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.
27th of Chent Day 30
Morgelle had no idea what Bistort had said to the young men of the clan, but she was aware something was holding them back from approaching her as an eligible young woman. Only Tuyere seemed to be unconcerned by Bistort’s interdiction, and he was friendly and helpful as opposed to a young man trying to bring himself to the notice of an eligible young woman. Unlike most of Bistort’s descendants he taekt after Fritillary rather than Bistort. He was tall and slender, and Morgelle was aware most of his peer group derided his lack of muscle. Also, unlike most of them, he was amusing and didn’t have to have things explained to him. Morgelle was aware she liekt him, was interested in him even, and she was grateful for his help in coming to understand her new home without having to deal with the complexities and tensions of a relationship with a sexual element at the same time.
Most of the days were spent collecting crabs and shrimps, it being the season to harvest those. Ocean leaf(1) was collected all the year as were driftwood, bulk seaweed and aught else lisebriming(2) produced. A ship came by now at two or three day intervals to take the catch to the Keep and every now and again one unloaded ice blocks from the far north glacier for the cold and freeze stores.
Tuyere and Morgelle had spaken of the approaching flatfish harvest one day. The fish he explained were left in pools above the tide line after the higher tides had receded. Many he said were two feet across and some even more. “We shall be going to harvest them in a tenner or so. You’ll be coming with us won’t you? It’s always a group of our age that harvests them.”
“I’d like that, who’ll be going?” she asked.
“I don’t know yet, but there will have to be at least ten of us. It will take that many to bring the catch back. This year will be much harder than last because we shall have to find the pools.”
“What do you mean, ‘have to find the pools’? ”
“May hap every three or four years the winter storms are so severe they wreak havoc with the coastline. Whole systems of dunes can be rearrangt, movt or they can even completely disappear. The strandline is unrecognisable and the pools gradually reform above it but in different places. Grandfa telt me that last winter’s storms were the worst he could remember since he was fourteen. Though most of us know where there are a number of pools we shall have to examine the shore carefully north and south of the holding to find the pools worth harvesting. I know where there are a few nearby to the south, but I haven’t been north since the storms.” Six days later Tuyere joyfully telt her, “Grandfa has telt me to take a group to harvest the flatfish when the tide is safest. That will be in eight days. It’s my first time to be in charge, so to make sure of success I’m going to look for pools northwards nextday and southwards nextdaynigh. Would you like to come with me?”
“Of course, please.”
28th of Chent Day 31
Morgelle and Tuyere were heading northwards by half to six after a substantial breakfast. Morgelle thought they’d left early to have more time, but Tuyere had left early to ensure he was on his own with Morgelle without the interference of any of his cousins, which would have completely destroyed any pleasure he’d have had from the day. They were travelling light with little more than food, a note book each and several styli to write with. Several times Tuyere pointed out places where there used to be deep pools, but he admitted the coast was now so different and featureless he could be a few hundreds of strides amiss in his reckoning. They rounded a small headland with caves in the north side which offered shelter from the wind and decided to halt there for lunch. By the time they halted for lunch though they had passed numerous small rocky pools close to the shoreline which Tuyere said was where crayfish could be found if one were patient, they had discovered no pools of significance and were further north than Morgelle had ever been before.
Their entire journey had been interesting but fruitless. Most of the time they had walked at the edge of the water because it was easier than walking on the dunes with their entangling marram grasses which Tuyere explained seemed to be completely unaffected by whatever the wind did to them and just continued growing where ever the wind allowed them to settle. Every few thousand strides they walked up onto the dunes to see what there was to see, but the sand and grasses reached back at least a thousand strides, oft three or four thousand and sometimes ten, which meant nothing of interest to them was there.
Tuyere said, “We’ll keep going for another hour. It’ll take us more time to get this far with the hand carts, so going any farther than that is pointless, even if we could. Those cliffs that you can see in the distance effectively stop us going farther north unless we climb or head inland before we go that far. So we’ll go to the cliffs and then return. Grandfa telt me that when he was a boy and his great grandma was clan chief in times of hardship they uest to sail up here and beach the boat on the shingle north of the cliffs which extend two or three thousand strides. The walk to the top of the cliffs is easier from the north. Then they’d climb down the cliff with ropes to harvest sea birds before they fledged. It was dangerous but better than starvation. Uncle Streel telt me the holding was foundet just after the Fell Year by a group of incomers from a place yclept Heart Sankilder who couldn't cope with so many folk as were to be findt at the Keep, so giving up and returning there was for them not thinkable. He sayt the clan were permanently on the edge of starvation till Grandfa became clan chief. Grandfa and Granddam are the best clan chiefs we have ever had according to our records.”
“That is Hiort St. Kilda, Tuyere. You would say Hirta I bethink me. The Folk there are kin of mine. They still harvest sea birds off the cliffs there, and it is still dangerous. We are kin! I am truly clansfolk, not just by adoption. That is wonderful!”
Tuyere smiled and said, “That is going to make the elders very happy to hear, for we will then be one of a very few clans with any history on Earth as well as on Castle. Grandfa will want you to write it down for our records and will be sure to send it to the Master at arms office for copying.”
Morgelle looked thoughtful and asked, “How did Mum and Dad make the change, Tuyere?”
“Uncle and some of the other elders say other than growing much more vegetables and building a freeze store to preserve meat and fish the changes were not obvious, but their effects on our food supply were profound. Grandfa organised the fishing better. Before he became chief we’d keep at one thing till we had a harvest, but Grandfa would order all to try for something different if we weren’t succeeding. If crabs weren’t there, he’d tell all to stop crabbing and try for shrimp, or go keld fishing, and he’d keep changing his orders till we were bringing in food aplenty. He says time is precious and not to be wastet seeking food that isn’t available. Better to harvest what is easy to take. Before we’d craft assuming each catch was available at a certain time of the year, but Grandfa sayt every year was different and Castle changes the years to test our fitth to survive. Too, he says if there is not much of something available Castle needs us to leave it be to breed for a better harvest next year, and it is better to take from abundance that will not hurt the breeding stock. Even now not all agree with his views, but all the elders do and they remind others that since that they know little of hunger is purely due to Grandfa Bistort and Granddam Fritillary they should close their mouths and be grateful they have something to eat. Auntie Ælfgyfu‘s smoke house uest to be a small thing, ‘like a cupboard,’ she telt me. Now it’s a building that Grandfa had constructt before I was birtht.
“It was Granny who had the ship crafters deliver the ice from the Great North Glacier for the freeze store. She negotiatet with the Keep kitchens that they should pay for it since it was preserving food for them. As a result we trade far more food with the Keep than ever we did before. The ship crafters are happy to do it because Grandfa and Gran give them a hot meal and hot baths too if they will when they call. They collect bulk seaweed for the growers and driftwood too though I’m not sure what happens to that. Oft if they’ve been fishing the ship crafters gift us some of the catch.”
All of which agreed with Morgelle’s views concerning her Mum and Dad. They found nothing of significance by the time they turned back and Tuyere was clearly disappointed. ”
Tuyere said, “I hope we find some pools next day, for thisday has been worrysome. We need the fish, both to eat and to trade, but as Grandfa says, ‘We can’t harvest what is not there.’ We’ll be back for seven, may hap half to eight. Half an hour to eat, so may hap we’ve time to gather some ocean leaf. What bethink you of it?”
“A good idea. I hate the idea of a day with nothing to shew for it as much as you.”
28th of Chent Day 31
Three days since Beatrix had been to have spaech with the healers concerning Beth and the herbs Amethyst had telt her they could provide to prevent puberty. She first spake with Sanderling who had telt her, “You have a want of spaech with Gosellyn and Falcon. Such matters are delicate and the mind is at least as important as the body. Gosellyn is our best behaviourist and Falcon our most experiencet herbal and they are managing several such matters. I’m not sure either is here at the moment, but I shall apprise them of your daughter’s want and arrange a time for the four of you to have spaech.”
Beatrix was not entirely sure what else Sanderling had said, for she struggled to understand the nuances of Folk, but she knew Sanderling had understood her and was going to arrange for Castle’s best practitioners to meet with herself and Beth. She was not initially sure it were best that Beth be present at the first meeting, but eventually considered that after so many childless years she was being over protective of her only daughter.
At the first meeting Beatrix and Beth had been surprised at the difference between Earth and Castle, for both knew that anything to do with gender dysphoria on Earth was an extremely drawn out process, but Falcon had said at the outset, “Beth, the most important matter here is time. To gain you that time I shall thisday provide herbs that will immediately prevent all pubertal development, and since you are so early in the process, if it has startet at all, will reverse any slight changes that have taken place. The preparation will merely reverse and arrest your development and if you stop taking it naught is changed or loes. It will not enhance femininity. That is doen by a different preparation which I shall only provide when Gosellyn is satisfyt that it is in your best interests that I so do, for some of its effects are irreversible. I shall leave you now to prepare your herbs and allow Gosellyn to have spaech with you and your mum.”
Gosellyn looked at Beth and said, “I have noticet you berount the Keep any number of times this last lune and assuemt you were a girl as any other, Beth, though I have sincely been telt that Iris and her staff who initially dealt with the incursion children knew of the situation. Will when having spaech of the squad referred to you as the boys’ sister and it never occurt to me to question that. I suspect most would find it hard to believe you were not birtht so. You have no need to convince me that is truly how you see yourself, for even when dresst in boy’s clothes mongst your brothers your posture, behaviour, spaech and the way you wear boy’s clothes is that of a girl, and indicates you have been a girl for some considerable whilth. Your interactions with others particularly boys make it certain. That makes my task much easier, but I do have to be able to justify my decision to my colleagues as well as myself, so tell me of your life and how you came to be where you are.”
Though Gosellyn was easy for Beth to relax with, she was naytheless aflait(3) that she would be not given the herbs she had been telt could turn her into as much of a woman as was possible without the surgery available on Earth, so she clutched her mum’s hand tightly and began her tale. Over two hours later she concluded with, “So here I am. I’d rather not be, for on Earth I could have had surgery to completely change me into a woman. It was possible there to have breast implants, gender reassignment surgery, which would change my genitals into those of a woman and for those who had undergone a male puberty a facial reconstruction was possible to feminise their facial features. My mum had started the process for me and I was looking forward to it. Now I’m not sure what is possible, but I know I would rather be dead than have to be a man.”
Gosellyn had not only listened to the facts of Beth’s tale she had carefully been matching the way the tale had been telt with Beth’s statements that she was a girl and would be ultimately a woman, and she had found no mismatch. “Beth, I am sure it is in your best interests to eventually proceed with the feminising herbs.” Watching the tears of joy on Beth’s face, and Beatrix’s too, Gosellyn waited a while. “Falcon will give you the development arresting herbs thisday, but we need to hear what he has to say regards your growth and when it is best for you to take the feminising herbs, for the matter is complex and in the beginning he will need to monitor you closely for your own safety. I suggest you return after the eve meal for the herbs and Falcon’s instructions and we shall meet again when he advises.”
Beatrix hugged and kissed her daughter and smiling through her tears said, “See, Beth, I said take it one step at a time.”
After the eve meal Falcon provided the herbs with comprehensive instructions. “There is no danger from this preparation, Beth, but it will take your body time to become fully sensitiest to it. I will to see you every tenner or so for the next three lunes before proceeding with the feminising preparation, but it’s not critical when you come to see me. Come when it’s convenient. When you proceed with the feminising preparation we shall need to be much more careful. Gosellyn?”
“I will to have spaech with you too when you meet with Falcon. Though I don’t expect to notice any changes till you proceed with the feminising herbs it’s wise to look for them.”
28th of Chent Day 31
After going fishing twice with Will Gage’s cup overflowed when Will, who held Gage in very high regard now, telt him, “You need your own rod. I’ll make you one. If you like I’ll shew you how it’s doen and then you can make your own how you wish them in future.”
Gage thought that to be a very good idea and asked Will, “Would you shew us all, Will? We all like fishing and it would give us something to do in the eves.” Will who thought, in the light of recent events concerning Otday, which had been the subject of several special partial Council meetings,4 keeping the squad busy in the eves was a decidedly good idea agreed and left Gage to make the arrangements.
Jed had wished to introduce Warbler and his family, but it had taken him some time before be had become confident enough to admit to them he had a heartfriend. It was mostly due to Warbler’s family’s casual acceptance of him his confidence had grown, but it finally happened, not through Beth but Fiona. She saw the pair holding hands one day on their way for some coneys. She knew Jed had known she’d seen them, and, though she already knew, asked him later what his heartfriend’s name was. That Fiona was genuinely interested and wasn’t trying to make fun of him, which he had been aflait of, enabled him to admit, “Warbler. Her dad works with sheep. He breeds and trains sheepdogs, her mum is newfolk and works with the huntsmen. She makes maps. We were going for coneys. Warbler’s amazing with a sling. She won the Quarterday competition. She’s teaching me.”
Fiona had asked him, “Are you worried what your brothers’ reactions will be, Jed? Because if you are talk to Wayland first. I’m sure that will make things easier.”
He had spaken with Wayland and had been surprised to learn his brothers already knew, but Beth had persuaded them that it was up to him to mention Warbler first. Wayland had also telt him to have spaech with their mum because she was worried for him. Jed thought spaeking with his mum was a good idea, and when he did she suggested, “Why don’t you invite Warbler to join us for lunch in the Refectory, Love? Wayland told me your brothers and Beth know about her, and they want to meet her, especially Beth. There is nothing to worry about. I suspect some of them are a little envious and would like a heartfriend too. You never know they may appreciate some advice, and they promised Beth they won’t be unpleasant or tease you regarding Warbler which is a lovely name. The good thing will be once they have met her I won’t have to keep making up where the coneys come from any more.” A much happier Jed smiled and telt his mum he would invite her for lunch nextday. “Good, I’ll make sure the family is there at one, including your dad.”
The lunch had been an enjoyable experience for all, and Jed was relieved he no longer had anything to keep from his family. All of the squad had been there, and they were pleased to have met Warbler whom they liekt. Beatrix kissed and hugged her, and Warbler immediately understood why Jed and his brothers loved their mum so much. One after another, starting with Wayland, the siblings had all kissed Warbler who kissed them in return. Jackdaw had kissed her and said, “You are well come, Daughter Warbler.” Warbler who had been much more aware of Jed’s reluctance to introduce her to his brothers than he had realised, had also understood his fears and been happy to wait till he was ready. Now she had met his family she was sure her relationship with Jed would become easier for both of them.
Warbler had been surprised when she saw Beth because she’d met her recently at the weavers’ stores when both had been seeking fabric for new clothes. They’d chatted for may hap quarter of an hour of all things, including their different origins and their lifes, but Beth had been careful to keep Warbler unaware she was Jed’s sister, and Jed hadn’t mentioned having a sister other than Fiona. However, the girls liekt each other, and Beth suggested Warbler join herself and Fiona on her next day off when they had arranged to meet Josh with a view to being measured for dancing slippers. She explained, “I got mine from the seamstresses, but they only had one pair that fit, and they’re nearly worn out, and they didn’t have any big enough for Fiona.”
That afternoon Warbler joined the squad with the dogs and the birds, and uest to handling sheepdogs she’d been impressed by the squad’s control over the animals. The squad had watched Jed kill six coneys with his now modified and customised sling, and as he had known they had been impressed. Warbler’s skill had impressed them even more, though she conceded Jed was now usually better than she at targets that could move.
On Beth’s next day off Warbler had met and liekt the initially intimidatingly tall Fiona. Warbler became a little in awe of Beth, whom she had only seen in riding trews with her hair tied back before, because she thought she had never met a girl as pretty or as attractively dresst. Beth was wearing a high waisted, pleated skirt that reached to the ground, a fitt blouse that enhanced her bosom and had done her hair in French plaits with three wild lilies braided in on one side, which Warbler considered so elegant that she’d felt gauche. However, Beth was kind and had said, “I wish I had your nails, Warbler, they’re really pretty. I’m trying hard to stop biting mine.” She shewed Warbler her hands. Her fingers with Timothy’s help had healt. The painful, crusty scabs that had seeped blood from the cracks had been replaced by pale pink, tender skin which didn’t hurt as long as Beth was careful and wore soft leather, waggoners’ driving gloves when crafting, but her nails, though they were now a little longer than they had been, still did not reach her finger tips and were still a long way from attractive. Beth glanced at Fiona and they both giggled a bit as Beth said, “Timothy is an expert on nails and is helping me, but she shouts at me if she sees even a trace of a nibble. They are improving, but it’s a really hard habit to braek.”
Fiona giggled a bit more as she telt Warbler, “She’s helping me to grow a set of talons to use on Fergal when he irritates me.” Their friendship grew out of their giggles concerning Fiona’s talons which had eased Warbler’s initial discomfort with Fiona’s highth and Beth’s looks. When Fiona asked, “I’ve never met any one with hair as long as yours, Warbler. May I plait it sometime?”
Warbler was delighted, and askt, “Bethink you you could shew me how to do it berount my face like Beth’s, for that is astonishing(5) elegant and I’ve never seen it doen like that before?”
“No problem. With hair as long as yours it’ll be easy for you to do it yourself.”
When they went to see Josh he had assumed all three girls wished dancing slippers, and the samples he shewed them were so irresistible Warbler had her feet measured too and ordered a dark blue, suede pair to go with her dancing gown. He’d said, “I’m sure I must over the years have maekt a pair of women’s dancing slippers that were as big as yours will be, Fiona, but mercy I can’t recall when.”
Warbler had been telt by Glen Gage was making arrangements with Will who was going to teach them how to make their own fishing rods and other tackle too, as well as how to tie flies. When Glen had added Beth would be sure to be with them as she was a dedicated salmon fisher, she’d asked him if he thought Will would mind if she learnt too. Glen asked Wayland what he thought, and Wayland replied with a grin, “Will won’t mind. He approves of anything that keeps us occupied and out of trouble and will approve of you because he’ll be hoping you’re going to keep Jed out of trouble. Will originally offered to teach Gage, but when Gage asked him if he would teach all of us he was happy to do so. I know you use a sling for coneys, but I didn’t expect you would be interested in fishing, Warbler.”
“I like being able to provide dinner when I kill a coney, and I am looking forward to going fishing with Jed.” She explained how her cousines had offered to take her with them when they went fishing, and she had been disappointed because it had never happened.
Wayland smiled and said, “You are a very suitable girl for Jed and are one of us. You are obviously meant to be one of our sisters in arms.” She didn’t understand and asked him what he meant. He explained of the orphanage, his ideas and how the phrase had come to be. Warbler thought he was a very complex and clever person, and she only understood a bit of what he had telt her. She did understand he was saying from now they would all regard her as one of their sisters, like Beth and Fiona, which whilst it was in accord with the Way some newfolk had trouble understanding. Being accepted as sister to the members of the squad had maekt her happy because they would involve her in all kinds of interesting activities, for they took their duty of care to all their sisters much more literally than even the most pedantic of the Folk. Wayland and Glen had kissed her cheek and called her sister and Wayland said he would tell the others.
Warbler thought without doubt Jed and his siblings were all unusual, if not downright odd, but unlike a lot of boys his brothers not just protectively loved their sisters, which now included herself, but they were kind to them as well, and she’d already had a lot of fun with them, and Beth, though pretty and girly, had tastes similar to hers, and she was the only girl Warbler had ever heard of who was not only interested in knife throwing but who was good at it. Beth had telt her, “I wish to be good enough to compete next year on second Quarterday. Leech has telt me he’ll help me improve. Guy knows how to throw things callt shuriken, which are circular throwing knifes with a few points, they spin in the air. He’s going to have Francis make some for us, for we wish to know if they will work on coneys.”
Warbler considered the way Jed’s brothers all behaved maekt them men rather than boys, young men to be sure but men naytheless, and Beth almost seemed to be Beatrix’s younger sister sometimes because they planned meals and their domestic life together and both shouted at the boys and their dad for all the usual things, like wearing muddy boots inside and not putting their clothes that needed washing in a laundry bag for the chamberers to take to the laundry. That hawking and hunting with dogs and ferrets were not usually of interest to girls didn’t bother her as it would once have done, for Beth enjoyed them too, and whilst Spearmint enjoyed such activities it was reassuring that she now knew another girl who did too.
The boys considered it excellent three of their sisters were interested in such activities, and Warbler was aware it was their acceptance, approval and protection that now put the boys who’d previously ridiculed herself and Spearmint in their place and silent regards her and her sister’s interests, for it was known their new brothers loved their sisters and were quick to take offence. It was also known they wouldn’t hesitate to fight, for they had done so a number of times. All their actions had been within the rights the Way gave them, and none of them had ever lost a fight.
As far as Warbler was aware she had met all of Jed’s family but, after a visit to eat the eve meal with them, when Jed was escorting her back to her auntie’s, she asked him, “Jed, where has Marcy goen?”
Jed laught as he realised he hadn’t telt her of Beth. None of the brothers ever thought of it any more, probably because having a sister was a very common thing, they’d acquired four in a lune, and Beth like Fiona, Warbler and Spearmint was one of their sisters, and they were all now happy to admit they loved their sisters. “You’ve been spaeking with Sharky haven’t you?” Warbler nodded. “Sharky, as you doubtless have already realised, is not clever, but you probably haven’t yet realised just how not clever he is. All his brains are in his hands, so he’s clever with tools, and the smaller and more intricate a task is the better compared with other folk he seems to be. When we were adopted by Mum and Dad there were ten of us, all boys, including Marcy. Mum likes boys and said she was a bit unsure how she would get on with girls.”
Warbler nodded in understanding of his mum’s character, and Jed continued, “Marcy was different, and his life must have been terrible because inside his head he was really a girl. Wayland, who is very clever, understood and maekt it possible for Marcy to become Beth, so there are now nine of us boys, as well as Gage, Niall and Alwydd and the twelve of us have a sister Beth as well of course as you, Fiona and Spearmint. We’re not sure Sharky understands though, or maybe he just forgets from time to time.”
Warbler was astonished and said, “So Beth is a boy‽ How can she be? She has bigger—”Warbler was bright red as she whispered the rest of what she’d just cut off saying, “breasts than I.”
“No! Marcy was never a boy, Wayland says she was a girl unfortunately disguised as a boy, and Beth has always been a girl.” In an expressionless voice Jed answered the question that had embarrassed Warbler so much, “As regards her breasts, you’ll have to ask her yourself, for I and my brothers regard that as a matter only she has the right to have spaech of.” Jed’s voice took on its usual tone when he continued. “Now she is our sister, and for the first time in her life is happy. I don’t understand it properly, and, excepting Wayland, my brothers don’t either. We don’t even think of it any more, Beth is just our sister Beth. Wayland says she loves us like sisters love their brothers, so we have to love her like brothers should love their sisters. Even Gage does what Wayland tells him, and we all know he’s right. Mum and Dad say so too. I know Dad’s really easy going and loves having you all as daughters, and Beth wraps him round her little finger, but trust me Mum takes no nonsense from any, not even Beth. If she says Beth’s her daughter then that’s how it is.
“We all had problems of some kind with life before we came here, and Wayland makes life much better for all of us. Like I sayt, he’s clever and Beth isn’t bothered if he explains regards her to anyone, and she reckons he explains it better than she does. He’ll explain regards Beth if you ask him. ”
Warbler thought on what Jed had said and said “I don’t believe I shall. He’s so clever I don’t understand a lot of what he says. Is it true he has spaech with Aaron regarding the Way?”
Jed laught and said, “Yes. Aaron, Nigel and Wayland spend a lot of time together. Wayland is fascinated by stuff like that. As to not understanding him, that just makes you like the rest of us, but imagine what it must be like for Sharky.”
Warbler nodded in appreciation, “Does Fiona know? They seem to be very close.”
“Yes. She knows, and they spend a lot of time together doing and spaeking of things they both describe as girly things, clothes, hair, make up, nails, perfume and probably other stuff that boys wouldn’t understand too. They’d enjoy your company, with a dozen brothers we’re a bit much for them sometimes, and it would even things up a little. See if you can persuade Spearmint to join you too, for Beth and Fiona would like that, and it would make Mum really happy, cos she’s enjoying getting on with girls now. Beth and Mum say the sooner the rest of my brothers get heartfriends too the better. Beth sayt she’s glad there are the four of you now, cos it makes life better for the boys. Most of we boys didn’t find it easy having spaech with girls and the four of you helped us to mix with girls at dancing practice. Now we all have girls as well as boys as friends which we never did before.”
Warbler had heard of persons like Beth, but she wasn’t aware she knew any like that. Like all the Folk she wasn’t bothered, and she wished to know Fiona and Beth better. She liekt Jed’s family, his mum and dad maekt her well come, and all his brothers, even Liam, kissed her and Spearmint’s cheek the same as they kissed Beth’s and Fiona’s, in spite of Fiona and Liam oft having to bend down. She thought extending Spearmint’s involvements with their now wider family was a good idea, for no girl could gainsay a lot of protective, loving brothers was a wonderful thing, and she was aware Spearmint who especially liekt Liam was trying to find him a heartfriend. Spearmint had been returning home carrying a glider she’d killt, and some of the Keep boys had been tormenting her for not being a proper girl and wouldn’t let her continue on her way when Liam had appeared and maekt it clear to the boys she was his sister and repercussions would follow if they did not cease. She was still breaking out in fits of giggles an hour later when she’d telt her sister of the aflait looks on the boys’ faces when Liam had kissed her cheek and said, “Tell any of the boys if it happens again, Sis, and we’ll deal with it.” However, Jed hadn’t even kissed her cheek, and Warbler was dissatisfied with that.
Her mum and dad and Spearmint liekt Jed, who was kind and spent a little time with her four year old brother, Stonecrop, who enjoyed having an older brother to have spaech with again. Her dad said that Jed spent time on those he had no need to spend time on proven he was a decent boy and would be a decent man. Warbler had explained to her mum she wished to stay with her Auntie Betony for a while, rather than go back to the grazing grounds with the family, because she wished to be with Jed. Her mum had thought that a reasonable and sensible thing to do in view of the short whilth(6) Warbler and Jed had been heartfriends, and she appreciated Warbler wished to consolidate her position now she had a heartfriend of such status and promise with whom she believed Warbler, despite her age, was desperately in love. “I shall make sure your dad understands and is happy with it, Love. I’m sure he will approve because the last thing he wants is you to lose Jed and your cousin to…. Well you know what I mean. Your dad likes and approves of Jed, and I do too.”
Warbler smiled and said, “Yes. I know, but gratitude for telling me so, Mum.”
“However, I suggest you stay with your Auntie Ella or your Auntie Camilla, or even Granny Åse, for, though events were not your fault, your presence can’t help but hurt your Auntie Betony and Uncle Eorl.”
“I’d like to stay with Auntie Ella. Smile and I both love being with Serenity and when not with Jed I could help look after her.”
“I’ll explain and ask for you, Love.”
“Gratitude, Mum.”
Warbler knew Jed was, in spite of how most folk perceived him and the dark, dangerous side he had which most, other than his siblings, were unaware of, shy and sensitive yet open to her, the complete opposite of Otday who was brash, insensitive and closed to the point of impairment on occasion. It was one of the things she particularly loved Jed for, for it was what enabled him to articulate the feelings he had for her, feelings she knew few girls, even those lucky enough to be heartfrienden with a boy who truly loved them, were ever telt of. She no longer wished to tell her friends of him to enhance her status. She now felt she wished to keep it all private, it was just between herself and Jed, and she no longer had any interest in what others thought, only he mattered to her. If she had but realised it, her more mature attitude to her relationship with Jed enhanced her status with her peers far more than aught she could have telt them would have done, and it was why her older relatives, especially her parents and granny, considered her love for Jed to be adult in nature. But circumstances had not enabled him to kiss her yet, and she was desperate to be kissed.
It was Jed’s day off, he had maekt the arrangements for them to go fishing and had borrowed the tackle for both of them from Luval. They had decided not to go fishing for trout on the Little Arder, as none had been seen in the lower reaches for some time, but to fish for flatfish at high tide down the coast opposite Samar Isle, for Luval had telt Jed they were plentiful there at the moment. High tide was at three, so they went after an early lunch. They borrowed a light, two wheel handcart from the Refectory and taekt packed lunches and all they needed to make hot leaf too. They dug sea-worms(7) out of their burrows, which were below the characteristic coiled castings, in the wet sand above the tide line for bait and uest soaked, wormed and discoloured pulses obtained from Olga Mistress poultry keeper for groundbait. The pulses were the rejects regarded as unfit for the kitchens by the storekeepers when they sorted through them. Rather than waste them they were uest as poultry feed.
They fished in the span deep water off the small wooden jetty uest by the crabbers and lobster men yclept Crabbers’ Flat. There were four boats, but no fishermen, there. Jed had the first bite, he landed it using the net, but it was a redspot(8) of barely a span and a half across which he returned to the water. They fished for the next hour and both landed small flatfish of various types which they returned to the water. “This is really exciting, Jed,” Warbler said after returning her fourth fish to the sea. “Shall we catch any big enough to eat?”
“Luval sayt they follow their food as the tide brings it in. It’s still a while to go before high tide so the bigger ones will may hap be here in half an hour or so when the water’s a foot deep. If they are going out thisday, the fishermen will be here for the boats any time now.”
They went back to the dunes where there was some protection from the wind in the hollows and maekt hot leaf, using an ingenious contrivance, devised by Oak, to heat the water. It comprised a double metal cylinder containing water between the cylinders. They put dry dune grass and seaweed inside the centre cylinder before setting it alight and turning it so the hole at the base faced the wind. It produced two mugs of boiling water for leaf in minutes. They ate their sandwiches and drank their leaf, happy to be spending time together before they resumed fishing.
When they returned to the jetty the boats had gone. Jed caught two flatfish, both redspot, each a foot and a half across, before Warbler caught her first, a nelt,(9) of the same size. Jed had become anxious she should catch one worth eating because he understood feelings of inadequacy, and he was even happier than she when she landed it. They continued fishing, both catching several large fish, though Warbler lost a few. Warbler had never felt as exhilarated, or had as much fun before, and thought Jed was the best thing that had ever happened to her, landing fish worth eating was very challenging. Jed had a bite which would have bent his rod possibly to braeking had he not dropped it rapidly. “This is a monster, Warbler, must be at least two feet across.” Fifteen minutes later, Warbler’s rod dipped and the line stripped out of her reel so fast it buzzed like a noisy-bee(10) trying to fly through the glass of a casement.
“What do I do?” she asked. “Shall we exchange rods?”
“No way,” replied Jed, “you land it or you lose it. Either way it’s your fish.” He advised her as to how to handle her rod and eventually he brought his fish in, a two and a half foot nelt. When he had landed his fish he put the net to one side next to his rod, and concentrated on her quarry, telling her as he had been doing since the fish had taken her bait, “Keep your rod up just enough to keep the tension on the line, and don’t let it have any slack, or it will braek your line. That’s it. Now keeping a little tension on your line all the time reel in as much as you can as fast as you can. Lower your rod as you reel in line, and then let it take it out again if it still keeps fighting.” All the while Jed was advising her on how to proceed, and despite her repeated requests he taekt her rod he was steadfast in his refusals. “No. It’s your fish, Warbler, win or lose.”
Warbler taekt nearly an hour to land the fish, which was a twenty-odd weight keld,(11) after which she was exhausted. When she finally landed the fish, which to her was enormous, Jed knocked it on the head with a piece of drift wood, turned to her, and looking into her eyes as he became closer said, “You are fabulous, Warb—” He never finished what he was going to say. Warbler enervated, but thrilled by her hour long battle, and eventual victory over the keld, was in a state of ecstasy as Jed’s opened lips touched hers. Naught she had ever experienced in her entire life had ever tasted as sweet. The primaeval joy of a successful, hard won hunt followed by her first taste of love gave her feelings she didn’t understand, but she knew she would remember and analyse later, and oft too because she would wish to relive the feelings she was experiencing.
She’d been telt by many girls that a lover’s kiss was different from a family kiss, but had had no idea just how different and couldn’t understand why they were both referred to by the same name. Her first lover’s kiss was much more satisfying than she had ever dreamt possible. As their tongues had begun their initially hesitant journeys exploring the route to adulthood, the warmth had started at her tingling nipples and she’d been aware of the sensations that moved quickly, but not instantly, down through her body to connect with her centre within it’s enveloping folds. She’d had no idea such feelings could exist, for it was nothing like anything she had ever provided herself with. It was gentler yet at the same time more demanding, more compelling. When she’d touched herself she’d been in control of her breasts and softth and could stop, but this deeper feeling left her at the mercy of her body and she knew Jed would be the one to break their kiss, for she could not.
Jed was a truly lovely boy whose kiss had given her the first benefits of her womanhood, and she wondered what came next, and when would she be ready for it, but she knew what ever it was, and when ever it happened she would enjoy it. Her second and subsequent kisses lacked the mindless, orgasmic ecstasy of the first, but lasted longer and were more fulfilling, and though not completely in control of herself she felt not quite so driven. Tired but fraught with emotions they could scarce contain or understand they packed their tackle and as they left they saw one of the boats returning to the jetty.
Back at the Keep, they taekt the handcart of fish to Grangon’s fish cooks. The tackle they left at the provisioners’ stores, to be collected nextday. They collected clean clothes, and Warbler took Jed to one of the family bathchambers for a shower. He was completely unnerved by her insistence that they shower together and said, “Your dad will kill me if he finds out.”
“No he won’t. It’s no different from swimming in the Little Arder. You are my heartfriend, and though it would not be approven by all till we become intendet it would be no offence for us to make love, and most would regard it as a matter that none other than we had a right to hold an opinion regards. Even those who disapproven would have no spaech with any regards us. You don’t have to touch me or do anything, for I am not trying to press you to go where you will not, but we do have the right and I will to look at you and for you to look at me. Moreover, I do will your kisses.”
They blushed as they fumbled to undress and even though Jed’s erection was obvious as it strained in his underwear he was reluctant to remove his final garment. After what seemed to him to be an eternity it was a naked and loving Warbler who, after sensuously running her hands down over her breasts to her downy softth, then running them down from his shoulders, but stopping at his waist, put her thumbs inside the waistband, said, “Jed, if you don’t remove them I shall have to. I have the right to see and I wish to. We both have the right to be see and be seen. You are my heartfriend, and none will cavil at our actions even were we flaught(12) enough to have spaech with any else of them.” As Warbler helped him remove his shorts his erection sprang free and she smiled saying, “Finally! You have nothing to bring shentth(13) to you, Jed, for you have more than many a girl, or woman too, could hope for, and I am enjoying the seeing. I hope my body gives you as much enjoyment to see as yours does me, though it appears it does.”
Jed’s flush was fading as he said, “You are very pretty.” After a moment he felt he’d not said enough to reciprocate Warbler’s compliments and added, “I like looking at you a lot. Your breasts are bigger than I thought they would be and are exciting to see.” His eyes looked to the narrow and sparce growth of dark hair over her mons. “Your…”
“Softth is the word we use.”
“The sight of your softth is very arousing, but I still can’t believe the situation I find myself in.”
They enjoyed looking at each other as they washed off the effects of the sea, sand and fish, and since Jed was too shy to touch her intimately Warbler kept her promise and didn’t press him, but as she washed her sensitive softth she sat on the bench to make sure he could see and said, “This is exciting knowing you can see, after all it’s only fair for I can see all of you.”
Much calmer than he had been, Jed smiled and eased his foreskin back to wash himself properly and said, “This too.” Showering and intimately washing together was enough, for the while, and now he was truly hers. Initially Jed had a look of panic on his face as she moved closer to kiss him, but it subsided as she took his face between her hands and kissed him. As they kissed she moved up to him till their bodies were touching from head to toe. Jed tried to move away and apologise as his erection surged, but Warbler kissed him again with her hands on his cot pulling him back to her. She braekt their kiss, a first for her, and said, “There is no need for your sorrow. I would be upset if I doetn’t have that effect on you. I am just as excitet, but you can’t see it as easily.” Warbler placed his hands on her cotte and said, “This is wonderful. We’ll kiss a bit more before getting dresst. I’ll tell you what happens to a girl when she becomes excitet as we go to eat, but kiss me again and let me feel your hardth gainst me, and you can feel my excitement hardent nipples gainst your chest.”
After kissing for another few minutes, they dried each other off before dressing which was an intimacy that maekt them both smile, blush and struggle to breath. They left the launderers’ bags containing their fishy clothes at the launderers on their way to the Refectory, where they ate flatfish and seagreen with a white herbed sauce.
After eating, they walked the battlements holding hands where they indulged themselfs in a lot of kisses. “I do love you, you know, Jed, and showering together was wonderful.” As Warbler spake he was stroking her hair whilst kissing her ear. Jed played with her hair at any opportunity now, and she loved the attention he paid it so much she encouraged him.
Jed, happy to deal with this kind of declaration now, said, “Yes, I know, and I love you too, Warbler. I had no idea excitement did that to a girl. Just you telling me of it made me excited.”
Warbler continued, “When you dryt my softth the sensations from my bud were almost too much. How doet it feel when I dryt your hardth and males?”
“Indescribable. If you’d carried on things would have happened that I’d rather didn’t happen for a while. You are older than I, so probably more ready for adulthood, but I’d prefer it if our thoughts were in control of our lives rather than being driven by our desires.” Jed hesitated a while before continuing, “I don’t wish to disappoint you, but I am not ready for adult responsibilities yet. We have all of the rest of our lives in front of us for those desires. I have them now, but believe it would be witless to yield to them. What do you think, Warbler.”
“It’s lifes, not lives and what bethink you not what do you think, Jed.” Warbler sighed, “You are right, Jed. If you’d willen to bed me I would have encouraged you, but you are wiser than I, for though I too have the desires I am not ready to carry a babe under my heart, for I have yet to arrange a craft placement, yet I think you are going to have to be wise for both of us for some time. However, may hap I should take the herbs to prevent pregnancy in case we become flaught. What bethinkt you, Jed?”
“As you will, but I shall not bed you till we are more ready. We can have spaech of it oft if you will, but till we are in agreement on the matter I shall not bed you.” Warbler sighed again, and Jed wanting to change her chain of thought continued on a different subject, “Do all girls tell their heartfriends what happens to them when they become excited? For I’m sure most boys where I come from don’t know what you telt me.”
“I know not, but I’m glad I telt you, for it was exciting for me telling you, and watching your excitement maekt it more so. I do know most heartfriends show each other the most intimate parts of themselfs, but know little of their touching. For girls it is not considert decent to have spaech of that, or at least not till one has had agreement for some time. Only older women will have spaech of it for it is considert to be necessary education for older girls. I know not what men and boys have spaech of.” Both had known since the establishment of their joint account with Sagon their future as adults involved each other and were glad it was so, but they were happier now their feelings had been declared and they had discussed their immediate future. However, though they were truly committed to each other Jed was far more content to allow things to develop slowly as he grew up than Warbler. “Do you remember when I sayt I had eight years of being heartfrienden to recover, Jed?”
“Yes. Why?”
“No more, for I feel I have recovert them all.”
“That’s good, Warbler, for now I have begun to match your tokens in our account I feel I’m recovering my past too.”
“They are our tokens, not mine, Jed. And I telt you you don’t have to do that.”
“Yes. I do. For only when I’ve done it, shall I be able to accept that they are our tokens, and no longer yours. Any we make now are ours, but I have to match your initial contribution, so I’ve telt Linden to have my remuneration from the huntsmen paid into our account with Sagon.” Jed stopt any further argument from Warbler by distracting her with kisses, and in retaliation she put one of his hands to her breast. Jed blushed but caressing her through her frock asked, “Am I never to be allowed to win an argument, Warbler?”
“I bethink me you are, Jed, for that is very pleasant, and rather than have you stop I’ll agree to almost anything. You could, you know, have doen this in the shower, for you are leaçen of me.” Jed smiled, but he didn’t say anything, or stop, for whilst enjoying their fondling it would he knew have led them to where he was not prepared to go had they indulged themselfs whilst naked in the shower. Erotic display was one thing, but intimate touching, he considered, would have taken things past the point of no return.
Warbler considered who she wished to know of her deeper relationship with Jed, and though it would be obvious to all in time for the moment she only wished to tell her parents and sister. Warbler knew her granny wouldn’t need to be telt for she would know as soon as she had sight of her granddaughter. It was a private matter and she did not wish Otday to know of it for some time because that would some how contaminate the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced. Jed could tell whom he wished, but she doubted he would tell any. Her dad’s reaction on being telt Jed had instructed the huntsmen’s administration to pay his remuneration into their account surprised her mum, “I hadn’t considert of it, but I would have expectet no less from the father of my future grandchildren.”
Warbler blushed at that, but said, “Not for a few years, Dad, but yes we have had spaech briefly of children in the future. When I transfert my account with Sagon’s office to ours, it was the only way I could persuade Jed to allow me to do it. I telt him it was not a gift from me to him, for he is proud and would not have acceptet it, but rather an investment I wisht to make for my future and that of my children with him as my man and their father. Only then was he agreeable, but he sayt he would have to match my initial contribution. He sayt all from now was a joint contribution, but he would craft to make all past contributions equal too. I telt him it was not necessary, but he sayt for him it was, so I let well alone for I will not to damage his pride nor cause discord between us where there is cause for none.” Warbler started to weep with silent tears running down her cheeks.
Her mother hugged her and gently asked, “What has upset you Warbler? Is it Jed?”
Warbler sniffed and admitted, “Had he willen to bed me I would have encouraged him, but he is wiser than I. I know part of me wills his babe to bind him to me, but he was so kind as he explained neither of us are ready for that, and I know he is right, but still I will his babe. He sayt he was willing to have spaech of the matter as oft as I willen but till we were both ready he would not bed me.”
Having little idea of Castle’s social norms yet, Cynthia looked at Merle with concerned questions in her eyes and he said, “Jed is right. And not only is he right I can not imagine a young man as self-disciplint and with such a great care to you. At his age his blood is running hot nigh to boiling and his desire to bed any young woman, not just you, Love, will be fierce and almost uncontrollable, yet he controllt it. I suspect few young men could have turnt down your offering of yourself, for you doet, doet you not? and yet he doet, doet he not?”
Warbler nodded and said, “Yes. I threw myself at him, and he was gentle and kind but still he would not bed me. Does he not truly love me, Mum?”
“Indeed no. He loves you deeply. Had he not he would have availed himself of you. He is a wonderful young man, and I suggest you leave the matter of bedding to him. He obviously has a clear idea of when it will be appropriate and no matter how soon or how far away it is your dad and I will support the pair of you. Enjoy your life and what he is willing to partake in, for there are many ways of achieving loving rapport.”
“Warbler, Jed will father your children, but as he said neither of you are ready yet. You have bringt me a fine son and I am proud of you, for that you have won the heart of such a boy says much concerning you. Of course your mum and I will to hold our grandchildren, but not before it is appropriate. Jed is young and he has yet to prove himself as a man and a crafter in his own eyes. If you will to develop your relationship I suggest you seek your craft placement. Granny sayt you telt her you will to be a sheep crafter, but doing what exactly? You could think on it, for it will take the pair of you forward.”
Warbler smiled and dried her cheeks with her hair before saying, “I have bethinkt myself of apprenticing to Leveret as a sheep and goat healer. I’ve not maekt my mind up yet, but I suspect I shall approach her betimes, for it is a challenging and worthwhile craft that carries high status. Durance telt me he would like it well if I willen to increase my lambing skills with him next spring. I would like that, for he is a good teacher. I know not much is known of the new beasts yet, but I bethink me they are more like sheep and goats than any other beast, and I have thinkt of learning of them too though I would probably have to be my own teacher, for there is none to learn from.”
Once his relationship with Warbler was generally known to the Folk children, they had not just kissed but accepted kissing as an integral part of the love they had expressed to each other, which only took a couple of days, Jed had put some serious thought into their shared lifes which they had started with the coney pelts. Like many young newfolk he’d realised that life on Castle was more real than on Earth, and adult life started much younger. It had gradually dawned on him that young as he was he’d chosen the woman he was going to marry and have a family with one day and that she’d chosen him too.
He’d had been stunned when Warbler had casually mentioned in passing to her parents that she’d enjoyed herself fishing so much that she’d not realised till they had showered together how strongly the pair had smelled of fish, and she’d only realised on the way to the launderers when they’d smelt the clothes they had worn when fishing. Though her mum had been taken aback her father merely recommended they check that their clothes were truly cleaned of fish before wearing them again. He’d said, “I always wore mine into the shower after fishing, Jed, and washed the bulk of the fish off them with some sand before undressing to wash myself and then giving them to the launderers. My great uncle Ysabeau telt me of that and it does make a difference.”
That was when Jed realised the significance of Warbler and he being leaçen of each other to not just Warbler’s family but the entire Folk too. That Warbler had turned sixteen in Earth years bothered him not at all, for to the Folk it was a riandet, and as a couple they were more alike than their age difference would normally suggest. Unlike many newfolk boys he was no more uncomfortable with the thought of a wife and children than he was with parents and siblings, for he’d had nothing in the way of caring family before Castle and his new parents and siblings had given him a security he’d never had before. He was in no hurry to grow up and had no desire for either of them to take full advantage of their leaçe, but having the right to to be naked with Warbler in privacy and to help each other wash and dry off was satisfying and comforting.
He had no idea what security the immediate future regards his crafting held, yet like his siblings he found the idea of having for the first time in his life an idea of what his long term future held to be comforting and reassuring. Though Warbler wasn’t bothered by their unequal starting contribution to their finances he was, so as well as paying his remuneration into their account he was going to hunt, fish and forage in his free time at least till he was free of the burden of obligation he felt. He’d decided to spend time at night hunting at the Growers’ Grounds. As he’d telt her he was no leech.
It was several days since Otday had been deemed firm and hale by the healers, and he’d been seen berount the Keep walking without sticks. It was known he had not apprenticed and he had said he didn’t wish to become a waggoner. Eorl considered he’d paid more than enough attention to what Otday had desired in the past which had achieved nothing and had telt kith he wasn’t interested in Otday’s wishes, so he would be arranging apprenticeship with a waggoner as soon as possible, preferably the first one he could have spaech with. There were no waggoners at the Keep at present but several were overdue, belike due to the state of the trails, for once away from the coast it had not stopped raining for nigh to two tenners.
Jed considered it was time to resolve the matter of Otday, and, since he wished him kept away from Warbler, apprenticing on a waggon was perfect. Clearly Otday needed some incentive to leave, and Jed decided enough time had gone by to ensure he didn’t lose his temper, and there was no time like the present for incentive provision. Unless physically provoked Jed normally had complete control of his temper, but he’d been worried that because Warbler was involved he may have become a little hasty. He didn’t particularly wish to kill Otday, but neither was he bothered by the prospect if he considered it necessary or wise, and he was aware Otday, no longer under the protection of the healers, was a legitimate target for his wrath. His siblings were just waiting knowing he’d do something regarding Otday when he was ready and not before. What exactly he’d do they weren’t sure, but they knew though probably not intending to kill Otday what ever Jed planned would not be pleasant.
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
84 Morgelle, Bistort, Fritillary, Alsike, Campion, Siskin, Gosellyn, Yew, Rowan, Thomas, Will, Aaron, Dabchick, Nigel, Tuyere
85 Jo, Knott, Sallow, Margæt, Irena, Tabby, Jade, Phthalen, Yumalle, Stonechat, Spearmint, Alwydd, Seriousth, Warbler, Jed, Brett, Russel, Barleycorn, Crossbill, Lizo, Hendrix, Monkshood, Eyrie, Whelk, Gove, Gilla, Faarl, Eyebright, Alma, axx, Allan, daisy, Suki, Tull
86 Cherville, Nightshade, Rowan, Milligan, Wayland, Beth, Liam, Chris, Gage
87 Reedmace, Ganger, Jodie, Blade, Frœp, Mica, Eddique, Njacek, Whiteout, Sandpiper, Serin, Cherville, Nightshade, peregrine, Eleanor, Woad, Buzzard, Silas, Oak, Wolf, Kathleen, Reef, Raymond, Sophie, Niall, Bluebell
88 Cloud, Sven, Claudia, Stoat, Thomas, Aaron, Nigel, Yew, Milligan, Gareth, Campion, Will, Basil, Gosellyn, Vinnek, Plume
89 Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Silverherb, Cloudberry, Smokt, Skylark, Beatrix, Beth, Amethyst, Mint, Wayland, Bittern, Fiona, Fergal, Joan, Bræth, Nell, Milligan, Iola, Ashdell, Alice, Molly, Rill, Briar
90 Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Beth, Beatrix, Sanderling, Falcon, Gosellyn, Gage, Will, Fiona, Jackdaw, Wayland, Merle, Cynthia, Jed, Warbler
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.
Cousine, female cousin.
Doet, did. Pronounced dote.
Doetn’t, didn’t. Pronounced dough + ent.
Findt, found,
Goen, gone
Goent, went.
Grandparents. In Folk like in many Earth languages there are words for either grandmother and grandfather like granddad, gran, granny. There are also words that are specific to maternal and paternal grandparents. Those are as follows. Maternal grand mother – granddam. Paternal grandmother – grandma. Maternal grandfather – grandfa. Paternal grandfather – grandda.
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.
Intendet, fiancée or fiancé.
Knoewn, knew.
Lastdaysince, the day before yesterday.
Loes, lost.
Maekt, made.
Nextdaynigh, the day after tomorrow.
Sayt, said.
Taekt, took.
Telt, told.
Uest, used.
1 Ocean leaf, generic term for edible seaweed.
2 Lisebriming, beach combing.
3 Seagreen, sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca, an ocean leaf.
4 Partial Council meeting, a meeting of those Councillors and others with special interest or expertise in the matter under discussion. Effectively an ad hoc sub committee.
5 Astonishing, should strictly be astonishingly, but Warbler like most of the Folk oft uses adjectives as adverbs. This is not regarded as poor grammar, but as a matter of choice, and the practice is becoming more common especially with younger Folk.
6 Whilth, length of time, duration.
7 Sea-worms, blow lugworm, Arenicola marina.
8 Redspot, plaice, Pleuronectes platessa.
9 Nelt, a flatfish that can grow to five or six feet long and wide. It is similar to turbot, Scophthalmus maximus.
10 Noisy-bee, the bumble bee, Bombus terrestris.
11 Keld, a seafish somewhat like the cod, Gadus morhua.
12 Flaught, foolish, silly.
13 Shentth, shame in this context.
