Swaying gentle, swaying slow...

The carriage rocked gently over the rutted tracks, it wasn’t the usual pace but the drivers had been instructed that among their passengers there was a young pregnant widow. The other passengers on the long journey to Hablost hadn’t minded, and even the young lady was mostly quiet, she had a gentle a undemanding air about her, that made them offer her every small comfort they could. And the ladies hushing the gentleman who might have grumped louder about the time it was taking to get where they were going. But they too slid concerned eyes to the young girl, and hadn’t need much shushing at all.

If she appeared in the morning pale with red rimmed eyes, no one said a word, she didn’t notice the extra cake on plate at breakfast, the hushed whispers as she stared out the window lost to those around her. Her head was filled with thoughts of the past and fear of the future. And pain, her parents..her sisters, she would never see them again. “Disowned!”..her father’s shouting red faced..his voice echoing harshly in her head. The shaking that had rattled her bones till she thought they must come apart, no greater than the pain that had bloomed in her heart. Her mother weeping helplessly into her hands on the seatee, lifting no hand to help. The shame, the disgrace...to much to bear, too much sorrow and fear in their eyes that never touched the hearts that she thought had loved her.

Banished..ran throw her mind...”You will be dead to us from this day forward.” Her father’s final echoing words to her.

Her Aunt Morgwen Halisius looked over the slight girl as they sat in her sitting room in a modest property on the edge of the town of Camaar. She noted that the usually translucent appeal of the young womans skin had a wan look about it, as if the girl was not taking care of herself properly..the glowing red of her hair, that she remembered most flying out behind a younger version as she ran laughing and happy across the long lawn of her parents, her sisters husbands, Estate, lay lifeless and pulled back tight, although rebel curls, remained untamed and escaped to fall about her kneck in a most appealing manner.

She gave an audible sigh, remembering her brother-in-law and his stiff demeanor, and attention to all details and distinctions of proper behaviour, etiquette and class. Some lauded him as the most notable, noble of all things Peerage, a question asked of him could give you an answer of the absolute degree another stood from the throne, a high family seat or the subtle degree's that a horse farrier held over a common labourer..And her sister, so delicate and fair, similar in appearance to the young woman that sat here, devoted to her learned and pompous husband, to the point that not much else existed in her sure and cushioned little world. That perhaps Morgwen thought to herself is what has perhaps led to this present set of circumstances.

Her sister, and this child's mother, Clewdren had been altogether easily led, eager to devote all her energies and hours running after and easing her Lord and husbands path. To the point that the children had been left to grow wild, their mother also weak willed and the spasmodic attentions of their father took of them, led to an undisciplined and free spirit, such as the one sitting before her. "Now Airiella Breanweld, your mothers letter informed me that you refused to give up the name of the father of your child and that you...well...that is it, but there will be none of that from me." She had been a sweet child though, despite the wildness that she had obviously grown too...sweet and free, like a fey fairy, head half in the clouds, and feet obviously planted firmly on the ground, but only to be stained green from running barefoot in the long grasses. And such an angelic smile, and lovely manners too, she recalled from the last time she had seen Airiella, on her 12th birthday, 6 years ago next month.

The girl seemed beaten by life, and listless, ever since she had arrived an hour ago, a sudden spark and lifting of head showed some of that old spirit was not gone yet perhaps "Its Airy...." She said in soft accented tones "Airy Aventia.." as suddenly as the animation of spirit had entered her face it left and it went back to listless, eyes really seeing nothing. She whispered softly, causing the listener to lean closely.."No longer Airiella Breanweld..". Pain flashed through her startling green eyes and was gone. Morgwen understood, she had been disowned, her sisters letter was quite clear about it, Airiella would be reported has having died while visiting her Aunt in far off Hrabrost, her peered father, so terrified of scandal would have come up with this plan, and made sure his daughter understood that there was no returning, and no reception if she ever did. The letter had stated that emphatically, begging for her help to see to the child until the babe was atleast born, but after that, if Morgwen also felt the sense of disgust and shame as did they, they would find no ire in their hearts if she too set the child aside. For the child had brought so close to the family such shame that a family should not live past it, so there was to be no thought of compassion to one that thought of nothing but herself.

Once the girls condition had become clear, and after much demanding and refusal as to who the father could be, she was disowned, packed and sent on her way, Morgwen had been in reciept of the letter begging for help, just a few short days before the arrival of the girl herself. Her help obviously a certainty she thought wryly, of her self-centred sister. No loss that she had left to live so far away, Morgwen thought upon most occasoins that the sisters had endured each others company. Her childhood memories had been much similar and so the visits were rare, but Morgwen had enjoyed the company of her neices, particularly this one set before her...her eyes rested on the slight swell of the young womans stomach...four months along, as near as guess, said the letter. Her eyes moved on to the glint of gold encircling the girls ring finger. "A nice touch the young husband lost at sea, I must say, I didnt think that Clewdren had enough imagination for it myself".

The child seemed forced to speack "Father thought it up." he had also been persuaded that in order to carry out the disguise that his miserly tendencies would need to stretch to a ring. And as beggars at the door were turned away without sustenance from Braenweld Manor, this was indeed something he wrestled with to spend anything on one that seemed to no longer exist to him. He had seen that she took only clothing that her sisters had no wish to grow into, thankfully her sisters had refused most all of the peices, stating emphatically that they would be out of season by the time they came to wear them. THeir father was a snob and believed these reasons. Everything expended to disown his oldest chiled was grudgingly given, even the bags that held her clothes and other items. And more than especially each penny spent on the public carriage, no private coach though, that was only for family members. He had handed over enough to last the journey and no more than that, with careful budgeting and stinted eating, Airy had arrived at her Aunts with one small coin remaining, the sum total of her funds in the entire world. Her heart beat painfully in despair of a future, and that one coin burned deeply in her mind as a warning of the future and how very precarious that seemed right now.

"He thought that if ever I was discovered to...still live. That time and obscurity, and the lie, would...would make people think it true, in the end..people never really look past what is put in front of them..that's what Fath...Lord Braenwald plans, he plans for any sort of eventuality, really..."

Morgwen nodded sagely, yes that did sound typical of Horace Braenwald. "Who is the father child?" She asked not without compassion in her face.

Airy closed up again, her face and demeanor becoming stiff "I will never say it." She said forcefully, her eyes alive with mistrust as she stared at her Aunt. Recalling her parents initial plan for herself and the baby. If she had of given them his name, they had planned to see the baby born and then left with his family and for Airy to return to their world as if nothing had ever happened, that she would have had no child at all. Even confused, frightened and upset, everything within her being at that moment had condensed to that focal point. The maternal instinct to keep her baby safe and to keep her baby with her had enabled her to resist everything that her father had tried to browbeat her with, from shaking, to he sharp slap across her cheek that had left it bruised too the utter devestion of being told you were a ghost walking alive in what had once been your home. Shunned by the very people that bore her, inorder to protect the one that she would bear herself...how could she belong to parents such as they, who felt none of the feelings of protection and love that she felt for an as yet unborn child. It was a question she had yet, in this last few weeks, found an answer too.

"Child...Airy, surely the child should go to his family? Or he be made to do the right thing and wed you" Morgwen said, that had also been suggested and Airy's heart fell even as it had done then. The baby's father had wanted to marry her, had loved her, they had planned to runaway to find a person that would marry them and return triumphantly wed and gloriously happy. Except by the way of nightmares, the young son-to-be-father and husband had caught fever and died the week before they'd been about to embark on their great adventure. Not something that Airy could tell, for his name and his family would clearly be outed then. Not many boys had died suddenly in the district to hide his name or family from hers.

Only the fact that they met in secret and the wild place of her heart had kept anyone from naming him at all. He had stumbled across her dancing with the wild breeze of the moors...she had stopped still and let the wind whip her dress around her when he'd appeared suddenly, for heartbeats they'd simply stood and stared. And when the world had righted itself they walked to each other. She could not remember those first few words...or sentences, or days..just remember the sense of completeness. He would sit and watch her after that, as she listened to the rhythm of the land and tapped out a pattern with her feet. She would lay beside him and listen to him talk, her eyes fascinated by the animation of his face as he told her of his future plans for his family, their estate and even some thought-provoking changes to lower classes to ease their plight. Something in her sheltered life she had never even thought was wrong. He had fascinated her with his intellect and compassion, opened her mind and eyes to the world around her. Just as she had fascinated him with her gentle feyness, whenever he felt compelled to denounce humanity and its cruelty of classes, he would look at Airy and find hope.

It seemed a natural progression for their growing feelings to find itself translated to gentle passion on the windswept moors. Neither concerned for the future, for the future was their's. And if they took now, they were surely prepared for the payment later. Never a thought in their heads that Airy would be left to pay that price alone...

She looked at her Aunt, a kind woman she remembered, not someone that sufferred fools and sometimes severe..but she had been kind, and yet Airy could not bring herself to ask what would happen to her now. She was totally reliant on this woman and she asked her a question she could not answer..and yet this woman was also her and her babies last hope. "Please, I have made my decision, I have lost my family because of it." Airy's face filled with hoplesness, "if my telling you is the only way I can stay here.." her head bowed and she forced the words anyway "then I will not stay..." her head shot up in desperate defiance. "I will not lose my baby, it is all I will have left."

Morgwen sat back shocked, really believing Airy meant it. "No Airy.." she paused "It is not a condition, you are welcome here for as long as you need, I will not put you aside, nor your baby." Nodding to herself "The town will think of you as a young widow, but you will need to earn your keep, my husband left me only enough to live on if Im frugal, you will need to work even in your condidition and once the babe is born..Hrabrost is an expensive place to live I am afraid. I'll take care of the babe while you work." Standing up, decision done and Airy would need to rest.

"I will show you your room and you should rest. A few days to oreintate yourself and then we will see what is what."

Airy's shoulders sagged, before she got up slowly from the couch..following the lady that had showed her the first kindness in weeks. She tried to speak, and she found she had no voice to express the deep bending relief that almost took her legs from under her. Stiffening them, she followed Morgwen into a sparsely dressed room, it contained a bed, a small duchess and a chair, her cases were already resting on the bed, delivered there by Morgwens man, Jaek.

Morgwen left her alone soon after, Airy sat on the edge of the bed for what seemed a long time, before suddenly the slight form crumpled and she buried her face into the pillow to muffle as she wept with great big shuddering sobs that shook her narrow shoulders.

...........................

Airy rested on the white garden swing, her smile tired but satisfied as she rubbed at her back to ease a knot. Her day had been good, infact the last few weeks had been truly wonderful. It seemed the past was fading and the future again took centre stage of her life. The fist week at her Aunts the lady hadnt pushed her at all, she had left Airy on her own, there to talk to or just a person in the background, giving Airy time to grieve. The second week, had been a subtle move to engage Airy by idle chatter, town news, the different things that Airy could do here. The third week she had mentioned the voting and wondered if Airy should go along as a new resident and see who the candidates were. And gradually, Airy had been led towards life again.

Airy realised this now, smiling to herself. at the time though, she was beyond thinking further than the minute she was in. If she had thought at all, it was always in the past. Her Aunt was a formidable Lady indeed. Now her thoughts were filled with the people she had met in town, the characters her Aunt had chatted to her about were now the real people she had been compelled to go out and meet. And her Aunt had not been wrong about them either, they had welcomed her into any discussion, had gone out of their way to help her as she tried to understand alien concepts such as finances, caring for animals, best field...Oh, she smiled to herself, hardly crediting it still, but she owned her very own field, she was a landowner and it was hers alone! Hugging herself pleased, it reminded her of her baby..and so she brushed a gentle hand over her front "Your mommy is field owner darling baby, we'll have corn to sell and mommy will buy you lots of wonderful things..but most of all, we will survive now." Shocked delight spread across her face as something moved under her hand..grinning foolishly around her at this first sign of the life. However, there was no one there to share with, her Aunt was inside and old Jaek was in the front garden...and so she just remained there softly talking to the little life inside her, hoping to feel him or her again.

Telling it about all the wonderful discoveries she'd made, the work she'd already done, how the bronze and silver seemed to be growing and the wonderful, wonderful people she'd met..she talked about Lord Marche, who had given her a chicken for less than a 6th of the cost of a normal one, Lord Ackland, who was going to sell her cheap steel..and how they'd feast on cheese soon. And Lord Anto and his ideas about a new town and how she was thinking they might move there when the new town was built. And Arogandor, the kindly yet gruff Lord of the Land. Most of all she told the baby how she was no longer afraid, the future was going to be alright, because she could do it and that they would never be in a position to have her foundations pulled out from under her again. She was rewarded many times more with movement under her hands, and for the first time in a long time Airy could be heard to laugh, her smile came much quicker to her lips...and soon, soon she told her baby...her feet would find the wild moors once more and she would make a special place of their own there...because they could.

Airy skips home full of excitement..she had just found out that Lord Anto had won the elections almost 2 to 1. This meant that it was likely he would be taking over the new town. She was half afraid of the growing decision in her heart, but nothing seemed able to stop her still. Airy fretted a little to talk to her Aunt, and was also a little worried, as as much as she tried to come to understand finances and how to make a living, she still had so much to learn. But her headstrong heart wanted to take a chance, these last 2 weeks had done wonders for her confidence and her wonder that she could rely on herself instead of being beholden to others as she had her whole life.

Even though it may be too early, she didnt want to wait to move to the new town. Already dreaming of a quiet little cottage all to herself, oh...how would she finance such a thing, it almost brought tears to Airy's eyes lest that stop her. Perhaps Lord Arogandor would be making a place for the new people to live in while their homes would get built. She hoped so very much.

Swinging open the gate, Jaek looked up from his gardening a smile spreading on his wizened face, in answer to hers. The young Miss had certainly brought sunshine to the cool peace of the house, like a shaft of light..sparkling over undisturbed dust. "Good morrow Jaek, isnt it a simply lovely day!" Not a question a statement of fact. "Lord Anto won the elections and now we'll be a foot Im sure, Is Aunt in?"

"I'm in child" a deep voice said just before the door to the cottage opened wide and her Aunt appeared "Your very excited by Anto winning, I dont know what the fuss is about really, they'll struggle at the start, even if he is as capable as you say." Her Aunt looked doubtful and Airy's face turned troubled.

"Well I didnt mean...I mean I dont know if he is capable, he just seems so..." Airy's voice trailed a little as she turned inwards, her face full of worried debate...was he capable? She didnt really know all that much about him, she had just liked the turn of his phrase, even though some of it was rather obvious, grinning inwardly as she recalled the fish meals. But back to more important things..what if her Aunt was right, that people would struggle in the new town, she was struggling already, if she was truly honest. Her biggest problem was hoarding, not only her money, that was so very prescious, but all she made and the eggs and the milk, she must sell some soon, she must, and she laboured deep into the night working out all the incoming and outgoing, sometimes it felt like she was struggling in the dark that surrounded and tried to eat up the glow of her candle.

Airy decided though, that she wouldnt broach the subject of her moving when the new town was ready, she would look at her finances again and speak to Lord Marche...her eyes got a little dreamy as she remembered his...and perhaps he would help her figure out if it was sensible to move, or come up with a number of reasons how she should. Oh, she hoped so, he had told her he intended to move, it would be good to have a friend to go there with and surely his intrepid spirit should help her find hers.

"Well thats the news" she said rather flatly to her Aunt, her mouth a little strained, "I might head in and wash up a little, then I thought Id use some eggs I got from my hen for dinner tonight and Ive still a fish or two from Lord Anto's Vote for me meals. "I have a recipe for them that Id like to try out on you both."

"Of course my dear, that sounds lovely." Her Aunt watched Airy disappear in the house with a pensive frown on her face.

Jaek quietly said "I think the young Miss intends to go to the new town..." he paused to see his Mistress's reaction to that. He was not dissapointed. Eyes worried, but unsurprised, Morgwen nodded "Yes, and shall I be a fool and try and stop her? I think she can make it Jaek, she always was a tough little soul despite her outward appearance, but...." sighs.."I shall genuinely hate to see her leave."

Jaek came up and rested and understanding hand on her shoulder, Airy had fit in so well, he could hardly remember a time she hadnt been here. "You know, it is not so far away, and when she is settled" He looked up at the house "It wont hurt the old house to do for itself a time or two when the time comes and Airy needs us."

Patting his hand reassured, "your right Jaek, of course we can visit her anytime we like, no need to hold her back, just because we are feeling selfish in our old age, and its not like she shall be all that far away....now, how to convince Airy that we have every confidence in her...I was truly a bit mean to say what I said." Morgwen said regretfully. "And I was so looking forward to hearing a babies cry in the house.." sighing Morgwen turned to follow her niece into the house "Perhaps we can lead into the subject at dinner."

Jaek nodded agreement before returning to the section of the garden he was working on.

Airy sat in her room, she was at her desk, it was after dinner, dishes done, each adult gone to their seperate entertainments, hers was to record her days wages, what her chickens and cows had been up to and working out what she needed in the future. But at this minute, she was sitting back her green eyes staring at nothing in particular.

Aunt Morgwen and Jaek both had, far from making it hard to tell her plans, had practically told her they thought the new town was just the thing for her. It was new and a golden opportunity and they were sure if they all went together at first, just to see her settled that it would be the making of her. A far cry from the impression they had or her Aunt had given this afternoon. Airy pinched herself to make sure she hadnt been dreaming. She wasnt much for conflict, but she knew when to dig in her heels, what happened with her family had proven that. She had not looked forward to going against their kind and well meaning wishes and she was still only gaining confidence, and so had to battle her natural insecurity that she would do well.

Heaving a relieved sigh, it looked like her future was set for her anyway..grinning a little ruefully, thankfully it was her wish also. Shaking her head softly the red tresses brushing along her back, she bemusedly tried to apply her mind to recording todays events while the rest of her mind silently dreamed in the background about her new and exciting future.

"Get away now" was shouted by Jaek at the same time as the whip cracked over the team of horse. Aunt Morgwen sat beside him and Airy on her otherside. Airy's face shone like the sun. She was on her way. Spero was one day away and a lifetime was about to begin.

Unable to keep still she turned and clutched at the backboard as the wagon hit a rut in the road and threw them off balance. Her fingers hung onto smooth wood, her eyes surveyed all her worldly possessions. She seemed to have more than she thought. Grinning a little, it also seemed her Aunt and Jaek had suddenly found they had two of everything that Airy would need on her new adventure.

"Steady Jaek, this is not a race we will get there in the day if you go slowly and the extra half an hour we may save may not save us from such a jolting that we will not sit for a week!"

Airy smiled at the familiar grumbling and silently urged Jaek on to greater speed. Her cheeks blushing at such haste in her heart and she checked her Aunt just incase she could suddenly know her thoughts. Her Aunt remained stiffly ahead, seeming content to monitor Jaek's every whip crack until they reached their destination. Airy caught of one of the Grail Gaurds set over the new pioneers by Lord Arogandor himself. He was slim and held himself stiff and at the ready even as he too rocked at the back of the wagon. There had been no room for him at the front with them. 3 was quite enough to share the wagon seat.

His eyes were alert and his hand would occasionally grip his spear as if readying for battle at any minute. Airy scanned the surroundings as he did, but where he seemed to see danger lurking at every tree or even grassy knoll, she saw the verdant green of the fields..spring and lush, the dark hues of the forrest further off, the occasional blue water of a pond and the wonderful chirp of birds, with occoasional flashes of what looked like rabbits from the distance. Life was.....

Airy's eyes grew wide as the wagon suddenly jerked to a halt, the motion causing her to turn and sit back down with a hard thump on the seat...letting out a shriek that joined the horses screams at the front of the wagon. The cause a Giant Spider was calmly sitting about a mile off down the road. It was so big, Airy didnt think she could stretch her eyes any wider in shock, nor to completely take in the massive shape. She had heard the stories...but even so.

The Grail Gaurd thumped down beside the wagon and sprinted ahead to pull the lead horse down for its constant rearing and wild eyes screaming. Jaek pulled the horses to a halt uselessly since they were already completely stopped. His whoa there, and soothing sounds along with the Grail Gaurd, had the horses calming a little, they had stopped rearing, and now stood nervously in their traces, coats quivering with sweat and eyes still rolling nervously. The spider was still quiet a ways off and hadn't made a move toward them.

Aunt Morgwen, slowly released her painful grip on Airy's arm, much to Airy's surprise. Surprise because she looked down at the red marks in wonder, until the moment Airy had not even noticed the pressure. Both women looked at each other eyes mirroring stark terror barely under control. A small spider was the stuff of nightmares, Airy gulped and took a fast look at the hideousness of the beast ahead..a choked laugh, a small little spider now a beast right before her eyes. Wrapping her hands across her mouth, this was no time for hysterics.

The Grail Gaurd stepped back from the lead horse, waited till he was sure it was calm before walking back to speak to them, or rather Jaek. "It be some ways off yet, and the wind be taking from him then too him, ye can goes around the back of him" squinting at the sun high in the sky "It be noon, e's probably just sunnin' himself to be sure. It might risk the wago' a bit, but it be better than riskin' the women folke." The Grail Gaurd nodded towards Morgwen and Airy with his head as he said this.

All three of them seated in the wagon seat nodded as one in agreement with the Gaurd, he heaved a sigh of relief, some were fool hardy and didnt wish to risk material possessions. They's that do, made his and other guards jobs that much the harder. Brograin a Guard of many years had met his death over it, just a week back now. Fool hardy Pioneers, he'd of spit just then, but he was mindful of the ladies.

Each woman didnt think they breathed the entire time it took to skirt the spider, the could see its massive bulk atop the rise they hid behind. The Grail Gaurd was out front walking the lead horses and keeping them calm with whispered words and a firm grip. He and Jaek had blinkered them before setting out and it had seemed to work, even though they were still skittish they went ahead as they were bid.

2 miles past the Giant Spider they joined the road again, the women did not however unlace their arms from each other. Airy had, had a large dose of reality, one that she remembered Lord Marche trying to impress upon her and something she had smiled and thought him adorable for his concern. Now she understood his concern, twisting her head back she could no longer see the Spider but the skin still prickled at her back like its 1000's of eyes were upon it.

Instead of the day it would normally take to get from Camaar to Spero, it took their little group 3. They arrived dishelved and weary passing through the gates. The announcement of the Town Crier of their arrival should of filled Airy's heart with joy. But her body ached and her Aunt leaned over her protectively where she lay in the back of the wagon. They had met many animals on the trip here. They were all exhuasted, the Grail Gaurd sat up front with Jaek, no mark upon him to his guilt, apart from the dirt marks of constant fighting, and the forced halt when night had made it impossible to continue.

The last beast had managed to get past him to the young Miss knocking her flying through the air to land in a crumpled heap. He feared her arm maybe broken at the very least and her Aunt fretted and prayed holding beads for the baby.

Glancing back constantly trying to will the pale face to fill with colour again. Jaek stopped every now and then to get directions to the local Apocarthy. Pushing the tired team onwards..worry on all their faces.

The Apothecary had done wonders healing Airy's light bruises, but he could do nothing for her arm, it was broken and would take more than 4 weeks to mend. A set back to be sure, especially when a new town needed strength. But it would not get Airy down and most importantly, the baby had been unharmed. Airy was very grateful.

After the Apothecary, Aunt Morgwen and Jaek had hinted at a surprise for her, and so they had traveled once more in the wagon clicking this time along cobbled streets. The Grail Gaurd assured that the young Miss was alright and his services discharged had left awhile ago. They were entering the town square, Airy's eyes looked everywhere at once, recognising some buildings and squinting at the back of others. She would spend tommorrow orientating herself. Today she was exhuasted, her arm ached terribly, she longed for bed, and the lodgings she had arranged to rent, but first her Aunt wished to show her a surprise and so she persevered.

Past the central town they entered a suburban district again, after a short while they pulled up to a tall home, a split two storey. It looked well maintained and inviting, yet Airy wondered why they were here. Jaek helped her down carefully and then Morgwen. They walked up the path a look of confusion on Airy's face. They reached the door, in small lettering Airy read the title above the knocker. Her jaw sagged open.

The lettering was quiet clear 'Airy's Boarding Hostel for New Towns People and Visitors.'

Airy gasped at her Aunt and Jaek, their beaming faces confirmed it "We have taken out a loan on your behalf Airy, the interest is reasonable, and the income from the rooms will be enough to cover your repayments and a little left over." Airy was in her Aunts arms hugging her tightly, before she finished speaking. Pulling back she turned and hugged Jaek too, laughing.

"Its wonderful! Simply lovely! Oh how can I thank you both, I just cannot, but I will, somehow...I will."

Story continued in Spero town forum: Airy's Boarding Hostel for New Towns People and Visitors.

Returned from: Spero's town forum. Airy's Boarding Hostel for New Towns People and Visitors.

Airy walked along Capone Boulevarde having left her guest to his rest. Her bag of seed corn slung crossways across her chest..ready for her unbroken hand to dip in and sprinkle seed in her field. It had been an easy transition selling her field back to Camaar and buying a new one in Spero. The Town was beginning to bustle about and people and wagons appeared hurrying about on their days business. Entering the Town Square just after the hospital she made for the Market place...hoping she would find wheat finally on the market.

Entering the quiet cavernous market, she could already see the stall meant for wheat was empty still..or was it...quickening her step she moved closer she could see a sack. Her hopes soon deflated when she found that it was a single one on its own. It was not even enough to make one bag of flour. The stall keeper wiped his face and smiled hopefully at her he had been able to sell all the wheat to the last buyer and had little hope to offload a single bag itself. But fainter hearts never won anything. He could see Airy hesitate so he pounced. "Even a single bag my dear is one less to buy next time and I can assure you someone else will purchase it if you dont, what with wheat being so scarce."

Airy eyed it and weighed the mans words. "I will need it delivered, Ive no means to get it home as you can see. But since it is a single bag, Id hope you wouldnt feel it necessary to charge me all that much for delivery...if at all." Airy's eyes were firm on the seller, she was no fool there were not that many people that liked to waste their time on one bag. Despite what he would have her think.

Wiping his brow with a dusty once white cloth...he nodded quickly "Of course, of course, it wont be but a small thing for myself to take it to you after the markets close. Your at the Hostel are you not?" He'd got to know her a little bit with her checking in daily checking on his stall. Other days she was carefully checking the prices of the other goods.

Once they had made the transaction he was all smiles and so was Airy, one bag may not be enough, but it was one bag! Finally. "How is the corn field going for you Mistress? I hope it is not to taxing on you." He nodded to her obvious condition and her arm. "Hard enough when fit..it is."

Airy sighed "The ploughing was finally done and now we are sowing. Some others have been working the field for me. Sadly Lord Marche concerned me the other day, it seems with the cost of field workers rising so that we can get workers at all, he reckons to have lost more than a silver on his produce. So I must try and do the work myself, even though the wheat fields I could work to get us more lay untended." Eyes his empty stall pointedly and he nodded in understanding. "I simply cannot afford to hire for any more than I cannot do myself."

"Ah Mistress it will all be good eventually, we all hurt to make the town great." Airy nodded. "That we do, that we do." Smiling..."Its a challenge for sure..oh!" Pleasure crossed her face.."I got my first guest for the hostel, and he stays for a month, no less!"

"Well thats just grand." The Stall Keeper smiled his own pleasure at her. "Things are indeed looking up for you...yes, they are indeed" He nodded to himself.

"Well I'll see you later tonight once market closes. So long until then" With a spring her step she left to continue onto her field, thoughts of her guest filling her head and hopes that he was not the last..but the first of many. She avoided thinking about what had happened this morning..obviously an aberration, or just noticing a man and that she was after all a woman. That was only natural she told herself. Perhaps once they were similar, his clothes spoke his circumstance...yet, they no longer where. She was a boarding mistress now, a working woman and of that class now. No noble would see it any differently and so nor would she..she straightened her shoulders. She had chosen the path her feet walked along, and never would she let herself wish for anything more.