“I will be busy for a time. I need tae help the men clear the courtyard. The women have some business as well, they are preparin’ food for those returnin’ tae their homes and helpin’ the villagers tae their needs. Dost ye want tae help them?”
“I would like to.” He passed me Isla and I dropped her into the wrap like I was good at this. Then I reached out my hand and pulled Magnus to standing. He groaned.
“Tired?”
“Och, in my body and m’soul.” We held each other for a moment, a hug that held and warmed and supported and comforted. Then we let go to get to work.
Seven - Kaitlyn
A caravan of villagers left from the castle. It wasn’t far to walk, it was evening and light enough, but the paths were tight and there were a great many people to go. The line of people stretched for a distance, animals and carts and horses and women with children and men alongside them.
Sean and Magnus and other men rode along, up and down the caravan, to make sure they were safe on their journey home. Hayley, Emma, Beaty, and I helped however we could: packing, child care, running for things, so the families could gather their wares and belongings. The general feeling was relief, but also, homes had been ransacked and the fields had been burned, there would be a great deal to do. I was very worried about some of the families with small children — how would they feed their children now that the harvest days had passed while they were under siege?
Hayley had been making a mental list: comfortable mattresses and a watch for Fraoch, long burning fire logs, but now, as we carried loads back and forth, we added to the list:
I said, “Seeds.”
She said, “And flour, like the good kind.”
I said, “What about big bags of oatmeal? The harvest has been ruined, we might bring oatmeal for the winter.”
Emma said, “Bags and bags of beans.”
Hayley said, “Oh, and potatoes, what lots and lots of potatoes? And don’t forget, big ass, dairy cows.”
I said, “A pile of pumpkins, for food plus full of seeds, there could be fields of pumpkin vines, I think. And what about apple trees?” I didn’t know a lot about horticulture but I knew how to google and I would as soon as I got home.
Emma walking by added, “Seriously, we need a better sewage system, the filth, ugh! Zachary and James have convinced the men the cesspit has to be cleaned out, it’s overflowing. They said a gong farmer will come tomorrow or the next day to clean it, but we’ll have to cover our noses until then. Hopefully tomorrow isn’t hot.” She carried a bundle of blankets to a cart and returned a few minutes later with a jug of water. “Add water containers to your list.”
Finally, in the twilight of the day, late late on the summer night, as the last of the people left, Magnus came to me. “Tis time for bed, mo reul-iuil.”
“Is it?” I leaned tiredly on the wall.
“Tis.”
He said good night to everyone and led me from the courtyard to the stairs.
“We need to get Archie. I haven’t seen him in hours, I miss him.”
We found Archie asleep in a pile with Ben in the nursery. Emma took Ben up. Magnus took up Archie and we walked Zach and his family to their room and then went down the hall to our own.
The night before I had been tired. Now I was wiped out exhausted.
I got Isla to the bed and collapsed beside her. “This is it, all I can do.”
“Tis enough.” He tiredly dropped a sleeping Archie into the middle of the bed, pulled his boots off, and collapsed on the bed beside him, and we were all fast asleep within minutes.
Eight - Kaitlyn
The next day we were late getting up.
Archie tumbled over us, upside-downed, and said, “Wake up Da!”
Magnus pretended to be sleeping. “I canna wake up, I am sleepin’ and daena hear ye.”
Archie said, “Da! Hear me! Wake up!”
Magnus and I both laughed.
I tucked Isla in, nursed her good-morning, and watched as Magnus and Archie rose, used the chamber pot, and readied for the day.
Soon enough we were in the Great Hall. The castle was less crowded, emptier, lighter feeling. We gathered around to eat breakfast. Everyone was exhausted still — yesterday had been a lot, a big project, but now we were done. Now we were doing the next thing.
Lizbeth was bustling around organizing a big, necessary project, filling the castle with the scents of lavender and thyme, clippings were placed in corners, heather flowers put on tables, fragrant bowls of rosewater were put on tables for washing our hands.
Hayley had coffee. She said, “I heard the Earl has coffee here sometimes, but it is not enough for how much coffee I need, personally, day by day. I am only sharing this because you’re going home to get more, that’s the only reason.”
I said, “Yes, I get it, coffee is a necessity. The only reason why I’m drinking some of your supply is because I’m definitely going home. Or — if not home, some where very close. I just haven’t decided yet, but I promise I’ll bring coffee to you.”
Zach said, “My family’s going home though, that’s what I hear? I mean, not home-home, somewhere else, right?”
I said, “I would send you to the lake house in Maine, but it’s November, too cold, we could time jump you to the following summer?”
Emma shook her head. “No way, I don’t want to lose any time. Imagine losing months of your life?” She shuddered.
Imagine losing months of your life... It had happened to Magnus and me so many times. I said, “Yeah, you’re right, that was a dumb idea.”
She said, “Can you imagine if we returned and Ben was not the right age? Kids are totally judged on milestones — is he walking, talking, reading? Imagine how unfair that would be for a kid.”
“There are a million choices though, what about Los Angeles or maybe the Outer Banks?” I chewed a hunk of bread with a smear of butter. Beside me was a mug of coffee with a lot of milk and a dash of sugar so I could pretend it was a Starbucks latte.
She said, “I’m wondering about Atlanta. Zachary has friends there, we could get a place.”
Ben and Archie were running up and down the room, enjoying their freedom from the nursery immensely.
Beaty sighed dramatically. “I wish I could go. What will my Insta followers think? I am just gone, right Mookie?” She petted her pig under the chin. “But we have to stay here with Quenny, he needs us.”
I grinned at Hayley who was sprawled back in her chair. She said, “Not used to all this work, it’s usually a life of leisure around here.”
“Seriously?”
“Sure, all we need is coffee and love, right Fraoch?”
“Aye,” he grinned and pushed his mug forward. “A bit more of the coffee for me.”
“Of course.” She poured a little from her jar, screwed on the lid, and returned it to her bag. “We need a sugar field and coffee fields too. There is not enough. I’ve seen the kitchen store rooms.”
I said, “I’ll add that to the list.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it all up here.” Hayley tapped on her forehead. “So what today? When are Zach and Emma leaving?”