Chapter 7: CHAPTER 4.1

Spending the remaining time of my day with the [Priest], I've returned home after he agreed to teach me.

 

“I’m back” I announced, but no one greeted back. 

 

It seems that my father has yet to come home. Usually he should be back home by now since he consistently comes back from his hunts by sunset. 

 

When day ends and the darkness of the night consumes the land, the monsters lurch out from their burrows and begins their hunts

 

That’s what my father told me when he would put me to sleep. A constant reminder of imminent danger, even behind the palisades no one is truly safe.

 

Seemingly having nothing to do, I began to prepare for dinner. I still have my mother to take care of.

 

“Hmm… What should I make? We have cabbages… carrots… garlic... salt... almond... olive oil... some venison… I suppose I can cook venison stew again”

 

Usually, a child like me shouldn’t be able to cook or do as much labor… but that was the norm 300 years ago. I feel a slight bitter that the youth have to mature so quickly, children of my age should be playing carefree with complete safety, unfortunately that’s a luxury. 

 

With the ingredients in hand, I grabbed a handful of dry wood and twigs, set it down on the hearth, and set it ablaze. On the hearth, I set up the pot then went to grab a bucket and filled it with half of water. I poured a handful of oil into the pot then cut the venison into small bite size pieces and removing the sinew while cutting, salted it, then once the oil is hot enough I poured the almonds in before the meat. After cutting the vegetables, I pour them into the pot as well as water. Covering it, I let it simmer until the meat becomes tender.

 

“If only there was some sage or maybe even rosemary to make it more minty then it would taste better… no… they’re too expensive nowadays”

 

It’s fortunate that I managed to haggle the saffron for 3 pelts which is a great steal, but during our barter I noticed he was desperate. After all, no one would willingly sell a spice as difficult as saffron for such a price.

 

With the stew cooking, I went to visit my sick mother to care for the time being.

 

I knocked on her door.

 

“Mother? I am coming inside”

 

I waited for a response.

 

Silence…

 

“Mother?”

 

… The silence is dreading, slowly eating my heart as the fear of death, the fear of loss… slowly accumulates. 

 

The thought of my mother… ending up like Alina’s father… is dreading…

 

Then, a hoarse cough is heard from the other side.

 

“...Casuro?”

 

I sighed in relief.

 

“Yes mother, it's me. I’m coming inside, is it alright?”

 

Another hoarse cough.

 

“...No… not right now… I… I don’t think you will be safe…”

 

“Is it… getting worse?

 

She didn't respond.

 

"Mother?"

 

A rough cough then a startled response came from her.

 

"Ah... yes. I..."

 

She hang on to her words for a while.

 

"Just... take care of yourself first..."

 

"But who will care for you? Mother, please, just let me in"

 

"NO!" she coughed harder then ever before.

 

"Just... just let your father handle it... okay?"

 

Biting my lower lip, I held my urge to enter.

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"Okay... I will tell father" I heaved a deep sigh.

 

As I turn around and began to leave, I heard her faint weak voice. 

 

"Thank you... I love you"

 

"I... I love you too... mother"

 

I left her door and returned to the pot, occasionally checking the stew as it cooks.

 

As the stew finishes and I prepare the table, father finally arrived from his hunt.

 

"Welcome back" I say as I place down a bowl of hot venison stew on the table, meant for my father.

 

"How's your mother doing?" he asks as he lays down his hunting bow and half empty quiver near the doorway.

 

"She's... not doing well"

 

Father lets out a subtle hum.

 

"I see... how about you? What have you been up to?" he asks as he removes his coif, freeing his golden hair, and cloak.

 

"The usual. Chopped some firewood, filled the pantry, played with Alina, and some others"

 

"Others?" he gives me a smug "Not willing to tell?"

 

"Nope"

 

He chuckles slightly, "I see. Go eat first, I'm going to visit your mother, okay?"

 

I let out a small hum and a slight nod.

 

He then walks towards the room where mother is.

 

I finished dining on my part, and by the time I was done cleaning my dish, father exited mother's room with a bitter face.

 

Heaving a sigh, he walks towards the table and began to dine on his cold portion. 

 

“By the way, Casuro. I’ll be out of the village for a few days. Be a good boy and take care of your mother, okay?”

 

“Where will you be going, father?”

 

He sighed

 

“There’s too much work to be done in the forest. The traps aren’t going to be enough, so we need more hands. I’m going to talk to the chief about this. Hopefully he’ll understand the situation and lend us some silver so we can hire some mercenaries to help deal with the problem”

 

Mercenaries? Has the forest become so dangerous that we need to hire mercenaries?

 

I look at him with worry.

 

“We’ll we be alright?”

 

He didn’t give an immediate response as he fell to deep thought. After a few more moments, he gave his answer.

 

“Yes… and no… You, your mother, and everyone in the village will be safe as long as no one wanders alone, especially at night. As I said, I’ll talk to the chief about this. Hopefully he’ll assign some of the farmers as temporary militia and a few of his guards. Although the better solution would be to improve the current fortifications of the village, I’m not sure if we have the silver to compensate the labor needed”

 

"I see..." I mumbled as I basked in the heat of the hearth.

 

The rest of dinner ended in silence.

 

Finishing changing my clothes to my sleeping gown I lay down on my bed of hay, staring at the ceiling and feeling the chill of the cold spring night. 

 

The moon and stars illuminates my room as I ponder into my thoughts.

 

What a day... I wonder what tomorrow would bring.

 

Closing my eyes, I let clear my head as the darkness consumes me.

 

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