A Word Usage Key is at the end. Some commonly used words are there whether used in this chapter or not. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood of the n is replaced by a d or ed. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically with a footnote number. If you have suggestions I would be pleased to consider implementing them.
The brackets after a character e.g. CLAIRE (4 nc) indicates Claire is a character who is 4 years old and a character not encountered before. Ages of incomers are in Earth years at this point and of Folk in Castle years. (4 Folk yrs ≈ 5 Earth yrs. l is lunes, t is tenners.) There is a list of chapters and their significant characters at the bottom too.
8th of Chent day 11
At five, Bistort put his head into Morgelle’s chamber to awaken her, but she was awake and seeing him said, “I’ll be dresst and washed in a minute or two, Dad.”
When she went into the eating area Fritillary was putting braekfast on the table, and seeing Morgelle she asked, “Doet you have a good sleep, Dear?” Morgelle yawned and nodded. “After we’ve eaten, your dad will go to hitch the team, and I should like your help to strip the beds, put the blankets away and take the sheets to the Keep launderers. We’ll pack all the perishable food I doetn’t pack lasteve and take it all with us, and then we’ll leave for home.”
Within an hour, as the wind blowing away the overcast was brightening the sky right in front of them, they were pulling out of the Keep entrance tunnel, rattling over the moat bridge and heading for home. The track way out of the Keep kept changing direction between the deep pools full of water in some of which Morgelle could see fish rising to take flies, but after a short time it straightened out, and headed east through Outgangside, with the Arder behind the houses and workshops on their left.
Bistort explained, “We’ve to head this way for half a day till we reach the ferry. The river is impossible to cross here due to the mud. It’s possible to board a ship at the Keep dock tower which could take us home, but unless we’ve a lot of supplies to take home it is not usually worth awaiting a ship going our way. We shall have lunch at the ferry before we cross. After crossing, we head more or less north-west then the trail goes in a more northerly direction before finally turning north-west to the coast again. Halfway between the ferry and home, there is a stopping over place with stabling for the horses. We built it fourteen years over. It is small and only has one chamber for sleeping, but it has beds for twelve, or even more if we share. That’s rarely necessary though because we don’t travel in the calt season, and if many of us are travelling together in the warmer seasons some prefer to sleep in the hay loft or even under canvas in their bed rolls. We’ve some dryt supplies with us to leave there. On our way here we fillt the fuel bins with wood so we don’t have to do so on the way back.”
They spake of their home and of Morgelle’s life before Castle as the six heavy horses gradually taekt then nearer to the ferry. Morgelle found it difficult to say much of her previous life that didn’t involve Caoilté which hurt, but as the forenoon went on it hurt less, and she was learning the lesson all have to learn before they can be considered to be adult: you can’t rewrite history, and the best you can do is learn to live with it. Fritillary and Bistort telt her of their family, how the cycle of their year usually progressed and what they caught or collected and when. They telt her of how they processed the fruits of their labours, and who in the family usually did what. She was amazed to find how similar their lives were to what she was uest to and glad she had joined this clan.
Bistort was a simple man. He wasn’t particularly intelligent, but he was a loving man who delighted in his latest daughter who was happy to be loved by this honest and caring father. She also realised she was glad she hadn’t lost any status in her own eyes because her birth father’s father was clan chief too, and her birth father was clan chief in waiting. Fritillary she had come to realise was highly intelligent, acutely perceptive, and she was just as much clan chief as Bistort. Fritillary telt her, when Bistort was watering the horses during one of their two hourly halts, she’d had seven older boys and young men interested in her by the time she was six, the others all much brighter than Bistort. She had decided on Bistort because he was so kind and open. He was, she said, absolutely incapable of telling aught other than the truth, she had believed he would always love and protect her, and he would be a good father to their children. He was also a hard worker, particularly when the safety of the clan was at risk.
Fritillary confided, unlike the rest of the clan, she had from a young age believed he would be chosen as clan chief by his parents over his more intelligent siblings and cousins because his primary concern had always been the weäl of the clan, and she had believed as his agreän her abilities would help them to make up their minds in his favour. She smiled at Morgelle and telt her, “I have maekt many mistakes in my life, but marrying Bistort was the best decision I ever maekt, and despite occasional dispute I haven’t for even one second regrettet it. I know you have left your intendet behind. It is clear to me you understand all must surmount tragedy, and you know you wish to eventually have a family. I hope you can find someone as good to you as Bistort is to me.”
Morgelle hearing the words of not just her mother, who she knew had come to care for her in just a couple of days, but also those of her clan chief said, “Thank you for your words, Mother Fritillary, and I hope so too.”
As Bistort had said they reached the ferry in time for a slightly later than usual lunch. Fritillary started a fire in a small, three walled, roofed enclosure with a fireplace, warmed bannocks and heated the stew she had prepared lastday. Morgelle went with Bistort to the ferry which was a floating raft of some size. They drove the waggon onto the ferry, and uncoupled the team. He shewed Morgelle how to hobble the horses so they could move to graze, but not go far quickly, and they had lunch. After lunch they led the horses on to the ferry, and tied them to the centre rail which was there for that purpose, and after undocking the ferry they pulled on the double looped ropes which moved them into the current. The ropes were maekt of relatively short longths spliced together and Bistort telt Morgelle one of the newfolk was shewing the rope makers how to make longer ropes to replace the ferry ropes which would make the ferry easier to use.
In half an hour the current taekt them slowly half way across the Arder, but notwithstanding the tautth of the ropes the sluggish current had taken them downstream a hundred strides by the time they reached the middle of the river where they passed the empty raft attached to the other side of the rope loops. They started upstream on the second half of their crossing which was hard work as they had to pull on the wet ropes to move gainst the current as well as moving the weighth of the other raft. In all it taekt nearly two hours to cross. Tired but happy they eventually docked the ferry on the other side. Bistort shewed Morgelle how to secure the ferry so it could be freed by any wishing to cross from the other side. They hitched the horses and with Fritillary and Bistort at the collars of the leaders walked with the horses as they pulled the waggon off the ferry before resuming their journey. “I like to be with them till they realise they are back on solid ground,” Bistort explained to Morgelle.
Morgelle asked, “How often do you do this journey?”
“Very rarely now,” Fritillary replied. “The ship Masters and the waggoners usually take our produce to the Keep for us. It is only when we wish to go to the Keep ourselfs we do this, and usually we await a ship and travel the easy way.”
Bistort laught and telt her, “This waggon is a new one. Vinnek maekt it for us two warm seasons over, and it was delivert by ship. When we came for you it was its first time on the ferry. Some of the family do the trip by waggon a few times a year to keep the horses uest to the ferry, but they prefer to use a lighter waggon than this one.” He laught again, “I chose to use this waggon to remind some of the younger men, who can be a little hot headet from time to time, they are younger men and still have some learning to do.”
Fritillary remarked, “The truth is Bistort would rather avoid having to put them in their place.”
Morgelle saved their last remarks to ponder later, and sure she knew the answer, but wanting to know the truth of it she asked, “Why did you do it this way this time?”
Bistort replied, and Morgelle realised Fritillary had let him reply because she knew Morgelle was aware he was incapable of guile. “We were telt of you by the Master at arms messenger on the last ship which wasn’t returning to the Keep directly, and it would have been a tenner or two before its return journey. We doetn’t know when we could expect a southbound ship to take us to the Keep, and we wisht you as a daughter, so we doet it the quickest way we could because we doetn’t wish to lose you. Having been telt of you we also believt we were the best Castle could offer you.”
“I am glad you did,” Morgelle said softly. They continued spaeking, mostly of the activities of the clan over the next few lunes, which included fishing for razor-shells, an activity which Morgelle had heard of but had never had the opportunity to take part in. Bistort explained the technique. At the very low tides near the water margin you walked backward, and watched for the tell tale signs of their burrows, then you squirted some strong seawater, concentrated by boiling or evaporation, on the burrow and they came up thinking the tide had come in. Bistort explained you could dig for them but you had to be very fast as any vibration sent them two to three feet down very quickly and he had never had much success with a spade. They discussed the salting and smoking of various catches as a method of preserving them and as a flavour enhancing technique. Morgelle had new ideas for her parents, and they telt her of things she wasn’t aware of. They spake of ways of extracting both salt and strong brine from the sea, and many other issues germane to folk of their maritime background.
They ate when they rested the horses and drank warmed leaf. By eight they had arrived at the stopping over place. Morgelle saw it was much larger than she had envisaged from what her parents had telt her. It was a one and a half storey building backed gainst a cliff with the ridge of the roof coming away from the cliff and sloping down a little as it did so. The right hand side she realised was stabling, and a covered area for the waggon. Bistort backed the waggon under the covered section, and they unhitched the horses turning them loose to graze in a post and railed paddock.
“We shall stable them after they have had time to graze awhile,” Bistort telt her. Fritillary passed them various bags, including their bedrolls, to take inside, and followed them with a bag herself. After Bistort had removed the two heavy, wooden baulks, the wind bars, which secured the door, they entered and Fritillary lit the ready laid fire, and it was only in the warmth of the fire Morgelle realised how cold it had become as the sun was louring in the early eve sky.
Fritillary swung the kettle that Bistort had filled with fresh water from the nearby spring over the fire, and said, “Leaf will be ready in five minutes. I’ll have a meal ready in three quarters of an hour and the bedrolls on the beds in an hour.”
“I’ll stable and tend the horses after my leaf,” Bistort said. “There’s hay ready for them in the racks, and I’ll give them some more oats.” They all chatted whilst Fritillary put away the dried provisions they had brought with them into the vermin proof metal containers. The leaf was then ready, and they drank their leaf spaeking of the tasks of nextday before leaving for home.
“You go and help your father, Dear. I need no help with the meal. I only have to warm it.”
Morgelle and Bistort led the horses one at a time into the stable, and when all six were stabled, Bistort scooped some oats from a box maekt of iron sheet at least half a wiedth thick with a similar overlapping hinged lid and poured them into their feed trays. He replaced the heavy stone weights on the lid and telt her, “I bringen two sacks of oats from home and refilt the box on our way south. We’ll have to refill the hay mangers from the loft and muck out the loose boxes before we leave. The muck goes into those slattet wooden crates and is allowt to dry to reduce its weighth. The full crates are taken to the growers at the Keep from time to time by the waggoners who leave empty ones too,” Bistort explained.
After grooming the horses and cleaning their feet, they went back to Fritillary who said, “By the time you have washt, five minutes to eating.” They ate, and after checking the horses went straight to bed. The sky was overcast again and despite more than an hour of daylight remaining all undresst in the single chamber by the candlelight, Morgelle using a single bed and her parents a double. None of them thought aught of it, which thought Morgelle as she slid into sleep shews they’re Islanders too. Before she slept she thought over her parents’ remarks regarding the younger men and came to the conclusion that type of young man was to be found everywhere and though Bistort may not have been of great intelligence he was a very good clan chief.
8th of Chent day 11
Thomas had decided, since there was little of import to discuss on the agenda, a full Council meeting was not required and had contacted all Councillors to say he considered their attendance was not necessary. If they chose to attend they were well come and if they chose not he would make sure they were fully informed of all discussion afterwards but he suspected there would not be much to inform them of. Since most of the Council were still busy trying to do what they had not done as a result of having to deal with the incursion many chose not to attend.
Alsike spake first, “We are concernt by the lack of commitment from Patrick and Gerald to the Folk. They have maekt no contribution to the grower craft, nor have they maekt any arrangements to do so. I have spaken to both of the matter and askt them of their intentions, and both givn me an evasive and unsatisfactory reply. I have askt all other senior Mistresses and Masters of craft to discover if they are crafting elsewhere and they are not. We have no idea what they are doing with their time. We are monitoring the situation which can not be allowt to continue for long. I shall report at our next meeting on the matter.
“On a more pleasant topic, Cloudberry and Sledge of Southern Holding have replyt to our questions concerning their acceptance of Llyllabette and Yoomarrianna. They say all at Southern shall be delightet to have more kin, whether they can spaek Folk or no, and even more so that they’ll be bringing their milch flock with them, for they only have milk some of the year at the present. Silverherb Mistress waggoner is back at the Keep and has agreen to assist the couple to take the flock Alfalfa has given them to Southern. It is normally an easy day and a half or two day waggon journey but will take three possibly four with the flock, and Thomas has agreen Silverherb’s remuneration should be payt out of the Collective as a settlement grant. I believe they’ll be going in half a tenner.
Campion stated the situation concerning the newfolk from the point of view of the Master at arms office. “Other from those removt we’re down to ten or twelve without personal placement, but most of those are near to placement, they’re just being cautious or were badly hurt by their losses and still recovering. We have no concerns regards any of them. Silverherb has telt us she shaert camp some eves since with Mast Master waggoner and his newfolk wife Veronica this side of the Long Valley. We have no idea how this came to be, but all are relievt Veronica is alive and Folk. Most believt she had perisht somewhere from deepcaltth. Silverherb sayt Veronica had become a waggoner crafting with Mast.”
“I am relievt to hear that,” Siskin said, “because when I met her it beseemt me the life she had livt before had not only maekt it difficult for her to become Folk, but it had not maekt her happy before she came here. Her dieing unhappy and lonely from deepcaltth on Castle after a lifetime of unhappith and loenth on Earth was not an idea with which I was comfortable.” Siskinʼs remarks were greeted with quiet agreement. Like Yew she was intelligent, but also like her father’s, her intelligence was usually masked behind a façade of good humour and it was oft a surprise when it surfaced.
Campion continued with a smile, “There must be something attractive regards the waggoners at the moment because Zoë, who went to Aaron’s family, is back at the Keep and marryt to Torrent the waggoner who taekt the young women to Hidden Hollow, she also is joining her husband on the trail as soon as she has birtht her babe which is due this lune. Too, I have been informt by Stonechat Jade, one of the other young women, needs a man betimes. She is of limitet intellect and will need a man with a large family to help her settle. We have a number of men registert with us we can consider.” Though the news of the women was unexpected it was good news. Campion continued “Also, Billie, one of the initially difficult pregnant young women, has marryt Diver the roper.”
Gosellyn added, “She birtht her son lastnight after a difficult birthing, but both she and her babe are now out of danger. Now, onto a completely different matter. We have lookt into the matter of the fevers you telt us of, Yew, and it is believt by the healers, as a result of information bringen by the newfolk, we can possibly end the fevers.” That statement uttered as it had been in a calm and quiet voice by Gosellyn riveted the attention of the Councillors. Gosellyn continued, “There is a milder form of the fevers the dairy crafters are subject to from time to time. It is never fatal and as far as we can tell, and the newfolk opinion supports this, any who has had what they refer to as cowpox never falls victim to what they call smallpox and we call the fevers. The information we gathert indicates whilst the fevers does not seem to be as readily transmittet from one person to another as smallpox and it kills one in six rather than one in three of those who contract it the fevers and smallpox are similar enough for us to proceed as though they are the same.
“Smallpox was completely wiept out on their world by making sure every one had had the cowpox form. We will to do this. It involves scratching and braeking the skin with a needle dipt in the fluid from the cowpox blisters. We suggest starting with a small number of strong and hale folk, and then, providing it be safe, the elderly and the young who are most vulnerable and all the folk who would be most vital to our survival should the fevers return. That means all Councillors and all significant craft Mistresses and Masters. We have already prepaert lists of the order in which we should do this for the entire Folk, which we shall probably have to modify as we gain experience. We are just awaiting someone to have the cowpox to give us the material we need to make a start. This is a new untryt technique and can therefore not be considert to be free from risk, and as such we are seeking Council authorisation.”
Yew recovered first, swore under his breath and said to Gosellyn, “Beshrew me, I wish your grandmother were still alive to tell me what to do and say.” Gosellyn smiled at Yew’s unaccustomed curse, and in understanding of his position. Hazel had been a cruck(1) of strongth for Yew to rely on for all of his life and it wasn’t just her family who missed her. Few of the Folk curst oft, and most not at all other than the use of Mercy when expressing surprise, perplexity or gratitude. Even Buzzard who was known for his creative and entertaining curses, many of which Xera had rendered into song, had to be seriously upset before starting.
After a pause, Yew continued, “I am not a healer, few in this chamber have any more healing knowledge than I, and no more have the Councillors who are not here. We, the Council, are therefore not able to assess what you have just telt us, Gosellyn. I suspect for the first, and I hope the last, time in my life I am going to make an autocratic decision as Lord of Castle. Before I do, I wish to ask is there general consensus concerning this mongst the senior healers and herbals, with no serious disagreement as to whether, rather than how, it should be doen?”
Gosellyn looked silently at Campion and the two women, who had spaken of this previously, smiled almost mischievously at each other. Yew had reacted exactly as they had predicted he would. “There is still some discussion, rather than argument as to the details, Yew, but all senior members of the office and all the others we craft closely with like Campion are in agreement it should be doen as soon as possible.”
There was a long and respectful silence as Yew looked at each Councillor in turn finishing with Campion, Gosellyn, Will and Thomas. Then with empty eyes and deep in thought he looked for a long time at Hazel’s empty chair, the chair none had uest since her passing and that would remain unuest for the customary year when her carved name on its back would be painted black like the names of all its users before her. All the Council chairs had many names carved in them. Some had no more space and were unuest gainst the chamber walls linked by carving to their successor and predecessor chairs. Hazel’s name would be the first to be painted on her chair which was linked to its two predecessors. Eventually Yew spake, “Thomas, I wish it be recordet this is being doen by my will as Lord of Castle, and the responsibility for aught that goes wrong should rest squarely on my shoulders and none else’s.”
“It shall be so recordet, Yew.”
Rowan who always sat next to her husband put her hand on his and smiled at him. All at the meeting looked at Yew grateful they had not had to take the decision. None had ever envied Yew his Lordship because they had always known with it came, on rare occasions, flaitsome(2) responsibility, and this was a more significant responsibility than any had attested before. All knew, Yew was capable of taking difficult decisions where there was inadequate information to do so with any certainty as to the outcome and accepted the responsibility for what ever the outcome, but he did not enjoy having to. He had once said, “It is in the nature of decisions they have to be taken with inadequate information, and thus there is a risk of mistakes being maekt. If enough information be available there is no decision to be maekt because it is obvious what should be doen. However, none can make decisions thisday on the basis of information that will only be available nextday, thus risk is an inevitable concomitant of decision.” Siskin looked at her dad with great respect, she suspected had the event occurred during her Ladyship she would have come to the same conclusion, but she was grateful it had been her father’s decision to take.
The Councillors then looked berount to see if there were aught else, but since none had aught else to say, Thomas said, “I suggest from now on only the full regular Lunar meetings are attendet by the full Council since most have better things to do. That may change when the reluctants return of course. I suggest the next meeting is in a tenner and we circulate the details of the discussion of that one too to any Councillors who do not attend.”
Yew as tradition specified closed the meeting. The Councillors braekt up and Yew said to Will on their way out, “I can’t become uest to not being able to look at Hazel’s face to be sure I’m doing things tightly.”
“I know what you mean, Yew. It was a long time before I acceptet Travisher had dien and I had to be the Master huntsman without his cursing at me when I maekt a mess of it. At least when I’d maekt a mess of it when he was alive I knoewn of it.” The pair of them didn’t even chuckle at Will’s remarks concerning the passing of his irascible mentor Travisher, the previous Master huntsman. Like many Yew considered it uncanny the way Will had grown to resemble Travisher, both reed thin and nigh to seven feet, both could run far and fast and Will had inherited all of his mentor’s great bows and was possibly the only one who could use them.
“Do you know the truth of it, Will?”
Will didn’t even try to pretend he didn’t know what Yew was referring to. “Aye. I know.”
“Was Travisher your father?”
“No more than I am young Gage’s.”
“Did your mother ever tell you?”
“Aye on her death bed, but you won’t like it. I’ll take your word never to repeat it, Yew, if you give it me.”
“You have it.”
“Had things been different, and had our father who gave you the meat and me the bone known of it, Mercy forfend, but I’d have been Lord, for I’m your elder by some lunes. But mother never told him. Better this way though. You’re the best Lord we’ve had in generations. I’d have made a mess of it and been unhappy, probably even disliked. I’m a good Master huntsman and I’ve always enjoyed it. Upsetting folk goes with the craft and I’m well thought of because I play no favourites. I’ve no regrets or grudges.”
Yew looked incredulous, and said, “No wonder you’re so good at sanno.(3) You’ve never even twitched when I’ve called you brother.”
“Why should I have doen? You call Thomas brother too, and his mother would have been most upset at the merest hint she’d been in any man’s bed other than his father’s.”
Yew grinned and asked hesitantly, “May I tell Thomas and Rowan too?”
“Yes. Thomas already keeps more secrets than the Folk are even aware exist, and Rowan has known for years.”
“Rowan knows. How?”
“She’s a lot brighter than you, Yew, a true daughter of Pilot that one, and she worked it out for herself. She told me the evidence was there for the quick witted to see. Mercy knows what she meant. She’s so sharp it hurts my head sometimes, but still, Brother, you’re the one that has to sleep with her not me, so I can live with it. Let’s collect Thomas and a bottle of good brandy, and you can hurt his head with the news.
They were laughing so loudly folk turned to look at them. Yew shouted, “Thomas, hold, Brother. Come, let those records be and join us for a glass or even a few. We have something of import to impart to you.”
The two looked at each other and started laughing, it wasn’t quite a teenage girl’s giggle, but it was perilously close to it.”
8th of Chent Day 11
Aaron had been advised of Nigel by the Master at arms staff, and he’d read all the notes that had been maekt concerning him. He met Dabchick in the Refectory, and congratulated her on her marriage and wished her a speedy pregnancy, but she had not been taken in for a second by his coincidental seeming meeting with her.
“I’m no member of the flaught, Aaron. You’re only having spaech with me because of Nigel. I’ve been expecting you because he should be of great interest to you. I’ve never met any remotely similar to him other than you, and what ever the two of you do together has my gifting as long as you don’t hurt him. He is a man, as are you, who lives not altogether in the here and now, and I believe he needs more than I can give him. He exasperates me with his constant generosity to those less fortunate than we, yet at the same time I love him the more for it. If you can provide him with what he needs I believe it can only be to the benefit of the Folk. He is desperate to understand more of the Way, despite his extensive knowledge of it which I believe to be already greater than that of any other of the Folk except you, for he spends an inordinate amount of time reading old records in the archives. There are parts of the Way that upset him, and he seeks answers which I can’t give him. I hope you will provide those answers and help to settle him. He is a gentle man, and I have come to love him, but I warn you if you hurt him I shall never forgive you.”
Aaron was not surprised by aught Dabchick said. It all fitt the picture he had built of Nigel, whom he knew he needed to meet and have long discussions with. He looked Dabchick in the eyes, and said with a great deal of compassion in his voice, “The Way is what it is, Dabchick. If it hurts Nigel I can not be deemt to be responsible. On my journey to understanding the Way it hurt me oft before I reacht that understanding. I can promise I shall not hurt him, and I shall help him as much as I can to overcome his hurt on his journey to understanding the Way. From what I have hearet of him Nigel needs a deep understanding of the Way. Not so much as to understand the Folk as to live at peace within himself. He needs me and I need him. You marryt him without understanding aught other than your need of a man to love and to be lovt by, but for him there is more, he can’t help himself. He will love you the more if you hold him not too tightly: for allowing him to be himself. Tell him I shall call thiseve to have spaech. If you wish to be with us you are well come, and though I drink but little and rarely, I shall bring a bottle of brandy with me in friendship for us all.”
Dabchick, who had never heard of Aaron drinking at all, smiled, and said, “Aaron, I have no idea why I trust you, but I do. I telt you I love Nigel, and thinking of him being hurt makes me aggressively protective, and I can’t help myself.”
Aaron didn’t respond to Dabchick’s remarks. He merely repeated the traditional remark to a new wife, “I look forward to your early pregnancy, Dabchick.”
Dabchick eyes filled as she said, “Gratitude, Aaron, so do I.”
Dabchick telt Nigel Aaron had said he would call, and Nigel asked, “I have heard of Aaron, but I don’t understand his rôle on Castle. He isn’t a religious man is he?”
“I don’t understand those things,” Dabchick answered. “You’ll have to ask him yourself. I can tell you he understands more of the Way than any other, and is much as are you. It is sayt that he never recovert from the loss of his intendet and that he put the Folk in her place in his heart. He is kind, generous and good at helping Folk work their way through grief and dispute. He is on the Council, and is highly regardet of by every single member of the Folk. He is very interestet in spaeking with you and sayt you both need each other. He is bringing brandy thiseve, and I have never hearet of him drinking before.”
The couple decided to eat at home that eve, and at half eight Aaron arrived. He had with him a bottle of seventy-five year old brandy which maekt Dabchick exclaim, “I doetn’t know there was any left any where near that age, Aaron.”
“No more doet I, but I telt Joseph I wisht a small quantity of something truly special for an event I considert to be of deepest import to every single member of the Folk. He giftet me this and telt me it was the best there is. He also addet he doetn’t wish to pry, but if I could ever tell him what the event was he would respect being so privilegt and keep any confidence I wisht.”
Dabchick was awed into silence by Joseph gifting Aaron the almost priceless brandy, which must have been laid down by Bowman’s father Hace. Bowman was the father of Coaltit Joseph’s wife, from whom Joseph had taken over the concern. That Aaron considered the eve’s conversation with Nigel to be of so much import seemed incredible to her, for what could they have spaech of that was of such gravity? Aaron started by telling Nigel, “I have been telt of every conversation you have had with the Master at arms staff, and of everything else I could learn of you, Nigel. You are, in my terms, a true seeker of understanding, and as a result you can see what others can’t. You are, in our terms, a man with powers beyond the normal. You are compassionate and have little need of much for yourself. I have many things I wish to ask you, but I am sure there are many things you wish to ask me concerning the Way so as to ease your mind of it’s apparent harshth sometimes. I am here to answer your questions, and thus to help you achieve the balance you need for your weäl. My questions are of lesser import and can all wait.” Dabchick watched and listened as the two men spake and argued of things of such little difference as for her not to be able to perceive there was a difference, but she understood for the two men there were huge differences.
She maekt leaf thrice, and at five over eleven Nigel said, “I think I now have a basic and primitive understanding of the philosophy that is the Way. I believe it to be good and wholesome and what I have been seeking for a long time, Aaron. Thank you.”
“There are many things concerning the future which I wish to discuss with you,” Aaron said, “but first I have some questions of my own. I will and need a protégé, a successor. It is important for the Folk I find one, and I have been seeking a long time. You are the first suitable person I have met, but it would mean giving up your crafting in the Keep kitchens. You could still sing for the pleasure of it, but you would be too busy to work in the kitchens.”
“I should be unhappy to leave the group I sing with, for our song is liked by the Folk, and we enjoy the singing. However, my work in the kitchens is of no real import to me, and it could be doen by any one, but what should I be doing instead?” Nigel asked.
“Apart from your position on the Council, which would result from being my protégé, you would be busy. Like myself, you would be spending a lot of time mediating dispute, and of course in furthering your deeper appreciation of the Way. It is my belief two of us are not enough to guide the Folk through the consequences of the last incursion. We need to found a craft, The Guardians of The Way, and to find apprentices and lærers of suitable intellect and outlook, they shall be rare, and we shall need to educate them. Few will manage to absorb all of what is necessary to think deeply enough to achieve powers beyond the normal. However, as members of the craft the learning they will have receivt will stand them in good stead and they will achieve fulfilment and be highly regardet of by the Folk.
“This will be a huge undertaking which I should not be able to do alone. Before then, we need to spend a considerable amount of time deciding exactly how to create the craft and then how to ensure it functions as requiert. We also need to decide what the craft’s ultimate aims are, and how to ensure its ability to respond flexibly to changing situations in lifetimes to come, but most importantly how to ensure its absolute integrity, so it is trustet by the Folk. All of these will need to be subject to constant review as Folk society evolves, and we shall need to determine how it will be accountable to the Folk.”
“I understand what you are saying, Aaron, but I have doubts of my suitability for the responsibility of such a position.”
Aaron responded to that calmly saying, “Of course you do. If you doetn’t then you wouldn’t be at all suitable. I find it flaitsome every word I say, irrespective of how trivial it be, is taken as though there were no possible argument and it be the last word to be sayt on the matter. That’s why I tend to say so little. Even now, I am still not uest to it. Though as I age it does become easier to deal with. Probably because as time has goen by I have learnt to say less and less. I know it be a burden I am asking you to assume. I know it will not be easy, but there is none else I can ask, and I need you, the Folk need you, the Way itself needs you. Shall you accept, Nigel?”
Dabchick, with bated breath, didn’t know what she wisht Nigel to reply. What Aaron was asking would make Nigel one of the most important members of the Folk, and its consequences were totally beyond her comprehension. After a long silence during which Dabchick was unable to breath Nigel asked, “Do I have a choice, Aaron?”
Aaron very compassionately replied, “Given who and what you are, Nigel, I believe not.”
Within a heartbeat Nigel acquiesced saying, “So be it.”
Aaron turned to Dabchick and said, “What I telt Joseph was correct. Will you bring some glasses please, Dabchick, for all of us? I should like a glass of brandy, for this is the most momentous event of my life.” Dabchick, light headed and overwhelmed beyond spaech by what she’d been privileged to attest, nodded, and arose awkwardly and haltingly left to fetch the glasses. Aaron asked Nigel, “May I tell Joseph what his vintage brandy was uest to toast, Nigel?”
“Yes, and there is no need to tell him in confidence since the Folk will all know the outline within a day or so any way, but the details should be public knowledge too. The Folk have a right and a need to know such things.”
“I agree, they do, but it was your decision to take,” said Aaron. Dabchick returned with three glasses. Aaron braekt the seal on the bottle and poured it all out into the glasses equally. He raised his glass, and said, “The Guardians of The Way.”
They drank the toast, and Nigel said, “I shall tell Milligan nextday.”
“And we shall inform the Council at the next meeting when you take your seat,” Aaron said. They took their time finishing their brandy, and a smiling Aaron stood saying, “I shall leave you now and meet with you nextday some when, Nigel.”
Nigel escorted Aaron to the door, and when he had gone Dabchick telt Nigel, “I telt him if he hurt you, Love, I should never forgive him.”
Nigel, more content than he had been in his whole life, said, “He is a spiritual man, Love, he would never willingly hurt any one or anything.”
Dabchick, not sure what that meant, worriedly asked, “Are you happy with this, Love?”
“Yes, very happy. At last, I shall be doing what I can for folk in good conscience.”
Dabchick, still not understanding, but accepting Nigel was happy and pleased with his life, said, “Then let us to bed, and you can make me happy too.”
Nigel still blushed when she said things like that, but it was as she had promised him only in private, so he said, “Yes, let’s go to bed.”
9th of Chent day 12
Morgelle was first up the following day. She went outside to relieve herself and found much to her relief some broad leafed plants which looked like a familiar member of the dock family. She washed and went to look at the horses where she found Bistort mucking them out, taking the dung with a long-handled, broad, dozen-pronged wooden implement, which looked as though it were maekt from a single tree branch, to the slatted crate. “Is there another grike?” she asked him.
“Another grike?”
“One of those,” Morgelle pointed to the implement he had in his hands.
“Oh, a mucker! No, just this one, but I’ll only be a few minutes. A grike to me is a short handelt three or four tient(4) steel tool uest for vegetable cultivating.” When he had nearly finished mucking out the horses he asked Morgelle to ask her mum whether he should hitch the horses now, or if he should leave it till after braekfast.
She was only gone a couple of minutes, “Mum says to hitch them now. She’s laid the fire, and she’ll be with you in two or three minutes and ready to go. We’re going to eat braekfast on the waggon. I’m to help her bring the things she wants to take home.”
By the time Bistort had finished hitching the horses and had refilled the hay racks Fritillary and Morgelle had left their first load on the tailgate for him to stow on the waggon. Morgelle came back carrying two bags and Fritillary a box. “That’s it,” said Fritillary. “You can put the wind bars back please, Bistort, and we can go home.”
After stowing the bags and the box Bistort raised and secured the tailgate, put the heavy wooden baulk across the bottom of the door, dropped it into its housings on door and jambs, secured its locking pins and then did the same with the other one across the top of the door. He climbed onto the drivers bench, flicked the reins and the waggon started moving.
“When shall we arrive at home?” asked Morgelle.
“That depends,” said Fritillary. “We can arrive in the mid afternoon if we don’t stop for lunch but eat calt food whilst travelling, or it’ll be late afternoon if we stop to eat a hot lunch. Which would you prefer?”
Morgelle didn’t hesitate, “I want to arrive and meet everybody and settle in as soon as I can.”
“That’s what we’ll do then,” said Bistort. “I’ll pace the horses accordingly.” They set off and ate the braekfast Fritillary had prepared. Fritillary poured warm leaf for them into the cord wrapped, metal mugs out of a heavily insulated gallon can. The mugs and the can were part of the waggon’s equipment. They continued on their way resting the horses periodically, and eating cold food whilst the horses grazed and whilst on the move.
The sun was an hour and a half over its zenith, and the waggon had been on the track cut through the impenetrable forest of dark green conifers which surrounded them for over an hour. There was little to see. The air carried a heavy, spicy, almost tasteable, resinous reek from the trees and a deeper, softer smell from the slowly decomposing conifer needles which maekt up the several feet of soil overlying the bedrock, though the white, large-crystalled bedrock, which glittered with mica inclusions, protruded from the surface in many places in the unexpected clearings where there were no trees. The surface protrusions varied from fist siezt pieces to small extended hills complete with conifers growing in needle-soil filled depressions.
Morgelle thought it somewhat depressing. The only signs of life she had seen since they entered the forest had been a convoy of wood ants, an inquisitive marten studying them from high in a pine tree and a few birds, yet even their song had sounded mournful. Conversation had ceased as the gloom of the forest oppressed them all. After a while there wasn’t even the dirge of the funereal birds to listen to.
Morgelle became more alert when Bistort slowed the horses to cross a bridge spanning a small stream. The stream was at the bottom of a thirty foot deep, but narrow, ghyll which was levelling out after coming down from one of the hills Morgelle could see in the distance over the tree tops on her right. The laden waggon repeatedly bounced heavily as the wheels rode up and down over the corrugated surface of the tightly packed logs laid at right angles to the track. Morgelle noted the large logs at the sides of the bridge, dogged into place with heavy, cranked, forged-steel pins. She was going to ask Bistort what they were for when without warning the waggon slid leftwards a foot and a half when its rear wheels were coming down off the top of a log. Its sideways motion was arrested by the large log to their left, and she no longer needed to ask. Bistort remarked, “The bridge isn’t usually that rough. Normally its covered with smaller branches to fill in the gaps between the logs. It was on it on our way south, but it doesn’t take much wind to blow them away and the trail is like a funnel for wind. I’ll send some of the youngsters to replace them.”
Fritillary telt Morgelle “It’s an hour and a half from the Ghyll Bridge to home. Can you smell the sea, Morgelle?” Morgelle nodded in response, she hadn’t noticed the distinctive smell till her mother’s remark brought it to her attention, though she had been hearing the plaint of gulls for some time. She was excited and nervous. She had come to love her new mum and dad, but was anxious her new family would like her. The forest finally ended, and the trail finally taekt a left turn as it wound its way berount a small knoll, treeless but covered in juniper scrub. Two or three thousand strides in front and may hap a hundred strides lower in elevation, Morgelle saw a large dwelling place with numerous outbuildings, several post and railed paddocks and numerous large, similarly fenced cultivated areas, and she could see the sea and a jetty with a fishing boat alongside it beyond. On the wind she heard traces of excited shouts which grew clearer as they approached and realised they had been seen.
Bistort said in reassuring tones, “Every one will wish to meet you. You were after all why we goent to the Keep. Remember they wisht for you to join us as much as your mum and I. It will be a little overwhelming at first, but I haven’t forgett my promise to you. Not till you tell me you are ready to stop grieving for Keelch will any bother you.” He hadn’t managed to pronounce Caoilté’s name quite correctly, but Morgelle was touched he had remembered and tried to pronounce the unfamiliar vowel combination correctly.
By the time they had come to within three hundred strides of the dwelling place they were surrounded by at least thirty folk who had appeared from every direction. They arrived at the house, and were helped off the waggon. The waggon was unloaded by dozens of willing pairs of hands. Some of her new kin unhitched the horses and led them away to a paddock whilst others wheeled the waggon under cover. Bistort was right. It was overwhelming. She had been hugged and kissed by every one within a few chaotic minutes, and the younger children were all vying for her attention. Bistort effortlessly restored calm, and said, “Morgelle needs some time to settle in, so you all go to your affairs, and she will greet you and start learning who you all are at the eve meal. Off you go. You two,” he said, indicating a pair of young men, “can carry our bags in and then disappear too.”
The two grinned and said, “Yes, Granddad.”
Fritillary taking Morgelle by the arm led her into the house, and shewing her into a large chamber with a bed and three other pieces of furniture for clothes as well as a large polished steel mirror said, “This will be your personal chamber.”
One of the young men followed them in and deposited her bags on the bed. He turned to Morgelle and said quietly, “I am Tuyere.(5) Well come home, Cousine Morgelle.”
Morgelle thought he looked attractive and then felt a stab of disloyalty to Caoilté which she realised an instant later was ridiculous, but she couldn’t dispel the feeling. “Thank you, Cousin Tuyere,” she said.
Index of significant characters so far listed by Chapter
1 Introduction
2 Jacques de Saint d’Espéranche
3 The Folk and the Keep
4 Hwijje, Travisher, Will
5 Yew, Allan, Rowan,Siskin, Will, Thomas, Merle, Molly, Aaron, Gareth, Oak, Abigail, Milligan, Basil, Vinnek, Iris, Margæt, Gilla, Alsike, Alfalfa, Gibb, Happith, Kroïn, Mako, Pilot, Briar, Gosellyn, Gren, Hazel
6 Chaunter, Waxwing, Flame, João, Clansaver, Irune, Ceël, Barroo, Campion, Limpet, Vlæna, Xera, Rook, Falcon, Cwm, Sanderling, Aldeia, Catarina, Coast, Elixabete
7 Mercedes, Spoonbill
8 Lyllabette, Yoomarrianna
9 Helen, Duncan, Gosellyn, Eudes, Abigail
10 George/Gage, Iris, Waverley, Belinda
11 Marc/Marcy, Pol
12 George/Gage, Marcy, Freddy/Bittern, Weyland, Iris, Bling
13 Thomas, Will, Mercedes, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna
14 Kyle, Thomas, Will, Angélique
15 Mercedes, Morgelle, Gorse, Thrift, George/Gage, Chris, Iris, Thrift, Campion
16 Bling
17 Waverley, Mr. E
18 George/Gage, Larch, Mari, Ford, Gorse, Morgelle, Luke, Erin
19 Will, Pilot, Yew, Geoge/Gage, Mari, Ford, Gosellyn, Cwm, Cerise, Filbert, Gareth, Duncan, Helen, Thomas, Iris, Plume, Campion, Pim, Rook, Falcon, João, Hare
20 Yew, Rowan, Will, Thomas, Siskin, Weir, Grayling, Willow
21 Brook, Harrier, Cherry, Abby, Selena, Borage, Sætwæn, Fiona, Fergal
22 Yew, Thomas, Hazel, Rowan, Gosellyn, Siskin, Will, Lianna, Duncan
23 Tench, Knawel, Claire, Oliver, Loosestrife, Bramling, George, Lyre, Janice, Kæn, Joan, Eric
24 Luke, Sanderling, Ursula, Gervaise, Mike, Spruce, Moss
25 Janet, Vincent, Douglas, Alec, Alice
26 Pearl, Merlin, Willow, Ella, Suki, Tull, Irena
27 Gina, Hardy, Lilac, Jessica, Teal, Anna
28 Bryony, Judith, Bronwen, Farsight
29 Muriel, Raquel, Grace
30 Catherine, Crane, Snipe, Winifred, Dominique, Ferdinand
31 Alma, Allan, Morris, Miranda
32 Dabchick, Nigel
33 Raquel, Thistle, Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Phœbe
34 Eleanor, Woad, Catherine, Crane
35 Muriel, Hail, Joan, Breve, Eric, Nell, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
36 Selena,Sætwæn, Borage, Grace, Gatekeeper, Raquel, Thistle
37 Siân, Mackerel, Winifred, Obsidian
38 Carla, Petrel, Alkanet, Ferdinand
39 Dominique, Oxlip, Alma, Allan, Tress, Bryony
40 Agrimony, Benjamin, Ian, Ella, Kestrel, Judith, Storm
41 Ella, Kestrel, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane
42 Weights & Measures and Sunrise & Sunset Times included in Ch 41
43 Ella, Kestrel, Serenity, Smile, Gwendoline, Rook, Tress, Bryony, Tunn, Whin, Plane, Sapphire, Mere
44 Pearl, Merlin, Rainbow, Perch, Joan, Breve, truth, Rachael, Hedger, Ruby, Deepwater
45 Janet, Blackdyke, Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster
46 Janet, Gina, Alastaire, Joan, Breve, Truth, Bræth, Mayblossom, Judith, Storm
47 The Squad, Mercedes, Fen, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
48 Bronwen, Forest, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Kathleen, Niall, Bluebell, Sophie
49 Janice, Kæn, Ursula, Oyster, Imogen, Wryneck, Phœbe, Knapps
50 Erin, Nightjar, Eleanor, Woad
51 Gina, Jonas, Janet, Gerald, Patrick, Tansy, Craig, Barret, Ryan
52 Constance, Rye, Bling, Bullace, Berry, Jimmy, Leveret, Rory, Shelagh, Silas
53 Rachael, Hedger, Eve, Gilla, Mallard, Fiona, Fergal, Tinder, Nightingale, Fran, Dyker
54 Pamela, Mullein, Patricia, Chestnut, Lavinia, Ophæn, Catherine, Crane
55 Susan, Kingfisher, Janet, Gina, Jonas, Ruth, Kilroy, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew
56 Gina, Jonas, Patricia, Chestnut, The Squad, Hazel, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch, Mangel, Clary, Brendan
57 Erin, Nightjar, Xera, Josephine, Wels, Michelle, Musk, Swansdown, Tenor
58 Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverley,Yvette, Whitebear, Firefly, Farsight, Janet, Blackdyke, Swift, Clover, Vetch
59 Lilac, Firefly, Farsight, Lucinda, Gimlet, Leech, Janet, Blackdyke
60 Douglas, Lunelight, Yvette, Whitebear, Thrift, Haw, Harebell, Goosander, Judith, Storm, Iola, Alwydd, Heidi, Rock, Stephanie, Matthew, Matilda, Evan, Heron
61 Brendan, Clary, Chloë, Apricot, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Otis, Harry, Gimlet, Leech, Jodie
62 Gimlet, Leech, Lark, Seth, Charles, Bruana, Noah, Kirsty, Shirley, Mint, Kevin, Faith, Oak, Lilly, Jason, Gem, Ellen
63 Honesty, Peter, Bella, Abel, Kell, Deal, Siobhan, Scout, Jodie
64 Heather, Jon, Anise, Holly, Gift, Dirk, Lilac, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Ivy, David
65 Sérent, Dace, Opal, Spice, Vincent, Clarissa, Gorse, Eagle, Frond, Diana, Gander, Gyre, Tania, Alice, Alec
66 Suki, Tull, Buzzard, Mint, Kevin, Harmony, Fran, Dyker, Joining the Clans, Pamela, Mullein, Mist, Francis, Kristiana, Cliff, Patricia, Chestnut, Timothy, Axel, Nectar, Waverly, Tarragon, Edrydd, Louise, Turnstone, Jane, Mase, Cynthia, Merle, Warbler, Spearmint, Stonecrop
67 Warbler, Jed, Fiona, Fergal, Marcy, Wayland, Otday, Xoë, Luval, Spearmint, Stonecrop, Merle, Cynthia, Eorle, Betony, Smile
68 Pansy, Pim,Phlox, Stuart, Marilyn, Goth, Lunelight, Douglas, Crystal, Godwit, Estelle, Slimlyspoon, Lyre, George, Damson, Lilac
69 Honesty, Peter, Abel, Bella, Judith, storm, Matilda, Evean, Iola, Heron, Mint, Kevin, Lilac, Happith, Gloria, Peregrine
70 Lillian, Tussock, Modesty, Thyme, Vivienne, Minyet, Ivy, David, Jasmine, Lilac, Ash, Beech
71 Quartet & Rebecca, Gimlet & Leech, The Squad, Lyre & George, Deadth, Gift
72 Gareth, Willow, Ivy, David, Kæna,Chive, Hyssop, Birch, Lucinda, Camomile, Meredith, Cormorant, Whisker, Florence, Murre, Iola, Milligan, Yarrow, Flagstaff, Swansdown, Tenor, Morgan, Yinjærik, Silvia, Harmaish, Billie, Jo, Stacey, Juniper
73 The Growers, The Reluctants, Miriam, Roger, Lauren, Dermot, Lindsay, Scott, Will, Chris, Plume, Stacey, Juniper
74 Warbler, Jed, Veronica, Campion, Mast, Lucinda, Cormorant, Camomile, Yellowstone
75 Katheen, Raymnd, Niall, Bluebe, Sophie, Hazel, Ivy, Shadow, Allison, Amber, Judith, Storm Alwydd, Matthew, Beatrix, Jackdaw, The Squad, Elders, Jennt, Bronze, Maeve, Wain, Monique, Piddock, Melissa, Roebuck, Aaron, Carley Jade, Zoë, Vikki, Bekka, Mint, Torrent
76 Gimlet, Leech,Gwendoline, Georgina, Quail. Birchbark, Hemlock, Peter, Honesty, Bella, Hannah, Aaron, Torrent, Zoë, Bekka, Vikki, Jade, Carley, Chough, Anvil, Clematis, Stonechat, Peace, Xanders, Gosellyn, Yew, Thomas, Campion, Will, Iris, Gareth
77 Zoë, Torrent, Chough, Stonechat, Veronica, Mast, Sledge, Cloudberry, Aconite, Cygnet, Smokt
78 Jed, Warbler, Luval, Glaze, Seriousth, Blackdyke, Happith, Camilla
79 Torrent, Zoë, Stonechat, Clematis, Aaron, Maeve, Gina, Bracken, Gosellyn, Paene, Veronica, Mast, Fracha, Squid, Silverherb
80 George/Gage, Niall, Alwydd, Marcy/Beth, Freddy/Bittern, Wayland, Chris, Manic/Glen, Guy, Liam, Jed, Fergal, Sharky
81 The Squad, Manic/Glen, Jackdaw, Beatrix, Freddy/Bittern, Fiona, Fergal, Wayland, Jade, Stonechat, Beauty, Mast, Veronica, Raven, Tyelt, Fid
82 Gimlet, Leech, Scentleaf, Ramson, Grouse, Aspen, Stonechat, Bekka, Carley, Vikki, Morgelle, Bistort, Fritillary, Jed, Warbler, Spearmint, Alwydd, Billie, Diver, Seal, Whitethorn
83 Alastair, Carrom, Céline, Quickthorn, Corral, Morgelle, Fritillary, Bistort, Walnut, Tarragon, Edrydd, Octopus, Sweetbean, Shrike, Zoë, Torrent, Aaron, Vinnek, Zephyr, Eleanor, Woad, George/Gage, The Squad, Ingot, Yellowstone, Phthalen, Will
Word Usage Key
Some commonly used words are below. Replace th on end of words with ness and t with d or ed and most of the rest are obvious if sounded out aloud. Some words with n or en on the end can be easily understood if the n is replaced by a d. Only difficult words and words that do not exist in English are now referred to specifically.
Agreän(s), those person(s) one has marital agreement with, spouse(s).
Bethinkt, thought.
Braekt, broke.
Doet, did. Pronounced dote.
Doetn’t, didn’t. Pronounced dough + ent.
Findt, found,
Goen, gone
Goent, went.
Heartfriend, a relationship of much more significance than being a girl- or boy-friend is on Earth. Oft such relationships are formed from as young as four and they are taken seriously by both children and adults. A child’s heartfriend is automatically one of their heartfriend’s parents’ children too, and a sibling to their heartfriend’s siblings. Such relationships rarely fail and are seen as precursors to becoming intendet and having agreement.
Lastdaysince, the day before yesterday.
Loes, lost.
Maekt, made.
Nextdaynigh, the day after tomorrow.
Sayt, said.
Taekt, took.
Telt, told.
Uest, used.
1 Cruck, literally a major load bearing beam used in buildings by the Folk. Oft uest by the Folk metaphorically as here.
2 Flaitsome, frightening.
3 Sanno a gambling game played with tiles that requires psychological insight and a straight face.
4 Tient, tined.
5 Tuyere, pronounced tweer, (twiər).
