1305 - Girls, girls, girls!
The winter days started like any other. Olyff would awake to Teffan's hungry cries and offer a breast to suckle on while Byrhtnoth would glance outside, through the shabby boards keeping the frost out of their home, and check if it was morning yet. The skies would almost always be a pink or orange hue as it mixed with the brightening night sky and once Teffan was well fed she would be passed to her father while Olyff went to check on the rest of their offspring.
Eddida proved to be an early bird as she stood up in her crib waiting for Olyff to come down the ladder from their room every morning. Her face beamed as she saw her mother's smile and her excited coos got her other siblings waking up also, peeping their heads up from behind the large walls of their wooden cribs. While Olyff gave attention to Eddida Pipa would start babbling about her dreams she had and Linyeve would try her best to repeat some words, succeeding only half of the time.
Before they knew it each tot was full from their mother's warm breast milk and Byrhtnoth had come downstairs to entertain his girls. Olyff watched on with content for a moment or two before getting busy with breakfast.
They may have ran out of oats for morning porridges during this long winter but her husband's new way to preserve fish really kept them safe from starvation and so she prepped another fish stew with the salty brine soaked fish from their reserve.
As she mixed it in the cauldron above the fire she couldn't help but dream of how delicious a warm berry porridge lovingly made with some of their cow's milk would taste during the, hopefully, warm summer months soon.
Once the entire family was fed they got down to their chores. The children's only chore was to grow healthy and strong while their parents had some more tedious ones to tend to, like washing clothes and caring for their farm animals. This became easier to do once the snowstorms subsided the closer they got to spring and without a moment's notice spring had sprung.
The ice and sleet melted away in patches and the hills of Praaven bore a unique appearance, spots of emerald green grass peeked through the melted snow and the weather began to feel fresh again.
Byrhtnoth began to spend less time at home during the day, fishing at his usual locations once again, while still finding a sneaky moment to fish near the keep out of sight from the guards.
He knew he would never get permission from the King to fish near the noble's land so he risked getting caught by his men if it meant he would sell and bring home higher quality fish. It was also not wise of him to venture off on to long fishing trips like he used to as he wanted to be closer and more available for his multiple children and so would only travel far enough to be home for dinner time.
All of the Chapman toddlers began to join Olyff in the garden right next to their bungalow as she planted the first spring seeds. Pipa, now able to have in-depth conversations with her parents, would ask about every step that Olyff took to make their crops grow and she would answer each one in between scolding the other two for trying to eat everything in sight.
Eddida and Linyeve were far too close in age and became a force to be reckoned with but it was undeniable that it was often Linyeve that came up with the mischievous activities they found themselves in.
When confronted by a parent Eddida would almost always fold and reveal it was Linyeve's idea to cause mayhem. But they loved one another nonetheless and loved following around Pipa when they weren't causing any trouble.
With this newfound freedom to explore the farm now that the weather was warming up Eddida began to confidently waddle across the soft grass all by herself, still sometimes holding on to the garden fence to stay steady but she was a quick learner!
Olyff complained of a newfound back pain and began to start taking short naps deep into the spring months. She initially thought it was just the result of working hard on the farm, home and minding her children that had her so run down but once her aversion to fish stew resurfaced it became apparent that she was with child again!
Once she felt a bump begin to show she revealed the news to her second half to which he reacted with glee. They both admitted to one another that finances were beginning to become a growing worry between the two of them but they continuously thanked The Watcher for keeping them healthy and alive and that they would accept any more children with all the love they could give. What's another mouth to feed when things seem to be going their way?
With their money troubles the pair worked a little harder through the summer months with Byrhtnoth even finding some extra time to help with the crops in their garden along with his usual fishing.
Four girls in the house was proving to be quite chaotic for Olyff, especially at their age, and along with her pregnancy she struggled to pay attention to every task she had at hand. She didn't want to worry her husband though as she knew he was already putting in as much of his energy into the family also.
But nonetheless the summer months flew by without a hitch and their harvest was plenty bountiful this year unlike 1304. After selling a portion of their yield they kept just enough to sustain them until the end of the winter, displaying their various fruits and vegetables on their shelf in the kitchen.
In the autumnal days when all Olyff had to do was harvest their crops she began to learn how to take their cow's milk and turn it into a soft cheese. It was a true delicacy and a great source of nutrients for her children which she was happy to share with them. She also occasionally took the cheese and added it to stews and soups to make the dinner for herself and her husband extra creamy.
Around the last month leading up to the new addition to the family Olyff felt like she finally had time to fully focus on her little girls, sitting down and teaching them new words and phrases and just spending quality time with them in general. It was euphoric for her to experience their growing personalities and quirks, each different from the other.
The moments where she sat silent and quietly listened to her children play and babble she felt like her heart was so insanely full of love and she was certain that a big family is what she had always truly wanted for herself, and so did her husband.
Just before the first frost settled into the lands Olyff went into labor. Her contractions started early in the day, only several hours after her husband left to go fishing and she felt panicked to give birth on her own. She breathed through each pang of pain and tried to hold on until Byrthnoth arrived home, her girls were great distractions for her, truth be told, but she was relieved when her husband walked through the front door.
She announced her labor to him as soon as he closed the door behind him and they climbed upstairs to their bedroom to help their new baby be born into their home. Their eldest children knew the drill by now and occupied themselves with all sorts of games they had created between each other.
Once upstairs the labor was short as the contractions had been going for several hours now and, once again, a baby girl joined the Chapman family!
Byrhtnoth had heard a lovely name at the local village market just a few months back and he suggested it for his new daughter,
"What do you think of the name Mabel?" he asked Olyff.
Olyff peered down at her newborn and stroked her cheek gently before agreeing, "I think it's a beautiful name for a beautiful baby girl."
Byrhtnoth was delighted with himself and went downstairs to announce it to the rest of the family.
Only a week later Teffan celebrated her first birthday surrounded by her family. She was independent enough to join her older siblings in their various childish activities but was still too shy to say her first words. Olyff encouraged her as much as she could but didn't push her to rush her development.
The Chapman bungalow only got noisier with every addition to the family but everyone was already used to the loving cacophony that ensued in their stone home. Baby Mabel was thriving well and with winter in full swing once again they were getting ready to say goodbye to the year.
But not without a celebration first! Pipa's birthday was just around the corner and she was turning five this year, a momentous occasion for the parents! Byrhtnoth agreed to watch the kids while Olyff took Beauty, the family horse, and rode her to the local market. It had been a long while since she properly got out of the house so she indulged in the cold wind against her face as she galloped to and from the village.
When home she took the ingredients she bought at the market and began to mix a batter for a homemade honey cake, adding in extra goodies like dried berries and cut up chestnuts. She baked it in a bread pan over the fire and left it to cool on a table overnight.
The next morning the family all woke Pipa up with a celebratory "Happy Birthday!" She was surprised and happy and Olyff led her into the kitchen to present the birthday cake to her. She took some beeswax candles, which she also bought at the market the day before, and propped a few into the soft cake sponge before lighting them up. She helped her blow her candles out and they all cheered for her on her special day.
Her parents gifted her a new dress she was to wear from now on, as her older clothes had gotten far too small for her. She got changed into it immediately and once she stood near her mother she exclaimed,
"We're matching now! My dress looks a lot like yours!"
"Well, you are my daughter after all!" chuckled Olyff.
They all sat around enjoying their slices of cake and complimenting Olyff for baking it so finely. Teffan and Linyeve messed with their cake more than eating it but they all had a great time, with their parents trading stories about Pipa's early days and just expressing how much they were grateful to have them in their lives. As their celebration came to an end Olyff had to ask Pipa an important question,
"Pipa, you're old enough to now help me around the farm, would you be happy with that?"
"What would I have to do?" questioned Pipa with an unsure look on her face.
"You are still very young to take on rigorous tasks but you could help with feeding our cows and chickens and minding your sisters while mammy and daddy are working."
Pipa wrinkled her nose and looked to the ceiling as she pondered this request but ultimately decided, "sure mama! I'll try and help!"
"Thank you so much, angel. I'll show you how things are done and you'll be independent in no time!" Olyff reached over to her eldest daughter to embrace her lovingly before being interrupted by baby Mabel's hungry cries.
The family disbanded to attend to all sorts of matters but Pipa began entertaining her sisters right away while her father cleaned up the table after the messy meal.
As they reached the end of the year snow was a common occurrence late at night. The boards were nailed back onto the windows by Byrhtnoth and kept the Chapman's safe and warm through another winter. The parents lay in their bed upstairs and shared a cuddle after they put all of their children to bed, Mabel quietly dreamed in her crib beside them.
"Here's to another happy year in our lives, my love," said Byrhtnoth softly to his wife.
"May The Watcher only have prosperity and joy in store for us next year," answered Olyff and leaned in for a passionate kiss with her beloved.
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