The Dark Days

Chapter Five

 "You're chipper this morning." Mama pointed out as I hummed in the kitchen. I was packing the morning's dishes and couldn't stop thinking about Druig. He'd stayed on his side of the river for a little while after he'd put the cage back in the river, just talking and teasing me about small things. He'd left once lunch had rolled around, needing to get back to his 'compound', whatever that was.

He'd asked quite a bit about my life and how I came to test the various plants, and I answered every single question. I've never had anyone that interested in my life, that interested in what I had to say. He seemed to agree with any comments I made about husbands and wives being on equal terms. That no one partner should be held in higher esteem than the other. He said in his compound, women were free to do as they please and if a man wanted to marry a woman, he needed her permission or the union was not blessed.

" Am I? I suppose I am in a better mood because I caught many fish yesterday." A whopping ten fish. In all my years of fishing, with and without Papa, I hadn't ever caught more than eight in a day. And that was an entire day of it. The last one I'd caught had been scarcely after Druig had left. He'd enjoyed getting in the river to pull the cage out every time a fish had been trapped.

"Just keep at it. The more fruitful you are at the river, the easier of a winter we'll have." Nana commented from the chair closest to the fire. She was in a good mood too, for whatever reason. Mama wanted me to head to the street market to trade some of the fish for flour and sugar. Nana wanted to use the flour and sugar to make a baked treat she enjoyed baking.

I'd have to go further down the river, nearing the village situated at the ocean, to get salt. Usually, we'd go into that village to barter for salt but I knew how to make my own rock salt out of the ocean water. I'd make enough that we could even barter the excess salt. I'd make a trip out of it on the days I left to get us clothes. I needed to make sure I had enough bread and fish to barter by then.

I'd already explained it to Mama. She was in agreement. I just needed to tell her when and she'd make bread the morning I was to leave so that it would be at its freshest.

Isaac skipped along beside me as I walked towards the street. He liked seeing the houses and the people and the interactions between the people. What seemed normal to me, excited him still. He was too young to see how people looked down their noses at us but I saw it. I couldn't not see it, unfortunately.

"What about a new hunting knife?" Isaac asked as we walked onto the street. The vendors were set up. They'd been up since first light. The earlier they were up, the sooner they could start bartering.

"Why would you want a hunting knife?" I chuckled, "Are you planning to go hunting soon?"

"Maybe," He shrugged, kicking some rocks to the side of the street, "I want to help."

"You are. For now, get your education and then come back and save the world."

"Not the village?"

"Why would we ever think so small when it comes to your greatness?" I pinched his cheeks before facing the various vendors. The one I usually bartered with for meat was set up. I went to her first. Her husband went with the hunting party most days and she would prep the meat he got to keep.

I then traded some fish with our usual flour barterer. She teased me about appearing two days in a row. But I didn't mind, I'd keep coming back until I couldn't anymore. Or until they stopped accepting my fish. Which was unlikely, because even if they didn't want to eat it, they could still give it to the Food Stocks.

Having gotten what I came to the street to get, I took Isaac to school and hugged him before I left him at the gates. I savoured each hug, because I knew they were numbered, I knew one day he wouldn't want a hug.

The street was busier on my way back. Kids were being walked to school, shuffling around the market on either side of the street, and even men gearing up to leave for a hunting party. The ground was muddy, and damp from the cold night before and I hitched up my dress enough to keep my ankles covered while doing my best to keep the hem of my dress away from the mud.

I turned down the beaten path that would lead back to my house when I heard the sound of a pot smash as it hit the ground. The sound had come from Eliza's home. Still clutching my bags to my chest, I ran to the edge of her garden. My hands hovered on the latch that would open the garden gate. Her garden contained flowers and herbs that could heal and help our entire village if only she knew what to do with them. I often found myself sneaking by to grab a few bulbs. Especially her mint leaves.

I listened for any other sounds coming from the house, trying to discern if she were in trouble but there was only silence. Maybe she had accidentally dropped a pot or her child had smashed it in a tantrum. I didn't want to impose. But then the door slammed open and Henry stormed out. I saw the rage in his eyes and shrunk back, backing away from the gate. He stalled upon seeing me, "What is it?" He snapped.

"Nothing, I'm sorry to bother." I lowered my head and moved even more out of the way. Henry rolled his eyes, readjusted his cloak and shoved me aside with the garden gate as he passed me, walking towards the street. Once I knew he was outside of view, I put my bags down inside the small boundary wall and walked on the narrow tiles leading to the house.

I heard a whimper and ran over the threshold, the door still open. Their house was bigger than ours. It definitely helped that both Henry and Eliza came from fairly wealthy families. The whimper came from a room set aside for bathing. I ignored the pang of curiosity to explore what else their house had that mine did not.

Eliza lay on the floor, the toddler holding a cloth out to her. Her mouth was bleeding and her trembling hand was cradled against her chest.

"My dear Eliza, what happened?" I asked as I entered, helping her to her feet and then pushing her to sit on the closed lavatory. Hers, I noted with a hint of envy, was inside her house.

"Nothing, nothing. I misspoke and upset him." She wobbled as she sat down. The toddler was still holding out the cloth. I thanked her and took the cloth before wiping the blood from Eliza's mouth.

"And this made him hit you? Eliza..." I muttered softly.

"Yes, I deserve no less. It was not my place to question his whereabouts." She sniffed as the tears formed in her eyes. I knew where he went. There'd been rumours that the men, young or old, gathered at the barn some nights to partake in debauchery. I didn't know who brewed the mead, or moonshine, or which women let these men sully them with their dirty hands and recklessness, but I knew it happened.

"Eliza, you need to go to the Church. Henry lays his ha–"

"No!" Her voice was stern, cold, "I deserved this. I will not be so foolish next time."

"Eliza—"

"I've heard quite enough from you, Jane. You haven't a husband, you know nothing of what keeps a marriage, a family, together. If I were you, I'd keep this to myself, as this is no business of yours." Eliza stood, her wobble gone as she held a hand gently on my elbow, "Thank you for visiting, Jane. You should stop by again soon."

Eliza escorted me straight out of the house and shut the door firmly, and softly, behind me. Softly, lest the neighbours know that this garden of beautiful flowers has more thorns than petals.

I sighed, picked up my bags and walked the beaten path home.