in the village. We had a double lot.
He had a genuinely thankful look on his face as he hugged the basket to himself and said simply, “Thank you, Laney.” He shut the carriage door then his driver gave the horses some rein and they trotted down the lane.
I spun in place, there was hope for mother. I sprinted inside and made her take her medicines and wash them down with a cup of water. Then we all retired. I thought I wouldn't ever get to sleep with all of the events of this most hectic day of my life winding down. But I was fooling myself because I never finished the thought.
Chapter 7 – Holy Day
We awoke to the smell of eggs cooking. Mother was at the hearth, color in her cheeks. She was still moving slowly and looked exhausted, but she smiled at us. “I feel better than I have in months. If we use the wagon to get to Church, I'd like to go to service today to thank God for Doctor Maxwell. I couldn't walk the distance. But maybe in time.” Jace was connected to her waist in a hug, and I was just staring at her.
She smiled at me and said, “Now eat. I haven't cooked for you children in ages.” We ate and I cried tears of hope, keeping a brave front.
While we did the morning chores, mother dressed in her finest dress, in the colors of the realm.
I put on my peasant dress. The only one I owned, but I needed it for church. I had worn trousers for all my life, the work we do is hard and is no place for a dress or skirt. I blinked, was that why everyone looked so curious about me when we walked past? Besides the Lady Knights, all the women in the castle wore dresses and skirts. They probably all thought me a barbaric savage.
Jace put on his new tunic and his trousers, then I sent him out to hitch up Goliath. Mother smiled and put her hand out and I offered my arm. I could feel her putting most of her weight on me for support. She was still but a shadow of herself. But she was on her feet. “Let us see this grand horse you got as spoils of war daughter. Jace goes on and on about him.”
She stopped outside the door and was blinking at my Goliath. All she said was, “Oh my.” I placed a bucket upside down behind the wagon and we helped mother step up. Then we were trotting down the lane headed for the Crossbar. The lane that bisected the city between the Main Portcullis at the south, to the secondary portcullis at the north wall, which was only opened in times of war for the knights or to evacuate the village.
In the exact center of the village in the middle of the turnabout was the largest building in the village besides the castle itself. With it's sweeping arches and tall spires and more stained glass than any four other churches. The Wexbury Cathedral, the villagers just refer to it simply as the Church.
We stopped in front of the Great Staircase that took up the entire front of the cathedral, facing the Castle, and an alter boy helped mother down. Jace hopped out and I traveled around the roundabout and headed down the Crossbar toward Cheap Quarter again until I found the first lane I could leave the wagon. I set the brake and hopped out and hustled back to my family.
Mother was a little shaky but we got her to the front pews below the balcony that arced around the entire cathedral to look down upon the dais. That is where the nobles looked down upon us serfs and commoners in the lower pews.
I always liked church. I don't know if I really believe in God. I mean sure, I hope he is there, but I am a woman of facts, of science. But the cathedral is what I liked. It was so grand, so beautiful, it inspired you to believe. I liked the feeling of people getting together for the common good. And if there is a God, I needed to thank him for my mother this day. I haven't seen her this vital in months.
Worship in modern times was much different than the scholars had found of the Before. Back then there were many beliefs, but you would pick one and shun the others. Now I'd like to think we have surpassed the
He had a genuinely thankful look on his face as he hugged the basket to himself and said simply, “Thank you, Laney.” He shut the carriage door then his driver gave the horses some rein and they trotted down the lane.
I spun in place, there was hope for mother. I sprinted inside and made her take her medicines and wash them down with a cup of water. Then we all retired. I thought I wouldn't ever get to sleep with all of the events of this most hectic day of my life winding down. But I was fooling myself because I never finished the thought.
Chapter 7 – Holy Day
We awoke to the smell of eggs cooking. Mother was at the hearth, color in her cheeks. She was still moving slowly and looked exhausted, but she smiled at us. “I feel better than I have in months. If we use the wagon to get to Church, I'd like to go to service today to thank God for Doctor Maxwell. I couldn't walk the distance. But maybe in time.” Jace was connected to her waist in a hug, and I was just staring at her.
She smiled at me and said, “Now eat. I haven't cooked for you children in ages.” We ate and I cried tears of hope, keeping a brave front.
While we did the morning chores, mother dressed in her finest dress, in the colors of the realm.
I put on my peasant dress. The only one I owned, but I needed it for church. I had worn trousers for all my life, the work we do is hard and is no place for a dress or skirt. I blinked, was that why everyone looked so curious about me when we walked past? Besides the Lady Knights, all the women in the castle wore dresses and skirts. They probably all thought me a barbaric savage.
Jace put on his new tunic and his trousers, then I sent him out to hitch up Goliath. Mother smiled and put her hand out and I offered my arm. I could feel her putting most of her weight on me for support. She was still but a shadow of herself. But she was on her feet. “Let us see this grand horse you got as spoils of war daughter. Jace goes on and on about him.”
She stopped outside the door and was blinking at my Goliath. All she said was, “Oh my.” I placed a bucket upside down behind the wagon and we helped mother step up. Then we were trotting down the lane headed for the Crossbar. The lane that bisected the city between the Main Portcullis at the south, to the secondary portcullis at the north wall, which was only opened in times of war for the knights or to evacuate the village.
In the exact center of the village in the middle of the turnabout was the largest building in the village besides the castle itself. With it's sweeping arches and tall spires and more stained glass than any four other churches. The Wexbury Cathedral, the villagers just refer to it simply as the Church.
We stopped in front of the Great Staircase that took up the entire front of the cathedral, facing the Castle, and an alter boy helped mother down. Jace hopped out and I traveled around the roundabout and headed down the Crossbar toward Cheap Quarter again until I found the first lane I could leave the wagon. I set the brake and hopped out and hustled back to my family.
Mother was a little shaky but we got her to the front pews below the balcony that arced around the entire cathedral to look down upon the dais. That is where the nobles looked down upon us serfs and commoners in the lower pews.
I always liked church. I don't know if I really believe in God. I mean sure, I hope he is there, but I am a woman of facts, of science. But the cathedral is what I liked. It was so grand, so beautiful, it inspired you to believe. I liked the feeling of people getting together for the common good. And if there is a God, I needed to thank him for my mother this day. I haven't seen her this vital in months.
Worship in modern times was much different than the scholars had found of the Before. Back then there were many beliefs, but you would pick one and shun the others. Now I'd like to think we have surpassed the
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