Story 4. Thefurther – themore.
"Hi everyone, we're back!" – Tom exclaimed, knocking at the opened door and stepping inside. Lenny ran under his elbow and was immediately caught by his mother.
"Ma, ma, we've seen so much at the market! Look what we've got! And we've swapped new books for that egg!"
"It can not be! – Evie gasped, taking the plates out of the bucket of water and wiping them with Ashka. - Come on, show them!"
Men of the family and Sam, who took her time off from washing up, went to the yard, where goods from other sectors were waiting in the cart, under the sackcloth. After the dragons, of course, books were one of the most interesting phenomena in Moriol. Almost everybody at the farm could read or write. Getting more and more information from Sam, the woman concluded that Moriolians had rather extensive knowledge, though the origin was unknown. Of course she understood it later – knowledge had been transferred from generation to generation with the help of books, which had also been saved in families and were considered as more than expensive things. In Moriol tenth, eleventh and twelfth sectors were printing books, which made life easier for people nearby. For all the others reading was an expensive and inconstant pleasure. There were rumors that a part of governor's adjacent sector was also producing books, for the leader didn't have to go far every time.
There were lots of books in Moriol, according to Sam's words. The ones for children, the ones that helped take care of the dragons, even the ones that could teach you how to cook, sew, treat people.
"Perhaps everyone here could have learnt from books, - the girl said once, - but as not all of us have them, we should rely on ancestors' knowledge and our memory".
There was a small collection of books in Rita's house. The housewife explained to Ashka who didn't know Moriolian writing: three books swapped by Matthew, her late husband, were about dragons, another one – memoirs of John the Pioneer, the governor who had found dragon eggs in a cave. One recipe-book and one book of fairy-tales, read almost to tatters and smudges. The eldest grew with it, now the youngest were entertaining themselves.
Meanwhile men came back. Tom was carrying some wooden boxes, and Lenny who followed – three big books.
"Three? – Rita exclaimed. - Incredible! Just for one egg?"
"It's funny, ma, - the guy sniffed, - you don't like Flamy drop, but two ladies from the tenth nearly fought for it. Right, kid boasts first".
The family gathered around Lenny, who shined proudly, showing the purchases. Ashka continued wiping the plates, smiling slightly. If these people could see the Spellbinders castle library – that plenty of books! Take them anytime, read, thumb through and look through.
"Dragon tail into my room, these are fairytales! – Sam exclaimed, hopping. - New fairytales!"
"Watch your language, sister, - Tom looked down at her then smiled, - that's right, actually. There was a book-line, and we've got them at once. We also swapped a knitting book for Evie and a new recipe-book for you, ma".
'You're my good boys, - the woman smiled, - Ashka, would you read for children? Oh, sorry, I forgot…", - she made a helpless gesture, feeling guilty.
Sam looked at both of them and then offered:
"Ma, Ashka would rather tell us a story, right? – the girl watched the Spellbinder innocently. - She knows many stories, doesn't she?"
The family shifted their gazes to the woman synchronically. Remembering Larius the Great and all his successors, she tried to smile.
"I am not sure I can…"
"Oh ple-e-ese! – Sam pulled at her braids, blinking and making a pleading gesture. - Just one! Mum and Evie are busy with sewing in the evening".
"And I'm not a story-teller", - Tom raised his hands, rejecting the possibility.
Lenny also looked at the Spellbinder, not using his sister's tricks, of course, but waiting for the agreement. There was no time for hesitation.
"Alright, - Ashka muttered, - but it's your fault if you don't like it".
She turned away, busy with two last dishes, making it clear the discussion was over. What a nightmare, a Spellbinder not so long ago was entertaining kids now! And she'd better think of something before the night, or else there will be nothing to tell. Children expressed their enthusiasm and returned to other swapped things. There was paper with quills, ink, wonderful flavored fish with spice from the eighth sector, some pieces of bright fabrics for Evie. And even fresh rolls, swapped somewhere on their way for a sack of grain.
"We're rich today! – Tom stated happily, finishing with purchases. - And this is a lovely surprise, swapped for water mucus! Try them on!"
And he removed a cloth covering something in his hands. Evie and Rita gasped. The young man put three pairs of shoes on the floor – with heels, golden laces and buttons.
"Not sure if I guessed with the third pair, - Tom scratched his head in embarrassment, - but it was worth risking. Ashka, come here, it's for you".
The Spellbinder came closer, observing the shoes with amazement, while Rita and Evie were trying on theirs. Surprise succeeded indeed, perhaps, for her more than for the others. The shoes looked wonderful, knowing that water mucus produced in these sectors was very valuable, it wasn't difficult to say how valuable the surprise was.
Taking off her left boot, Ashka put on a shoe carefully. Whether it fits or not became important for some reason, very important. And strange, she really wanted Tom to guess right… She hadn't gotten any presents for ages, with no particular reason, just as a surprise.
"So?" – Evie and Rita asked worriedly, already with their shoes put on and the laces in bows. Ashka finished with the other shoe, standing up slowly and listening to her senses. Indeed, those were not missis Muggleton's slingbacks!
"You should work with shoes too, having such a skill, Tom, - the woman laughed, thank you, I'm impressed".
The guy blushed, folding the cloth.
"That's great. In this case you all have something to wear for dancing in the end of the month!"
Ashka's smile faded immediately.
"Dancing? – taking a step back, she almost caught a floorboard with her heel. - What dancing?"
"Moriolian water fest, - Rita explained, - this day every year we have a water celebration with may fish appetizers".
"And we also have dancing in our sectors this day, - Sam added, taking mother's and sister's shoes and going to the second floor, - it's funny there!"
Ashka felt hot. Just no dancing for now!
"I'm not coming", - she said quickly.
"Why? – Tom was surprised. - People from all around will be there, you won't like to stay at home alone?"
"I don't want to dance".
"You can't?" – Evie egged on smiling.
"I can! – Ashka argued immediately. - But don't want".
"You don't have to dance there, - Rita said calmly, - you may watch, look at dragons, listen to music. And Tom's right, Ashka, we'll go for the whole day, you'd better go with us, here it'll be too quiet and boring".
"Quiet and boring… As if it is bad! As if I need everything to be loud", - Ashka thought letting her hair down and taking a comb. She said neither "no", nor "yes", reminding Rita about her forgotten sewing. And Ashka got some free time she was going to use for herself. New shoes were put in the middle of the small room, she had a chance to stumble there twice, to drop a comb once and decide that the forthcoming fest was not the best of Moriol traditions. No, Ashka was fond of dancing and did it with pleasure, but local dancing was hardly similar to traditional castle balls she got used to. And she wasn't interested in getting new skills now.
Memories about balls were followed by Gryvon again. Gryvon, who was unable to perform a promenade for so long… Feeling the old wound in her soul was opening one more time, Ashka threw the comb on the table.
"We're ready to hear a story!" – Sam and Lenny appeared at her doorstep, still in the same street clothes.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" – Ashka looked at them in surprise. The boy waved off.
"Tom says it's stupid to listen to fairytales in bed. You'll fall asleep in the middle and miss the most interesting".
Ashka had to admit that was reasonable. She didn't have to think of the tales before in such a way. Standing up, the woman followed children to the next room, where Lenny and Sam took off their boots and sat down on the girl's bed, clinging to each other and covering themselves with a wrap. The Spellbinder got confused, she didn't think of anything interesting that could save the situation. With all her fantastic skill to think up and pull the wool over people's eyes, now the woman didn't know what to do. Fairytales? What fairytales did dragon experts prefer? Sitting opposite the bed, she suddenly gave a start. Dragons… fairytales… dragons… Closing her eyes, the woman smiled. It was so long ago… A taste of water from flask, a sweet and sour apple, leaves rustling above her head… And dragons… So long ago… And she remembered everything.
"No fairytale?" – Lenny said sadly, shifting his gaze to the sister. It seemed she was sad too.
"There will be a fairytale", - Ashka said decisively, looking at him. So, maybe everything really repeated in this life?
Clearing her throat she leaned back and crossed her legs.
"Once upon a time there was brave Ard, living in a castle and wishing to become a Regent… By the way, dragons are coming in this story!"