Julina goes out on her first ever dinner away from home and family

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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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I had eventually managed to make my way to the Bellringers' house after an amazing day that had just got weirder and weirder — I was in their front room with both my friend Kelly, short for Kellonika, and her mother, Malet, and had been debating with myself just how to tell them everything and yet still convey that my time was so short. I stood there for a moment or two with my hand raised, to prevent any interruptions as I pondered my way forward. I decided upon a method to use, lowered my hand and started …

So I tried to encapsulate all the events of the past few hours, starting with the shocking news that Father was going to get married again and that I was to have a three-week break from all duties. We all acknowledged that it would be impossible to just break and do nothing, but they were delighted for me to at last have some sort of a break, even if they both felt that Father could have been a little more tactful about breaking the news! My vague idea of overseeing things first off in the mornings was met with their approval and I could see Kelly already making plans to fill up my ‘spare’ times.

I then proceeded to tell them about the street corner meeting and the job offer from Miche...n and passed off the time I spent in his house as discussions about the future - which was very close to the truth, but just added a diversionary angle on to it. I also had to give them my impressions of the new shoemaker, Master Wainer. But they were most excited about my dinner date with Master Bezan.

And then we got down to the most important item as far as they were concerned - what was I going to wear to my first ever evening meal away from the family? I tried to explain that it was simply an event at which I was to introduce two people, but they completely and glibly ignored my protests and went into full “find ’Lina a look” mode. And knowing that time was short only seemed to push them into a greater frenzy.

They also flatly declared that Kelly just HAD to accompany me — no self-respecting woman would be alone, particularly not in such an establishment. I was about to protest when I realised that they were right about that, and it was something I really should have thought about myself.

It then occurred to me that Kelly already knew quite a bit about the subject to be discussed — I having both told her after I got to know Deegrum better, and I had also shown her in writing, as part of her training in letters.

More and more, it seemed that my life was being taken out of my hands - it was as if these two women just talked to each other in some sort of foreign language and I was some walking, talking dress-up dummy with no brain of her own. But I did have to admit that my past had given me no clue at all as to what to do. I lost count of the times I had to undress and dress again - some were too big (Kelly’s), some were too small (Malet’s) but some fitted reasonably well - either big ones of Malet’s or small of Kelly’s. They ignored my reminders that Mistress Yanda would also be doing something.

I am aware that this all seems very hurried. There is a reason for that. It was!

These two were determined to do something or things to me that no-one in the town had ever seen before, and they told me bluntly that they just didn’t have time to explain or answer questions, that they just had to get on with it. So I, somewhat less than gracefully, decided that my life would be easier if I just let them do precisely that.

To cut a longish story somewhat short, I departed their house too late to go and visit my other friends. Kelly was with me and we were carrying a large sack each — mine with no less than three dresses in it. They decided that Mistress Yanda should have the final say, she being far more aware of her clientele and what would be acceptable. We half ran, half strode down the hill to the Bell, I did not even have time to do my planned inspections at that end of town to see the changes going on there.

Remembering her instructions, we went through the coach/wagon entrance into the courtyard and knocked on the door of what was obviously the kitchens. I had to knock three or four times before someone came, and I told her that Mistress Yanda had told me to come here at the seventh bell. It was already some five moments after that.

As it happened, Mistress Yanda was pleased that Kelly had accompanied me, it made her own arrangements a lot easier. She too had considered the need for me to have someone else there alongside, and she was still trying hard to come up with a solution. That was one task she could now forget.

She led us up to an unused room on the women's corridor, and I was surprised at the amount of stuff she had already placed in there on the plain table in front of a polished metal mirror and on the mattress of the unprepared bed. There were two chairs in the room and she told one of the girls with us to scurry off and find another. A portable clothes rack had some other dresses hanging on it.

She first got me to lay out 'my' three dresses on the bed, and then got Kelly to do the same with her two.

It all started with a seemingly innocent question, after which a whirlwind descended and neither Kelly nor I drew a relaxed breath until we were finally seated at Deegrum's table, our backs to the throng which had gone suspiciously quiet as we descended and were escorted the length of the room.

Mistress Yanda (I was 'Mistressing' her because Kelly was there but she soon stopped me and Kelly doing that, so she became Yanda to us both) started us off by asking: “Now, are you a team? Do you both want to look alike, or do you want to be obviously different from each other?”

… ... ...

My heart was beating rapidly as we descended the stairs to the common room. Yanda had found a dress for me, the colour of which made me certain I would wear it. To my eyes it was wonderful, and Kelly agreed that it was a perfect colour for me to wear. My problem was that it was considerably shorter than I was used to, coming to just above my knees, and it seemed that there were dranatilis of bare skin on show. My neck was bare for the first time ever in public, and the frills on the upper hem of the dress, between the sturdy shoulder supports which left most of my upper arms exposed, were nearly horizontal across my chest, exposing for the first time a distinct valley between my breasts.

At least Yanda had a similar dress that suited Kelly well, so we were both very self-conscious. Up to that moment, every single dress I had ever worn went from my neck to my calves with sleeves to my wrists. I felt almost naked, but Yanda, Epp and Mistress Patilla all swore oaths to us that we were perfectly decent.

Yanda had indeed been busy and had arranged for the other women to be there and they obviously enjoyed the chance to get two young girls ready for their first public occasion. There were very few alterations to the two dresses to be done, and none permanent, just a tightening of a few seams here and there. Our heads were attacked with combs and brushes, with pins and strange tubular things which miraculously produced curls and waves where there had been none before.

I looked at the finished Kelly and was amazed; the amazement that must have been in my face was reflected in hers as she took in my new appearance.

The door opened and a serving girl popped her head round, saying “Deegrum has arrived, Mistress!”

There was a final flurry of our helpers and then we were being ushered out and down the stairs. During the past bell, the generalities of how to bring about the necessary meetings had been discussed and several approaches had been agreed upon — all requiring me to react to whatever happens. I was so nervous about the whole thing, I was certain my poor knees would collapse under me. But nevertheless we managed to make our entrance without mishap.

The common room was just a little more than half full as we came in, so it wasn't TOO noisy; it was noisy enough, however, to detect a distinct quieting as the occupants caught sight of us. I'm not sure if Kelly's hand was squishing mine harder than mine was squishing hers.

Knowing Deegrum better than most, I knew we had to treat him gently as it would be a shock for him to see us here. For our first tactic, it had been decided that we would look for a table for ourselves and 'catch sight' of Deegrum as we looked around. Then I would somehow get us to sit with him, and then Master Bezan would turn up to talk with us …

But that plan didn't work out at all.

We walked in and looked around — being young girls of course we would prefer to have a table in a corner, difficult to be approached. Yanda pointed towards the far end where there was a suitable unoccupied one near Deegrum's table but in the opposite corner. It was totally natural that we should make tracks for that table. We got about half-way there when there was a loud yelp and a whine or two, followed by the scrabbling of claws on the wooden floor. A brown shape shot towards us almost as fast as a bolt from a crossbow.

I knew immediately that Jeefer would leap up at me and cursed myself for forgetting that Deegrum would have his grenn with him. I also knew where the first place would be for him to stick his snout and this short skirt would give him far more access to my nether regions than my normal calf-length one would. I hastily knelt down to try to avoid that embarrassment.

The streak got to within two strides before screeching to a halt following a bellowed, forceful command from his master. I was shocked at such obedience, and yet I knew that pakh-grennis need to be so well trained. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting Deegrum's early history as my brain caught up with what had happened.

“Julina! Blast me, you are blasted beautiful. What the blast are you doing in here? And is that Kellonika with you? My, you must be the two most blasted beautiful girls in the village. I would never have blasted expected you here in this blasted place.. And looking as blasted good as the two of you do.”

“Deegrum! Please — your language!” I gently remonstrated as Kelly and I blushed.

I have already reported that Deegrum was a gentle and kind man, very child-like, a little simple, but given to outbreaks of strong language. He had also become a friend of our family, eating as he does a meal with us once or twice a week, normally. He was a gentleman in every other way and this prompted him to invite us to join him at his table. Which was of course our plan all along.

“Oh no, dear Deegrum. We couldn't do that,” I exclaimed. “We are here tonight to meet with Master Bezan. Er … well … er … there are things we need to discuss about the new building — as you know, the new Community Hall is going to be built where Master Michen and his father lived, and our home has to be knocked down to make way for an access road to the construction site.” I finished in a gush; the story, which was truth in itself, just springing straight to my tongue.

Kelly and I nearly laughed with relief when Deegrum replied: “Oh really? I realise that I must talk with him too. Perhaps, if you wouldn't mind, we could combine both projects? I shall invite him to table as well. Would you have any objection?”

I shook my head to show agreement while Kelly and Yanda looked on in amazement as our total objectives were so easily achieved, and that Deegrum spoke in whole sentences with me. His abruptness returned as he turned to Yanda: “Mistress Yanda. Master Bezan. The Girls. All at my table?”

“As you so wish, Master Deegrum!” she replied, bobbing a minor curtsey before turning and commanding one of her serving girls to organise it. She walked away, shaking her head — I could feel her astonishment that all our complicated plans of beforehand had come to nothing, being completely unnecessary!

And so my first ever meal outside of my home, apart from the two trips down to Tranidor when I was very young, began as we settled down at the table. Deegrum sat us with our backs to the room to avoid us having to put up with all the stares, which I for one thought was very considerate. Looking back now, I am not sure it was ever discussed with Kelly, but I'm certain she felt the same. I spent the initial minutes making D and K more comfortable with each other, helped by Jeefer who added his approval of my friend. This was a major factor I realised later, as you shall see.

We were served some pel and we girls sipped that as I spoke mostly — just repeating what was known about the Community Hall, as I had found that it helps in discussions with Deegrum to bring things up first so they are fresh in his concentration. This introduction was useful as Kelly got some useful insights into how to deal with and how to understand Deegrum. We were talking about the reason for having a Community Hall, well I was anyway, when I was interrupted by Deegrum in his usual abrupt way.

“How many dranatilis will it cover?”

Kelly then chipped in with: “What exactly are dranatilis?”

“Measure of area. 100 strides long. 100 strides wide. Equal one dranatil.”

“What a strange name!” said Kelly.

“It's area isn't it? Pakh is also a strange name. It's an animal, isn't it? All things need names. No name, not known.”

We were both a little surprised by Deegrum's forcefulness as he made that statement, but it gave me an opportunity to show off a little: “Ah! Actually I know this! Papa told me when I was very young and I didn't really understand it then, but it dawned on me one day last year as I watched one of the crop farmers.”

The others turned to me with interest as I continued. “You know that a crop farmer must prepare the ground before planting his seeds?”

They nodded.

“Well that operation is called 'tillage' not to be confused with 'tilling'. Plowing is a form of tillage, which turns over the soil as a sharp plow is dragged through it — this leaves large furrows and big clods of earth behind, sometimes hard lumps. Tilling is a way of breaking up the soil so that it is easier to work, but the operation is not so deep as plowing. Tilling involves circular tools that use gears to operate as they rotate. Long, long, long ago, it was reckoned that a farmer could till a strip 100 strides long and 100 strides wide with a single tillage equipment drawn by a single dranakh in a single day. So it was how much ground could be prepared in a day with a dranakh. A Dranakh Tillage day ... Dranakh … Tillage … became dranatil. Farmers talk of their farms being of so and so many dranatilis.”

“Quite right, Mistress Julina.”

The deep voice of Master Bezan interrupted our conversation. Deegrum stood up quickly and Jeefer looked on a little warily, but then started sniffing Master Bezan's legs as he continued: “Well met, Mistresses and Master Deegrum. I am told you have kindly invited me to join you at table this eve, for which I thank you most cordially.”

He turned towards Kelly and addressed her specifically: “Master Deegrum was easy to identify, but I regret I have not the pleasure of having been introduced to YOU, Mistress...???”

Kelly actually blushed as she replied ”Kellonika, Master Bezan. Daughter of the Bellringers.”

“Ah! Your family are very valued in the community. It is my honour to meet you.” He turned to me as he went on. “Once again, Mistress Julina, your knowledge amazes me ... Ah, yes, my dear, I'll have a tankard of the excellent ale your Mistress serves.. Does anyone else require anything of her?”

When we all indicated a negative, the girl scurried off and then he turned back to me and included Deegrum in the conversation by enquiring: “So just why was Mistress Julina defining a dranatil?”

“New hall size.”

Master Bezan was initially taken aback by Deegrum's abruptness, but I admired the way he absorbed the surprise and continued smoothly: “Ah! Well we don't know exactly where we are going to build it and in what shape at the moment, but we have to decide that all very soon. So we don't know the size it will be.”

Master Bezan was sufficiently well prepared to know that he shouldn't crowd Deegrum in any way, neither physically nor mentally.

“Hmm. Jeefer Grenn likes you, you alright.” I realised at that moment that Deegrum set great stock by the reaction of Jeefer to strangers.

“Shall we sit, Master Deegrum?”

“Master Bezan.”

The men noisily scraped their chairs across the floor as they both sat down. Before we could get back to talking, another serving girl came up to take our order, telling us of the three choices there were for our first dishes and for the three for the main dishes. We four ordered, no two of us having the same combination. She went off towards the kitchens as the first girl returned with the tankard for Master Bezan. He took a deep draught, smiled broadly and cleverly settled himself backwards in his seat, allowing us to drive the conversation, by not enforcing his natural authority.

A small silence engulfed us which was filled by Kelly, far too loudly for my taste, telling the others about my father's news and my suddenly changed circumstances. I would rather that she had not announced my business to the whole establishment! I steered the conversation round to the new Community Hall and Deegrum surprised us all, particularly Master Bezan when he opened up with the very subject we had considered before.

“New building. Higher than town. Water supply problem. Pump or new feed?”

“Master Deegrum! That is indeed one of my many current questions which I am unable to answer. I would need to know, in detail, just how the current system works. Would it be possible for me to accompany you as you perform your duties on the morrow?”

“No.”

Even I, used as I was to Deegrum's ways, was shocked by the flat denial. All our faces reflected the surprise and Deegrum picked up on that, being suddenly embarrassed about it. This made him retreat more into himself so I knew enough to grasp Master Bezan's thigh under the table and to warn Kelly on my right. I was trying to get them to leave it to me.

I laughed as I started: “Oh Deegrum, I can always rely on you for a good laugh. But my companions here don't know you as well as I do, so they are a little confused right now. Will you explain to me why that would not be possible?”

He took a breath, a deep calming one and addressed me: “Him too big. Mostar.” He was still a little confused but hadn't retreated from us, so I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Mostar?” interjected Master Bezan.

“Yes, Master Bezan. He is the journeyman to Master Blandel, the mason. In fact, some say that he should be elevated as poor Blandel still suffers a depression after being in Trogan's jail. Mostar is not the tallest person in town — but I confess that I do not understand why that might be a factor.”

“Thank you, Mistress Julina. I suspect that the tunnel for the water is not so tall and thus the lack of height is an advantage for those who wish to traverse the tunnels, is that not so Master Deegrum?”

“Aye, Master Bezan. Exactly.”

“But dear Deegrum, didn't you once tell me of the great chamber at the beginning of the tunnel — and of various other chambers along the length? Surely Master Bezan could be allowed in there? And you have told me that you need to find someone to train to carry on after you retire. Maybe Master Bezan has some contacts from which that person could come? It seems to me to be most sensible that you show all you can to another so the right person can be found to try to follow in your exemplary footsteps.”

“Mayhap you're right Mistress. Master Bezan, where stay?”

“Well, I have been based down at the roadhouse for the most part, but I shall be settling now into the town here. There is so much to do here in a short space of time. I believe Mistress Sukhana across the road to the Claw may have a small corner for me. However, tonight I have a room here in the Bell, and shall be here for the rest of this week.”

“Tomorrow. Breakfast here. Us two then go to dam?”

“Agreed, Master Deegrum. Can we manage with just the two of us? Or should ...”

“Two.”

“Very well. Ah! Here comes our food. I am starving.”

The girl, I recognised her coming from a family down near the forest but I knew not her name, brought us our first dishes and conversation was interrupted by various slurps and chews and lip smacks. Master Bezan produced one of those fork things and we all sat fascinated as he used it. Such a simple thing and yet so much better. I think we all wanted to get hold of one as soon as possible.

The conversation around the table went much as could be expected, mostly dominated by Master Bezan as he explained much of the immediately forthcoming changes. I asked him about how long the building of our new house might be, and he launched into a description of how the new roadhouse had been built, and that there were certain 'modules' he called them, that could be used — built elsewhere and finally brought together at the site.

“New roadhouse! Same place as the old?”

“It most certainly is, Master Deegrum. You have been there often enough to remember it?”

“Four times there. Three on trips with Father to Tranidor. Makes six I suppose. Stopped down and up.”

“And the fourth, or perchance the seventh?" asked Master Bezan casually between forkfuls.

“Time was, every boy been there. Sheer cliff at first bend in road.” He lapsed back into silence as he went back in time in his thoughts.

I could see that the others were as confused as I. But I could not help out in this instance. I knew what he was talking about as far as the road was concerned, having heard the description from Papa on far too many occasions, and I knew that Master B would know too that the straight road went downhill from our town, through the forest until its way was blocked by a sheer cliff as some sort of rock-change line cut across the valley. The road got steeper there so it swung to the right and descended diagonally across the line, and at a far steeper incline than otherwise, to where the roadhouse was situated, some two or so marks farther on. The roadhouse was near a small lake in the river and was built where good advantage could be made of the waters. The road there turned left again and carried on straight once more for many marks down the hill, but nearly every traveller stopped at the roadhouse so the bend there was hardly noticed.

“My fire were the biggest!” Deegrum then lapsed back into his thoughts.

I shrugged to the others as we looked quizzically at each other. A silence descended that had just about reached the uncomfortable stage, when we were interrupted by Master Fedren joining us. We all acknowledged him and complimented him on the food his inn served. I started to explain to the Sheriff about the riddle Deegrum had set us, when Deegrum interrupted me by saying: “His were second biggest!”

“Maker! I had forgotten that! It all stopped when some lad slipped to his death and the women put their collective feet down!”

“Come, Sheriff! We are none the wiser!”

“Ah Master Bezan, Ladies. It seems a little silly now, but it had become a tradition in the town for all the boys in their last year before adulthood to do something — I have heard someone somewhere describe it as a 'Rite of Passage'. It showed the world, you see, that you were a man. Those sheer cliffs at the turn in the road are simply the front of a small peak, called Strettalm. Round the back of the rock formation, there is a narrow crevice which is difficult, but not impossible, to climb — made more difficult if you carried a load. The crevice wiggles and waggles its way upwards for some thirty or forty strides in height until it reaches a ledge about ten strides long and four wide. From one end of that ledge there is a steep natural pathway, almost even underfoot, that winds ever upwards. A final scramble past an awkward overhang brings you out onto a gently sloping meadow with a few scattered bushes.”

He too lapsed into his memories for a short while before continuing: “A lad had from dawn on one day to dusk the next day, to leave town, get down to the Strettalm, build a fire on the top, light it, and then return to town. The departure and arrival point was the bridge across the Blackstone. You see, the top of the Strettalm is a fair way above the tree line, and a fire lit there on a clear night can be seen from here in Town. There was a special fire-pit cleared up there so the meadow wasn't burnt away — but no animals have ever grazed that meadow, the bottom of the climb preventing them from accessing it. There are avians aplenty up there and they create such a noise when they are disturbed. A boy had to carry all the firewood up there as well as the fire-making tools. Many fathers secretly helped their sons by leaving burnable wood close to the entrance of the crevice at the bottom, so the sons would not have to forage too far to find the material.”

Kellonika then surprised us all by adding something that I had never known — I had seen it a few times, but had never asked about it.

“Oh! That sounds like us! A few times a year we would build a huge fire on top of the Cistern as everyone now calls it. Some five strides ahead of the fire, we mounted a huge curtain. We would have to lower the curtain five times, with an even space between them and the fifth time EXACTLY as the midnight bell was announced. Father told us a funny story that it was so the roadhouse could calibrate their sanddroppers and thus the travellers and staff at the roadhouse could keep their bells accurate. We all laughed at him for making up such a silly tale. I had forgotten we did that thing with the fire — so much has happened that it has been pushed entirely from my mind. We haven't done it since Trogan arrived, and there was a natural gap of a few months before that when it wasn't necessary.”

Masters Bezan and Fedren looked at each other, as though they had been hit by a thunderbolt.

“Semaphore! Signal lamps! Night messages as well!” They both looked excited.

“Can the peak of Strettalm be seen from the roadhouse?”

“Aye, Master Bezan. I don't think tree growth would have blocked the view. Shame there's none of the staff from the old roadhouse left around.”

“So we could now send messages from here to the roadhouse and get almost instant replies?”

“Absolutely!”

“And if we find another peak further down, maybe 2 or three more, we could communicate with Tranidor!”

“We could use the short distance, relatively, to the roadhouse to test out the system and maybe find improvements. Mylady did tell us to come up with some code that could be used to shorten messages. All right, I think we'll need to tell the Assembly. And have you sorted your water problems?”

“Tomorrow, Master Deegrum will show me as much as I can see — apparently I am too tall to do the details of the tunnels!”

“I had not considered that. Is there anyone that could do that?”

“Master Deegrum suggests a certain Mostar, works for poor Blandel.”

The Sheriff laughed quickly: “Aye, young Mostar would be an ideal candidate! Now Ladies, I offer to escort you up the street to your home, Kellonika. Please ask for me when you are ready to leave. We still have half a bell or more before it starts to get a little rowdy in here, and young Master Deegrum usually leaves about now, so I thought I would mention it. Dressed as you both are, I feel that I cannot allow you to wander unescorted!”

Kelly and I thanked him before asking Master Bezan to quickly tell us of all the changes that were going on. Apparently, the bridge support tests had been excellent and so the building of the loop road could definitely be commissioned. Tomorrow morning, the paddock fence behind the Ptuvil's Claw would be moved five strides inwards and the entire length would be flattened, so some of the vegetables and trees could be planted before the first chills and the new house could be marked out.

We then learnt that further up the valley, Master Yarling, the man in charge of the mining, was going to open up the seam which was currently being mined in two places in a third location, more towards the head of the valley, where the outside indicators showed that the seam, by now quite a lot thinner, kinked at a small angle and there went slightly downwards as it disappeared into the rocks of the valley head. At that place, the seam was some twenty strides or so above the track, so the entrance would itself need a special track up to it. He had a theory about that seam and what happened to it as it went northwards.

And so it was that some ten or so moments later, Kelly and I were escorted up to the room in which we had changed earlier to pick up all our stuff. We had thanked Master Bezan and Master Deegrum for a thoroughly entertaining evening and we had been brought to blushes when the men complimented us again and again. Master Bezan was particularly thankful to me for what he described as the most profitable evening he had had since Mylady had departed.

When we reached the room upstairs prior to leaving, Yanda insisted we keep the dresses she had given us, and urged us to wear them at least to Kelly's home so that Malet could see us as we were arrayed. Suddenly, we were both nervous again of presenting ourselves outside, but Yanda persuaded us to do so. Thus it was that we were escorted by the Sheriff up the main street, Yanda's advice to ignore any stares being taken to heart. We stood tall and stared straight ahead as we made our way up the slope.

Malet was quite shocked to start with, but rapidly came round to approve of what Yanda had done. She turned a little sad and wistful as she wished to be our age once more. She wanted to call in the men to show them, but I was by that time exhausted and just wanted to change and get home. I had only left the house this morning but it really seemed a life-time ago. I knew also that I would have to repeat my story again when I got home. And I STILL hadn't had the time to talk to Gyth and Molly.

And so it came to pass. The younger ones were already abed, but the older two and my soon-to-be stepmother were still up and I received a lot of oohs and aahs as I related my very full day, still keeping Michet's appearance to myself.

I had to show them the dress I had worn to the Bell, and then fielded all sorts of questions. I was literally falling asleep on my feet before they let me stagger off to my bed. I had anticipated lying awake for ever as I thought about the Michen/Michet thing but that did not transpire. I do not remember actually getting into bed, and the next conscious thought was when I woke in the morning and got up immediately to get the house prepared. I was in the bathhouse before I actually remembered that I didn't have to do this for a while.

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