Wildhafer Pt. 01: Young Love Ch. 02

NOTE: In this fantasy story there is some physical abuse. This is a tough society for women, the protagonists of the story have much to surmount, and it's a long way to their 'freedom'. The story is meant to have a lighthearted, farfetched and comedic tone and does in no way reflect the views, opinions or beliefs of the author.

A raucous crowd filled the town square. On a tall wooden platform stood a nervous man with his arms tied behind his back. He had short black hair, a large nose, and heavy bags beneath his small cobalt blue eyes. A towering man in black clothing, hood and mask approached the prisoner. He placed a noose around the timid man's neck and a burlap sack over his head before tightening the rope. A wooden pole attached to the platform suspended the flaxen cord from above. The multitude began to jeer when the man in black went to a lever attached to a podium at the back of the dais.

Climbing the staircase to the platform, came an officious looking man in a feather topped hat. He went to the edge and pulled out a scroll. His stentorian voice rose above the din of the crowd.

"For the crime of thievery." The shouts got louder and he paused. "Of a horse from the woodcutter Bogaidan, son of Deindan." He paused again for the jeers to lessen. "The baker Aiwald, son of Aiganolf will be hanged until dead!"

The man in black pulled the lever, a trap door opened beneath the prisoner who fell and the noose caught his neck with a sudden jerk. Those in the throng roared. The pretty Meikell twins and their mother Farnei sat in a small carriage overlooking the spectacle on the stage. Alora looked down at the exuberant mass of people, while her sister Adala, looked towards the hanged man with a somber face.

"It's been too long since we've seen an execution," Viscountess Farnei said with a cheerful smile. "It makes me feel... safe."

"Gerben, let's go to the smith," she ordered.

"Yes m'lady."

Gerben, a short and balding man dressed in a faded black tunic, led the horses from his seat outside at the front of the carriage. The sea of townsfolk was thick, but they were keen to move out of the way as the carriage went through. It was not uncommon to be trod beneath a horse in the city.

"Now Adala, if only you weren't such a bother," the Viscountess said with an irascible sigh. "Adala didn't get caught up by a beast. She-"

"But mother--"

"Don't," Lady Farnei said with a firm glance. Alora became silent. "Yes, your sister has gotten into her fair stints of trouble. She ruined a new dress while learning to ride a horse, but did you not startle the horse?"

"Nay she--" Adala began.

"Stop," the Viscountess warned. The young woman frowned. "I just wish you would have more sense than to go outside with your wedding dress. But you have no sense. Once the dress is mended, I will take it into my wardrobe. And you will not wear it until your wedding day."

It took quite some time for the carriage to move out of the busy town center and then they were traveling through the streets for nearly ten more minutes. Gerben stopped the horses several yards from a short building with a sign of an anvil and hammer out front. The shop was wide with a long hitching post outside and loud clanging heard from the interior. Gerben got down from the horse and stood at the carriage door after opening it.

Lady Farnei came out of the carriage first, her hand against Gerben's shoulder as she dismounted. Her high collared yellow dress with long skirts flowed out above the dirt street. Next came Alora. Her pale blue dress was simple with a small paisley pattern at the front surrounded by a white striped skirt around the back. The dress was high around her neck and completely covered her arms to the wrist. Adala came out with the exact same style and color dress, much like her physical features. Gerben helped the twins out of the carriage and then tied the horses to the post. The women all wore wooden pattens on their shoes to aid in walking across the dirty streets.

"Come with me dears," Farnei said to her daughters. "Gerben, stay with the horses."

"Yes Lady Farnei," he said with a respectful bow of his head.

"The smith? Why not go to the one at home?" Adala asked.

"That fool can barely mend a horseshoe. You were complaining your kusheitgertel didn't fit as of late. Did you not?"

"Yes," Adala and Alora said in solemn unison.

"Then we should get it adjusted now. This will be the last time it is removed save for blumfealvoach or your wedding night. Come in," she ordered.

They entered the loud building, the vile smell of coal and hot metal in the air. Gerben stood in front of the horses and gently scratched their chins while he watched the people pass outside. Then the clanging inside stopped. The sun neared its zenith before the clanging began again. Farnei and the twins walked out shortly after and entered the carriage.

"Now to the tailor," Farnei said.

"Yes m'lady," Gerben replied.

They rode west, parallel to the wall for a bit and then turned south. They stopped after about fifteen minutes of travel at a building much like the others with a small footprint on the street and a large overhanging living quarters above. The sign on the front of the building hung from a pole with chains and was a faded image of a needle and a rolled span of thread.

"Gerben, get the bag please," she said with a wave to the carriage. "Adala, you shall stay here. Alora, come with me."

Gerben got down from his horse and helped the women down. Then he untied a wooden case from the side of the horse, and entered the tailor's shop with Viscountess Farnei and her daughter. After setting down the case on the large flat counter inside, she excused the driver to watch the horses.

The air in the shop felt thick with the smell of burning oil lanterns. Only dim light came through the small slatted windows made of circular glass mosaics with metal framework. Along the walls were tunics, doublets, dresses, and all matters of finery. The shop was quiet except for a spinning wheel behind the counter, in use by an older woman with gray hair, holding up a distaff of flax.

"Etae!" the woman said, with a turn of her head towards the back of the shop, where a small opening led up with stairs to the second story. "He'll be along shortly now," she said in a thick Uiken accent that sounded deep and guttural.

A minute or so later, a man roughly thirty years old came down the stairs, needles and thread sewed into the right side of his vest pocket. He had dark brown hair and cerulean eyes.

"Greetings," he said with a small bow of his head. "I am the owner, Etae the tailor. How can I help you m'lady?" he asked meekly.

"I am the Viscountess Farnei. Your services were recommended by Leina, one of my lady's-in-waiting," she said.

"Yes, of course, I am honored. Thank you Viscountess, how might I serve you?"

"I need you to mend this dress" she said, patting the wooden case on the long counter.

"May I open it?" he asked.

"Yes of course."

"Thank you," he said and unclasped the case and slowly swung the hinges open. A flowing white dress was kept rolled up inside, with thick leather straps holding it down. He undid the straps and rolled it out. Lace and eyelets ran in horizontal lines around the skirts. The top had a white bodice with rose and paisley designs.

"Very beautiful," he said, examining the fabric. "Where did you get it, may I ask?"

"Don't worry about that. Can you mend the garment? There are tears on the bottom of the skirt."

The tailor drew his hands across the linen until he located the problem. There were several places on the skirt that were torn out.

"Hmm yes, I think so," he nodded.

"This is quite important, my daughter is to be married next year. It must be repaired with utmost skill."

The tailor grabbed a lantern from a hook on the wall and placed it on the counter. He peered closely at the damaged gown.

"I don't believe I have a fabric that will match this," he admitted. "But the clothier should have something if you can leave the dress with me. If he doesn't have it, I'll have to replace the skirt. I can have it done in five days and of course a special price for the Viscount," he smiled.

"Can you do the same pattern? I don't want a different one."

He looked at the intricate detail for a few seconds.

"Yes, no problem," he said confidently.

"Very well. It needs to be equal quality to how it was before. How much?"

"Hmm, twelve silver."

"Did you not say a deal for the Viscount? Why not eight silver?" she countered.

"M'lady, I need to make a living," he replied shrewdly.

"Is ten acceptable?"

"Yes," he agreed.

Viscountess Farnei pulled a purse from her belt and counted out silver discs imprinted with the profile of a crowned man with a long beard.

"Thank you," he said. "If you return in half a fortnight I'll be finished."

"Could you deliver the finished gown to Meikell manor?" Farnei asked, holding out another two silver.

"Meikell manor?"

"About three hours travel."

"Yes, I can have my son do that after it's finished." He took the silver into a pouch and went to the stairs. "Deikuneist, come down!"

A few moments later a short young man with almost shoulder length hair arrived at the bottom of the steps. He wore an undyed gray tunic and breeches. When he came into the room, he stared at Alora with small azure blue eyes.

"Son."

"What is it father?" he said, turning to Etae.

"Take a look at this fabric. We need to find the same color and quality replacement at the clothier. This is for the Viscount's daughter, so it's our top priority."

"Yes father."

"I will leave you to your work," Lady Farnei said.

"Thank you Viscountess," Etae said amiably.

"Come along Alora," she said, pulling on the wooden knob of the door.

Alora gazed back over her shoulder and noticed the young man was staring at her as she left. Gerben was fingering the dagger hilt on his belt when he saw the door open. He helped Farnei and Alora back into the carriage. Adala grabbed her sister's hand when she sat next to her on the bench seat.

"Gerben take us back to the blacksmith," the Viscountess ordered.

"Yes Viscountess."

Alora looked out the window at the townspeople. There were so many of them all carrying different items and dressed in different clothes. It was much different than the manor where she lived. She enjoyed the city, if not the smell, but the many sights that were quite entertaining. A woman walked through the city on the arm of a man, her dress cut in a fashion Alora hadn't seen before. The front was open slightly around the decolletage of her neck, the hem lined with lace. Her dress was pale pink and quite beautiful with long folds and a long belt adorning her waist.

"She looks like a strumpet," Farnei whispered. The twins turned to her mother. "Showing her body in such a way," she said with a shake of her head. "That's why I don't like taking you to the city," she said with a frown. "The Tocosi clothing that is starting to come to the city is an affront to Fareik. Eh... the Tocusa... fornicators... considering only the pleasures of the flesh. They like Akain'ah are consumed by it," she said with disgust. "I'm afraid that since the unification, our country is losing its morals."

"Mother, can we eat? We're hungry," Adala said pleadingly.

"After the blacksmith adjusts your kusheitgertel," the Viscountess replied. She took a bag from next to her in the carriage and opened it. She pulled out dried fruit and cheese that she began to chew noisily. Like hungry puppies with large sad eyes, the twins watched their mother eat.

They soon arrived at the blacksmith and the sound of clanging metal could still be heard from outside. The noise stopped and a horse came from the open door of the blacksmith, freshly shod. Gerben dismounted first and then helped Lady Farnei down.

"Come along girls," she said, wiping her mouth clean with the back of her hand. Gerben helped her daughters down. "Watch the horses," Lady Farnei instructed as they entered.

"Yes Viscountess." Gerben untied a large burlap satchel from the side of one of the horses and held it in front of its mouth. The bag was full of dried alfalfa that the animal began to eat. He had to pull it away before it ate too much and then moved on, feeding the next horse.

"All gone," he announced when he felt the animal's teeth and lips pressing against his hand through the bag. He gave the horses water with a wooden bucket. After they had drunk their fill, he leaned against the blacksmith wall, looking out at the townsfolk. He heard a shriek and turned. A woman sat on the cobblestones, a spilled basket of apples before her. A man in a faded leather smock stood over her with his closed fist held up. She shrunk from him and he hit her face on her cheek. She cried softer this time.

"Teach you to drop it!" he shouted. "Now pick 'em up."

She bowed her head while she gathered all the apples into the large basket and then placed them on her head when she was finished. The man watched and then continued to walk. She followed directly behind him.

Gerben opened one of the saddlebags from his horse and pulled out a chunk of dense brown bread. He munched through the hard dough slowly. The horses defecated onto the stone in the street, as he took out a small skin of water. He leaned his hand against the horse as he took a draught of water and returned it to the saddlebag. The sun was just starting its way down from its zenith. The clanging in the smithy had stopped and his eyes became heavy as he waited. He stretched his arms and shoulders before starting to examine the birds hooves. He found no fault, so leaned against the hitching post. Clanging started from the smithy again. The clanging started and stopped over many hours until the sun was getting low.

The blacksmith building was quiet and light began to shine from inside. The smith set a lantern onto a thick wooden table. The light illuminated his thick brown beard and azure eyes beneath bushy eyebrows. He stood next to his anvil solemnly, his eyes looking down. There was a click of metal from around the corner in the back of the smithy and he straightened up. Then there was another.

"Do they fit better now?" he asked.

"Yes," Farnei said, coming into view. She took a chain with two keys hanging off and placed it around her neck. Then she pushed it down, hiding it beneath her clothes. "I thank you for your careful work," she said and set a stack of six silver coins on a nearby wooden counter.

"Thank you m'lady," he said.

The twins came out from the corner and followed their mother out of the blacksmith's shop. Behind the smith resting on the anvil was an intricate bronze belt with a strip of metal making a sort of metal loincloth. In the front was a lock connected to the belt that connected to the sides of the loincloth by the hips. Far below the lock on the strip of metal was a long oval shaped hole lined with small spikes pointing straight out. Across the metal were intricate patterns of swirls, a nude male and female figure trying to reach hands, but separated by a cherry tree with a chain and lock across the trunk.