Just a few words to introduce this, the last of the "There and Back Again" trilogy. Firstly, if you have read the other two parts, I am honoured and thankful. Secondly if you intend to read this, the third, I hope you will love reading it as much as...
Over the coming days it became apparent due to the severe rainstorms, that Spring planting would be delayed. The meadows lay sodden, unfit for the animals to graze, and little remained of the winter fodder.
Aunt Gwyneth once more came to the rescue, with the last of her gold jewellery, even putting her five wedding rings onto the table.
When Guy protested, his pride reluctant to allow him to accept her generosity, she said, "You have welcomed me into this family, housed and fed me for a good while, and I have contributed nothing, except a little doctoring and midwifery, care of your children, and the odd supper cooked. You will take this gold and use it to keep us all fed and in our home, I ask for no more than that."
"Get yourself gone with Ivor and come back with what we and the animals require. Gold is forever and will be accepted by all. Time enough to think about fripperies when times are good again. We will perhaps have to tighten our belts a little to see the year out, but we will do it, because we are a strong family."
Guy returned ten hours later with Ivor and an additional horse and cart he had been able to buy, for he had managed to purchase everything they required and more, though they had travelled far to find it.
They thought they would have enough left over to help their immediate neighbours in a small way until the weather improved. But this was not to be, as the rain continued to pour. They were fortunate that they had the two barns and the cow byre, as all the animals were still under cover, amply fed, but very restless.
Mordred, Ghislaine and Gheraint, had been attending lessons for a twelve month, walking daily to the Priory to be taught by one of the brothers who had been a schoolteacher, though they still found this a little irksome after the freedom they had known on the farm. Those at the Priory were glad to be paid in eggs, cheese and butter, if it could be spared, as they were also suffering great privation.
Mordred did well in his studies, as did Gheraint. They were both now able to read and write to a fair standard and their Latin was passable. But Ghislaine declared that schooling seemed to her to be a great waste of time, when she could acquire whatever she needed by using magic, though her control over her abilities was still fragmented at best.
She had, as her mother had predicted, gradually lost the skill of flight and the adults were delighted, especially Aunt Gwyneth, who had been constantly called upon to get out of her comfortable bed and use her own magic, to fetch her niece down from wherever she had managed to perch herself, lest her father punish her for her disobedience.
The weather improved slowly, but then due to the still waterlogged ground, anything planted rotted where it stood. Though Guy and his little family struggled with this further setback, they held on, but it was difficult for their close neighbours, several of whom were close to starvation, despite receiving anything that could be spared from the Gisborne Farm.
They were sitting around the kitchen table one night when there was a light rhythmic tap at the door. Guy knew immediately who it was, as he recognised the sound.
He rushed to the door and there stood his old comrade Thorin, two small ponies behind him in the yard, laden down with many bags. Guy drew him inside, a great smile on his face and Auriel rushed to embrace their guest, though Aunt Gwyneth, never having met a dwarf of Thorin's Royal standing, stood back respectfully by the fireside.
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