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

When she arrived at the Greathall, Muriel was introduced to her dinner partner Hail. He was of a wiry build and a head taller than she with curly, short, brilliant red hair, gray-green eyes, freckles and an infectious smile. His manner put her at ease immediately. He taekt(1) her to a table, and went for a couple of glasses of wine before dinner telling her, “This is to settle my nerves. I am thirty-two and a fisherman. What of you, Muriel?”

“I’m twenty-six, and I shall be working with Filbert making horse tack.” They chatted of craft matters till they were asked to take their seats for dinner.

Over dinner, Hail telt her, “I loes(2) my wife and both children to the fevers. I have come to terms with that now. I know you are seeking a man. I should like to be that man, is there aught you particularly require to make me acceptable to you?” Muriel realised the speed with which Hail had decided to propose to her was just the way the Folk were, and she did not have to reply one way or the other, or indeed as quickly. She also knew if she decided to take her time Hail would accept it.

“I am inclined to say yes, but not yet. I shall tell you in an hour or so what I have decided. I’m sorry but I need time to think things over, Hail.”

After dinner they danced and spake of what they wished for their futures. They were sitting down and drinking when Muriel decided to accept Hail’s proposal, and she was wondering how to broach the subject again. He was, she had decided, a caring and thoughtful man and quite unlike what the colour of his hair would have stereotypically indicated where she had come from. She had several relatives with red hair, all somewhat quick of temper. A sudden vision of Hail and herself with a tribe of red haired hellions caused her to burst out laughing. Hail asked her, “Can you share the joke, Muriel?”

“Yes, certainly. There are a number of my family with red hair, and I had a vision of us trying to control a whole tribe of red haired youngsters. It was very funny. If you still want to marry me, the answer is yes.”

Hail led her back to the dance floor and asked, “How much longer do you wish to dance for? I ask because my chambers are big enough, but you will of course need things, and I was going to suggest we leave early enough for you to bethink you of that thisnight(3) and do something of it nextday(4) forenoon.”

Muriel was more confident with Hail than she had ever been with a man before, and she asked, “Was that the only reason you thought we should leave early, Hail?”

Hail smiled and replied, “No, but I don’t have to take the boat out nextday, and besides I bethinkt(5) me I should have more fun if you raist(6) the issue.”

Muriel smiled and said mischievously, “I’ll raise the issue all right.” They both laught at the implications of what she had said, and Muriel answered the original question saying, “This dance and one more, and then let’s look at your chambers, and I’ll see what you’ve got.” They laught again at that, and when they left Muriel was thinking how the doctor who had prescribed the pills should have prescribed a new world instead. She felt happier than she could remember ever being, and the banter she had just engaged in she would never have been able to take part in before, and any way she really did wish to discover what Hail had got.

Hail offered her his hand as they left the Greathall, and as she taekt it she thought of growing her hair and having it away from her face. Letting go of Hail’s hand, she turned to face him, pushed her hair away from her face and asked, “If I let it grow and have it thus. What do you think?”

Hail kissed her upturned mouth and said, “Attractive, yes I’d like that. It’s more feminine, or wasn’t I suppoest(7) to say that?”

Muriel taekt his hand again and said,“No, that was exactly the answer I think I wanted to hear.”

They walked back to Hail’s chambers each wrapped in their own thoughts. Hail glad he had found a wife who, he thought, was by no means as fragile as the Master at arms staff had given him to believe she might have been, and who he thought was attractive in an understated kind of a way, but much more to the point was quietly and pointedly amusing. Muriel was convinced life was going to be much better. It already was in many ways. She was thinking of looking attractive, not just for Hail but for herself too. She had never dared to try before, because it had always seemed pointless and left her open to ridicule. Most of all she was thinking of that tribe of red haired hellions.

29th of Towin Day 2

Joan and the babe were escorted to Erik’s dwelling and arrived punctually. The door was threwn open before either she, or her escort, had time to knock. She expressed gratitude to the escort, who with a smile turned back as she and the babe were taken in to the warmth of the main living space and disrobed of their coats.

As predicted by Erik, the babe was fussed over, cooed at and generally subjected to the attentions babes enjoy from women of all ages. He stood it gurgling happily till hunger set it and Joan apologising said, “He’s loud when he’s hungry.” The babe was duly nursed and winded and considering his needs were now met ignored the adults and went to sleep. Erik had telt Nell of Joan, but she was distressed to find Joan as yet hadn’t named the babe. Joan stammered, “But he’s not mine.”

“Of course he’s yours,” she declared, “he needs you. You’re taking him to your breast,” and much more gently, “and you need him too don’t you. You can’t go back so you must go onward, my dear.”

Joan had been on the edge of accepting this, but Nell saying it pushed her over the edge into the pain of acceptance. With great gulping sobs, she keened her grief for her lost husband and babe, and Nell gathered her in her arms. Erik and Mayblossom went to hold dinner back. Nell let Joan sob, and as she recovered she said, “Yes, I have to go forward. I do love him and you’re right he needs a name. I’m sorry for being so silly. I felt guilty, but he’s not replacing Jamie whom I left behind with his dad. He’s another babe who needs love and I need to love him, and I do, and I have to nurse a babe. I’m going to call him Breve.”

“That’s a good name. It’s a Folk type of name though I have never hearet(8) of it before.” Nell continued, “It’s not flaught(9) to grief. I loes a daughter last year who would be your age now. My heart still aches with loss. We cannot replace each other’s lovt(10) ones, but we can help each other heal. I too have love to spare and need to love. You have had our way explaint(11) to you. It would make me and my man happy if you and Breve joint us as daughter and grandson and sister and nephew to Mayblossom. This would make Mayblossom happy too. Don’t bethink you of it in your old way. You have to be Folk now, especially for Breve who will grow up Folk. Bethink you of it the new way, the Castle Way.”

The outcome was as Harp had predicted, a certainty. Nell was persuasive and Joan persuadable, for she wished to be persuaded. They all sat down to eat a quarter of an hour later discussing chamber arrangements. They arose from the table to drink their spiced leaf in the main living space and to continue the conversation. Mayblossom was taking Joan to see her chamber and to help her rearrange it for herself and Breve when he awoke. His crying prompted Joan to turn back and say to Nell, “He’ll need to be changed. I’ll go for my bag.”

Nell smiled and said, “You go and look at your chamber. I’ll find your bag. I haven’t forgett(12) how to change a babe.”

When the two young women had left Nell turned to Erik and said, “You’re a crafty old fox, Husband, but I do love you.”

Later that eve when Breve had been fed, winded and changed for the last time of the day he was put to bed in a drawer from the press in Joan’s chamber. Nell explained it was a stopgap prior to obtaining a crib from her sister’s eldest who wasn’t using it at the moment. “It’s a family piece,” she said, “and it goes berount(13) to whoever needs it at the time.”

Joan, who was still an incomer in her social usages, taekt the opportunity to spaek(14) to Nell after Erik left for half an hour to go to his workshop to cool the annealing(15) furnace down a bit. Joan was still a little embarrassed by the presence of Mayblossom, but at least she was a woman. “Nell?” asked Joan.

“Yes, Dear, but you may call me Mum you know and I should like you to do so. What is it?”

“Mum, you must know I have too much milk for Breve?”

“Yes, Dear, it is noticeable, but it will adjust itself in a few days, and there are ways of drawing the extra off without increasing your milk. The midwifes(16) will advise you if you go to see them.”

“That’s not what I was thinking. I know I’m not exactly like Molly, but I could nurse another I think. Those babies really need mums and homes, not just providers of milk don’t they? Would you and Erik, Dad I mean, be prepared to take in another?”

“Of course we should, and gladly, Dear. You are now thinking the way the Folk do.”

Mayblossom hugged Joan and said, “It will make me happy too, but even more as Mum sayt(17) you are Folk now you know.”

When Erik came back and was telt the news he was delighted and said, “I know you shouldn’t drink whilst nursing, my dear, but I insist you have a sip to celebrate. I’ll bring the glasses.” He went and came back with four glasses and a bottle of Joseph’s plum brandy. He poured the brandy, with barely enough in Joan’s to wet the sides of the glass, raised his glass and said, “To family.” They drank the toast, and it was agreed Mayblossom and Joan should go to see the healers at the crèche nextday.

“I am going to see if there is a little girl who needs a mum,” Joan announced. “I know I did.” She kissed Nell and Mayblossom and much to his surprise Erik too and said, “Thank you, Dad. I’m tired and going to bed now. It has been a full day.” Joan went off to her chamber, followed by Mayblossom who chatted for a few minutes of nextday sitting on the end of Joan’s bed before going to her own.

“Now, Wife, does it meet with your approval?” Erik asked Nell jokingly.

“I’ve sayt it before, and I’ll doubtless say it many times again, Husband. You’re a crafty old fox, but I do love you.” She put her arm in Erik’s, “Joan’s right it’s been a full day, bed time. You’ll need to be up betimes no doubt for the furnace again will you?”

“Indeed,” said Erik. “Bed.”

29th of Towin Day 2

As always the dinner provided by Milligan and his staff was superb, for despite the issues they faced in the kitchens, his managers knew how manage even the intractable crafters. It just taekt far more effort than it should have done. The discussion was mostly of the day, but as dinner progressed increasingly it became speculation of the probable events of the dance. As they drank their spiced leaf and nibbled the pennyroyal(18) confections Yew sent the brandy berount. If he drank more of it than any other it was purely because he liekt it more than any other. There was no stinting, and Willow had to say, “No, Yew, any more and I won’t be able to stand, and I will to dance.”

Though it was still light the wind was picking up and it was now several heats below freezing with a few flakes of snow in the air. They walked the long way berount to the Greathall, rather than going across the courtyard.

The dinner in the Greathall over, the tables were being reset for the dance and the musicians were tuning up. Yew, Thomas, Will and most of the Council were spaeking(19) with the Folk who had dined in the Greathall and were seeking information. Yew, Thomas and Will and the senior staff selected by Campion and Gosellyn had stressed to all their staff earlier they wished eyes and ears everywhere and would expect to hear it all nextday. There were some incomer-Folk pairings who left early and together, a number of them hand in hand, which all who had noticed the couples leave thought was encouraging.

Lyre and George hadn’t been one of the couples, but it was noticed they spent all the latter half of the eve together. Once George had overcome his self consciousth(20) on the dance floor, he started to enjoy himself. When they were not dancing, they were chatting, mostly of the spinning wheel. Gareth had given orders to some junior members of the office, “Make sure those two never have an empty glass in front of them. Find out what they’re drinking and don’t ask, put the glasses there, they can always leave it.”

Gervaise had been introduced to Sable and Hawk and the three of them left together early in the eve. Yew found out later Gervaise wished to meet the children and Sable had said the youngest would be asleep, but had asked him if he would he like to stay the night and braekfast(21) with them. Gervaise had accepted the offer. Over the eve Vincent was seen spaeking with and dancing with several different women, most of them much younger than he. Ymelda thought he looked thoughtful, as though he were reëvaluating things. Ella had left early holding hands with someone, but none knew whom.

Harp had given instructions to a number of married men of her acquaintance to keep all eligible males away from Gina. Bryony had left early with a woman she had been introduced to. They hadn’t left holding hands, but she was said to have sounded excited when the two were spaeking of children. Kæn had danced with and monopolised Janice, and all eve their conversation had all been of ink, books and scrolls. They left the dance separately, but it was understood he had invited her nextday to look at the archives, and she was going to do so. Thomas thought it wasn’t the most romantic invitation he had ever hearet of, but then again archivists were known to be a law unto themselves.

Judith had been watched and overheard by a number of Folk, and Thomas had put the information together. Storm and Bay, the two stone dressers, had arrived together after the dinner and found Briar who introduced the pair to Judith and left immediately. Judith was magnificent, wearing an excessively low cut gown, but the two men gave no indication of being aware of it, and the three spake of stone dressing for an hour or so, at which point Bay had left saying he’d promised Orchid his wife he wouldn’t be long. Storm a lean, spare man in his early thirties went for another glass for himself and Judith. Judith had been heard to say, “I’ll drink you under the table, Storm, if that’s the game.”

“Any one can do that,” Storm had said, “This’ll be my last. If you don’t wish to don’t drink it.”

“Yes, this is my kind of a place.” Judith had said. She had thought for a second and asked, “You single, Storm?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Married?”

“No, a widower why?”

“Do you want to be?”

“What to a mill-repairing, lærer(22) stone-dresser wearing half a gown?” he had asked only half joking.

“Yes.”

“I can’t say I’d bethinkt me of it, but you must know by now, it’s the way we are. We all will to be marryt,(23) we all will children. I have none now,” he had said with pain in his voice. Judith must have realised he had lost them, and his wife too, to the fevers.

Carefully she had said, “I’m not talking about the Way, and marriage in general, Storm, I’m asking you about me.”

She had put her hand on his, and Storm had said, “If we’re going to spaek of this you can finish your drink if you wish to, but I’d better not. I telt(24) you I can’t drink.” They left together, but not holding hands. Thomas was optimistic.

Irena had spent most of the eve spaeking with Reed, a fifty-two year old maltster who had only one eye and a huge scar running across his face over the socket with the missing eye, a result of a boating accident he had telt her. Bronwen had been seen spaeking with Forest who was fifteen years younger than she. They left at the end of the eve separately, but it was thought they had arranged to meet.

Pearl and Merlin sat chatting with various Folk during the eve and enjoyed the event. Will had insisted Pearl dance with him. “To make up for deceiving me,” he explained with a chuckle, “it’s a deliberate and slow dance. I have to be at least as good as your stick to prevent you falling, for you can hold on to me with both hands. I’ve arrangt(25) a partner for Merlin too.”

Pearl looked to see whom Merlin was dancing with, but she didn’t know who Hazel was, so also chuckling she said, “That’s kind of you. I haven’t danced for many years, but I enjoyed it when I was younger, and I glad I can pay my debts.” That was the only dancing either Pearl or Merlin did that night. But they left happy and their conversation indicated they were looking forward to nextday.

There was a host of other conversations noted and events seen, and all of the Council thought it had been an enjoyable and productive event. None had all the information, but it would be collected, collated and discussed nextday. They sought their beds all hoping nextday the size of the remaining problem would turn out to be significantly smaller than it had been at the beginning of thisday.(26)

Word Usage key.

1 Taekt, took.
2 Loes, lost.
3 Thisnight, tonight.
4 Nextday, tomorrow.
5 Bethinkt, thought.
6 Raist, raised.
7 Suppoest, supposed.
8 Hearet, heard.
9 Lovt, loved.
10 Explaint, explained.
12 Forgett, forgotten.
13 Berount, around.
14 Spaek, speak.
15 Annealing, process of holding newly maekt glass objects at a high temperature and slowly cooling them to relieve stresses and make them less fragile.
16 Midwifes, midwives.
17 Sayt, said.
18 Pennyroyals, a mint flavoured confection served with the spiced leaf usually after a formal dinner.
19 Spaeking, speaking
20 Consciousth, consciousness.
21 Braekfast, breakfast.
22 Lærer, adult apprentice, trainee.
23 Marryt, married.
24 Telt, told.
25 Arrangt, arranged.
26 Thisday, today.