The Maiden's Song (draft-editing)

Chapter 3 Laundry Day

Chapter 3 Laundry Day

I

A soft knocking on the door prevented Am from crying over sad memories this time. "That must be Maeh", the young maiden thought out loud while walking to the door. Maeh was always the first one to arrive.

It was laundry day and twice a week, Amalthea met with some of her friends friends at her cottage before leaving the river. There loaded their baskets clothes to wash, but also with fruits and sweets Amalthea's mother, Jocelyn left in the kitchen every morning before leaving to work at the Castle's Market. Doing laundry was just an excuse to go out of the village in a no-men-allowed gossip fun time and dive into the beautiful lagoon by the waterfall.

Maeh, Amalthea's best friend, always arrived at sunrise and loved to glance at the rare collection of books and parchments that Am's father left.

Clearing her throat, Amalthea spoke in a broken voice. "Come on in, Maeh. It's open."

"How do you know it was me?" Maeh opened the door.

"You are always the first one to come. I don't need to be a genius to know." Am replied smiling to her best friend.

"Were you crying? What's wrong Am?" Maeh stood in front of her friend holding her hands.

"I miss my Papah, Maeh. All these things speak of him to me. The marble and ebony desk, the French davenport and the African hammock. I knew he cherished these precious items he brought from Lerida. And maybe it's because these aren't common things to see elsewhere that resemble specifically to him. That's what hurt the most. I can't simply understand how Mama survives having his treasures still here." 

Maeh took her friend's hands to speak, "Am, your father was a great man. A very cheerful and gracious man. Just try to remember him in that way."

"Yes, you're right Maeh. Now, let's do some reading before the others come", Am grabbed a book and sat on the colorful African hammock.

"And there's one person you can think about to make you smile." Maeh giggled as she walked to sit on the hammock too.

"Really? Who's that person you are talking about?" Am arched an eyebrow with perspicacity already knowing the answer.

"Maik." Maeh teased Am sitting on the hammock next to her friend smiling mischievously.

"Please Maeh, stop that! I don't like your brother. Do not start or we won't read today." Am protested beaming a mortified yet funny expression on her face.

"Alright Am, I'm sorry. I want to read", the blonde girl stopped laughing, showing a childish face once Amalthea announced the beginning of the reading lesson.

The girls had selected a book of rhymes, riddles and illustrations to practice and Maeh repeated eagerly the words, then she was able to read some of them by herself. Clapping and giving words of encouragement, the red haired praised her pupil's outstanding job.

Amalthea was one of the few privileged people in the kingdom, besides of the nobles, that knew how to read and write. Anibal taught her since she was four when he found little Am constantly playing with his books.

In that way, both Maeh and Am one next to the other sat in the cottage's living area that was finely decorated compared to the rest of the villagers' humble cottages and scarce possessions. There were lots of books, upholstered armchairs, ottomans, tapestries and paintings hanging from the wood and stone walls, all of were luxurious items reserved for a noble's mansion, because Anibal was a Spanish noble himself. If fate wouldn't have changed the Spaniard's course of life, things might have been different, but life has its ways. Sometimes it conspires against and others it's only a matter of time to let it take the right course.

II

Outside the cottage, it was a beautiful morning. The soft breeze brought the aroma of burning oak wood, fresh picked rosemary, thyme, and distilling honey. The village was teeming with life as usual. Everyday with the first rays of sun, women collected fruits from the village's orchard and men worked on the wheat fields and in the common stables.

The rest of the girls arrived later to Am's house and then they left the cottage waving goodbye to the neighbors, happy to go to the river in that fantastic summer morning. Thai, Brihm, Luanne, Maeh, and Am formed a fine group of pretty girls; all of them of different ages and complexions but good friends that went everywhere together.

Already at the river, the cool breeze flowing from the mountain dried the last pieces of cloth that remained hanging in the tree branches. A little bit farther from the main stream of the river where the rest of the villagers went either to collect water, to fish or to wash clothes, Am and her friends loved the clear in the woods where the beautiful cascade broke.

The Angeleag Fall was a piece of the lost Eden. Steady and noisily, the water fell from a not too steep rocky cliff into the river to form a lagoon perfect for diving, splashing and having fun. The river's edge there was bordered by flowers and oaks, cherry and apple trees, spruces, pines, birches, and willows.

That day laundry had been awesome for the girls. They finished early thanks to the warm breeze and after washing and folding the loads, they sat by the creek to have lunch over the cool green grass carpet. Then, they got undressed and dived into the water. The ladies had fun swimming and splashing in the river all naked, with the confidence that no one would hurt them in that place. The girls gossiped and talked freely about the handsome boys from the village or the ones they met in the last visit to the Castle's Market.

Gathered in the middle of the lagoon, some of them swimming, others playing with the water lilies, asked Luanne on the matters of love.

"What do you feel when you kiss Vlad?" Brhim asked.

"Does he put his tongue in your mouth?" Maeh spoke in a mischievous tone yet beaming an innocent expression on her face.

"Eugh! That's disgusting, Maeh!" Thai protested with a loathed gesture.

"Girls it is not like that. We kiss with tenderness. The experience is like being in heaven and floating over the clouds. All your body shivers and you feel tickles in some parts of the body I won't dare to mention... Oh, I can't wait to be married with Vlad!" Luanne talked to the girls making them giggle and redden.

"I wish I could experience one day the love that you feel for Vlad", Am said and sighed.

"And so the sweet kisses and caresses too." Maeh joined the naughty mode of the conversation and she sighed in a funny way that made the rest of the girls crack.

"And the shivers and the tickles here and there also... that's the best part!" Brhim laughed out loud pointing her delicate parts as she blushed. The girls opened their eyes wide and looked at her with bewilder. And the rest of the girl's cheeks reddened as well. They all giggled with an air of complicity and naughtiness.

A little bit after noon it was time to go. Sun just started arching it's way down when the girls got dressed to gather their baskets and headed home talking nonsense and laughing of everything.