by T J Muir
“She does seem to know how to plant.”
“She loves the sugar peas, especially. So she is extra careful with the planting. That and strawberries.”
Diya made a note of that in case she needed to bribe Tilly.
“Back home, we have fresh fruits and vegetables all year, and we have fruits that you can't grow this far north such as star fruit, heart fruit, lemons and limes that are used to make those hard candies you like. Then there are spices like choofa-- all tangy and spicy.”
Esha sniffed and Diya realized how it must sound.
“I know there are a lot of new fruits and nuts up here that will be good to try too,” she said, amending her previous and unintended slight. “Do you have a favorite?”
“Peaches. And butternuts,” Esha said, without missing a beat. “And the crisp apples. They make the best cider. We have a whole row of them in the orchard.”
“I love cider! A good friend of mine always took us out to places where we could get cider. It isn't as common in the south. Wines and lemonades are much more fashionable there. Cider is a bit of a specialty.” Trey had loved his cider, going to great lengths to find taverns that served it as though it were his personal challenge. She wondered why Trey never just paid barkeeps to order it special.
“Well, I need to go down to the field.”
“Oh? What are you doing? Are you building something?” Diya remembered the animal cages and was hoping to have another chance to spend time with Esha and learn how to fix the cages.
“Not yet. We're going down to clear brush in the lower sheep meadow.”
“Oh.” Diya said with no idea what clearing brush meant. Maybe it is like cleaning the garden beds? She assumed Esha meant Pasha was going to help her with some project.
“There were two Beddo who couldn't be here. So we're a little short handed. Why don't you come and help? It'll be fun. Everyone helps during spring chores, and then afterwards there's a big bonfire. A bit like a party.”
Diya looked sideways towards Esha, trying to come up with an excuse. She wasn't sure if the offer was genuine on Esha's part or if the girl was setting her up for a joke. Maybe she just wanted to watch Diya squirm, working side by side with the Beddo?
“Well-- I know it sounds like fun,” she said, looking at Esha and trying to sound disappointed. “But I have to watch Tilly.”
“Tilly's fine,” she said, leaning over so she could see around Diya. “Hey Tills, we're gonna be over in the lower sheep meadow, clearing the fence line. If you need anything, come find us there.”
Tilly looked up, listening, until Esha finished speaking and then turned her attention back to the peas in her hand.
“All set! C'mon, let's go.”
Diya looked over at Tilly who was her primary responsibility.
Esha groaned. “She’ll be busy planting peas and beans for the rest of the afternoon.” Then she called out to Tilly. “Come find us when you’re done.”
Even Diya could see the look of exasperation on Tilly’s face as though she had heard them the first time. She looked up at the sky, hoping she would see dark clouds peeking over the western ridge. The blue sky and wispy white clouds were not on her side. She couldn’t come up with an excuse that would sound believable. “Okay,” she said. “Just let me change into something. What should I wear?” she asked.
“Heavy boots and pants, just think on what you would wear for a hard hike,” Esha said. “I’ll come with you,” she added.
Diya suspected the offer was intended to make sure Diya didn’t disappear.
Upstairs, Esha rifled through Diya’s clothes and tossed out a heavy shirt and a pair of boots she wore to take hikes with Tilly. “Don’t you have any pants you can work in?”
Diya bit her lip and shrugged. All of the clothes she had ordered were to keep her warm. She had leggings that she wore underneath skirts but nothing that was sturdy.
“I’ll grab a pair from Pasha.”
Diya balked, imagining the outburst when he found out, but Esha dashed out of the room before she could protest. She called out after Esha, ducking into the hallway. “Wait. Don’t. I don’t want to--”
A moment later Esha came out of her brother’s room and flung a pair of heavy work pants at Diya. “Here. Try those. They are a bit big on him because he wears them when it’s cold out, over his regular pants. They may be a little short but you can tuck them into your boots anyway.”
Esha grabbed Diya’s shoulder and shoved her back into the bedroom to change. “Hurry up!”
Esha’s estimation had been pretty accurate. While Pasha was still a bit smaller than she was and didn’t have hips, the work pants fit reasonably well but were several inches above her ankles.
Diya felt awkward when she came out of her room. Her clothes didn’t match and she was wearing clothes that she would never have worn anywhere. Her family would be shocked, her dressing like the field workers. “I’m not sure,” she said.
Esha grabbed hold of her arm and tugged Diya into motion. “You look fine. Let’s go!”
The two stopped in the back room to change into their boots. The whole time, Diya kept hoping Korina would need something but the kitchen was quiet. Diya had a feeling that the gods were not going to save her.
In the lower field, a half dozen Beddo of various ages swung axes and machetes, cutting a swathe through the scrub and brush. She heard them talking to each other and laughing but she couldn’t understand any of it. What was she supposed to do? She wondered if they were laughing at the city girl.
“What are we supposed to do?” she asked.
Esha pointed towards the middle of the small field. “See that bare spot, there?” she asked. “That’s where the brush goes. We’ll burn it all later.”
“So does a wagon come to move it?”
Esha rolled her eyes. “No. We drag it over. Just be careful of the nettles,” Esha added.
“Nettles?”
Esha scanned the area briefly and then walked over to a patch of leafy stalks. “This,” she said, nodding, “is nettle.”
“Is it poisonous?”
“No. But it will cause a rash that itches terribly for a little while.”
“Oh.” She looked back to where the Beddo were chopping down small trees and bushes. Esha headed over, calling out to one of the Beddo. After a quick exchange, Esha went to the far end and started dragging the brush down the slope to the burn pile. Having no idea what to do, she just followed Esha and copied what the girl did, grabbing onto several branches and dragging them down the hill.
She tossed her branches onto the small pile. This isn’t so bad. Then she headed back and grabbed some more. Back and forth. The burn pile grew slowly. A few Beddo joined them, speeding up the work. Diya avoided making eye contact with them and kept her head down whenever they were around. They seemed unaffected by her presence, talking and laughing among themselves in their own language. After a while, one of them broke into a song that got picked up by the rest. The tune was bright and cheery with a strong rhythm that helped the time to pass easier. It also helped take her mind off of the sore spots on her hands.
She wished Esha had told her to wear gloves. She had scratches all over her hands and wrists, and she felt a blister forming on her palms. None of the others looked sore or tired, so she took a deep breath and went back for another pile. At least she didn’t have to haul the heavier brush.
There seemed to be a tacit understanding that two of the Beddo men dragged the bigger limbs and small trees. She also spotted Zaylin who appeared to be sober and working hard. At one point she caught his eye and tried to smile at him as a way to express her approval, but he looked back through narrowed eyes and turned away. She shrugged it off and the two of them tacitly ignored each other for the rest of the day.
Pasha showed up later in the afternoon, looking surprised to see her there. Good. He came over to where she was picking up a branch. He stopped, looking back at her. “Nice pants,” he said, his tone dry.
“Oh. Sorry. Esha grabbed them for me. She said you wouldn’t mind.”
Pasha shrugged and rolled his eyes, but it looked like he was more annoyed by Esha than her.
“Ouch!” Diya cried out. She had been tugging at a sapling that was caught in some other branches. She hadn’t been paying attention to what she was doing, and it came free with more force than she expected. One of the branches snapped back, catching her on the cheek, and she lost her balance. Her hand slipped on the rough bark, and it tore at her skin. She held up her hand and saw a thin line of blood welling up.
“Here,” Pasha said, walking up to where she was standing. “Wrap it with this,” he said, handing her a small piece of cloth. “And you can wear my gloves.”
“Thank you,” she said, surprised. “That’s very nice of you.”
She caught the hint of a blush and he shrugged. “Well, otherwise, you’ll be completely useless.”
Then he called out to one of the Beddo and headed over to confer with the foreman. At least Diya guessed he was the foreman from the way she had seen him direct the others. Pasha pointed to various trees and spots along the slope and gave the man instructions. The Beddo man nodded and then shouted out to three of the workers. It seemed like Pasha had a good idea of what work needed to be done, which trees to leave standing and which areas of the stone wall that would need repair. He turned around and noticed her watching him. Embarrassed, Diya got back to dragging branches which was made easier now that her hands were protected.
By the end of the day, Diya ached all over, had torn her sleeve and had two blisters even with the gloves that Pasha had generously loaned her. She had dragged branches and brush with the rest of the work crew and refused to stop until everyone else did. When they broke for the day, she snuck a glance over at the twins.
The Beddo had broken into fresh song, and flasks had come out. She looked at the sky where the little moon had just crested the western treeline and then back to the twins. Making sure the twins were both looking directly at her, she put on her father's best stern look. “You two. Back in the house before the Nibbin is high.” Just enough time for them to help. “And just to be clear, no drinking.”
Then she turned to the Beddo, making sure she had their attention. While keeping eye contact with them, she pointed to the twins. “They can stay out until the Nibbin is high. Absolutely no alcohol. Understood?”
Her directive was met with a round of nods. Then she looked back to the twins. They looked at her, trying to stare her down. “Or, you can come back with me right now. Your choice.”
From the slump of their shoulders, she could tell they knew they had lost this argument. “I want to hear you say it,” she said, pushing the point. The idea of leaving the twins alone with the Beddo didn't sit well with her even though they seemed to know each other fairly well.
“Okay. Back before the Nibbin is high. No alcohol.” They didn't sound pleased, but they did agree.
Satisfied, she headed back to the house, trying not to limp while they could see her. Other than pausing for water and cider breaks, she had worked the entire afternoon but she was too tired to feel hungry. Her goal was to soak in the hot tub, scrub off the dirt and ease her sore muscles. Beyond that, she planned to drink some hot tea with a healthy splash of honey and brandy.
After she peeled off her jacket, wincing, she headed into the kitchens where Tilly was finishing up a bowl of rabbit stew while Korina wiped down the table. Taking one look at Diya, Korina ladled out a second bowl and slid it across the table.
“Thank you but I'm not really hungry,” Diya said. “Just a bit tired.”
“A bit tired? Then you're feeling better'n ye look. Your body is hungry whether ye know it or not. Eat.”
The stew smelled pungent with garlic and leeks with a hint of rosemary, also lentils, onions and carrots. Diya poked at it, forcing herself to take a bite for courtesy. Once the first bite went down, the rest of the bowl disappeared in rapid bites. Before she had finished, Korina had hot tea on the table. It smelled of peppermint and fennel. Diya cupped it between her hands, sipping it gratefully, but saving it to take upstairs with her.
“Thank you for minding Tilly,” she said, feeling better with a full belly.
“Twins told me you'd volunteered to help clearin the lower field.”
The emphasis on volunteered made it clear that they both knew the circumstances that put Diya to work for the day.
“Oh, I did volunteer.” She wasn't about to admit they had gotten one over on her. “But I think that better clothes and gloves are in order if I do this again.”
Korina nodded, pouring more hot tea for Diya. “I added some willow, to help wit the aches,” she said. “Leastways the twins will be busy and tired out, less like to cause trouble for the next month.”
That thought hadn't occurred to Diya. Maybe there would be a positive side to having to deal with the Beddo after all. The twins hadn’t expected her to last the afternoon. Despite the aches and scrapes, she felt vindicated over that but wondered how long she might have to keep up the work detail.
“Just too bad they usually leave afore the twins birthday.”
“Oh, the twins have a birthday coming up? Fifteen, yes? That's a big year. Have you been making preparations for it yet?” Her own fifteenth party had hosted all of the twenty-three so’har families in Tatak Rhe, from both House Zayam and House Pavan. Her father had presented her to Da’har Pavan who had danced the honorary dance with her. After that, she had been presented to all of the so’har, many of whom she already knew. Her friends spoke about it for months, noting none of the other events had been nearly as illustrious as Diya’s.
The twins should be ecstatic about their upcoming fifteenth, but her enthusiasm was met by a dark frown.
“What? Is there something wrong?”
Korina shook her head, chewing her lip and frowning. “Not sure the twins be wantin a party.”
“But they get on so well with the Beddo! Surely they would want to have a party with people their own age.”
From the look on Korina's face, it didn't look like parties were done at the house. She couldn't imagine her life without the fun of friends and the excitement of parties. Did either of the twins have friends from school before they came home? She had never heard either one of them mention any friends. They might not talk to her but she had never heard the casual mention of a name even when they talked between themselves. Looking down at Tilly who was almost falling off of her chair, Diya decided not to press the issue.
Once Tilly was in bed, hair thoroughly checked for bugs, Diya sat in her chair, sipping wine and watching the glow from the bonfire. The sound of music and laughter carried across the grounds, making her miss her friends especially after talking about parties. She had never had a bonfire party with her friends but her heart ached for home until she finally fell asleep in her chair. In her dreams, she was back on the boat with Trey, Final, and Jay. But then Jay turned to her and was trying to tell her something. She couldn’t understand the words. Then he was further away and she was trying to chase after him but she couldn’t catch up.
CHAPTER Eighteen
Despite thinking that she had proved her point about her ability to do a day’s work, Diya got collared into helping out for the entire next week. Without speaking a single word, Tilly had made it clear where she wanted to be so that didn’t work as an excuse, and Diya had to admit that Tilly seemed more relaxed and calm after spending so much time outdoors. Every day she came in covered in dirt from head to toe and needed a bath, but she ate well and fell asleep without a fuss.
Korina explained that Tilly and the twins had always helped during the spring and autumn chores. This was the first year that their father wasn’t home for the spring clearing. From what Korina explained, it sounded like their father expected the twins to help and work right alongside the Beddo every year. Ashok wanted them to have a connection to their home as well as an appreciation for hard work.
After t
he first few afternoons, Diya learned how to pace herself a little better. By the fourth day, she was feeling sore and tired. The thought of hauling more brush made her cringe. She felt guilty as she took her morning tea out onto the veranda, being careful to tuck herself back in the corner where she could sit without being seen. The twins were with Hadrin, and Tilly had taken one of her books into her mother’s rooms. Diya had the entire morning to herself. She sighed and stretched out her legs, looking out across the small valley with her warm cup of tea in her hands.
Now that the trees were filling out, the roofs and chimneys were less visible. She sat back, amazed at the vibrant green-ness of everything. When had it become this vibrant? Maybe it was because of the bright sun. She didn’t know and didn’t care. She relished the complete absence of feeling cold. There was a light mist creeping along the river but all she needed to wear was a light sweater.
Sipping her tea, her eye kept wandering back to the ridge on the far side of the village. That was where she had seen the glowing light from the magickan’s workshop. Putting her teacup down, she summoned a glowing light. It didn’t feel quite as easy this time and she remembered Pasha explaining that it was easier when magic was flowing strongly.
Diya looked up and spotted the Nibbin still above the treeline. She had enough time, she decided, if she left right away. She ducked into the house, grabbed her jacket and changed into her boots. Then she popped her head into the kitchen where Korina was pounding bread dough.
“I’m going down to the village,” she said. “I want to see about getting clothes that are better suited to working outside.”