Sixth Son: Village in Another World 12

Twelve.

Each following morning, after breakfasting on brown bread and small beer, I went over the Archers’ to help. It was expected, since I was a sort of an apprentice. In addition to the various gardens, there were the animals to tend to. Both mother and daughter seemed to share the knack of handling animals. The both milked the goats and gathered eggs with ease. The chickens always tried to peck me if I approached carelessly, but I was still able to clean their roosts.

Helen’s father and brother cut the wood and fetched the water before leaving for the woods, but they often left early in the morning. This left the Archers short of hands and Helen grumbling under her breath. 

My family, which was larger, helped them tend to their fields in exchange for part of theharvest. My kind brother Tertius also helped with cleaning out the sty and the goat stall, since it was still beyond my strength.

After chores, Agnes gave lessons to both Helen and I. Helen did try hard, but her head did not seem to be suited for figures or letters. She would give them a try and would occasionally turn to me for help as a last resort. In turn, Agnes had Helen teach me about herbs and mushrooms.

After we were let out from lessons by mid to late morning, Helen grabbed her bow to dash out into the woods. I thanked Agnes for the lesson and continued to repeat the contents to myself, but I was not confident that all of the information would all stick. I wished that I had something to write with and on.

Ink and parchment were valuable. I was not so shameless as to ask to use any of Agnes’s valuable stores. My Ma and Dad had never written anything as far as I could see, though I had seen my Dad use an abacus and scratch a few roman numerals in the ground.

I returned home and ate lunch slightly distracted, while considering everything I saw in the house. Quartus took advantage of my it and pinched a piece of turnip pinched from my soup. Without an answer, I stepped back outside and immediately saw the answer stacked under the house’s eaves.