in confusion. Had she lost her senses in the face of so many slips?
“Cause no good seemed to be coming of it." She pointed out and grinned. “I am not a patient woman, child." Her large frame jiggled as she laughed.
Alador could not help but smile back because that in itself was a serious understatement. His mother had a hard time waiting for even water to boil when cooking and one could often hear her complaining at the pot within the fire. Suddenly his mother hugged him. Her short voluminous body pressed against him in a fierce hug made him groan in both surprise and embarrassment at the contact. Then, she also rushed deeper into the maze that was their home.
Alador was left alone with his box of medure for a time. He stared at it still in awe at the changes in his fortunes and even in his existence. He caressed the smooth metal, still somewhat in a state of shock. He remained lost in his daze until Dorien came stomping back into the room.
“Now! Where to hide that box..." Dorien’s booming voice made Alador jump. Alador’s startled wide-eyed expression brought a smile to Dorien’s lips. “Sorry brother, I didn’t mean to scare you. However, we do need to be putting that box deep in the house and out of prying eyes." Dorien held up a chain and lock. “And we will be making sure it doesn’t grow legs and be wandering off.”
Alador grinned back at his brother. He pocketed a few slips and put the rest back into the box. They locked the box back up and then he and his brother lugged the box all around the house. Finally, they decided on the pantry off the kitchen. There was no external door, and inside were the pickling barrels and such. They moved the barrels in such a manner as to hide it beneath and behind them. Before covering it in barrels, Dorien chained it to the coal box for good measure. Once that was done, they both stood back satisfied it was as safe as it could be made short of burying it somewhere.
Dorien ran a necklace chain through both the key heads and then placed it over Alador’s head. “Even I am tempted. I suggest you always keep that close to your heart.”
Alador stared at his brother and then spontaneously hugged him. Dorien just chuckled and smacked him on the back a couple of times before pushing him away. “I believe your friends are expecting to share in your fortunes and trading will be a short time more before we have evening feast. Best run along now.”
Alador nodded with a great smile. He also owed the blood miners a night of drinking, but with the feast, he would wait to pay up that debt till after the traders left. His brother turned him toward the door and pushed him forward. Alador did not need any more prompting to set out and to find Mesiande amongst the trading stalls.
Alador had never had as much fun as he had that night. It had not taken long to find Mesiande and Gregor. In fact, given the e ase it was more likely they had found him. The first stop had been at the stall for arrows, fletching and bows. He bought each of them new strings and searched through the feathers for the best fletching. His friends were stunned at the price and attempted to protest, but Alador would have none of it. If he could not have fun this one night, what was the point of even having slips?
They bought sweetmeats and looked at many stalls before the bell sounded. Slowly around them, the wagons closed up. It was rather interesting to watch. It seemed almost as in unison that the traders would finish the last sale and a process of packing up began. The people of the village slowly migrated to the feast. One by one, the stalls became just wagons once more.
The feast was crowded, but food was to be had at every board. Each family had picked a board and filled it with their own offerings to the meal. Large platters of the prang had been carved up and laid out upon the tables. Roasted fruit and nuts sprinkled amongst the meat. The smell of food filled the air and the sound of
“Cause no good seemed to be coming of it." She pointed out and grinned. “I am not a patient woman, child." Her large frame jiggled as she laughed.
Alador could not help but smile back because that in itself was a serious understatement. His mother had a hard time waiting for even water to boil when cooking and one could often hear her complaining at the pot within the fire. Suddenly his mother hugged him. Her short voluminous body pressed against him in a fierce hug made him groan in both surprise and embarrassment at the contact. Then, she also rushed deeper into the maze that was their home.
Alador was left alone with his box of medure for a time. He stared at it still in awe at the changes in his fortunes and even in his existence. He caressed the smooth metal, still somewhat in a state of shock. He remained lost in his daze until Dorien came stomping back into the room.
“Now! Where to hide that box..." Dorien’s booming voice made Alador jump. Alador’s startled wide-eyed expression brought a smile to Dorien’s lips. “Sorry brother, I didn’t mean to scare you. However, we do need to be putting that box deep in the house and out of prying eyes." Dorien held up a chain and lock. “And we will be making sure it doesn’t grow legs and be wandering off.”
Alador grinned back at his brother. He pocketed a few slips and put the rest back into the box. They locked the box back up and then he and his brother lugged the box all around the house. Finally, they decided on the pantry off the kitchen. There was no external door, and inside were the pickling barrels and such. They moved the barrels in such a manner as to hide it beneath and behind them. Before covering it in barrels, Dorien chained it to the coal box for good measure. Once that was done, they both stood back satisfied it was as safe as it could be made short of burying it somewhere.
Dorien ran a necklace chain through both the key heads and then placed it over Alador’s head. “Even I am tempted. I suggest you always keep that close to your heart.”
Alador stared at his brother and then spontaneously hugged him. Dorien just chuckled and smacked him on the back a couple of times before pushing him away. “I believe your friends are expecting to share in your fortunes and trading will be a short time more before we have evening feast. Best run along now.”
Alador nodded with a great smile. He also owed the blood miners a night of drinking, but with the feast, he would wait to pay up that debt till after the traders left. His brother turned him toward the door and pushed him forward. Alador did not need any more prompting to set out and to find Mesiande amongst the trading stalls.
Alador had never had as much fun as he had that night. It had not taken long to find Mesiande and Gregor. In fact, given the e ase it was more likely they had found him. The first stop had been at the stall for arrows, fletching and bows. He bought each of them new strings and searched through the feathers for the best fletching. His friends were stunned at the price and attempted to protest, but Alador would have none of it. If he could not have fun this one night, what was the point of even having slips?
They bought sweetmeats and looked at many stalls before the bell sounded. Slowly around them, the wagons closed up. It was rather interesting to watch. It seemed almost as in unison that the traders would finish the last sale and a process of packing up began. The people of the village slowly migrated to the feast. One by one, the stalls became just wagons once more.
The feast was crowded, but food was to be had at every board. Each family had picked a board and filled it with their own offerings to the meal. Large platters of the prang had been carved up and laid out upon the tables. Roasted fruit and nuts sprinkled amongst the meat. The smell of food filled the air and the sound of
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