Wildhafer - Maiden's Trail

Lutsundie (LOOT-SUHN-DIE) : The Deiru word for the summer solstice.

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The sound of a woman grunting in the cold night was lost among the loud cracking of thunder outside. She laid on a hay mattress on the dirt floor of a large stone storeroom filled with barrels. Her long curly hair framed her beautiful sweat covered round face, with eyes shut tight. She furrowed her brow and breathed in heavily. As her dazzling blue eyes opened she cried out suddenly in pain.

Adalla's eyes shot open, matching the vibrant color of the woman from her dream. Dying embers from the fireplace gently glowed and dimly illuminated the room. She sat up from her pillow and looked to Allora and Sarteina on her left in the large four-post bed. They were both sleeping soundly, so she lay back down with a renewed calm. Nearly a minute later, there was a single knock against the balcony door, causing Adalla to sit back up. She waited, but then satisfied it must have been the wind, she lay back. The sound came again and Allora and Adalla sat up.

"What was that?" Allora asked.

"It's probably your admirer," Adalla said quietly.

"What?!" Allora retorted.

"Shhh!" she whispered. "You might wake Sartei."

The twins got up off the bed onto the cold stone floor. They both wore a formless short sleeve white chemise that revealed their collarbone and only reached their knees. They went to the large wardrobe and buttoned up their night robes that covered them to their ankles, still hearing the knocking, before they went to the door and opened it. From the ground below, Deikuneist, the gangly and youthful devotee, stood holding a pebble as if ready to toss it up to the balcony.

"No more," Adalla said.

"My beautiful lady," he said with ardor.

Adalla held her hand in front of her face in trepidation. He looked at the twins for a response. Allora was quiet, looking down at the young man smiling below. He coughed wetly, covering his mouth with his hand.

"It is late. Why did you come back, tailor's son?" Adalla asked.

"I could barely sleep last night. My mind was constantly on you. Your beauty and that of your sister... have been like a spell on me. It is your flawless skin, hair like... like the night. And eyes like... the sky. And not just your looks... uh.. Your kindness has won me over. I wish that you would give me the honor of holding your hand."

"Allora or myself?" Adalla asked.

"Was it not Allora I saw that day?"

"Yes."

"Then I would hold her hand."

"That's sweet," Allora said with a smile.

"But you'll be married soon," she whispered. "In not too many weeks. And then me shortly after."

"But his words are so beautiful. Shouldn't I at least let him hold my hand?"

"Boys have said words like that before to us. What makes him different?"

"He seems... gentle. Not arrogant or aggressive. And no others have gotten this far without servants or Father catching them. What would you do?" she asked, looking down at the young man. He peered eagerly up for her answer.

"It's just... holding hands I suppose," Adalla whispered to her sister. "But it's your hand, not mine. So it's your choice."

"Isn't it forbidden by Fareik?"

"I don't know."

"Well, only if he insists then," Allora conceded with a smile. She looked back down.

"Please fair noble woman, what is your answer?" Deikuneist asked.

"I... sorry I'm not sure," she said.

"Well... might I at least come up and gaze closer into the eyes of that which is so beautiful?" he asked.

"I... well... yes you. You m-may ascend," Allora stuttered.

"I humbly thank you," he said with a bow. Then he coughed hard. "Give me but a moment." Deikuneist climbed slowly and when he reached the top, Allora looked at him with anxiety.

"You are so very c-captivating," he said with genuine adoration. Allora blushed.

"Please?" he asked, reaching for her hand from his precarious position.

"I-I I-" Allora stuttered. "D-does Fareik forbid such contact for those that have not wedded?"

"No, if just for a moment. I've come all this way," he pleaded.

Allora slowly extended her hand. Deikuneist took hold of her slender palm softly and rubbed it against his cheek. He felt hot. Allora blushed and Adalla looked on intently.

Then there was a creak at the door and Allora whipped her body around pulling her hand from the young man's grasp. He faltered, trying to hold on, but fell down into the bushes with a crash. Adalla looked down in shock.

"Adalla, Allora?" the head maidservant Dendraona called out as she entered.

Adalla turned from the edge.

"Why are you outside?" she asked. "It is a cold night."

"Oh.. we uh.." Adalla began.

She came closer, nearing the balcony.

"I thought I heard a bird," Adalla said.

"A bird?"

"Yes it sounded like it was hurt."

Allora looked confused.

"What?" Dendraona asked.

"I thought maybe it needed help or something," Adalla said.

"A bird at night?"

"There was no bird it- ow!" Allora stopped when Adalla stepped on her foot with a sharp look.

"What's wrong?" the servant asked.

"She hurt me," Allora said painfully.

"It was an accident," Adalla lied. "What I was saying was, I think what we heard was crow. No... uh maybe a-" She fumbled for words. "What bird comes out at night?"

"A nightfinch?" Dendraona suggested with hesitation

"Yeah, that's it," Adalla said, with more certainty. The maidservant looked down from the balcony along with the twins. Nothing was there. She turned back and frowned.

"Well I guess it's nothing. Anyway, I came up here because I had forgotten to change your chamber pot," she said, going to the side of the bed. "I was worried when I heard voices." She pulled up a bowl-shaped container by the handle from beneath. The young girl Sarteina stirred on the bed.

"What is it?" she asked sleepily.

"Oh nothing mistress, please lay your head back down."

Sarteina turned away from them, onto her side.

Allora looked over the balcony and saw Deikuneist get up from the bush. She held her finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet. Then pointed at the bush to hide.

"We were just concerned about the bird," Adalla said with feigned empathy.

"Well it's alright mistress," she said with a confused smile. She went to the balcony and poured the chamber pot out into the brush below.

"Ah!" came a cry.

"What was that?" Dendraona said.

"Oh um that was me, I thought I saw a mouse," Adalla said.

"No, I heard it from outside."

"No it was me."

"I must be tired," Dendraona said, placing the pot back beneath the bed with a shake of her head.

"Good night," Adalla said.

"Good night," Dendraona replied with a small bow.

When the maidservant left and closed the door, the twins rushed back to the balcony.

"Deiky?" Allora asked. "Are you hurt?" she asked with concern.

"Just a bump," he said. "And covered in... in chamber... mess." He was wet over his hair and clothes.

"I am sorry."

"But well worth it to get the chance," he replied. "Would you allow me to try yet again?" he asked.

"You would risk the fall again?"

"Always."

"Then climb," Allora said with a wan grin.

Deikuneist ascended the trellis and wiped his hand on the vining plant before he took hers and held it. She blushed profusely.

"I thank you Allora," he said. "Might I come inside?" he asked.

"Oh --I," she fumbled. "I don't.. I mean I can't.."

"You should not," Adalla said. "You might wake our cousin, and the maid might come back and get us in trouble," she warned. "And besides... you smell of urine and offal," she said covering her nose.

"I see," he said. "Allora... although we barely know each other, I feel like I want to take care of you forever," he said.

Allora covered her mouth, suppressing a gasp as he looked deep into her eyes. She looked away with embarrassment.

"You will be caught if you stay," Adalla warned. He finally let go of Allora's hand.

"Farewell," he said mournfully. "I do wish to see you again." She was silent, seemingly stunned.

"Safe travels," Adalla said.

He descended the trellis and got to his horse, hidden in the trees. He walked his horse slowly away down the road with a lantern, looking back at them until he turned the corner of the path, behind the trees. They went inside and closed the balcony door behind. Allora sighed, a wan smile across her face as she clutched the fabric of her night gown above her chest.

"Do you think he'll be alright traveling in the night?" she asked with concern.

"I hope so, I think it would be rather dangerous," Adalla replied. "If they lock the town gates at night then he'll be sleeping outside."

"Shouldn't we let him stay then? I couldn't bare it if he were to be attacked by bandits or kabrates*." (colloquial term for monsters in their part of the world. Sometimes called Vylden)

"Then you do care for him?" Adalla asked.

"No!" she said, climbing roughly into the bed. Sarteina stirred.

"Shhh," Adalla whispered, then she pulled up the covers.

"No I don't," she replied. "I just don't want him to get hurt on my account."

"It's alright, I will not judge you," she said.

Allora turned from her sister and frowned. Adalla looked at Allora with concern, but said no more. After five minutes or so, Allora sat up and peered over her sister. Adalla's eyes were closed, her breathing steady. Allora lay back down and rubbed the fingers of her other hand where Deikuneist had held. She did this several times, then finally rubbing her eyes and covering her mouth as she yawned before falling asleep with a smile.

The next day Sarteina, Viscountess Farnei, Viscount Deinmag, and the twins left the manor as the sun was rising. Viscountess Farnei, their mother, wore a yellow dress with a matching hood that had a red rimmed collar and was buttoned onto the dress along the shoulders. Her hair was covered with a white veil and wimple. Sartei wore her hair in a bun in the back and covered with a veil, a yellow ribbon tying it to her forehead. Her dress was simple, but beautiful, a pastel green with the common small swirling Deiruleind (the country they live in) designs around the hem and along the cuff of her long sleeves. The Viscount wore a bright red vest with a high collar that reached mid-thigh with a repeating pattern of yellow suns across it. Beneath he wore a long sleeved white linen tunic. He had a long leather belt beneath his paunch and hanging from it an alms purse and a dagger in a leather scabbard. Atop his head was a short red felt in hat with a pearled rim across the crown. He wore dark red breeches, and brown leg wraps. Allora and Adalla wore long dresses with dark blue intricate floral designs across the bottom hem, white sleeves and a green hooded cloak up over their heads. Their hair was braided across their crown and in a tail with small bows, but wrapped beneath their hoods. They all wore short leather shoes tied around the ankle with wooden pattens beneath, to elevate their shoes nearly two inches from the muddy ground.

They walked out from their manor house to a square stone building, nearly as tall, across the dirt road. It was a chapel set apart from the peasant houses that made up the small village of a dozen homes. It had windows tall and thin above a wide open doorway. The wooden doors were folded back onto the facade, inlaid with a Fareikziechen, the symbol of the sun god Fareik. The symbol was at the center of each door, a large sun with long triangular rays and a simple steepled house in the middle. Each sun was nearly the circumference of a man with his arms and legs outstretched from the tip of the sun's rays.

Many serfs, the women in dresses, the men in long tunics and breeches, of clean brown and gray, were entering the building, but they yielded to the Viscount and his family. They made their way through the wide opening, the serfs bowing slightly in acknowledgment. Dark wooden pews led up to a dais at the end of the large sanctuary and a short wooden railing separated the half of the pews closest to the entrance from the half of the pews closest to the dais with an opening for people to pass through the aisle. Along the left, right and back walls were wide yellow banners with the Fareikziechen stitched in white. The sun's light shone into the room through the tall windows and against the far wall above a stone dais onto the yellow banner there. The pews were becoming full, as serfs filtered in from the village.

A rotund man in thick yellow robes sat on a chair beside a tall clay vase filled with thin branches covered in bright gold colored blossoms. A Fareikziechen in white thread, was sewed into the chest area of the man's gown. His eyes were closed.

Sarteina, Viscountess Farnei, and the twins walked up to the wooden railing, but did not pass through it. They sat in a pew on the left that was empty. Only men went through the wooden railing to the other side. This included the Viscount. He went to the front pew nearest the dais and sat. The priest in yellow robes, opened his small cerulean eyes, stood up from his chair on the dais and walked up to a wooden lectern. The priest cleared his throat and held up his hand.

"Fareik bless you," he said, pressing his hand to a tome on the lectern and then up to his head. Those in the sanctuary held their hands in front of themselves and then pressed it to their own forehead.

"Welcome all to our mortenbedun (morning service), on this blessed Lutsundie (summer solstice)."

The priest opened the tome and spoke long about the meaning of Lutsundie within Fareikrut (religion worshiping the sun god Fareik). It was nearly an hour long sermon in which the priest told them of the first Lutsundie and how Fareik had instructed them how to celebrate. As the longest and hottest day of the year, it is a reminder of the warmth of the sun of which Fareik blesses them. Their very lives are dependent on the light to grow their farms and keep them warm throughout the day. Through the light of Fareik it is not only the plants that grow, but the people are also able to grow and prosper. Lutsundie, is a day when Fareik is venerated above all else as the ultimate light upon the world. When the service ended, the people left in order from closest to farthest from the dais. After the men left, the female serfs waited and followed as Lady Farnei, Sarteina, and the twins walked out to the dirt road, where they met the Viscount.

"I can't wait for this afternoon," Allora said softly.

"I know, the sun tarts, bread, all the food," Sarteina said with enthusiasm.

"Ringwerf (ring toss game) is what I want to do. Will there be games?" Adalla asked, turning toward her father. The girls giggled and smiled ebulliently.

"Yes there will be games," he replied. "Now quiet girls." Adalla bowed her head.

They walked silently back to the manor house, and then went to their room where the girls giddly spoke about years past when they danced, played hoodman's blind and ate wonderful tasting food. Lady Farnei came to their room and scolded them for idle chatter, so they cleaned their room again, organized their closet, fixed their hair, and continued their knitting until their mother appeared in the doorway to their room again.

"It's time ladies," she smiled.

"For the celebration?" Adalla questioned hopefully.

"Yes, the Viscount has asked we all meet downstairs immediately."

The girls followed the Viscountess downstairs until they met their father in the main hall.

"Let us go," he said when they had all assembled in front of him.

They walked out from the manor, Farnei slightly behind Deinmag and to his left. The girls' hands were held together as they smiled and walked towards the village. Between the Chapel and the serf houses there was a large village square of trampled flat dirt, at the center of which was a stone platform about four feet high and ten by ten feet. Along the rim of the platform were yellow banners similar to those in the chapel, but smaller. On the stone dais was a large table with several chairs, bread, meat, fruits, and wine.

Near the platform in the square was a large awning covered table. On top were four large baskets each filled with something different: large yellowish bread loafs with raisins, golden fruits, nut and raisin clusters, and flaky pastries. In a small open tent was set up what appeared to be games. In a large open cart was a pile of crowns made of leaves, vines, and yellow flowers. Next to that pile was a wooden crate filled with the same yellow flowers.

Leaning against the stone stage was a young man with a thick beard who was tuning a lute. He had a yellow flower pinned to his leather pointed cap. The serfs from the village had gathered around the center stage platform, the women putting on the flower crowns and the men pinning flowers to their hats or tunics. Powel, the plain looking manor servant with thin lips dressed in a red and yellow striped tunic walked up to the Viscount. The lord nodded and Powel ascended the steps to the edge of the stage.

"All please welcome Viscount Deinmag to our Lutsundie celebration."

There was applause from the crowd as the Viscount ascended the stairs and Powel stepped to the side as the lord took center stage.

"Thank you all for your diligence this summer, we've had a good season so far. I'd like to celebrate this Lutsundie and thank you for all your hard work. I'd also like to thank Preisa Weitet for the mortenbedun today." The priest from church, from within the audience, bowed his head and Deinmag nodded to him. "We have food to celebrate the occasion, games for the children, and music. Please dance and be merry!" he said.

There was another round of applause and some cries of appreciation. The lutist began playing a jovial tune as some of the men and women began dancing. They only danced with their own gender, except for the small children who danced with everyone. Villagers began taking food, talking and eating while some of the children went up to the tent where a couple sat organizing the games.

The Viscount and Viscountess sat on the table up on the platform, eating and watching the merriment around them. At times a villager would approach from the steps and offer a gift, either some food or a trinket. The Viscount would thank them and wish them well before they left the stage.

The twins and their cousin Sarteina first went to get food. They ate the sweet dried sunfruit quickly before running off to the games. There they played ringwerf, a ring toss game that none of them seemed especially good at and then a game of tossing stones onto a checkerboard pattern. There were four different colors of stones, one for each of the players. Adalla won that game with much excitement. There were no prizes, but she was joyful all the same. Afterwards, they joined a game of Hoodman's Blind with some of the older children of the serfs. They tied a blindfold around Sarteina and called out and tickled her with branches, getting her to go wrong directions while she laughed, trying to touch someone desperately so they would be the next hoodman. The older boys were fond of mirthfully chasing the twins and grabbing their dresses, trying to pinch through the fabric, but the servant Gerbe stopped these antics shortly. He had only to catch one of them and whisper something in his ear for them to stop any further chases. Lastly the twins danced with the other women from the village, twirling and raising their hands in the air with happiness, sweating in the full summer heat.

It was nearly four hours of celebration when the Viscount stood and caught the attention of Powel. The young man walked up the stage and stood. He announced the Viscount again. Deinmag concluded the festivities and people began to clean up and disperse.

Sarteina, the twins, and their parents began walking back to the manor.