laugh louder. His wife turned to him. “You stop that
crowing and help get these children washed up for a meal. I’ll be back with
food and ready for introductions.”
Still
wearing a wide grin, Brother Oswald opened up a panel on the wall to reveal a
large wash basin. The children took turns washing up. When the water was dirty
enough, Brother Oswald would pull the basin off and dump it into the hollow
stone pedestal it stood on. He would then replace it and pump new water into it
from a small hand pump built into the wall. Once everybody was washed up sister
Oswald returned with four other gaeder, three girls and a young man, who all
brought food and dishes to eat from.
Sister
Oswald directed the setting of the table. She twice sent two of the girls back
to the kitchen for more food. Once the table was set, Sister Oswald instructed
the young man and one of the girls to make up the adjoining guestrooms on the
third floor. The two remaining girls were to make sure the kitchen was kept in
order and the other guests had what they needed. Finally, before she would let
anybody sit she asked for introductions.
“Certainly!
Sister Oswald, Brother Oswald, allow me to introduce you to my sons and
daughters. Deborah is my oldest at seventeen years; Melchizedek trails her by
fourteen months and is sixteen. He is followed by Nicodemus at fifteen, Eve at
fourteen, and Silas at thirteen. We have Esther at twelve; then, after so many
blessings, the children started to space out a little more. Ruth is ten, Hannah
eight, Jeremiah seven, Mary six, and finally (as of now) Dinah at five.”
Brother
Oswald leaned toward his wife, “Brother David’s wife is expecting another
child.”
Sister
Oswald’s eyes went large at this comment and stared at David. “There will be
twelve?”
Sadness
seemed to wash over David as he nodded, “Yes, there will be twelve.”
Sister
Oswald nodded and spoke softly, “With twelve as a blessing, what a bounty can
be harvested for the Lord of All.”
Brother Oswald
raised his hands to the sky, “To the Lord of All we give thanks for our
blessings and ask His guidance in the harvesting of what is necessary to feed
His people.”
“Amen,”
David said solemnly.
*
Dinner
was a wondrous event for the children. They ate vigorously, having not eaten a
large meal since dinner two nights previously. They were also surprised by the
unique look and tastes of most of the dishes. The blue carrots were one of the
first dishes tasted by all the children. The similarity was easily identified,
but much conversation was made in regard to the secondary flavor. This inquiry
led to the consumption of many of the blue carrots.
In
addition to the carrots, there was a dark bread that tasted slightly of
cinnamon and vanilla, and a light bread that was fruity. There was a platter of
small fowl that had honeycomb baked inside them, and a large roast with a gravy
that seemed to have a different dominant flavor every few bites. Strange
looking fruits and vegetables led to dares to taste them, followed mostly by
divine taste sensations or delightful comparisons to Earth’s produce. However,
there were a few puckered faces from a tart fruit, or forced swallows when the
bite did not agree with the taster. After a particularly unliked food taste, the children would gulp a good amount of sweet water, a jug of
which was being passed around the table constantly.
A half
hour passed in this manner, and soon those at the table were becoming
comfortably full. The younger Oswalds quietly appeared and began removing
dishes, so after three quarters of an hour past the start of the meal, the
table was cleared, save a pitcher of sweet water and each person’s cup. Once
the table was clear, both of the elder Oswalds excused themselves, citing
chores left to finish before full dark. Looking to the large front windows, it
was easy to see the fading sunlight painting the sparse clouds. David nodded to
the Oswalds and thanked them for the
crowing and help get these children washed up for a meal. I’ll be back with
food and ready for introductions.”
Still
wearing a wide grin, Brother Oswald opened up a panel on the wall to reveal a
large wash basin. The children took turns washing up. When the water was dirty
enough, Brother Oswald would pull the basin off and dump it into the hollow
stone pedestal it stood on. He would then replace it and pump new water into it
from a small hand pump built into the wall. Once everybody was washed up sister
Oswald returned with four other gaeder, three girls and a young man, who all
brought food and dishes to eat from.
Sister
Oswald directed the setting of the table. She twice sent two of the girls back
to the kitchen for more food. Once the table was set, Sister Oswald instructed
the young man and one of the girls to make up the adjoining guestrooms on the
third floor. The two remaining girls were to make sure the kitchen was kept in
order and the other guests had what they needed. Finally, before she would let
anybody sit she asked for introductions.
“Certainly!
Sister Oswald, Brother Oswald, allow me to introduce you to my sons and
daughters. Deborah is my oldest at seventeen years; Melchizedek trails her by
fourteen months and is sixteen. He is followed by Nicodemus at fifteen, Eve at
fourteen, and Silas at thirteen. We have Esther at twelve; then, after so many
blessings, the children started to space out a little more. Ruth is ten, Hannah
eight, Jeremiah seven, Mary six, and finally (as of now) Dinah at five.”
Brother
Oswald leaned toward his wife, “Brother David’s wife is expecting another
child.”
Sister
Oswald’s eyes went large at this comment and stared at David. “There will be
twelve?”
Sadness
seemed to wash over David as he nodded, “Yes, there will be twelve.”
Sister
Oswald nodded and spoke softly, “With twelve as a blessing, what a bounty can
be harvested for the Lord of All.”
Brother Oswald
raised his hands to the sky, “To the Lord of All we give thanks for our
blessings and ask His guidance in the harvesting of what is necessary to feed
His people.”
“Amen,”
David said solemnly.
*
Dinner
was a wondrous event for the children. They ate vigorously, having not eaten a
large meal since dinner two nights previously. They were also surprised by the
unique look and tastes of most of the dishes. The blue carrots were one of the
first dishes tasted by all the children. The similarity was easily identified,
but much conversation was made in regard to the secondary flavor. This inquiry
led to the consumption of many of the blue carrots.
In
addition to the carrots, there was a dark bread that tasted slightly of
cinnamon and vanilla, and a light bread that was fruity. There was a platter of
small fowl that had honeycomb baked inside them, and a large roast with a gravy
that seemed to have a different dominant flavor every few bites. Strange
looking fruits and vegetables led to dares to taste them, followed mostly by
divine taste sensations or delightful comparisons to Earth’s produce. However,
there were a few puckered faces from a tart fruit, or forced swallows when the
bite did not agree with the taster. After a particularly unliked food taste, the children would gulp a good amount of sweet water, a jug of
which was being passed around the table constantly.
A half
hour passed in this manner, and soon those at the table were becoming
comfortably full. The younger Oswalds quietly appeared and began removing
dishes, so after three quarters of an hour past the start of the meal, the
table was cleared, save a pitcher of sweet water and each person’s cup. Once
the table was clear, both of the elder Oswalds excused themselves, citing
chores left to finish before full dark. Looking to the large front windows, it
was easy to see the fading sunlight painting the sparse clouds. David nodded to
the Oswalds and thanked them for the
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