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. Most odd looking words are past tenses of the verb stem.
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.
14th of Darrow Day 46
When the Ocean Shoals docked at the holding jetty Bistort was surprised. He telt ship Mistress Honey, “Archer dockt here day before lastdaysince and taekt all we had to the Keep. There is little for you to collect, Honey.”
“That’s not a problem. We’ll take the weed and driftwood to bulk the cargo. It’s that or naught because our next call is the Keep because we’ve a decent load of fish, mostly mackerel. We are delivering not collecting, Bistort. However, that’s not to say we shouldn’t appreciate a bath in fresh water and a hot meal. Would you like a dozen boxes of mackerel and a couple of mixt catch?”
The driftwood and weed were normally taken by the waggoners after having dried out, but oft ships going to the Keep collected what ever they could take, dry or no, to bulk a cargo. Bistort was happy for Honey to take all of what they had, which would be three or four waggon loads. “You are well come, and I’ll have the fires stoekt to make sure there is enough hot water for you all. I’ll have a dozen of us help your crew load the weed and the wood. The meal is no problem, as I’m sure you realise I insist we eat without stint, and I’d appreciate the fish. Ælfgyfu will probably smoke most of it.” Honey laught, all knew Bistort would suffer any privation as long as he had enough to eat. “But what are you delivering, I have ordert naught, and Fritillary has not, I’m sure.”
“They’re not for you, but for your daughter Morgelle. We were telt to handle them carefully, or Gorse would take wood working tools to us.” She shouted, “Sickle, bring the packages will you please.” Sickle, the cargo Master, who was supervising cargo redistribution prior to the loading of the bulk cargo and the little for the Keep kitchens the holding had ready for taking, nodded and went below decks to bring back two strangely shaped packages with carrying handles which he handed to Bistort. They were surprisingly light for their bulk, and vaguely triangular with a corner removed, may hap three feet on both long sides, not quite as long on the third, a foot thick and labelled ‘To Morgelle McFionn of the Isles from Gorse Luthier of Castle Keep’, which was a very strange thing for all to see. The Folk only uest a single name since there were so few of them.
Bistort taekt the packages saying, “I’ll give them to Morgelle, and arrange for the hot water and a good meal. You know where the wood and the weed are stoert. I’ll send the help.” When he gave Morgelle the packages he asked, “Do you know what they are, Daughter?”
Morgelle with tears running off her face quietly replied, “Yes, Dad. I know.” With that she taekt the packages to her chamber and didn’t reappear till the eve meal. She was quiet during the eve meal, and Tuyere was worried for her, but she discouraged his conversation, and he left her alone to her thoughts. After the meal, as was usual, there was music, singing, poetry, joke telling, and stories, oft recounting the amusing events of the day, which Morgelle had never taken part in before. There was a lull in the entertainment, and Jennet was supervising the distribution of alcoholic drinks for the adults, and allowing the youngsters to indulge in gær beer, a low strongth spiced drink the children enjoyed because it had bubbles. Morgelle spake saying, “Dad, if I may, I should like to play and sing?”
Bistort was surprised by her request since she had never done either before, none knew she could, but his surprise didn’t shew as he replied, “But of course, Love.”
Morgelle surprised her entire family when she said, “I’ll just fetch my new cruit.” Despite its alien, exotic sound the word meant naught to them. She came back with what was obviously a musical instrument, but none had ever seen one even remotely like it before. She had tuned it that day in the privacy of her chamber, but hadn’t given any thought to what she would play and sing, so she decided on Chief McFionn’s lament. Her touch on the new cruit was sure, and her voice was both sweet and true and matcht the tinkling rippling sound of her instrument, which playing with her finger nails enhanced, and the applause was thunderous. Encouraged by her clan and the crew, she sang and played for an hour and a half, mostly with tears running off her face as she lost herself in her past, and as Gorse had suggested would be the case, she never heard aught of paying for the delivery of her cruits. Her performance had brought a great deal of reconciliation in her mind of her past life with her present one. She realised not only did she wish to achieve excellence playing the cruit, but in her head she was also composing new songs, songs of her new life to be sung in Folk. She was no longer a musician, but a true bard.
14th of Darrow Day 46
Patrick was dead. Kroïn had strangled him, and in the process braeken his neck. Though none was bothered by his deadth, Thomas wished to know what had happened for the records, Basil wished to know in order to settle Kroïn and Will wished to know because he thought it amusing. Gareth had charged Willow with the task of helping Basil in his investigations. Basil and Willow decided to have spaech with all three of the gang, and to settle them Basil had asked Milligan to have a batch of fluüff(1) maekt, which he knew they, like the children of the Folk, all liekt, and he’d had leaf and fluüff served at the meeting.
Basil telt the men, “Help yourselfs to fluüff and leaf, every one.” He and Willow, as prearranged, each taekt two leafs with pieces of the very sticky fluüff on them and a mug of leaf, and Basil poured mugs of leaf for the men and pushed the plate of fluüff across the table, “There is fluüff being servt this eve in the Refectory, so we’ll try not to be too long as I wish some with my eve meal before it’s all goen,” he smiled at the men and they all smiled back. Willow was amazed, for like most of the Folk she’d always believed Basil couldn’t smile.
Willow taekt a bite of her fluüff and said, “This is some of the best fluüff I have ever tastet. I can’t remember any this good even when I was a little girl. You’re not eating, Kroïn, try it.” Willow taekt another bite and waited till the three men did too before continuing. “Thomas would like to know exactly what happent with Patrick, so it can all be written down for the records. He wishes to do so, so none has to go through this terrible experience again. He telt me to offer his gratitude and sorrow too you had to craft with Patrick. Will telt me to tell you if he had known what Patrick was like he would have killt him himself, and he sends his sorrow and gratitude too because you helpt the Folk when it was really his craft not yours. He also telt me to tell you he will buy you all a glass of what ever you would like when he sees you in the Swan in gratitude.”
The three firekeepers and especially Kroïn thus settled, Happith began, “Patrick wasn’t a good man, Willow. He wasn’t kind. When he joint us he doet what we doet, but he lookt at us, especially Kroïn, as if we were something he’d scraept off his shoe.” Happith looked at his friends, and they nodded in agreement. “We knoewn he wasn’t uest to the work, and we doet try to help him, truly we doet,” Happith looked to Willow and Basil for understanding, his friends nodding their agreement again.
“I am sure you doet,” Basil responded, “because I know that is the kind of men you are. I know you would try to help him.” To make sure the three knew he believed them he said to Willow, “Please write that down, Willow, because I know it is true. Carry on please, Happith.”
“He never sayt aught bad to any of us till that day, but we knoewn he was thinking bad things of us. We could tell by the way he lookt at us. When he bethinkt him we weren’t looking, his face, it wasn’t hate, I don’t know what it was on his face, but it wasn’t kind. He doetn’t like us. We tryt to make him like us by doing things for him, but the more we doet the more he doetn’t like us. We know we’re not clever, but we doetn’t need to be clever to know that.”
Willow maekt a shew of writing it all down, but she understood what Happith was saying: Patrick thought himself to be above crafting with the gang and despised them. She was glad for their sakes the three didn’t understand that. “What was different on that day, Happith?”
Happith looked at the others, and Mako spake, which neither Willow nor Basil could understand. “Mako says to say it was when we were cleaning the big chimney bases ready for Wrest’s gang to clean the flues, Basil.”
Basil explained to Willow, “The sweeps clean the flues, but the firekeepers always do below the flues because they have better tools for the task and it makes less mess for them all to clean afterwards if they do it for the sweeps, but even so it is a dirty unpleasant task.”
Happith continued, “Normally the three of us do a side or the back each and then we all do the cleaning together. The cleaning is the dirtiest and the nastiest part of the task. Thatday Kroïn was kind to not just Patrick but to all of us. He said since there were four of us he would clean up as we three doet the the chimney back and sides in the stead of leaving it all to the end. I explaint to Patrick, and he loes his temper and startet calling Kroïn nasty unkind things and cursing at him. He doetn’t realise how kind Kroïn had been to us all. I tryt to explain, but he hit me. No, that’s not quite right. He pusht me away so hard I fell. Then he startet shouting things at Kroïn again. Kroïn doetn’t understand why. He doetn’t like being shoutet at and tryt to stop Patrick by putting a hand over his mouth, but Patrick became worse and startet hitting Kroïn. Kroïn put his hands out to stop him. I don’t know how it happent, but then they were berount Patrick’ neck shaking him to make him stop hitting, and then he was dead. Kroïn doetn’t mean it to happen, and he’s still aflait he’s been bad.”
Basil glanced at Willow to let him deal with the matter. Basil knew his staff and said, “Kroïn, there’s still some fluüff left, have another piece, and you too Mako, Happith.” He allowed the men time to take another piece and refilled their mugs, which eased Kroïn a bit, before continuing. “Kroïn, you have not been bad. Patrick was a bad man. Patrick was bad to the all of the Folk, and Will was going to kill him because he was a bad man. You three have helpt us all, and you all doet your best to help Patrick learn a craft, but he doetn’t wish to be a member of the Folk. You killt Patrick which helpt us all, and especially Will, who is going to buy you a glass as gratitude. Naught is going to happen, and none is going to do aught to you. That was kind of you to offer to clean when the others doet the less dirty work. My gratitude to all of you for finishing the work before you left to tell us of Patrick. Yew willen to use that chamber the next day, and he is grateful too. I shall tell him to buy you all a glass too. So smile and enjoy your fluüff.”
Basil nodded to Willow to continue, “Happith, will you tell me what Patrick sayt to Kroïn?”
“No!” Happith was distressed by Willows question.
“Why not, Happith?”
“Because they were bad and unkind things. The bad ones I won’t say before a woman and the unkind ones I won’t say in front of Kroïn.”
Willow fleetingly thought to ask Happith to write it down and just as quickly realised Happith could neither read nor write, “Would you go into another chamber and tell Basil, just the two of you, so he can tell Thomas what to write in the records?”
Happith thought on that and reluctantly agreed. He and Basil left to return a few minutes later. Basil glanced at Willow and said to the men, “I suggest you eat the last pieces of Fluüff, and before you go home wash your hands and faces in the kitchens, so you aren’t shoutet at at home, and then you should forget all this. I’ll see you all nextday.” The men did as suggested and left all looking relieved their ordeal was over and grateful Basil had reminded them to wash their sticky hands and faces before they faced their wifes.
“I had to promise I should not repeat the bad words to you Willow, but they were all sexually abusive incomer terms, and Happith was embarrasst even admitting he knoewn what some of them meant. He would never had sayt them in front of you. As to the unkind ones they were references to Kroïn’s intellectual limitations, the way his face looks and his spaech. They were indeed unkind. Happith couldn’t remember them in detail, probably because he was unfamiliar with most of them, but I can assure you I understandt what he was telling me, and had I been there I should have killt Patrick myself. Does that give you enough? Or do you wish me to write down what I was telt for Thomas. Because having promisst Happith I should not repeat his words to you I shall not braek my promise.”
“That is enough, Basil. Thomas won’t require the exact words. He just wishes to know what happent, and that is clear now. My gratitude for your help.”
The two parted, Willow to inform Thomas as to the events, and Basil to tell Yew he had pledged him to buy the men a glass, which he knoewn Yew would willingly do in return for what Happith had telt him when they had been on their own. The least of it had been ‘An intellectual lackwit with half a face incapable of spaech or managing both his hands at once.’ That Kroïn, who had been so abused, had then strangled his abuser, a task requiring two hands, was funny, in a bleak kind of way, which appealed to Basil, and he knew Yew and Will would also appreciate the darkth of it.
When the event became common knowledge the Folk were supportive of Kroïn. They all knew he carried out his craft to the best of his abilities, was a loving husband and dad and someone whom none would ever have dreamt of shouting at, far less hitting. The general feeling was any of able thought processes who abused any of those who were not should be dead. That Kroïn had killed Patrick in fear and panic only aroused sympathy for Kroïn who they knew would take a long time to recover from the incident, and all treated him with extra kindth for a long time.
When Josephine, a fifty-seven year old ex-mathematics teacher, heard of Patrick’s deadth she laught so much it hurt, and she managed to say to her husband, Wels, through her laughter, “I always did approve of the principle of inclusion, senior management only ever paid politically correct lip service to it. However, what goes around comes around, and good enough for the bastard too. Should happen to more of them,” before having to explain what she meant.
16th of Darrow
Young Joseph was a troubled man. He had not, as far as he was aware, managed to make Lavinia, whom he was besotted with, aware of his interest in her. Lavinia was aware of his interest, her hormones had affected her thinking way in advance of her body and she was interested in Joseph, but she had no idea how to proceed with matters. Despite her intelligence, for a fourteen year old she had a very immature figure, and she was bothered any sign of interest on her part would be perceived as the precocious infatuation of a little girl. Things were not going progressing satisfactorily. Diana, realising her brother Joseph, whom she loved, was becoming worried because he thought Lavinia may be interested in someone else, decided her Mum needed to take the matter in hand. Diana had now settled to her new life, her researches were yielding results, and her dad and granddad considered her to be the best thing that had ever happened to the family concern.
She and Gander were deeply in love, and their children, their previous ill treatment now faded from their memories, haunted the brewery and still house buildings with Granddad Bowman learning everything they could, and much to the delight of all of the folk who crafted there both said they wished to craft there when they were older. The next generation was in training. But to Diana, other than Gander, her relationships with the elder women of her family were the most rewarding aspects of her life. Coaltit, her mother, and she couldn’t have been closer and Granny Gær had her heart in her hand. The three women were taking leaf together after Diana had taken the children to the Greathall for dancing practice. “Joseph is not managing his courtship of Lavinia at all, Mum,” Diana said out of nowhere. “I know Lavinia is interested in him. I think their age difference is inhibiting her.”
“I know age is an issue to newfolk, Diana. I don’t understand why, but if the two are interestet in each other in the way you consider they are, Love, have you any suggestions as to how we can bring things to an understanding?” Gær asked.
“No. It is beyond me. I know Joseph is in love with Lavinia, and I know she is interested in him to the point where she is willing to fall in love with him, but I think she is worried her girlish figure is not enough to attract him. She thinks of herself as looking like a girl not a woman. Gander has told me Joseph is in love with her as a result of her intelligence and doesn’t even notice her figure. That they are both frightened of loosing the other to someone else is clear, and I was hoping you, Mum, or you, Granny, may have a solution.”
There was a long silence, and eventually Gær said, “Usually the best, or the easiest, solution to a problem is the most obvious. If this situation is allowt to continue Joseph, whom I love, will be hurt, and Lavinia, whom I wish to love if she wishes to be his wife, will be hurt too. I am too old to wait on events, so I suggest we arrange for them both to be bringen(2) to see me, and I shall explain to them how I see the situation. They will both be embarrasst, but at least all will be clear.”
Diana and Coaltit nodded in agreement, and Diana said, “Tell me when you wish to see them, Gran, and I shall arrange it.”
Gær said without a second’s hesitation, “Nextday. Bring them to lunch with me at the distillery. I shall arrange for lunch in one of the smaller meeting chambers, Joseph will believe it to be a matter of the concern, and you may tell Lavinia it is because an old woman wishes a special book maekt for her to write her life in, which will be honest, arrange for her to arrive a half hour before Joseph, you don’t have to tell her it is for lunch.”
Gær who had never met Lavinia before appreciated what Diana had meant as soon as she saw Lavinia. She had an attractive face with pale blue eyes and two long golden braids, but at not much over four and a half feet tall and flat chested she looked like a little girl with a lot of growing to do. She looked so young that Gær was a little apprehensive regards promoting an agreement between Lavinia and her grandson. However, putting her qualms to one side for a while, she decided to at least know a little of Lavinia before doing aught. Gær discussed with Lavinia the details of what she wisht so as to be able to write of her life, and during that conversation it became clear to her, notwithstanding Lavinia’s looks, she was having spaech with an intelligent young woman with the emotions of a woman, and not those of a girl, a young woman she would like as a granddaughter.
“Why did you ask for me when I have so little experience?” Lavinia asked in perplexity.
“Because I believe you wish to be my granddaughter, and I wish that too. It will please me for my book to be maekt by someone in the family.”
Lavinia puzzled said, “I don’t understand, Gær.”
“I am Joseph’s grandmother, and I have been given to believe you would not be averse to being his wife which would make you my granddaughter.”
Lavinia blushed to her toes and stammered, “I like him, but…”
“You believe you look too immature to attract a man,” Gær completed dispassionately for her.
Lavinia relieved at Gær’s attitude said quietly, “Yes.”
“I am telt by family Joseph is absolutely besott(3) with you, and I am concernt if you reject him he will be hurt for a long time. However, if you wish to reject him all you have to do is tell me and the matter shall go no further. I shall deal with Joseph for you. Is that your wish, Lavinia?”
Lavinia replied with a definite, “No. Hurting him is the last thing I wish to do.”
“Would you like to be his wife, Love? Please be honest. We are just two women here spaeking of family matters, and I should be happy for you to be my granddaughter.”
Lavinia blushed to her toes again, and replied, “Yes, more than anything, but I didn’t think…”
“Joseph will be here in a little while for lunch. I shall arrange it all for you both if you like, but I still wish my book. It was not a pretence to bring you here. Will you do it for me, Lavinia? You do realise of course if I arrange your marriage I shall expect no charge, but if I can’t you can charge me what you will.”
Lavinia smiled and replied, “Gær, I do not expect to ask you for payment, but whether or not you arrange matters between Joseph and I I shall make your book as a matter of gratitude. Thank you.”
Gær kissed Lavinia and said, “You are a good young woman, and I wish you as my granddaughter. Trust me you shall be a marryt woman long before bedtime!”
Lavinia yet again blushed to her toes, but said nothing.
When Joseph arrived his grandmother did not allow him time to settle himself on realising Lavinia was present. “Joseph, the family is gravely concernt for you. It is seen you are interestet in Lavinia, but are not able to take matters further. Because of my age I have been askt to assist. I have been given to believe you have fallen in love with and wish agreement with Lavinia. Is this so?”
Joseph, bright red, stuttered and stammered, “Yes, Gran.”
“Good. I am happy you have selectet a young woman to fall in love with whom I regard so highly. Lavinia, I know you love my grandson, but you are worryt you are too young looking to attract a man. You have just seen the effect you have on Joseph, who clearly has no concern of your worries. The family greatly desire you as a mother of the next generation, and I know you love my grandson, do wish agreement?”
Lavinia, who was far more intelligent than the man she had fallen in love with, realised what was happening and was grateful for the management of the situation by a woman who could manage it, replied, blushing bright red, but naytheless firmly, “Yes. I wish to be married to Joseph.”
“In that case, I see no problems for either of you. The only matter to decide is whether you wish to live as agreäns now or later. I shall suggest naught.”
Joseph calming a little, nervously held his hand out to Lavinia who gladly taekt it and asked, “I know you will be my Granny when I marry Joseph, and you said you will suggest nothing, but naytheless I should like to know what you bethink you we should do.”
Gær looking at the couple and recognising the adult desire on their faces said, “It is my belief you need to be marryt. I suggest you tell your parents and go to the Master at arms to find chambers. I need hardly add it will make your parents happy when you tell them you are pregnant, Lavinia.”
Joseph and Lavinia blushed at Gær’s words, but Lavinia reached for Joseph, kissed him and said, “Thank you, Granny, I am glad you maekt this possible.” She turned to Joseph again, and much to his surprise, but not his grandmother’s, kissed him passionately and at longth before asking, “How may I best repay you for what you have given me, Granny?”
“You are an intelligent young woman, most important of all is you give me great grandchildren, but I am sure you will enjoy that.”
Lavinia smiled and said, “So am I, Granny.”
“Then I suggest you have spaech with your husband’s sister, Diana, now your sister too, who is also an intelligent woman, and I am sure the two of you can decide how best to advance the interests of the family. However, as I sayt before, the most important thing is to tell me you are pregnant, Love. We can spaek of my book later.” She kissed Lavinia’s cheek and said, “I shall leave you now to come to terms with events. If I have embarrasst you I make no apologies, but I do suggest you remember this in case you are in this situation when you are my age. I wish for your early pregnancy my dear, and the advice of an old woman is you always resolve your differences before bedtime.”
Gær kissed Joseph too and left them saying, “I shall leave you for a while and return when lunch is delivert.”
Lavinia said nervously to her newly acquired husband, “I do love you, Joseph, but as Granny said I am worried my girlish body is not enough for you.”
Joseph, putting a hand over her none existent bosom, said, “I love you the way you are, and when you grow I am sure I shall love you the way you are then. I hope you wish to make love as I do, but unlike Granny, I am not desperate for children. I shall enjoy them when they arrive, but whilst times I am grateful Granny maekt it possible for us to reach agreement, because I was so afeart you would find some other.”
Lavinia, overwhelmed by Joseph’s insecurities and the realisation of what she had so desperately wished, kissed her husband very gently and said, “I am so happy Granny brought us together which was what I wisht so much. I should love children eventually, but I should rather it doesn’t happen for a few years. I wish to have finished growing before we start our family because it will be much safer for both myself and them. I should never forgive myself if I lost one because in my haste for a family I became pregnant before I was ready for it. I do wish to go to the Master at arms for chambers for us thisday, but first I should like us to go to see my mum and tell her. I also wish to spaek with her concerning the herbs that prevent pregnancy before I see the healers, because despite the way I look, I could become pregnant. I know Mum will be thrillt when I carry a babe neath my heart, but she would not wish us to take risks we do not need to.”
Joseph, who now knew despite her looks he had married a woman and not a girl, was terrified by the idea of aught happening to Lavinia or their children, said anxiously, “I am in love with you. All else is belittelt by that. Of course I shall be delightet when you have a little one neath your heart, but it’s a riandet when. We must never take any risks, and promise me you shall do what ever the healers advise, please.”
Lavinia smiled and putting Joseph’s hand back to her chest said, “I promise.”
Lunch was a pleasant meal and, after the events before, it was uneventful. Gær kissed her grandchildren and invited them to dinner in four days. “I shall see how many of the family I can persuade to come too.”
“That means they’ll all be there,” Joseph telt Lavinia later with a smile. “There’s not a one would dare not to be.”
The couple, happier than they had ever thought it possible to be, went to the Master at arms and taekt chambers near Lavinia’s parents before arranging for all the household effects they would need. After finding her mum and dad to tell them of developments, and spaeking with her mum of the herbs they went to the healers where Bracken, after questioning Lavinia as to her lunetime history since menarche and exactly where in her lunecycle Lavinia was, supplied Lavinia with two herbal extracts and written instructions for their use and telt the couple as long as Lavinia followed the instructions to the letter for the next lunecycle they could make love safely from thisday, she explained once Lavinia’s body had become accustomed to the herbs the requirements were not as exacting but given the circumstances it would be better if she continued as she must start. Then they went to see Joseph’s mum and family before going to eat their first eve meal together in the Refectory at a table for two. After spending the eve in the White Swan they went home discussing their desires for the future. After that it was bedtime and they maekt a start on those desires.
18th of Darrow Day 50
Since Ruby had reached agreement with Deepwater, he had brought samples of everything he had gathered back for her to look at in the stead of immediately handing everything over to the Keep kitchens or the herbals, and in an effort to create an aide mémoire to help her learn she had started to draw and water colour the various plants, fungi and other things Deepwater collected. She was particularly interested in the materials Tendril uest in cosmetics and had the beginnings of a colour chart. Tendril and she had discussed make up, both Earth and Castle products, and what she should look for to fill in the missing parts of the chart to create new colours for cosmetics and paint pigments for her recordings. Tendril had been fascinated by the concept of mascara and was putting a lot of time into its development.
Ruby had annotated her drawings with the date, time of day they had been picked, the environment where they were to be found, and aught else her husband could tell her of them. She discovered she had a talent for such drawing and painting, and her work was good enough for her to comment on differences mongst samples of what were nominally the same materials. She pointed out the differences to Deepwater, who started to ask the cooks and herbals which varieties they preferred. Ruby noted there were four different types of sponges, and she supplied them separately to the herbals and asked if they would have them evaluated in terms of comfort and absorbance.
Their standing as a pair of foragers started to rise, even though Ruby hadn’t gathered aught herself. Ruby was in effect creating the first Castle flora, and, to a lesser extent, fauna on edible and healing plants, fungi, small animals, fish and other useful materials some of which, such as flint and ochre were mineral rather than biological in origin. As she did more of it she improven in skill, and she and Deepwater began to realise the value of her notebooks, not just to them but to their future children too. They were in effect craft and family tools, and of considerable worth. Ruby enjoyed her drawing and painting and was looking forward to the birth of her babe. They had decided to name him Bullfinch, but even more was she looking forward to foraging herself.
She had planned her equipment and spaken of their requirements with Deepwater who had telt her, “I usually go with a pack horse, occasionally two, but with Bullfinch, your recording equipment and other things we’ll need two horses all the time. If we’re taking two horses, it’s best if we have them pull a light covert waggon which will enable us to travel in more comfort, stay out longer and bring more back. If we have the right pair, we can always leave the waggon for side trips with them loadet as pack horses.”
Deepwater had been to see Gudrun, and she had picked out a pair of semi heavy mares trained to the waggon and the pack for them. Umbel and Ketlock were both dark chestnuts with large areas of cream, but of greater significance to Deepwater they had nice manners and Gudrun telt him they would be quite happy living off the roughest of grazing. Deepwater asked her what she wished in return, and she had asked him if he recognised the names of six specific plants. He had known four of them, and she went and returned to shew him dried samples of the other two which he recognised, but hadn’t known the names of. “This one we call wormroot. Only handle it wearing gloves because the hairs on the leafs and stem produce a poisonous skin irritant. And the sap will cause painful open sores that take lunes to heal.” Seeing the look on his face she added, “Our herbals make and dilute an extract from the root which kills worms and other stomach parasites that horses can pick up from time to time. This one, marestrongth, is harmless but full of goodth which enriches the feed. It is particularly useful for horses that are or have been ill and pregnant and nursing mares. We use more of this than all other herbs together when we can have it. But we never have as much as we will.”
Gudrun said he could have Umbel and Ketlock, and any necessary replacements if they were ill, when in foal or after their retirement, with their stabling and care when he was at the Keep in return for regular supplies of the six plants, which were all herbs particularly efficacious for certain horse complaints. She would manage their breeding and the foals would be hers, but he would always have a trained pair available. He asked how much of the herbs she would need, and was taken aback when she replied, “I use probably four handfuls of each of five in a lune, some a bit more than others, but it is better if I can have a regular supply of fresh herbs rather than having to use them dryt. The marestrongth I could use a handful a day if I could have it.” That he knew would be no problem at all, and he agreed immediately. From his point of view she was giving him a pair of horses for as long as he wished them, but he was aware from her point of view the herbs must have been difficult to obtain, and he wondered if they would grow on the roods he grew sap and nut trees on at Outgangside. He asked her for samples of all six herbs for Ruby to draw, and Gudrun provided them. When Deepwater explained to Ruby what he had done the first thing she did was to draw and annotate the dried herbs and ask that he obtain fresh samples for her to draw as soon as possible.
Deepwater had also been to see Vinnek regarding a waggon. Vinnek had telt him he had naught suitable at the moment, but he knew he would have in a lune or two. “Its part of an exchange for a new one we have nearly finisht. I am not sure how much work it will need to be maekt sound, but no matter what it needs I can make it sound in two tenners.” Vinnek hesitated awhile and then said, “I am willing to exchange it for hardwood knots and rootstocks suitable for axle bearings, if you would deliver as and when the materials are available, and am prepaert to maintain it for similar considerations.”
Deepwater who had been wondering what it was going to cost him smiled and said, “You are known as a fair man, Vinnek, I consider that to be a good trade that will help me and mine, and if any of yours ever wish to apprentice as a forager let me know.”
The men shook hands both aware they had traded on promises, neither in the least bit in doubt as to the other’s integrity, but both aware they had traded for things beyond price, the future of they and theirs.
It was only when she thought through the full details of the negotiations Ruby realised the value and hence status of their craft. A few days later, after they had eaten their eve meal, Ruby was finishing drawing some water plants collected for the herbals when she became aware she was to become a mother. She continued with her work saying nothing to Deepwater till she had finished. She telt him, “I think you had better tell the midwifes Bullfinch has decided to make an appearance.”
“Will you be all right if I leave you, Love?”
She had replied laughing, “It doesn’t matter does it because if you don’t leave me you are the only one here to deliver him.” Deepwater left as a loosed arrow and returned dragging Suki behind him in five minutes. Ruby was birthing for five hours, and though Deepwater thought elsewise, had a trouble free birthing. Bullfinch was birtht before the day ended, and he was a hale boy of three and a quarter weights. Ruby was tired but elated. Her son was here, and he would soon be ready to be the youngest forager on Castle.
20th of Darrow Day 52
It was as near as she could work out her fourteenth birthday, and Morgelle had come to realise she was interested in Tuyere as a husband, but she wasn’t sure if he were interested in her that way. She thought of Caoilté with aching regret. She would never forget him, but he was now a poignant, bitter-sweet memory, part of a past that would have led to a now impossible future, and she had come to terms with that. It was time to make a new present to lead to a possible future. She wished that future with Tuyere, and she thought her birthday was an auspicious day on which to do something concerning her desires. He was friendly and helpful, but had never shewn signs of aught else. She didn’t wish to tell Bistort she was over her grief because she didn’t wish to have to keep all the other young men at bay, and she knew she wasn’t interested in them, only in Tuyere. If they felt free to pursue her they would force her into Tuyere’s arms, and she wished to conduct her courtship at her pace and on her terms not theirs. It was a puzzle how to discover if he were interested, and she realised if he were not she wished to make him interested. She knew she could spaek with Fritillary of it, but pride maekt her wish to deal with it herself. She laid her plans accordingly, and that afternoon she said to Tuyere, “I wish to collect some driftwood for a project of mine. Where is the best place to look, Tuyere?”
As she had known he would, Tuyere had offered to help her, and she had agreed. He telt her the best time was in three days because of the tide, at Eel Point three hours whilth south if they walked reasonably quickly. Their open conversation had been overheard by some of the other young men who couldn’t understand why Tuyere remained unpunished for disobeying Bistort’s explicit orders. They were afraid to disobey Bistort because past experience had taught them it could be painful, for he had a wide belt and a heavy hand. Why Morgelle was interested in such a puny specimen of the Folk when they were available baffled them. That Tuyere was not disobeying Bistort they could not envisage because they would have been unable to restrict their interactions with any unintendet4 young woman they were interested in to friendship.
This expedition was the first of many Morgelle and Tuyere went on together, and Morgelle was pleased with the progress she was making with Tuyere. Bistort, who could see Morgelle was not upset by Tuyere, was glad she had found a young man whose friendship she could accept, and he was still making it clear to all their attentions were not desired by Morgelle and she was to be treated as a widow in her first year of mourning. The other young men were seething with anger with Tuyere, but not prepared to face Bistort’s certain wrath by violating the Way concerning a widow’s right to her mourning. In consequence they were more than usually insulting to Tuyere, but since he had never taken any notice of any of them it maekt no difference to him.
Tuyere had invited Morgelle to go with him to collect salt water crayfish from tidal pools. He was the acknowledged expert on finding these rare crustaceans which were a luxury food item the clan rarely traded or selt. They enjoyed them fresh themselfs, and oft after collection placed them in nearby high-water pools, from which they couldn’t escape, till they had collected enough for a meal for the entire clan. Morgelle had been thinking of herself and Tuyere for some time, and she was determined on this expedition if not to have Tuyere to declare his interest in her at least to give her some indication of it. They set out early with nettle fibre bags for the crayfish, and by mid-forenoon they had a dozen in two bags which they fastened and left in a pool for collection on their return.
“Tuyere?” said Morgelle.
“Yes?” he replied looking at her. She held her hand out to him which he reluctantly took.
“I wish to hold hands. Truly,” she said. “I know what Bistort has said, and I am glad he did, but you are different.”
She smiled at him, and he realising what she was implying said, “I’m glad you are recovering from your loss.”
“And I am glad I have found someone.”
“So am I,” he said taking a firmer hold of her hand. They had over the last few tenners telt each other much of the customs of their two cultures, which were not so different, and both were happy at the reciprocal acknowledgement of their interest in each other. They collected another six bags of crayfish before returning to the holding with eighty-four crayfish in all, enough for all to enjoy. As soon as they had been seen holding hands it had become obvious to all not only were they heartfriends, but Morgelle had chosen Tuyere as her intendet, and the other young men couldn’t understand how she could have uest such poor judgement and had such poor taste. It was known the young couple did not share a bed, so the other young men considered Morgelle to be somewhat undecided regards Tuyere. That Fritillary and Bistort publicly approven of the couple prevented any of them from trying to dissuade her, but they were bitter regards the whole affair and convinced if only they had had the opportunity they could have been in Tuyere’s place. Tuyere and Morgelle went out together collecting what ever was in season. That they were a successful partnership, invariably bringing back more than any other of the gatherer partnerships of their age, rubbed salt into the wounds of the other young men who still couldn’t see what maekt her chose Tuyere.
20th of Darrow Day 52
They’d been late stopping for lunch, but Otday had learnt to accept Turner’s word as law, so he maekt no comment on it. Turner looked at the louring sun and said, “Excellent. There’s still a bit of warmth left to the day.” Otday still maekt no comment and a quarter of an hour later Turner pulled up at a ring of fire blackened stones beside a small lake. “Set a fire, but don’t light it. There’s plenty of wood berount the trees. I’ll ratch(5) out the food and a few other things.” When all was ready for a meal she surprised him by walking to the edge of the lake and saying, “Bathtime!” It was fourteen days since Turner had had any’s touch to her softth other than her own, and she was aware it was making her bad tempered. She had seen Otday relieve himself a few times and was thus aware he was prodigiously endowed. Her awaerth had caused unbidden images of Tibok servicing Shwetha to return. As to whether Otday knew how to use his gift only time would tell. Even if he were useless as a lover she’d be certain to derive more relief, and pleasure too with any luck, from his hardth than from her hands, so even if she had to force him to it she intended to fill herself with him within the hour, but she’d far rather he were willing, better yet that he were ardent.
Plans laid, she proceeded to undress and hung her clothes on the branches of a nearby fallen tree making sure her secretions were upper most and her heady musk filled the air. She’d noted a number of times Otday was particularly sensitive to her scent though suspected he was neither aware what it was he was scenting nor had maekt the connection between her scent and his body’s reaction to it. She gave Otday sight of her breasts and mons and bent over a couple of times facing away from him so as to afford him a view of her opening softth. She knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid watching her and she could feel her softth readying in anticipation.
Turner wasn’t a big woman and watching her as she waded into the water Otday was surprised by the wiedth of her hips compared with her narrow waist. He was aroused by the sight of her swaying cotte(6) as her legs disappeared into the deeper water and the sight of her softth as it appeared between the full and lune like halves of her cotte as they separated on her bending over mesmerised him. He was briefly puzzled by something quite small that seemed to appear in between her separating softth. He’d thought only males had aught there and had never seen or heard of labia. For one folkbirtht he was remarkably ignorant of much due to his lack of friends and hence their conversations which was in large part how the Folk became educated. He’d never gone swimming in the Little Arder on sunny summer afternoons where he would have seen any number of naked girls and women of all ages, for being disliked by most of his peer group and of nearly no self esteem he’d never been able to force himself to face the possibility of the same disdain he had received when he’d askt girls to dance with him in the Greathall, though unknown to him he would have been better thought of had he done so.
Turner was waist deep when she submerged before turning to face him. Her wet nipples were crinkled by the chilling breeze and seemed to be pointing slightly upwards from her substantial but firm breasts. No expert on breasts, or aught else concerning women, Otday thought she looked beautiful, and noted her breasts like her hips and cotte were bigger than they’d seemed when she’d been clothed. “I sayt bathtime! I’m not travelling with either of us stinking when we don’t have to. When there’s no choice that’s different, so strip and bathe and bring that soap with you.” Otday was embarrassed, but did as he was telt, and as he draped his clothes on the tree with hers he was aware the intriguing scent that always surrounded Turner was much stronger than he had ever noticed before. It was intoxicating and it emanated from her knickers. Reluctantly, but hurriedly, he forced himself away from the almost irresistible temptations of Turner’s knickers, before he embarrassed himself beyond redemption by picking them up, and ran to the water.
He was bright red as he ran, for his hardth was fully extended and Turner was watching him closely. He wasn’t as big as Tibok, but then she wasn’t as big as Shwetha, and she thought Otday was bigger compared with herself than Tibok was compared with Shwetha. His manhood was easily a foot long and at four wiedths every bit as thick as Tibok’s organ and her softth was impatient. The water was cold and as it laved his scrotum he felt himself shrinking. The pain caused by the stitches pulling was rapidly quenched by the cold. “Pass me the soap and turn berount. I’ll wash your back. Then you can wash mine.” Turner was surprisingly gentle washing his tender, newly healed back and said dispassionately, “That must have been some thrashing.”
Other than with himself, Turner washing his back was Otday’s first sexual experience, and he was grateful the water covered the evidence of his involuntary arousal. When she washed his buttocks he was terrified as he felt her fluttering fingers pushing him towards climax. He didn’t dare try to stop her and part of him yearnt for her to continue and touch his hardth, which was now so painfully full he knew her slightest touch would flight his instant release, and part of him was mortified and wisht he’d dien. Turner rinsed his back, reached for his hardth and stroked it twice before the inevitable occurred.
Calmly as though naught had happened she said, “Now me.” She passed him the soap and with an enigmatic smile caressed his now softer manhood. She smiled altogether differently as she noted how quickly he was recovering, and was delighted when she realised her thumb and middle finger nowhere near met berount his manhood even when flacid. As he became turgid her thumb and finger were forced apart further and her arousal was such that she had to force herself to be patient, for her softth was hot, almost liquid and desperate to engulf him.
As Otday washed her back he marvelled at the softth of her skin. He was reluctant to wash her buttocks but she said, “Continue. Wash my cotte too.” When he’d rinsed her off she turned and asked, “Are you going to wash the rest of me too, Otday? I’ve seen you watching me, and I’m not witless. I know you’d like to touch me, and I enjoy being toucht. It would be unnatural if you weren’t interestet after smelling my scent on my clothes. I have a powerful scent and am aware of the effect it has on men, especially young men. I seeën the effect it had on you in the few seconds before the water covert you. You are young and, I hope, vigorous, so having spent yourself you should be able to make the next time last. I am willing, for I have unmet bedding needs, and it would be flaught for us not to assist each other in the matter.
“Your father askt me to turn you into one who would be able to take a respectet man’s place in the Folk, and he telt me if I couldn’t he doetn’t wish you to return. He loves you, but doesn’t wish to see you become a despiest outcast. I’m sure he doetn’t mean me to make you a man in every way, but he gave you into my care. It’s one of the standard terms in the waggoners’ instrument of apprenticeship that he and your mum signt. So let’s move to shallower water to have better access to each other before you wash my breasts and softth. We’ll see where that leads us and have spaech of it later.” Otday was bright red and Turner’s latest touch had brought him to instant full arousal. As she knoewn Otday was captive to her scent and his youth maekt him powerless to resist her advances. Perceptive and honest, she considered there was in truth an element of vaucht in her manipulation of Otday, but having been tormented and manipulated by those like Otday for most of her early life she didn’t care, for none, not even Otday, would ever know. His iron hard manhood was more than a match for his dough soft will.
Turner had to put his hands to her breasts, for, as she realised, his self esteem after what he had been through was nearly non-existent. She enjoyed encouraging him to take their weighth in his hands and to run his fingers berount her hardent, crinkelt nipples. She maekt him aware of the different textures of her nipples, areolae and breasts, and she shuddered in pleasure as he ran the backs of his fore fingers down their concave upper surface stopping briefly to squeeze her nipples between them and his thumbs before continuing with his fore fingers down their convex lower surface. She was encouraged by the pleasure she heard in his sharp intake of breath when she lightly nipped his nipples with her teeth, so she bit his chest and neck a little more fiercely and was delighted by the stirring she felt gainst her belly. She put one of his hands to her now fully lubricated softth and encouraged him to explore her. She taught him to fondle and gently tease the labia he’d been puzzled by and then under instruction as he probed her softth she said, “Gently, slowly, Otday, a woman’s softth is delicate and easily hurt. Just one finger at a time. Let me get uest to it. My increasing arousal will cause my secretions to lubricate your way and I’ll give and accommodate all in time, but slowly and gently, at first any hap.”
Otday was beginning to put his fears aside as Turner taekt his hardth in her hands and kissed him. His iron hard manhood which had never been so full was painful from the pressure, and her vice like hands with the sharp edges of her finger nails were an agony of delight. He wasn’t sure whose blood it was he could taste as during her increasingly violent and bruising kisses her tongue explored his tongue, teeth, lips and, at one point he was sure, his throat, but it didn’t matter, not even when her kisses became bites, for her scent was dominating his desires and there were no longer any distinctions between pleasure and pain. He wasn’t sure whether it were the pain of her clamping pumping hands or the violence of the kisses or even the shock of Turner closing his fingers together and engulfing his entire hand before repeatedly driving herself down on it that gave him the most violent, ecstatically painful and protracted flow of his essence he’d ever experienced. Towards the end and short of breath, she’d gasped, “Form your hand into a fist and punch back into me as I thrust gainst you.” He was sure her plunging the inner limits of her softth onto his knuckles must have been as painful as her finger nails gouging into his hardth had been and he’d been every bit as rough as she whilst they kissed. He was also sure she had enjoyed it as much as he.
A minute later Turner was still quaking as she eased herself from berount his hand and said, “That was gratifying, but mercy I need to get out of this water betimes, it’s becoming too calt, but not just yet.” She kissed him, gently this time, and putting his fingers back to her softth said, “Caress me. Just a little higher than there. You’re seeking what feels like a small bud and it usually hides neath its cloak. Ah! That’s it. Pleasure causes it to grow too big to hide. Stroke it, squeeze it, and berount it and its cloak too. It won’t take long now.” It was during that gentle, prolonged after-orgasm that as she gently cupped his scrotum she felt the stitches. Finally satiated, she led him by the hand out of the lake and to Otday’s mortification telt him to kneel down on all fours so she could see. Aflait of not doing as she telt him, he embarrassedly, but immediately, complied, and as she examined him she asked, “How doet that happen and who stitcht it? I could have doen it better than that and I’m no healer, though like a lot of waggoners and other folk who craft away from the Keep I’ve had the emergency healer training.”
Otday forgot all Jed had said as, sobbing like a weän(7) into her bosom, he telt her of that nightmare night. Turner now understood why he’d sounded as though he were begging her to take him at their first meeting, and decided eating was a lower priority than assuaging Otday’s hurts. She threw a blanket berount his shoulders and leaving him sobbing she dresst in fresh clothes, lit the fire and organised their bedding. When all was ready she taekt him to their bed, undresst and telt him, “I’ll look again nextday at noon when the light is better.” It certainly was no magical night of wonder for Otday, but it did restore his damaged and bruised mind. For Turner, the sex in the lake had been the best of her life, and she had not enjoyed herself that much in many years. She was aware that the tension between them that had caused her to be so harsh with Otday had gone. She wasn’t desperate for an agreän, many waggoners weren’t, and to her knowledge, other than herself, none of the changt had ever had an agreän, but a lover as good as Otday, who had learnt remarkably quickly and still had a long way to go, who travelled with her as hers would make life considerably pleasanter and easier too. Men who enjoyed sex that violent were rare and to be treasured, for not even Swegn, who was more like her than any other she’d ever met, was that enlightened.
Many of the women she provided goods and the service to were understanding and willing to lend her their man for the night, but more were not, and pleasuring herself just wasn’t the same. It couldn’t even compare with a man pleasuring her with his fingers, and Otday, who was unusually responsive to her scent, had remarkably skilled fingers. She examined the bruises and bites on her breasts that had given her so much pleasure. Otday had given her them as he’d pinched, squeezed and bitten her whilst she’d sunk her nails into his thighs and the solid muscles of his buttocks hard enough to make him bleed. ‘Mercy that was good. On the whole,’ she reflected, ‘I’d be flaught to ever let him go, and I’ll keep the best for last.’
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
91 Morgelle, Tuyere, Fritillary, Bistort, Jed, Otday, The Squad, Turner, Gudrun, Ptarmigan, Swegn, Campion, Otis, Asphodel, Jana, Treen, Xeffer, Stonechat, Bekka, Vikki, Carley, Beatrix, Jackdaw
92 Turner, Otday, Mackerel, Eorl, Betony, The Council, Will, Yew, Basil, Gerald, Oier, Patrick, Happith, Angélique, Kroïn, Mako
93 Beth, Greensward, Beatrix, Odo, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Otday, Turner, Gace, Rachael, Groundsel, Irena, Warbler, Jed, Mayblossom, Mazun, Will, The Squad
94 Bistort, Honey, Morgelle, Basil, Willow, Happith, Mako, Kroïn, Diana, Coaltit, Gær, Lavinia, Joseph (son), Ruby, Deepwater, Gudrun, Vinnek, Tuyere, Otday, Turner
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. There is now an appendix of Folk words and language and one of places, food, animals, plants and minerals too. Both follow the story chapters.
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, or the past tense of the verb.
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 Fluüff, pronounced flue + uff, (flu:ᴧf), a fermented cereal powder. Different makers use different combinations of cereals, but all include some rye. When steamed, fluüff rises into a dark coloured, porous, substantial cake which is then soaked in a fruit and honey syrup. Fluüff is selt as small cubes on fresh edible leaves of many kinds and is a gloriously sticky confection much loved by children from the age of one to one hundred and one. Fluüff are similar to Idlis which are maekt in Southern India from broken rice grains and pulses, though usually served a a savoury staple in place of rice.
2 Bringen, brought.
3 Besott, besotted.
4 Unintendet, in this context a woman without a man whom she intends to marry, equivalent to unengaged, the term strictly may apply equally to a man but is rarely uest thus.
5 To ratch, to rummage or search for something. A ratch, a look, a search.
6 Cotte, Folk word for a female bottom, male is cot. Both words are respectable and uest by all. Both derive from apricot which like buttocks have a defined cleft. The default is the feminine, like most but not all Folk words. Cotte would be uest for example for a babe of unspecified sex.
7 A babe is a child still being breast fed and a weän is a young child who has been weaned, in theory any way, off the breast.
