Wildhafer - Maiden's Trail

NOTE: In this fantasy story, the society of Deiruleind is very harsh towards women. The protagonists of the story in particular 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 the views of the societies do in no way reflect the views, opinions or beliefs of the author.

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Teilesfaer (TEEL-EHS-FAYR) : Sixth day of the midsummer festival when neighbors visit each other for dinner.

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The weather was hot as the sun above had passed its zenith and had begun its journey towards the horizon. The oak trees around the small temple near Bausheiv manor were covered in green leaves, but the grass beneath was beginning to fade to yellow. Inside the stone structure, in between the manor and the village, the Meikell twins knelt down on wooden platforms along with those from the village and manor house. They wore matching canary-yellow dresses with embroidered white vines along the sleeves. As was the style of the region, the dresses completely covered ankles and wrists with long sleeves and high collars. The skirts were loose and embroidered with a spiral pattern along the hem. Their heads were covered white wimples, hiding their raven-colored hair.

An old man with a hooked nose and white hair tucked beneath a square cap stood in the front of the temple on a dais. He spoke with a slightly shaking voice to those in attendance as his pale blue robe brushed against the stone floor.

"In this time of Mitryarfaer, on this Teilesfaer day, we welcome our neighbors into our homes and the Viscount and his family to our village. Thank you Viscount Deinmag and your family for coming to our humble village." He bowed briefly. "Now for something more serious. For all those gathered here, it is my responsibility to remind you of your duties. To that end I read from the fifth chapter of the Faitome."

"My faithful servant, instruct your woman to follow you as you do me, without question, and with total devotion.

Let her never object to your teachings, just as you obey me without fail. It is in your power to force her respect, for she is the one that will bear your offspring and raise them in my laws.

Show her the strength of your might. By the force of your hand will she understand her place beneath you. She will not begrudge you, but respect and follow your rule, as you do mine.

I will give you the instructions for your daily life, that you might impose my will upon your woman, who will in turn instruct your forebears."

He continued monotonously reading off a list of rules and commandments for men to enforce over their wives. It was nearly ten minutes before he was done with the list.

Adalla seemed to be listening intently to what the priest said, but Allora was quite the opposite, looking off through the window. Next to them was their mother Farnei and on the other side their cousin Suetaera.

"So says the the book of light," he droned, finishing the reading from the large tome on the lectern.

"Fareik illuminates all," they said in response.

"You may be seated."

The stone temple was simply constructed; the only notable features were the windows, tall narrow on the sides and in the back a singular stained glass solar. On the dais, below the solar window, were several large containers with yellow flowers and a lectern in the middle where the priest began a prayer and another sermon in a dry tone.

After the teaching, the men filed out of the church first and then the women. The majority of the people went back to the village. The twins and Suetaera returned to the manor, the twins behind their mother, she behind their father, while Suetaera followed closely behind her husband.

When they reached the great stone hall they sat down on couches near the empty fireplace. Suetaera excused herself to aid in preparations with her mother-in-law for the celebration later. The twins' mother Farnei sat next to them.

"Stand up straight," she said to Adalla, who was slouching slightly.

"Yes mother," she said.

"Don't speak."

"Sorry mother."

"Adalla!"

"Sorry."

"Shut your mouth," she said furiously, her fingers squeezing Adalla's plump lips with her hard nails.

"Ow," she said quietly, as her mother released.

"I swear..." Farnei muttered. "Why don't you and your sister play some music? At least get your mouths doing something useful."

"Yes mother," Adalla said. She went to a satchel in the corner with her sister and pulled out their wooden recorders.

"What should we play?" Adalla asked their mother timorously.

"Leiba Heisommer," Baroness Farnei instructed sternly.

The twins stood straight in a space central to the hall and began playing a melody on their tenor recorders. It started quiet, but as those around them stopped their conversations to listen it became clear that their skill with the instruments was quite excellent. The song they played was nuanced with highs and lows, quick and slow notes and all in between. It was a long song and when they were done there was a cheerful-

"Heya!" said the few in attendance.

"Adalla and Allora!" Salbrec said excitedly as he approached. "Your playing was divine."

"Thank you," they said in unison with a curtsy.

"It's so good to see you. Lord Edvin has finally let me have some reprieve today. I've been very busy because of Mitryarfaer and planning for all the food and festivities."

The twins nodded. A young man with an olive complexion approached them. He had a hooked nose and a dark brown birthmark the size of a thumbnail beneath his right eye. His face was round and his eyes were cobalt blue.

"My ears as well as my eyes are delighted," he said, smiling at the twins. They blushed and curtsied.

"Thank you."

"Salbrec, would you play me in dasha?" he asked. "I'm getting real good."

"Uh- yeah Failux," he agreed. "Excuse me ladies," Salbrec said with a bow of his head. They sat down at a small table near the couch set with an eight by eight checkerboard. Salbrec and Failux moved wooden tile pieces on the board so that the darkly stained brown pieces were on one side in front of Salbrec and the light colored pieces were in front of Failux on the other side. The pieces had symbols on the front such as crowns, swords, shields, and roses.

Failux grabbed one of each color tile with a sword symbol and held them behind his back briefly before presenting his clenched hands to the corpulent young man. Salbrec picked one, revealing a light colored tile. He sighed in frustration, while Failux grinned and turned the board so the light pieces were closer to Salbrec. Failux immediately slid one of the dark pieces marked with a sword, orthogonally.

The twins watched for only a few moments before becoming bored with the affair. Sitting next to their mother was a girl knitting with vermilion yarn. Her cyan blue eyes were small on her attractive face. She was tall and a bit younger in age to the twins, who sat down next to her.

"What are you making Leina?" asked Allora with curiosity.

"Gloves for my baby brother. He'll be two next spring. Did you want to finish what you were working on yesterday?"

"Might as well," she said laconically.

"And you Adalla?"

"Yes, thank you," she yawned in unison with her twin sister. Leina reached into a shoulder bag and handed Allora cerulean yarn stuck with knitting needles and Adalla crimson yarn with her own needles.

"What are you making Allora?"

"I don't rightly know," she admitted.

She held up the fabric showing a short length with a couple holes in the pattern.

"Oh, I must have moths in my bag," Leina said with concern.

"No..., I think this is a sweater. Those are the arm holes."

"Oh. Hmmm, and you Adalla?"

"A scarf. At least that's what it started out as. It might turn into a dishrag though, that's what mother did with my last attempt."

The girls knitted, watching the the boys play until-

"Offal," Salbrec said with resentment. The twins looked over to see that Failux had captured another of Salbrec's tiles and he had yet to capture any of Failux's.

"Now young man, don't resort to uncouth words," said Deinmag. He was observing the game.

"I've taught you better haven't I?" said a man standing behind Salbrec. He was of similar age to Deinmag, wearing an elegant red doublet and floppy hat with a plume.

"Yes Lord Edvin, he's simply a better player," Salbrec confessed.

"Nonsense. You weren't concentrating, my young ward."

"Adalla and Allora, play Leiba Heisommer again," their mother commanded firmly. "The mood here is lacking. Keep at it until I ask you to stop."

"Yes mother," they replied in unison, putting down their knitting.

They played the melody they had done previously over and over five times. Their mother, halfway through the last time, leaned against the couch, her eyes closed and she began to snore. When they finished the twins looked at each other knowingly and quietly walked away, setting their recorders down on their knitting.

Salbrec came over excitedly.

"Would you like-"

"Shhh," the twins said in unison, placing a finger to their lips, and motioning to their mother.

"Sorry," he whispered. "Would you like to go out riding? I'm friends with the stableboy, maybe we could ride horses for a bit?" he said softly.

"That sounds fun," Allora said.

"Adalla you could ride with me," he said with a wan smile. "And my friend will bring someone else to ride with Allora."

"We don't each get a steed?"

"Uh well... that's because... we... we don't have enough." He said with sudden self assurance.

"Alright."

"I'll go talk to him. Meet you at the stables in just a moment alright?"

The twins nodded.

"Let's go outside and look at the horses," Allora said.

"Sure."

The twins walked towards the manor door and suddenly a man blocked their path.

"Hello Twins," he said with a large smile. "It's so good to see you."

"Hello," Adalla and Allora said as they curtsied politely. They looked dubiously at the short man. He had a high forehead and thick black hair, but was otherwise unremarkable.

"Do you not remember me?" he asked with a sense of disbelief. "I'm Martein, son of Lord Edvin."

"Oh yes," Adalla said.

"Who?" Allora asked with confusion.

"Martein," he enunciated clearly. "Son of the Knight Edvin, lord of this manor."

"Oh... right."

Martein smiled.

"I don't know who that is," Allora admitted to Adalla.

"He's the one that mother said to avoid," Adalla said in a loud whisper.

"Why?"

"His last two wives died in childbirth. She said he's bad luck."

"Oh right."

The short man walked away, crestfallen and they continued their way outside. From the stables came a fat young man with a clean gray skullcap, tunic and trousers. He had a fleshy nose and clear blue eyes. He was leading a brown mare on which sat an attractive young woman with a slim figure and plain clothes. Her hair was braided in a circle on her head with small yellow flowers. Next was a gangly and exceedingly ugly young man, in dirty brown clothes, leading a gray mare. Salbrec came out a few minutes later with another gray steed.

"These are the girls you were talking about?" the young overweight man exclaimed. "I can see why you were so eager to ride." he said as he looked at the twins.

"Feinhiet!" the young woman on the brown horse said angrily as she kicked him in the back.

"Ow, what?"

"Let's go," she replied.

"We shouldn't rush," said the other serf, adjusting his skullcap with a smile. His teeth were in nearly impossible angles and his face was glistening in sweat over his pimply complexion.

"Did one of the horses kick you?" Allora said, making a pained face when she looked at him and raised her hand to his cheek in concern.

"What... no."

"Just go with it Dreasolf," Feinhiet whispered. "This is the most attention you've got from a beautiful girl in... well ever."

Salbrec pulled Feinhiet aside.

"Do we have to bring Dreasolf?" Salbrec asked in a whisper.

"He's the stablemaster's son. You know what will happen if we don't. He'll complain to his father that we took the horses without permission. We have to bring him."

"I know but... jeez I can hardly look at him."

"Just do what I do, look at his hat."

"Really?"

"Yeah, see that smudge of dirt? I just pretend those are his eyes," he laughed.

"I'll try," Salbrec smiled.

"You two are piles of offal! I heard everything you said," the gangly young man complained.

"Sorry Dreasolf. We invited you didn't we? At least that's something?"

"Can we go? If I'm not back to help with supper, my mother will take it out on my bum," the young woman said.

"Yes of course, sorry Deineina my sweet," Feinhiet said. He mounted the horse, sitting directly in front of her.

Salbrec put his foot in the stirrup and gingerly got on the top of the horse's back.

"Let me help you," Salbrec said, looking down at Adalla.

"Alright."

Salbrec grabbed her hand and helped her mount the horse behind him with a huff.

"It's so high," she exclaimed.

"Hold onto me," he advised.

Dreasolf mounted the gray mare easily, even without a saddle. He pet the animal's long mane lovingly.

"Mount the horse fair maid," he said with an outstretched hand.

"Thank you," Allora smiled and got up right behind him.

"Hold tight, we'll be going pretty fast."

"Alright, I've never done this without a saddle."

Dreasolf smiled when she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I do it all the time. Ha!" he said with a kick to the steed's flank and it started forward. Allora held fast with concern.

As the horses trotted, Adalla grabbed Salbrec's wide midsection. They rode from the manor through a western trail in the woods, following Dreasolf. Wisps of Adalla's hair stuck out of her wimple (hair covering), flowing in the wind as they rode through the woods. It was only a few minutes before they rode out of the forest and into a large meadow. When Salbrec pulled on the reins his steed slowed and came to a stop. They dismounted the horses and began to tie them to nearby trees, when Dreasolf interrupted.

"No, they won't get far, let them graze."

Salbrec and the others let go of the reins as he instructed.

"We made it just in time," Deineina said loudly.

"For what?" Allora asked.

"The sunset," she replied, pointing to the horizon. The sun's light spread over the forest in orange hues as it began to dip further below.

"Beautiful," the twins said in unison. Adalla turned to see Deineina and Feinhiet, their bodies close together as they embraced intimately. Adalla blushed as she turned away to meet Salbrec's steady gaze. She smiled at her cousin and now he blushed and looked away in embarrassment. Dreasolf untied a thick wool blanket from his horse's side and asked for Salbrec's help. They set it out, flattening the tall grass and creating a large flat space.

"Sit down," Feinhiet suggested.

Everyone complied. On the edge of the blanket Deineina and Feinhiet continued to hold each other tightly. She had turned away from him and he was nessling his face into her neck. Their eyes were closed, the young woman giggled and he laughed. Adalla looked uncomfortably away. Salbrec was unable to draw her gaze. He lay down and looked up into the sky.

"What is your name?" Dreasolf asked Allora, pushing his oily black hair out of his bulging eyes and back behind his large misshapen ears.

"Allora."

"Allora, may I smell you?"

"Smell me? Why?"

"I can't see too well, so I rely mostly on smell."

"You're blind? Oh poor baby," she said.

"No I just-"

"Go with it," Feinhiet said from nearby.

"Uh... I use smelling to get a sense of how people are. So I can recognize them. With horses I can smell if they are sick or hurt by smelling their breath or hooves. So can I?" Dreasolf asked.

"By all means. Smell away," Allora said with confidence.

Dreasolf nearly jumped on her. She fell back and as he sniffed over her body starting at her waist and around her armpit as she giggled.

"That tickles," she laughed.

"The Rugt" Salbrec said laconically pointing up to a pair of bright stars.

"What?" Adalla asked, looking up to the slowly darkening sky.

"Those stars," he said, pointing again. She looked, but couldn't determine which ones he was talking about. "Tis easier to see if you lie down," Salbrec explained. She complied and then he pointed again, his arm close to her.

"See that bright one?" he asked.

"Hmm, yeah," she replied. "What's that one?"

"Hmm, I think that's uksus zjuhsi."

"Icky Jasy?" she said dubiously. He smiled, holding back a laugh.

"Uksus zjuhsi," he repeated. "It's Tocosi."

"How many others do you know?"

"Well...," he said, looking across the sky. "Only a few," he confessed.

"Do they all have names?" she asked with innocence.

"I think so," he replied.

"How do you remember them? They look... the same."

"Well the Rugt are pretty close together and right below a triple set of stars," Salbrec explained. "See right there?" Salbrec asked.

"Yes." Adalla looked back towards the serf couple besides her when she heard sounds of Dreasolf sniffing Allora loudly.

"You smell like fresh milk and roses," the ugly young man said libidinously.

Allora giggled as his nose moved across her shoulder.

Adalla turned back to Salbrec and gave a wan smile.

"Would you like to take a walk? We might catch sight of fawn," he asked.

"Yes, that would be fine," Adalla agreed.

He stood first and held his hand out. She grabbed it and he pulled her up.

"Thank you," she smiled.

They walked through the tall grass, looking up at the sky.

"Adalla... how long is it until you are married?"

"The wedding is scheduled for the second of Weiterbstmonat."

"So soon."

"Yes," she said laconically. Her gaze was suddenly downcast.

"Still, it's a beautiful night isn't it?"

"Yes, but a bit chilly," Adalla replied, rubbing her arms.

"Here take my coat," he said, unbuttoning the thick fabric of his doublet and revealing a long sleeve gray linen shirt beneath.

"Thank you," she replied as he put on the comically oversized garment, buttoning it for her. She smiled up at him and he at her. He looked away suddenly and blushed.

"Maybe we should go back," Adalla said. "It's so late. I don't think there's any deer out this early," she said, rubbing her arms over his doublet. He nodded in agreement.

"Maybe not."

They quickly returned to the blanket. Dreasolf was still smelling along Allora, now along her arms. Adalla tapped her sister, who was still giggling as Dreasolf sniffed closely over her clothing with his large fleshy nose.

"It's time to go," Adalla said firmly.

"Already?" Allora said after a loud giggle.

"Yes the sky is nearly black."

"Ok, stop then.. sorry I- Haha. I don't know your name, but haha- could you stop serf?"

"Stop smelling the beautiful girl Dreasolf," Salbrec said.

"I can't, she's just divine!" he said, continuing with fervor.

Salbrec flicked Dreasolf's large ear firmly.

"Arg! Taxiau's tits, that really hurt," said with ire. He stood up and clenched his fists. "That's it. You boys have been terrible to me all day. You can walk," he said. He gave a sharp whistle and the horses who had been grazing suddenly trotted towards him. He gathered their reigns in his long fingers.

Feinhiet and Deineina lifted their heads from the tall grass. His hat was sideways and the braids on her head were partially undone. They were red-faced as they straightened their clothes and walked towards the blanket.

"What's going on?" Feinhiet asked with annoyance.

"Your friend Salbrec flicked my ear," Dreasolf said between haphazardly clenched teeth.

"He wouldn't get off Allora," Salbrec explained.

"Please don't leave without us," Deineina said, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. "The sky's almost completely dark. Let's go home before we get caught."