A new Squire [Closed to Umberlee]

It had taken some time, and patience she did not normally have, but in the end she and her goose friend made profit with two good size fish.  Also her little friend seemed to find sport in finding crayfish, and that was to benefit all three of them.  There had to be almost two dozen crayfish, and the fish as well added to a very excited Umberlees return to home.  At least home for now, even though it was not hers. She would ensure the roof over her head and her gooses head was at least earned.  

On the way home she had found a farmers small corn field.  She did not believe in stealing, but she had found some corn ears that were tossed onto the ground.  They were not perfect looking, as some had been picked at by birds or other critters, but there was enough corn that could be salvaged to make a very decent and delicious boil for this nights dinner.  

By the time she and her pet made it back to the house, the bath was free, and the clothes had cooled enough to hang.  She felt very good, and she was looking forward to her bath as well.

It took another hour before she herself was in the water.  She had hung all the laundry out to dry, and hoped the sun would stay long enough to do so.  After she prepared the fish, and used the bones and crayfish to make a base for the boil.  She had the corn cleaned off, and mixed that with some of the fresh herbs she had gathered along the way.  It made the house smell wonderful, and that was the warmth she took to the now cooled water of the bath.

There was a little bit of soap and she found that a large gift.  It smelled so good, and made her skin dance with goosebumps as she used it to wash away what felt like years worth of grime and dust.  Her hair, would no longer be matted or dirty looking, and she felt for the briefest of moments a spoiled princess as she soaked and relaxed a little. 

The sound of her goose squawking again, woke her from the daydream of her being a princess in a castle with prince charming and gowns of purple and blue.   She startled a bit stood up and quickly got out of the bath.  

Once changed, she went out to find Marcus, and even if he not noticed her before, he would notice how beautiful she cleaned up.  Her hair long and wavy, her skin a wonderful healthy glow of olive.  She wore his shirt well, and her excitement for dinner was dancing in her eyes.

Marcus had found a new task for himself and now was busy working on a small bed that Umberlee would be able to use while she was staying in his cottage. It was nothing special, but it would be better than the ground and he was looking forward to getting his bed back. When she approached him he had to look twice to fully recognize her. Of course she still looked pretty much the same and she was wearing his shirt, but the change was quite visible.

Before he had mostly seen her as a girl, but now that she was cleaner and happier she looked more like a young woman than just a girl. He always had trouble guessing someones age, but this one bath seemed to have added a couple of years on her. "Thank you... for the bath." Marcus said after his silent staring had continued for a bit too long.

She had heard him banging and making noise, but he really was the last person she wanted to be around.  Even though she and her goose seemed happy, she felt on edge, and as if the ground were eggshells and the walls of his house made of thin ice.  She emptied the bath, using the water to help his wheat field without even being asked to do so.  She had learned much growing up, even when people did not think of her as capable to do so.  

The smell of dinner was making her hungry, and she went to find out if Marcus had any coins, or any way o'making bread.  It would be the perfect compliment to dinner, and she looked curiously when she found him building... well something.  Any tools like those he had around him were beyond her, and she had not the skill or craftsmanship to create a cross let alone anything that could be used for a home. 

He was the first to look at her, as she approached, and she stopped mid step as he looked at her.   His eyes seemed to give her a stare that went right through her making her question for a moment if she had done the shirt up good and proper!!  

The look on her face was one of complete anxiety for the briefest of seconds until he spoke. Why was he looking at her in such a way? She felt confused.  Umberlee only nodded to his gesture of thanks, and offered a brief smile. "Dinner will be ready about an hour after the sun begins its departure.  I have your wheat field watered, and the laundry is hung.  I dinnae know what else you may need done.  Am I to spend all my days with you? Do you none have a wife or woman that keeps you?" she asked bluntly unsure what was expected of her, as he really had done nothing but make trouble.  He was older then she of course, so she was surprised he was alone.  

She then blinked. She wanted to know about bread!! What the heck had happened to her to make her as the last two questions.  What business was it of hers, and why did she care???  "I.. I came to ask if you had any coins I could use to buy a loaf of bread, or perhaps any flour and I could bake some. I even have some herbs left if you would like a flavored loaf." she kept her eyes down, and she really felt frustrated with the range of emotions the last day had brought to her.

"We will have to figure out how we continue our path together, but yes most squires stay with their knight to help them with their tasks and to train together in various skills." He told her, as he didn't really know of any knight that did it different. "Of course you will get time to yourself at times, to do what ever you like just like most students that have a mentor in another profession." He continued. "I don't have a wife or woman, so we won't have to work around that."

He didn't read more in her question than that but still there was a hint of disappointment when she changed the subject. Not that he really noticed the feeling or knew a reason to feel it. "I have some bread in the kitchen that we can eat this evening. Tomorrow we mill some wheat to flour and make breads from that." He suggested. She might be stronger than he had imagined at first, but milling was still a very challenging task.

Umberlee could have kissed him!! She would stay here, and she would have a roof over her head?!!! She would not have to worry about much of anything else, well.. except for putting up with a man that would easily slaughter a young animal, and a man that thought she was not worth much, and a man who judged her too skinny by appearance alone.  The urge to kiss him soon left, which was good, because that really was the first time in her life she ever wanted to kiss anyone.  

She almost laughed when she realized her mind path and then she blurted out with a giggle despite her best efforts to keep it in.  "I am thankful I will have time for myself, to do what it is I like to do." she made it seem that was the amusing part, which sadly was not.  She really had not found a passion inside of her. Not even a little spark.  She had spirit. That would never be denied, and perhaps a passion yet born.  

"Ye know Marcus, ye really should find a wife.  Might make ye less uptight. Thank'e for the bread I will find it in the kitchen, and do ye wish te eat together, or shall we take meals separately?" she had never milled before, she knew it would be hard work, but she would look forward to giving it her very best.  

Dinner was ready a bit after, and she made effort to set the table for him.  A bowl with the boil, and the breads ripped and setting on their own plate.  She even had a tea prepared with her dried herbs.  She would enjoy sharing her herbs with Marcus and might even offer to have him plant some if she was indeed to stay here... 

Umberlee called to him, telling him it was ready, and in doing so held her breath the entire time nearly until his first bite.....

Marcus watched her as she nearly laughed, trying to figure out what was going through her, while at the same time trying to figure out how they would ever make this work. "Well, I am quite sure that for the time being I will get way too busy to meet a woman, let alone make her my wife. But yes, we will eat together, just let me know when the table is set." He said to her.

She did so not much later and he left his work on the bed to join her at the table. Of course with the work he had done, already it was difficult to see he had enjoyed a bath earlier today. "It tastes good" He stated a moment later, not aware of the relief her face showed. Still he thought the goose would have made a good meal too, but he was smart enough not to speak of that.

"Do you have any wishes for our evening?" He asked her. "I am used to early nights, but now that we share the tasks the days will surely be less exhausting." 'Or at least exhausting for a different reason' He then thought with some worry as he feared she could be very exhausting at times, judging by their goose discussion.

Umberlee scoffed at his comment about being too busy to meet a woman, and she thought the women of Camaar should consider themselves lucky if he was to be so.  Few men got under skin like Marcus seemed too, and she wondered if everything he said meant to come out as harsh as it did.  

She had huffed and puffed a bit more but even when he simply spoke "It tastes good" she wanted to scream.  Really? That was it. Simple it tastes good? Certainly it had been better then good, for what he was used too, and she had worked so hard to today to be given only that little bit of reward!!!! Then she stopped almost mid bite and put her spoon down.  Why did she care what he thought of or did not think of it.  Her goose was at her feet, sleeping with his head nestled into its wing.  "His name is what I wish for the night. Coming up for that. As for our evening, I would rather it be as the day was.  Mine and yours not this our.  I will join you tomorrow to mill, but because of that I will wish that the evening be mine and his." she looked down at her feet and smiled even more. "He ate very well this night, corn and some of the crayfish. He gobbled it up like nothing, so either he was indeed starving or as you said, 'it was good'. But not too bad for a goose that will be dead in a couple days." she even sneered a little at that, as she stood, she took her bowl and brought a few pieces of bread to the counter. "Please leave those, they are from my ration, and they are for my goose. I do not expect you to feed him beyond what I am given. I have dinner already sitting for tomorrow. We will have a soup with the left over fish meat and if I am lucky enough to add to it, it will only fill our bellies more.  Perhaps we will find an egg or two and it will be a true feast." she offered.   

As Marcus finished his bowl, she even added some too it without being asked to do so.  She fussed in the small kitchen if you could call it so. But she felt an odd sense of accomplishment today.  She hoped that he would leave her to finish cleaning and messing about the house.  She hoped that whatever he had been working on, would call his attentions further.  She really was not at ease as she hoped she would have been in his company.  

This would be difficult indeed if he was to be her Knight she needed to trust him, and he her. They needed to establish a good relationship, one that would test and be tested, but be as strong as the blade of her sword when she was done training.  This last day seemed anything but seeing that possible.

Her wish to end the day separated of each other, only made him more worried for their time ahead. How were they ever going to be a proper knight and squire. Of course he had no experience having a squire and when he had been one himself his knight had kept him too busy to even speak of being alone. But he granted her wish and spend the evening working on her bed. Not that it would be finished this day so it would take a while before she could use it.

When it came close to complete darkness he went indoors and put a hook in two opposite walls before placing a hammock between it. It might not be as comfortable as a bed, but it would be better than sleeping on the floor.

Umberlee had finished cleaning, and found her way back to the bed.  She thought for a moment she should not assume it was to be hers again, but at the same time, she felt it comfort.  Her and her new 'pet' were sitting on the bed for a long while, she simply petting it, talking softly to it, and trying to find the perfect name for him.  He simply enjoying the attention and the comforts of indoors.  

The sun had long set, and the night had enveloped the lands.  She eventually fell fast asleep curled up with her goose against her.  The birds warmth, the comfort of the bed, and a very good meal all added to a very tired Umberlee.   It was a sleeping young woman, under the protection of her beloved pet that Marcus would have found when coming back into the house for the night.

She did not even hear when he placed hooks in the wall.  She was dead to the world, breathing deeply and contented.  It had been a long day and tomorrow milling would be even longer.

It was a strange sensation that woke Marcus the next day. Something was bothering his right foot and as he tried to escape the feeling, he almost immediately fell from the hammock. He shook his head and opened his eyes to see the goose fleeing back to Umberlee. Part of him wouldn't be too surprised if his squire had put the animal up to this, but she still seemed to be sleeping.

For a moment he watched her but then he got dressed and went to the kitchen. He took some of the bread and got it ready for himself and then also put some butter and cheese on a slice for Umberlee, before leaving some extra crumbs to the goose. Better some of his bread than his toes.  

He didn't wake Umberlee but instead ate his own share and then went outside again to work on the bed. Once she woke they could check out the mill.

Umberlee would have no idea what her goose was up to, and if she had she would have been laughing too much to have been able to scold it.  Funny how animals could judge characters, or at least seemed to judge them.  

When she woke, her goose was next to her again, but awake.  She leaned over kissed it, and stretched slowly feeling her body awaken.  She did not see Marcus, and she had not remembered him coming into the house, so part of her felt a little flustered.  Had she fallen asleep? Surely she must make better attempt to not letting her entire guard down fully. Not that Marcus would do anything, but still she really .... perhaps instead she should be thankful she felt that comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation.  She moved to the kitchen, and saw the crumbs on the floor and the bread and cheese on the counter.  She looked at the goose, and looked at the crumbs.  

A look of confusion seemed to sneak onto her features, and she picked up the bread, and devoured it.  After the bird and she were fed, she walked out to where she could hear the sounds of Marcus fiddling around again outside.  

"Thank'e for the bread and cheese.  Iwin, says thank'e too." she grinned, sharing the name of the goose, who honked in agreement or so it seemed.  The stood watching him for a moment and felt an odd sensation of nervousness at what to say next.  "I thought we were going te mill today... why did ye none wake me?" she looked at him.

"We still have most of the day for the mill" Marcus answered as Umberlee found him. "It will take long enough, but not all day so we can just go to the mill when we are ready for it. I will finish a bit more so you have a bit longer to yourself." He said.

He knew she would struggle a lot with the mill as he did so too but had more experience with it. "I hope you slept well?" He asked her, not commenting on the behavior of her animal.

Umberlee did not know how to take his statement at first.  She did not react instead she choose to ignore, and when he followed it with a question, she only nodded before quietly adding "aye, I slept fine." She did not stay to make any more small talk, it would be difficult enough to get through the day at the mill together.  She took leave as she had felt his words of her having a bit longer to herself were deeper then just that.  

Iwin, and she wandered towards his wheat field, where she sat down after gathering some of the straw fibers.  While she waited for Marcus to be done and be ready, as she did not feel like approaching him again, she braided her goose a small collar.  It was cute, and looked as if he did so become a pet with it upon him.  It did not seem to bother him too much which made her happy.  The two simply fiddled around while waiting...

Marcus allowed her some time to herself while he finished another part of her bed. He hoped she would like the bed, but so far he had the idea she didn't like much other than her goose 'Irwin'... she would have to correct him at some point on the name... but well, she needed a place to sleep and he wanted his bed back. 

After cleaning himself a bit from the wood scrapings, he found her again and took her to the mill. Camaar only had one mill so at times it could be difficult to use the place without others having the same idea but for now it was just the two of them... and the goose which had followed Umberlee of course. "Be careful that he doesn't come too close to the grinder..." Marcus warned as he would hate to see her unhappy, but already figured she would take his words wrong.

Then he explained a bit how the mill worked and what they were supposed to do. Having her present would hopefully mean everything went a bit quicker than normal.

Umberlee growled inside when he spoke about keeping Iwin from the grinder.  She bent down picked up the goose, and put him in the corner on top of some wheat.  She had to repeat the action a couple times before the goose understood that he was not welcome next to her at all times. That alone was exhausting let alone knowing the work that was ahead of them.  

The wind was not very helpful today, and she grumbled even more about that.  But still she would have to learn, and hard work would eventually pay out.  Or so she hoped.  Back and forth she moved lifting large amounts of wheat onto the moving conveyor and when the wind wouldn't co operate, she took her turn on the hand crank.  There really was not much time to talk, and even if there was, she was hurting and every muscle in her body seemed to be on fire.   She had tears at one point, but they were mixed with sweat so she was not too worried he would catch that of her.  Still she kept pushing forward, and hoped that either she would be dead soon or that he would finally call it a day.

During the times Marcus had his turn at the hand crank, the grinding went quicker but it showed that he too had difficulty with the heavy work. He had removed his shirt and his muscles all were clearly visible when he put his strength into it. He knew Umberlee wouldn't notice, but every time the wind picked up a bit he decided it was her turn again so she got the 'easier' turns. But nothing in the work of the mill could really be called easy.

He too was sweaty... another reason why he tried to mill as much wheat into flour at the same day. Eventually all their wheat had been grinded and they now had bags of flour. "I don't know if you would like to take a bath again but I will wash myself in the lake." He told her and didn't mean it as an invitation although his words could be taken as one. Filling the bath, heating it and then getting rid of the water at times just was too time consuming, especially when they still had to bake bread. 

But with the time of day, if they wanted to wash themselves in the lake, they would have to do so now or it would become too dark. And the area around the lake was too marshy to safely be at dusk. Too often one stepped into the muddy waters and not always he could be saved in time.

Umberlee had noticed when he took his shirt off.  She had not thought much or anything about it, or him, but had welcomed the distraction from the pains and burning of her entire body.  Her arms hurt, her back hurt, her abs hurt, her legs hurt and she swore even at times just blinking her eyes was causing pains.  Finally the day seemed to be over at the mill, and she could have screamed with excitement... had she the energy to do so.  

"Nae, I do not wish to join you." she simply said, very quietly and she moved to where the bags of flour that were theirs were.  She did not look at him, did not say anything more, minus a whimper of pain when she lifted two bags of flour into the wheel barrow.   She made a soft sound with her tongue against her cheek and waited for Iwin to follow.

The walk home seemed like endless torture.  Each step felt like a step backwards instead of forwards. Her pride had seen her pushing limits this day, but her body would remind her how mortal and torturous pride could be.   Finally she made it to Marcus' house, and she nearly collapsed.  She was trembling and her body screamed for mercy from the days work.  She knew she needed a bath as well, and there was no way under the Gods above she could have even considered getting even a couple buckets for a bath.

Instead, she put two pots of water to boil, and just before the one danced with heat, she pulled it off setting on the table.  Umberlee knew Marcus would be a little while, at the lake, and then perhaps another barrow full of flour to return home.  So because of this, it was her turn to trust in the privacy of the walls and she very slowly, very painfully stripped from the shirt she had borrowed and stood naked in the kitchen next to the water.  

A small cloth was a heavens kiss against her flesh as she washed her entire form.  It took twice as long as it should have because of how she had to move.  But it felt so good to have the warmth and clean water upon her.  She enjoyed the heat against her aches and her pains, and nearly passed out from the rush of comforts the cloth had when she washed the days dirt from her face. 

Before she set to find her body once again clothed, in her own clean rags, she put tea into the other pot of water.  She would have tea ready for her Knight when he returned, and if she could move fast enough perhaps she would have dinner started by his return also.

There was still enough light to safely find his way to the lake and he couldn't blame Umberlee for not joining. It would have been more troublesome if she had joined as privacy at the lake was just about impossible. Once there he stripped from his clothes and went into the cold water. With the season the lake wasn't frozen, but it was very cold and he quickly washed the sweat from his body.

Once he was 'clean' again, he left the lake and carefully made his way back into town. At the mill he grabbed two bags of flour that he carried home as Umberlee had used the wheelbarrow. Back there he went inside without knocking... it was his place after all.

Umberlee had just finished changing when he walked in. She felt it was rather good timing, because she had expected him to be gone a little while longer.  "Put yer dirty clothes by the fire, I will wash them and hang them up before sleep." she said to him simply and she moved, though it was far from normal movements as she was exhausted and sore.  "There is tea ready and awaiting ye." she nodded towards the table, and she took the dirty shirt of his from her, and placed it in the pot of water to be cleaned as well.  "Dinner is ready just about when you are, but te be honnest I do none even seek to eat." she did not give him any reason beyond fact, and when she took her tea cup with her to where the bed was, she curled up on it, closing her eyes and embracing the warmth it brought to her.

"Thank you" Marcus said at her words of tea and supper. Once again he stripped from his shirt before leaving her company and taking his last set of clean clothes and changing into that. When he was done she claimed the bed again and Marcus went to eat his share of the supper. With the long draining day he was quite hungry.

Once the meal was done he climbed into the hammock again to get some sleep. They only slept for about two hours when suddenly a stone got thrown through one of the windows, nearly hitting the bed Umberlee was sleeping in. Dressed in hardly anything, Marcus grabbed his spear and went outside to see if he could see the culprit that had done so.

The stone had a little note attached to it that read a very uncivil comment about Umberlee, with quite some spelling errors.

Her stomach had kept her short rest just that.  Hunger was dominant and yet, when she saw Marcus sleeping, she really did not want to move.  Off and on she drifted from sleep to mild alertness.  

It had been sleep that kept control when the stone came through the window.  She jolted awake but did not move until she heard him get up, and move swiftly and with his spear.  That is when she sat up, and then stood up, and then let out a curse as her foot found the rock and the bits of broken glass that came with it.  

"Is everything ok?" and even though she was asking Marcus, she looked down to her foot to see if indeed it was okay.  That is when she saw the parchment wrapped and tied to the rock. She bent down picked it up, and did no bother to look at it right away, but rather went to the door where Marcus had gone out.  With the aid of the moon she could tell he was not wearing much and she actually felt a blush kiss her cheeks.  "I...I will make tea." she stumbled over her own tongue, and indeed back tracked into the house, to do so.

She held the rock in her hand, not yet looking at it, and not at all suspecting it could or would be anything of or about her.  She found the broom and cleaned up the mess, and that is when she put it on the table.  Still not addressed, the rocks true damage was not yet known.

"Come inside Marcus, it happens." she called to him, pouring the tea in both their cups.  She looked at Iwin now who had not moved from the bed. "Some guard pet you be." she sneered at the goose and then her attentions drew to the rock and what was on it.

She opened the note and when she did, she felt her entire body go sharply crisp with anger and hurt.  The note held comment about what the man earlier thought her to be, and the one she hoped to become.  It made further reference to her character and she knew that if this was already this far, then the entire town would know or at least whisper of it.   She felt mortified.  She felt angry.  She felt like running away.   Again.

Umberlee took the rock, and the parchment with it, and threw it onto the kitchen fire.  It instantly set aflame, and she watched with trembling form it disintegrate into ash.  Her eyes danced with equal fire and her mind swirled with dangerous thoughts.  Temper was a dangerous weapon.

The moon gave some light but Marcus couldn't see anyone that looked like he or she was the culprit. But with the many houses, the high wheat and corn fields, and the many other objects around, it was easy to hide and sneak away. He stayed outside, holding the spear... not that he could really impale the perpetrator upon it, until it got too cold. After all, his pants and shirt were still next to the hammock.

Back inside he went. "I couldn't see anyone..." He said, the hint of an apology in his voice. "I don't know why this happened, some people just don't like knights and the law they uphold." He hadn't done much to upset people and Umberlee had only been here for a few days. Then he moved to get his pants and look a bit more decent in her company, but the rush of what had happened prevented him from feeling embarrassed yet.

Umberlee had walked to the window and back a couple times before Marcus came in and spoke.  She looked at him only for a moment, and her temper came quite through when she snapped at him "I did not ask why it happened. I could care less why it happened!!" she took her mug of tea, and she brought it with her to the bed.  She was sore, her body was aching and now so was her emotions and heart.  Why would anyone, why would he....  She could still see the mans face from the tavern and her stomach turned.  His pride had been hurt, and so he was attempting to hurt her own.  She wouldn't let it happen.  There was no one that knew what the rock held and said... save her.  She swallowed down the hurt and placed her tea cup at the foot of the bed.  She would find any more sleep and she had no idea her foot had been cut even.  The blood that came from it, did so without pain, at least less pain then that of the damage of the note.

Any apology Marcus felt for what had happened and for not catching the person who had done it, disappeared when Umberlee snapped at him. He was very ready to snap back at her, but he resisted and instead clenched his hand more tightly around the spear, to the point the wood was hurting his hand. Self control was important, but it wasn't easy. He was happy when she went back to the bed and he went back to the hammock.

It was hard to find his sleep again but eventually the new morning came. This morning there luckily wasn't a goose pecking at his feet, but still he was the first to wake. Marcus didn't know that Umberlee had already cleaned the glass shards and now that there was sunlight again he quietly snuck into her... his bedroom to clean. Before even realizing the glass was gone, Iwin already sounded alarm at the intrusion.

Umberlees dreams were restless.  Perhaps she should have been grateful for any sleep at all.  The dreams were haunting as the message truly disturbed her.  It was dizzying the way emotions could take over.  Hounding their control over almost every aspect of life.  She had been battling demons in her mind, lost deep in a sleep that gave Marcus enough cover he could very well have come into her room without her knowing....

But that was something she did not have to worry about because the loud alarm of Iwin honking and flapping his wings wildly had her up like a bat out of hell.  "W..what are you doing in here!!" she screamed at Marcus, holding the blanket up to her as if she had slept naked. 

She had not, and never had before, but the intrusion onto her caused her to feel vulnerable and exposed.  She did not even attempt to calm her goose down, and the bird continued to be flustered with Marcus being near her.  "Ye need something, get it and get out! Give me a damn bit o'privacy will ye? I know ye be not one to used te having women in yer room but ye offered me yer bed!!!! I will none have ye thinking ye can come in here like I am some.... some..... loose goose!!!" she hissed as her bird finally calmed when she reached for him to draw a long swift pet down his head and onto his back.

"I... just wanted... glass..." Marcus stuttered some, annoyed with the goose and that he had waken her. "I won't... again." Then he quickly left the room as by now he had noticed most of the glass had already been gone. The last few days hadn't gone well and he hoped that would soon change. He was not looking forward at enduring a squire for years that couldn't stand him.

Not much later he once again was working on her bed, but hopefully this would be the last time he had to work on this chore.