Ultimate Decades Challenge - 1323

1323 - A Fruitful Year

In the depths of Praaven's winter a birthday was celebrated. Byrhtnoth's one and only living son was to celebrate ten years of life, a moment the widowed father thought he would never see in his days. Although he celebrated each one of his children's great milestones the best he could he put extra effort into this one. He may not be a lord or a king but his son was to inherit his land and so he made his heir feel mighty special that day.

They decided to celebrate peacefully, no guests, just the residents of the Chapman stead. Linyeve was considered as a guest yet she was coming to the end of her pregnancy and with one child lost she didn't want to risk losing another, especially to the bitter frost across the land. 

Lavina grew quite competent with her baking skills and took it upon herself to prepare the birthday cake for her elder brother. It was the typical tradition, a moist honey cake, but she experimented with throwing in some dried strawberries into the mix and it turned out just decadent. The small family gathered around the cake adorned with bright beeswax candles and watched Osuald make a wish.

And with that he was officially ten years old. He had really grown into his height this winter, a sudden growth spurt surprising the lot of them. With this growth new clothes were needed for his developing body and Byrhtnoth took it upon himself to trade some of his produce for linens inside the Praaven walls. Yet with the winter Osuald also needed a woven jumper, made out of the finest sheep's wool they could afford. Osuald was plenty thankful for his father's gifts but was reminded that this was not all he was to receive!

Before the cake was to be had Byrhtnoth escaped outside and glanced into the abandoned cow shed where he had been hiding the greatest present he had for his son: a sparkling new horse saddle. Osuald was floored with this gift and went to stroke the fine leather, smooth under his fingertips. He thanked his father with a hearty embrace and Byrhtnoth reciprocated.

Osuald was eager to ride Gloria with his newly acquired accessory but was reined in by his father to enjoy some cake before he attempted his first horse ride. He sighed but smiled, he was aware that the frost outside would only make horse riding more difficult to learn, and besides he hadn't had breakfast yet!

With each bite Lavina kept asking what her family thought of the cake and was met with constant praise. She was so ecstatic that her dried fruit experiment was successful and raved on about her passions of baking. The birthday celebration was a success and the evening finished with a warm mulled wine by the fire that night.

In the months that followed Byrhtnoth taught his son how to approach, mount and direct a horse and the teachings were slow. Lavina enjoyed watching from afar and felt like she would never have the drive to learn how to ride a horse... her legs worked just fine and the massive animals always spooked her a little. She still fed them on occasion but kept her distance.

And in the middle of February news broke that Linyeve gave birth to a baby daughter! A funny story accompanied the news as her water broke while she was walking home from Mahlsberg and a local man went into a panic as he walked behind her. 

The birth went as smoothly as a birth can be with the help of the midwife once more and the Dodson pair continued their tradition of their children's names and called their newborn February. The birth was bittersweet for Linyeve as she was still recovering from the loss of baby January just last year but vowed to herself to protect her new daughter at whatever cost.

As soon as the temperatures began to increase the work had begun. With two sets of strong hands on the fields Byrhtnoth felt confident enough to sow more seeds into his field than ever before. The seasons had been gracious to Praaven ever since the great famine several years back and the patriarch wanted to take advantage of this weather while he had the chance.

While the weather was still not at its most stable Lavina found herself selling her baked goods indoors, with the grace of the city merchants lending her a table when the rain turned the city roads to muck. She stood indoors and rubbed her hands together, warming up from the occasional breeze that was sent her way and that's when she saw her.

A princess, she thought at first, but her face seemed too familiar. This little girl donned a vermillion coloured gown with speckles of gold in the mix and wore her hair in a curious curl. Lavina hadn't ever been too up close to royalty before so she was unaware of what was fashionable inside the castle walls but she liked the look. It was only when she saw her uncle Frank walk inside and get close and intimate with the young girl did the puzzle pieces click in her mind. It was Shavonne!

She watched her niece giggle to what another city girl was sharing with her and they spoke in hushed tones yet remaining polite and proper. Lavina stood gawking at the decorated girl until Frank appeared at her table to greet her. She had so many questions for her uncle yet none of them seemed to want to be formed into a sentence and so she just swallowed her thoughts and asked the usual "how are you faring?"

Before Lavina knew it she had to pack on up and venture home before it was too dark. She bid her uncle farewell and plucked the courage to at least extend a hello to her, now royal, niece to which she found a sour response.

"Do I know you?" asked Shavonne and Lavina's heart sank. 

"We're, um... we're related. Your mother was my sister."

"I never met my mother." So blunt and cold, Lavina wanted out of this discussion and excused herself with her bundle of remnant scones and bread. She waved her uncle one last goodbye and ventured home with a slightly quicker pace than usual.

That same day, once the chores on the farm were complete, Byrhtnoth was ready to share a horse ride with his son. They both saddled their horses and Osuald vibrated with excitement. He had ridden Gloria a few paces from the farm and back but never on a proper journey; it was simply exhilarating! 

He made his feet comfortable in the stirrup and waited for his father to lead the way, he didn't exactly know where they were to ride yet. Byrhtnoth clicked his tongue and gently kicked Beauty into action and Osuald followed with Gloria in pursuit. 

They took it slow, due to Beauty's age and to steady Osuald into his first horse ride, but they made their way to the small pond to fish not far from their home. To their dismay a bit of rain drenched their hair during their journey but nothing to cry about... yet.

Once at their destination they dismounted smoothly with Osuald's foot only getting stuck slightly in one of the stirrups, he was getting better with each try. They let their steeds roam freely and drink from the pond and munch on the damp grass beneath them. Byrhtnoth pulled out their fishing rods and they spent a moment in solitude, man to man.

"The weather is said to be stable this year," began Byrhtnoth and he cast his line. "Men have been wrong before, of course, but there have been many signs from nature to signify another prosperous summer."

"It makes me happy to hear," smiled back Osuald. He was delighted to know that his father wouldn't stress over food this year again. Even though he was only a baby when the last famine happened he remembers sparks of hunger from his early years, but those sparks weren't bright enough to bloom into trauma. His older sister, however, would tell gruesome stories of what happened in Praaven those years and always justified her storytelling as being a history lesson, which Osuald honestly admired her for doing.

"Pay attention this year, my boy," continued Byrhtnoth, "our farm is destined to be yours when I am to pass so learn well on how to manage it when I am not around any longer." He turned to face his son who wore a slightly concerned expression. "Not soon, of course, but no man can run from death... it comes for us all eventually."

The sun fell to the horizon faster than they had expected and Osuald was quite overjoyed with it as he didn't particularly want to stick around for any other grim conversations. They mounted their horses once more and made their way home with Osuald riding his steed with confidence.

When they arrived home they found Lavina on a stepping stool leaning over the cauldron in the kitchen. She giggled a little when her family stepped foot into the home and announced, 

"I'm making leek and carrot soup!"

Byrhtnoth wanted to scold her for playing with fire while he was out of the home but the scrumptious smell was far too appealing for his hungry stomach and so he just helped her plate up the dish and ask how her day had been.

The duties on the farm were never shirked for as long as the sun beamed high in the sky. Osuald saw that his father was right, with every day that got them closer to summer the rising temperatures warmed the air and with it helped their crops prosper. He continued to water and weed the plants on the farm while paying close attention to his father's technique.

He really admired his father, he always has, but even more so now that he was nearing his formative years. He gazed upon him and relished in his manly gestures and made wishes to be just like him when he was an adult. He wanted to follow in his footsteps of providing all he can for his future family and to never let them come into harms way to the best of his abilities. Byrhtnoth caught his son staring and smiling and smiled back.

And inside Lavina fulfilled her womanly duties, scrubbing the tables when they got dirty, washing the plates and making the bedding. This summer her father promised her to show how to wash their clothing in the wash basin outside and although she wasn't madly enthusiastic about more things to clean she was always willing to learn something new.

In between all of her chores she continued to be a growing child as when she was making her own bed she bit down on her tongue by accident and felt a milk tooth come loose. She yelped and spat the tooth out, putting a hand over her aching mouth and recoiling at the sight of a lightly bloodied tooth in between her small fingers. It wasn't the first time she had a tooth fall out but this one was by far the most painful of the bunch.

Osuald began to greatly look forward to a steamy bath after his great labour on the fields. He and his father had built another bath over the winter to place in the shed on their farm and so he took the liberty of using the new bath while his father bathed in the one inside their farmhouse. The hot water relaxed his tense muscles, soothing his fingers from picking at weeds and warming his back after hunching over their crops. What a glorious reward for a task so important.

Even with Osuald's responsibilities on the farm he continued to take charge in feeding the horses and cleaning the stables. He had gotten better at spotting the corners he missed compared to previous years but his father still relieved him of the smelly duty when he felt the boy needed a break. Osuald felt complete with horses to care for in his life.

With summer in full swing there were many days when the Chapman stead lay dormant. They had a few more brushes with thieves attempting to ransack their home while they were out but Byrhtnoth invested in some locks from the local blacksmith and made sure to hide his most valuable items in places no thief could think of checking.

Regardless of the occasional mishap Byrhtnoth took pride in bringing his son fishing with him, it had almost become a tradition now. Lavina still had a strong enthusiasm for selling her baked goods and she stayed safe when she did so, so Byrhtnoth continued to encourage her passions.

During King Sidgurd's reign he showed his support for the working class folk of Praaven and invested in a new fishing spot, man made yet connecting to the river, making it easier and more comfortable for certain men to fish for their families, and for the royals too. The Chapmans were one of which families to be granted the permission to use these waters and so Byrhtnoth rode on a horse with Osuald behind him to visit the new spot.

Over the rolling, dusty paths the man and boy made their way through Tovar, waving to August as they saw him working in his field by their home, and exiting the village to ride for another thirty minutes or so. They stopped in their tracks once they saw the other fishermen, lures bobbing in the lapping waters loosely connected to the river. They let their horses roam freely nearby and joined in on the fishing.

They engaged in intermittent conversations, and even shared a few words with the other men fishing, but Osuald spent a majority of his time gazing upon Praaven's city walls in the distance. The walls looked so large, as if they were only a ten minute walk away, but the distance was large; it only showed Osuald how great of a town it is that they live near by. He wondered... would his family ever live beyond those walls?

But it was growing dark and Byrhtnoth had the hope of selling some of their catch at the fishmongers in Tovar before they travelled on home and that is exactly what they did. When mounting old Beauty she turned back slightly and shook her head, beckoning Byrhtnoth to give her a pet. 

Even after her many years as a great work horse she still loved to be spoiled and loved by her owner and so he leaned over her and gave her a tight hug. She snorted in delight before he pulled away, pat her on her neck, and continued on home.

Lavina encountered her uncle Frank once again at the Praaven square. This time they were both outside, enjoying the summer sun, unlike their last meet. He approached her with a small girl in his arms, a girl Lavina had never seen before. They exchanged their greetings and Frank introduced his companion,

"Meet little Lady Marcia here," he spoke as he looked at the girl and held her hand to wave at his relative, "she is King Sidgurd's eldest child. We were just taking a stroll around the market to get some fresh air and then skip on home."

Marcia kept a strong stare with Lavina, her gaze unwavering, and Lavina was the first to look away. She thought that Marcia will have great royal control over those who try to wrong her when she is older. Lavina bowed gently to the royal highness nonetheless,

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Lady Marcia. And how have you been, Frank?"

"Oh, much of the same." Lavina pondered... how could it be the same if he used to be a peasant boy? She didn't try question him however, it wasn't of great interest to her. Frank suddenly spoke up again,

"I apologise for the last time you met Shavonne, she never meant to be rude. I was quite shocked myself that she didn't remember you, after all of those evenings you spent playing together..." he frowned as he pondered before continuing,

"Perhaps she really has been too detached from the people outside of the city walls..." Lavina stood with a slightly scared expression, she didn't know what Frank expected of her. Comfort? Wise words? She was only nine years old, what would she know?

"I-it's fine, Frank. There was no hurt feelings between us." She decided to cut the tension and be done with it. Frank pursed his lips into a soft smile yet it didn't feel genuine. He too was ready to move past this feeling and instead asked,

"May I buy a few of your pastries? I'll pass some on to the Queen Dowager if you so fancy?"

"Yes please!" perked up Lavina. Now this was a conversation she was ready to have any day of the week.

And with what felt like a somewhat uneventful summer autumn came into Praaven with swirling golden leaves falling from the once lush trees and a cold breeze sending chills down everyone's skin. The Chapmans quite liked autumn, even if it signified that they would have to spend most of their days indoors once again when winter came, but it also meant that they would have a brilliant harvest and a hearty meal to celebrate their success.

As always, even though the crops had been harvested and become partially barren, the Chapmans never felt right to just kill a plant after it bore no more fruit. They put care into every one of them until each leaf shriveled up and wouldn't take any more water, it was only then that they would compost it for future crops.

And yet with the harvests the horses were lucky to be treated to delicious apples and crisp carrots, and occasionally some lettuce too. Osuald was still childish in his spoiling of Gloria and perhaps overindulged her with these treats but he continued to do so as his father never really noticed.

Before the autumn frost began to creep in through Praaven Byrhtnoth made sure he and his son would travel to one last location to fish. He chose to go to Mahlsberg and fish at the pond at the festival ground as it would be the farthest distance Osuald had travelled on horse back. It was a challenge at times and he would lose the rhythm of Gloria's hooves along the ground a few times but they got there in one piece, if not a little bruised in between his legs.

With each fish they acquired an orange leaf dropped from the tree above them. Osuald watched each one swirl in every direction as it was picked up by the breeze while Byrhtnoth would find it creating ripples as it dropped onto the pond's surface. The festival ground wasn't too busy this time of the year either so they had many moments of solitude amongst their catches.

Lavina began to calm down with her baking as they were running out of flour anyway. They could buy more while they had the coin but she decided to spend time learning other skills around the home. She wondered what could be upstairs through the ladder in Osuald's room but feared to go and check. Her father always told her and her brother that that room was off limits, nothing could be touched up there, and Osuald once overheard that it used to be Eddida's room many years back.

Lavina also overheard that there was some paint and a painter's easel up in that room and she prayed that she would be able to use it again in the future. She knew her father was still grieving the loss of her sister and he just needed time to accept her absence.

On the eve of Byrhtnoth's last quarterly delivery to the castle keep he found himself at a cobbler before visiting the King's home; his everyday shoes bore a sudden hole in them and needed repairs immediately. To his surprise the man he was looking for was there, King Sidgurd himself, making an order for a pair of fine leather hunting boots.

When he turned around he met his old friend and extended his arms out in front of him for a hug. They both had a long discussion about their families, speaking of children and loved ones alike, and felt a warmth in their hearts to hear good news from one another. Unfortunately the King still had other errands to do before nightfall and so Byrhtnoth parted ways with his delivery of produce and made his way out of the cobbler's home.

As he made his way outside and around the corner to get back to Beauty who was tied up near the town square his mind wandered to thoughts of his son. After seeing the King again he hoped his son would grow up to influential and courageous as King Sidgurd was said to be. Who knows how influential a peasant boy could be but perhaps Osuald would answer this question as he gets older?

He also found himself noticing that Osuald spent far too much time with his father than socialising with any other children or teenagers this year and felt somewhat guilty. He adored every minute he had with his son and he wouldn't change it for the world... but how would his son find a young girl to court if he wasn't socialising with them? He knew that he had to play a part in the courting process too but he never wanted to force his children into a loveless marriage...

And that's when he snapped out of his thoughts as he overheard a shrill yet attractive laugh coming from the town square's fountain. A delightfully ginger girl was trading stories with an older lady and the two of them were standing mighty close to where his horse was tied up. Would it hurt to become acquainted with the red headed girl and make a friend for his son?

Byrhtnoth approached the lassies and spoke, "Excuse me ladies, I don't mean to interrupt, but I was just about to untie my horse to venture on home and overheard you lot having a wonderful conversation."

"It's no problem, my dear," spoke the older woman as the red haired girl analysed Byrhtnoth with a smile. "You are welcome to join in, but to be fair, we're having quite a womanly conversation." She croaked out a laugh and the younger girl blushed slightly.

"I'm Byrhtnoth," he extended a hand out to meet one of theirs, "I think introductions are fit before we go any further. I live out by Lughaven."

"My name is Amira, I come from the outskirts of Mahlsberg. This young lady here is the daughter of a good friend of mine." Byrhtnoth finished shaking grey-haired woman's hand and proceeded to shake the young girl's as she spoke.

"My name is Marissa, I live inside the Praaven walls. I'm part of the Hay household... you may have heard of us."

Has he heard of them? Of course he has, the Hays are notoriously known for their unknown source of wealth and extremely large family. They don't present themselves as rich folk yet they can afford to live comfortably in a large townhouse not far from the main square. 

"I may have heard a thing or two, yes," admitted Byrhtnoth, "not without a few rumours here or there, but you are a delightful girl. So with the formalities out of the way, what was it that you girls were speaking of?" Marissa giggled as Amria spoke, quite an intoxicating laugh.

"I was just asking if Marissa finds any of the city boys handsome and she had the gall to say no! How could there not be a suitable man inside these walls?"

"Well, we may not live inside the walls of Praaven, but my son is a very handsome young chap. He doesn't know many pretty ladies like you so perhaps you could find something in common?" Marissa's expression changed and she blushed a little as Byrhtnoth spoke. Ah, youth and their love, what a strange combination.

"Oh, spectacular! Perhaps you could set up a playdate for the pair?" chirped Amira as she rubbed Marissa's arm.

"I haven't travelled outside of the Praaven walls in a while," admitted Marissa sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it, dear," spoke Byrhtnoth with a calming voice, "The road to our farm house has been ever safe. You are more than welcome to visit anytime you can."

There was a glint in Marissa's eye, a hope for a courtship in her near future. Byrhtnoth gazed upon this scarlet-headed girl and wondered if she would be a brilliant wife for his boy in a few years time. There were still a few more years to live through before such a decision is set in stone but the prospects were there...

The Chapmans

1322 - 1324

Ultimate Decades Challenge - 1322

1322 - Kids Will Be Kids

In the early hours of the first day of the year August came knocking on the Chapmans' door. Byrhtnoth rushed down the ladder from his room, a rock in his stomach as early visits like these never meant anything good, but as he opened the door to see his son in law with a beaming smile on his face his worries melted away.

"Byrhtnoth! Linyeve just gave birth to a baby girl!" the new father announced. "She is doing just fine but I rushed over to have you be the first to know. Please, come to our home when you can; Liny is excited to introduce you to little January."

"... January?" was all Byrhtnoth could utter back, the pride and joy of becoming a grandfather once again washing over him.

"Yes, January," chuckled August before explaining, "We thought it would be fitting as she was born on the first day of the year and Linyeve has always enjoyed how I was called after a month in the year... it just fit."

Byrhtnoth extended his arms towards the young man and enveloped him in a tight hug. The feelings had settled and he was content with the news so he began giving him a manly pat on the back and extending his congratulations to August. He was eager to see his daughter and so he asked August to wait while he informed his children that he would disappear from the home for a few hours and off they went.

The men travelled on horseback to the Dodson cottage and tied their horses to the small stable that inhabited their land. The sky was still quite dark as it was the very early hours of the day but it didn't matter to Byrhtnoth. As soon as the horses snorted upon their arrival Linyeve peered outside and burst through the door. Her face had the biggest smile plastered on her face and she called out to her father. She embraced him tightly and whispered to him, "I'm a mother now... I can't believe it."

"You can continue you heartfelt moment inside, it's best to get you away from the frost, Liny!" beckoned August as he guided them in through the front door.

It was actually the first time Byrhtnoth had visited August Dodson's home and he was pleasantly surprised. The main room was quaint and cozy yet large enough to house a significantly sized family. He took a moment to imagine how August and his siblings would have ran around near the fire and soon it would be August's and Linyeve's children that would be sharing this space. The bedrooms were separated by a wooden wall yet little baby January's crib was placed close to the hearth as it was the depths of winter. A midwife rocked the small crib and waved him a small hello and he was happy to know that Linyeve didn't go through labor alone. The home smelled of crisp wood burning at the fireplace and a hint of thyme, and he realised why once he saw a branch of it drying near the stone hearth.

"I'm sure you want to meet your new granddaughter," stated Linyeve as she clasped her hands with excitement. Her father nodded with enthusiasm and she went to fetch her newborn, thanking the midwife for minding her while they exchanged their welcomes.

Linyeve clasped her baby daughter gently and whispered loving affirmations to her before turning around and presenting her to Byrhtnoth. She truly handled her like a new mother, every movement calculated and sprinkled with fear as she handled this fragile and important little person to her. 

Her father leaned over and looked at his granddaughter, so small and beautiful. Her skin was fair yet had a golden glow just like August's yet her small and dainty lips reminded him of Linyeve's when she was born. She was an absolute angel and he lightly gasped when January opened her eyes to gaze upon him. Linyeve offered for her father to hold her and he accepted it immediately.

He held her small body and watched her lips curl into a smile. He tickled her lightly and even heard a cute giggle, waking up even further. He raised her gently above him and suddenly the room was filled with the joys of a baby's laugh. The parents stood aside and watched with content and August sighed, thinking of how wonderful it would have been for his parents to share the same joy that Byrhtnoth was experiencing if they were still alive.

It wasn't a long playtime as January was still very small and needed lots of rest after only being born in the last few hours but Byrhtnoth passed her back to August and thanked them both for inviting him over so early. The young father was assisted by their midwife to place the baby back into the crib and while they watched Linyeve spoke with Byrhtnoth.

"My life has truly changed for good," confided Linyeve as she glanced over to her husband.

"And it will only keep changing as your family grows, my love," agreed Byrhtnoth. "You do plan on having more children, yes?"

"Oh, definitely," said Linyeve. She never wanted to be left childless in this world, especially after seeing how many losses her parents faced with her siblings she would rather have too many children than have none. "We won't force another child into this world just yet, we want to settle into parenthood with January first, but there will be more in the next decade, father."

"I'm delighted to hear," smiled Byrhtnoth. January began to gargle a cry and the midwife informed them that January must be hungry and Byrhtnoth took this as the perfect moment to bid them all a farewell. He hugged his daughter tightly and waved to the rest of the people indoors goodbye and went outside.

He untied Gloria from the stables and saddled her up, taking one last glance at the Dodson bungalow as he heard January's cries subdue. He galloped on home and was met with two sleepy and hungry children of his own to which he got straight to making breakfast for.

Over the breakfast table he told them all about their sister's new addition to the family and Osuald and Lavina were fascinated. They had many questions about how this came to be and Lavina chimed in with her own knowledge,

"Liny told me that it was The Watcher that graced them with January, that They thought the two of them were ready for a baby." Osuald threw his spoon into his breakfast soup and retorted,

"That's just an excuse, they didn't want to tell you the truth because you're still a baby."

Byrhtnoth raised a brow and asked, "Oh really? Then how did Linyeve and August come to having January, my boy?"

Osuald crossed his arms as he spoke, "Everyone knows that the boy needs to give a girl a seed to have a baby!" The other family members stopped moving their utensils and side-eyed the smart boy with a skeptical glance.

"And... where did you hear this explanation?" asked Byrhtnoth, trying his best not to laugh.

"At the Mahlsberg festival ground, the older children told me." He smiled smugly before Lavina shook her head,

"No... I still think it was The Watcher that brought January to Linyeve."

Spring had sprung through Praaven as the winter months quickly came to an end and the children were delighted to stretch their legs outside again. The rain helped the growth of their crops early in the year as Byrhtnoth would be doing less work with watering them and they seemed to be growing stronger ever year.

The older horses began to need some extra care as they didn't much want to gallop across the field anymore. Osuald stayed enthusiastic around horses and loved to groom them and begin to learn how to clean their hooves. Gloria was still to remain as his trusted steed when he was to grow a little older but he had a soft spot for Beauty and Greyson.

And yet, even with her older body, Beauty still nudged Byrhtnoth to go for rides with him. Every year he would trot slower down the dusty paths but she neighed with glee when he would saddle her. Their surroundings came to life and they admired the lush green grass and busy streets when Byrhtnoth would deliver his quarterly produce to the Praaven castle. 

On one such day he was delighted to spot Linyeve among the crowd of people leading into the city walls. He called out her name and she looked over her shoulder before waving Beauty down and watching her father come to a halt on the stone road. They exchanged pleasantries and caught up with how spring was treating them.

Linyeve was honest that the drainage of the soil on their farm had gotten worse over the winter and work had to be done to guarantee crops for the year. In Byrhtnoth's pity he took a satchel off of Beauty's saddle and handed it to her,

"Treat this as payback to when you brought me those delicacies from the castle many years back." What a throwback to Linyeve, she clasped her hand on her chest and smiled with nostalgia and promised to make one of their family recipes with the vegetables and fish he gifted her.

Byrhtnoth had to ask about January and Linyeve's face dropped. She confided that her daughter had been ill on and off, fighting off countless fevers, but she was a fighter. She was still such a young baby and she worried what all of this stress on her body would do to her in the long run. Linyeve admitted that she was on her way to consult with an apothecary in the city, asking which unheard of or exotic herbs she could afford would help little January out. Byrhtnoth wished his best to his daughter and eventually had to bid her farewell.

He rode to the castle, met with the king's hand, and travelled on out of the city walls, all while growing a concern for his granddaughter. Life has never been fair and he knew that, the world they lived in was tough and cruel and he wished there would be no disease or war that people had to go through. 

He stopped a moment near the river bank, close to where the fresh water met the sea, and got off of Beauty's back. He felt an overwhelm of negative emotions as he remembered the few children he had that passed from ailments, both young and not so old, and felt his heart sink. He looked to the lapping water, the sunlight dancing on the surface, and took a minute to pray to The Watcher that Linyeve wouldn't have to go through her own grief like he did; shield her from death and suffering and let her prosper.

Beauty snorted into his ear and snapped him out of the small rut he was getting himself into. Byrhtnoth pat her on the nose and remembered he decided to spare an apple from the delivery he made to the castle and thought it was the right time to feed his steed. He fetched it out from his pocket and fed Beauty. Once she finished tickling his hands with her lips she shook her mane and nodded with delight. He saddled up once again and made his way home.

With the delightful weather the children were once again at it with their hobbies and small money making. Osuald went back to the riverbank where he and Lavina swam near last summer and threw his line out to see if the fish here were good. He had started going fishing alone, and sometimes with his father, but Lavina had decided to dedicate herself more to her baking than standing around near the water.

After about two hours of patient waiting with no biting on the fishing line he finally saw the cork bob. He reeled it in and to his unlucky surprise he caught the smallest minnow he had ever seen! He scowled at it and threw it back into the water out of disappointment. He decided to consult with his father for the best places to fish instead of guessing for himself.

It was during one of these fishing days that a new fear spawned for Osuald after a strange encounter. He came running home, out of breath and unable to form a word, and Byrhtnoth kneeled down to his son's eye level to calm him down and hear what had happened. 

Osuald stumbled over his words at first, voice and hands shaking, but eventually spat out a story about a... wolf-man? The evening had grown to dark faster than he had expected and started walking at a faster pace. Just as he fully crossed the bridge to his home he saw a pair of eyes in the distance. Osuald had been warned about wolves and other animals that could do him harm but he never imagined that he would come face to face with one. But it was no wolf or animal he had been told about, it was a man... a man with glowing orange eyes.

The raggedy, crouched man skulked his way, a tattery and dirty garment draped over his hairy body, and he snarled lowly in Osuald's direction. The young boy had stopped in his tracks out of fear and curiosity, his eyes darting at the strange humanoid's appearance. The man-wolf flexed his long clawed fingers and bared his fangs until Osuald startled him with a sudden scream and the humanoid ran off into the brush to the wayside. Osuald took this as the chance to run down the road that would take him straight home.

Byrhtnoth was skeptical after the entire story was told yet he remembered how he saw a unicorn once and he didn't believe his daughter about it either, who was the first who saw the magical creature. There had always been rumours of mystical and unknown creatures that came out at night so perhaps a humanoid wolf wasn't fully out of the ordinary, but regardless Byrhtnoth had to give his son an answer and so he spun the narrative into a lesson,

"Perhaps you shouldn't stay out this late again, my boy," lightly scolded Byrhtnoth. "Whatever you saw was scary, and scary things tend to come out at night, so let this be your lesson to come home before sundown."

Osuald looked down into the flames in brief guilt as he warmed his hands near the hearth before resorting to being a child again, "can I go fishing with you from now on?"

"As long as you help me out on the farm in the mornings, I'm all yours." Osuald nodded and smiled at the prospect. Later after dinner Osuald and Lavina were playing at the dollhouse as a little wind down before bed, and Osuald began to create a make believe story of the half-man half-wolf he saw that night. Lavina thought it was a little weird and annoying but decided to pry for information,

"Wait, the man-wolf-thing wore old ripped clothes? Were they light in colour?"

"Er... yes, they actually were... why?" responded Osuald, dropping his hands gripping the dolls into his lap.

"I think I know the man you're talking about, I've seen him at the Praaven town square several times before... he would look at me funny." The siblings sat in uncomfortable silence as the information sank in but Lavina continued,

"I-I've heard people say he was unhoused, he didn't have a place to go to sleep at night... maybe that would make sense if he was a wolf-man." The children processed this information as one of Osuald's dolls became the wolf-man they discussed and they fantasised about how they would slay such a beast... if they were holy nights, that is.

Not long after Osuald's encounter Lavina had her own story to tell, less scary but it was still a curious event. Over dinner, sometime in May, Lavina shared with her family about her success at the Praaven town square with her baking stall. It was a particularly busy Sunday as many knights rode through the town and decided to be chivalrous and spend some coin for a delicacy. And even when the soldiers weren't around other delightful Praavenites would socialise with her.

She even got the pleasure of seeing August again! He stopped by and bought several little muffins and asked how they were all doing at home. He told her about how January had been doing well now that Linyeve had found some herbs that would strengthen her but it was a hard fought battle. Byrhtnoth expelled a sigh of relief when Lavina told him this, but her story continued to get more interesting.

As she sold her last slice of strawberry loaf she dusted her hands from the crumbs and glanced around the square. Her eyes landed on a woman with stark white hair and watched her swirl her hands around in front of a person who was slightly hunched over in secrecy. She saw an apple conjure out of thin air and into the white haired lady's hands!

Lavina gasped but pretended she didn't see a thing... it was like magic! She described this experience with stars in her eyes and Byrhtnoth couldn't believe he was going through a tattle-tale phase all over again merely ten years later. He so desperately wanted to believe his daughter's story but... a unicorn, a wolf-man and now magic?! 

Byrhtnoth had also experienced what happened when people feared magic, witch hunts weren't common but occasionally the church would experience some ungodly miracle and decide that some members of society should be punished. He was just a child when it happened last and there hasn't been anything since but could it be that magic was real?

Summer was prosperous yet rainy and Byrhtnoth was reminded of how the last famine started. He prayed to The Watcher almost daily for the warmth to stay and for the rain not to flood his crops and his prayers were answered.

Their yield was immensely high this year and he made sure to thank his children for their assistance on the farm as without them they wouldn't have made such a tremendous profit. With the lack of funerals and tragedies to spend money on Byrhtnoth made sure to begin to set aside coin for Lavina's dowry in the next few years. He couldn't believe Osuald's tenth birthday was next year and he was ready to secure his children's future by working very hard.

Once the rain had a moment of calm Byrhtnoth used a scythe to cut some local long grass down and dry it as feed for their horses. They chewed it with delight yet still tended to nudge anyone who fed them for a carrot or apple and it was difficult not to indulge them. 

Locals of Lughaven experienced a strange phenomenon as autumn rolled in, the church's tower got struck by lightning and caught fire. The fire went out on its own but the tower was only fully reconstructed as the first autumn leaves began to fall. Fortunately the graveyard was left untouched.

CW: infant death, burial.

Once the rebuilding of the church finished the Chapmans had the misfortune of viewing the new tower in person as grief had befallen the family once more. January failed to live through another illness and passed from a fever in her sleep. Linyeve spoke of how within a day all of the herbs and remedies that once helped her child stopped working and this was the illness that would end her. They had a very quiet and quaint burial for the little girl and mourned in solitude.

And yet, once again, life gives way. Deep into Linyeve's grief she found herself feeling sick in the mornings and she had missed her monthly bleed, signifying she was with child once more. The parents didn't know how to take this information so soon after the death of their only child but held on hope that that was their one and only death they would experience.

CW over.

While the sun still stayed out relatively late Lavina used her last month of freedom to sell some more baked goods, sticking to the Tovar festival ground and with that often visiting her older sister, checking in on her and delivering her a delicacy or two. She was still very young and naive to fully understand death yet but in her own childish way she knew that Linyeve and August needed some uplifting and so she delivered.

Once the frost began to roll in day by day Osuald had only a few more days of fishing left. He stayed close to home, giving the river bank another chance, while his father and sister stayed home. 

Lavina introduced a new game she learned from some of the children she saw at the various markets called Stone, Paper, Shears. Byrhtnoth remembered a similar game from when he was young but needed a refresher from his daughter to play correctly. This would be established as the game of their winter days soon enough!

With the last harvest out of the way it was time for Byrhtnoth to make his last delivery to the royal family. He brushed Beauty in his stable before their journey and trotted on down one evening and into the night. It was a pleasant journey as the air was brisk yet not too chilling on his fingertips just yet. As he dismounted from Beauty to tie her to a post outside of the castle he spotted a familiar face, Frank!

He was walking with a young little boy in his hands and dressed in fabulous and wealthy looking garb, such a stark difference to how he was when he lived closer to the Chapman home. Byrhtnoth exchanged his greetings with the father of one of his grandchildren and waved hello at the little dark haired boy who turned away shyly.

"Meet Shad, this is my son," shared Frank. Byrhtnoth's eyes widened with surprise... son?! He had heard of his romance with the Queen Dowager through his letter last year but to see their mutual child be so old already was a complete shock to him.

"He looks a lot like you, what a handsome lad!" amused Byrhtnoth, trying to stay friendly in his sudden shock. Suddenly a maid rushed out from the grandiose doors and bowed to Frank before gently taking little Shad from his arms stating that she will get him ready for bed and have him be fed by a wetnurse. Byrhtnoth felt out of his element with these various servants but continued to smile politely.

The two men caught up on the mundane yet important discussions of how people were faring and what they had missed in one another's life. Frank gestured to his friend to come on in and have a warm drink and listen to how he ended up with his current title but Byrhtnoth felt like he had enough news for the day but promised to meet again very soon. Just as the lads shook hands as a goodbye the first snowflakes made themselves present, melting on the stone beneath them.

As Byrhtnoth raced on home he pondered how a lowly man like Frank could score a lady as fine as Queen Dowager Mary-Anne. He had heard of fairytales of disapproving marriages of varying classes but to see it first hand? It felt unreal. 

He entertained himself on the way home if he could seduce a princess into sharing her wealth with him but ultimately dismissed these thoughts. As fun and silly as these fantasies were his heart belonged to one woman only and that woman is six feet below ground, Olyff Chapman. She may be long gone yet she will live in her soulmate's heart for all of eternity.

The Chapmans

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