Some commonly used words are after the list of characters. 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 at the end of the chapter. Appendix 1 Folk words and language usage, Appendix 2 Castle places, food, animals, plants and minerals, Appendix 3 a lexicon of Folk and Appendix 4 an explanation of the Folk calendar, time, weights and measures. All follow the story chapters.
1st of Vilar Day 269
The weather had become treacherous, and few ventured outside. Though there were now just over six hours of daylight there had been several thaw and freeze cycles on roofs above well heated spaces which had partially melted snow on roofs and refrozen it into heavy, sharp-edged ice slabs which, if they slid off a roof, were capable of cutting a person in half, and despite the heavy snow-retaining bars at the eves, slabs of ice regularly slid off roofs. It was not unexpected, the beginning of Vilar was usually the worst time of the year regularly producing the coldest temperatures of the winter, and the Folk were especially vigilant concerning the safety of children. As usual, the ingeniators(1) had locked most of the doors to the courtyard, and the Council had decreed they stayt locked till the ingeniators considered it safe to unlock them. The ingeniators kept the few remaining open doors safe to use, though few chose to use them preferring to go the long way using the Keep walkways.
Basil had formed his volunteers, sweeps and any he could spare into temporary firekeeping gangs, and hot soup was disappearing from the kitchens as fast as Iola’s one hundred and odd crafters and the nearly two hundred volunteers could produce it. Iola’s kitchens were making so much soup they had been close to running out of fuel wood a few times, so Basil put extra volunteers into Ilsa’s gang of firekeepers and permanently assigned her gang the soup kitchens as their priority.
Iola’s Mymate was disappearing faster than Joseph could supply the yeast sludge it was maekt from. Fortunately Crag, and two apprentices, Sgœnne and Waternut, had been blending the sediments from all the beers Joseph maekt, not just the dark ones, and Crag had the intention of trying wine sediments too when available. They had managed to reduce the raw sludge to a fraction of its original volume, and the heavily salted, seasoned paste kept without any deterioration in taste in the cold chambers where there were shelves with hundreds of corked one gallon, glass jars of the concentrate on them. Iola telt Crag, “I’ll use it after you have blendet it but before you concentrate, salt and season it because that’s less work for you, Crag, and it will save the cost of the salt, but I am grateful the calt chambers can supply the extra I need. The samples we’re giving away don’t really make any difference.” Iola had provided Ivy’s cooks, with several jars asking only that they telt her of their failures as well as successes so she could record them in her kitchens’ books. She had also put it berount that free samples were available to any on the same terms. Crag had asked if they should not sell it to help the finances. “Till we know what it’s worth, no. Marmite was expensive whence I came, and giving it away at least does not permanently under price it. In any case what we should get for a few samples would be little even if it be selt for an over high price.”
Crag had nodded in understanding and asked, “How shall we know how to price it?”
“We wait. Eventually it will price itself. On a different matter, how is your work on the other sauces proceeding?”
“It’s difficult because the fermentations proceed slowly due to the caltth, but we are convincet, though we may not be able to produce exactly what you are familiar with, we shall be able to produce products that will be useful to your crafters. We’ll probably have samples ready for you in three lunes.”
When Iola had telt Dabchick and Crag of the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and fermented black beans, she had been surprised by Crag’s questions which maekt her remember far more than she realised she knew concerning their manufacture. That she must have read it in magazines she knew, but she had no memory of having done so.
The soup kitchens managed to keep up with demand, but the Mymate was boosting many a soup that would elsewise have been substandard due to lack of time. Iola was already thinking how to improve things next year, and she’d ordered yet another pair of one hundred gallon kettles, and a stove to suit them. Milligan had telt Roebuck the new stove was a priority if his ingeniators wished the soup supply to keep up with their demand, and they’d started within the hour. Polecat had his kitcheners(2) and squads of volunteers taking cans of hot soup and leaf to the ingeniators and all who had to craft outside to keep water flowing and make life possible for the rest of the Keep. All of which was routine every year. Whilst times a group of George’s crafters were constructing and positioning the light weighth three stride diameter tunnel sections providing easier access to Outgangside as fast as they could. The walk from the Keep to Outgangside was becoming easier every day. The tunnel sections started inside one of the gate houses, stopped at the first gate portcullis, resumed at the outer gate portcullis and were on their way to terminate in one of the larger warehouses at Outgangside.
“Is there aught else we can be doing?” Yew asked the Council.
“Yew, you ask us that every year and the answer is always the same. Let folk craft in short bursts and warm up twixt times, keep the soup and leaf flowing and the fires high.” Will grinned, “And be grateful for plentiful food and fuel stores, Ingeniators’ Gnocchi and Gage’s squad.”
There was an appreciative laugh at the last two. All had tried the fiery Ingeniators’ Gnocchi that Will was so fond of, and it was known, even in the cold, the squad were still working the ferrets and small dogs in their ever vigilant search for vermin, and out hunting in the warmer afternoons at every opportunity.
Campion when asked by Medlar the Master miner if there were are there any developments concerning the Turners, replied, “Swegn telt me the changt are honing their self defence skills, and discussion is ongoing concerning Will’s idea of them at least cross crafting as guardians. He sayt many findt the idea attractive and many younger Turners would be happy to take up the craft full time. He sayt he will be having spaech with Will when he knows a little more. All is ready for fiveteen changt children to be evacuatet, Swegn’s word not mine, to safety at various holdings as soon as the weather allows. How that has been arranget given the recent weather I have no idea and he clearly was not going to tell me.”
The gossip was disappointing, none had dien, the youngsters were obviously keeping tightly wrapped in the cold since there were no agreements of the young, which were oft followed by a birth a few lunes after. Raspberry’s girl babe Lisette was a perfectly normal and hale child. The only birth of even minimal interest was Bruanaʼs boy babe Ianto, birtht lasteve, and that was only vaguely interesting because though Ianto was a very old and traditional Folk name Noah’s father was named Evan, which apparently had Yanto as a usename.(3) All very disappointing, the brandy almost maekt up for it, but not quite.
1st of Vilar Day 269
Faith was reaching the end of her pregnancy. She wasn’t particularly big, but she was permanently tired, and her back and feet ached constantly when standing. She was occasionally tearful, but in the main was happy, and very glad she was approaching the end. She had passed her fifty-fourth birthday eight lunes pregnant and had asked the midwifes if the archives had such a thing in them. They looked, and Kæn’s wife, Janice Mistress archivist, who was now three lunes pregnant, had looked as far back as the archives went, and said there were any number of records of women of Faith’s age being pregnant though none with twins. There were a few dozen records of women between sixty and seventy birthing and two very old records referring to old women being pregnant, but they did not specify how old the women were though the context suggested older than seventy. What was of great interest to the midwifes were the several records that referred to women in their middle fifties who had never birtht, experienced menopause and then like Faith unexpectedly became pregnant. Of even greater interest, those women all went on to have large families, recommencing their lunetimes(4) and remaining fertile till at least their late sixties. When Faith telt Oak of the records he had kissed her and asked, “How would you feel regards having another dozen? For it seems that is what you are suggesting.”
“I’d love it, but…”
“But what?”
Faith was reluctant but eventually replied,“As a Councillor you will have heavy demands on your time and be torn regards responsibility to the Folk and to your family. I don’t will you feeling guilty.”
“Don’t worry, Love. I’ll make the time, and Jason is a sensible and responsible young man well able to craft on his own. Wolf opines, young as he is, he is not far off Mastery. He will enjoy the responsibility of managing the forge, which will enhance his status, and when he needs help will wait and ask for it when I, or some other smith, am available. I know how much you would enjoy having more and I shall enjoy it no less than you.
Lilly had just had her first lunetime, and though her hormones were now beginning to make her temperament a little erratic, she was naytheless a great help to her mum, but her brothers were tending to avoid her. Faith had asked Lilly when Irena was examining her if she wished to watch the birth.
Lilly had mixt feelings, and looked questioningly at Irena who said, “It can be frightening to see someone you love birthing. Childbirth is messy, and can involve pain, but it is a woman thing: the ultimate expression of our femininity. The memory of it is short, and a babe at the breast seems to clear the mind of any unpleasantth. I can’t advise you on this, all I can tell you is if you watch you will grow up as a result and will never be the same again. It depends on how long you wish to retain your childhood. I shall be with your mum, and if you wish to be with us you are welcome.”
Lilly looked at Faith who said, “I have watcht other women birthing, and what Irena says is correct, but I had to deal with my envy too. I should have given aught to experience what those women were going through.”
She said the last with tears in her eyes, and Lilly squeezed her hand saying, “You are now, Mum. Do you wish me there? Please tell me what you will. Don’t say it’s up to me.”
Faith taekt a deep breath, and replied, “Yes, I do.”
Lilly hugged her mum, and said, “I should like to be there then.”
Irena put her hand on Lilly’s shoulder, and telt her, “As I said it’s a woman thing. You are becoming a woman and like the rest of us you will wish the experience. No matter how many times you watch, or how many babes you have birtht as a midwife, it is not the same as birthing. We all want to be a mother.” She went on in a much quieter voice,“It will be plain to all soon. I am three lunes pregnant. I know my back will make the birth more difficult, but I am a woman, and I want to be a mother. I shall deal with those difficulties as they arise. I think you maekt the right choice, Lilly. The more you know of such things the better.”
That had been four days since. Faith and Oak had long since chosen the names for the twins, Jocelyn and Lætitia should they be girls, Mica and Quartz should they be boys and Jocelyn and Mica should there be one of each. A lune since Peregrine had delivered the twin crib which was an exquisitely crafted piece. Granny Ellen had maekt enough clothes for a dozen babes, and Faith and Lilly had maekt bedding to fit the crib. It was nine in the forenoon when Irena came for one of what were now her daily visits and Ellen and Lilly were with Faith whilst Irena examined her. Faith askt, “What are the twitches due to, Irena?”
Irena said, “Someone put the kettle on for a mug of leaf. I’ll go back to the infirmary to pack some things, Faith, because these babes are arriving thisday, or possibly early nextday forenoon, but I suspect thiseve. I shall be back in three quarters of an hour.”
Irena left to pack what ever it was she required, and Ellen and Lilly looked at Faith who said, “At last.”
Lilly went to make leaf, and left it by the fire so it was still hot when Irena returned. They spake of babes, nursing and of other pregnant women. Irena was willing to discuss her own pregnancy and marriage, and she explained she would be obviously pregnant, but her back hid her shape somewhat. She telt them of Ousel’s shock and delight when she braekt the news, and said, “I know folk are naturally inquisitive regards us, but I said yes when he asked me to marry him because he’s the only man I have ever met who doesn’t even see my back. He just loves me because I’m me. His reasons for marrying me were strangely similar. Because of his looks, and I do know he’s very good-looking, he’d met a lot of women younger than I who wanted to collect him. All they saw was his face, and he wanted to be seen as a man not just a face. I’m older, and I see all of him, and I love him because he is Ousel.”
They continued chatting, and after what Irena had telt them of herself and Ousel, Lilly was quite happy to discuss her growing relationship with Gage. The older women all agreed he was a good young man, and she was being sensible by not rushing aught. Irena stayed for lunch, and Faith had her first birthing pains during lunch. She let it pass, and insisted she was going to finish her lunch because she doubted she would be having any dinner. Her pains were neither severe nor frequent for most of the afternoon, but the one that taekt her by surprise just before Oak and the boys returned from the forge maekt Irena say, “I think it’s time to have you to your bed, and put a bed jacket on, Faith.”
When Oak came home he said, “I’ll take the boys, and we’ll go and stay the night in the suite of chambers Abel has readyt for him and his grandsons for when Honesty has hers.
Faith knew if she had asked him Oak would have been with her for the birth. She also knew his wife Rose who had dien of the fevers had lost a child birthing. Oak had been there, and he could still become distressed by the memory. She had telt him a long time since to take care of the others, and she would take care of the twins. Faith’s birthing continued in a normal and natural way though, as Irena had telt her it could be, it was sometimes frightening for Lilly. Granny held her hand and said, “It’s all proceeding as it should, there is no cause for alarm, Love.”
Irena was checking the dilation of Faiths cervix, and telt Lilly to look, and she uest the experience as though Lilly were an apprentice midwife explaining before birthing started the extent of dilation was not the reliable predictor of birthing many believed. It was half to nine when Irena said, “You can see the head of the first babe now, Lilly, and the babe is positioned for birth. This is referred to as crowning whence I come, and the word is now being uest by Folk midwifes too. I suspect very soon you will have a brother or a sister, Lilly.” Irena knew her craft, and Jocelyn was birtht three minutes later. Irena handled the newbirtht girl with great care and skill for a quick examination whilst she cried. Faith was desperate to have her babe back, and Irena put the child to her breast. Both mother and child settled immediately. Irena meanwhile was examining Faith, and continued to explain things to Lilly. She telt her of the importance of a babe’s first cry to make its lungs work, the sterility required when making the double tie and subsequent cutting of the umbilical cord, which she always left for a few minutes, and she was checking for any tearing which may require subsequent stitching. She shewed Lilly there was none adding a slow and gradual birthing allowed the skin to stretch rather than tear.
Lilly said, “Stitching must really hurt.”
“Not if it is done quickly and skilfully. The process of childbirth produces powerful natural painkillers(5) in the mother’s blood, and calm, unstressed mums produce more of them, which is a good reason for allowing a mum to have whatsoever and more particularly whomsoever she wants with her during birthing.”
Lilly had noticed immediately after Jocelyn was birtht it was almost as if in her haste to have her hands on her babe her mum had been unaware of all else. Faith nursing Jocelyn held her hand out to Lilly, and Lilly holding her hand said, “It’s wonderful, Mum.”
Twenty minutes later Lætitia was birtht. After the birth of Jocelyn, which had been somewhat frightening for Lilly, she knew what to expect and was taking in more of the details given by Irena. Lætitia was a breech birth, and the umbilical cord was wrapped berount her, but Irena calmly dealt with the matter pushing Lætitia back a little and easing the cord in the right direction as she slowly manœuvred and controlled her entry into the world. Not long after, the single placenta shared by the babes was birtht, and Irena explained identical twins shared a placenta, but non-identical twins did not.
After Faith had been cleant up, maekt comfortable, was the phrase uest by Irena, Lilly became aware for the first time, as Irena had telt her, birthing was messy. Faith had had her hands on her daughters for long enough to nurse both and settle both of them and herself. Irena continued to have spaech with Lilly regards the process and telt her if she looked at Jocelyn’s skull she could see it was depressed on one side and Lætitia had a slightly twisted foot. She explained this was common in twins, and it was because of a relative lack of space at the lower end of Faith’s womb, and since babe’s bones were soft and flexible these issues would resolve themselfs in a tenner or two. Lætitia’s foot could be aided by a gentle massage she would shew her how to do.
Irena pointed out how Faith’s breasts had enlarged a little over the last hour, and how her nipples were the ideal shape for nursing. She explained the production of the first milk, colostrum she called it, which was oft yellow or even sunset(6) and tended to be slightly thicker than milk, started during pregnancy and it contained many substances that protected the newbirtht from a multitude of haelth problems. The production of the proper milk, she explained, was initiated by the birthing of the placenta, and the milk was mixt with the colostrum for a few days during which time the colostrum production decreased and the proper milk production increased. She explained the main milk flow could come in any where from a day to several days after a babe was birtht. She spake of inverted nipples and how in most cases the problem could be managed so as to enable successful nursing.
Ellen listening, asked regards the last, “Do the other midwifes know of that?”
Irena smiled and replied, “They do now. Like all the midwifes, Suki and I regularly speak at our meetings so we can all learn what the others know.”
Lilly had been thoughtful for a minute or so and said, “That was a wonderful experience and what you have telt me maekt it even more so and fascinating. It must be wonderful to be a midwife.”
“It is,” said Irena, “of course it can be sad too, but yes it is wonderful most of the time.”
Shyly Lilly remarked, “I have oft wondert what I should do for a craft. I considert cooking for a long time, but I really should like to be a midwife.”
“I know,” said Irena. “I can always tell. Why do you think I explained so much? I don’t do that with all the girls watching a birth. You tell me when you are ready for apprenticeship, and I shall sponsor you to the craft. You don’t have to wait till you are fourteen, I don’t believe in wasting time. Spaek with your parents first and tell me your decision. Would you like to watch another birth? Honesty is due within a few days, and if I’m sponsoring you to the craft you need to learn as much as you can as soon as you can.”
Lilly didn’t hesitate, “Yes, I should like to do that, and I shall spaek to Mum and Dad as soon as I can of apprenticeship.” Lilly turned to Faith and her sisters, who were so small, and asked, “Mum, may I go and tell Dad and the boys now?”
Faith said, “Bring them back with you I wish all my family hither. I’m tiren but I feel wonderful.”
“That,” said Irena, “will wear off as the natural painkillers in your body run out. Go and fetch them, Lilly, or your mum will only fret. That’s the first rule of midwifery: keep mum happy, and everybody else is. I’ll weigh your sisters for the record, your mum will eventually want to know.” When Lilly returned it was an emotional family event. Irena said Jocelyn and Lætitia were a feather under and over two weights [4 pounds, 2Kg] respectively, and she chased most of the family out from Faith’s presence. Faith was tiring now, for, as Irena had said, her natural painkillers were wearing off. Irena telt them she would return nextday and bring a herbal with her and left the family in Ellen’s competent hands.
2nd of Vilar Day 270
Veronica was as near as she could calculate six and a half lunes pregnant. She and Mast had arrived back at the Keep with a mixt load, and had decided to take a tenner doing naught other than what they fancied before embarking on their last trip before they returned for Veronica to birth her babe. Mast had gone to have spaech with Vinnek and the wainwrights to see what progress had been maekt with the two part pole for his team. Veronica, seeking him, had gone to Vinnek’s workshop where she’d been telt he had gone to the huntsman’s stables to possibly buy a young horse or two, which she knew he’d wished to do. When she arrived at the huntsman’s stables she asked for her husband and was telt by a boy grooming a magnificent black stallion he had not seen him that day. She looked hard at the boy, who looked familiar, dredged her memory, and asked, “Are you a son of Alan and Jane?”
Chris had become so integrated into his new life he had virtually forgotten his origins, and he automatically replied, “No. Beatrix is my mum, and I am one of Jackdaw’s sons.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just you have the look of couple I knew, Alan Offaly and his wife Jane.”
Chris said grimly, “I had forgett, but yes they were my parents before I came here. I was their youngest child, Chris.”
The tersth of Chris’ response maekt Veronica wary, and rather than admitting she was a relative of his mother’s she said, “I knew your mother from us being girls, Christopher, and my husband was a friend of your father.”
Chris was startled at being addresst as Christopher for the first time since his incursion. He, remembering how poor his life had been as compared with now, said, “If you knoewn my mother it is more than I can say I doet. I don’t believe she ever spake to me more than a dozen times in my life, and I was never sure she knoewn who I was. I was my father’s sixth son, and as such mattert little to him. I have forgett most of my life before I came here because there I was not considert to be of any value by persons who should have lovt me, and there was little worth remembering. Here, folk, whom I had no real claim on, have a care to me, and I have a care to them. We are a proper family. If you are like my DNA donors, then I suggest you give that babe you are carrying away to someone who will love it and have a care to it. Decent folk have a care to their children, no matter how inconvenient it may be, and I am glad I am here. One day I shall have children, and I shall love them as I was never lovt. None should only have Nanny to love and be lovt by because their parents just can’t be bothert.” At that Chris turned his back on Veronica and resumed grooming Sleipnir feeling happy because in having just expressed a lot of the angst he had felt to someone whom he could take his resentment out on, it was now gone, and having done so he knew he would never need to do so again.
What Chris had said hurt Veronica. She had reared, if that were an appropriate word, her children as he, and she herself, had been reared, and it had never occurred to her her children would feel towards her as Chris did towards Jane. He clearly resented that Jane had not loved and cared for him as he felt she should have done and did not regard his nanny’s care as an adequate substitute. That he regarded his life with his new parents here as much better than his previous life, despite the loss of his aristocratic lifestyle, yet again maekt her consider what really mattered. She realised Chris despite his lack of years had come to the same conclusion as herself, Castle was a better place to live than Earth, irrespective of one’s station. She resolved to wait a little before she explained to Chris she was a second cousine of his mother’s. She intended to tell him how life had been for her, and she appreciated his feelings. She was also going to tell him now she was here and pregnant, she was going to rear and love her babe as he believed a babe should be reared and loved, as she had so come to believe too, and she would like him to acknowledge her babe as his younger cousin. Like Chris, she was happier here, and did not wish to return, but the tenuous link he provided with their past was she considered not without value.
2nd of Vilar Day 270
Five days after the kitchen banquet, Douglas telt Iola he had numerous incomer acquaintances, whom he’d had spaech with, who mongst them would be able to manage a traditional Burns supper by next year. They were all writing down all they could remember of Burns’ works and anything else they thought remotely relevant, including tales of their new world. They would be able to pipe the haggis in because Euan, pipe major Euan McKay, was already having pipes maekt, which would be ready by then. Douglas asked if this time next year, he had calculated that the Burns supper should be held on the tenth of Luval, so they had only been a little late this time, could she arrange for them to manage the eve. Iola was delighted and asked if he would object if it were associated with the kitchens because she was sure Milligan would be proud to host the event, and Polecat would be delighted to handle the trivia of his requirements for such a formal occasion. She was correct, Milligan thought the idea would further enhance good relations mongst the kitchen staff and Polecat said his staff would enjoy their enhanced rôle at the banquet.
Iola asked Dabchick if it would be possible to invert an entire aurochs stomach or two to wash and prepare prior to stuffing for what would be a major ceremonial event worthy of the huge haggises. Dabchick’s reply was that given a year it would be no problem at all and she and her crafters would enjoy rising to the challenge, though she suggested new and much larger ovens would be required for cooking the haggises. Iola said she would spaek to the bakers rather than the meat cooks because Coriander had already mentioned having a pair of much bigger ovens maekt, primarily for the soup rolls. All were looking forward to the event and wondering what Milligan was going to request for their three banquets before then.
3rd of Vilar Day 271
Ellen advised Lilly to leave it a day before spaeking to her parents of apprenticing to Irena. She had done so and both Faith and Oak said it was a good decision, and if she wished to apprentice now there was no point in waiting. She had intended to have spaech with Irena regards it nextday, but after the eve meal Irena knocked on the door and telt her, “Honesty has started. So here’s your second lesson in midwifery. Babes can’t tell the time. Put a coat on and let’s go. There’s no rush, I think it’ll be the middle of the night before she has the babe, but we need to be there.”
Lilly looked at her parents and Ellen and said, “No doubt it will become less exciting with experience, but not for some while I hope. I’ll be back when I’m back.”
Faith said, “May hap, Lilly, but exciting or no when your craft Mistress demands your presence, you have to go.”
“It doesn’t you know. Become less exciting I mean,” said Irena. On the way to Honesty’s Lilly telt Irena of her decision, and Irena said, “Good. Consider yourself an apprentice midwife as of now. I’ll have it all formalised with Gosellyn when I awaken nextday.”
Peter was present and held Honesty’s hand throughout the eve, and though Honesty’s birthing was a normal and a relatively easy one, she’d had three babes before, he was apprehensive and worried for his wife. Lilly was able to be much more objective regards Honesty’s birthing than that of her mum, and Irena was giving her apprentice as much information as she thought she could take, including of the normality of Peter’s fears. Peter smiled at her as it did reassure him. Honesty’s breasts were already full, and she had nursed Bella twice whilst the midwifes had been there. Irena pointed out to Lilly they were unbelike to become much larger, but they would fill faster as the newbirtht’s requirement grew when the placenta would no longer be causing Honesty to produce a lesser amount of the nutrient rich colostrum, and its absence allowed her main milk flow to come in.
Honesty said in mock horror, “I’ll have to lean backward to walk. They’re already trying to put my nose to the ground.”
Irena chuckled and said, “Lucky you. When I have mine, that option won’t be available to me.” Honesty didn’t know Irena was pregnant, and that topic of conversation kept them going till Honesty was occupied with her babe’s birthing. Yæna was birtht three hours after midnight and was a hale girl babe of four weights.
Peter was relieved when Yæna finally maekt her appearance and what he thought of as Honesty’s ordeal was over. By the time Honesty had been maekt comfortable, he had his emotions under control, and when he heard Bella cry he went to change her. After doing so he brought her back to Honesty who was nursing Yæna. Bella was still crying, and Honesty said, “Give her to me, Love, she wishes to be nurst.”
Peter looked questioningly at Irena who said, “It’s let Honesty nurse her now, or have no sleep. It’ll be easier to learn how to manage two hungry babes now than it will be later when you’ll be exhaustet from lack of sleep.”
Honesty taekt Bella off him, and with an extra pillow managed to nurse Bella and Yæna. When Bella had finished, after winding her, Peter put her back in her crib, and went to make the leaf Honesty had requested. Whilst drinking leaf Irena said they would wait a little longer before going, but they would be back after lunch.
As Irena and Lilly left for some sleep Irena said, “Well, Apprentice, still enjoying the craft?”
“Yes,” replied Lilly, trying to suppress a yawn.
“Good, because I expect you to be in attendance when I have mine, and I’ll want to see your notes afterwards.” They both laught. Lilly had come to the conclusion Irena wasn’t only good at her craft she was an intelligent, interesting and entertaining woman who maekt it easy for others to have fun in her company, and she no longer noticed Irena’s back.
Honesty’s boys were sent for after braekfast the nextday, and were thrilled at their new little sister who was even smaller than Bella had been.
5th of Vilar Day 273
Beatrix’s mother had been named Anne and, Beatrix and Jackdaw had decided to name their babe Joanne after Beatrix’s school friend Joa and her mother should she be a girl and Harrion after Jackdaw’s father should he be a boy. Beatrix had been eleven when her mother had died from a seizure and Harrion, a hunter, had beeen killed by a bear when Jackdaw was a boy of ten.
Beth had wished to watch a birth for some time, but she’d not been sure that she willen to watch her sibling’s birth, for she did not will to see her mum in pain, but Beatrix not understanding Beth’s reasons had insisted, “Beth, you are a girl, and it’s what girls do here. Whether you are able to give birth or no is beside the point, you are a girl. Much more to the point is I want my only daughter with me, mostly for me, but also to keep your dad calm. Ok?”
Beth had tears in her eyes as she hugged her mum and said, “Ok, Mum.
Master midwife Otter accompanied by apprentice Luval birtht Joanne with Beth and Jackdaw in attendance at just over five in the forenoon. For Beatrix it had been an uncomfortable night, though Otter telt her for a woman of her age having her first she had had an easy time of it. “Your future births should be no different from those of any other previous mother, Beatrix.”
Stunned Beatrix had asked, “You think I’ll be able to have more, Otter?”
“I see no reason why not. From what you telt me, Beatrix, despite suffering from difficult lunesickth more than most, you’re nowhere near your lunetimes ceasing. None of us have any idea why, but many newfolk who were barren before their incursion become pregnant here. It is a well documentet phenomenon. Too, it is well documentet that some folkbirtht had been barren till their lunetimes ceast, oft ceasing early, and then they proceedet to have large families in their fifties and sixties.”
The boys had been up all night and Bittern had said at gone three in the forenoon, “At least Beth and Dad are there and know what’s going on. This waiting is just unbearable.”
Wayland telt him, “Trust me, Bittern, you really would not wish to be there. Unless you’re a male midwife, and medics are all a bit odd, childbirth from a bloke’s perspective is an appalling process. Dad will be going through hell. He’ll take it cos it’s Mum, but he won’t be liking it.”
“What about Beth, Wayland?” asked Chris.
“Females view the whole thing differently, and if you need proof she’s a girl you’ll get it when Mum has had the babe and Beth comes to tell us of it.”
Wayland had it in a tellin,(7) for when Beth came to tell them they had a sister Chris asked her, “What was it like, Beth? Is Mum ok?”
Beth shrugged and said, “Couples make love because they enjoy it and to have a family. Men make women pregnant and then women have babies. It’s how it works, Chris. Any woman will tell you whatever she goent through was worth it and she has little memory of the event.” Beth smiled and said, “Joanne is beautiful, and Mum is so happy. Luval sayt he’d call you in when Mum has been maekt comfortable.”
“How’s Dad?” asked Gage.
“Happy, relievt and ready for a drink. I sayt I’d tell you to get some brandy. Better make it some of the strong stuff for Dad.”
Beth left to return to Beatrix, and Wayland said, “That was a typical girl’s reaction to something that we’d consider to be a bloody nightmare, Chris. Let’s get that brandy before we see Mum and Joanne.”
The midwifes had left saying they would be back in the early eve. The boys had been to see their mum and sister and left when Beth indicated their mum needed some sleep. Jackdaw had said he’d be with them shortly. Before Jackdaw left Beatrix and Joanne to Beth’s care Beatrix was nursing when she said to him, “That was not a pleasant experience, but this,” she was indicating nursing, “is beyond anything anyone has telt me.” Joanne was falling asleep and Beatrix was nodding looking as though she was following her jerked awake and said, “If I can do it again I want a boy next time. Harrion.”
Before Jackdaw could reply Beatrix had fallen asleep and Beth took Joanne and without waking her put her in her crib. “I’ll look after Mum and Joanne, Dad. You join the boys. You look like you need that drink and I telt them to find some fifty hundredths for you.”
Jackdaw looked relieved and grateful. “Gratitude, Beth Love. I bethink me you’re right about the drink. I’ll be back later.”
11th of Vilar Day 279
Lunes over Tansy’s relatives had watched her expanding waistline and gradually disappearing rages with a great deal of satisfaction. Craig was a well thought of apprentice farrier who learnt quickly, but in the eyes of his new clansfolk his most significant accomplishment was the placing of a babe under his wife’s heart which he’d managed to accomplish within a handful of days of their meeting. After becoming pregnant Tansy’s interactions with all had become more distant and calmer as her developing babe took over her emotions, and she focussed on it’s needs. As she blossomed Tansy had asked Craig what his dad had been named and she loved the name Jonathan. They decided should the babe be a boy it would be named Jonathan after his grandda, and should it be a girl Rhame after her great-granddam. Tansy’s female clansfolk for the first time sought her to spend time with as they maekt babe clothes and the like.
Tansy was a big young woman with child bearing hips and Jonathan was birtht by Rhame after an easy six hours. With Jonathan at her breast Tansy was described for the first time by her elder clansfolk as a sweet child. “We’re all the same,” Rhame telt Blush. “On the birth of our first we all think we inventet motherhood and nursing. It usually wears off by the time we’ve weant our third.”
Blush who was sister to Alfalfa, Tansy’s mother, said, “Aye, Mother, but at sixteen she’s over old for her first. It’s a mercy Craig took her to wife, for like others in the clan I bethinkt myself she’d never find a man with that temper of hers, and the idea of her never calming down was not one I was happy with.”
“If you’re grateful, Love, just think how your sister feels.”
11th of Vilar Day 279
The fish powder produced from the dried, fish-head bones maekt a significant difference to the flavour of fish based soups, and Iola’s crafters were insistent that they should use all fish offcuts thus, including some of the washed out guts from larger fish. They all believed Iola was right in her view that all that could feed the Folk should feed the Folk.
Puffin said, “The effort is small, Iola. A few hours each a year to wash them out. It will cost us no effort to dry them over the flues, and you have already had the flue shelfs maekt. Once dryt, it is little effort to mill them. It will produce some thousands of weights a year of good food for the Folk and the crafting will provide placements for many who need one.”
Iola realised that Puffin was referring to those of limitations, and it was Puffin’s care to them that had convinced her it should be done. All knew Puffin had a brother of severe limitations who was seeking a craft, and her concern for the limited, who needed a craft too, maekt Iola consider other things. Why not dry all the bones from poultry and small game and mill them? And even dry the very small game and mill the entire carcass, meat, bones and all, like the slaters, the shrimp and the smaller little hunters. It would mean a fraction of the cooking time since the last bit of goodth and flavour would not need to be extracted as it would be in the powder added to soup. She decided that too should be done and consulted Briar of the Keep millers as to how big a bone her small mill could be expected to turn to powder. He was interested in her ideas and telt her any bones out of aught up to the size of a half year lamb she would be able to mill herself, but it would be best to only attempt bones half that size due to the effort required to operate her mill. He later telt her he had had spaech with Bay and Storm, her dad, concerning millstones and would be willing to put aught larger she sent him between a pair of crushing rollers and then mill them for either her use or for Ingot to use as flour in dog biscuits in return for eight hundredths of the resultant flour to offset the cost of Storm making the required stones. He also telt her the shafts of long marrow bones were not worth milling as they had no goodth in them and she would be better using them for stove fuel or even sending them to Hobby for the carvers to make sanno stones with. When Milligan heard of the arrangement he telt Gibb to renegotiate the arrangement. “Tell Briar we’ll pay for the stones. I’m sure that would be a more satisfactory arrangement to him than having to sell his share of the bone flour.”
Briar was happy with the new arrangement and said, “Since the kitchens are paying for the stones and because a coarser texture than grain or pulse flour is acceptable the flour won’t require boulting,(8) it will be much faster to process bone than grain, but I can’t put a price on the service, Gibb, because I have no idea how much faster. It would be better if I had a good quantity of bones to mill at each milling because changing the stones takes time to do safely, which has to be includet in the price. However, if there are enough bones to mill it would be worth having your stones sett with an additional drive as a permanent arrangement with their own crushing rollers. I’ll ask Judith what that would involve. We shall have to negotiate the cost when we both know considerably more.”
“That will have to do for the now, Briar. I’ll tell Milligan, but I know he will find it acceptable. I’ll ask Storm to start making the stones as soon as possible.”
Bjarni Puffin’s thirteen year old brother was severely limited, over eight feet tall and still growing. He was of a massive build and had the strongth to go with it. Mhairi and Kbion their parents had assumed he would join Basil’s firekeepers, but after listening to Puffin’s tales of the kitchens he had willen to be a cooks’ assistant. Puffin had sayt to her parents there was naught to be gained by waiting till Bjarni was fourteen, so she would take him to have spaech with Iola. Iola was having spaech with Dabchick when Puffin with Bjarni found her and explained why Bjarni was with her. Iola said, “I should certainly appreciate having you crafting for me, Bjarni, but it beseems me that you would be happier and find more to do with Dabchick’s crafters in the provisioners’ office. Your strongth would be invaluable there. Dabchick?”
Dabchick smiled at what she considered to be a gift from Castle, for still few willen to craft in the kitchens other than starting with Iola. “I and my crafters would make you well come, Bjarni. It is as Iola sayt your strongth will be invaluable. If you come with me I shall introduce you to Beatrix who will explain your crafting.”
Dabchick saw Iola’s eyebrows rise in surprise, for it was scarce a half tenner since Beatrix had birtht Joanna. In explanation she sayt, “I can’t keep her out of the kitchens. She sayt she was in danger of killing one of her boys if she stayt at home for they treat her like she is dieing. I know how she feels for Nigel is no different with me. Beth telt her to take Joanne with her to the kitchens, and even if she did no crafting at least she could tell the boys that if she was hale enough to craft she needet treating no different from usual. She startet by just coming for the gossip, but you know Beatrix. She won’t watch others craft without helping. I’ve six nursing mothers in the office the now, so Bluesher is enjoying playing grandmother to all of the babes.” Dabchick smiled and added, “It’s rather enjoyable for all of us really.”
Bjarni crafting with Dabchick rather than as a firekeeper maekt the malcontents even more uncomfortable, if that were possible, and as some of the worst of them gradually found other crafts those remaining were becoming ever more isolaett without their louder colleagues and it was noticed that their behaviour was changing. They were starting to live by the Way and Gibb opined that it would not be long before they had genuinely become the decent persons they must once over have started as.
The inshore fishermen regularly supplied the fish cooks with quantities of very mixt catches. The fish cooks knew they had to use what was available, but they complained because it was difficult to plan when the catch was so variable, especially since a lot of the fish were very bony, and a lot ended being sent to the composters which upset Iola as she had to authorise it. She knew it was impossible to create an authentic Bouillabaisse as produced in Marseille because the fish available to her were different, but she did know historically it had been cooked by fishermen’s wifes using the bony fish, red rascasse(9) or scorpion fish and gurnard(10) or sea robin and the conger eel(11) heads their husbands couldn’t sell, as well as many other varieties of sea food, and she did know how it should be done.
She first approached Spoonbill concerning the herbs and spices which he was convinced they could replicate because they had a shared vocabulary of spice terms. Iola had already spent hours smelling and tasting herbs, spices and flavourings, and she knew that though many of Castle’s herbs and spices could not be considered to be substitutes for Earth ones she could achieve the desired effect with them. Her only regret was the lack of peppercorns, for which she had naught with which to achieve the desired effect. None of the nearly fifty things, including fireseed,(12) mercyfruit(13) and sharpleaf(14) seeds, she had tried were any where near effective as pepper with the single exception of hotweed,(15) a variety of ocean leaf which was in short supply and very mild. She had a good idea of what was required for Bouillabaisse and had decided a trace of the expensive, highly fragrant, narcotic honey the bees maekt from sagon(16) tree flowers added to a trace of reedroot(17) paste, for colour, would be an acceptable substitute for the saffron.(18)
Next, Iola had spaech with Grangon regards her idea for bouillabaisse, and he telt her she could have any and all of the fish she could use because they preferred to cook fish caught in larger quantities of each type by the deep-water fishermen for main meal dishes, though they were happy to cook small quantities of what ever folk caught, usually trout but other fish too including the pike(19) and zander(20) caught by Iola’s granddad and the kennel squad were popular and rapidly disappeared as soon as they were served. She was aware though Grangon’s apprentices had prepared akkar(21) kebabs several times because it was a popular dish, and paella had been maekt twice using akkar, there was a huge amount of akkar left and it would be useful addition to her proposed dish. Finally she had spaech with Kell, an inshore fisherman, asking if he could supply some shellfish, crabs, sea eel and small amounts of almost aught else. He said, “My partner, Deal, and I can provide most of what you wish, but sea eel is a rare catch. We only catch three or four sea eel a year. The rest will only be small quantities of each of many kinds, though we can always provide mussels(22) and oysters(23) in quantity.”
What Kell was offering was just what she needed: variety, and if he and Deal did manage to provide a conger or even a moray of any size she would use it but it wasn’t vital to her plans.
It taekt a while to organise, but the end result was Keep Bouillabaisse, cooked in the huge fish kettles, which Iola insisted had to be served properly. The kitcheners were impressed by the idea as it increased their rôle at ordinary dinners, for before they had only been of significance at banquets. At the Keep Bouillabaisse tables, the scalding hot broth was served with crusty barley soup rolls and Rouille Sauce. Iola had no idea how like the real rouille sauce hers was. Both were maekt with breadcrumbs, water, garlic, salt and mercyfruit, but the real version uest olive oil and hers dairy(24) oil. However it was enjoyed, and not only didn’t even she know what olive oil tasted like any more she’d never tasted rouille sauce. The sliced fish and seafood were presented with the waxroots(25) on the huge ashets normally uest for serving graill.(26) The kitcheners also pressed the oval plates, finger bowls and large napkins uest when eating graill into service along with extra plates for the fish bones and seafood shells. Winklers, half-span-long needles set into bone handles, had been maekt as cutlery for Iola by Wryneck and Weir. The winklers, which were uest for extracting the like of cooked whelk(27) or periwinkle(28) from their shells, added a touch of the exotic to the meal.
Those who ate the Bouillabaisse naturally enough imbued the meal with the ceremony inherited from eating the similarly served graill and fed each other with their fingers from their plates as tradition demanded. To the diners it was no longer merely a meal, it had become an affirmation of their survival and continued existence as the Folk. For elder Folk it affirmed their reproductive success and their personal survival, and for younger Folk it was a declaration of their reproductive aspirations. The feelings of the diners were encapsulated by Musk when he pronounced Keep Bouillabaisse to be the most significant bringing together of the Folk in their archived history.
Kell had provided far more mussels than required for Iola’s Keep Bouillabaisse, yet he had apologised if what he had supplied were not enough and explained if she needed more he could provide them within two days. Iola said she’d had more than enough for her immediate needs but would be happy to receive the same quantity again for another use. The extra she wished to use for a soup based on Moules Marinière, and Kell’s second delivery had provided her with what she required.
Iola went to see Joseph concerning dry white wine for the soup base, and he’d offered her, for a reasonable consideration, what he’d described as, “Strong, bitingly rough, over old, cloudy, bone dry cider, which despite all is of a high quality. I have some eight hundred gallons of it I should be glad to see selt, as few will drink it. Ivy has been taking small quantities, but even she can’t sell much of it.” She’d tasted it and agreed with his description, but she considered it be a good soup base ingredient. She taekt it all off his hands after some hard bargaining. She’d been happy to pay for it, but she insisted he store it and deliver it as and when required. Joseph was nowhere near as hard a man as most thought, and unbeknownst to her, he’d been happy to be of assistance in her attempts to do the best she could for the Folk, and his haggling had been more for the look of it than aught else. Iola’s reputation was such it never occurred to Joseph to doubt her authority to pledge the kitchens to the agreed price, and he’d suggested should there be aught in the future he would be glad to see uest he would contact her. Iola agreed, and he further suggested if there were aught she would like to have maekt she let him know and he would try it because it may be of benefit to his family concern.
Iola had asked if he could make an Orkæke Liqueur(29) similar in style to the Gær Liqueur(30) he maekt because she thought it would be appreciated at the formal banquets which she had in mind. Joseph, taken by the idea, had telt her he would try it and a Ceël Liqueur(31) too, and had expressed gratitude for her idea. “If it works, Iola, and I can’t see why not, I’ll provide you with a case every now and again for your personal use.” The pair parted both pleased at the prospect of their future dealings. Iola’s Moules Marinière was aught but authentic including other sea food and what she wished to be uest including substantial quantities of akkar, but the flavour was good. The knob of butter melting in the soup and the torn rather than cut manchettes(32) it was served with maekt a soup of novel presentation. There was only a hundred gallons of it the first time it was served, but it smelt wonderful and disappeared quickly. Iola was beginning to consider her kitchens’ crafting not in terms of individual soups but in terms of series of soups each using the residue of the one before, and it was making life for her crafters easier.
The deepth of flavour of Iola’s Marine Bree was a noticeable improvement on the Marine Soup that had been produced before, and that had been tasty. So much so that Milligan had asked her what the difference was due to, and he’d been surprised to learn how little it taekt to produce so significant an improvement. In the stead of boiling the crustacean heads and shells for stock to base the soup on, and then discarding them, Iola had her crafters dry them with the fish head bones, slaters and the shrimp, the latter she considered were far too time consuming to shell, on the steel trays, maekt for her by Knapps, which fitt a span above the hot, horizontal sections of the flue pipes on her stoves. When dry and brittle all was rough crushed with granite pastry pins(33) and then powdered, as she had been doing with fish head bones for some time.
The crush was powdered using the small flour mill, which taekt three crafters, two to turn the mill handles which rotated the runner(34) and one to feed it. Once up to speed, it taekt little effort, providing the shells and bones were completely dry, to keep it turning. The resultant powder was added to the soup. They cleant the mill by milling a couple of weights of parched smallseed and uest the flour in the soup as a trace of thickener. The ingredients as always were variable according to season, but Iola was receiving most of her ingredients fresh from the inshore fishermen who were delighted she would accept their entire catch, including akkar, and various types of octopus, cuttle, crabs, urchins, lobsters and a whole host of things they had no name for, since no matter what it be she would use it in something. They were also providing her with some of the ocean leaf(35) she uest.
The foragers were providing her with fresh anemone, whelk and winkle of several types, shrimp and a whole variety of mixt seameat(36) and ocean leaf. Much to their satisfaction, Iola had proposed an arrangement with the inshore fishers and the foragers whereby she would pay for their produce by the weighth, as long as they gave her their entire catch or edible shore find be it valuable or not, which maekt their wildly fluctuating incomes much more stable. As Deepwater put it, “I manage to collect may hap three graill in two years and they are now worth no more to me than fiveteen weights of ocean leaf, but in those two years I collect may hap fiveteen thousand weights of ocean leaf which are worth the same for a weight as the graill to me, which makes life for my son much safer.”
14th of Vilar Day 282
Iola had been to have spaech with Coriander concerning the larger bread ovens she had mentioned having maekt some time since for the soup rolls. She explained her idea of cooking a pair of entire aurochs or kine haggises. Coriander was happy to accommodate her, but she asked how would they determine the size of the ovens. Iola replied, “Dabchick will be the best to ask, because she will know how big the haggises will be when stufft, but you may wish ovens larger than that for the soup rolls.”
Iola and Coriander went to find Dabchick who in response to their queries said, “We shall need to take into account how to serve them too because they will need to be servt on the cooking trays. A hot stufft tripe of that size would be heavy and braek apart if you tryt to move it. The cooking trays will have to have slight sides so water can be sprayt on the haggis from time to time to prevent it drying out, and handles on the long sides big enough for strong men’s heavy-leather-glovt or -mittent hands to go through to carry them to the serving tables, or at least lift them out of the ovens and onto a cart. I can work out the sizes for the trays, but I imagine they will be heavy, the smiths will know how heavy. If I tell the smiths what size trays we wish and how much weighth they have to carry they can have spaech with the ingeniators as to how to build the ovens and they can also tell us how big and heavy the soup roll trays need to be and how many rolls can be cookt in a batch. They could may hap use a frame with a light weighth mesh base. I shall suggest when they have had spaech with the ingeniators both of them meet to have spaech with the three of us, to make sure the ovens meet all our requirements. Is that agreeable?”
The three women agreed that was a reasonable way to proceed. The negotiations were not concluded quickly but all was eventually agreed. The haggises could be kept to a weighth of a hundred and seventy-five weights and the trays, four and a half feet by three with solid steel handles at the side, which maekt them four and a half feet square, maekt the load to two hundred and twenty weights. Three strong men on each side would be able to carry them, but they would have to be strong men. One haggis would feed seven hundred and fifty folk, and four trays were ordered. The weighth of the four and a half feet square baking trays was negligible. The new ovens could take eight baking trays and bake four times the bread the older ones could, but had to have steel runners inside to take the haggis trays and each could cook two haggises. Knapps had said Coriander’s desire for oven doors front and back was no problem to make, and he suggested, just in case they were needed, he modify a pair of carts to take the haggis trays. The women considered that to be a sensible precaution, for the carts would be uest on a daily basis any hap. When Knapps had maekt the steelwork for the new ovens and modified the carts, he had laughingly remarked to Coriander, “I’ve been crafting so much for the kitchens sincely(37) if I’m not careful I shall forget how to do aught else.”
16th of Vilar Day 284
Iola’s Herbt Gris(38) and Apple Soup, based on the carcasses of fourteen spit roasted gris with some of the braeken meats, mixt root vegetables and two hundred and twenty weights of sharp apples which had needed using, as well as one of the sixty half gallon bottles of not too good brandy she had negotiated from Gordon, Master stillman, in exchange for eggshells, was so popular Ashridge had asked if it could be maekt again when her crafters were not under pressure to use materials at risk of spoiling which he knew was always Iola’s primary concern. She had said yes to Ashridge as long as the gris was available, but she had enough soup frozen for two more offerings. She had agreed with Gordon she would dry the eggshells over her flues ready for him to mill to powder for use as finings to clear cloudy liquors prior to distillation. Both had been happy they’d had a good trade and agreed to continue doing so. Iola would send the rough crushed eggshell to Gordon when ever there was enough to fill one of the wine boxes he had provided, and Gordon, happy to have had something out of probably five years’ worth of substandard brandy that had only been occupying space, had agreed to set aside any brandy he considered to be best uest by her, probably a little more than a half gallon of distillation tailings(39) a lune he had estimated, but he had telt her he would make it up to a gallon.
Ashridge had had complaints regards Iola from Yanwaite and Bluebean, two middle ranking pastry cooks, concerning the furore that had arisen when she had reminded them of the soup kitchen’s rights to all by-products which she had gently but firmly informed them included the eggshells they’d had no right to dispose of without her consent, and which belonged to Joseph the brew Master. She’d telt them they had put her in a difficult position by disposing of what she had already traded in exchange for goods she had received, which she would have to inform Joseph of or become guilty of indirect thieft.
Ashridge had asked them exactly what it was they were complaining of, and embarrassed they had not been able to reply since Iola had merely been exerting what they knew were the rights of the soup kitchens. The problem was the soup kitchens had not bothered regards eggshells for decades and they had not liekt being telt, quite correctly, they had behaved with impropriety by a girl. They had still not accepted, despite her age, she was a Mistress cook who out ranked them with an office that had certain rights, and despite the passage of time during which those rights had not been exercised they were obliged to respect them, as Iola and they had to respect the traditional rights of all offices. Ashridge had telt them if they had complied with what they knew were the rights of her office they would not have been embarrassed by their failings. The problem had been due to their misdemeanours and not Iola’s who had properly been doing her best to meet her obligations to the Folk. He had also telt them they had been lucky neither Iola nor Joseph had complained of them because had either of them done so the matter would have had to have been laid straightforth before Gibb to decide what sanctions should be taken gainst them.
He had only just managed to keep his face straight when he had reminded them that it would have had to have been laid before Gibb, or Milligan, because as he was sure they were aware only Gibb and Milligan had any authority over Iola and her crafters. It had been a chastened pair who had left him determined Iola was not going to put them in the same position again. It was only when Alice, for whom they crafted, telt them that Iola was belike to be Head cook before the age of thirty, and a significant reason why was because she not only livt by the rules but maekt it impossible for any who had dealings with her to do elsewise too, that they realised Iola had not put them in that position. Rather, they had put themselves there by sending the shells to the composters when they had, gainst what was proper comportment, taken it upon themselves to assume they’d had no value and had not wished to follow the mandatory procedure because it had involved asking for permission from a girl to dispose of the shells. Ashridge considered that in making the shells of value Iola was fully deserving of her status.
When Ashridge had telt Milligan and the other managers at their next meeting Iola was trading ashes for soap and shellfish shells for the eggs her crafters uest they had been amazed. When he then telt them she was then trading the eggshells for cooking brandy, much to the discomfort of Yanwaite and Bluebean, they had all laught so much at the tale, especially the part where Ashridge had reminded the pair that he had no authority over Iola and her office, it had hurt. A few days later, a mystified Milligan had asked Alfgar, Alice’s deputy and a cake baker of significance, what the willow laundry basket under the table was for. Alfgar had grinned, and looking berount him to check he could not be overheard, replied, “The eggshells! Milligan, what else? The eggshells! Iola has providet all those who use eggs with one.”
The two exchanged knowing looks, and Milligan unable to entirely suppress the trace of amusement on his face replied, “Indeed! What else?”
Iola returned home at lunchtime after a mere six hours in the kitchens. None knew when Matthew’s birthday was, and all he had been able to tell his family when he’d been adopted was he was two, so thisday had been chosen to declare he was now three. They were having a family celebration with a large number of his friends and their families in one of the dining chambers off the Refectory, and Iola was dressing for the event. As she was changing her frock, Heidi entered their bedchamber wearing one of her close fitting blouses. Heidi now had a significant bosom that seemed to be growing by the tenner and was belike to become prodigious betimes, and, unlike Iola who had been self-conscious at that point in her life, she was relieved her bosom was finally catching up with her cotte,(40) which had been why some of the boys had been unpleasant to her, and she was delighted to display what she had so recently acquired. Iola had repeatedly telt her, a little disapprovingly, she was strutting her bosom, and it was unseemly. Iola had stopped telling her when she realised that Heidi liekt the idea of strutting her bosom, especially in the mesmerised faces of the boys who had been unpleasant to her and were now envious of Rampion who had a leaçe(41) of her person. Like her elder sister, Heidi was not of a forgiving nature to the unkind. However, as she looked at her sister, Heidi had a look on her face that was her usual humour mixt with a considerable amount of anxiety. “It’s happent, Iola. My first lunetime has happent. I haven’t any towels. I doetn’t consider it would happen for ages.” The two girls had discussed the management of lunetimes both with and without their mother and granny.
Iola hugged her sister and said, “Congratulations, Heidi. All will be as it should be, for you are a woman now. Like I telt you, the main thing is to make sure you are wearing a pair of knickers that will keep the towel where it should be.” She went to a press and withdrew an expensive looking, tooled leather shoulder bag of the latest style that women of the Folk uest to put their purses, cosmetics and usually a small mirror in. “This is for you. Gran, Mum and I buyt it for your need, we all believt it would be betimes.” She opened the bag and shewt Heidi the contents, “The purse has a few tokens in it. The cosmetics have a polisht steel mirror to go with them, and there’re a dozen towels, two pairs of knickers with tapes and a sponge with a jar of hand cream. The knickers tie at the sides so they’ll fit you too. With a bit of luck Allison and her sister will have managt to have proper sanitary pads maekt before long, but whilst times it’s big knickers, towels and sponges.” The tapes were sewn in the knickers to tuck the towels under which kept them in place which was the the way most women managed their lunetimes. The sponges were natural sea sponges uest internally by women with a particularly heavy flow. Many women uest them with a towel over their peak flow, but though washable and long lasting they were not seen as a replacement for the towels, though a few women never uest aught else.
Heidi taekt the bag and grinned. She had become a little clumsy as her body was growing faster than she could become uest to it and appreciated the steel, rather than a glass, mirror. She kissed her sister, and said, “Gratitude, Iola. I’ll kiss Gran and Mum later. I’ll go to the seamstresses after the eve meal for some more knickers.” Heidi, back to her usual, ebullient self, grinned and said, “I really don’t wish a towel falling out in public.”
Iola who knew, even though such an event would have mortified herself, her sister would have considered it to be rather funny and be able to laugh it off, said seriously, “I’m sure you would laugh, but I don’t believe you would do that to Rampion, would you?”
Heidi sobered immediately and replied, “No. He would be upset because he would bethink him I’d be mortifyt. No. I wouldn’t risk upsetting him.” Heidi looked uncharacteristically anxious for the second time and asked, “Bethink you it’s possible that I love him grownup properly, Iola? I uest to feel for him like I do with family, but now it’s different, and it’s scary, cos some times I don’t feel fully in control of myself.”
Iola, looked at Heidi’s face, and taekt her time replying, “Yes. Yes, I do. I believe that because it was scary for me at first too. Have spaech with Dad, for he really understands. Mum does too, but she loves us almost too much, so she worries for us and is a bit over-protective. Dad knows growing up is of knowing when to take chances. I askt him, just after I met Heron, how would I know if what I wisht to do was right, and he telt me to listen to Mum. He sayt he couldn’t tell me what to do, or what not to do, because he wasn’t me. Mum had telt me to only do what I was comfortable with, and never to promise aught I wasn’t sure of. I’d been kissing Heron at the dance, but that was all. The kisses were exciting, but I wasn’t ready for more. That came later. Dad sayt I would know when I was ready for more and then that would be exciting too, and he was right. I have no intention of telling you of what is private, but I shall tell you I am not yet ready to make love, but as soon as I am I shall do so, and I shan’t tell you of that either. However, I do believe you love Rampion, as you put it, grownup properly, and you are probably ready for kisses. But have spaech with Dad first, and listen to Mum. You are growing up far faster than most, so it’s lucky you are clever. At least you will cope with it, but you will be regardet with suspicion by many because of your age and who Rampion is.”
Heidi thought deeply regards what Iola had said, and she was able to think deeply quickly. “Gratitude for the warning, Iola. I shall have spaech with Mum and Dad and Rampion’s mum and dad too, to deflect any nonsense. I shall have spaech with Dad first. I don’t wish details of your kissing, because I know that’s private and I don’t wish to intrude, but is it as nice as the other girls say? Because I know I wish, no I need, more than just hugs.”
“It’s nicer than I can explain, Heidi, and probably nicer than any can explain. I am glad I doetn’t rush aught, and I have no intention of doing so, but I know what you mean regards feeling not completely in control of yourself. I can’t help it, but as I become older the desire for agreement and babes becomes more and more compelling. You are much cleverer than I, so I am sure you can understand that.”
Heidi nodded and said, “I shall do all we have discusst. Will two pairs of knicks(42) be enough till I can go to the seamstresses? Because this afternoon is Matthew’s, and I don’t wish to be late by going to the seamstresses now. I don’t wish aught to spoil it for him. I’ve telt Rampion he is in serious trouble if he doesn’t entertain my little brother. Is Heron joining us?”
Iola’s, “If he doesn’t he is going to have to explain his untimely demise,” produced extended giggles from the sisters. Iola went to her press again saying, “Yes, two pairs should be enough. But just in case, there’re six pairs of new ones with the tapes already sewn in, in the third drawer down. The ones at the front on the right. There’s room in your bag for a third pair, so here take one just in case. If you’re worryt use the sponge too, and remember a little hand cream helps. Take your bag and I’ll wait for your return.”
Heidi left for the bath chamber and on her return said, “The sponge was easier than I anticipated, Iola. Is it always so?”
“I’ve never had any problems, but before Castle I uest tampons with an applicator which maekt it easy, and once here I’ve always uest a little cream with my sponge. I’ve never had cramps or aught else unpleasant with my lunetimes though I’ve hearet all the horror stories of the misery some experience. Let’s hope you have an easy time of it too.”
“I had no warning this time. It was a total surprise and I feel the same as usual, so if it’s always like this time I’ll be happy regards it.”
The sisters who had been close since their incursion, now closer still in their shared womanhood, prepared themselves for their brother’s afternoon. Neither were aware in the process they were preparing themselves for motherhood; though Heidi had always been conscious Rampion’s craft of knitting children’s clothes would provide for her babes in years to come.
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, Alastair, 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, Ramsom, Grouse, Aspen, Stonechat, Bekka, Carley, Vikki, Morgelle, Bistort, Fritillary, Jed, Warbler, Spearmint, Alwydd, Billie, Diver, Seal, Whitethorn
83 Alastair, Carrom, Céline, Quickthorn, Coral, 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
95 Turner, Otday, Waverly, Jed, Tarse, Zoë, Zephyr, Agrimony, Torrent, Columbine, Stonechat, Bekka, Vikki, Carley, The Council, Gage, Lilly
96 Faith, Oak, Lilly, Fran, Suki, Dyker, Verbena, Jenny, Bronze, Quietth, Alwydd, Evan, Gage, Will, Woad, Bluebell, Niall, Sophie, Wayland, Kathleen, Raymond, Bling, Bittern
97 Jade, Phthalen, Yumalle, Margæt, Tabby, Larov, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Fritillary, Brmling, Tench, Knawel, Loosestrife, Agrimony, Jana, Will, Gale, Linden, Thomas, Guelder, Jodie, Peach, Peregrine, Reedmace, Ganger, The Council, Faith, Oak, Lilly, Ellen, Gem, Beth, Geän
98 Turner, Otday, Anbar, Bernice, Silverherb, Havern, Annalen
99 Kæna, Chive, Ivy, David, Birch, Suki, Hyssop, Whitebeam, Jodie, Ganger, Reedmace, Whiteout, Sandpiper, Catherine, Braid, Maidenhair, Snowberry, Snipe, Lærie, Morgelle, Tuyere, Bistort, Fritillary, Ælfgyfu, Jennet, Cattail, Guy, Vikki, Buckwheat, Eddique, Annabelle, Fenda, Wheatear, Bram, Coolmint, Carley, Dunlin
100 Burdock, Bekka, Bram, Wheatear, Cranberry, Edrian, Gareth, George, Georgina, Quail, Birchbark, Hemlock, Bramling, Tench, Knawel, Turner, Otday, Ruby, Deepwater, Barleycorn, Russel, Gareth, Plantain, Gibb, Lizo, Thomas, Mere, Marten, Hendrix, Cuckoo, Campion, Gage, Lilly, Faith
101 Theresa, Therese, Zylanna, Zylenna, Cwm, Ivy, David, Greenshank, Buzzard, Zeeëend, Zrina, Zlovan, Torrent, Alastair, Céline, Meld, Frogbit, Midnight, Wildcat, Posy, Coral, Dandelion, Thomas, Lizo, Council
102 Beth, Beatrix, Falcon, Gosellyn, Neil, Maple, Mouse, Ember, Goose, Blackcap, Suede, Gareth, Robert, Madder, Eider, Campion, Crossbill, Barleycorn, George, Céline, Midnight, Alastair, Pamela, Mullein, Swager, Margæt, Sturgeon, Elliot, Jake, Paris, Rosebay, Sheridan, Gælle, Maybells, Emmer, Beauty, Patricia, Chestnut, Irena, Moor
103 Steve, Limpet, Vlæna, Qorice, Crossbow, Dayflower, Flagon, Gareth, Næna, Stargazer, Willow, Box, Jude, Nathan, Ryland, Eller, Wæn, Stert, Truedawn, Martin, Campion, Raspberry
104 Coolmint, Valerian, Vikki, Hawfinch, Corncrake, Speedwell, Cobb, Bill, Gary, Chalk, Norman, Hoopoe, Firkin, Gareth, Plover, Willow, Dewberry, Terry, Squill, Campion, Tracker, Oak, Vinnek,
105 Council, Thomas, Pilot, Vinnek, Dale, Luca, Almond, Macus, Skua, Cranesbill, Willow, Campion, Georgina, Osprey, Peter, Hotsprings, Fyre, Jimbo, Saxifrage, Toby, Bruana, Shirley, Kirsty, Noah, Frost, Gareth, Turner, Otday, Eorl, Axle, Ester, Spile, David, Betony
106 Jodie, Sunshine, Ganger, Peach, Spikenard, Scallop, Hobby, Pennyroyal, Smile, Otday, Turner, Janet, Astrid, Thistle, Shelagh, Silas, Basalt, Suki, Robert, Madder, Steve, Bekka, Cowslip, Swansdown, Susan, Aqualegia, Kingfisher, Carley, Syke, Margæt, Garnet, Catkin, Caltforce, Council, Thomas, Briar, Yew, Sagon, Joseph, Gareth, Gosellyn, Campion, Will, Qvuine, Aaron, Siskin, Jasmine, Tusk, Lilac, Ash, Beech, Rebecca, Fescue
107 Helen, Duncan, Irena, Scent, Silk, Loosestrife, Tench, Knawel, Bramling, Grebe, Madder, Robert, Otter, Luval, Honey, Beth, Beatrix, Falcon, Amethyst, Janet, Lilac, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Fiona, Blackdyke, Bittern, George, Axel, Oak, Terry, Wolf, Vinnek, Dittander, Squill, Harmony, Jason, Lyre, Iola, Heron, Yew, Milligan, Alice, Crook, Eudes, Abigail, Gibb, Melanie, Storm, Annabelle, Eddique, Fenda, Lars, Reedmace, Jodie, Aaron, Nigel, Thomas Will
108 Aldeia, Coast, Chris, Wayland, Liam, Gage, Fiona, Fergal, Beth, Greensward, Jackdaw, Warbler, Jed, Guy, Bittern, Spearmint, Alwydd, Storm, Judith, Heidi, Iola, Heron, Beatrix, Harle, Parsley, Fledgeling, Letta, Cockle, Puffin, Adela, Gibb, Coaltit, Dabchick, Morris, Lucimer, Sharky, Rampion, Siskin, Weir, Alsike, Milligan, Gosellyn, Wolf, Campion, Gareth, Aaron, Nigel, Geoffrey, Will, Roebuck, Yew
109 George, Lyre, Iola, Milligan, Gibb, Adela, Wels, Francis, Weir, Cliff, Siward, Glæt, Judith, Madder, Briar, Axel, Molly, Coaltit, Dabchick, Bluesher, Qvuine, Spoonbill, Ashridge, Morris
110 Nectar, Cattail, Molly, Floatleaf, Timothy, Guy, Judith, Briar, Axel, Storm, Beatrix, Iola, Coaltit, Siward, Cockle, Gibb, Lune, Manchette, Gellica, Dabchick, Morris, Sycamore, Eudes, Fulbert, Abigail, Milligan, Ashridge
111 Iola, Turner, Otday, Alwydd, Will, Dabchick, Sgœnne, Coriander, Saught, Ingot, Molly, Vivienne, Michelle, Nancy, Fledgeling, Letta, Milligan, Spoonbill, Knawel, Beaver, Cnut, Godwin, Ilsa, Holdfast, Jeanne, Tara, Lanfranc, Furrier, Joseph, Crag, Adela, Jason, Judith, Gem, Wolf, Storm, Terry, Axel, George, Oak, Coaltit, Posy, Gage, Bluesher, Nigel, Heron, Aaron, Orchid, Morris, Russell, Thomas, Eudes, Ashridge, Polecat, Redstart, Herleva, Fletcher, Jasmine, Ash, Beech, Lilac, Elaine, Kaya, Fulbert, Buzzard, Raymond, Firefly, Roebuck, Francis, Cliff, Odo, Alice, Grangon
112 Council, Bruana, Iola, Kirsty, Glen, Shirley, Wormwood, Noah, Aaron, Dabchick, Nigel, Judith, Milligan, Campion, Gibb, Morris, Polecat, Ilsa, Glæt, Braun, Turbot, Voë, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Sledge, Cloudberry, Smockt, Burgloss, Hubert, Skylark, Srossa, Cygnet, Uri, Cnara, Sexday, Luuk, Slew, Quinnea, Roach, Vosgælle, Siward, Adela, Bluesher, Olga, Amæ, Helen, Odo, Wels, Camomile, Fulbert, Ashridge, Swaille, Gren, Spoonbill, Alwydd, Puffin, Chub, Gage, Ivy, Sippet, Orcharder, Knapps, Eudes, Fledgeling, Cnut, Letta, Nightjar, Greensward, Saught, Carver, Wlnoth, Flagstaff, Coaltit, Thresher, Parsley, Harle, Coriander
113 Aaron, Glæt, Braum, Sandpiper, Ellflower, Abigail, Nigel, Morris, Iola, Ivana, Zena, Trefoil, Comfrey, Scorp, Milligan, Ashridge, Polecat, Gibb, Basil, Knapps, Sagon, Pleasance, Posy, Woad, Will, Gage, Strath, Eric, Ophæn, Coriander, Vivienne, Michelle, Camilla, Odo, Siward, Swaille, Fulbert, Adela, Coaltit, Dabchick, Eudes, Harle, Matthew, Grangon, Hayrake, David, Gellica, Biteweed, Heron, Qvuine, Hjötron, Fledgeling, Parsley, Spoonbill, Greensward, Bluesher, Beatrix, Roebuck, Sagon, Letta, Carver, Wlnoth, Beaver, Saught, Swegn
114 Iola, Dabchick, Gage, Fulbert, Eudes, Coaltit, Burnet, Adela, Sippet, Milligan, Spoonbill, Coriander, Fennel, Knapps, Llyllabette, Yoomarrianna, Smockt, Wheatear, Cloudberry, Sanderling, Scree, Eve, Sledge, Hubert,Irena, Suki, Burgloss, Harle, Polecat, Gibb, Gordon, Douglas, Lunelight,Lovage, Francis, Pleasance, Siward, Grangon, Qvuine, Ashridge, Abigail, Alice, Emma, Embrace, Basil, Aaron, Nigel, Hville, Heron, Bluesher, Musk, Michelle, Joseph, Ivy, Bruana, Noah, Ianto
115 Council, Basil, Iola, Ilsa, Crag, Sgœnne, Waternut, Joseph, Ivy, Dabchick, Milligan, Roebuck, Polecat, George, Yew, Will, Gage, Raspberry, Lisette, Bruana, Ianto, Noah, Evan, Yanto, Jocelyn, Lætitia, Faith, Kæn, Janice, Oak, Lilly, Jason, Wolf, Irena, Mica, Quartz, Peregrine, Ellen, Ousel, Abel, Honesty, Rose, Suki, Veronica, Chris, Mast, Vinnek, Alan, Jane, Beatrix, Jackdaw, Nancy, Douglas, Euan, Coriander, Yæna, Gosellyn, Peter, Bella, Anne, Joa, Joanna, Harrion, Beth, Otter, Luval, Bittern, Wayland, Tansy, Craig, Jonathan, Rhame, Moil, Blush, Alfalfa, Puffin, Briar, Bay, Storm, Hobby, Gibb, Judith, Bjarni, Mhairi, Kbion, Nigel, Bluesher, Spoonbill, Grangon, Kell, Deal, Wryneck, Weir, Musk, Joseph, Knapps, Deepwater, Gordon, Ashridge, Yanwaite, bluebean, Alice, Alfgar, Matthew, Heidi, Rampion, Heron, Siskin
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.
Seeën, saw.
Taekt, took.
Telt, told.
Uest, used.
1 Ingeniators, original form of engineer (civil). Those who maintain the Keep.
2 Kitchener, though part of the kitchen staff the kitcheners are a distinct craft comprising kitchen supervisors and their staff of servers, waiters, dish washers and storekeepers.
3 Usename, an alternative name often with no obvious connection to the name it is uest for.
4 Lunetime, menstruation.
5 Natural painkillers, endorphins.
6 Sunset, Folk word for the colour orange.
7 Tellin, a small tasty, often pink coloured, marine bivalve. Limecola balthica. In a tellin is equivalent to in a nutshell.
8 Boulting, the process of sifting flour through cloth, boulting cloth, to separate particles of different sizes.
9 Red rascasse, scorpion fish, Scorpaena scrofa.
10 Gurnard, sea robin, any of the slim bottom-dwelling fish of the family Triglidae.
11 Conger eel, Conger conger.
12 Fireseed, the seed of an member of the umbelliferae family unique to Castle. The seed is used ground in food, for it is too dangerous to use whole in food though it is so used in pickling spice mixes which are not eaten with the pickles. The vinegar renders the fireseed far less dangerous. Untreated fireseed is so hot an excess can blister the mouth before numbing the taste buds for many days, the blisters can take a lune to heal
13 Mercyfruit, hot pepper or chile. Capsicum annuum.
14 Sharpleaf, nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus.
15 Hotweed, pepper dulse or spice dulse, Osmundea pinnatifida.
16 Sagon, a tree unique to castle. The nuts, bark, leaves and flowers are all used. All sagon products are mildly narcotic including honey maekt from the nectar its flowers secrete.
17 Reedroot tastes similar to ginger/galanga. It is bright yellow and unique to castle.
18 Saffron, a spice derived from the stigmas of the flower of Crocus sativus.
19 Pike, Esox lucius.
20 Zander, Sander lucioperca.
21 Akkar, squid, calamari. Squid are cephalopods in the superorder Decapodiformes.
22 Mussel, the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs. In Folk mussel usually refers to Mytilus edulis the blue mussel.
23 Oyster, in Folk oyster refers to Ostrea edulis.
24 Dairy oil, a substitute for olive oil maekt from a blend of seed oils and clarified ewes’ butter.
25 Waxroots, waxy potatoes. Only floury potatoes are usually referred to as starchroots, though the distinction is neither absolute nor strictly adhered to. Solanum tuberosum.
26 Graill, a giant isopod that lives in the sea and uses the tideline possibly to breed between two and four nights a year. They can reach three feet long and forty weights. The plural of graill is graill.
27 Whelk is a common name uest by the Folk for various kinds of edible sea snail.
28 Periwinkle, a name used by the Folk for many small edible sea snails, usually applied to Littorina littorea.
29 Orkæke, a berry spice with a unique taste, and unique to Castle.
30 Gær, a highly aromatic spice, both nut and bark are uest, gær is unique to Castle and tastes and smells vaguely like cinnamon or cassia, (geir).
31 Ceël, pronounced sea + ell, (si:ɛl), a small, tasty, pear like fruit oft dried and powdered as a vanilla like flavouring.
32 Manchette, a small round high quality loaf baked without using a tin.
33 Pastry pin, rolling pin.
34 Runner, the rotating upper millstone. The lower stationary stone is the bedstone.
35 Ocean leaf, generic term for all edible seaweed. Seaweed is a term reserved by the Folk for that collected for fire fuel, compost or other non culinary uses.
36 Seameat, generic term for all meat from the sea, shellfish as well as finfish.
37 Sincely, recently.
38 Gris, wild-ferral swine. Sus scrofa.
39 Distillation tailings, the tail end of a distillation run containing unpalatable substances which are perfectly acceptable when diluted back down again.
40 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.
31 A leaçe, a right of access to the person of one’s acknowledged loved one.
42 Knicks, knickers, panties.
