Word Usage Key is at the end. The brackets after a character eg CLAIRE (4nc) indicates Claire is a newfolk character not encountered before who is 4 Earth years old. nc indicates new character.

29th of Towin Day 2

Loosestrife was hoping her son and his husband wouldn’t be too late to adopt a pair of children from the incomers, which she knew would cause them more disappointment. Male couples were much rarer mongst(1) the Folk than female couples, and very much rarer than multiples, and usually, unless there was a tragedy within their clansfolk, there were no children available for them to adopt. Very occasionally a woman, usually a kinswoman and more occasionally still a clanswoman, would bear a babe for them, but it had never been a common Folk practice, though it was slowly becoming more so. Tench and Knawel had wished to adopt for years now. She knew there would be a lot of Folk wishing to find children to make their families complete, or at least more so in their own eyes, and the incomer children would go to loving homes quickly.

Her children had an unusual domestic arrangement by the Folk’s norms, but it was not considered to be any less valid or proper than any other marriage or family arrangement. Her son, Tench, had had agreement with Knawel for eight years, and they both lived with her daughter, Bramling. Bramling had two children, Grebe who was five and Gdana who was four. Bramling had never had a man, and it was widely known she had never wished one. As a result she had been approached a number of times by women who preferred women concerning agreement, but she had never wished a wife either. She had kindly explained, “I prefer the mutual convenience of living with my brothers which is without the intensity of having an agreän.”(2)

There had been some idle speculation as to who the father of her children was, or indeed who the fathers were, for none had ever admitted to having slept with her. It was acknowledged she might have availed herself of the services of a Master of leisure, whose discretion concerning such matters was absolute, but it was believed either Knawel or her brother Tench had fathered them, though whether Bramling slept with her brother or his husband or both was not regarded as a matter any other had a right to know of, and all four adults were so close mouthed on the matter none was prepared to ask.

What ever the paternity of the children, the truth was none really cared, for the children were properly reared, cared to and loved. Bramling was six lunes pregnant, and the father of this child was also not known to any outside the family. If any inside the family knew, she was again singularly reticent. Grebe and Gdana referred to Bramling as Mum, and to Tench and Knawel as Dad or Uncle randomly, and given their domestic arrangements and all children’s desire for the status that went with having two parents, that gave no clues as to their paternal parentage.

Tench, Knawel and Bramling all went to the healers with a view to adopting a pair of children for Tench and Knawel. That they would be a pair of fathers and Bramling would provide the mothering required, in the same way Tench and Knawel provided the fathering required by her children, was something they all understood without having to mention it. Tench and Knawel adopted Claire, who was four, and Oliver, who was two. Loosestrife was delighted her son and his husband had the children they had longed for, and Bramling was happy the debt she owed her brother and his husband for standing as father to her children, she could repay by standing as mother to theirs. Claire had already started to call her Mum, and Tench and Knawel Dad.

29th of Towin Day 2

Gareth was with George the fifty-eight year old model engineer and had Willow with him. With them were Oak Master smith, Wolf Master founder and Vinnek Master wainwright and also Lyre Mistress spinster. When Thomas went in he saw Lyre standing with some papers in her hands which had sketches and notes on them and she was expressing gratitude to George and ready to leave.

“No, no,” she was saying, “these are perfectly clear. I am sure my brother who makes the clan’s looms will be able to work from them, and if there are any problems he can always ask you. I’ll go now and leave you to the Master crafters. Gratitude, George.” With a shy sideways smile she left. Thomas thought the craft Masters were looking thoughtful and impressed.

George, responding to an earlier discussion, continued by saying, “I should prefer riven timber rather than sawn to make the shafts, Vinnek, for it’s stronger with no end grain breaking out at the side. Of course if you could supply whole ash with heartwood maybe a hand span in diameter that would be the best for strength, and it’s much easier to steam bend successfully too.”

“Why would you use riven timber if whole ash is better?” asked Vinnek.

“Terribly difficult to source where I’m from and even more expensive,” said George, “but I see your point, any amount of it here isn’t there? Changing the subject a bit you realise the number of gear teeth in the mechanisms would have to be co-prime(3) so as to spread the wear evenly?” All three Masters were familiar with the wooden gearing found in mills and once George had explained what he meant by prime and co-prime they had understood exactly what the unfamiliar words meant. They were silent as they thought that out and eventually nodded agreement when they understood the implications of what George was saying.

“Could you build a reaper in three lunes to trial at this year’s harvest, George?” asked Gareth.

“If I had the materials to hand I should do it in less than three weeks, that’s two tenners.”

Vinnek asked, “Could you draw all the components on paper with sizes on such that our crafters could work from, George?”

“No problem at all, given a dozen bits of paper a yard square, ah sorry, a stride by a stride, a measuring instrument and something to write with on them, preferably that could be erased,” seeing the looks on their faces he went on, “removed that is, if I make mistakes, and in three days it’ll be done. Of course,” he said to Wolf apologetically, “I can only give you finished sizes, so you would have to work out the sizes for the founding patterns(4) yourself, not my craft you understand.”

“Of course,” said Wolf. Gareth didn’t understand the last, but it was obvious the craft Masters did.

“George,” Gareth continued, “would you be willing to teach this to others, including apprentices?”

“Where I come from, I’m the youngest man I know of even interested in this sort of thing. We were a dying breed with no hope of recruiting youngsters. I’d be grateful to be able to pass it on,” George answered with a wry smile.

“I bethink me a large grant should be maekt(5) available, so you and interestet(6) craft Masters can make a start with twelve bright, older apprentices to begin with if you are agreeable?” asked Gareth.

The three craft Masters were nodding in agreement, and George taken aback by the scale of the interest they were displaying said, “I’ve never had this much encouragement ever, but yes, Gareth.”

“What do you know of our customs regarding family, kin, clan, kith and adoption?” Gareth asked, moving the discussion on.

“Family are immediate relations usually in the same dwelling, kin are extended family and clan are more distant but still related even if the relationship is so distant it’s not precisely known. Kith are friends so close no debt of obligation, only one of love, is incurred even when they provide life saving aid. I found that difficult to comprehend for it seemed to me the entire Folk are kith. Adoption is possible for any relative at all, and has the same status as blood. Or least that’s how I understood it from the talk I went to this morning, sorry forenoon.”

“That’s it in a tellin,(7) George. Will you be seeking a wife? Sons or daughters to apprentice? Family? Kin? Clan? My sorrow if I seem to press you, but it is our way to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We all believe what you have to offer is of great significance to the Folk. Once your knowledge and skills become common knowledge you will be of high status and as such much courtet(8) by our womenfolk, and their interest will be genuine.”

The others in the chamber were expressing agreement. George, stunned by this, said, “My wife left me fifteen years ago. We had no children, my wife couldn’t which was probably why she left. I heard she was living with a man with three children within a year of leaving me whom she subsequently married. I never bothered with women after that. I had my workshop, and it was less likely to cause me pain. I don’t know what to say, and the idea of being much courted by your womenfolk makes me uncomfortable.”

“They are your folk too now, George. There is a social gathering in the Greathall thiseve,” Gareth telt him. “A significant reason for it is to allow newfolk and the folkbirtht to meet and reach agreement, and we should like you to be there. What ever transpires make no decisions in haste. If you need advice return to the Master at arms office, and we shall help as much as we can. I see we’ve given you much to think of, so we’ll leave it there and hope to see you later.”

George, who had been considerably shaken by the last bit of the meeting, left, and Oak said, “Major craft Master in the making, no doubt of it. Sharp too, he’ll end on the Council.” Wolf and Vinnek both agreed.

“How good and how important is his knowledge and skill?” asked Thomas.

“In his head he has the means to at least triple our cereal crop next season,” replied Vinnek, “which will mean the Folk will eat better in the late spring, and we shall lose fewer elders when a poor summer and harvest is followt(9) by a bad winter. His knowledge may even mean we shall never see rationing again. He’s the most significant crafter on Castle and shall remain so for many years, and unless you do something he’ll probably be being woon(10) by fifty widows within a tenner. We need him settelt(11) with a good woman to enable him to focus on passing on his knowledge and skills. It’s a riandet(12) if looking after him is all she does, right now that’s craft enough, and probably the second most important craft on Castle. You need to make sure you decide whom he takes to wife, Thomas, and not leave it to chance, for the last thing we need is for him to be marryt(13) to a woman who is going to distract him from his crafting with domestic discord. Were I you I’d make sure it be that little spinster.”

Thomas and Gareth both looked surprised rather than shocked, and even more so when Oak and Wolf expressed their agreement with the strongth(14) of Vinnek’s remarks, and with the suitability of the Mistress spinster who was less than half of George’s age. Thomas thought and said, “I will your thoughts on the Mistress spinster, Willow, as a suitable wife to George.” This was expressed as an order, rather than a request, so as to make sure she didn’t feel she was putting herself forward inappropriately.

“Lyre loes her intendet(15) to the fevers last year, and she has mournt(16) him as though they had been agreäns. He was much older than she, but not quite so old as George. She has strong family ties, they’re all close, and the clan operates as a mixt(17) craft coöperative. Her grandmother Winnow, who was loes(18) to the fevers, was clan chief, and they have not yet chosen a new chief. She has a marryt older sister who is a Mistress weaver and a marryt younger sister who is also a Mistress spinster. Her only brother is a Master woodworker in high demand for his carven cribs, but he makes almost aught, he’s artistic, creative and skilful. He designt(19) those skeiner things the wool crafters use now for preparing wool ready for dyeing and drying, and he likes varyt(20) and challenging work. He’s ideal for making those spinning wheels.

“They have no parents, but a lot of aunts and uncles and other close kin in various crafts in the coöperative. George would be good to and for her, his age won’t be an issue to her. He would be part husband part father almost. She’s young enough to bear him children, and I know she wishes them strongly. She would settle George in his placement and within her clan, where he would be much appreciatet.(21) She was, I bethink me, more than a little taken with him. He has a little of the look of her loes intendet, or may hap that’s just due to the similarity in age. It would be a good match for Lyre, for George and for Castle.”

Willow’s incisive assessment, using the combination of her knowledge of the Folk, and her analytical ability, Gareth opined, justified her placement as a personal assistant to Thomas.

29th of Towin Day 2

Thomas’ second observation was of Janice the book binder and restorer who was in her middle thirties. Harp was interviewing, Hornbeam was assisting her, and Kæn Master archivist was there to meet her. Kæn was an untidy looking, intelligent man of thirty-nine with poor sight which bothered him not at all as most of the things he wished to look at he could look at from a farth(22) of a span or even less.

When Thomas went in Janice was saying, “It’s the damp not the cold that rots the paper.”

“Yes, we understand that,” responded Kæn, “but how do you keep your inks from fading for so long?”

“I’ve not been around that long myself,” she laught. “I know of an ink recipe which is similar to yours, but the mixture must be simmered for two hours. I believe allowing it to boil results in a faster fading ink, or so I’ve read. I’ve never tried making it myself, so I can’t be sure. The other significant factor is a lot of your archives are scrolls, not books. I should imagine your books keep better than your scrolls because the moisture in the air has much poorer ingress to the paper in a book than in a scroll.”

As Kæn nodded Thomas pushed towards her some of the archives in most urgent need of copying and asked, “What would you do with these, Janice?”

She carefully scrutinised the mixture of books and scrolls for a few minutes and answered him encouragingly. “They’re all legible, but only just in places. I’d have them all copied in book format binding the books with more than the usual number of blank pages at the front, a full section or even two. I’d start copying the least legible first, using the best inks, with several variations on the ink recipes. I’d have written in the front of the new copy the exact ink formulations and preparation methods used on which pages and the date, and then I’d have them all looked at and evaluated for fading at regular intervals for two hundred years, recording the date of the evaluation and the evaluation annotations themselves after the ink information. I should stop using scrolls, and eventually all the archives would be in book format, which though they take longer to make than scrolls would last a lot longer and they’d be easier to store. Eventually that would save a lot of work.”

Kæn was nodding, “Yes. I don’t know why we never bethinkt us of it, but it’s the obvious way to do it. And that saw cut on the binding spine will certainly keep the spine strings intact for longer. Gratitude.”

“I can offer you a craft placement in the archives working with Kæn if you like?” Thomas informed her.

Kæn beamed with pleasure at the idea, and Janice responded with smile of delight and what was becoming an oft heard reaction of the newfolk, “Turn my hobby into a living? Yes, please.”

Harp turned the conversation into other channels. She explained the reasons for the event thiseve(23) in the Greathall and asked Janice of her desires concerning her personal placement. “I’ve never been any where near married,” Janice said. “Not for lack of looking these last five years or so. I just never met any one I was interested in. Most of the men I met thought I wasn’t quite right in the head for messing with old books. I’d like children. What woman wouldn’t? But I want…, oh I don’t know what I want. I’ve probably read too many children’s stories where they all live happily ever after. I’ll go to the Greathall, and what ever happens, happens, but I’m not running off to get married to the first stranger who buys me a drink. I know most of that makes no sense to you, but what I’m saying is I’m not rushing into anything. Is that it?”

“Yes,” said Harp, “we’ll meet with you later, and what happens will indeed happen.” Janice waved to them as she went through the door. Harp was speculating, “I bethink me she would be very happy to have a man and children, but is aflait(24) she will be ill bethinkt of for her interest in old books. I wonder what it would take to convince her?”

Kæn who was widely known as a solitary man dedicated to the archives replied, “I don’t know, but I like her, and I like old books. Bethink you she would dance with me thiseve, Thomas?” Without awaiting a reply he answered his own question, “She can only say no. I’ll ask her.” This was as he was walking out of the chamber tenderly carrying the scrolls Thomas had pushed at Janice to return them to their proper store.

Thomas looked at Harp and Hornbeam, shrugged his shoulders and said, “Quite!” and left.

29th of Towin Day 2

Thomas wasn’t looking forward to this observation, Harp was interviewing, assisted by Hornbeam. The meeting was between Master glass blower Erik and the sad looking young woman with the babe in front of him. He knew she was Joan, she was twenty-six and she had been parted from her man and her son less than three days after his birth. She had been taken to the Keep with the babes before dawn by the healers when they discovered her in distress seeking her babe, and like all new mothers she was being cared to by the midwifes.(25) She’d been given herbs to ease her distress and a babe to suckle. She was carrying the motherless incomer babe.

She was nursing the babe under the direction of Molly Mistress baker, who was doing the same, but on a somewhat grander scale. Molly had temporarily given up baking to take over the care to the babes, all of who were hale, leaving the healers and midwifes to focus elsewhere. Master midwife Otter had telt Thomas Joan would need a suitable chair and to be gentle and to make sure every one else was too. Otter had provided the chair, and Thomas who knew Harp and Hornbeam were both naturally tactful and sensitive had Erik informed specially before the meeting. Erik turned out to be all he could have hoped for. He treated Joan as though she were his own daughter. They spake of blowing glass, and she had an interest in, and was skilled at, making the tiny bottles and vials in demand in the infirmary by the herbals. The babe cried, and she said, “Sorry,” and turned to one side. The crying stopped instantly, and all smiled, they all knew there was only one thing that had that effect on a hungry babe, and it was good to know the precious little bundles of humanity were going to survive after such dire beginnings on Castle.

Without saying aught explicitly, Erik indicated to Harp Joan had a craft placement. Casually, as though it were of no import at all, he said to Joan, “My daughter Mayblossom is of a similar age to you. She would enjoy meeting you and the babe, and Nell too, my wife. Why don’t you share the eve meal with us?” She looked startled, and he joked, “You’ll be doing me a favour. If Nell doesn’t manage to hold a babe at regular intervals she threatens to have another one.” He left it at that, and returned to craft matters. His calm manner, which presumed she was a craft member without discussing it, had her agreement without her realising aught had happened. He finished saying, “I have to go. I’ve a couple of hours crafting still to do. We’ll see you at six then. Molly will make sure you find us, and I’ll let Nell and Mayblossom know to expect you.” With that, he was through the door and gone before Joan had time to register a protest.

Harp said to Joan, “He’s the kindest of men you know. You have a good craft Master there. Hornbeam, you escort Joan back to Molly, and make sure she wraps herself and the babe up tightly(26) before you go out, and tell Molly she’s to have the pair of them at Master Erik’s for six.” She smiled at Joan, and said, “We mustn’t deprive Nell and Mayblossom of a minute’s worth of time to spoil you and your babe in must we? Off you go.” She gently pushed Joan to the door, and Hornbeam followed her spaeking(27) of windproof coats.

Thomas looked at Harp and said, “I was dreading that. Quite a man Erik, isn’t he?”

“Mayblossom’s a couple of years younger than Joan,” Harp telt him. “He loes his elder daughter last year. He’ll adopt her and the babe if he can, and once Nell has sight of them it’s a certainty. Joan’s time aplenty to find a man, and I’m sure she will.” Nodding with satisfaction Thomas sent out for a couple of mugs of leaf.

Word Usage Key

1 Mongst, amongst.
2 Agreän(s), spouse(s), the one(s) one has marital agreement with.
3 Co-prime, the numbers of teeth on two gear wheels are said to be co-prime if they have no factors in common (e.g. 12 and 41 or 14 and 45). This ensures every tooth meshes with every gap before repeating the cycle which averages all wear evenly on all the teeth and all the gaps.
4 Patterns, wooden originals uest in casting metal parts, they have to be oversize to allow for the shrinkage of cooling liquid metal and to provide some finishing allowance.
5 Maekt, made.
6 Interestet, interested.
7 Tellin, Limecola balthica, a small, oft pink, tasty marine bivalve. In a tellin is equivalent to in a nutshell.
8 Courtet, courted.
9 Followt, followed.
10 Woon, wooed. Historically the word was wooën, but usage altered the pronunciation and subsequently the spelling.
11 Settelt, settled.
12 Riandet, a matter of no significance.
13 Marryt, married.
14 Strongth, strength.
15 Intendet, in this context the one one intends to marry, fiancée or fiancé.
16 Mournt, mourned.
17 Mixt, mixed.
18 Loes, lost.
19 Designt, designed.
20 Varyt, varied.
21 Appreciatet, appreciated.
22 Farth, farness, distance. Usually only uest for small distances or separations.
23 Thiseve, this evening.
24 Aflait, afraid.
25 Midwifes, midwives.
26 Tightly, in this context properly.
27 Spaeking, speaking.