In Which We Are Acquainted With Our Main Character,
And Elspeth goes to Market
Once upon a time, in a separate world, there lived a girl. Accurately, since she was seventeen years of age at this story’s beginning, henceforth we shall refer to her as a young woman.
At that moment, our main character (Elspeth Creed by name) was asleep, lost in a deep dream. This dream was of a city, one Elspeth had never seen before. She stood, in the midst of a crowd, a basket upon her arm. Then there was a flash, and in her head (within the dream), Elspeth saw a horrible creature. She saw a dragon, with ragged wings and foul breath, winging its way through a torn sky. Somehow, Elspeth knew that the dragon she had seen was to attack the town she stood in. How she knew, well… she was not entirely sure. She just knew.
Goodness, if a dragon was to attack this city, why, Elspeth had to warn someone! She tossed in her bed, face one of confusion. If one were to see her tossing and turning at this ungodly hour, it would be found very amusing.
Elspeth saw a man upon a horse. His pale face was almost casual, but his voice was commanding. She felt a momentary hesitation.
“What is this that you come screaming through our peaceful city like a madwoman?” He said, his once one of admonition. Elspeth shook her head confusedly, and the man faded away. In his place was darkness.
Suddenly, in a burst of red fire, the dragon appeared. Smoke drifted up from his nostrils, and sparks flew around his head. Elspeth shrank away, seeing his burning eyes. He opened his mouth and so revealed the jagged teeth…
Elspeth woke, her hands tightly gripping the linen sheets. Her heart raced faster than a swift courser, and her breath was short. What a horrid dream, she thought, her head still spinning just a bit. But, so absurd.
It was not often that Elspeth had such vivid dreams. But leading up to this one, they all had been getting worse and worse. Mayhap she was going mad, or the strain of her work was affecting her. It was a dream and no more, Elspeth thought, almost convincing herself. She sat up slowly, and stretched… tried to calm her breath, before swiftly untangling herself from her bed sheets.
That man… She had dreamt of him before. Black hair and gray-green eyes like the long grass in the meadows. Who was he, so pale-faced and solemn? And why was she dreaming of a dragon…before he attacked a city shed never even seen? Was this an omen? Was she really having visions, like the wise-woman who lived in the forest to the west? That woman wasn’t so received, though most of her forewarnings came true, down to the very detail. Get up, Elspeth. You have a busy day before you.
So she did, dressing in a mulberry-colored dress of rough linen. Over this went an apron-like smock of a heavier cloth, in dark red. Simple brocade in gold thread trailed its way in floral patterns across the bodice.
Pinning her hair up, Elspeth slipped her cold feet into a pair of her shoes. Let it be known, she only had two pairs.
Turning to the nest of blankets upon the floor, she smiled at her three sisters. To her, Roselyn and Catherine were almost better asleep. Isabel, however, was her best friend. But, given that Elspeth was not the eldest, but the fourth, and that the three eldest were all boys… Well, the girls had to stay together, and defend one another in daily quarrels.
Well, Isabel had to be woken, for their mother needed help with the cooking.
Isabel woke slowly, eyes still closed as she spoke.
“Is it really morning? I don’t want to get up just yet…”
“Isabel, come off it. Mother wants us to help her with preparations for Master Solingen. Remember he’s to come tomorrow.”
“Oh, I did overlook that. But, Elspeth our larder and pantry are near empty. However are we to manage?”
Elspeth laughed at her sister’s large words. True, she had got it from Elspeth. But it sounded much more ridiculous from Isabel’s mouth.
“Mother says we will be fine. We’re to go to Market today, and should be back by nightfall. That’ll give us plenty of time to prepare for the feast tomorrow.” Elspeth bustled about the room, laying out Roselyn and Cat’s outfits for the day, and placing their wooden clogs by them.
Isabel dressed in a green kirtle, over which went a yellow smock. Then, after putting on her own shoes, she and Elspeth clattered down the stairs, into the open kitchen.
In their longhouse, on the very cold isle of Eolas, the kitchen was the center of the house… in location and preference. Everyone seemed to gather there at any time of the day, talking, helping prepare meals, even just sitting, idle.
Their mother, Adia Creed, looked up from stirring a pot of porridge hung over the fire. Her warm eyes smiled even before her mouth did.
“Ah, you are awake. You two look lovely.” Their mother said, setting the long wooden spoon down and coming to quickly braid Isabel’s golden hair. As her fingers moved swiftly, she spoke further:
“I will tell you what we shall do, girls. Since Master Solingen is not to come until tomorrow, we do not need to start cooking until after you return from Market, provided you return as quickly as possible. Are you sure you want to go alone, Elspeth?”
Elspeth nodded earnestly. “Yes, I am sure. I will be just fine.” As she said this, her mother’s eyes twinkled.
Peter Creed, Elspeth’s father, entered the kitchen.
“I hear you’re going to Market alone!” He said. “Are you sure…”
Elspeth grinned.
“I will be fine,” She said blithely. “There’s nothing to be worried over.”
Sitting, her father spoke again:
“Jonathon Kent appears to have a break in his borders, Adia. Something was trying to get in several nights ago, and whatever it was… made a fault in his walls. I am going over there this evening to help repair it, but I have not yet heard the extent of the damage.”
Elspeth looked up from stirring the porridge, eyes wide. What could it have been, that it made a break in Master Kent’s strong walls? She thought. Perchance it was one of those shadowy things that were skulking around. Eolas does not feel safe any longer. What is happening?
The three older boys entered, Andrew, James, and Tom. They were preparing to leave, for their work was in the fields of their landlord, Godfrey Dearing Solingen.
The man, despite his elaborate name, was a simple, high-spirited man, with a considerable paunch. Master Solingen and his son were coming for tomorrow’s supper. Elspeth wasn’t looking forward to it that was for sure. Thien Solingen was just that sort of man who made her feel…well… cloistered, in an oppressive way. He was kind, but overly affectionate.
“I still would like you to take Will along with you. And I am keeping Cat with me today. She wandered off last time you went.”
At this, Isabel laughed. “And the rope-walker man was set to take her up onto the rope.” She said. Their mother finished with Isabel’s hair and then stirred the porridge a bit more.
“Are you two ready to leave?” She asked.
“Yes, Mother. We were all ready last night.” Elspeth said. “We were thinking of—”
“Then your chores need looking after. Isabel, you are to feed the chickens and geese…”
And so, that is how Elspeth got to fetch the water that day. She trudged down the road to the river, the yoke upon her shoulders, the empty buckets swinging.
And Elspeth goes to Market
Once upon a time, in a separate world, there lived a girl. Accurately, since she was seventeen years of age at this story’s beginning, henceforth we shall refer to her as a young woman.
At that moment, our main character (Elspeth Creed by name) was asleep, lost in a deep dream. This dream was of a city, one Elspeth had never seen before. She stood, in the midst of a crowd, a basket upon her arm. Then there was a flash, and in her head (within the dream), Elspeth saw a horrible creature. She saw a dragon, with ragged wings and foul breath, winging its way through a torn sky. Somehow, Elspeth knew that the dragon she had seen was to attack the town she stood in. How she knew, well… she was not entirely sure. She just knew.
Goodness, if a dragon was to attack this city, why, Elspeth had to warn someone! She tossed in her bed, face one of confusion. If one were to see her tossing and turning at this ungodly hour, it would be found very amusing.
Elspeth saw a man upon a horse. His pale face was almost casual, but his voice was commanding. She felt a momentary hesitation.
“What is this that you come screaming through our peaceful city like a madwoman?” He said, his once one of admonition. Elspeth shook her head confusedly, and the man faded away. In his place was darkness.
Suddenly, in a burst of red fire, the dragon appeared. Smoke drifted up from his nostrils, and sparks flew around his head. Elspeth shrank away, seeing his burning eyes. He opened his mouth and so revealed the jagged teeth…
Elspeth woke, her hands tightly gripping the linen sheets. Her heart raced faster than a swift courser, and her breath was short. What a horrid dream, she thought, her head still spinning just a bit. But, so absurd.
It was not often that Elspeth had such vivid dreams. But leading up to this one, they all had been getting worse and worse. Mayhap she was going mad, or the strain of her work was affecting her. It was a dream and no more, Elspeth thought, almost convincing herself. She sat up slowly, and stretched… tried to calm her breath, before swiftly untangling herself from her bed sheets.
That man… She had dreamt of him before. Black hair and gray-green eyes like the long grass in the meadows. Who was he, so pale-faced and solemn? And why was she dreaming of a dragon…before he attacked a city shed never even seen? Was this an omen? Was she really having visions, like the wise-woman who lived in the forest to the west? That woman wasn’t so received, though most of her forewarnings came true, down to the very detail. Get up, Elspeth. You have a busy day before you.
So she did, dressing in a mulberry-colored dress of rough linen. Over this went an apron-like smock of a heavier cloth, in dark red. Simple brocade in gold thread trailed its way in floral patterns across the bodice.
Pinning her hair up, Elspeth slipped her cold feet into a pair of her shoes. Let it be known, she only had two pairs.
Turning to the nest of blankets upon the floor, she smiled at her three sisters. To her, Roselyn and Catherine were almost better asleep. Isabel, however, was her best friend. But, given that Elspeth was not the eldest, but the fourth, and that the three eldest were all boys… Well, the girls had to stay together, and defend one another in daily quarrels.
Well, Isabel had to be woken, for their mother needed help with the cooking.
Isabel woke slowly, eyes still closed as she spoke.
“Is it really morning? I don’t want to get up just yet…”
“Isabel, come off it. Mother wants us to help her with preparations for Master Solingen. Remember he’s to come tomorrow.”
“Oh, I did overlook that. But, Elspeth our larder and pantry are near empty. However are we to manage?”
Elspeth laughed at her sister’s large words. True, she had got it from Elspeth. But it sounded much more ridiculous from Isabel’s mouth.
“Mother says we will be fine. We’re to go to Market today, and should be back by nightfall. That’ll give us plenty of time to prepare for the feast tomorrow.” Elspeth bustled about the room, laying out Roselyn and Cat’s outfits for the day, and placing their wooden clogs by them.
Isabel dressed in a green kirtle, over which went a yellow smock. Then, after putting on her own shoes, she and Elspeth clattered down the stairs, into the open kitchen.
In their longhouse, on the very cold isle of Eolas, the kitchen was the center of the house… in location and preference. Everyone seemed to gather there at any time of the day, talking, helping prepare meals, even just sitting, idle.
Their mother, Adia Creed, looked up from stirring a pot of porridge hung over the fire. Her warm eyes smiled even before her mouth did.
“Ah, you are awake. You two look lovely.” Their mother said, setting the long wooden spoon down and coming to quickly braid Isabel’s golden hair. As her fingers moved swiftly, she spoke further:
“I will tell you what we shall do, girls. Since Master Solingen is not to come until tomorrow, we do not need to start cooking until after you return from Market, provided you return as quickly as possible. Are you sure you want to go alone, Elspeth?”
Elspeth nodded earnestly. “Yes, I am sure. I will be just fine.” As she said this, her mother’s eyes twinkled.
Peter Creed, Elspeth’s father, entered the kitchen.
“I hear you’re going to Market alone!” He said. “Are you sure…”
Elspeth grinned.
“I will be fine,” She said blithely. “There’s nothing to be worried over.”
Sitting, her father spoke again:
“Jonathon Kent appears to have a break in his borders, Adia. Something was trying to get in several nights ago, and whatever it was… made a fault in his walls. I am going over there this evening to help repair it, but I have not yet heard the extent of the damage.”
Elspeth looked up from stirring the porridge, eyes wide. What could it have been, that it made a break in Master Kent’s strong walls? She thought. Perchance it was one of those shadowy things that were skulking around. Eolas does not feel safe any longer. What is happening?
The three older boys entered, Andrew, James, and Tom. They were preparing to leave, for their work was in the fields of their landlord, Godfrey Dearing Solingen.
The man, despite his elaborate name, was a simple, high-spirited man, with a considerable paunch. Master Solingen and his son were coming for tomorrow’s supper. Elspeth wasn’t looking forward to it that was for sure. Thien Solingen was just that sort of man who made her feel…well… cloistered, in an oppressive way. He was kind, but overly affectionate.
“I still would like you to take Will along with you. And I am keeping Cat with me today. She wandered off last time you went.”
At this, Isabel laughed. “And the rope-walker man was set to take her up onto the rope.” She said. Their mother finished with Isabel’s hair and then stirred the porridge a bit more.
“Are you two ready to leave?” She asked.
“Yes, Mother. We were all ready last night.” Elspeth said. “We were thinking of—”
“Then your chores need looking after. Isabel, you are to feed the chickens and geese…”
And so, that is how Elspeth got to fetch the water that day. She trudged down the road to the river, the yoke upon her shoulders, the empty buckets swinging.
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