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

29th of Towin Day 2

Rowan had arrived early at the meeting chaired by Harp, a thin elderly looking woman in her late fifties who smiled a lot more than she frowned. Word had it she was intelligent, perceptive and astute. She was assisted by Hornbeam, a reliable looking young man of twenty-three who had only been with the Master at arms office a few tenners more than Willow. Master at arms staff members were escorting in Gina, newfolk and potential Mistress dairy manager, to meet Mistress cheese maker Fennel and Master milch cowherd Hardy. They all sat down, and Fennel asked Gina to explain her understanding of working with milk. “There is so much in the notes of your initial interview that we didn’t understand, may hap that’s best.”

“What! You want a lecture on what I know of milk and what I have done with it‽” asked Gina.

“If that’s how you bethink yourself it best to do it, yes.”

Gina started to spaek.(1) Twenty minutes later she said, “That was of course just a quick overview, but it should give you an idea of what I understand.”

Hardy, who had barely understood any of her exposition, said, “My sorrow, Mistress Gina, nearly all of what you sayt(2) was over my understanding, but I did understand what you meant by the feed is the milk. I know goats allowt(3) to browse nettles produce milk that tingles in the mouth. I also know better pasture gives better milk, a better taste and a higher cream content too.”

“Most was over my understanding too,” said Fennel. “Will you join us and teach us and explore what we know? You seem to have a more theoretical approach baest(4) on knowledge we don’t have. Our knowledge is hard gaint(5) and mostly, as Master Hardy indicatet,(6) empirical.”

“Yes, I should like that,” grinned Gina. “Back where I came from I was regarded as a bit mad. I learnt what I did for interest’s sake. I could never have made a living, a craft, out of it. People with interests similar to mine were laught at and referred to as tree-huggers. We were considered to be off the normal,” she explained.

“Gina,” Rowan interrupted, “it beseems me(7) your knowledge of these little creatures that make cheese…?”

“Microörganisms,” put in Gina.

“Yes, microörganisms, would be of great interest to the healers, would you spaek to them nextday?”(8)

Gina was puzzled for a few seconds before mentally translating nextday, “Yes, of course, if you like.”

“As to personal placement,” said Harp, “I believe you would like a family?”

Gina blushed, but replied immediately, “Yes. I’m afraid there was some justification for the way the people I knew were regarded. The men I knew were interesting, but not reliable if you know what I mean, not family men. I had plenty of relationships, but never came any where near to having my own man nor a family. I’m thirty-six, and I should like a man and a family. I’m not sure if I shall be able to have children myself. I’m already becoming a little irregular.” She tried hard to avoid looking at the two men in the chamber, but she ploughed on. “I should like to adopt to make sure of children. I understand that’s an easy thing here.”

“Would you consider a widower with children?” Harp asked her, “We’ve many such seeking a wife and a mother for their children.”

“Yes,” she replied in a whisper, but with longing in her voice. Harp explained of her invitation to the Greathall and its purpose. She also suggested a visit to the seamstresses for something pretty to wear.

After Gina had gone Hardy said, “I should go too. That one knows far more than do I, but I do know that she understands milch beasts: kine, goats and sheep, and for what it’s worth if she needs a sponsor or family of any relationship I am willing, even unto fatherhood.”

After he left, the others looked at each other considering his offer of fatherhood, and finally Rowan looked at Harp, Hornbeam and Fennel and asked, “What of that?”

“Hardy is a good man and no member of the flaught.(9) His guidance regards the management of their flocks and herds is a major contribution to the success of his clan. He would only take a good woman with knowledge and skills to daughter. Gina has the knowledge and the skills, but she also has courage,” said Harp, “and a very extendet(10) family now if she chooses to accept Hardy’s offer. I’ll make sure she is introducet(11) to a couple of good men with children thiseve.”(12)

“Fennel?”

“We will her in the craft. There’s no doubt of her knowledge. She’ll be able to reduce the number of batches going bad, and that alone will increase our production. Those new milk products she was spaeking(13) of will enable us to extend our diet a bit. You can become a little bort(14) with cheese towards the end of the winter and in spring, when there are few fresh foods available, and those strong bluen(15) cheeses sound exciting. Yes, she has a placement in the craft. She admits she’s short on experience. A lot of what she was spaeking of we’ve no experience of, and that’s less than hers. Without doubt she’ll be a major Mistress dairy crafter by the year’s end, and as Hardy’s daughter she’d be connectet(16) with a lot of influential members of the Folk.”

“Hornbeam?”

“A good woman. I’d like her as a sister. I’m not sure what else I can say. She’s older than I, and has seen a lot more. It’s plain she’s also suffert(17) a lot more. I’m not experiencet(18) enough to make any adjudgement, but I did like her. I’m sure she’ll find a man in no time. I’d say she’s precisely the kind of woman who would suit my uncle Jonas.”

Realising what he had said he gasped, and Rowan said, “There you have it! Now that would be a suitable match. I’ll make sure they meet. Jonas is not comfortable with strangers is he?”

“Aught but,” replied Hornbeam, “but my cousins are.”

Harp looked at Rowan and said, “Leave it to me. You organise that meeting with the healers nextday, and make sure they take her for lunch at one in the Refectory. I’ll do the rest.”

“I’ll find someone to take my place looking through the incomer files, and before I take her to the meeting and lunch, I’ll explain her relationship with Hardy and his clan,” said Rowan.

29th of Towin Day 2

Rowan was looking at the tiny woman in front of her, and reflected the interviewer’s notes suggested this woman child who had refused to give a name had been badly hurt. She had long, flowing, flaming red hair, no figure, wasn’t five feet tall and looked nearer to ten than the fifteen she claimed. Lovage assisted by Bram was chairing the meeting, and Mistress basket maker Ann was present to meet the redhead. Ann was discussing different weaving patterns, and the redhead was more than knowledgeable. Ann asked, “What are hurdles?”

“Temporary fencing for sheep, useful at lambing time to separate the ewes, or as bad weather wind breaks.” She explained how they were maekt.(19) The technical explanations only maekt sense to Ann, but that they did to her was clear to the others.

“How thick a pole can you use?” Ann asked her.

“If you can make it pliable enough, up to two inches,” she indicated the size with a finger and thumb. “Throwing the poles in a pond for a month or so usually does the trick, or you can split them whilst they’re still green with a froe(20) and beetle.”(21)

Ann looked at Rowan then Lovage and Bram and finally the redhead, “I should be pleast(22) to sponsor you to my craft if you would like that.”

To Ann’s consternation the redhead thought for a long time before replying, “I don’t know.”

Somewhat taken aback by this Lovage asked, “Have you something else in mind?”

The redhead in a distant voice replied, “No, nothing else.”

The redhead’s responses indicated the truth of the hurt suggested by the original interviewers and gave Rowan reason to consider hard of what to say next. “Have you any thoughts of aught for your future?” she asked.

The redhead, who had a pleasant spaeking(23) voice, replied, “Yes, I should like to be married.”

“Have you an agreän(24) in mind?” asked Rowan.

“No,” was the immediate reply.

Rowan tried again, “You didn’t give a name to the interviewers—”

“I don’t like it. I’m finding a new name,” she interrupted quickly.

“Do you know of the dance in the Greathall thisnight,(25) Dear?”

“Yes, but I’m not going. I don’t like dances.”

Lovage indicated to Bram to spaek thinking may hap someone nearer her age or possibly a young man may reach her. Bram said gently, “You do realise you have to find a placement? Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes, a living, a craft, a family. I want to marry. You’re going to tell me it’s very cold out there and without a placement I shall die. Is that it? May I leave now?”

Rowan replied also gently, “Yes, you may go. None will constrain you gainst(26) your will here.” Without another word or a backward glance the redhead stood and left.

Ann still disconcerted by the redhead said, “I can offer no more, so I’ll go too.”

After Ann had gone, Lovage said, “I don’t know what to make of that.” Bram shook his head.

Rowan looked thoughtful. “Firm sett(27) on marriage wasn’t she? There’s steel in that little redhead with no name. We’ll see.” Exactly what they would see she didn’t say.

29th of Towin Day 2

Rowan was observing and was aware Anna was really looking forward to meeting sixteen year old Jessica the beekeeper. Jessica probably had her full growth, she had a womanly shape without it being excessive in any way. She was of a medium highth,(28) medium figure, her hair wasn’t quite down to her shoulders and was a mid-brunette colour, she had the attractivth(29) of youth without being beautiful. What she did have much more than her fair share of was her smile, it taekt(30) in her entire face, and it seemed her entire body too.

Duncan assisted by Daphne was chairing the meeting taking place between Mistress Teal of the woodworkers, Anna Mistress candler, Russet Master beekeeper and Jessica. Teal was a woman of thirty-seven, who looked twenty-seven. She was a mother of three daughters and two sons, all in their teens, and she claimed they kept her young. She had a ready smile, and she wasn’t over fond of Russet who was a dour man of fifty-five, looked nearer sixty-five, and who maintained apprentices had aegt(31) him before his time. Teal and Russet were in conversation with Jessica. Teal was fascinated by the accuracy Jessica was insisting had to be achieved in the making of all those little bits of wood pictured on what looked, to Rowan and Anna at any rate, to be intricately complicated diagrams drawn by Jessica. Jessica was saying, “It’s what the bees do, and we have to be at least as accurate as they are. A long time ago a famous beekeeper said, ‘Bee keeping is best left to the experts: the bees.’ So all we have to do is help them to do what they naturally do, and my experience is that it works.”

Teal seeing it purely from a technician’s point of said, “It’s just a question of setting up the cutting jigs. Then you can make thousands of those frame pieces in no time at all.”

It was clear Russet wished no part of it. He was of the my great-grandfatherʼs great-grandfather kept bees in straw skeps,(32) I do too, and that’s that school. Jessica asked him what was the average weighth(33) of honey he produced from a colony in an average year. There then followed a complicated process of finding equivalents because they uest(34) different units of weighth. “And?” he demanded belligerently.

Somewhat hesitantly she said, “I’m producing maybe five times what you do, but that could be due partly to the warmer climate.”

Russet went perse(35) in the face, and rising to his feet started shouting, “I’m not stopping here to be insultet(36) by a child barely out of swaddling.” He stormed out of the chamber and left a large silence behind him.

“Was that true, Jessica? Five times as much.” Rowan eventually asked.

“No, it’s nearer ten times, but as I said, the climate could account for a lot of that.”

Anna taekt up the conversation, “I take it you will to keep bees here, despite Russet?”

“Yes, it’s the only craft I know, and I love it, and better still there’s no varroa(37) to contend with here.” Seeing the looks of incomprehension on the faces berount(38) her, Jessica explained, “That’s a parasite of bees that wipes colonies out, little creatures so small you can hardly see them.”

“There are other Mistress and Master beekeepers who may be more interestet(39) than Russet, whose reaction may partially be due to he also being a skep maker, but let’s put that to one side for a minute. I am a candler, tell me of how you make wicks,” asked Anna.

“I spin them from linen thread on an old fashion spindle. A heavy bit that spins twisting the thread whilst you feed it the right amount.”

“I know what a spindle is, but what’s linen? I too was an incomer fourty-two(40) years over when I was fiveteen,(41) and I vaguely remember the word, but I have no memory of what it is,” asked Anna.

“I’ve seen fields of it here, it has bright blue flowers with five petals,” said Jessica, turning to the casement. She couldn’t see anything relevant, but said, “You can see loads of it from where we arrived where the tents were.”

“We call that flax,” said Anna.

“We do too, but linen is the thread and the cloth woven from it.”

“I’m not sure I ever knoewn(42) that, but any hap, how does it work compaert(43) with other wickings?”(44) asked Anna.

“It’s the best I know of, spun tightly and pre-waxed by soaking in very hot liquid wax for a few minutes it never splutters and it burns evenly and slowly, allowing the wax to give a good light.”

“Assuming that to be so, how would you like to be a beekeeper to the candlers’ craft. Teal here seems interestet in making the bits. How many hives would you need to make a reasonable start?” asked Anna.

“Six,” replied Jessica, without hesitation.

“How soon can you make six, Teal?” asked Anna.

Jessica interrupted, “This season’s more or less over now as far as starting colonies for honey production is concerned, and swarms taken in skeps, or better hived in approximately hive sized wooden boxes, can be transferred to the frames next season.” As she spake Jessica indicated the size with her hands. “If the boxes have rails on opposite sides to rest plain wooden top bars dipped in molten wax on, and the top bars are just small enough to be tied inside the frames next season, a drop over weather proof lid will see the bees through the winter. You then have all winter and most of the spring to make the hives and the rest of the pieces, and I can transfer the colonies to the new hive frames easily with a ball of string.”

Teal sighing with relief said, “I bethinkt me you were going to give me just a few days. If I have all winter, I can make proper jigs that, as necessary, I can adjust, and then I can make more than six a day if need be. The boxes are easy, we have hundreds that must be approximately right. We make then for Joseph to pack wine and beer in for the waggoners to take to the holdings. Will a plankt(45) lid with a canvas cover sealt(46) with tar do?”

“That will be excellent, but it needs to be strong enough to load stones on to prevent wind damage.”

Teal nodded, “I can obtain some temporary hive boxes by the end of thisday,(47) Jessica, if you shew me exactly how you will the rails and bars to fit I can have them modifyt(48) to your will very quickly, a day or two at most.”

“Do you will be with the candlers, Jessica?” asked Anna.

“Yes, I don’t like upsetting folk, and Russet was…, ah…, the answer is yes.”

“Teal, a firm order for six.” said Anna.

“Done,” said Teal.

“I’ll obtain some flax so you can shew me exactly how you spint(49) your wicks and then waxt(50) them, Jessica.” Jessica nodded in agreement to Anna.

Duncan and Daphne who to this point in the proceedings had been bystanders, interested bystanders, but naytheless bystanders, now shuffled a bit. Duncan started to spaek of personal placement, the dance in the Greathall, marriage, and kith and asked Jessica of her requirements.

“I like boys. I am not sure I want to own one though,” Jessica informed him.

Spluttering with laughter, Daphne said, “Men, Jessica, men, boys are under fourteen.”

“Sounds even worse if you ask me,” Jessica retorted. “I’ve had boyfriends, sorry men friends. I’ve slept with two, but I’ve never had a long term one. I am not sure about that. I’m sure I shall want to, but I’m still getting used to this place. I lived with my mum and dad, and I had two sisters,” tears came into her eyes, “and I wish I were still there. I can’t trade them for a man in two days.”

“Would you like me to see if I can find a family for you with sisters?” Duncan asked. “Don’t answer me without giving it serious thought. This is a normal procedure for us, and I’m sure it would help you.”

“Only if they want me,” was the slightly thickened reply.

“I would like much to take you to daughter, Jessica,” said Teal. The almost iron grip Jessica had maintained on her emotions, since realising she had lost her family and the security that had gone with it, and she was now in an alien, cold and sometimes terrifying place where all the rules were so different, fell away from her. Teal put her arms berount her, as the young woman of near thirteen, who didn’t have the maturity of a sixteen year old reared on Castle, clung to her as her grief and loss overwhelmed her. Those who read the archives knew this was a common reaction, and they understood why. “Jessica, let’s go home,” Teal said, “and you can meet your sisters and brothers and your father. Trust me you will be much lovt.(51) It’s how it works here. You now have a craft and a family. It’s as secure as any can be on Castle.” She waved to Rowan, Anna, Duncan and Daphne as they left. Holding Jessica by the hand she said, “Tell me again what you mean by bee space.”(52)

Word Usage Key

1 Spaek, speak.
2 Sayt, said.
3 Allowt, allowed.
4 Baest, based.
5 Gaint, gained.
6 Indicatet, indicated.
7 It beseems me, it seems to me.
8 Nextday, tomorrow.
9 The flaught, the foolish.
10 Extendet, introducet.
11 Introducet, introduced.
12 Thiseve, this evening.
13 Spaeking, speaking.
14 Bort, bored.
15 Bluen, blued or as here blue.
16 Connectet, connected.
17 Suffert, suffered.
18 Experiencet, experienced.
19 Maekt, made.
20 Froe, a cleaving tool having a heavy blade set at right angles to the handle.
21 Beetle, a wooden mallet or maul often maekt from a green log with one end turned down for a handle.
22 Pleast, pleased.
23 Spaeking, speaking.
24 Agreän. Spouse, one one has marital agreement with.
25 Thisnight, tonight.
26 Gainst, against.
27 Sett, past tense of set.
28 Highth, height.
29 Attractivth, attractiveness.
30 Taekt, took.
31 Aegt, aged.
32 Skep, a circular beehive maekt from a coiled straw rope.
33 Weighth, weight.
34 Uest, used.
35 Perse, purple.
36 Insultet, insulted.
37 Skep, a circular beehive maekt from a coiled straw rope.
38 Berount, around.
39 Interestet, interested.
40 Fourty-two, forty-two.
41 Fiveteen, fifteen.
42 Knoewn, knew.
43 Compaert, compared.
44 Wickings, materials from which wicks are made.
45 Plankt, planked.
46 Sealt, sealed.
47 Thisday, today.
48 Modifyt, modified.
49 Spint, spun.
50 Waxt, waxed.
51 Lovt, loved.
52 Bee space, the wiedth that bees leave to move berount in a hive, any wider gap they will reduce with wax and propolis, a resin they collect from trees, or even build more comb in it, any smaller one they will block.