I wrenched my left shoulder badly last Friday, and typing has become something of an issue. I think I’m getting better (*knock on wood*) but for a while there I wasn’t sure if I was going to make my NaNo goal.
But more about that on Sunday’s post. This is Fiction Friday and time for another excerpt from Firestorm. To set this one up . . . Last week Brand and his squire/friend Kel reached the home of Nairn and Therza, only to find them packing up to move. I figured I might as well continue on with that one because a lot of what I’ve been writing lately is all over the place.
The trip took more than a month and by the end they were all weary of it. But the weather had been fair and the trip uneventful, so from that perspective they could have done much worse.
Their destination was the town of Burnsen, a market centre for the surrounding farms. After making inquires, Nairn was directed to a newly vacated farm, to be had for what he deemed a very reasonable price. The holding agent suggested they camp there for the night to see if it would suit and Nairn agreed.
The farmhouse was larger than he expected, with a sound barn close by and pens that could be used for a variety of livestock. When asked what happened to the previous owners the agent shook his head sadly.
“What happens to most in these parts. A man and his wife raise their family here, and the sons grow up wanting something other than dirt under their nails. This is good, rich land, mind you, but it takes a will to make it work.”
Nairn nodded in agreement.
While Brand and Kel chased the boys around the farmyard to help them blow off some of their steam from being cooped up in the wagon so long, Nairn and Therza checked out the house.
It was two stories, built of wood and stone and looked to have had an addition added on at some point. The door opened into a large room with a stone fireplace. A door off one side led to a good sized bedroom with its own fireplace that Therza deemed would be perfect for the two of them.
On the other side of the main room was space for a table for dining, with a kitchen off of it. Therza surveyed the kitchen with her hands on her hips. There were plenty of shelves and counter space, a work table in the centre, and a large iron cook stove that would heat things up nicely in the winter months. To her delight, one of the doors off to the side led to a pantry. The other door led outside where there was a kitchen garden. It was somewhat overgrown but she could see several of her favourite herbs amongst the weeds. Just beyond that was a plot of land that had obviously once been used as a vegetable garden.
“It’s perfect!” she exclaimed to Nairn.
“You haven’t even seen the upstairs,” he said in amusement.
“As long as there’s enough room for the boys, it’s still perfect,” she assured him. “Just look at all these windows. When the storms come they can be shut, and when the heat is upon us they can be opened to let in a breeze.”
There was a proper set of stairs leading to the upstairs, which boasted four rooms of equal size.
“While they are young they might wish to share a room still,” Nairn said. “But when they grow a little older they’ll want a space of their own.”
Therza nodded in agreement. She turned to Nairn and wrapped her arms around him. “It is perfect here. But are you sure this is what you really want?”
“Yes,” Nairn said, kissing her soundly. “There comes a time in a man’s life when he needs to lay down his sword, and my time has come.”
Therza set to work at once, cleaning and setting the house to rights, drafting the men into helping her. They swept and scrubbed and polished. Therza washed the floors and walls and the glass in the windows. Even the little ones were given tasks, and threatened with dire results should they stray from the farm.
It took better than a week before she was satisfied and allowed the men to unpack the wagon. While the men saw to the actual heavy work of lifting, Therza saw to the placement of every stick of furniture, every pot and plate herself.
“I think I would rather face a hoard of tribesmen than face Therza when she is setting up house keeping,” Brand said with a heartfelt sigh of relief when she finally released them to see about dealing with the rest of the farm.
Kel grinned at him. “It was a definite change from cleaning armour.”
No comments:
Post a Comment