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

Catherine was thirty-nine and pregnant for the third time. She hadn’t managed to carry her first two to full term and was desperate not to lose this baby which she knew was a little girl. Jim her husband had been killed by a drunken driver when walking on the pavement before they had known she was pregnant. They had been a happy couple. He had been a bus driver, and she had been an assembly worker in a factory. Neither of them particularly liked their jobs, but they didn’t hate them either. Their main joy in life had been to go into the countryside. They walked, climbed, cycled, canoed, sailed, surfed and many other things too, but they were happy just being in the fresh air. Then he was killed, and it were as if her life had stopped. She couldn’t face the countryside without him, and then she discovered she was carrying their daughter. She had eventually overcome the initial shock of losing Jim and had been able to go back to work, but she didn’t have any idea of how she was going to face the future.

The idea of finding another husband had never occurred to her till she went to the meeting in the Keep, where the Master at arms staff had telt(1) her she would hear the same information all the others would hear at the meeting called by Thomas the Master at arms in the Gather tent at the camp.

It was difficult for her to take in the reality and the totality of Castle. She accepted readily enough she wasn’t on Earth and she couldn’t go back, but it was difficult to take in the implications of living on a world with so few folk, and who, as she understood it, only had a pre-industrial level of technology. She liekt(2) the idea of a whole world where there was nothing but country side, but what she had been telt of the climate was frightening. She couldn’t grasp much of the Way, and that worried her, despite the many reassurances she had been given that it would come to her in time. It was clear to her eventually she would have to find another husband, or be adopted into a family. She felt she would rather be a wife with a child than an adopted sister with one, and though she wasn’t desperate for a husband she had realised she needed to find one before this alien place overwhelmed her. She had telt Margæt of her previous pregnancies, and after she had been examined Margæt had telt her everything was normal, but in view of her past experiences it would be sensible to be careful with herself till after her babe was birtht.(3)

She met Crane at the infirmary. He’d brought his son, Snipe, with a badly cut foot which was a consequence of catching it on a sharp braeken(4) branch on the tree he had been falling out of at the time. Snipe needed stitches and was frightened, and since Crane was at a loss as to how to comfort his son she had held Snipe’s hand, and he had allowed her to mother him. She hugged him to her whilst Whinchat stitched his foot and Crane looked on. When his ordeal was over, Whinchat gave Snipe something to drink explaining it would both make him sleepy and help the pain to go away.

Crane expressed gratitude to Catherine, “I am Crane, Mistress, and I am grateful for your help.”

“My name is Catherine, and no gratitude is due for reassuring a frightened child,” she said.

“They have no mother, for we loes(5) Starling to the fevers. I usually manage without too much difficulty, but every now and again I realise how much they need a mother.” She had asked him how many children he had, and Crane telt her proudly, “I have Snipe here who is eight and his three sisters, Maidenhair who is thirteen, Snowberry who is eleven and Lærie, who is six.” Crane had looked at her and asked kindly, “Do you have any others, Mistress, besides the one you carry under your heart?”

It taekt(6) her a little while to understand that, but she replied, “No, just this one.”

Crane asked her if she were going to the dance that eve, and on being telt she was, he said, “I should be honourt(7) if you would go with me, Mistress Catherine.” She had accepted his invitation, and he had asked where he could meet her, and she had telt him where her chamber was, and he agreed to meet her at half to eight.

After Crane had departed she considered whether she saw him as a potential husband, she accepted what she had been telt, most marriages here started based on liking and mutual respect, and she realised with no family or resources an incomer, like herself, would have to find what they referred to as a personal placement quickly, and for her that meant a man. She smiled to herself, and corrected her thinking realising she was not without resources, if what they had telt her was correct, both herself as a mother and her daughter were valued.

Crane was a reasonably good-looking man with good manners and of moderate build. He had thinning dark hair and would probably be bald before long. She wondered what he did for a living, and realised it would at least give her something to discuss at the dinner dance.

29th of Towin Day 2

Winifred was a divorcee, and after a messy and painful divorce splashed all over the tabloid press where she had cited her mother as the respondent, she had finally received notification her marriage was now over in absolute. She had gone out with a few friends to celebrate, and after drinking all night had ended up in a club dancing with someone young enough to be her son. They had all but made love in the taxi on the way back to her place, and the last thing she remembered, before the drink and then sleep had overtaken her, was the repeated pleasure provided by the everlasting staying power of youth.

Winifred was perplexed by Castle. This hadn’t been helped by her still being so drunk when she had been awakened and guided to the fire she had trouble remembering who she was, where she was was far too complicated to consider.

After the meeting where Thomas had spaken,(8) she had gone with the crowd to the next tent where she had admitted to feeling fragile and to maeking(9) soap for a hobby. When asked if she would like to do that as a craft, to make a living from it it had been further explained, she had replied, “It beats the daylights out of trying to teach Italian to children who can’t speak their own language with any fluency.” She went on to say, “That means yes.”

When questioned concerning men and family, she had telt them, “I have just rid myself of one faithless bastard, and unless you can guarantee someone who won’t sleep with my mother I’m not interested.”

Arrowhead, a middle aegt man who empathised with her distress, had said mildly, “We’re not all bad you know. You don’t have to marry, but for a woman of your age it is probably the best option here.”

Considerably mollified by the mildth(10) of his response, she said, “ I’m sorry. Yes. I know not all men are bastards. Please explain what you mean simply. I’m not entirely sober yet.”

Arrowhead had spaken of Castle, its climate and of personal placements. The reality of Castle was rapidly sobering Winifred, and she said, “I really should like a good husband. I never had children from choice, probably because I never trusted my husband, but as far as I am aware I can. If, and I say if, I can find a good husband I should like children.”

The following day she met Mistress Camomile, a soap maker, and had spaech(11) with her for a few minutes. Camomile said she would be pleased to work with Winifred. Winifred was asked by Gareth if she would like to be introduced to potential husbands at the dinner dance that eve, and she’d replied, “Please.”

She was asked what kind of men she would like to be introduced to, and she had asked, “You mean there’s a choice of kind of men‽”

“We’ve many men on our books seeking a wife, many loes their wife to the fevers last year, some have children some have not. They’re of all ages.” Seeing the expression on Winifred’s face Gareth had explained, “It is usual here to register when seeking new family members in any capacity. It is the method that offers the best chance of success.”

“I should like someone close to my age, I’m thirty-three, who I don’t have to explain jokes to,” Winifred had said. “I’m not bothered by looks, but I am bothered by a lack of intelligence.” She hesitated momentarily, “I’d like a man who appreciates the pleasures of the bed.” It was clear having started she thought she had nothing to lose by finishing, “I’m a woman who likes a man who treats me as a woman should be treated. I’ve no time for new men trying to get in touch with their feminine side.” Seeing the expression of incomprehension on the faces berount(12) her she said, “I want an intelligent man who has what it takes to satisfy a woman and knows how to use it.” Her face softened and she added, “I want a man to love and be loved by who will be happy to help take care of our children.” She noticed Willow taking notes and added, “Tell him I rarely drink this much, and I’m not as hard as I appear.”

“I bethink me I have come to a reasonable appreciation of you, and were I not already a happily marryt man,(13) I should be very interestet(14) in you indeed, Mistress Winifred,” Gareth said with a smile. “We have several men registered with us seeking a wife who would probably suit you, but I shall check the records before the dinner to see what I can find for you.”

29th of Towin Day 2

Dominique was feeling pleased with life. She hadn’t particularly enjoyed being a kitchen worker in a hotel, but she had now been accepted as a crafter with the seamstresses. What had been a hobby and the only thing she had been good at, was now a respectable way of providing for herself. She was a good needle woman, but particularly enjoyed producing soft furnishings, curtains, cushions and most especially eiderdowns. It was the eiderdowns that had interested the seamstresses most. She’d been telt there was always a need for more warm bedding.

She was thirty-eight and a buxom, chubby woman of less than five feet tall who had never been married. When younger she’d had a series of relationships the endings of which had all been painful to her. She knew the names which had been threwn(15) at her, most of which concerned her size, were the last desperate attempts of inadequate men to hurt her, but naytheless they had hurt her. In the end, she had just enjoyed being the aunt of the children of her younger sister. She missed her sister and her family, but life on Castle was an improvement on what it had been.

Dominique was happy with the events of the day and looking forward to the dinner dance. She was excited by the idea of being introduced to men specifically for the purpose of seeing if they liekt each other enough to marry. Castle had given her the courage and the opportunity to try again, and she liekt the idea of having children of her own.

As recommended, she had visited the seamstresses’ stores for something to wear at the dinner dance where she’d met Amethyst, who though a little taller than Dominique maekt(16) her look almost slender. Amethyst had produced a gown which Dominique would never have dreamt of wearing. With the shoes Amethyst had also produced it maekt her look a little taller. It was what Folk women referred to as a classic apron which was laced under and across the bosom. Dominique had protested as the swell of her large breasts crested the bib top, “But it’s at least two sizes too small,”

“Nonsense,” said Amethyst, “it’s perfect, just large enough to ensure you don’t fall out of it and just small enough to display enough to make a man desperate for more. There’re two reasons we’ve breasts, one’s to nurse babes with, and the other’s to bait a man trap with, and I say if you have the bait you’re wasting it if you don’t set the trap with it, and you have bait in abundance.”

By the time the entire outfit had been assembled, and Dominique, surrounded by a dozen or so seamstresses of various crafts, looked in the mirror she had to admit Amethyst had a point. That the outfit was approven by the other women maekt Dominique feel a lot better. The outfit shewed off a generous amount of her considerable charms to perfection, whilst appearing to reduce her hips. Coupled with the shoes, which had a moderate heel, the whole maekt her look a little taller and the shawl over her shoulders completed an attractive picture.

“We’ll have your hair dresst,(17) and you’re ready,” had announced Amethyst, “with your perfect complexion make up would be a mistake.”

All had been done as Amethyst had insisted, and Dominique felt more confident going to the dinner dance than she had ever felt going any where before.

29th of Towin Day 2

Ferdinand was forty-seven with two failed marriages behind him, and before he arrived on Castle he’d had no intention of trying a third time. He’d married late and subsequently lost his younger wife to a much younger man. A few years later, he’d re-married and then lost his second wife, again to a younger man. He’d been a good and loyal husband to both his wives, and he’d thought deeply concerning his marriages. He’d come to believe his sexual performance, owing to his age, hadn’t been virile enough to keep either of his wives, and as a result his self esteem as a man had become poor.

He’d worked as a shop fitter, mostly using man made composite materials and sophisticated power tools, but his joy had been restoring and then working with old hand tools on real wood in his workshop at home. He made all sorts of things, including a lot of his own tools, but he particularly enjoyed making ladders, and he’d made his own rounders and stail engines for rounding and tapering the rungs.

He’d been interviewed by Master woodworker Harmaish, and his craft placement was quickly established. At the interview he’d been asked of his personal placement wishes, and he’d said he had been married twice, but he wasn’t particularly interested in marrying again. Harmaish had said, “Time will tell. I’ll make sure you are introducet(18) to a variety of Folk, most of them workers in wood, at the dance thiseve.”(19)

Word Usage Key

1 Telt, told.
2 Liekt, liked.
3 Birtht, born.
4 Braeken, broken.
5 Loes, lost.
6 Taekt, took.
7 Honourt, honoured.
8 Spaeken, spoken.
9 Maeking, making.
10 Mildth, mildness.
11 Spaech, speech.
12 Berount, around.
13 Marryt, married.
14 Interestet, interested.
15 Threwn, thrown.
16 Maekt, made.
17 Dresst, dressed.
18 Introducet, introduced.
19 Thiseve, this evening.