Dwellers of the New World Chapter Nine ( Pt 1 ) Family Friends

Ben and Jay had left Varden that very same morning, going in search of Evelyne and Nathen. After spending most of the day knocking on doors and asking around, they were about to call it a day, when Jay spotted two women working the earth.

“Ben...I'm sure that woman over there is Meradith, I'd recognise her anywhere.”

Ben stared in the direction Jay was pointing. “Sorry Jay...I haven't got as good a memory for faces as you.”

“Well!” said Jay, “there's only one way to find out.”

Getting off their horses, they made their way over. The two women stopped what they were doing, gazing in the direction of the men and their horses.

Jay was the first to approach. “Good day to you both.”

The two women smiled in a courteous manner.

“Sorry to disturb your work, but I and my friend were wondering.”
He gazed at the woman wiping her hands. “Is your name Meradith?”

The woman looked at her friend, then back at the man. “I might be...and who are you?”

“Meradith...it's Jay, Fern's brother, and this is Ben her husband..”

The woman's eyes opened wide, as she gave a welcoming smile. “Is it really you Jay...come here, let me see you properly, my eyes aren't what they used to be.”

Jay stepped forward, as she looked him up and down, then she gave him a big hug. “Oh! Jay...it's been so long, please you must come to the cabin and stay for some food.”

Meradith realised she'd not introduced her friend. “Oh sorry...this is my good friend Lena, we were just digging up potatoes for the pot.”

Jay suddenly remembered the reason they were there, he was just about to ask the question, when two boys came running out of the cabin. “Mother...we're starving, when's food going to be ready?”

Lena turned to her two boys. “You two come and meet Meradith's friends.” Placing her hands on the two boys shoulders, she began the introductions. “These are my two sons, Rune and Brook, my daughter Rose is inside.” Then she smiled at her sons. “This is Jay and Ben, say hello.”

The two boys seemed fascinated by the horses, but were also slightly scared of them, because of their size. Ben noticed them looking at the horses. “Would you like to come and be introduced to our horses boys?”

Brook and Rune seemed slightly unsure, never having been so close to a horse before, so Ben assured them that the horses were very friendly and that they wouldn't hurt the boys. Finally Brook found courage and approached, his brother Rune following behind.

“Don't be afraid,” said Ben. “Here...let the horses smell your scent.” He took their hands to the horses noses and they sniffed, then whinnied. The boys smiled.

“They like you.” said Ben. “ This is Rainbow and that ones Bracken, maybe...if your mother will let you, I could take you for a short ride later.”

The boys looked at Lena. “Oh yeah...could we mother, just a short ride?” they pleaded.

Lena was quite happy for the boys to have a ride. “Yes you can...but after we've eaten...okay?”

They seemed happy with the idea of the horseback ride, smiling excitedly.

Jay turned to Meradith with a worried look on his face.

“What's the matter Jay? You seem concerned.”

“I need to ask you a question.”

“Why of course...what is it? I was wondering what you were doing down here.”

Jay became more serious as they walked back to the cabin, Ben leading the horses.

“Some days ago, we all went to visit mother and father, but when we got there, the place was empty, we spoke to a neighbour, she told us that mother and father had left with some men, I had a feeling they'd come South to work down here, do you know anything about them?”

Meradith looked anxious. “Jay...I know most of the people around here, we are such a small community, I would definitely know if Evelyne and Nathen had come, word gets around fast, but I've not heard about, or seen them...I'm sorry Jay.”

Jay then asked. “Is there a possibility they could have gone further South? Only I really need to find them.”

“Well yes,” replied Meradith. “That is a possibility, but it's not a very nice place to be. I don't want to worry you, but the men drink far too much and it can get pretty wild down there, but that's just what I've heard.”

They reached the cabin door laden with potatoes, held in a skin sack, which was slung across Meradith's and Lena's shoulders.

Jay and Ben helped them with the sacks. “Looks like you have a good crop there,” said Jay.

“Yes!” replied Meradith. “The earth down here is extremely fertile, we can grow almost anything without too much trouble. The earth is wonderful to till as well, so fine, not like further North, which is one of the reasons we came down here.”

Jay coughed, rubbing his chest. “Don't you find this fog disagreeable? It's not something we get that much of further North...as you know.”

“Oh...that's something we hated when we first moved down here, but we're used to it now, I don't even notice it any more. The mist comes in off the sea, it moves across the moors and can get a lot thicker than this,” replied Meradith.

Inside the cabin, there was a warmth that Ben and Jay had never felt before. “I can understand why these people like living in these cabins, that fire is so inviting.” Ben rubbed his hands together, then the two men removed their furs feeling slightly hot.

Brook came and inspected the furs, his brother always not far behind. “What kind of furs are these?” Brook asked, stroking the wraps.

Ben smiled at the inquisitive boys. “These my young friends...are bear skins, they keep us really warm in Winter, protecting us from the elements.”

Then Rune spoke. “Did you kill the bear single handed? It must have been really big...I've never seen a bear before, but father told us, they can get as big as a man sitting on his friend's shoulders...is that true?”

“Oh yes...very true and even taller,” replied Ben, but no I didn't kill the bear single handed. This bear skin is many Summers and Winters old, we used to have bear hunters, but there are not many of us around any more.”

The boys eyes lit up, as Rune stared at his brother. “We want to become great hunters when we grow up, don't we Brook?”

His brother nodded in agreement gazing at Lena. “Mother could we be hunters when we get older...would father teach us?” asked Brook.

Lena wasn't amused, as she peeled some potatoes. “Your father as you know...wants you to learn his trade of taking care of the trees of the forest, we don't need you to hunt animals, we get our furs from the travelling traders, when they pass through.”

The boys looked at their mother in a despondent manner, then Ben spoke. “I think that looking after the trees, is a much better life than hunting bears, just think of all the people you'll be helping.”

“I suppose so!” replied Brook. He was becoming bored, so turned to his brother, demanding they go outside and make a den.

As the boys left, Lena called, shouting out. “Don't go too far, food won't be long.”

There was no reply, but both women were busy. Ben offered to supervise them, but Lena wouldn't hear of it.

“So...Will you be staying down South very long?” enquired Meradith.

Ben was already missing Fern, then announced that as soon as he knew that Evelyne and Nathen were okay, himself and Jay would want to return home. Then he remembered Varden and wondered if the boy would be al right. He did worry for the boy, but his first priority were Fern's mother and father.

Gathering their thoughts together, the two men went outside to see the horses. Brook and Rune came running up to the two men, laden with hay for Rainbow and Bracken. It just happened to be the horses favourite food to munch on.

“Meradith has a store of oats round the back, would the horses like some?” enquired Brook.

“Well I know they love oats, but I think you should ask Meradith first...don't you think?” replied Ben.

“Yeah...I suppose so.” came the reply from Brook. The two boys went charging into the cabin, all excited at the prospect of feeding the horses.

The two women were still busy getting the food ready, but Meradith left what she was doing, taking the children and the two men around the back of the cabin, to an outhouse where they stored their grain.

“I'll give you half a bucket...I'm afraid that's all I can spare at the moment.”

Ben took the bucket from Meradith. “That's more than enough...the horses will be feasting. Thank you.”

Once Rainbow and Bracken had been fed and watered, the two men came back indoors with the boys, who were starving.

After washing their hands, they all sat around the large wooden table. “Will you both stay the night?” enquired Meradith.

“Well...to be honest, we really need to keep moving,” replied Ben.

“That's a shame, Ivan will be sorry he missed you, he doesn't get home till much later.” She served up the stew and potatoes, there was plenty to go round and some home made corn bread too.

There was a silence around the table as they ate, until Jay asked. “How is Bella?”

For a second Meradith gazed into thin air, then replied with a look of sadness. “I'm afraid I don't know how, or where she is. We had an argument, I didn't like the man she was with, he hit her sometimes, but Bella always made excuses for him...” Meradith paused, taking a drink, then continued. “He drank too much and they moved down to the ocean...he's a seaman and the last I heard, he took Bella on a ship, I never saw her again after that. Bella could be quite stubborn at times.”

Jay was suddenly lost for words, as Ben broke the uneasy silence and changed the subject.

“We met a boy on the way down here, he was telling us of a man who came from another world, through some kind of portal, he said he came from Obsidian. Do you remember many summers and winters ago, when those crystal ships came down Meradith?”

Before Meradith could speak, Lena suddenly spoke up, remembering her daughter Cinnamon's words. “My eldest daughter works at the barracks, she was telling us of this man.” Lena glanced at her daughter Rose. “Apparently the master took him prisoner...didn't he Rose?”

Rose not having much to say, always the quiet one, nodded in agreement.

“Personally I think it's a good thing, he could be dangerous...you never can tell with strangers,” Insisted Lena.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Nine ( Pt 2 ) Time To Leave | ABCtales