War and Peace

By

Jacquimac

Part Two

So for the seeable future I have to live as a woman and a mother until I can get get back behind our own lines, wherever they are now.

It was almost two weeks before any enemy troops entered the settlement as they were too busy clearing out pockets of resistance and clearing minefields.

It was a ten man patrol that first entered the village under the command of a Junior NCO, they were polite enough and thoroughly searched every building and out house in the area.

I was sure I was going to be discovered and was still wearing my dog tags out of sight, but lady luck was still with me and they left after taking the names of all the settlements occupants.

Over the next few days all the sheep and cattle in the surrounding area were brought from the outlying pastures to penned areas nearer the settlement, the livestock wouldn`t be able to graze during the winter months and it would be easier to dump bales of fodder in the pens.

Nothing was arriving in the form of food, clothing or anything else, the war and the weather stopped all movement non military supplies, but the settlement was well prepared.

Food was plentiful, vegatables had been stockpiled and the livestock could be killed and butchered as needed, they had roll upon roll of cloth of different types and the women had always made their own clothing.

Movement was permitted between settlements as long as you stayed within on of two opposing areas and well away from the fighting. Not that anyone in their right mind would travel far in winter I had been here before the war and knew how winter storms could could surprise you with they`re sudden appearance and ferocity.

Two days after the first patrol visit us a second much larger force entered the settlement led by a Captain, again the searched the buildings.

The Captain asked us to go to the meeting room and 35 women ( myself included) and 20 children made they`re way inside.

Once there he addressed us and informed us that we would be left alone to carry on with our lives and that any soldier interfering with a woman against her will would be put to death.

It appeared that the enemy respected the rights of the local population and would protect them, we were told that the menfolk were well and wouldn`t be released until the end of the war.

An administration camp was being set up centraly to a number of settlements of which we were the closest any enquiries and complaints would be dealt with there and we would all be given new ID cards.

Not long after the troops left the first of winter storms hit, the houses had looked fragile and now it seemed the weather could throw everything at them and they would survive, I developed a great respect for these people and their simple way of live.

I met that evening with the settlement leaders and we discussed my problem, there was now way of escaping during the winter so I would have to continue the masquerade at least until the spring thaw.

I suggested that everyone double up for mutual protection and to help each other during the next few months, It would be the first time that no menfolk were around and the long nights would be lonely for everyone.

After much discussion it was agreed that all the families would double up and that one of empty homes be used as a central point of contact.

As I was the only one with any medical background I was designated the settlement nurse and blow me down with a wet feather if someone didn`t produce several nurses uniforms.

The meeting hall was set up as play area and school room for the children, lunch would be a communial affair were problems and ideas could be talked over.

A rota for the various duties such as child care, cooking, feeding livestock etc was organised and I was to be exempted so i could look after any sick or injured.

I disagreed saying it would look odd to any outsider and wouldn`t be fair on the rest of the community and several women agreed with me. So I was put on the rota like everyone else but wasn`t allowed to help feed the livestock.

At the end of each day when we went to our homes I was given lessons in femininity, walking, sitting, talking etc. I was also taught to sew, knit ,crotchet and do embroidery the lessons helped passed the hours and funnily enough I became a good seamstress.