A Word Usage Key is at the end. Some commonly used words are there whether used in this chapter or not. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood of the n is replaced by a d or ed. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically with a footnote number. If you have suggestions I would be pleased to consider implementing them.
The brackets after a character e.g. CLAIRE (4 nc) indicates Claire is a character who is 4 years old and a character not encountered before. Ages of incomers are in Earth years at this point and of Folk in Castle years. (4 Folk yrs ≈ 5 Earth yrs. l is lunes, t is tenners.) There is a list of chapters and their significant characters at the bottom too.
6th of Chent Day 9
Lastdaysince, Leech had called in the early forenoon to see Gimlet regarding their proposed aurochs hunting trip. “We’ll have to postpone it for another couple of days, may hap more,” he telt her. “The waggons are having some work doen to them by Vinnek and George.”
“I suppose I can survive for a few days without hard work,” Gimlet said with a smile, “and it means Aspen will have a bit of relief from this lot.” Gimlet indicated her three children who regarded Leech as an extra granddad and a guaranteed source of indulgence. The older two had noticed Leech had his fishing bag and creel with him and were awaiting a gap in the conversation.
“Are you going fishing, Leech?” asked Scentleaf hoping for a wholly unexpected treat.
“No. I’m just carrying all this extra stuff for the exercise to lose a bit of fat.” Even Scentleaf at six and her brother Ramsom who was five knew Leech was teasing them since Leech was a tiny man who had no fat to lose. “Why?”
“Leech, you’re going fishing aren’t you?” Ramsom asked in pleading tones.
“May hap, and if your mum wishes a bit of saught I suppose I may ask her if you can come too.”
Gimlet, who was regularly amused at the way Leech always managed to manipulate her children into behaving themselfs and wishing to do exactly what he wisht them to do, just shook her head and said, “If they don’t behave themselfs, Lee—”
Leech interrupted her with, “I’ll use them for bait and throw them in for the fish. Now you two go and put some suitable clothes on whilst I tell your mum what I came to tell her. And don’t forget your knifes.” Their belt knifes were their most prized possessions, and were leather handled gralloching knifes with span long, razor sharp blades which had leather sheaths on snake skin belts. Leech had had the knifes maekt for them and they were miniature versions of his own, and like his their sheaths had pockets for a sharpening stone and a piece of soft tallow to protect the steel from rusting.
The backs of the sheaths were maekt from thick pieces of mammoth hide and served as strops. Leech had refused to give them the knifes till he was satisfied they could maintain the edge themselves because he said it was only when they knew how much work was involved in maintaining the edge they would take proper care of them. It had not taken them long. They disappeared to change into outdoor clothes, and after they had gone Leech reached into a pocket and retrieved a small confectionery bag which he gave to three year old Grouse saying with a wink, “Hide it, and don’t tell the others.”
Grouse with considerable alacrity put the bag deep into a pocket and said “Gratitude, Leech.”
Grouse was desperate to learn how to wink. He blinked at Leech, who said, “That’s it it, Grouse, keep practising you’ll be able to do it eventually.” Leech then winked at Grouse with his other eye, and Grouse continued blinking.
Despite the impression Leech had given Grouse, Gimlet knew Leech would have similar bags for the others, and she said, “Gratitude, Leech. It will make my day a bit easier with just Grouse to deal with. What’s wrong with the waggons?”
The waggons Gimlet was referring to were uest to bring back large game to the Keep. When out for aurochs or other large game they normally went out with a waggon pulled by two or four heavy horses. The waggons had a bed which could be lowered to the ground between the axles and had recesses for spikes which could be knocked into the ground to prevent them moving. The horses were uest to pull the grallocht carcass on to the waggon bed which was then levered back up again to its travelling position and the horses then hitched to return to the Keep. Since an adult bull aurochs could have a weighth of over one thousand five hundred weights, [three thousand pounds] and a mammoth much more, despite the locking ratchets, the manual levering of the bed back up again was exhaustingly hard work, even for big men, which description included neither Gimlet nor Leech.
“There’s naught wrong with them, but George and Vinnek are working on the way the bed lifters work. George sayt it shouldn’t take him long to plan it so we only need to use a tenth of the force needet now to raise the bed, but we shall have to push the levers down ten times in the stead of once. Vinnek’s crafters are doing the alterations. I telt him they could take as long as they willen, as long as the new mechanism workt. Whilst times I decidet to do a bit of fishing. I’m out with Will and Gwendoline nextday after seatrout. I’ll have your two back in time for their eve meal. We’ll cook some fish for lunch. I’ve some bannocks and a jar of cumber sauce, so we won’t starve.”
Gimlet’s children would have cheerfully eaten burnt fish and dried grass on an expedition with Leech which they thought of as the most exciting events in their lifes. They always caught fish with him, and they spake of it for days afterwards. Scentleaf and Ramsom returned with belted coats on and their knifes in evidence, which they immediately produced without being asked for Leech to examine. Leech tested the knifes’ edges in turn with his thumb, grunted, “Good,” and gave them each a small shoulder bag to carry. As they left Gimlet could hear him telling them, “The bags have rocks in, so if I have to throw you in you won’t float back up again. Put your hats and gloves on now before you get calt. Don’t wait till you get calt.” Gimlet had to smile concerning their hats and gloves because it was what he telt them every time they went anywhere.
That eve, Leech returned two excited but tired children to their parents. They had caught over a dozen medium siezt trout each to take home. They had both lit a fire using Leech’s goldstone and flint, and had grallocht, washed and cooked fish they had caught themselfs which they had eaten in warmed bannocks with cumber sauce after Leech had shewn them, again, how to easily remove all the bones and skin without burning their fingers too badly using a pair of large leafs. He had shewn them all sorts of tracks, and they had managed to stay quiet enough to watch an otter with her cubs playing for over twenty-five minutes before something had alarmed the otters and they had disappeared without trace into the river.
The following eve Leech called on Gimlet and Aspen. Aspen smiled and said, “They didn’t awake till nigh to ten this forenoon, Leech. A glass of brandy? I’ve blackthorn and apple.”
“Apple please. Is Gimlet available?”
“She’s just settling Grouse for the night.” Leech and Aspen talked of recent events and when Gimlet entered the chamber Aspen said, “There’s a glass for you on the press, Love.”
“I came to tell you tell you Vinnek and George are proposing to shew us how to use the altered waggon lifters nextday forenoon. I suggest if everything is working to our satisfaction we either leave after lunch, or the following forenoon at five. Gale’s not bothert which, Gimlet, so I’ll let you and Aspen have spaech, and I’ll do what ever suits you. I know Milligan wishes a big beast because he needs the meat, but I’d rather take two tender young cows rather than a big tough old bull even if we have to go out twice.”
“I agree with you, Leech, and I’m sure Morris and Crook would too. I don’t like killing a beast in his prime, let him sire more calfs, and any hap there’s less chance of losing an arrow on a young cow and it’s much safer too.” Gimlet uest arrows of her own making and each represented a considerable investment of her time. Most could not emulate her skill, which was why they preferred to aim for a body shot, but she preferred to kill with an arrow to the head, for then there was no problem with spoilt meat from stomach contents. Moreover, the thick skull of a mature bull was more likely to braek an arrow than the skull of a younger cow, and was a more suitable target for a crossbow quarrel. Too, in the event of a poor arrow placement, due to perchance a trace of crosswind, a pain maddened bull aurochs was a formidable and dangerous adversary. They agreed to meet at Vinnek’s workshop at nine the following forenoon.
By ten Gimlet and Leech had both single handedly lifted a waggon bed several times back to its travelling position whilst it was loaded with two thousand weights of sandbags. It was more conveniently managed with two of them working together, one on a lever at each end of an axle and then doing the same with the other axle but it could be done by one of them and done easily. Gimlet asked, “You still all right to go this afternoon, Leech?”
“Aye, if that’s what you wish?”
“Yes.”
“If we meet at Gudrun’s at one, we’ll be goen by two.”
At half to three they were on the trail going more or less due east from the Keep. Gimlet was as usual driving on their way out, so Leech could concentrate on sensing their environment.
“I’ve been thinking, Gimlet. The bed is so easy to lift now if we kill a cow and load it, we could kill another, drop the bed, load that one too and still have breath left over. The only reason we’ve never doen it before was the work involvt in lifting the bed twice wasn’t something you’d wish to consider never mind do. So to bring back the weighth we always goent for bigger beasts which of course would be tougher meat. What bethink you?”
“If we waitet till a group spread out a bit, I could take one at the back without the others noticing and then another, Leech. If we can find a good place for me to flight from you could stay with the waggon and the herd will move away when you approach to load. As long as we do naught to upset the herd bull they probably won’t even be aware aught has happent. That way we may not even have to lift the bed twice.”
They kept going and, other than the fæalla(1) Gimlet killed for their meal when Leech taekt a turn driving. Despite having detoured several times to higher ground, so Leech could have a better view, he’d been aware of no sign of aurochs or aught else worth bothering with for the rest of the day. They stopped beside a copse of pine and maekt camp at nine. Whilst Gimlet saw to the horses, Leech dug a small pit, lined it with flat stones and built a fire in it using bone dry fallen pine branches and cones. He’d chosen thin branches which burnt fiercely and kept adding to them as the fire burnt down. After half an hour, he uest a shovel to remove the remaining embers, placed the leaf wrapped, gralloched fæalla in the pit followed by more leafs and topped the pit up with soil he’d dug out. He levelled the soil out and using the embers built a new fire on top of the fæalla. They ate cold food with fresh hot leaf, banked the fire to allow the fæalla to cook overnight and went to bed.
They awoke at six, had hot fæalla for braekfast and were on their way by seven. The undulating terrain was spattered with odd copses of mixed woodland, but often of a single species, which shewed them where they could water the horses and an irregular line of trees off to the south indicated the route of a small watercourse. They stopped at regular intervals for the horses to rest, drink and graze and ate wayfarers’ bread with cold fæalla and pickled roots at lunchtime. As lastday there was little to interest the hunters, other than a huge patch of wild onions which they stopped at to gather several weights of, and it was gone five when Leech said “Wind’s shiftet.(2) I can smell aurochs. They’ll be two thousand strides away, may hap a little more, slightly south of east, probably berount the other side of that tongue of trees projecting from the main woodland. I suggest we keep going and pull up three or four hundred strides this side of the trees, leave the horses hitcht to graze and have a look.”
By the time they pulled the horses up Gimlet could smell herbivores. By the time they had pressed halfway through the two hundred strides of the belt of trees she could identify the smell as aurochs. The aurochs were a medium siezt group of thirty to forty individuals with a number of yearlings, both heifers and juvenile bulls, which were what they were after. They were grazing in tall lush grass and clearly felt unthreatened. The trees were sparse but dense enough to offer the required protection, though they would have an extra half hour journey berount them to drive the waggon to any kill, and then the same returning. “I’ll unhitch the horses, hobble them to graze and return. I’ll stay here with you till I know we have what we came for, Gimlet. Whilst times I’ll mark that patch of onions on the map.”
Gimlet agreed saying, “We may be here awhile, Leech. This is ideal, so there’s no point in rushing things, for it would only make more work in the end.”
Gimlet found herself a fallen tree at the edge of the trees to sit on and resigned herself to a long wait. After half an hour one of the young bulls separated a little from the main group and Gimlet prepared herself. She waited another half hour till she noticed all the herd were facing into the wind away from the young bull. From a farth of thirty strides her arrow taekt the beast silently and none of the others even noticed it had disappeared from sight into the tall grass. Gimlet selected another arrow from her nearby quiver and nocked it, ready for another long wait. The herd moved closer, but no feasible opportunity presented itself for over an hour, however, Gimlet and Leech had the patience of all good hunters, and had the herd moved away they’d have shrugged their shoulders and sought other game.
Eventually two heifers started to move in their direction. When they had moved away from a group of cows with calfs, Gimlet held two fingers up to Leech with a questioning expression on her face, Leech opened his eyes wide and shrugged his shoulders. Gimlet had asked Shall I try for the two at the risk of not making clean kills and having to track possibly two wounded beasts going in different directions? And Leech, knowing that the four horse team would have no problem with pulling the weight of three aurochs, had replied, Why not? Gimlet placed another four arrows ready for after she loosed the first. She placed them whence she could have one nocked in less than a second. She waited another forty minutes till the nearer of the two was forty strides away and the farther five strides behind. She exhaled as the nearer heifer presented itself sideways on and loosed her arrow at the farther and much more difficult target.
Without awaiting the result of her first arrow she had the second nocked, sighted and loosed as the nearer beast was turning away and taking the first stride of her braek into a run back to the herd. In less than three seconds both heifers were dead, and as with her first kill the herd had not noticed. Leech with a huge grin on his face left her and went to hitch the horses and drive them berount the far end of the tongue of trees to where their succulent eve meal awaited them. After a while the herd started to move away which gave Gimlet the first indication Leech was moving towards her. By the time Leech had arrived she had recovered, cleaned and requivered her arrows and had a fire ready to heat water for leaf, and it was gone eight. They had two and three quarter hours of daylight left though it was now cool with the beginnings of frost covering the ground.
As they were drinking their leaf Leech said, “There’s no point in rushing things. I could gralloch the three inside an hour, but I’d rather we taekt our time and spent an hour and a half to do it tightly. Whilst I start, you drop the waggon bed and make camp. We’ll finish the gralloch, separate the grallochth(3) and barrel it. You wish to eat then or after we’ve finisht?”
“Let’s finish before we eat, Leech.”
“I bethinkt me you’d say that. So, after barrelling the grallochth, we load the carcasses and barrels, raise the bed and stow everything ready to leave nextday. What do you wish to eat?”
“If you cut a couple of decent skirt steaks for supper with a bit of liver whilst I make camp I’ll cook some of the onions and make oat flats. I’ll cook enough for braekfast too, so slice me enough skirt and liver with a kidney too ready for braekfast. You’ll be cutting the diaphragms out to finish the grallochth anyway so that’ll be no extra work. What bethink you?”
“Sounds good to me, Gimlet.” Whilst Leech hitched the horses to the young bull, dragged it back to the cows and started on the gralloch, Gimlet dropped the waggon bed, maekt camp, put more wood on the fire and prepared their meal. When Leech had cut the steaks, liver and kidney he’d also taken some suet and provided a dish of blood for their meal. Gimlet set the suet to render in a shallow kettle and put four plate siezt flat stones to heat before making leaf. The pair drank their leaf and continued with their tasks. Gimlet washed and crushed the wiedth siezt onions between two stones and set them to cook with the suet in the kettle. She added salt to some of the horses’ rolled oats and rubbed in some suet. She mixt in a little blood to bind the mix, patted the mix between her hands into flats which she set to cook on the the now hot stones. She cooked, not because she was the woman, but because Leech, who was every bit as good a cook as she, was faster at the gralloch on big beasts, though she was a better forager than he, which had always surprised them given the acute nature of his senses. Gimlet went to help Leech, but stirred the onions and turned the flats from time to time. Before they finished, she added the steak, liver and kidney to the onions.
True to Leech’s estimate they had grallocht all three aurochs tightly in an hour and a half. They had all grallochth separated and barrelled, including the now emptied guts which the provisioners washed and uest, with tripe too, as casings for sausages and other meat products. They taekt it in turn to knock the spikes into the ground with the heavy hardwood maul and uest the horses to drag the carcasses onto the waggon bed. They loaded the barrels and firmly secured the entire load. The horses pulled the spikes out, and they laught as they levered up the waggon bed and dropped and secured the ironwood pins that locked it into its travelling position. It was hard for them to believe how easy it had all been, the two young but full grown cows and the juvenile bull together had a weighth at least equivalent to a herd bull and a half. They washed their hands using water from a barrel, packed their equipment, stoewt the maul and the spikes and after their habitual double check on each other’s equipment they ate what they considered to be a delicious and thoroughly deserved meal.
By the time they had eaten and finished their leaf it wasn’t gloaming but it wasn’t far off, and, after watering the horses, it was a pair of weary hunters who gratefully slid into their bedrolls.
They awoke at six as lastday and were on their way back to the Keep by seven. Their route back was more direct, as on the way out their detours up the small hills to give a view of the landscape which might have provided them with sight of aurochs or something worth having had cost them the best part of a day. They taekt it in turns to drive back and maekt good time. At nine, when they would normally have been looking for somewhere to camp, Leech asked, “You will to keep going? Lune’s not full, but its a clear sky, and she’s giving enough light for me to drive by, and in any case firstlight’s at half to two. I’ll be driving by lunelight for an hour may hap a bit less. Even taking it slowly we’ll be back by half one, alternatively we can camp and set out at seven and be back in time for a decent but late braekfast. What do you wish to do?”
Gimlet thought and said, “It’s you that’ll be doing the driving in the dark not I, so you should decide, but I’m for going home, Leech.”
“Good, with a bit of luck there will still be some company in the Swan, and I can catch a last glass or two.”
The sky remained clear, and as Leech had said Lune wasn’t full, but she provided enough light for him to drive by, and the waggon was outside the White Swan at just over midnight. They had been planning on leaving the horses with Geoffrey’s stablemen whose stables were next to the Swan, but some of Gudrun’s horsemen leaving the Swan taekt the team back to the huntsman’s stables for them, and Gimlet decided to join Leech in a drink to celebrate their successful hunt. The company was still going strong in the Swan, and Leech was soon relating their hunt. After having maekt a shew of reluctance before accepting the strong dark ale he was so fond of that had been pressed upon him, he telt of their success.
His regular drinking companions wouldn’t accept the pair had killed and returned with three aurochs on one waggon and telt him “David’s the one who tells the tales here, Leech.” After arguing of it for half an hour, the inebriates decided to go outside, check the waggon and count the aurochs, and when Gimlet left to go home Leech had a whole line of pots of Black Beauty awaiting his attention, all bought as apologies for ever having doubted his word. Gimlet thought she had better arise early to arrange for the waggon to be taken to Morris at the Keep butchers, because she was convinced at seven in the forenoon Leech would still be too busy drinking to deal with it.
6th of Chent Day 9
Stonechat had examined Bekka, Carley and Vikki, and she agreed with what Bekka and Vikki had previously been telt regards when their babes were due. She thought Carley was not as far along as Carley thought her previous advisors had telt her, possibly by as much as a lune, but Stonechat admitted she could be wrong, and telt Carley not to worry if she went over her expected birthing date.
Stonechat had heard the three of them were all willing to go along with what ever they were shewn, and they did what ever they were asked, but all they worked with said the same things of them all. They were doing what ever they did without thought. They were passive and uninterested and couldn’t see the importance of what they were doing in terms of their long term futures, it were as if they were not involved. Stonechat had telt the other holding folk to wait till such time as Zoë and Jade were gone, and she expected to see a difference then. What worried her much more was they had expressed no interest in their future motherhood and the babes who would be totally dependent on them. In spite of having been repeatedly telt so, they didn’t seem to appreciate as newfolk their ability to have and rear children would more than counter their lack of knowledge and skills in other areas. However, no man of the Folk would be interested in any woman perceived to be a poor mother, and such a woman would probably not have a future. She resolved to leave matters till a couple of tenners after Zoë and Jade had left before having spaech with them.
6th of Chent Day 9
Nearly a tenner after Morgelle’s incursion, Shearwater introduced her to Fritillary and Bistort at the Master at arms’ office over a mug of leaf. As soon as she saw the meeting was going to be a success she left them. Bistort was a large dark haired and even darker complexioned man of fifty-three whilst Fritillary was a petite woman with light red hair, violet eyes and a narrow face covered in freckles. As soon as Fritillary saw Morgelle she went to her and hugged her. Kissing her forehead she said, “My dear, I was so saddent to hear of your separation from your young man. I was your age when I decidet I was going to marry Bistort, and not much older when I doet. We know naught but time can ease your hurt, but we do hope you will join our family.”
Somewhat taken aback by Fritillary’s instant and sincere greeting, which maekt her feel a little emotional, she turned away from her to regain her composure, and in doing so looked straight at Bistort who smiled a slow smile, and said, “I should love another daughter. The only reason we hadn’t adoptet any incomer children is because where we live is remote, and our life is difficult for most to adapt to. We suspect you have to be reart to our way of life to enjoy it. I believe it would suit you, and it would help you come to terms with your loss. I too hope you will join our family.”
He held his arms open to her, and much to her own surprise she threw herself into his arms and sobbed her grief away enfolded in the arms of this massive stranger who said he wished to be father. She felt very safe in his arms. When she had recovered a little she sniffed and said, “I’m sorry I don’t know what came over me.” Fritillary held her arms out to her and hugged her again. Morgelle at last recovered and said, “Shearwater told me about you and where you live, and I should like that. What do I call you?”
Bistort looked at Fritillary, who answered Morgelle’s question, “We should like it, Daughter Morgelle, if you would call us Mum and Dad.” Fritillary smiled and continued, “We’ve a small suite of chambers here in one of the southern towers, and we should be happy if you movt in with us before we go home. We shall be spending two more days here settling our accounts and collecting the necessary supplies to take home. We’ve a team and a waggon, and we shall have to spend a night out in the wild at our stopping over place before we arrive home. So it will be four days before we are home. We’ll need to go to bed early nextday eve for a start at five the day after.”
Morgelle nodded at her and said, “It will make me happy to move in with you. Who lives with you? At home, I mean.” Belatedly she added, “Mum.”
It was Bistort who replied. “There are six of our eight children with their husbands and wifes and a whole flock of grandchildren. There are a number of relatives of our generation,” he indicated Fritillary and himself, “and their families with several others of various ages who have joint us as kin.(4) Unlike most we spend the winter there and don’t return to the Keep. We do this from choice. We like the wildth of where we live. We’ve kin and kith here, and we’re always well come to stay with them, and our chambers here are available to the whole clan, but whilst it is enjoyable to spend time here with family and friends we prefer to be at home. We’ve at least nine young men who will be interestet in you as a wife. I know it is early days yet, but one must always keep an eye open for the future. You understand how such things are I am sure, and we hope it will be to your liking. To make sure you understand how things work here you may marry at any age, but are not considert adult till you reach the age of fourteen. We shall of course be delightet to support you no matter what you chose to do.” He smiled at Morgelle and reaching for her he kissed her cheek saying, “Well come, Daughter, you make me happy.”
Fritillary kissed her other cheek and said, “Well come, Daughter, you make me happy.”
Morgelle thinking the formality of what they had both just said and done implied a form of words she wasn’t aware of asked, “Is there something I should ritually respond with?”
“Only the same if you feel it appropriate,” replied Fritillary.
“Mum, Dad. Thank you. I am sure I shall be happy,” responded Morgelle. “I know I shall eventually be able to come to terms with leaving Caoilté behind, but not yet. I was ready to settle and start my marriage. I was really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him and having his children. I know I shall have to recover and be ready to do so again. I look forward to meeting the young men, but please keep them from pressing upon me till I am ready. I know if they upset me I shall never be able to forget. I shall forgive them, but never forget, and I’ll never marry any who presses me whilst I need time to adjust. That may not seem fair, but it’s the way I grew up, and thus is the way I am.”
Fritillary looked unhappy at that, but Bistort said, “I understand, Daughter Morgelle, and I consider it fair. Any man not capable of restraint is no man at all. I shall make sure till you tell me personally, as your father, you are ready to set your grief aside, they will leave you alone. Had your intendet dien, which effectively is what has happent, by our customs as a widow you are entitelt to a minimum of a year for your grief, and more should you will it. Is that acceptable to you?”
“Thank you, Father Bistort. Yes, that’s how I should like it.”
“Then let us collect your belongings and start ordering our affairs. I shall settle our accounts, and you can go with your mum to acquire some clothes and things you will need. You must listen to her and accept what she does she does as your mum. You owe us naught but love and the normal family obligations. You are one of us now, and we are happy you are one of us. That means you must have what you need. If your mum wishes to buy you things allow her the pleasure of doing so, for she has been looking forward to it. You are now our daughter, and we are entitelt to treat you as such. Nextday we shall deal with the necessary supplies, and then we can go home.”
“That sounds lovely,” said Morgelle. She held out her hands to her new parents as they left the Master at arms offices to collect her personal belongings, such as they were, she now with her arms through theirs. Morgelle decided not to mention her cruit to her parents as she couldn’t take it home with her, so after the eve meal she telt them she wished to say goodbye to some friends as she was not sure she would have time nextday and taekt it to Gorse for safekeeping. She said goodbye to various persons who had become friends and returned to go to bed.
7th of Chent Day10
Lastday Jed and Warbler had discovered the Keep run was an early one starting outside the Refectory and the first runners would set off at eight in the forenoon. They had agreed he would meet her with Spearmint and Stonecrop there just before eight. Jed was surprised to find Warbler on her own and looking a little guilty. “Where are Spearmint and Stonecrop?” he asked.
“Spearmint raxt(5) her leg and can’t run, so Mum bethinkt herself it would be better if Stonecrop stayt at home too. He was upset, but I telt him we’d all go Keep running when Spearmint’s leg was better.”
“How did she hurt her leg?”
Warbler lookt awkward, but replied, “Kicking a boy.”
“Kicking a boy? Who? Why? Where? When?”
“You know Spearmint met Alwydd when they were both learning of the Way at one of the newfolk children’s lessons?”
“Yes. She mentioned it lastday when we were at the Master at Arms office. She telt me that any can go, but it’s mostly children who do. I wish to go when I have a day off. They’re only one hour lessons.”
“I’d like to go with you if you don’t object?”
“Yes, gratitude. I’d like that, and you can explain what I don’t understand. But what of Spearmint and Alwydd? She didn’t kick him did she?”
“Of course not! They are interestet in each other, and I’m sure will be heartfriends betimes.”
Jed was surprised, but merely said, “Alwydd and Spearmint? They will make a good pair of heartfriends, and I can see why they like each other, cos both are kind of quiet in a don’t mess with me sort of a way, but what has that to do with Spearmint fighting with a boy and who was he, Warbler?”
Warbler ignored Jed’s question and continued patiently, “She wasn’t fighting with a boy. He willen to be her heartfriend, but he is one whom she has never liekt, so she properly explaint she couldn’t be interestet in him, for she liekt another boy, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer, and, unlike Otday who at least knoewn what was proper behaviour, well at least he never toucht me without permission, he became improperly intimate when she wouldn’t tell him who she was interestet in. She’s much stronger than she looks, and she kickt him where it hurt most. Unfortunately she over extendet her leg and raxt the muscles. She telt me, ‘I was flaught. I should have uest my knee not my whole leg.’ She’ll be fine nextdaynigh, though he may take a few days to recover.”
Jed who was protective of Warbler’s siblings askt in a cold tone, “Who was he?”
“It’s naught you need concern yourself with, Jed. Leave the matter be. Dad knows of it, and he is going to let it alone because he knows the girls will deal with the boy far more meetly than any adult could. You could only hurt him, but the girls, and the boys too, will humiliate him for lunes, and he’ll never try to force a kiss on a girl again, and it will be a long time before any girl will wish to kiss him. Remember I telt you if Otday hadn’t stopt bothering me every girl, and boy too, on Castle would have maekt him regret it. Like I telt you it’s how it is here, and I also sayt doing aught that is not in accord with the Way just isn’t worth it, as he’ll discover. Dad sayt he couldn’t help but smile even though it wasn’t properly spaeking funny which nearly caused an argument between Mum and Dad. Mum’s voice could have maekt an iceberg even colder when she askt him why, and he sayt having two daughters who had that effect on boys doet have a funny and pleasing aspect to it. Mum had been seriously upset for Spearmint, but that maekt her put it into perspective, and she laught of it too. Mum and Dad are a well suitet pair and have fallen in love already. She’s really caring, and she’s lovely.”
Jed considered Warbler’s words, grinned and said, “I like your mum and dad and your dad’s sense of humour is well wicked, that means sharp, or may hap in Folk words tight, or meet, and he’s right, all who abuse any one should be humiliated for a long time if only as a deterrent to others. I was a little upset because I like Spearmint, and now she is my sister I felt I ought to do something. I probably over reacted because I didn’t understand, but it is a shame that some boy who can’t take no for an answer should deny Stonecrop a forenoon’s fun.”
Jed’s chuckle had a mordant quality as he continued, “I don’t wish to know who he is, Warbler, but he’d better hope Alwydd doesn’t find out what happent, for if Alwydd wishes to be Spearmint’s heartfriend he’ll be more than upset. He’s usually quiet and reasonable, but, like the rest of us whose previous lifes weren’t too good, now he has a family that cares to him he’s protective of those he cares to, and he probably knows how to use an iron bar in the dark, and if he doesn’t one of us will teach him.” The insight Jed’s words gave her into how his past affected his present gave her much to consider, but she reflected, just as she had the right as Jed’s heartfriend to influence his behaviour, as she had just done, as Spearmint’s heartfriend Alwydd would have the right to protect her which was no bad thing. “Warbler, what you sayt about Otday at least never touching you—”
Warbler interrupted him,“We would say ‘what you sayt of Otday at least never touching you,’ or use regards or concerning. About is an Earth word I never hearet till I met you, Jed, the nearest we have to it is berount, but that only seems to cover some uses of about, which seems to me to have as many meanings as tightly or shend.”
“Of Otday not touching you then. By Folk custom, should I have to ask to touch you? I mean are you making allowances because I’m newfolk? Because if you are I’d prefer to know how to behave properly.”
“Don’t be flaught, Jed. Of course I’m not, for you are leaçen(6) of me. And I wish you to know I never gave Otday, or any other, permission to touch me. Spearmint and I have had spaech of it many times over the years, and though many girls allow a boy to touch them intimately for the experience before they become heartfrienden we both decidet not to so do, for we considert the experience, though perchance interesting, would not be the same as with a heartfriend which was what we both desiert, and hence would be pointless.”
“You don’t have to explain or justify anything you did or did not do or say before we became heartfriends, Warbler.”
“A lot of my friends have problems with jealous heartfriends, Jed, so I am grateful you are the way you are.” Warbler hesitated before asking, “Doet you ever touch, or were you ever toucht by another girl before me, Jed? I’m not jealous if you doet or were, but I would like to know.”
“I hardly ever talked to a girl before you, Warbler. I never had a relationship with one. I never even had thoughts abou…of girls. It wasn’t just girls, I had little to do with anyone. I know it is difficult for you to understand, but I was completely alone, and I was here too till I met you. Of course I knew of the differences in the bodies of girls and boys, but I wasn’t really aware of the implications of that. You were the first girl to make me aware of that significance. You have made my life completely different and it’s much better.”
Warbler smiled at Jed’s indirect reference to his brief view of her softth and awkward awaerth of her breasts when they met, and it gave her a warm feeling realising that it was her softth and her breasts, and not those of some other, that had awakent Jed’s interest in adult matters. Indeed her body was mature enough and more than adequate for a girl of her age and size. “It’s maekt my life better, not made my life better, Jed, and you’ve maekt mine much better too. Talk is only ever a thingword(7) in Folk, never a workword(8). I know you have different words for those but I don’t know what they are.” Warbler had tears in her eyes as she gently corrected his Folk.
“Maekt it better. What you call a thingword is a noun to me and a workword is a verb. But I’ve never heard that word you used, I mean uest, before. What does leezen mean?”
“I explaint when we became heartfrienden we givn ourselfs to each other. That means we have a leaçe of each others’ person. We are leaçen of each other, and it’s pronouncet leaçen, not leezen, to rhyme with fleecen.(9) It means we have the right to do what we will with each other without asking for permission as long as we remain heartfrienden. I suppose you could say we have privilegt rights to each other, but it’s not quite the same, for family, kin and clan, even kith, have privilegt rights of various kinds of each other, yet they are not leaçen. It’s a word only uest in connection with those who are agreäns, intendets or heartfriends, because it implies a right to an intimacy none else would have. It could apply to aught from making love to just touching each others’ arms or holding hands. A kiss from a family member or kith would not be deemt due to a leaçe because there is no associatet right of unlimitet intimacy. We call those family kisses by the bye, which includes kisses from those who are not family but kith.”
Warbler paused for thought for a moment before saying, “I believe it’s the idea of unlimitet that makes the difference, but I’m not sure. Most assume it only occurs between girls and boys or women and men, but I know it also applies to same sex couples and multiples too, so may hap it is the concept of potentially unlimitet sexual intimacy that makes the difference between leaçen and privilegt. Gudrun and Zenith, who both craft in your office, are full syskonen of the same parents, yet they are leaçen of each other, but that’s because they are agreäns, not because they are syskonen. I don’t know exactly what it means, and now you’ve maekt me aware I don’t know I wish to, so I’ll ask at the Master at arms office what the precise difference is when we go for a lesson. It’s written with a funny mark under the letter c, but I don’t know why, so I’ll ask of that too. But to answer your question. No, Jed, you no more have to ask to touch me than I have to ask you, and I have no intention of asking.” Warbler had been going to kiss Jed’s cheek, but to her regret just then they were telt they could go and the matter was temporarily forgotten in the excitement of the competition.
7th of Chent Day 10
Billie had been birthing for twenty-six hours. Diver, her husband of four days whom she had met in the Refectory, was terrified she was going to die. He had met her and courted her over lunch, and she had accepted him over dinner. They were both happy with each other, and their love was growing. He was a rope maker who worked with Howell who had telt him to return when he could concentrate on his craft. Howell had added, “If it takes a tenner, a lune or even longer, Son, that’s how long it takes. All know when a man’s woman is birthing time is suspended for him.”
Diver had been holding her hand and sponging her forehead and face for what had been a very long time. The midwifes had been calm throughout, but he had just heard one of them mention Cwm. Cwm, he knew, was only called for in birthings when they planned to cut in to birth the babe, and he was beside himself with fear. Billie was thrashing berount, and he wasn’t sure she knew who he was all the time, and if aught that was even more frightening. He was taken to one side, and Whitethorn explained to him Billie was narrow in her hips, and her body was not giving way to the babe’s head, which was large. He was telt there were only two options open to them now. The first was the use of herbs which would aid Billie to push the babe, but he was warned the herbs were powerful, and she would probably be torn, require stitches and a long convalescence, but another child was not too high a risk afterwards. The alternative was for Cwm to cut in for the babe which was safe, but likewise not without its price. If they had to resort to that it would be best for her own weäl that Billie had no more children.
“What are you going to do?” he asked Whitethorn fearfully.
“We are going to try the herbs first because we feel they may work, but there is no guarantee Cwm won’t have to cut in for the babe. You must leave Billie now, so we can do what we have to without us worrying for you too.”
“Can you not give her something for the pain?” he pled.
“Unfortunately, aught powerful enough to be effective will stop her pushing the babe, and it almost certainly would die, and possibly Billie too. Please leave and wait with the healer on general duty, and we shall let you know as soon as we know aught.” Diver nodded. He was not sure he could take much more, and he was desperately worried as to how much more Billie could take. Fifty nerve wracking minutes later, Whitethorn came to see him. She was smiling and telt him, “The herbs workt. Billie has some tearing, and is being stitcht by Cwm. You have a son, and Billie is nursing him whilst Cwm is crafting. We’ve administert herbs for the pain, and Billie is very tiren, from both the birthing and the herbs. She’s asking for you, but we shall leave it five minutes so you are not distresst by what Cwm has to do, and then we shall go to see her. You can spend as long as you like with her, and I shall bring you leaf and something to eat betimes.”
When he went to see Billie and his son he could see she was exhausted but happy and indifferent to what she had been through. He held her hand, and she proudly shewed him her handiwork. She dozed on and off, and it was Cwm who brought him a mug of leaf and some cold-meat bannocks. To his surprise he was hungry and was a little surprised when Cwm telt him, “I’m telt you haven’t eaten aught for a full day, so eat them all.” He and Billie spake on and off of all and naught when she was awake over the next two days.
“Can we call him Seal?” she had asked.
“Yes, of course if you like, but why Seal?”
“You’re named after a water bird, and…I don’t know it just came to me. That’s all.” Billie then telt him, “I shan’t be needed at the crèche when I’m back on my feet again. So I have decided I should like to craft with the herbals. I’m so grateful to them especially as I can have another.”
Diver kept his surprise to himself that Billie could even consider having another after what she had just been through, but he minded what his father had telt him. “It’s a thing no man can begin to understand, Son. They go through birthing, which looks so appalling to us, then they put the babe to the breast, and it’s as if it never happent, and they’re thinking of the next one. It’s a womanfolk event, and all we can do is watch and wait and hope.”
Index of significant characters so far listed by Chapter
1 Introduction
2 Jacques de Saint d’Espéranche
3 The Folk and the Keep
4 Hwijje, Travisher, Will
5 Yew, Allan, Rowan,Siskin, Will, Thomas, Merle, Molly, Aaron, Gareth, Oak, Abigail, Milligan, Basil, Vinnek, Iris, Margæt, Gilla, Alsike, Alfalfa, Gibb, Happith, Kroïn, Mako, Pilot, Briar, Gosellyn, Gren, Hazel
6 Chaunter, Waxwing, Flame, João, Clansaver, Irune, Ceël, Barroo, Campion, Limpet, Vlæna, Xera, Rook, Falcon, Cwm, Sanderling, Aldeia, Catarina, Coast, Elixabete
7 Mercedes, Spoonbill
8 Lyllabette, Yoomarrianna
9 Helen, Duncan, Gosellyn, Eudes, Abigail
10 George/Gage, Iris, Waverley, Belinda
11 Marc/Marcy, Pol
12 George/Gage, Marcy, Freddy/Bittern, Weyland, Iris, Bling
13 Thomas, Will, Mercedes, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna
14 Kyle, Thomas, Will, Angélique
15 Mercedes, Morgelle, Gorse, Thrift, George/Gage, Chris, Iris, Thrift, Campion
16 Bling
17 Waverley, Mr. E
18 George/Gage, Larch, Mari, Ford, Gorse, Morgelle, Luke, Erin
19 Will, Pilot, Yew, Geoge/Gage, Mari, Ford, Gosellyn, Cwm, Cerise, Filbert, Gareth, Duncan, Helen, Thomas, Iris, Plume, Campion, Pim, Rook, Falcon, João, Hare
20 Yew, Rowan, Will, Thomas, Siskin, Weir, Grayling, Willow
21 Brook, Harrier, Cherry, Abby, Selena, Borage, Sætwæn, Fiona, Fergal
22 Yew, Thomas, Hazel, Rowan, Gosellyn, Siskin, Will, Lianna, Duncan
23 Tench, Knawel, Claire, Oliver, Loosestrife, Bramling, George, Lyre, Janice, Kæn, Joan, Eric
24 Luke, Sanderling, Ursula, Gervaise, Mike, Spruce, Moss
25 Janet, Vincent, Douglas, Alec, Alice
26 Pearl, Merlin, Willow, Ella, Suki, Tull, Irena
27 Gina, Hardy, Lilac, Jessica, Teal, Anna
28 Bryony, Judith, Bronwen, Farsight
29 Muriel, Raquel, Grace
30 Catherine, Crane, Snipe, Winifred, Dominique, Ferdinand
31 Alma, Allan, Morris, Miranda
32 Dabchick, Nigel
33 Raquel, Thistle, Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Phœbe
34 Eleanor, Woad, Catherine, Crane
35 Muriel, Hail, Joan, Breve, Eric, Nell, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
36 Selena,Sætwæn, Borage, Grace, Gatekeeper, Raquel, Thistle
37 Siân, Mackerel, Winifred, Obsidian
38 Carla, Petrel, Alkanet, Ferdinand
39 Dominique, Oxlip, Alma, Allan, Tress, Bryony
40 Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Ella, Kestrel, Judith, Storm
41 Ella, Kestrel, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane
42 Weights & Measures and Sunrise & Sunset Times included in Ch 41
43 Ella, Kestrel, Serenity, Smile, Gwendoline, Rook, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane, Sapphire, Mere
44 Pearl, Merlin, Rainbow, Perch, Joan, Breve, truth, Rachael, Hedger, Ruby, Deepwater
45 Janet, Blackdyke, Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster
46 Janet, Gina, Alastaire, Joan, Breve, Truth, Bræth, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
47 The Squad, Mercedes, Fen, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
48 Bronwen, Forest, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Kathleen, Niall, Bluebell, Sophie
49 Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster, Imogen, Wryneck, Phœbe, Knapps
50 Erin, Nightjar, Eleanor, Woad
51 Gina, Jonas, Janet, Gerald, Patrick, Tansy, Craig, Barret, Ryan
52 Constance, Rye, Bling, Bullace, Berry, Jimmy, Leveret, Rory, Shelagh, Silas
53 Rachael, Hedger, Eve, Gilla, Mallard, Fiona, Fergal, Tinder, Nightingale, Fran, Dyker
54 Pamela, Mullein, Patricia, Chestnut, Lavinia, Ophæn, Catherine, Crane
55 Susan, Kingfisher, Janet, Gina, Jonas, Ruth, Kilroy, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
56 Gina, Jonas, Patricia, Chestnut, The Squad, Hazel, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch, Mangel, Clary, Brendan
57 Erin, Nightjar, Xera, Josephine, Wels, Michelle, Musk, Swansdown, Tenor
58 Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverley,Yvette, Whitebear, Firefly, Farsight, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch
59 Lilac, Firefly, Farsight, Lucinda, Gimlet, Leech, Janet, Blackdyke
60 Douglas, Lunelight, Yvette, Whitebear, Thrift, Haw, Harebell, Goosander, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew, Matilda, Evan, Heron
61 Brendan, Clary, Chloë, Apricot, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Otis, Harry, Gimlet, Leech, Jodie
62 Gimlet, Leech, Lark, Seth, Charles, Bruana, Noah, Kirsty, Shirley, Mint, Kevin, Faith, Oak, Lilly, Jason, Gem, Ellen
63 Honesty, Peter, Bella, Abel, Kell, Deal, Siobhan, Scout, Jodie
64 Heather, Jon, Anise, Holly, Gift, Dirk, Lilac, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Ivy, David
65 Sérent, Dace, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Clarissa, Gorse, Eagle, Frond, Diana, Gander, Gyre, Tania, Alice, Alec
66 Suki, Tull, Buzzard, Mint, Kevin, Harmony, Fran, Dyker, Joining the Clans, Pamela, Mullein, Mist, Francis, Kristiana, Cliff, Patricia, Chestnut, Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverly, Tarragon, Edrydd, Louise, Turnstone, Jane, Mase, Cynthia, Merle, Warbler, Spearmint, Stonecrop
67 Warbler, Jed, Fiona, Fergal, Marcy, Wayland, Otday, Xoë, Luval, Spearmint, Stonecrop, Merle, Cynthia, Eorle, Betony, Smile
68 Pansy, Pim,Phlox, Stuart, Marilyn, Goth, Lunelight, Douglas, Crystal, Godwit, Estelle, Slimlyspoon, Lyre, George, Damson, Lilac
69 Honesty, Peter, Abel, Bella, Judith, storm, Matilda, Evean, Iola, Heron, Mint, Kevin, Lilac, Happith, Gloria, Peregrine
70 Lillian, Tussock, Modesty, Thyme, Vivienne, Minyet, Ivy, David, Jasmine, Lilac, Ash, Beech
71 Quartet & Rebecca, Gimlet & Leech, The Squad, Lyre & George, Deadth, Gift
72 Gareth, Willow, Ivy, David, Kæna,Chive, Hyssop, Birch, Lucinda, Camomile, Meredith, Cormorant, Whisker, Florence, Murre, Iola, Milligan, Yarrow, Flagstaff, Swansdown, Tenor, Morgan, Yinjærik, Silvia, Harmaish, Billie, Jo, Stacey, Juniper
73 The Growers, The Reluctants, Miriam, Roger, Lauren, Dermot, Lindsay, Scott, Will, Chris, Plume, Stacey, Juniper
74 Warbler, Jed, Veronica, Campion, Mast, Lucinda, Cormorant, Camomile, Yellowstone
75 Katheen, Raymnd, Niall, Bluebe, Sophie, Hazel, Ivy, Shadow, Allison, Amber, Judith, Storm Alwydd, Matthew, Beatrix, Jackdaw, The Squad, Elders, Jennt, Bronze, Maeve, Wain, Monique, Piddock, Melissa, Roebuck, Aaron, Carley Jade, Zoë, Vikki, Bekka, Mint, Torrent
76 Gimlet, Leech,Gwendoline, Georgina, Quail. Birchbark, Hemlock, Peter, Honesty, Bella, Hannah, Aaron, Torrent, Zoë, Bekka, Vikki, Jade, Carley, Chough, Anvil, Clematis, Stonechat, Peace, Xanders, Gosellyn, Yew, Thomas, Campion, Will, Iris, Gareth
77 Zoë, Torrent, Chough, Stonechat, Veronica, Mast, Sledge, Cloudberry, Aconite, Cygnet, Smokt
78 Jed, Warbler, Luval, Glaze, Seriousth, Blackdyke, Happith, Camilla
79 Torrent, Zoë, Stonechat, Clematis, Aaron, Maeve, Gina, Bracken, Gosellyn, Paene, Veronica, Mast, Fracha, Squid, Silverherb
80 George/Gage, Niall, Alwydd, Marcy/Beth, Freddy/Bittern, Wayland, Chris, Manic/Glen, Guy, Liam, Jed, Fergal, Sharky
81 The Squad, Manic/Glen, Jackdaw, Beatrix, Freddy/Bittern, Fiona, Fergal, Wayland, Jade, Stonechat, Beauty, Mast, Veronica, Raven, Tyelt, Fid
Word Usage Key
Some commonly used words are below. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood if the n is replaced by a d. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically.
Agreän(s), those person(s) one has marital agreement with, spouse(s).
Bethinkt, thought.
Braekt, broke.
Doet, did. Pronounced dote.
Doetn’t, didn’t. Pronounced dough + ent.
Findt, found,
Goen, gone
Goent, went.
Heartfriend, a relationship of much more significance than being a girl- or boy-friend is on Earth. Oft such relationships are formed from as young as four and they are taken seriously by both children and adults. A child’s heartfriend is automatically one of their heartfriend’s parents’ children too, and a sibling to their heartfriend’s siblings. Such relationships rarely fail and are seen as precursors to becoming intendet and having agreement.
Lastdaysince, the day before yesterday.
Loes, lost.
Maekt, made.
Nextdaynigh, the day after tomorrow.
Sayt, said.
Taekt, took.
Telt, told.
Uest, used.
1 Fæalla, an edible lizard of two to three weights.
2 Shiftet, shifted, blowing from a different direction in this context.
3 Grallochth, that which is removed from the body cavity as a result of the gralloch.
4 Joining as kin, Folk expression indicating adoption into a kinship group.
5 Raxt, raxed. In Folk the transitive verb implies an over stretching or a strain. Most usually a muscle injury of a temporary nature, e.g. She had raxt her calf muscle. The intransitive use of the verb is only used to describe vaginal tenderness as a result of sexual activity.
6 To be leaçen. To have a unique right, a leaçe, to touch one’s loved one without having to ask.
7 Thingword, noun.
8 Workword, verb.
9 Fleecen, fleeced. Only used to describe a sheep that has had its fleece removed, a shorn sheep. It is not used to indicate being the victim of theft or sharp practice.
