It as difficult to survive, Frederick thought at the end of each day. Food, fuel, and friendships were what was necessary for survival, yet so difficult to find. His head ached when he laid down at night, since he ran around with the others all day.
It was fortunate that his father remembered much from his father's before him hand built home. It was Jeremiah who could press a hand to the ground and tell the others whether the land was good for building or planting.
It was fortunate that his father remembered much from his father's before him hand built home. It was Jeremiah who could press a hand to the ground and tell the others whether the land was good for building or planting.
Dane made himself useful for teaching the womenfolk what berries, nuts and root were edible. "Watch the birds and the forest rodents," he repeated slowly. "They do not eat the foods that kill them. What they eat, we may as well, though it may not taste as good as the market sweets in the city."
The younger girls watched him with awestruck eyes and he deftly plucked berries from thorny branches and snared nuts from before a squirrel's eyes.
The younger girls watched him with awestruck eyes and he deftly plucked berries from thorny branches and snared nuts from before a squirrel's eyes.
The other men did not have quite the skill sets of the other two talented men, but they proved their worth through their muscle. Jeph and the younger men hacked at the trees that stood in the way of Jeremiah's knowing gaze, and used the cows' strength to rip out the tree trunks from the ground.
Under Lilliane's watchful eyes, the younger girls scooped mud out of the river and spread it over the planting soil. Anne and Medea shuddered as they did so, but followed her orders carefully. Beatrix, still pale from her days without food or sunlight, refused to do such brute work, as she prefered to call it. Her insistences that her dress and self remain clean and tidy were part of her new ideal, highborn self.
Jeph found this hard to deal with at first, despite his recent arguments about her self-worth. Lilliane brought him away though, when he began to raise his voice at the sight of Beatrix's mulish look. Jeph was a hellion to be argued with, the older woman sighed. She would silently ask for forgiveness from the sky when the man worked himself into a cursing frenzy over his oddity of a daughter, and would try to calm the man down.
Jeph found this hard to deal with at first, despite his recent arguments about her self-worth. Lilliane brought him away though, when he began to raise his voice at the sight of Beatrix's mulish look. Jeph was a hellion to be argued with, the older woman sighed. She would silently ask for forgiveness from the sky when the man worked himself into a cursing frenzy over his oddity of a daughter, and would try to calm the man down.
Never-the-less, Lilliane would calm him down by compromise. Beatrix could live out her highborn fantasies by cooking for the group and beginning the fabric work for the homes to be built.
Her patience was tried though, when Beatrix heard of this agreement.
"A lady does not sew, she embroiders," she sniffed.
Her patience was tried though, when Beatrix heard of this agreement.
"A lady does not sew, she embroiders," she sniffed.
"Then I suggest you embroider a sturdy seam for your pillow case, or you will be sleeping with your head on a pile of grasses, my lady." Lilliane's logic was not to be denied, as the thought of itchy grass weaving itself into Beatrix's braid was not realized until now. "A lady also helps others keep themselves free of grass, and away from peeping eyes." Though Lilliane could not help herself, her eyes slid to the shirtless Dane labouring and the younger men beside him. "Curtains are needed for any decent household."
Beatrix was in awe of this woman, whose voice was close enough to highborn to convince her. She held the heaping pile of fabrics in her arms, but her posture remained tall despite the hunch of age that slowly overtook others. Beatrix felt her back stiffen somewhat as she took the sturdy fabric and felt the weight of responsibility settle on her.
"Y-yes, madam," She stuttered. "I had not thought ... "
"And that is fine," Lilliane's gaze softened. "Perhaps later, when we cook, I will tell you of when I worked for some finer households. You may enjoy my tales."
The woman swept off to oversee Anne and Medea, and Beatrix found herself still, thinking.
Beatrix was in awe of this woman, whose voice was close enough to highborn to convince her. She held the heaping pile of fabrics in her arms, but her posture remained tall despite the hunch of age that slowly overtook others. Beatrix felt her back stiffen somewhat as she took the sturdy fabric and felt the weight of responsibility settle on her.
"Y-yes, madam," She stuttered. "I had not thought ... "
"And that is fine," Lilliane's gaze softened. "Perhaps later, when we cook, I will tell you of when I worked for some finer households. You may enjoy my tales."
The woman swept off to oversee Anne and Medea, and Beatrix found herself still, thinking.