1314 - Running Away
Life had changed for the better in the Chapman household. Pipa had a beautiful wedding to the son of the Lughaven church's pastor last year and she now lived across the river from the Chapman stead. And one other great thing that The Watcher graced this family with is a wonderful miracle, little baby Osuald.
The parents were thrilled to see their son remain strong and active as he grew perfectly to size. Every member of the family took turns to watch him, with Olyff breastfeeding him, Byrhtnoth tucking him in his crib and Eddida and Linyeve tending to his needs as he cried when their parents were busy with errands. As loud as Osuald's cries may have been the two older daughters didn't mind it that much as he was a happy and adorable baby.
As expected, the winter months were very wet throughout. Praaven experienced torrential rain and it began to worry Olyff and Byrhtnoth as they feared that their farm land would become marshy from the strong downpours. Luckily for them as the first few days of spring began the lashing rain began to turn into a drizzle and seeds were ready to thrive on the land across from their home.
With the young addition to the family Linyeve felt a spark of maturity strike and she began to complain a little less about needing to wash the dishes and scrub the laundry. That's not to say she was happy about doing these chores every time but she changed from verbal cues of annoyance to more facial expressions, which were easier for her mother to ignore!
Eddida loved Osuald as she would often mind him while he was sleeping as she painted in the next room over. She would keep her curtain at her doorframe pulled open and glance over at the napping tot as she smeared various natural dyes onto her board canvas. And even when he decided to cry she just had to walk a few steps to calm him down.
Even amongst the recurring rain Byrhtnoth continued to bring his fish-loving daughter to various ponds and rivers across Praaven. They often took shelter under the canopy of the evergreen trees above them and delightfully watched the raindrops ripple across the waters.
It seemed like Pipa truly settled down deep into the married life as she began to visit the Chapman farm less often. It was a shame for Olyff, as she would love to have the presence of her eldest daughter as much as she could in her home, but she sympathised with her. Perhaps when Osuald was a few months older she could bring him to the Bruceus household and spend an evening with Pipa and her new family.
In the times where Olyff felt lonely, having one less child in the home, her husband would drive the loneliness away. He showered her with love and kisses and their bed remained a constant destination for a rendezvous when she felt most stressed. Nothing came of these evenings spent under the covers but eventually news of a pregnancy came to their front door.
As spring came to a close Pipa and Frank came to visit her parents. After a hearty stew dinner they announced to the family that Pipa was with child! Olyff shed many tears of joy and she expressed her excitement to gain the status of a grandmother. Byrhtnoth joked that Pipa can start practicing by minding little Osuald for an evening or two before their own addition to their small family arrives.
Word had spread that the King of Praaven had fallen ill, with physicians reporting that he was nearing his end. Many men tended to the King's bedside and it was his son, Prince Sidgurd, that would agree to accept the Chapman's quarterly delivery of produce.
He often met Linyeve and Byrhtnoth outside the castle's front doors and indulge in a quick chat with the father and daughter duo. Prince Sidgurd really enjoyed Linyeve's daringness to speak to him as if he was her equal and it was a breath of fresh air to not be taken seriously by her.
As the first months of summer passed and it began raining less and less Eddida began to learn to ride a horse. Gloria had matured to her full size and Eddida found great enjoyment taking care of her and her horse parents. As their bond was strong Gloria easily gave permission to her to saddle her and ride her around the farm. They found an equal rhythm and soon enough she trotted to the local markets to sell any leftover fish and produce.
Alongside her horse ventures Eddida was becoming very proficient with a brush and canvas. She loved to relax in bed before she retired for the night and admire her work on the easel next to her. She dreamed of a painting apprenticeship someday but she had never heard in her twelve years of life of a woman painter and felt it was impossible.
Summer was a prosperous time for the Chapmans and sunsets of various shades graced the skies outside their windows. There was a week of reprieve from the hustle and bustle of farm life and each member of the family sat near one of the windows of those evenings taking in the peace and silence, at least when Osuald wasn't crying.
It was on one of the hottest days of this year that a little lizard crawled in through the crack of their front door. Although it spooked the girls Byrhtnoth picked it up and noticed its friendliness, building a little enclosure for it in the kitchen and feeding it bugs and flies that came into their home.
The rain returned in October and it was an oddity when the skies weren't grey with clouds. Olyff began to urge her girls to harvest any ripened vegetables at their farm as the harsh rain could drown out their crops and so Linyeve and Eddida spent a day picking carrots and cabbage and weeding any necessary crops.
An altercation occurred when Linyeve became unhappy with how Eddida handled the plants,
"No, no, you're doing it all wrong," she snapped harshly. "You're not meant to pick them so close to the stem."
"It's not a big deal, Liny," explained Eddida calmly, slightly annoyed by her sister's tone. "They'll stay just as fresh if we pick them your way."
"What do you know? You're just a painter."
"What do you know? You're just a fisher-lady." For some reason Eddida's defensive, yet childish, response set off a fuse in Linyeve's mind and she didn't hesitate to say the words that would hurt her sister most.
"Oh yeah? Well at least there's women that fish across these lands, unlike painters. Keep smudging your paint, see what good that brings you!"
"Hey," stood back Eddida, "There's no need to say all of that..."
"Well too bad, it's all been said!" Linyeve put her hands on her hips proudly. "How have you supported this family with your paintings, huh? Something pretty to occasionally look at when we're not on our hands and knees trying to make coin? Oh, please."
Her flood of back handed comments kept pouring out of her and Eddida was beginning to cry. She turned away from her sister and tried to wipe away her tears quickly, she didn't want to give her sister another reason to pick fun at her. Once Eddida looked up she was relieved to see their father walking up to them and it seemed like he overheard what was being said.
"Go back inside the home, sweetheart," he said to Eddida as he walked past her and straight to Linyeve.
"That's enough," he barked. "You don't have any right to harshly judge Eddida's interests. Apologise to her when you finish picking the vegetables yourself."
"Ugh, father! I'm just trying to toughen her up, she's to marry in a few years anyway and she should be doing better with herself!"
"And so should you, in that case." Linyeve's eyes widened, a criticism towards her? Byrhtnoth put the final nail in the coffin with, "If you judge her for not being the typical 'housewife' then take a look at yourself first. No honoured lady fishes for a living, yet I allow you to do so. Take a step back and calm yourself before you say anything else."
Linyeve's mouth was agape and as she closed it her brow became furrowed. She walked past her father and refused to make eye contact, walking through the farm gate and around the perimeter.
"Hey, you're not done here, Linyeve. Linyeve!" Her father shouted as she began to break into full sprint. She was running away from the farm, away from their home, and down the dirt road that leads to the Praaven keep. Byrhtnoth continued to shout her name but she refused to turn around. He collected all that his daughters had picked from the crops and quickly brought it back inside their farmhouse, meeting Olyff near the fire.
"What was all that shouting?" she asked her husband with a concerned expression and Byrhtnoth approached her, slightly out of breath.
"Linyeve has run away," he huffed. "She got into an argument with Eddida and she just up and left..." He hung his head in disappointment and Olyff put her hands on his shoulders.
"Hey, things are going to be alright," she comforted him. "She just needs to cool off and she'll come right back. The roads have been safe around our villages so everything will be fine." Olyff still planned to say a prayer that her daughter would return before sundown but she was confident things were going to be resolved positively.
"I'm about to start making dinner. Sit with me as Eddida as I cut the vegetables and we can talk." She rubbed his shoulder as Byrhtnoth nodded and they made their way into the kitchen, calling Eddida after them.
Linyeve hadn't gotten far before she was stopped in her tracks. She grumbled as she stormed further from her home and she, quite literally, bumped into the Prince of Praaven. She was too lost in her burning red anger that she was embarrassed at her physical meet with a royal. She excused herself and attempted to continue walking past the Prince, his horse and his escorts.
"Where are you headed off to?" called out Prince Sidgurd.
"Nowhere," mumbled Linyeve. She wanted him to stop paying attention to her and just leave her alone but it was unlikely that was going to happen.
"It's bound to get dark soon," commented the Prince with a lilt in his tone. "You shouldn't be out in the dark far from your home... you wouldn't want to be eaten by wolves or attacked by a stranger." Linyeve gulped, suddenly her anger began turning to fear and she felt a twinge of guilt enter her mind. She stopped walking and turned around, not looking at the Prince's face.
"Let me and my men give you a ride home, safe and sound." The Prince extended a hand to Linyeve and she finally looked up at him. His face was smooth and he wore a soft and friendly expression. She frowned as she blushed a little and took his hand before being helped on to the back of his steed.
The Prince's escorts looked at the scene with judgement, a young peasant girl holding onto the Prince's lavish coat as he rode her back to her farm house... how uncouth, his father would be livid. Yet his father was not here and was nearing his end so the men stayed silent. Perhaps Sidgurd's rule would be different to his father's, perhaps there would be less hatefulness towards the working class... only time would tell.
The Chapmans had just begun to eat their first spoonfuls of vegetable stew before they heard a gallop of several horses, an uncommon sound in their neck of the woods. Byrhtnoth stood straight up and peered out the window and to his sight he noticed his daughter with the Prince. He shot straight out the door and bowed to the Prince before he extended his never ending thank you's.
Linyeve slid off of the horse and went inside without any word, leaving her father to deal with the Prince and his men. Inside she saw two disappointed women and suddenly a cry of a baby in the other room.
"Eddida, honey. Check on Osuald while I check on your sister here." She glared at Linyeve and approached her directly. Linyeve looked down and tried not to show any emotion, Eddida left the room.
"What did you think you were doing?" hissed Olyff. "You could have gotten yourself killed, running off without anything, or anyone, with you." Her daughter stood small, biting her lip to stop herself from crying from embarrassment.
"I see you're at a loss for words for once in your life," continued her mother, "then let's say this: You're GROUNDED, for the rest of the year." Her voice echoed across the home and Linyeve finally made eye contact with her parent. She was about to complain but was stopped by Olyff's hand inches from her face.
"You will not go fishing or step foot from this farm until the next winter passes, understand? What you did was foolish and could have cost you your life... this will give you time to ponder that." Linyeve's cheeks puffed up with anger and she stormed off to her bed.
Eddida emerged with a quiet Osuald again and wore a neutral yet slightly shocked expression. "If that doesn't make her question her actions I don't know what will, mother." Olyff scooped Osuald up from her daughter's arms and watched her husband return inside after talking to the Prince. All was in order and they returned back to their cooled off stew at the dinner table.
Linyeve spent the next few days silent, refusing to talk to anyone in her family, and often retreating back to her room after completing any chores. Byrhtnoth caught her one day as she was feeding the cows and informed her that she was to accompany him on a trip to the keep to which she mildly agreed to with a shrug.
They made their long journey to Praaven and Byrhtnoth explained to his daughter that they would be thanking the Prince for his service with a gift of their farm produce, fish and some knitted goods. This was an extra shipment alongside their quarterly deliveries. They found themselves at the small courtyard before the castle and they were lucky to have met the Prince near the petite fountain at the center.
They approached him and bowed and he commanded them to rise. He wore a big smile and commented that he was happy to see the two of them alive and well. Byrhtnoth presented a beige box and handed it to the royal's hands to which the Prince questioned its purpose,
"It's far too early for another one of your deliveries, what could this be?"
"This is simply a token of our generosity for aiding my daughter when she was brimming with emotion," explained Byrhtnoth as he did a gentle bow of respect. "We can't imagine what could have come of her foolish decision to run from home at such an hour so my wife and I are thanking you, from the bottom of our hearts, for preventing a tragedy from happening."
"By The Watcher, it is no problem at all!" smiled Prince Sidgurd. "You are so very welcome. I would have done this for any man or woman but I am glad to hear that things have resolved smoothly." He looked towards Linyeve who remained quiet, unusual to her typical demeanor.
"I hope your act hasn't spooked you from continuing to be the daring and feisty girl that you really are," he said to Linyeve as he gave her a genuine smile. She met his gaze and became a little flustered,
"I-I'll try." That's all she could utter out before one of the guards from the keep called for Prince Sidgurd, alerting him about his father's wellbeing.
"I must hurry back, but thank you for your gift. I hope to see you two again soon." He shook hands with the pair and rushed back to the large castle doors and the Chapmans journeyed back to their farm.
Winter came around again and it was a downpour, as expected. The farm became dormant and the three Chapman horses hid from the rain under the roof of their stable. Osuald never stopped growing and he was a few months shy of his first birthday.
Byrhtnoth made the last quarterly delivery alone as he galloped on Beauty through the rain and he heard news of the King's passing. Prince Sidgurd was to become the next King of Praaven once he reached his eighteenth birthday but for now the Queen Dowager would be in charge of any affairs.
This was not the only news that the Chapmans were aware of as Pipa had gone into labor! Frank rushed to fetch Olyff as she was to aid her daughter through the birth of her daughter's first child and everything went smoothly. They welcomed a baby girl and decided to call her Dominique. Frank had gotten an interest in French names as he read them in his books and they all felt the name suit the little girl well.
Pipa's pregnancy may have come to an end but another one was yet to begin! Olyff had noticed her monthly bleed had ceased once again and the usual signs of being with child presented more and more the closer they got to the end of the year. She revealed the news to her husband one night, who was just as delighted as he was with the last pregnancy.
Whatever trouble they had conceiving previously seemed to have gone and with that the family was getting ready to welcome in another child in 1315.
No comments:
Post a Comment