My name is Nelka. I am 13. I live in the hills, with my family. My father is a woodworker, and my brothers work with him. I do not like working with wood. It gives me splinters, and hurts my hands. Father says I am not to do what he does, but what I can do best.
I tend the flock. I can do that very well. The goats come to me when I call, and they follow me wherever I go. I know my way in the hills very well, and I never get lost. I have two dogs that help me, and they are my best friends. One is silver and black, and I have named him Shadow; the other is brown, like the grass in summer, so I have named him Heat. Mother makes my midday meals and sends them with me and I spend all day in the hills with my friends. My other sisters stay home and cook and clean with Mother. They sometimes say things about me that are not nice. They say I am slow and stupid, that I cannot cook like them, or clean the house. They say I will never get a husband.
But Mother and Father say that even if I cannot work wood like my brothers or keep house like my sisters, I can tend the flocks best of all. I go out with them every morning, when the sun is just peeking over the ridge, and lead them to the best grazing. I always pick a new place so the goats have enough to eat every day. Heat and Shadow help me and they can run very fast when they need to. Sometimes a goat wanders off alone and I have to send Heat away to look for it. Shadow is best at staying with the flock, and Heat is best at looking for the strays. I like to sit and watch my flock. They are good company.
Sometimes it is not so nice, when it rains. But I have a warm cloak made of wool and it keeps me dry. I laugh because the wool comes from my flock, and the goats laugh with me as I sit under a tree wearing their hair to stay warm. They stay near me when it rains because they do not like getting wet very much. The trees keep most of the rain off us.
I also milk my lady goats. Every morning before we go out I milk them and strain the milk into the big churn in the dairy. I can make cheese! My family likes the cheese I make very much, and my brother says that maybe a man will marry me just for the cheese I make. I do not think I want to be married, though. I like my friends, the goats, and Heat and Shadow better than my brothers. If I marry, it would have to be someone like my brothers, and I do not like them very much sometimes. They are too loud and they say things I do not understand.
One day I was in the hills and Heat perked up his ears. That is his way of saying that he hears something. I stood up and climbed the tree I was sitting under to get a better view. Soon I saw a runner with a man sitting on him. He had a lovely grey colour, with charcoal mane and tail and such cunning dark stockings on his forelegs! The man looked up at me and smiled. He was wearing very beautiful clothes, even if they were dusty from travel, and a lovely hat with a feather in it.
"Good day to you, little shepherdess! Won't you come down and talk to me?"
Mother has always said to be careful around strangers, so I was not sure if I ought to come down. But he looked so nice and jolly, and kept asking me things about my friends that before long, I climbed down from my tree and showed him my little flock. I explained about my duties, and that I was the best at what I did. I could tell he was impressed at my skill and knowledge about goats. I introduced him to Heat and Shadow, and he praised them, saying how well they looked and he was sure they were the best herder dogs in the hills. I've always thought so, so I can tell he knew what he was talking about. We had a very nice time, and after a wonderful lunch where we shared our food with each other, he said he had to go but would see me again soon.
He came again a sevenday after, and asked me about my family, what they did, where they lived, whether I liked them or not. He was very kind, and very interested. Not many people are interested in what I say. My sisters are only interested in getting married and my brothers do not want to know about goats or cheese-making. They like to eat the cheese, though.
That evening he came home with me and asked my parents for a night's lodging. They stayed up talking for a long time. I know, because I listened. My new friend has a loud voice and it was easy for me to hear what they were saying. He said he was sent by Lord Jaxom of Ruatha to find likely girls and boys to hire for serving at the Gather a few days time, and wanted to take me to Ruatha Hold for a while. He said he was sure I would fit in well and learn quickly, and would enjoy getting into more company. I was excited. I can rarely go to Gathers as the way is so long, and the goats need tending. When my family goes to sell their wares, I stay to watch over the flock.
My Mother did not want to let me go. She seemed to think that my sisters would be better for Lord Jaxom's Gather, but my new friend said he wanted me because I was so friendly and sweet. He said some more things I did not understand, but I'm sure it was good and true. Father was worried about letting me go, too, but when he read the letter from our Lord saying that he promised personally to take good care of all the extra hired help, he said I might go. Mother finally agreed when my new friend explained how I would be earning very good wages; she said that Lucie might go with the goats for the time I was gone. I was very happy because the last Gather I went to was a long time ago. I remember lots of people, dressed very brightly, and hot pies, and loud music. My only worry was the flock, and my dogs. Lucie is not very good at understanding them. I hope they are all right.