“I’m sorry, Little Princess,” he said again. “It’s a wonderful thing for him. You know how hard he’s worked. Since there’s room at the Academy this year, we thought it was best for him to go. Please don’t cry like this, because he’ll see. That would ruin everything for him.”
“Oh, but Menders,” she wept, “What am I going to do? I’ll be the only child here!”
“Yes, I know that,” he sighed. “It won’t be easy, but I was thinking of a solution for you. Once you’re calmer, we’ll talk about it.”
That caught her attention but she still cried for a while. Menders let her. He didn’t believe in telling a crying child to stop, particularly Katrin, because she cried so seldom. When she did cry it was for damned good reason.
Finally she sat up and he gave her a clean handkerchief. As she used it, he began to speak.
“Since Hemmett is beginning his life as an adult, I thought you might like doing the same thing here,” he said. “Would you be interested in learning how to run your estate? That would be something to brag about when Hemmett comes home during recesses to boast about what he’s been doing.”
She looked at him over the handkerchief, intrigued.
“But I already ride around with you,” she said.
“Yes, but you don’t run The Shadows, I do. I am willing to teach you how to run The Shadows, if you are interested.”
She gulped and nodded.
“There’s a lot to it. You won’t learn it in a week, but I think that it’s time you started to know what is involved,” Menders continued.
“What am I going to do when I’m grown?” she asked.
That was the question Menders had no answer for.
“Hemmett is going to be a soldier. Eiren’s a teacher and her sister Sana is going to be too. Everyone goes away to school, except for me,” Katrin went on.
“Do you want to go away to school?” Menders asked, not wanting to face the question about what her adult life would hold, because he absolutely did not know.
Katrin looked frightened. Despite her jealousy of other people’s travels, the thought of leaving The Shadows gave her some pause.
“No,” she said in a small voice.
“That isn’t a threat. I honestly want to know,” he explained. “If you truly want to go away to school, it could probably be done, one way or another.”
Katrin shook her head immediately.
“I want to stay here with you,” she answered quietly. “But sometimes I wonder what it is I’m supposed to get ready to do when I grow up.”
Menders leaned back and crossed his legs in front of him.
“This is a problem for Princesses who aren’t the Heiress,” he said after some thought. “There is no sense of purpose. Unfortunately, very often such people spend their time idly amusing themselves. That leads to boredom and discontent.”
“What do princesses do?” Katrin asked.
“Those who don’t become Queen tend to marry and have children,” Menders answered. Katrin looked dubious and he smiled. “You’re a little young to worry about that yet. But being a Princess with land means that you run that land just as a Queen would run a country. The Shadows belongs to you, Katrin, not the Queen. It was ceded to you when you were born. The income from it will eventually be yours.”
“There’s an income?” she asked, looking thunderstruck.
“Of course. The tenant farmers, like Mister Spaltz, pay rent and The Shadows produces crops that are sold. All of this is the income from the estate. Once we modernize a bit more, I expect we will have surplus timber to market as well.”
“What happens to this income?” Katrin was curious, her upset and tears forgotten.
“At present I put most of it back into the estate for improvements. Things like new types of crops, new strains of plants, farm machinery. Improvements to the house. Money set aside for emergencies, both at The Shadows and for the estate farmers. Things that will make The Shadows produce more and make more money in the future. We’ll have steam power soon and mechanized farming. Managing all this took me years to learn, so it’s not something you’re going to pick up overnight. You might as well get started now.”
“If I have an idea about how things should be done, will you listen to me?” she asked eagerly.
“Princess, when I have ever refused to listen to you?” Menders returned. “Of course I would listen, and we would make a decision together as to what to do.”
She smiled.
“Fair warning,” Menders added, not wanting her to be carried away on a tide of enthusiasm, only to have it dashed on the rocks of things like bookkeeping, “some parts of running an estate aren’t particularly fun and can be frustrating and boring.”
“I still want to try,” Katrin said with determination.
“And so you shall. Now, you need to wash your face and look presentable. We’re having a celebration dinner for Hemmett tonight and it would be dreadful if you sat there being the specter at the feast. Can you try to be cheerful for his sake? If you act as if you’re upset and sad, it will ruin what should be a very special time for him.”
Katrin sat up, swallowed hard and then nodded.
“I’ll change my dress too,” she said. “I won’t ruin things for Bumpy but I’m going to miss him.”
“Eiren’s suggested that she could use some more help at the school, if you’d like to go another day each week,” Menders tempted. She smiled immediately. She was a true help to Eiren and it gave her contact with other youngsters.
“All right then, we’ll talk to her about it,” Menders said, rising. “It will give you more time to be with Petra Gunter and your other friends at school – and remember, they are always welcome to come visit you here.”
Katrin stood and put her arms around him.
“I know it will be hard not having your best friend here all the time,” he said gently, knowing she was still upset and really wanted to continue to cry. “I’ll do all I can to fill in for you.”
“You more than fill in,” Katrin answered, looking up at him. “You’re Menders.”
“Thank you, my Little Princess,” he smiled.
***
“I’ll write lots of letters, Willow,” Hemmett promised, looking down at Katrin as they stood on the front steps of The Shadows. “And it won’t be that long before I’m home for Winterfest. I’ll bring you something really nice as a present from Erdahn.”
Katrin smiled and nodded, all the time feeling like crying. She was glad Kaymar was down at the stable getting the phaeton and horse, and that Menders had kindly walked over to the side of the steps, so he wasn’t standing close. Lucen and Zelia and everybody else were still in the house, which was nice too.
Hemmett saw through her bravado. “And you write back as soon as you get them. That’ll keep you busy and you’ll be so occupied running The Shadows that you’ll lose track of the time.” He looked encouraging but she didn’t dare say anything. If she did, she would start howling, she just knew it. She had her jaw locked tight shut.
Hemmett looked over at Menders, who sighed and shook his head. Then he looked back down at Katrin.
“You know, I’m glad you’re not acting like you’re happy that I’m going,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me if you cry. I’ll miss you a lot.”
That finished Katrin’s resolve and she melted into torrents of tears. She tried to cover her face, but Hemmett bent and picked her up into a big hug, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. She put his arms around his neck and wailed while he patted her back.
“All right now, I have to go,” he said. She could hear Kaymar pulling up in the carriage. “I’ll write just as soon as I get there, so you know that I’m fine. You look after Smoke for me, make sure he gets ridden. Don’t cry until you dry up now, Willow. Remember, I love you.” Hemmett’s voice was shaking. Katrin gulped and gulped, determined to control her tears.
“Come on, Little Princess,” Menders said behind her. Hemmett put her down. She held on
to Menders. He gave her a handkerchief and kept an arm around her as she stepped back so that Lucen and Zelia could say goodbye.
Hemmett hugged them both hard, Zelia twice, then turned to Menders. Menders put a hand out, but Hemmett shook his head and hugged him too. Menders laughed, and hugged back.
“Make me proud,” Menders grinned, standing back and putting a hand on either side of Hemmett’s face. “Stand tall, work hard.”
Hemmet snapped to attention and fired off a parade-ground-perfect salute. Menders returned it.
“Remember, soldier,” Menders said, with a slight tremor, “I expect your name to shine.”
“Yes sir!”
Hemmett grabbed his case, swung it up into the phaeton, hugged and kissed his parents again, and then jumped up beside Kaymar. He waved as they went down the driveway, occasionally wiping at his eyes and nose with his sleeve.
***
Dear Willow,
This is my first free time since getting to school and see, just like I said, I’m writing!
The boat ride over here was great fun. Kaymar told Ifor to really let it rip and we tore right along. I wouldn’t want to do it if the water was rough though. I felt a little sick as it was.
School has been good. They give us lots of food but it isn’t a patch on Cook’s meals. You can tell her that, it’ll make her happy. The classes are easy for me! Menders had me doing things that were two years ahead of what I would be doing here, so I’m going to be fine, and having these classes now is going to be good review for me.
Military drill is fun. Yesterday we were stabbing dummies with bayonets. I’m the best because of all the practice I’ve had with Menders’ Men. I’m so big that nobody tries to haze me and when they haze the other fellows, I knock heads together. If they’d just put me in charge here, I would straighten this place right out! They say that the Commandant reads all our letters, though I can’t think why he would, it would be some boring, but let him take the hint about me taking over. Faw, that would be something!
Tell me all about everything and give my love to everybody, especially Menders and Eiren. I will write to them, of course, but you were first. You know how long it takes for me to write too.
I’ll look for a letter from you. Remember, you promised to write back right away!
Love,
Bumpy (Hemmett)
Dear Menders and Eiren,
I’ve already written to Katrin, but I wanted to get a letter off to you before they make me march around some more. Things are really good and I’m happy to be here. A couple of the older fellows tried to push my head in the privy and they found out that was a big mistake. All those years of training with the Men? Faw, I twisted them around and dipped their own heads in like they were prawns going into a sauce. Nobody bothers me now.
They say the Commandant reads all the letters going out. Is that true, Menders? He showed me your records and awards and things. Told me if I strove to be as good as you I couldn’t do better. He’s a nice fellow, but can’t half yell. Everyone yells and when I have to yell in class, I’m the loudest. Scared the sergeant to death the other day.
I will be writing to Mama and Papa in this same post but everyone else will have to wait, as I am running out of time and have to go off and stab more dummies with my bayonet. It’s so dull Menders would throw a fit and take it off to the forge to hammer it and work it over the whetstone.
Keep my letters, because when I’m a famous soldier they’ll be valuable. Write to me soon!
Your friend,
Hemmett
Menders finished laughing over this missive and handed it to Eiren. She began to giggle.
“That final admonition to keep his letters is too rich,” Menders snickered. “I’d say our lad has found his element, yelling and stabbing dummies with his dull bayonet.”
Katrin darted in and absconded with paper and a pen, grinning.
“Where are your own papers and pens?” Eiren called after her, still smiling over the mighty Hemmett dunking the upperclassmen in the privy.
“I’ve run out,” Katrin replied with transparent innocence. Most likely she’d used up all the paper and had lost her pen. Eiren shook her head and carefully refolded the letter, putting it back in its envelope.
“We’d best take his advice about saving his letters,” she smiled, slipping the envelope into her desk drawer.
Dear Bumpy,
I was so glad to get your letter! That boat ride is really exciting but I would like to do it in the daylight sometime. Both times I went across it was pitch black. On the way back we went really fast because Menders banged his head.
I don’t know why the Commandant would read all the letters. Menders says there are over a hundred boys there. It would take him all week to read them! I don’t think you need to worry about it.
I told Cook what you said about her cooking. She was very proud and said that she will send you some cookies next time Kaymar goes over. Knowing Kaymar, you will never see them. He’s so bad. The other day he set off a stink bomb in Franz’s office because Franz had been teasing him with my old stuffed walrus and threw it down the hall like a hopfootle ball and hit him on the back of the head. So Kaymar went off to his shed and made up this stink bomb that smelled like cabbage burning. He put it under Franz’s desk. Menders thought the house was on fire and then Franz came staggering out all red in the face and choking. It was hilarious.
I have been learning about the estate. Some of it is boring, like doing accounts, but most of it is really interesting. I’m also learning how to make soap. I tried making a batch using ground cloves instead of lemon and put in the same amount of cloves as you would lemon. It smelled as bad as that stink bomb did. Cook yelled and yelled, when she wasn’t laughing. I didn’t use up all the cloves, but almost. Menders had to go over to the village for more, and took me and bought me a new dress. We had to bury that batch of soap in the woods. Your father says he can smell it when he goes into the woodlot.
I go out with Franz on some of his calls too and I really like it. We see some of the old people. I’ve already had ramps put on the house steps for two of them who have bad rheumatism. Franz just hit his head when I suggested it, and said, “Why didn’t I think of that!” Menders says to keep on coming up with ideas. He doesn’t know what he’s letting himself in for.
Let me know everything you do. What will you do on your rest days? Tell me all about Erdahn. I’ve been there, but it was night and I didn’t see a thing
I miss you.
Love,
Willow
Dear Hemmett,
Eiren and I were delighted to read your letter and to know that you haven’t allowed anyone to haze you. You’ll find, if you continue to make prawns of the potential hazers, that they will leave off. Protecting the other boys from hazing will win you a lot of friends.
It would take your Commandant hours to read all the outgoing letters. That is a rumor that goes around the Academy all the time. Do give him my regards when you speak to him next. He is a very good and fair man, and if you ever have any troubles, he is the person to see.
All has been going well here. We are getting ready for winter, as usual. It looks like it will be a hard one, so we’re hoping that the Thrun will get through this year. Katrin has been working hard at learning how The Shadows is run, and has given Doctor Franz and me some good suggestions. She also did a bit of experimenting with clove soap, which was an unmitigated disaster. It required a rapid burial far from the house.
Katrin has exercised your pony a great deal and Kaymar has ridden him a bit too, as he’s small enough. Everyone is well, and sends their love.
In friendship,
Menders and Eiren
Dear Willow,
Well, I’ve had my first rest day. My friend Villison and I went out into Erdahn to have a look around. I can’t half begin describing it to you – more houses and people than you can imagine. The houses once were all different colors and are very close together, but the colo
rs have faded now and there’s lots of grey, because of all the smoke from the factories. They call Erdahn the ‘Iron City’. Some streets don’t have a tree anywhere in sight. It’s very different to The Shadows.
We looked in all the shops and I spent some of my pocket money on some new shoes and chocolate. I’ve already outgrown my old shoes. Sometimes I wonder if my feet will ever stop growing.
Villison and I rode on the trams. They are like a single railroad carriage car, but run by steam. You pay a pennig and ride all you want until you get off. Then you have to pay another pennig when you get back on. It seemed really odd to be moving along without a horse in the equation somewhere.
There are quite a few parks in the nicer parts of Erdahn, and lots of places where you can get food. Villison and I ate a lot. He’s a good fellow, but awfully silly, and is always in trouble of some kind or another. Even though he’s been at the academy a year more than I have, he’s in my class. He’ll never make officer and says he doesn’t want to be, so I wonder why he’s even here? But he’s good fun. He hates to wash, so I was wondering if you would send him some of your famous clove soap, to encourage him in cleanliness.
The Palace is huge, right in the middle of Erdahn. We went up to the gate and looked at it. It’s really grimy, like nobody has painted or taken care of it and the garden is all overgrown. The gates are rusty. Not a patch on The Shadows. I didn’t see the Queen, but there was a sentry standing around who looked a right lout. I wanted to clip him on the ear and make him stand up straight. I should have yelled like I do in class. That would have waked him up.
I don’t mind telling you that I’ve been homesick. I started bawling when I went to bed the other night. It’ll pass though, once I get used to being away.
Weaving Man: Book One of The Prophecy Series Page 46