Chapter 12
Mondri Village
Cycle 6002.658.10.5W
When Neodig woke up, he was pleasantly surprised this time. Sunlight filtered gently in through cracks in a tidy little hut. It felt like it had been so long since he had been on a semi comfortable bed, that he just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. But hunger and the urge to pee were the most noticeable opponents of this plan.
Part of the brake webbing must have damaged his chest on the last stage of the trip out of the mountain. He looked around and found only some of his small collection of belongings with him. As he moved he found the healing treatment had been pretty crude. But he was alive and well. He seemed to have available energy too. In a lot of ways he was spoiled, his family had had some pretty skilled healers around the place.
A cheerful simple girl noticed he was awake. She raised here eyebrows playfully maybe to indicate that she impressed to see him sitting up or empathy that he must be feeling the movement.
He was confused for a moment, disorientated. For a split second he though he had fallen asleep in the barn and Jes had come to check on him. Despite smelling like horses the girl was definitely not his sister. She was also similar in the fact that she had a very upright, stable posture. But the girl looked more athletic compared to his slender sister.
The girls bright green eyes almost sparkled especially compared to her softly tanned skin and sun bleached auburn hair. She had a simple covering on her head keeping her wild locks controlled and out of her face.
The girl introduced herself as Hana and asked if he needed a drink.
Keeping his alias simple, he introduced himself as Doug. He then went on to explain that a drink would probably cause his bladder to explode, unless he could relieve himself first.
She laughed and pulled him to standing so that he was resting on her shoulder. They hobbled out and he was almost dumped in a little smelly room. Being as quick as possible he used the room and staggered back through a curtain to the sunlight. He was laughed at again as he stumbled out as fast as he could.
He was then pointed in the direction of water and some soap plant. He washed his hands, but took a while doing so as he examined them. They had become battered and more hardened by recent events than he had expected.
She asked if his future still looked the same. When she didn’t get a reply, she asked why he was staring at his hands.
He commented that he wasn’t used to seeing them so rough. It was more than that though. It was almost like he had permanent brain fog. A the rate he was going maybe sticking to simple friendly and childish like language would help. He brain was still processing well, maybe better than usual if Cam’s tests were anything to go by. There was just something really off and calling it a bit of brain to mouth lag would be an understatement.
Unfazed by the speed of his progress she asked if he would at least like a drink now, maybe even some soup.
He smiled and politely asked if he could.
She seemed surprised by the manners, but got some food together as if it was another routine part of her day.
He ate or slurped slightly awkwardly enjoying the simple food. He focused on eating as she disappeared. He happily finished the soup then sat for a moment, enjoying the calm.
Hana had been happy to give him some space. When he turned to find her she was giving milk to a newborn lamb. She smiled when she noticed his gaze.
Not able to process much else, he asked if this was what she did.
She happily agreed that taking care of unwanted animals was the main thing she did. It was usually horses. When it was the season, she could end up with calves and lambs. She indicated to the one in her arms. She had ended up with her cause she was a bit of a surprise. She said that Doug was a bit of a surprise too and that she usually preferred dealing with animals. They were much more straight forward.
Neodig tried to joke that he was lucky to be another stray that she had taken in, but the words didn’t come out well.
Hana looked concerned asking if he felt like he’d hit his head.
He agreed that his head was foggy and that all of his body felt like it had hit the tunnel as he’d bounced down.
She laughed and agreed that he’d been very thorough. She became more serious and said that he seemed to have been partially healed up along the way. Had someone been with him part of the way, or did he have a hidden healing ability? Whatever the case the villagers were a little concerned that he seemed unusual.
He thought hard and half started several explanations. In the end he got out that he was a traveler that had hidden at the temple.
See seemed to trust the answer. She said it made a lot of sense. The village rumour mill had been leaning towards the possibility that he was an apprentice that had stolen temple artifacts and escaped down the chutes.
He was getting really tired even with such a simple conversation. He got out the words stolen artifact in something like a questioning tone.
She explained that to be on the safe side, valuable like an expensive pocket clock and a soul vile had been put away safely.
He got out a noise something like an oh. She seemed to be genuine, so he guessed it was a reliable update on the rest of his belongings
She though for a bit. It was clear enough her patient was too tired to talk much more. She thought about telling him to rest again. He seemed unsettled though. Was there a way to reassure him?
She told him that the people of the village were not bad. They would make a fuss and act important, but after that they would help him out. Hana’s parents had bean killed in a landslide on the mountain pass. When the lady she had been left with didn’t want to raise her, she had been sent to the village horse whisperer to be adopted.
Kwyte had been kind enough, although it was equally as obvious that she had taken Hana in to help with the horses as she grew. So she grew up focused on the firm and efficient training of horses. In some ways it had been great. She always had a pony to ride and chores to keep busy.
Her social education had been a bit lacking though. Once her chores were done she was free to visit the other children. But Kwyte never ensured that she received proper instruction about the matters or skills required for people of the island. So she had become quite the free spirit, that might visit the villagers one day or be off exploring the next.
As she grew up, she had watched Kwyte struggle socially while she devoted her existence to being a horse whisperer. In a lot of ways it had made Kwyte a successful woman. She always had plenty of money from breaking in horses. Then when she felt like it, she would help with horse problems.
Horse problems, usually turned out to be people problems and Hana had got to watch this. Earlier on Kwyte had been better at using humour to sort smooth explanations of human failing. But after many years, she got sick of seeing the same problems affecting another generation of horses. So Hana also got to watch as Kwyte tried to solve issues in the same direct manner one would with a misbehaving horse.
Kwyte eventually made things so difficult that all but a few of the villagers stopped having anything to do with her. She was too much for Hana to handle too. She had moved out.
The villagers had made a big fuss and several gave important long winded speeches about the state of things in the village. But after that the had set her up in a spare building on one of the local farms and she had been working happily from here ever since.
She just didn’t want to fall into the same trap as Kwyte. That was why Hana dealt animals besides just horses. She figured that would be enough to stop her getting cut off for being zealously passionate about horses. That was why helping people with creatures like the little lamb made for a more balanced go at things.
Neodig thought for a bit. Since he seemed to only get simple messages through he thanked Hana. She seemed to have cleverly picked the story to reassure him. He asked was it becoming a stray that made devote her days to them.
She laughed, then made a joking frown. Accusing him of painting her as a tragedy. She explained that this was what she could do till the world and the old God found her a more suitable task.
It was Neodigs turn to laugh. He was surprised how well the girl reasoned. He was tired again though. He couldn’t think what else to do. It was kind of frustrating. He would like to spend the rest of the day talking to the girl.
The conversation had been free of the usual plays of those sizing each other up and of the signs of people having planted stupid ideas to build their idea of what empathy with him should look like. But mainly he really liked her company. But reality was weighing down in the form of exhaustion.
She seemed to see something was bothering him and that he was exhausted again. She smiled and said that it was time for some more rest. Then he would be refreshed enough to make another round of superior comments.
He gave up worrying and let her help him towards the bed where he collapsed and promptly passed out.
The old farmer had eavesdropped on this conversation since he had being doing chores there anyway. Having finished sorting feed he wheeled it back to the main farm with a bit to think about. He thought he might go have a little chat with the chief later.
Neodig woke up, it was later in the day than last time. He sat up more easily. The healing work was still rough and still fast. He stood up out of bed and moved around the room in his newly gifted simple grey gown.
The room had solid wooden posts as beams, that flattened to meet a stone wall. The post locked tightly together with tight and imaginative puzzle like joints. There were shelves around the walls where window gaps and shutters were not present. Despite a loft that he was guessed was her room, the rest of the area seemed more a workspace interrupted only by a kitchen bench area. It probably would have been described as rustic by his sisters. Overall it was a tidy, solid, utilitarian place.
He moved onto checking the movement of his arms and hands. Again things were patched up enough to move kind of smoothly. With that checked he moved onto his balance. Bizarrely it looked like they might have mistakenly improved it.
Hana laughed to find him balancing on one foot as she returned. She asked with exaggerated earnestness what the villages esteemed traveling visitor was doing.
Embarrassed he said he was checking how he was.
Hana asked what the verdict on the healing job was.
He said it was really fast and rough
She replied that it sounded about right, people didn’t usually say it to her face though. Had the knock to the head made it impossible to lie? Also if he though it was really fast did he realised he had slept over a day since they last spoke?
He apologised. Also he hadn’t realised he had slept that long. As for talking, simple seemed to be best if he wanted to get words out.
She raised an eyebrow and asked if that means he write poems or do an interpretive dance for complicated things? He laughed and said he might just have to give that a try later.
With a teasing tone she wandered over to the bench and said he was in way too high spirits for someone recovering. She retrieved a cold porridge like slop from the bench.
After looking at her quizzically, he thanked her and ate.
She gave him another helping once he had finished the first. She said she should have expected he could eat commoner food if he had stayed at the temple.
He asked who she though he was.
She pretended to look horrified and asked if he could even remember his name. Then she laughed and said that he acted similar to a noble of her land that she had met.
He said okay, not really sure how to answer that.
She half changed the subject and said speaking of things noble, his first official appearance had been requested at the town meeting room if he though he could make it down the hill
Neodig okayed it not putting in much effort at joining in with her silliness. In some ways nervousness and figuring out how things would turn out, were now on his mind.
She made him have breakfast and then made small talk. She had decided they would sort the last horse and then head down to the village.
Heading out into the sunlight he had a good look around. They were a slight walk up the hill from the village. Hana’s place seemed to be tucked into one corner of the farm with more basic, drier and sloping fields. There were tall well made fences surrounding here part of the farm. Through the fence you could see an elegant stone farmhouse, lusher fields, the hills or look down into the village. All of it looked like someone had taken an illustration and wrapped it around them.
Neodig commented that the fields were a bit dry.
Hana teased he must be better to be making superior comments again. The drier fields were more suitable for the horses. Too much rain in healthy fields meant that the grass shot up. The sugar in all the new growth would turn the horses into a bunch of nutters.
Neodig was surprised. He hadn’t really questioned why they had horses when they first moved to the neglected estate, then switched to oxen when work had expanded with the fields and production rooms of the estate improving. He thought about trying to discuss it with her but felt it would lead to more noble comments.
He didn’t have to worry though as they got close to the horses. She pointed to a cart with a little horse poo in and said that was his job. Having deposited him a safe distance from the horses, she went and quickly slipped a halter over the head of one of them.
The last horse to be attended today was a chestnut one with a white stripe down his nose. It was solid looking like it had some working horse genes in it’s breeding. It seemed mildly annoyed to be dragged away from the others and would periodically look back towards the herd.
She brought the horse back to an area where the tools were set up and tied it to the post there. It got a treat which helped it forget about the other horses. She happily went about cleaning it’s hooves and giving them a trim with some big toenail clippers. She talked cheerfully to the big fella the whole time.
Then once done she gave him a thorough brush down. The horse looked quite handsome and she declared that he was looking ready to head back to his home. Thanking him for his co-operation she gave him another snack and then released him calmly. He strutted around a bit then, promptly rolled around in the dust.
Hana called the horse a doofus and packed up he tools in her little cart. She told Neodig to leave the now full cart of poo where it was, that was her mornings chores done. They headed back to the house after cleaning their hands by Neodig’s favourite little room.
She bought out his now washed temple clothes and pointed at a curtain. He pulled it across and changed. As his bag had been returned he tidily put his possessions back in it. He pulled the curtain back and found what he assumed was the laundry basket. Moments later Hana returned as well she had changed in what seemed to be record speed for a female.
Seeing everything was in order she smiled. Cheerfully she announced it was time to leave for the village. So they set off along the well maintained road and countryside toward the village. Neodig was torn between enjoying the walk and worrying about what would happen at the meeting in the village.
Wehl 2025
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