Chapter 12. The mantle of the Bard
A full day on the road, and a full night, it was mid day when the wagons left the Traveler's Road and turned off onto the trail that would lead to the encampment. Thom didn't seem at all surprised to find wagons already set up in the grove of trees. He smiled at Sarah, and said. "That would be the Clan Shaw. This encampment will be filled with at least five Clans by the end of tomorrow, with picking at least a week away." He pointed to a clearing his father's wagon was headed toward. "Each of us has reserved places in the grove, reserved by our standing among the clans. We are the highest raking clan, and we take the most prized position." He then frowned, "Something is wrong, look the faces." There was no mistaking the troubled looks on some of the faces of the men as they pulled their wagons past. "Soon as we set camp, Father and I will find out the meaning." He promised the girl. "The best thing for you to do is stretch your legs and get some dinner for the boys."
Sarah nodded, feeling stiff from the long journey. "Will we be here long, do you know?"
Thom shrugged, "Depends on the harvest, last season we were here for two weeks." He pointed toward the edge of the wooded acreage. "There's a cider house, and we don't just harvest the peaches, we help in the making of cider. That takes time, darlin'."
Sarah could see the circular turret in the distance. "How far is the Labyrinth? I don't remember entering it."
"You are not in the Labyrinth." Thom pulled the mare to a halt. "You are along side it." He pointed toward the road. "The orchard is on the outer boundary of the wall of a section of the Labyrinth."
Sarah made a mental note. She was grateful when Thom came around to her side of the driver's bench and lifted her down. He kept his hands to her waist until she was sure of her legs, and then a bit longer than was actually necessary. Shyly she looked up at him, "Thank you."
Thom smiled back, "I'll see to Tawny and leave you and the boys to set camp."
Sarah watched him unhitch the mare and walk her to where all the horses would be kept. Her stomach fluttered, and she blushed. The young man was not secretive in his liking of her, and if life had been different she would have found his attentions opportune and suitable. Turning to look at her wagon she reminded herself that she was back in the land of the Fae, and sooner or later was going to have to face the Goblin King. She doubted he'd allow her to continue her journey with the Brodie Clan, let alone a relationship with the Laird's son.
Toby and Georgie were already busy setting out the things that would make their space special. Fiona called to Sarah that she and the boys were to eat at the Laird's wagon. Sarah watched the boys for a moment, told them to finish as she was going to lend a hand to Fi. "Wash up when you're done and make sure you let Midnight out so she can stretch a bit."
Together Fiona and Sarah set the planks for the dinner table. They set out bread that Fiona had baked in her oven in the wagon on the road. There was cheese and cold meats as well as a bit of left over stew that Fiona stretched by adding more vegetables to. In a large wooden trencher Fiona placed some of the ripe apples that were part of their portion from the picking. The boys were seated at the table already when the men returned. Colyne was frowning.
"May God and Goddess bless our meal," He said then filled plates for the boys as Sarah dished out a small bowl of stew for each of them. When everyone was gathered at the table, Colyne began to speak of the woes that worried the other clan already arrived. "The orchard is no longer being managed by Lord Grathon. He retired to the isles after last season."
Fiona whispered. "But who is managing the orchards?" She saw the set of her husbands jaw and shook her head, "Not him, dear Gods …not him."
Colyne nodded, "Aye woman, him…Lord Awd Goggie." He placed his hands on the table. "And he's in a foul mood."
"Awd Goggie," Sarah had heard her grandfather use that name. "Isn't he some king of… Bogie?"
Thom chuckled and looked at the girl. "Actually he's the child of a high born Fae lady and the Hobgoblin Lord she had the misfortune to be promised to." He looked at her with a comical grotesque face. "All in the name of keeping peace!"
"Thom." His father scolded but not harshly, as he too felt the same way. "Show respect to the man." He looked at his wife and complained. "I don't know what's gotten into the King…placing the orchards in the hands of that fool… ever since he married that empty headed ninny…." He stopped when his wife cleared her throat and looked down at the little boys. Colyne leaned over his stew and spooned some in.
"Is this Lord Goggie difficult to deal with?" Sarah asked Thom.
The younger Brodie nodded. "He'd much rather chase the woods for stray children. I swear he'd have made a better Goblin than an Orchard Master. They told us he has not even started to set up the cider house, the vats have not been washed out nor the firewood stacked." He sighed.
"Will he interfere with the picking?" Sarah asked looking from father to son.
"No." Colyne said thudding the table with a fist, "He will not. Not as long as I'm the Clan leader he won't."
Thom looked at the elder with satisfaction, "All the clans with a-line with ye father, and he knows it."
Fiona fretted, "What condition is the orchard in, did Shaw say?"
Pain passed over the features of the Laird. "Robin Shaw said they are in terrible condition. That Goggie did little or nothing with them all season. They've not been pruned, they've not been nourishes… He stayed in his fine new lodge and passed the time with maidens he dragged in from the woods. Shaw said that he's even taken to raiding the public road without fear, for the King's mind seems else where."
"Ack, the poor wee trees," Fiona wept.
Colyne looked down at Sarah's boys. "Lads, give me your ears." He waited until their full attention was his. "I'll give ye fair warning. Do not wander out of our grove. Stay to the encampment and the trails that Thom and I show ye. I'll not have that braggart trying to flitch one of my wee lambs." The two boys promised to obey the Laird and he went back to his meal.
With the evening meal behind them, Colyne and Thom took the lads down to the center of the encampment where other men and lads were gathering to greet each other and give news. Sarah helped Fiona clear up before also making her way down to the large bonfire set to greet the clans who would work the harvest. Arm in arm the Laird's wife and the faux widow walked.
Georgie and Toby came rushing to Sarah, and pulled her toward a gathering thong of children. "Tell us a story!" the boys begged.
Sarah smiled down as more voices begged for a tale. "Oh well there are so many, what would you like to hear?"
"The miller's daughter tale." A little girl called out. Her cry was followed by others who agreed.
"Aye, the miller's daughter tale?" Sarah took a seat on a stump and motioned the children to be seated beneath her. "Are ye sure? Tis a frightful tale indeed." She teased. "Ye are sure ye won't be afeared?"
Thom pressed a shoulder to his fathers and inclined his head toward the direction of Sarah gathering the children for the tale.
"Long ago, and far, far away…"Sarah began in a bit of a sing song voice, the same way her Granny had told the tale. "There lived a proud and vain miller. Now the miller had much to be proud of… he had a fine millhouse, with the finest of millstones… it was said he could grind grain so fine…. It would float on the very air." Sarah waved her fingers in the air as he demonstrated the lightness of the flour. There were wide eyes in her audience. Some of the adults began to gather to listen as well. "But of all his possessions the miller was proudest of his beautiful daughter. Her eyes shone like the diamonds and her think hair was a black and glossy as a Raven's wing. Her lips were full and ruby red, and her skin was smooth and clear and the color of peaches in cream." Sarah lingered over the description of the maiden. "She was not just beautiful to look at, but she had a kind and beautiful soul as well. And she was a gifted girl, with a voice sweet and true, and talents that few others could boast of. Not that the girl did any boasting, for it was her father, the miller who did all the boasting. Why he went so far as to boast that the girl with had a true talent at spinning, could spin gold from straw." Looking just past her young audience Sarah noticed many of the men and women gathering to hear the tale. She stood up and began to do hand movement just as her Granny had. Telling the tale to the still group who listened as if it were the most important tale they had ever heard.
"On the third day, sure he had won, the little dwarf showed his face in the throne room of the King… and demanded the child if the sweet young Queen could not give him his name. But the wise and virtuous Queen was ready for him. She asked if his name were John, and the dwarf laughed. She asked if it were Fred, and he laughed harder. She smiled and said ' if it's not John and it's not Fred, it simply had to be…." Making a wide wave with her hand she cued the children who all cried out with her. "Rumpelstiltskin!" Sarah stilled the group after a good hard laugh. "The little man was furious, and his face turned red, in his rage drove his right foot so far into the ground that it sank in up to his waist; then in a passion he seized the left foot with both hands and tore himself in two." Sarah took her seat again. "All that was left when the smoke cleared was dust. It was all swept up and locked in a fired clay jug, and caped so it would never escape again… And the good and virtuous Queen and her handsome King and their child lived happily ever after."
The children applauded, and rushed forward to beg Sarah for another story, or a song. Robin Shaw complemented Laird Brodie on the fine Bard his clan possessed. Brodie stood, pipe in his teeth and wondered what other tales the girl was privy to. Sarah led the children in a song and then shooed them all back to their parents and their beds with the promise of another tale another night.
Thom walked at Sarah's side with the boys. "That was a fine telling of that tale, Sarah darlin'."
"I'm glad you liked it." She said.
"You've the making of a fine Bard, lass." Colyne said from behind them as he walked back to the Brodie encampment with his wife.
"Oh you're too kind, Laird."
"Not at all," he drew on his pipe. "I too look forward to hearing more tales."
Sarah and the boys were greeted as they entered the wagon by Midnights loud cries. "I don't think she likes being left out." Sarah teased.
Thom stood at the door, "Sarah, I suggest ye look in the drawers; there should be a dark shawl with gold threads in it. Ye should wear it when next ye tell a tale."
"Oh, why?" She motioned the boys to begin making their bed, and stepped to the door.
"Because, darlin'," Thom lightly touched her face, almost reverently. "Ye have taken up the mantle o the Bards… and ye should dress the part." He smiled. "Goodnight, Sarah darlin'."
Sarah watched him as he went back toward his parents' wagon. She closed the door and wondered why his words were troubling her. She smiled at the boys and tucked them in as she had the nights before. Taking the candle she went toward her section of the wagon and lowered the curtain. As she removed the clothes she'd been wearing, she opened the little closet she'd noticed. In the bottom was a drawer, she pulled it open. Wrapped in a layer of gauze was the shawl that Thom had described. Sarah stood up and shook it out, then laid it over her shoulders. She turned to hear Midnight loudly purring. "I guess you approve." She said removing the shawl and placing it at the end of her bed. "A Bard…. Well ok… it's a good occupation, a vocation really, and an honest way to make a living…Telling Fairy Tales in a Fairy Tale Kingdom." She made a face at the cat and blew out her candle.
In the center of the wagon, between two sleeping boys a crystal sphere glowed.