Chapter Fifty Nine – Work

Pazu gave Councillor Kamaesa his declaration of intent, to be read out in every town and posted up on the doors of the communal halls of all principal places. Essentially he put into writing his Furtuen Caemarth speech but leaving out a few of the more personal details and adding emphasis to his love of a rural life. This, combined with his subsequent actions seemed to be enough to placate the more excitable southern Councillors and towns.

Somebody anonymously sent a letter to Chamberlain Lammnia in which it was pointed out that a little known and arcane law existed which was enacted by the year 3828 Parlement declaring it illegal for a Councillor to bear arms or command a military force. A subsequent debate by the Gathering found Councillor Ptuomasa of Heyng to be in breach of this law and he was barred from office.

And while these political maneuverings rumbled away in the background there were many things to do. The late winter ploughing and sowing was done, the slate roof needed repinning in a few places and some of the stones of the grain tower had to be repointed. The apple and pear trees in the orchard needed pruning and Sheeta cleared the ground in the vegetable garden and planted this years crop. Pazu dug over the nearest corner of the orchard for her and bought her some young strawberry plants.

Later in spring the yaoko needed shearing of their carpet-like winter coats. This was a disgusting job, the pelts were immensely heavy and stank to high heaven. All the men of the village would get together and share this onerous task, the animals beforehand being painted on their foreheads with the owners mark. All the animals were then herded into the common field behind the hall and a series of temporary shearing pounds were set up, the men working in teams of four to remove the pelts from one animal at a time with the big hand shears. The men worked naked except for cloths tied around their middles and there was considerable competition between groups. The prize was a barrel of ale for each man of the team that sheared the most hides in the two day event.

There were all sorts of tactics employed to frighten the animals of competitors or to work in pairs in shifts or to work as a team around the clock. The women folk of the teams encouraged them on with songs, music or even lewd promises of bed when the job was done. Or the girls might distract other teams with similar outrageous behaviour. The shearing didn't stop at dusk and continued through the night under the light of countless lanterns. At the end of the two days there was one field full of strange looking thin bald mountain oxen who shivered and seemed rather puzzled, and a second field full of sweating, filth caked almost naked men, all of whom were thirsty enough to drink a lake.

Pazu was in a team with Shuna and two other young men, Tomba and Asbela who he was getting to know quite well. Pazu wasn't much use, being kept working most of the time getting the pelts out of the way and shoveling the dung which the animals produced in disgusting quantities when they were scared (the main reason opposing teams employed scare tactics). But Shuna's two friends were experts and with Shuna helping, and Sheeta and Amadea and the two young girlfriends of the others cheering and encouraging them on they won. It took a monumental effort but they did it by only two and a half pelts more than the next team.

As Pazu and the others collapsed into a sea of stinking dung, the women pulled off their shirts and jumped naked off the fences and waded in to hug them. Squishing in the foul bath the eight of them collapsed together hugging and laughing.

It was then traditional for everyone to run down the street and into the lake, the women joining their men to bathe, and in some cases reward them. And then, clean and dried and dressed, came the beer and the food. As the eight of them sat on cushions in the hall eating, drinking and laughing Pazu caught Sheeta looking at him. She had a mouth full of baked fish pie, a goblet of fruit cordial in one hand and she was quietly sat, just watching him. He stopped eating and looked back, smiling at her. She gave him a big wink.

"What?" he asked
"Just looking," she grinned, "Just looking. Because I can."

He leaned forward, put a hand behind her neck and pulled her to him, mouth full of fish pie and all. They parted two minutes later, breathless.

"Oh," she said, "wow."
"What? It was just a kiss. I only kissed you. Because I can. Oh, and by the way. The thirty third of the month, keep that day free."
"Why?"
"You're getting married."
"Pazu! Yes! YES! YES!"

She leapt up and hugged him, and then, their meal forgotten, dragged him off for a dance. A long one.


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24 - 25 April 2007

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