1315 - The Hunger Sets In...
CW: For the next 3 chapters ranging from 1315-1317 there will be constant mentions of famine, hunger and death. As these chapters are generally upsetting I will only be doing a CW at the beginning of the chapters.
The winter leading into 1315 was cool and rainy, no signs of frost along the ground, only mud. Occasionally there would be short thunderstorms and when the thunder rolled across the Praaven mountains little Osuald would startle and cry. Only the comfort of Olyff's arms would stop his crying and so they shared many touching moments together.
He was shaping to be a giggly and happy boy and his parents couldn't help but imagine what a handsome and charming man he would grow up to be one day. They watched his every move as they feared he would be their only son, even if Olyff had become pregnant once again. What if The Watcher graced them with another girl? What would they do if they lost their only son?
When the outside precipitation had a moment of calm Olyff deemed it fit to go and visit her eldest daughter across the river. It's not a treacherous journey to reach the Bruceus household but it would have been an endlessly muddy trek to endure through the various lightning storms they had seen. She bundled up Osuald in their warmest cloth and prayed that she would not be surprised by rain that day.
She met her daughter outside of her home as she was tending to the various bushes she had planted last year. Pipa's face lit up with delight and she exclaimed, "Mama! You're here!" She stood up and brushed her soil stained hands off of her apron and approached her mother and her brother who was cradled in Olyff's arms. As Pipa was the wife of a pastor's son she agreed to be modest and wear a head covering when outside.
"The weather finally willed me to journey over to your home, and you can finally meet our latest addition to the Chapman home." Olyff gently took Osuald's little hand and motioned him to wave at Pipa before he wriggled with delight on his own. Pipa cooed at her youngest sibling and relished in the miracle that she thought could never be bestowed upon her parents.
"I'm sure you're dying to see my little girl too," said Pipa softly as she gazed upon Osuald with love. Olyff nodded enthusiastically and so Pipa invited her mother inside her home.
The Bruceus home was nice and simple. It was built on a higher foundation in case the river ever flooded over and it still carried the newly carved wood smell from their renovations last year. The front door opened up to a hearth that warmed a combined kitchen and living space with plenty of room for further expansion. To the left of the kitchen was Pipa's and Frank's bedroom from where Olyff could hear her granddaughter's cries as Frank calmed her down with hissing shushes. Father Bruceus and Catherine had moved out into the small shack that was initially meant to be a temporary residence while they built their home back up after the Lughaven fires but they made the residence homey yet quaint. In that moment Father Bruceus was handling business at the church next door while Catherine took advantage of the better weather and went out for errands.
"Frank is tending to our fussy little Dominique," began Pipa after she showed the home to her mother. "Dominique... I can't help but feel like I should sing her name with how beautiful it sounds." Olyff chuckled at her comment. She still couldn't fully believe that her fourteen year old daughter was a mother now... it still felt too soon but she knew she was in great hands here and that she was only a thirty minute walk from her any day of the week.
"It sounds like Dominique has quietened down, would you like to meet her?" asked Pipa to her mother.
"Yes of course, I've been dreaming of this moment!" She gracefully passed on Osuald to her daughter and went to meet Frank inside the bedroom.
And there stood an even younger father, Frank gently rocking his baby daughter in his arms. He looked up to meet Olyff's gaze and smiled, "Meet your granddaughter, baby Dominique." He raised his daughter's head slightly to show her to his mother-in-law and Dominique continued to sleep tightly in his arms.
Olyff's heart was filled to the brim with all sorts of positive emotions. Joy, pride, surprise and love fluttered in her chest and she couldn't help the happy tears wet her eyes. "Oh, by The Watcher, she's absolutely precious."
She took a finger and gently stroked her granddaughter's soft cheek and she stirred quietly in her sleep. She was still very small to determine but Olyff could swear she saw a lot of her daughter's features in Dominique and she was enamoured with the sight of her.
"I just got her to sleep again," commented Frank as he slowly pulled his daughter away from Olyff's hand. "Once she starts crying it's hard for her to stop, I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Frank," said Olyff honestly, "I have mothered eight children now. I understand the beauty of when your child sleeps soundly, relish this moment." Once she finished her sentence Pipa peeked into the room as Frank gently placed Dominique back into her crib. Frank noticed Osuald in his wife's arms and quietly gasped before coming over and greeting the little boy.
They spent an hour or two in the kitchen by the fire, indulging in some lemon balm tea made from the very leaves that Pipa cultivated in their garden. They traded stories on how they had been faring during their winter months and Olyff shared her worries on the seemingly never ending rain. After the young couple discussed their experience on being parents in the last few months Olyff asked them,
"Will you be planning another child anytime soon?" Pipa and Frank looked at each other with slight unease. They felt like they barely managed little Dominique, even with the help from Frank's mother, but Frank answered for them,
"It's not in our current plans but if The Watcher wills it then we'll gratefully accept another child into our home."
"Very well said," smiled Olyff proudly. "That being said, I do have a small piece of news for you two." Her daughter's ears pricked up, curious to hear what she'll have to say.
"I'm with child once again!" Pipa gasped and a wide smile came across her face before she stood up and hugged her mother,
"Oh, mother, that's wonderful news! I'm so very happy for you and father! How did Linyeve and Eddida react?"
"They were absolutely fine with it," chortled Olyff. "They've gotten some experience with Osuald here that they won't even notice a new baby in the home." Frank and Pipa shared their congratulations and it was time to venture on home.
The sky above was grey and dark but not a drop of rain was to fall upon Olyff as she walked on home. They said their goodbyes and promised one another that they would meet again soon.
Rain began once again and poured from the dark clouded skies as Praaven stepped into spring. Linyeve and Eddida continued to help out at home with the farm animals and crops on their farm but things weren't looking so good.
The constant downpour left their field intensely wet and whatever crops they began to plant many of them failed to grow. The ones that did grow began to shrivel as soon as they sprouted their first mature leaves. The soil around them was like a bog and the water couldn't drain as long as the downpours continued.
The rain also disturbed Byrhtnoth's fishing as many of the ponds and river banks began to flood over and become marshy, making it somewhat dangerous to catch their next dinner. The Chapmans continued to survive on their winter reserves but were getting close to depletion.
With little to do on the farm everyone resorted to various other activities. Eddida continued to paint with whatever leftover paints remained in her room and she was growing more confident with her creativity to expand into larger paintings, dreaming of warmer and more prosperous times. Linyeve found time to get more acquainted with the horses, cleaning their stables and learning how to care for them better from her father and sister.
Olyff watched her only son grow as she helped him take his first steps and teach him his first words. His golden blonde hair made her smile as he looked very much like her husband but even in these glorious moments she felt like her mind was miles away.
It had become a habit for her to recite a specific prayer in her mind with every rainstorm she saw out her window, pleading to The Watcher to let this wetness stop and prevent them from going hungry. But every day that she awoke she felt her prayers fall on deaf ears and tried her best not to worry too much, she feared it would affect the child she was carrying.
Byrhtnoth took over on the farm as what was left to do was a one man job. Every week another crop drowned in the bog that was their farmland, pulling the soggy plants out of the squelching mud and tossing them to the wayside. It was a month away from summer and soon it was only their single apple tree that remained, also failing to perfectly grow any leaves from the downpour.
He couldn't shirk his duties to deliver their arranged produce to the castle and one day, when the rain was merely a drizzle, he travelled with Linyeve to the Praaven keep. They tied their horses to the posts at the stables right next to the castle and were greeted by the guardsmen that stood watch. Soon they were let in to the holding and were given permission to step out of the rain.
It was the first time either of the travelling Chapmans had stepped foot into the Praaven castle and it was far more luxurious than they had ever imagined. Humongous stone walls reached up to the high ceiling and the chandelier over them illuminated the various coats of arms that hung on the stone surrounding them. They stood with their mouths agape for a moment before being greeted by Prince Sidgurd.
He led them down to the servant's quarters and instructed them to place their delivery on the wooden food preparation tables in the centre of the room. "I apologise for our smaller delivery, m'lord," bowed Byrhtnoth, "our farm had been struck with the misfortune of flooding from the continuous downpour for the past few months and we have brought the last harvest we had left." Byrhtnoth glanced at his daughter who stood aimlessly and shot her a look which made her hesitate before bowing also.
"I have been aware of many peasant's struggles," answered the Prince with understanding, "I greatly appreciate everything that you have brought us today and I sympathise with your situation. You may rise." The Chapmans finished their bow and stood uncomfortably in the castle.
"My, you have gotten soaked on your ride here, haven't you?" observed the Prince and Byrhtnoth looked down at himself.
"I apologise, my liege, I will see myself and my daughter out."
"No, no, that's not what I had been implying," said Prince Sidgurd as he waved his hands in disagreement. "I was meaning to offer you to stay inside, dry off a little. We have a meal prepared to be eaten very soon and I'd love for both of you to join us."
The pair looked at each other with disbelief before answering in unison, "yes, m'lord, we'd be honoured!" The Prince escorted them to their lavish dining hall and asked them to be seated as his servants brought three plates of chopped, grilled vegetables, placing a plate to each guest on the table. The aroma was something else, salty and herby, nothing like Byrhtnoth or Linyeve had ever smelled before as their mouths watered.
"Please share this meal with me," smiled Prince Sidgurd, "You have been an incredible assistance to my family and it is only fair that I grant you a warm meal before you journey back home."
"This is too much, Sir Sidgurd," uncomfortably laughed Byrhtnoth. "You have done far more for my family in the last year than I had ever done for yours. I am most out of place in your fair dining hall."
Prince Sidgurd lifted up a two pronged fork and said, "please don't fret, Byrhtnoth. You don't owe me a single thing from this event. It is from the goodness of my heart that I would like to feed you and your daughter." He stabbed a crisp vegetable with his utensil and held it up. "So please, share this meal with me."
Linyeve watched the conversation like a match of tennis, eyes bouncing from both speakers to learn what to do next. Byrhtnoth met eyes with her and nodded before taking his first bite. The flavour in his mouth was even better than the aroma that the vegetables gave out, he chewed each piece with indulgence yet tried to remain as proper as he could. He never had any training in etiquette like the Prince sitting across from him but he ate carefully.
Prince Sidgurd felt like it was appropriate to indulge in some conversation as they were halfway through their dish. "I believe this is your first time in the Praaven castle, is it not?" Byrhtnoth nodded in response as he chewed through a succulent piece of kale.
"I'm trying my best to turn over a new leaf for the royal family; my father would have never allowed people of your class to even step foot on the outdoor stairs to the castle, let alone visit this dining hall of ours. I think that is preposterous." He spat as he said his last statement and the Chapmans sat with empty plates, licking up any last flavours from their lips.
"We are both honoured for your invitation and generosity, your highness," said Byrhtnoth as he put one hand on his chest and bowed his head briefly.
"It is my pleasure to host a dinner for you. As I had said before, your family has done a lot for mine. Consider this a sign of more than just a delivery agreement, we have an alliance."
Linyeve's eyes grew wide. She was still too young to fully understand any politics between royals and peasants but she knew what she had heard was an incredible honour. Byrhtnoth rushed to Prince Sidgurd's table and kneeled before him,
"Your majesty, if your words be true then I owe you my life. I shall work on your land harder than I have been these many years and I promise you only my best work. You have my word."
"Please rise, Byrhtnoth," waved Prince Sidgurd and his guest stood on both feet. "I secure my statement, the Chapmans and my family have an alliance." He extended his hand to shake Byrhtnoth's, who was stunned by the gesture. He stroked any leftover grime from his palm onto his trousers and tightly clasped the Prince's gloved hand. They gave one another a rigorous shake and decided their dinner had come to a close.
They thanked the prince many times more as he led them to the castle's grandiose front door and bid each other farewell. Although it had begun to rain heavily once the Chapman's untied their horses they felt a spark of hope emerge in their hearts.
With the last of their produce given to the Prince the Chapmans found themselves in a dire situation. Their reserves were dry and their crops still ceased to grow. Byrhtnoth travelled to the market one morning and was met with unrealistic prices on any food that was being sold, prices of grain and meat at an all time high. He splurged on some food to last them a week but he couldn't afford to continue this for only The Watcher knows how long.
The parents made the difficult decision to slaughter their cows for their meat. Through the summer months they said goodbye to a cow every few weeks and soon they were left with an empty barn. The Chapmans have now lost their only source of dairy but it was a worthy sacrifice. Byrhtnoth decided to board up the windows and use the shed as storage while it was not in use.
They also attempted to keep any leftover hay they had for their horses on an elevated shelf in the old cow shed. The unfortunate rain stopped any grass from drying to horse feed and so everyone's supplies were running dry. A fear began to set in across Praaven and speak of dark times ahead spread between everybody.
The Chapmans resorted to Osuald for any positivity as his naive infant mind was in bliss. He was quickly beginning to learn to walk without assistance and he loved to babble as he played with their teddy and doll house. Occasionally Eddida would squat down beside him and entertain him with the figurines from her childhood, escaping to simpler times just a few years ago.
And on the coldest day of summer, highly unusual for Praaven, Olyff began to go into labor. She was thankful that her husband was going on less fishing trips this season as he was at the ready to deliver the baby. Linyeve and Eddida took turns to watch after Osuald while also assisting in the baby delivery and before they knew it a baby was born.
Olyff cradled her newborn and announced that she gave birth to another baby girl. The family all smiled from ear to ear and gathered together to gaze upon their new family member. Osuald was excited too as Eddida held him in her arms, pointing at his new baby sister.
"Baby number nine," commented Olyff with disbelief as she gently rocked her sleeping babe. "And what to call her?"
"How about... Linyeve?" joked Linyeve. They all looked at her with sarcastic shock before Eddida lightly gasped and said,
"It's not exactly Linyeve but it's similar... what about Lavina?"
"Oh, that's a gorgeous name," Olyff said as she kissed Eddida on the cheek. She looked at her husband for approval and was met with a happy nod. "Lavina she is."
Once the excitement of a new baby was dying down the sisters went to prepare dinner and Olyff was left to rest in bed. Her husband cleaned up Lavina's first dirty linens and got her nice and pretty for her first sleep in the crib next to their bed. The parents struck up a deep conversation as Olyff watched Byrhtnoth work away,
"I think she will be our last baby for the next while... these are some uncertain times and it would be foolish of us to bring more mouths to feed into this home."
"I wholeheartedly agree, love," answered Byrhtnoth as he tucked Lavina in. "Let's take it one day at a time, things will turn out alright." He sat next to his wife in bed and stroked her cheek before giving her a passionate kiss on the lips.
The weeks after Lavina's birth the lands of Praaven were graced with a short period of sun. The rain stopped and only showed up as an occasional drizzle but the rivers retreated back into their usual shapes and the soil dried marginally. Olyff became a fulltime mother once again so Byrhtnoth and his eldest daughters tried their best to plant a few carrots and onions in hopes of them growing large enough before the rain showed up again.
As they waited for their crops to quickly mature Linyeve found herself daydreaming. She hadn't had the opportunity to lay out on the ground in what felt like forever and so after weeding their crops she sat down on their farm land. She reflected on the hunger she experienced in the last few months but knew this wasn't the worst of it.
She wasn't immune to the gossip she heard between her parents and the various locals she met on her journeys and there were predictions of a famine sweeping through England. There had even already been some casualties to this hunger and everyone was kept on their toes.
The rain returned and the Chapman farm became a bog land again. When they pulled up their carrots in the middle of autumn they were merely a few inches long and not even close enough to sustain their family over the winter. A hunger was settling into their bellies and the Chapmans had to create a plan of survival, fast.
After a short fishing trip at one of the only ponds that hadn't flooded over Byrhtnoth and Linyeve delivered a parcel of fresh fish to the Praaven castle. It was there that Byrhtnoth decided to have a private conversation with his great ally, Prince Sidgurd, and discuss a potential agreement.
"Your highness, am I correct to assume our alliance is still in play?"
"Yes, of course, Byrhtnoth," replied the Prince. "Why do you ask?"
"I fear for my family's well being," began to plead Byrhtnoth. "There is a famine looming in England and soon I fear my family will be living on watery gruel. We will try our best to make ends meet but I was hoping we could reach an agreement. Could you take on Linyeve as one of your servants until this famine ends?"
Prince Sidgurd was astonished by his friend's proposal but he was very intrigued to see a peasant be strategic about his lineage. "Can you tell me how she may be of use in my castle?"
"Of course, m'lord," bowed Byrhtnoth. "She has been taught since she was very young how to cook, clean, nurture and provide for our family. You are aware that she may have a spiky personality at times but with the fear of the famine ravishing everyone's hearts she has become far more quiet and she would cause you no bother. Please, Sir Sidgurd, you are truly her only hope. Please let her live on with the Chapman name, you will have my undying gratitude until the day I die."
"This is a very interesting offer," pondered the Prince. "But I think this could easily benefit the both of us, I agree to it. Report back to your daughter and you can deliver her to the keep in two days. I will make the arrangements to have a bed for her and I promise to keep her well fed. I will make it so that, if worse comes to worst, she will be the last remaining Chapman to ever live."
Byrhtnoth let out an exasperated sigh and thanked the royal profusely. As he met his daughter at their horses he couldn't help but choke back some tears and kept his agreement with the Prince a secret until they returned home.
Linyeve was shocked but honoured by her father's wish. She felt any anger or grief she had been feeling in the last few years, all of the arguments and unpleasantries she caused to her family members, dissolve inside her as she faced the separation from her family.
"You'll be in the best hands you can be in Praaven," cried Olyff. "Make us proud there at the keep. Keep yourself proper and polite, don't risk it all for a short argument. We will visit you once a year unless a tragedy befalls our family..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at her daughter who's eyebrows had arched into a sad expression. They fell into an embrace and Olyff cried, sobbing at what Linyeve will experience in the castle and what she will miss on the farm.
She said goodbye to her only brother and hugged him tightly. He had just started to learn her name, calling her Liny, and she was worried he wouldn't remember her if she were to return. Byrhtnoth let his daughter hop onto the back of his horse as he rode her to the Praaven castle and they said their bitter farewells there.
As she watched her father ride away on Beauty she watched until she couldn't hear the clip-clop of the horses hooves. She was then invited in by the Prince and shown her sleeping quarters and later on introduced to the head servant lady who would begin to aid her in learning to care for the castle and the royals.
As the winter months were rolling in the rain still remained its presence. They had all given up on their chances of cultivating any food on their farm and it was a pleasure when Byrhtnoth would catch a fish or two for dinner, but for the most part it was gruel for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The family was dropping pounds by the week and some family members looked more gaunt than others.
Eddida had spoken to one of the more noble families that resided near the Tovar village and stuck a deal to sell some of her paintings to them. She travelled by horse with a couple paintings wrapped in linen and was pleased to get some coin from the wealthier family. She felt like she was somewhat underpaid but she used all of her coin to afford some of the already scarce food that was sold at the Tovar market.
1315 was ending and the hunger had fully set in. The Chapmans were lucky if they got to share a decent meal together but they had enough energy to make ends meet... for now. Byrhtnoth gave Olyff half of his portions as she was still breastfeeding and all he wanted was for his children to go unharmed by this famine. Hope was dwindling across England and it only felt like it was going to get worse soon.
The Watcher's Observation:
In the first year of the famine Praaven had lost 8 sims from the total population of 140, making the percentage of people dying to the famine 5.7%.
Thankfully, none of the perished sims were related to or acquaintances with any of the Chapmans. This is only the beginning...
Bonus storyline! To lighten the mood for this chapter...
On one of the first mornings of the year Olyff came downstairs for breakfast and greeted her husband who stood near the front door. She paid no mind to what he was up to as she was still rubbing some sleep out of her eyes. She scooped up some porridge into her bowl and went to sit down at the dining table.
She ate the first few spoonfuls in silence until she finally realised that Byrhtnoth was standing strangely hunched over a table and decided to ask what he was doing. He turned around to reveal a lizard that he had found and decided to domesticate, forgetting that he hadn't revealed this information to his wife yet.
She choked on her porridge and spat some back into her bowl from shock. Byrhtnoth continued to rub and pat his little pet lizard and throughout that day Olyff kept on expressing how disgusted and uncomfortable she was with a reptile living in the same home as them. This didn't stop her husband from keeping the little guy in a homemade enclosure and feeding it flies and bugs that happened to crawl in from the outside.
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