganifil dish and they thanked me for showing them.

I was impressed that little Portra could do honey cakes so much better than my little Julu. But I was pleased to know that there was a chance Julu would improve.

Just before we sat down, I had introduced the idea of the 'vowels' to my students, now including the other two, since they returned a bell or so before we ate. I used things around the table to reinforce the use of vowels and the children enjoyed having a game made of it – I had the impression that family meals were normally more sedate and quiet affairs. I believe that Pomma and I made them more fun for everyone – even Brethen had a smile occasionally. At the end of the meal I am certain that everyone round the table knew what a vowel was and how to name each of the eight.

The younger children were sent off to bed, then the older ones, and we grown-ups were finally left to talk amongst ourselves.

We swapped stories of childhood – mine being the shortest naturally – and so we forged a friendship between us all and titles were soon dropped.

Even after their explanation I still didn't understand the exact family relations, it seemed that Brethen and Brandar were brothers but thought they were cousins, or something like that anyway.

I explained the remarks earlier about Deegrum, how he was shorter than most adults and how he worked in dark tunnels all his day. They were also impressed when I mentioned that he had been a pakh-farmer until his father retired from dam work, and that he was a grenn trainer, Jeefer being a fully trained pakh grenn. Then they understood just why he was the perfect candidate to go in the tunnel and see what was behind the rock fall.

Pomma and I went quite late to the large bed we had been allocated to share but neither of us were awake very long.

… … …

"Don't turn around now", I heard a whisper in my ear.

Out of the land of shadows and darkness, we were returning towards the morning light.

Almost in reach of places I knew, escaping the ghosts of yesterday. Someone was behind me following closely.

Just on the very verge of the morning, daylight was dawning, freedom was but a step away.
Now with the deep dark river behind us, what could go wrong?

My head turned all on its own, and …....

“Hush now, sweet child. Hush. It's just a bad dream. You're safe. Gently now, gently. 'Tis I, Pomma, here holding you. You are fine. We are staying in the Vale with Brethen and Rathina and the children. Gently, sweet, gently.”

“Oh Pomma,” I sobbed. “I was inside that cave where the Pakh are, and there were ghosts and monsters and a huge deep river with a tiny ferry and a single man to operate it. He had held out his hand as though he required coin. I felt I had nearly escaped this strange world with some unseen, unknown companion, when I turned my head and all resolve left my legs.”

“There, there. You were just dreaming. You had a fright yesterday when you learnt you do not like enclosed spaces. It is just your mind playing tricks, weaving a complicated story around your newly-discovered fears. Just think about letters and vowels and numbers. And KNOW that you are safe.”

It took a little while but seemed much longer (looking back at it, I felt better quite quickly actually) and decided to use this awakening as my between-sleeps period; so I wrote my notes of the day, made some plans for the next lessons and so on. I went back to sleep and managed to pass the night with no more scares.

… … …

And so we started the next day without the bath I had become used to; they did not have a proper bath up here. They had a hand of things that looked like half-barrels with a slat in it to sit on. All waste water was taken by dray to a large marshy area, to avoid pouring any waste into the stream that ultimately fed the Town. They relied upon Nature to leach the impurities out before the waters joined the stream down near the gorge.

We breakfasted, and again it seemed that Pomma and I introduced some fun and smiles to which the others were unaccustomed. Even the old ladies giggled at one or two events or tales.

Pomma went off with Brethen again, but again he used Dralla and the new saddle. We decided that it might be unfair to his beast to use my saddle on it, as then it might be unpleasant to go back to the old style. Rathina and Brethen both remarked that the introduction of Dralla and Wiget into their family stockade seemed to have changed their beasts. They seemed less gloomy somehow. The family were amazed when Pomma and I fed our animals the nibbles and this morning their three had all come across and got some too.

So the day started, Pomma helped me with the lessons when she returned by going with the younger ones, who were still doing the 'pel' and 'paper'.

Rathina and the older girls were reading my notes, asking what this or that letter was, and were doing very well as their reading increased their vocabulary and their deductive skills.

“Is this word 'fikt'? I recognise the 'f' and the 't'. And I must suppose that the second letter is the vowel 'i', so that third letter must be a 'k'. Oh how super! I worked it out myself!”

“Excellent! You are right. Now write it on the slate!”

And so we progressed through the morning, taking a pel break (and a comfort break) before we started again. Pomma made the three breaks we took in the morning interesting by continuing to colour her drawing of that Vale view. I noticed that actually she had done two copies of the drawing so she would need to colour all three. Applying that particular colour to each of the three made sense to me, rather than have to come back and mix that colour for each of the versions. The children grasped that way of thinking very well.

I taught, we broke, we wrote some more, we broke again, a bit more colouring, I tested their knowledge, I taught some more.

Then it was time to have some light lunch. The plan was that after the lunch, Brethen, Pomma and I would go for a ride.

But those plans were shelved for a moment, when Brethen exclaimed: “Visitors! It looks like that Master Bezan and someone else, someone with a grenn. Maybe it's that Deegral fellow, he looks short enough! Oh – there's a third man too. And three or four pack animals.”

“Deegrum,” I automatically corrected.

A quick flashing of eyes told me that Rathina would stay here with everyone else, whilst we three would ride down to meet the newcomers.

When we got close, I recognised one of the miners' foremen; he was also quite a small man when compared to Master B.

Brethen had indeed recognised those other two. It was an impressive feat from such a distance.

I dismounted and greeted Deegrum with a quick hug. I dragged Jeefer's nose out from where it was aimed for. Wretched grenn.

Master Bezan greeted us and made the introductions before explaining: “The Captain and I discussed this on the way back yesterday and we have a suspicion about this. We think that there is a cave system that runs through this nose of rock here. But we actually suspect it may not be a cave system, it may be an ancient Chivan coal mine. If it is, then we need to find out quickly. So he despatched us up here as soon as possible. This is just an investigation, and we expect to be returning to town inside two bells. But I must say that that will mean it will be close to dark by the time we get back to report, if we stay the full two bells. We have brought our food,” he finished as I offered to go and fetch them something.

The scene there was so unremarkable that I was able to laugh at the fears of my dreams last night. I actually felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

Deegrum sent Jeefer through the entrance and we heard a few pakh bleats and other kerfuffle. Two moments later, Jeefer returned. I really do believe that Jeefer told his owner that it was alright for him to go through.

With no more ado, Deegrum picked up a miner's lamp, lit it, closed its door and just stooped down with no hesitation and disappeared down the entrance.

He reappeared quite soon and in his usual way, barked: “Bolts, cords, ropes, ladders. Right. Left.”

And with that he was gone again, back into the darkness he was so used to.

Master Bezan and the miner each took a crossbow and loaded it with a bolt to which was attached a thin cord. I saw the cord was regularly marked with white chalk marks. Master B told me when I asked that there was a mark each ten strides. They laid the cord out on the ground so that no tangles would impede the flight. Each length of cord on the ground showed three marks, before it curved back on itself and headed in the other direction. There were four lengths laid out, making it that each cord was one hundred and twenty strides long.

The miner fired his bolt, not taking any particular aim, over to the right side. The bolt shot up, into the gap above the rock fall and below the ceiling of the vault. There was a rattle as it struck the rock roof and dropped out of sight.

Nothing happened.

Still nothing happened.

The miner started laying out the cord attached to another bolt whilst Mister B was doing the same, but on the left of the entrance. Just as the miner loaded his crossbow again, the original cord was jerked, and pulled. He unloaded his bow before placing it on the ground. He went to the original cord and tugged it three times. He was answered with a further three tugs.

A thicker rope was then tied to the cord, and a further tugging signal started the pulling of the thicker rope into the cave. The miner called across to Master Bezan: “Forty strides, Master.”

Master B then went to one of the pack animals and unloaded four coils, one after the other. He unrolled the first and I saw that it was a ladder made with rope sides and wooden steps. He attached one end of the first roll to the start of the second roll and I realised that he was going to make a long ladder, forty strides long, which would be dragged up and over the rock fall. The cave would then be accessible to an adult. I was very impressed at the thinking that made this possible.

And so it happened, first on the right hand side and then on the left; so were two ladders positioned.

The ropes and the cords were drawn back to the outside by Deegrum as he exited once more.

“Smelly. Pakh shit everywhere. Doesn't smell like coal.”

He dropped the cords and ropes, then turned round and went back in.

The men this side explained that Deegrum must be securing the ends of the ladders on the inside, just as they were doing this side. When they had done that to their satisfaction, there was some small discussion after which the miner picked up a lamp, lit it, closed its door and crawled through the entrance, disappearing rapidly from sight. I was quite amazed that a man could wriggle forward so quickly on his belly.

The whole exercise had so far taken less than a bell, as we discovered when Rathina came down to us with a packed lunch. She also brought the fodder for the animals, explaining that it was silly to do so many journeys. She was present when the miner returned through the entrance, again on his belly, which was now filthy. She gasped when he came out, and he just grinned at her.

Then his eyes caught sight of the poles they used for pushing the fodder in there. He explained something to Master B, but I was chatting with Rathina and didn't hear what was said. Master B then left in a hurry, going back to the narrow access gorge and walked into it. Meanwhile the miner took the fodder push rod and marked it with chalk, one mark for each stride in length. He pushed it in front of him as he wriggled back in, taking a bundle of fodder with him, tied to an ankle.

After a good quarter of a bell, Rathina and Pomma departed back to the house after making sure I would be alright being alone with men. So Brethen and I chatted for a while and suddenly there was a scrambling and both men emerged with all the equipment they had taken in there. Jeefer was close behind them.

The men poled the rest of the fodder into the entrance.

They stood up, faced each other and then …....

They started hitting each other.

… … ...

Brethen and I stood well back as the clouds of dust and dirt flew off their clothing.

Jeefer went and jumped in the stream, wriggling like a fish.

Master B reappeared from the gorge, a little out of breath showing that he had run most of the way.

He said to the miner: “One, two, two – and, finally, one and a half.”

He laughed when we demanded an explanation: “The men inside said they travelled to the far end and spotted some tiny shafts of daylight, chinks between the rocks of the fall there. There were four such holes which would handle that fodder pole, so he stuck the handle through the holes. The holes were all hidden from eyes from the outside due to the angles of them, but those numbers I gave were the lengths of the handle that I could see in the fresh air OUTSIDE the rock fall. So both ends of this cave, or whatever it is, are blocked with fallen rocks. The blockage the far end is not so very thick, it seems to be about two or three strides.”

He turned to the men and asked if they knew what it was inside there.

It was the miner who answered: “I'm fairly sure it ain't coal, Master but need more light to be fully certain. At far end from here, there was a smashed wagon, and a few human bones, what with there being a skull and all. There was another of them funny wagons standing there away from the fall, except I ain't seen no wagon nothing like that 'un. Seems to have 'ad only two wheels, a rounded front where the yokes stretch forward and an empty back end. Any driver would have 'ad to stand, I reckons.”

“Deegrum, do YOU have any idea what it might be there?”

“No. Never seed a wagon like that 'un.”

“And what did you think they used to do in that cave?”

“Dunno. Strange marks, slits in stone. Need light. A bit familiar, like.”

“Familiar?”

“Somehow, but not comin'. Blasted thought's stuck in blasted head.”

Brethen looked sharply at me when he swore, but I just ignored it and he relaxed slightly.

Master B and I knew not to press Deegrum, and we both indicated to the other men not to do it.

After a short silence more, Master Bezan got things moving again: “Right, we'd better pack up and make our way back to town then. At least we have some knowledge to report now.”

The men quickly and efficiently packed up their equipment and waved goodbye as they left, the pack animals following Master B in the lead, with the miner following them, trailing his frayen. Deegrum and HIS frayen brought up the rear.

We called our farewells.

We were just turning away when Deegrum yelled: “Stones. Dam stones. They was in there.”

… … ...

Brethen, Pomma and I eventually had our ride. Without getting too close to the areas where men had died, Brethen pointed out the relevant sites of the battle and talked us through the events as they happened.

I understood the Captain's remarks then.

To actually see the countryside made it easier to imagine the dreadful frightened scrambling run of Milady and the Prince, with Jenet and Commander Feteran. I could see the attackers sweeping over the ridge. I could almost hear the crashing of weapons at the lower stone circle, and the Ptuvil Circle, as it was now named, loomed somehow gloomily up there, higher up the slope. Brethen made sure we did not get too near, assuring us that we would not enjoy it.

The scenery was spectacular, the wildness was something I had not imagined could be so near to the relatively domesticated town. That gorge I hated so much was without doubt a dividing gate. The views from high up were indescribable as my eye swept round in a large circle.

Brethen took us over to the South Ridge and positioned us so we could just see, high above the north ridge, the saddle that led to the headlands of the Bray Valley. It became obvious that the gorge was the preferred way to go back to town.

Brethen then led us back to the spot from which Pomma had made her sketch, and I gasped at how well she had captured the view. She had only coloured in the half of it, but her eye for colour and detail was breathtaking. I really appreciated at that moment the fact that she was a near-genius at this.

We dismounted here for Pomma to study the scene again, once again fixing the colours and shadows into her mind. Brethen indicated that he would keep quiet so as not to disturb her, and I took the hint.

For the first time, a feeling of insignificance spread over me, a sort of awe at the grandeur of Nature. I started to think of a wider picture than any I had previously considered. The peace, broken only by avian calls and the odd sounds of grazing frayen, was almost mind-altering. I lay back, keeping quiet so as not to disturb Pomma, and pondered weighty matters.

This feeling reminded me of how insignificant we all are when compared to Anmar and the sun and the stars and the moons - “are they even aware of us?” I wondered as Brethen and I looked together up to the skies.

Pomma suddenly said she was done and I realised that it was far too nice a day to lose myself in such imponderables.

Brethen took us over the south ridge and showed how the stream ran in the opposite direction to 'his' stream and we started out to go up the canyon at its upper end, the one down which the bandits had come. But the walls started leaning in on me again, and I could not go on.

My companions were understanding and we rode back to the farmhouse, with a new feeling of association.

I explained to the entire family, once we got back, about the need for stone quarries and that it seemed their pakh cave had been where the Chivans chipped out the huge stones used for making the dam. I told them that they could be almost certain that it would be opened up again, and probably be a much broader passage than that nasty gorge. Stone was important to the town right now.

They were worried that any works would have to be done from the lake end, and their pakh might run away. I think they believed me when I told them that the town wouldn't let that happen. I made a mental note to tell Master B of their fears.

It was obviously a long journey to come over the Bray Valley Head and then over the saddle up there and down into the Vale. It made sense that the works would be done from the lake end. It would be far easier to bring dranakh there. I smiled to myself as I thought of the fact that there was another new road for Master Bezan to fit into his schedule. Mind you, the surfacing stones wouldn't be too far away in that case, would they?

Then I got down to work again, drumming as much knowledge as I could cram into their heads.
I repeated some of the stuff they had already done, just to break them in gently, and to help fix those bits in their minds. Then we got going on new stuff. I wanted to have every letter at least shown to them by tonight.

Pel, lettering, numbering, colouring, pel, lettering, numbering, supper, lettering, testing, bed for the little ones.

The little ones wanted a story though before they would go off that night, and I was surprised when every female settled down and started relating the requested tale. Suddenly I understood how family traditions were passed down. Everyone in the family knew every word, and there was a satisfying peace, or something like that, that descended as they all played their parts. The children were asleep before the story reached its end, smiling as they nodded off.

Then there was just us older ones. Chats, jokes, interest in my tales of town expansion.

Suddenly I had another idea.

“How many of those tales do you have? Your family tales?”

“Why we have a hand of them. That one tonight is Portra's favourite.”

“Can you bear to tell me it again? I confess I would like to know how it ends, but it just occurred to me that each of you know every word, right?”

They all nodded.

“So if I write it down on some of these paper sheets, then you have something to help you with your reading. You will see every word written down. And you already know what that word is.”

“What a clever idea. We could do all five!”

I laughed as I said: “And my hand will drop off the end of my arm if I have to write all that!”

Well we managed one and a half of those stories before I had to admit defeat.

Long after I had got to the point of regretting this foolish suggestion of mine.

It was another later night for Pomma and I as I needed to rest from my tasks before we went to bed.

Again, it seemed I was the one talking most as I expanded on some of the things I had told them. When I got onto the fact that Milady's lands had been extended, a part of my mind realised that Papa would have returned home by now. And I further realised that there was going to be an Assembly meeting tomorrow morning, which I was going to miss. This last thought was just very silly, since I wouldn't have been invited to attend anyway, but I had this funny resentment that things were happening without my involvement, and that bothered me somehow.

Pomma was good and she contributed some towards the conversation with tales of saddle making, of the new shoemaker, and tales we all hung on of the old shoemaker. Then I remembered that Jasinet had been killed in the battle when Milady had crossed the river. I couldn't believe that I hadn't mentioned anything about that yet and so that started another round of memories from all.

I think that everyone was impressed at my knowledge of so many people in the town, and I promised to tell them Epp's tale tomorrow after dinner.

I also had their attention when I discussed Suril, Haka and Haris. Pomma was surprised at the revelations about Haka's mother and the others all tutted at how cruel families can be.

Which led on to me describing Vittima's horrible life, and the trial and the sentence. And the different brands. And the shackles.

All of which they found fascinating, and then Rathina asked a simple question.

As mentioned elsewhere, it is the simple questions that cause the most consternation.

“And did anyone ask Vittima what SHE thought of the sentence?”

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