My Princess

Chapter 43

The village was small and quaint, their way of life ancient but seemingly serving them well. It also wasn't a very populated village, only containing 30 men, women, and children in total. However, that did make it easier to remember who did what even if I could not pronounce any of their names.

Everyone had a specific job they attended to daily, mostly hunting, gathering, washing, cooking, and child rearing. The people of the village were understandably suspicious of the newcomers but not hostile, just cautiously curious as were we.

Narcissa and I were given our own animal hide tent and Hodo to watch over us for at least the first little while to ensure we did not intend to cause harm to anyone. Or perhaps they were just trying to keep us from trying to run? I was certainly more wary of kind strangers than I had been the last time we were put in this situation and those old anxieties were already shining through.

The chieftain had explained that we would be expected to pull our weight if we wished to stay here, which I had fully expected, and had instructed us to visit the person they called the old mother after we had a chance to get some rest that evening. So, as Narcissa, Hodo, and I lounged on the soft, warm animal pelts that covered the icy ground in our tent things began to feel just a little bit lighter than they had even just two days ago. Even if these people did turn out to be cannibalistic savages sometime down the road, for now we had just the smallest inkling of hope and the dearly missed sounds of human voices outside to remind us of a time long forgotten.

"So, think they're gonna eat us?" Narcissa asked in a partially sarcastic tone, popping a snow berry into her mouth.

"I haven't decided yet." I responded honestly, trying to crack open some sort of nuts they had offered us with my teeth. "I bet I could take Hodo. What do you think?"

Hearing his name the brute narrowed his eyes at me, not understanding what I had said and shifting to subtly point the head of his spear at me. I chuckled, holding up my hands in mock surrender as Narcissa laughed.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your loin cloth in a twist."

The animal hide and fur blankets made it quite warm inside despite the icy winds threatening to rip the whole tent out of the ground and I found myself getting sleepier by the minuet after having no proper rest in months. Stretching out on the fuzzy floor I pulled Narcissa flush against my own body, feeling her cuddle into me as we both easily drifted off into much needed slumber.

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I awoke with a start the next morning, blinking to rid my eyes of the hazy fog of sleep as I remembered where I was. The sun was already high in the sky and the rays were pooling in through the cracks in the tent flaps, people bustling about outside tending to their daily duties.

Hodo sat in the corner, not even bothering to glance up at me as he sharpened his spear. Narcissa began to stir as I sat up and shuffled her around, doing the same thing I had and looking around to try and reorient herself.

"I haven't slept that well in ages." She husked sleepily, rubbing tired eyes as she too tried to get up and stretch out her body.

"Neither have I. Seems we slept pretty late."

"We should go and find the old mother. See what we're supposed to do today." I agreed, trying to get Hodo's attention.

The village was awake and lively in the late morning, children scampering around with dull sticks they pointed at each other like spears, hand woven dolls in the arms of two little girls as they ran by giggling. Most of the able bodied men appeared to be gone hunting for the day leaving the women, children, and elders to tend to the encampment.

Hodo led us to a tent in the very middle of the makeshift village, making a few gruff grunting noises to alert whoever was inside that we were here. Narcissa and I were ushered through the tent flap, Hodo following, and were met with a wrinkled old woman with long grey hair flowing down past her knees and a great bear pelt covering her withering frame.

"Greetings young ones." The old mother nodded in acknowledgment with a warm smile, her English fluent but holding a thick accent much like the chief.

"Greetings old mother." I started, the pair of us bowing our heads and partially curtsying out of habit from our own world. The old mother kind of chuckled at our new world display before pulling each of us into a warm hug and giving us a kiss on each cheek as was tradition in their community.

"We have not had visitors from the outside in some time now. That being said do not be surprised if the others are not quite as welcoming as the chieftain and myself. But do not fret my children, they will do you no harm but they may whisper about you until they become accustomed to your presence."

"I would expect nothing less old mother. We are just grateful to have a place to stay until the warm months return."

"Yes. The mountains can be quite harsh in the Winter. I am honestly surprised you have done as well as you have. It shows you are both fighters, strong willed and determined to achieve your goals. I respect that." The old woman praised."Now, how about we join the others and find your jobs while you are staying with us."

She led us back into the center of the bustling village where the women and children mulled around doing daily chores. As the old mother had warned they all openly stared as we passed through, unidentifiable whispers being passed from ear to ear with curious yet fearful glances following our little trio. We finally stopped in front of a younger woman sitting by the fire hand sewing a piece of animal hide for a child's clothing, the old mother speaking to her in their language.

"Y/n, Narcissa, this is Ead, she is of the highest rank just below myself and will be the one to assign your daily job. There is cooking, cleaning, gathering non animal food, and tending the children. She says today the pair of you will be traveling with her and the others to the lake for wash duty." I nodded, thanking the old woman before she left to return to her own duties leaving us with the other women.

Ead pointed to two hand woven baskets full of furs and animal hides, motioning for us to follow. Narcissa and I each picked up one and fell into line with the other 3 on laundry duty as we followed a well worn path through the snow out of the safety of the village.

"Think you can handle washing not even your own clothes but someone else's princess?" I teased, throwing a playful grin over my shoulder and catching the lethal glare sent in my direction.

"I've worked in a sleazy bar, bathed in the river, and pissed in bushes for the last 6 months. I think I can handle some musty underwear." Narcissa retorted, hoisting the basket higher on her hip like she had been doing this every day of her life.

"Gods, I hardly even remember how nice it is to be able to do something as simple as sit on a toilet." I groaned with a laugh, catching the attention of the two in front of me. They had no idea what we were saying and were probably imagining how we were plotting to kill them or something while we were over here reminiscing about not having to check for poison ivy before squatting in a bush.

Doing laundry was a simple enough task, just tedious, and everything was significantly heavier on the walk back with the furs soaking up water and needing to be laid out to dry. Narcissa and I more or less kept to ourselves, talking and laughing as we worked and ignoring the suspicious looks thrown our way every couple of minuets to ensure we weren't doing anything we shouldn't be. Even if I didn't trust these people as far as I could throw them, it had been a good day and I was feeling pretty ok about where we had found ourselves this go around.