The Dorston Fall [Book I in the Dorston Legacy]

Chapter 30 - Hard Life (Part II)

Every part of Daniel ached, as he made the long walk home from the fields that evening. The sky had turned blood red, the first stars appearing behind a make-up of grey and black clouds. The cool breeze that spun around him did nothing to relieve the heat and pain; sweat continued to swell and run down his face, down his back.

Working double time had left him ruined and weak. His whole body felt heavy, as if he had rocks for muscles and molten lead for blood. His throat was sore, starved of water and air, and his heart seemed to be working twice as hard; trying to calm him, to restore a balance.

He wished for relief.

He wished...for Sammy's return.

Daniel paused, holding his face in his hot hands.

Now that Sammy was gone, he had come to appreciate just how much his elder brother had done for him, for all of them. Not only did he provide for them when their father couldn't, Sammy also kept them from drifting apart.

He made them laugh, and smile, and forget their troubles. He looked after them, taught them invaluable life lessons and he let them believe anything was possible, just as long as they worked hard and dreamed big.

Daniel lifted his head and sighed deeply; looking to the Heavens.

"I hope you're alright Sam," he murmured, wiping his hands on his already filthy shirt. "Gods know we aren't."

--

Cecil was sitting outside the forge, when he heard Daniel approach; his feet dragging in the dirt and rocks.

He got up and, taking one look at his brother's exhausted face, rushed over to him. He supported him, one arm around his waist, and helped him to the bench he had just occupied.

Daniel groaned, a weight taken off his feet and his eyes closed. Cecil hurried over to the water basin and drowned an old piece of cloth, before placing it to Daniel's forehead. The cloth warmed immediately.

Cecil sighed. "Dan. Are you still with me?"

Daniel nodded, barely. "I'm exhausted not deaf, you clotpole."

"I'd like to put that theory to the test," laughed Cecil, soaking the cloth again and nursing his brother. He hated seeing him like this, worked to the bone and with so little to show for it.

"Where's the twins?" asked Daniel suddenly, taking the cloth and holding it at the back of his neck.

Cecil sat down beside him, playing with his hands. "Upstairs. They...they wanted me to read them a bedtime story, but I said I'd wait for you."

"Sammy always read the stories," Daniel murmured. Cecil nodded, focusing on nothing in particular as he remembered.

"He always did the actions and voices, didn't he? The twins loved that," he laughed. Even Daniel made a quiet, amused sound.

"Yeah they did."

Cecil sighed, closing his eyes and trying to imagine what his elder brother was doing then. Whatever it was he hoped he was safe and he hoped - above all - that he was with Katelyn.

Sammy not returning was both a good thing and bad. It was good, Cecil reasoned, because it meant that he had found Katelyn and had been allowed to accompany her.

It was bad, because he had found Katelyn and not been ordered home.

Cecil, as much as it was his idea in the first place, couldn't help but second guess himself now; watching Daniel work harder than he ever had done, watching Lewis and William behave themselves and do as they were told.