There and back again - The end of the Journey

CHAPTER 16 - THE DWARVES NEW ACCOMMODATION AND SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS.

There being no magical trespass against the farm for many weeks, all those within the farm fortress relaxed a little in their efforts. There had been a successful harvest, all the animals thrived and despite the strangeness of their present existence, there was a goodly weight of gold in the coffers of the farm.

There was a brief moment of sadness, when they received a letter from Richildis telling them that she and Ivor would not be returning to their former home. Her elderly father had passed and as she was an only child, she was set to inherit the family farm.

It was well staffed with local stockmen and she would be able to use her skills in the large dairy attached. Ivor was to oversee the animals, and she, the girls already employed in the dairy, bringing her considerable talents to the enterprise.

Though Auriel was greatly saddened by the news, it was apparent that the danger from the Red Witch was ever present and the return of the stockman and his wife would doubtless not have been possible in any case.

No one, not even Merlin the magician, had been able to discover their chief enemy's whereabouts and the three bloodstained figures who had been seen at the Mere in Camelot, on the night of the attack on the Lady of the Lake, had simply vanished without trace, there very disappearance indicating that there was little or no doubt that they had delivered the artefact to their dark mistress.

The sole target for her malice and evil aspirations was still a single child, born to Auriel and Guy, for no other would fulfil her purpose, and the fortress that was now the farm had became the new way of life for them all.

Over several weeks, and using some of the monies made from the farm's harvest and livestock sales, a small new barn had been raised, as it became obvious that the cramped conditions at the farmhouse, were neither acceptable or comfortable for those who had so willingly come to their aid, and none could have foretold that they would remain so long in the defence of the family.

The new building was immediately given over to the dwarves and their ponies, stabling being built at one end, a sitting and dining area at the other, with a large dormitory above which had been divided into individual walled alcoves, allowing for privacy.

A large stone chimney and fireplace had been built into the wall, to disperse warmth and allow for food to be prepared.

Guy had planned and helped the dwarves build it to his own design, for though it was to be the dwarves' home for however long they remained, the building would eventually revert to the farm's usage.

Auriel, Aunt Gwyneth and those of the witches who could sew, set about making new quilts, pillows and linens, any other necessities being bought from Llanlivet market and paid for by Thorin, all being transported to the farm on a very heavily laden cart, the horses struggling to get it home.

Although the witches could have used magic for these homemade and purchased linens and such, it had been decided that such a drain on their magical resources might prove costly should the farm come under attack, and there had been no time as yet to replenish their gifts at any ensuing communing.

Thorin pronounced that both he and his fellow dwarves were honoured and moved to receive the use of the premises so kindly offered, whilst showing obvious relief at the privacy it afforded.

They immediately set about the building of a bath house, in every moment of free time allotted to them, announcing that the facility would be available to any that wished it, provided they cut their own wood for the stove it contained, which would heat the very large metal cauldron of cold water inside.

Despite the seemingly every present danger, there were often moments of great joy, as the days passed in the company of those in place to protect the family, brought about no doubt by the newfound separation that those at the farmhouse and their good friends the dwarves had reclaimed at last.