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Trotter  by Dreamflower

 

Chapter Sixteen: My New Home

They named the little girl Orwainiel, which Elrohir told me meant "Daughter of the Fresh Dawn", though it was not long until the family, at least, had shortened it to Oriel. She was too small of course, having been born too early, and very tired from her struggle to be born. Elrohir feared she might have weak lungs, but that proved not to be. And like my little sister Mirabella had, she quickly gained weight, and had the entire household dancing attendance upon her.

Arador made a place for me in the household of his father. The family consisted of Argonui, his wife Meldis, Arador and his wife Moriel and the children, Arathorn and Orwainiel, and two servants--Lainon, who took care of the stables and horses, and his sister, Mithien, who had been the one who gave Arador the message as we entered the town the day before. I had not seen her return, but she was there in the morning when I awakened. Mistress Norniveth did not dwell there, but on the other side of town, with her brother and his family, as she was a widow. But she had come to stay with her daughter during her confinement.

I found myself sharing Thorn's room, and he was quite pleased with the arrangement. He decided I was his brother, too. I did not argue with him, and his parents found the notion amusing, fortunately.

I soon began to learn my way around Two Rivers. The Chieftain's home was the largest house in the town. I learned that there were more rooms than the two doors visible from the main room indicated--much like a smial, the house was built back into the large tower hill behind it. There were three more rooms there, including the large upper chamber which was the room of Lord Argonui and Lady Meldis. There was also another room off the chamber shared by Arador and his wife.

There were steps leading up the tower hill, to the watchpost overlooking the joining of the two rivers for which the town was named. From the Chieftain's house, a lane ran towards the centre, while another street cut across the lane and encircled the entire town. More lanes cut across it at intervals. Houses similar to the Chieftain's, though smaller were interspersed with shops and stables. There were two smithies, to my surprise. The middle of the town was a large green space very similar to the one in the Shire in Michel Delving. I assumed it was where merchants would set their wares up on market day, or where the people of the town could gather when it was necessary to assemble. On the North side of the green was a building used both as a storehouse for goods, as well as a place to hold important meetings. To the East of the green was a building that I was told was a school for the children who were considered old enough to learn their letters.

This seemed very odd to me. In the Shire, children are schooled by their families-- parents or older siblings teach the younger children their letters and numbers, and children who need to learn more than the basics have lessons with cousins or uncles or aunts who are knowledgeable. I could not understand how the parents could entrust their childrens' learning to strangers!

There were no inns, but there were two taverns, The Western Star and The Ranger's Rest. Next to the gates were two large buildings-- I was told that one was the armoury, where weapons were kept for the defense of the town. The other building, I was told, was a barracks, where many of the younger unwed Rangers dwelt when they were within the town. Behind the armoury was a large area, fenced in, which I was told was for weapons practice.

I soon realised that although the buildings and houses were smaller, the area of the town was even larger than Bree had been. I noticed that the walls of pointed timbers did not run all the way around the town. As the area narrowed into the angle of the Hoarwell and the Loudwater, the steep embankment on the West protected the town on that side. The wall on the East side had another smaller gate that led directly to the river.

Often goods would come to the town from that direction.

I soon found that I could be of great help to the family. Thorn was often in my company, and I could run errands for Arador or his father. And Lady Meldis allowed me to assist her with the cooking-- she was quite a good cook herself, but welcomed my help. We often had lively conversations about food and preparing dishes.

The days passed, and winter drew in. Soon it would be the turning of the year, and the day for the Poet's wedding was drawing near.





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