Another One. :) Part VI

The Autumn months turned into Winter. Snow began to come in, fast and hard, and with it came the annual situation: The passes closed, full of building-high snow drifts. All seven of the villages were completely isolated from one another and from the rest of the country. The townspeople had to look after each other or all would parish. It was a very hard winter, especially for Liana.
She watched as Tammello, son of Thire, played a game of Pieces with her little brother, Feldon. It irritated her. Her sister, brother, mother and father had so easily excepted Tammello. They had all instantly fallen in love with the boys helpful attitude , sad face, and work ethic, but she did not like him at all. The boy had caused the death of her brother, whom she had loved so much. With a zeal that rivalled her mothers kindness, she hated him. As she watched them laugh and play together, she tried to avoid grinding her teeth. It totally infuriated her to see that. He should be treated as an outcast and servant, not a member of the family. Unable to stand it anymore, she stiffly walked off to her own room.
Mersona continued to work the bread dough as she watched Tam shake little Feldon's hand again. Tam was doing a great job of teaching the lad good strategy. Well, good strategy as far as she could tell. She didn't know much about that kind of thing. The front door slammed, and her father walked through the door out of the snow and shed his thick leather robe. "Hello Feldon, Tam. Mersona, whats for dinner tonight?" he asked. Mersona smiled and ran to him, giving her father a big hug like she had ever since she could remember. "Goat stew, cheese, that new wine that Tam brought home, and some fruit and vegetables from the storage." Father smiled, "Sounds wonderful, dear. Tam, after dinner, you and I are going to talk about the Rebellion of Kybore, three hundred years ago, and how they won that war. We will show the strategies of both the Imperial armies and the rebel armies." Tam smiled, "I've read about that war, sir. I look forward to it." Mersona listened for awhile, but then lost interest. she had dinner to make while mother did the repair work on the blankets.
Feldon listened closely to the conversation after dinner from his hiding spot around the corner from kitchen. His father and Tam were deep in the conversation, talking about ancient battles. Tam was saying, "but if the rebels had used the standard skirmish formation to see where the enemy soldiers where waiting to ambush them before reaching the main Imperial forces, then they would have lost an entire brigade of there best javelins and crossbowmen, wouldn't they?" Thire spoke, "Yes, but that would have been a small price compared to how many they actually did loose by marching right into the ambush and then being swept away by the main army who came marching up the road in a battle line. How would you have led this operation, Tam?" Feldon listened intently. Tam had taught him about these formations earlier. Skirmish was a very long thin line used to cover a lot of ground and discover the enemies strength in numbers and the type of soldiers they have. Battle line was a standard line in battle, good both for charging and holding against enemies. They had several different variations, like double line, and angled formations. There was column formation, used on long marches along a road. There is shield wall, a very tight formation for holding against enemy infantry charges. Feldon listened intently as Tam spoke again, "Why use a skirmish line or march right along the road into the ambush? Both would cost precious lives. If the terrain is perfect for an ambush, scout it or just plain avoid it." Thire chuckled, "The battle was inevitable, Tam. They had no other choice." "Oh I know, sir. But why did the rebel general, the famous General Kelson, get almost his entire the command killed by letting the enemy choose the ground. Why didn't he form his lines in the corn fields and let the enemy come to him. His objective, after all, where to stop the enemy from reaching Moguthrun Fortress for as long as possible while supplies were being gathered and war machines were being built." This made Thire smile appreciatively. "Well then Tam, what would have been the best possible solution to this problem in your eyes?" Tam answered with all the confidence of a horde general, "Kelson should have had some of his troops begin to dig earthworks while the others stayed prepared for battle. Either the enemy would have held their position or they would have attacked. The rebels may have been outnumbered eighth to one but they had the superior fighting skill and the better provisioned army. They may have even had some 'earthworks to fight from. This would have, not only saved countless lives, but also allowed for far more supplies to be gathered and more siege weapons to be built at the fortress, thereby altering the outcome of the entire war." Feldon's eyes began to droop. Thire said, "Well done, Tam. You are correct. Now, off to bed. You need your sleep." Feldon heard the chairs scrape against the floor as the two men got up. Silently, he crept off to bed.
Leona watched Tam work quickly and efficiently from her vantage point in the kitchen. Every morning, the goats were fed, watered, and milked. Every morning, the inventory was counted and the armory was cleaned. Every other day, Tam took a trip into town. When it was far too vicious out in the snow, Tam stayed near the house and did other chores, such as cut firewood, watch the goats, and he was often seen using a knife to carve small figure for the game, Pieces. He carved soldiers, civilians, cavalry, siege machines and towers, buildings, and other small implements of the game. Leona watched him now as he came back toward the house. She smiled and opened the door for him, asking as he stepped through, "How is it out there, Tam?" Tam stomped the snow off of his boots as he replied, "Its pretty mild considering how it's been for the past few days." Leona smiled up at him, "Are you going to take a trip into town?" Tam nodded, "Yes I will." Leona laughed and looked at the young man slyly. Tam raised his hands disarmingly,"What? Does that surprise you?" Leona just shook her head, asking, "So what are we low on now? Wine? No that's not it. Flower? I don't think so. Weaponry care items? No. What is it this time?" Tam blushed a deep red and looked away, saying, "I was going to ask Merrick for four or so sets of horse shoes. I wanted to know if Thire would let me buy a few of the horses and one of the donkeys off of Councilman Galaar. I would need horse shoes for them. The only thing is that I need somewhere to put them. Since the barn has empty stalls, even when it's full of goats,I was going to ask Thire if I could keep them there." Leona just couldn't help herself. She burst into uncontrolled laughter. Tam just shuffled his feet. Leona regained control of herself and then turned back to the turnips she had been washing, smiling confidently. Tam began to walk out the door, and Leona called after him, "Say hello to Parrisha and her family for me." Tam's natural color didn't return until he reached town.
Thire and the other members of the council watched Tam walk into town. They were on a break to get some fresh air and to enjoy watching the snow fall. It was a beautiful thing to behold, especially when the wind was still. Thire rubbed his mustache and neatly trimmed beard, thinking about the young man he was training to be a Minister of War. The boy was a natural when it came to leadership, strategy, tactics, battle, and combat in general. He was far more than qualified. But there was one requirement that Tam had not quite fulfilled. He was not married. Every councilor was required to be married for several reasons. A man's wife would help keep him accountable, could also keep him motivated, and also support him. The wives of the councilors had a decent amount of power, even though they were not encouraged, though not prohibited, to speak while the council was in session. Truth be told, Thire was not too terribly worried. Tam had been spending a lot of time with Narrath and his family. Galaar stood next to Thire, a smile on his hawkish features. "Tam has been spending some time with Parrisha." Thire grinned, replying, "I know, Tam has dinner at their house at least once every several days." Just then, Tam walked out of the Inn, the Sleepy Pup. Parrisha was on his arm. Both were smiling and laughing together. Thire chuckled as Galaar asked, "Now, why would they go out into the cold and go to another place when her mother is considered one of the best cooks in the town?" Thire just shook his head.
Parrisha watched the man at her side. Tammello, son of Thracken and apprentice to Thire had become very special in her eyes. When she was betrothed to Turgon, she had liked Tam. He was a good leader and a notable warrior with a bit of a fiery and passionate temper. Turgon was a real man in her eyes at that time though. Turgon had always been able to keep his temper in check and was always unwilling to take total and complete responsibility, thinking that it would overwhelm him and he would fail. The betrothal had been arranged. Then, on a hunting trip, Turgon was slayne. At first, she was devastated. It had taken several months for her to recover. But then, she had walked through the doors of the inn and saw Tam standing there, his head down and tears dripping off his face. Her heart went out to him and she decided that she was going to get to know him more. Now, she more than liked him. He had become very dear to her and it was obvious to all that he felt the same way about her. "Are you alright, Parrisha?" he asked. She snapped out of it and looked at him, smiling sweetly. "Of course I am. I'm with you." He was always so considerate and always made sure she was comfortable and safe. He smiled and said "Come on. There is a nice little place on the other side of town." Parrisha cocked an eyebrow. "Isn't there only a few houses, an abandoned manner, and a little warehouse there?" Tam winked. "Yes. That's right." Parrisha smiled and leaned on his arm. She trusted him with her life.
Merrick looked the inside of room over one more time. It was set up with tables, chairs, a large fireplace and a new cellar, freshly dug. The old warehouse had been fixed up and turned into a tavern, complete with new walls and a new cellar. One of the rooms had been turned into a boarding room as well. Everything was perfect and ready for the first two costumers to come in. With a smile of satisfaction, Merrick took a seat by the fire, thinking back to the day when Tam and Merrick had met. Some merchants from the lowlands of Sappia had come in and were selling fresh crops that could not be grown in the mountains. Some of the merchants brought their children. One family, a family of jewelers, where selling some very well made rings. Tam had been looking at him with his father. His father told him, "Meet me back here when you've had your fun." Tam nodded and ran off. Merrick was with his father at their booth, selling weapons to the merchants. Merrick got bored and wandered off. When he found Tam, he had been pinned in a corner by the jewelers' sons. They were teasing him and shoving snow in his face. Merrick went up and said, "Hey. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The three boys were smaller than Merrick, but they did not figure Tam would fight, seeing as how he was only eight. But he did. The three converged on Merrick. The first two tried to pin him and got driven back by his sheer size. But then the third and oldest blackened his eyes with a blow and the fight was on. Tam leaped onto the smallest ones back and began to use one hand to hammer the boys head while Merrick took the other two, blow for blow. Tam and Merrick had been friends ever since. The man smiled and said, "Sir, my lady. Would you be interested in our special tonight?" Parrisha laughed and hugged Tam hard around the young man's brawny chest. Tam was speechless.

An Original by MJB. Hope you all like it!!! :) : Part V

Tam walked from booth to booth, mentally going over his shopping list. He needed to by several loaves of bread, some fresh fruit, a few lengths of cord, and some long sheets of cloth. He also needed some bees wax and a few sharpening stones. With a practiced eye, he went from one booth to another, eying the different kinds and sizes of bread. Sourdough or barley loaves? Loaves or rolls? Which would be more cost effective and economical? After buying several very large loaves of sourdough and a few smaller of the barley rolls, Tam trotted on over to the bee keeper's booth. The man was short, plumb, and jolly. He had a completely white beard and hair and always war a big, toothy smile. Tam ran up, "Hello there, Zander." The man's smile got even larger. "Tammello! How are you, son? If has been many a week since I've had you as a customer." Tam shrugged, "Thire is kind enough to have taken me into his home to work for him for awhile. I need a jar of honey and a few good sized chunks of wax. Do you have any?" Zander laughed, "Do I have any?" He reached behind the window of the booth and pulled out the largest jar of honey Tam had ever seen and several sizable chunks of bees wax as well. "Excellent!" Tam said, "How much?" Zander replied, "Three for the jar, and one for the wax." Tam looked at him questionably, "That's it? The jar must be near a gallon and a half, and those bees wax would fetch far more if bought by the bow maker." Zander just winked, "Aye, but your not the bow maker. Besides, Thire is a friend of mine." Tam smiled and handed over the money. Then he carefully wrapped the wax and put both it and the jar in his pack. Thanking the jolly fat man, he walked towards the bow maker's, store. The bow maker was like the bows he made, long and skinny. He was also a very serious looking fellow, which belied his very dry sense of humor. Tam walked into the dimly lit room. "Hello Tam. How can I help you today?" asked the man behind the counter. "Can I have a couple dozen bowstrings?" The man nodded and pulled several lengths of string made from the sinews of deer. Deer sinew made the best bowstring. "Do you need bees wax today for your strings?" Tam shook his head, "No sir. Thank you. I think we are good for the time being." The tall, thin man just smiled and said, "Zander gave you some didn't he?" Tam just laughed and payed for his bowstrings. After bidding the bow maker good day, Tam was about to head home when he thought of visiting Thire's daughters at there wagon. After stopping at the Wolf's Belly, a tavern that was also a trade post owned by a family of Sapian merchants, Tam trotted off towards the direction of the barracks, munching on some stick candy and drinking a small skin of fresh cider from the flatland provinces. On the right side of the barracks was Merrick's smithy, where he made weapons and armor of all kinds. Swords, axes, lances, spears, halberds, shields, and all manner of other weapons and several suits of armor covered the walls. Merrick grinned massively through his big, bushy beard. "Tam! How is the new life at Thire's?" Tam smiled, "Better than I thought it would be." "Good, Good. I'm glad to hear that. Make sure you come and visit us though." Tam smiled, "Of course I will." To the left of the barracks was Thire's wagon and his daughters. Liana stood in front of the wagon seat. In the wagon was Merssona. Tam was about to walk up and realized that he could not think of a good reason to do so. After a few moments, he strode up and said, "Could I have a few strips of goat jerky, please?" Merssona smiled and lifted down to him three strips of the smoked and salted meat. Liana looked at him expressionlessly and said, "That would be one copper a piece." Tam nodded and handed her the money. She thanked him and pretended he wasn't there, but Merssona asked, "Did you remember to get the skins of drink that father wants, Tam?" Tam smote his brow, "Plagues!!! I forgot. Thank you, Merssona. Your father would not be pleased if I came home without those. Have a wonderful day, my ladies." He hustled off to the cold house owned by Alucard. The man was getting on in years, but seemed to have lost none of the energy and vigor that he was known for as a youngster and a man. As Tam jogged up, the old man leaped up, "Tammello, son of Thracken! Are you looking for a cold drink? I have some new wine I got from a small group of flatlanders. Actually, they were lowlanders and lived in the wet areas of our fair kingdom. It's a wine made out of rice and cranberries! It's marvelous. Please come and try some." He grabbed Tam's arm and hustled him inside. It was cold in the building. Skins, barrels, bottles, and flasks hung from rafters and sat on shelves. Each one was neatly labelled. Alucard pored to earthen goblets of wine that was mostly clear with a slight pinkish-purple tint to it. Tam took the goblet and said, "Thank you, Al." The man was to busy drinking to answer. Tam took a sip and felt fire go down with the liquor. It was very sweet and strong. Tam downed the rest and put the vessel on the table. Alucard was about to pour him more, but Tam shook his head, chuckling, "I can't have too much Al. Thire would not be pleased if I came home drunk." The man nodded. "True, very true. What are you buying today, Tam?" Tam listed several skins of wines and a few bottles and flasks of other drink. He was about to leave, but then turned around and said, "Al, how much are you selling a large skin of that new rice and cranberry wine for?" The man grinned, "I knew you would ask." he scurried into a back closet and brought back a massive skin that could have been an entire goat. "This is yours. How about twenty coppers? The merchant I got it from told me that it was a hundred years old." Tam nodded. The older wine was, the more expensive, and potent, it was. Tam handed the money over, slung the skins and flasks that wouldn't fit in his pack over his shoulder, and walked on out. With the fire of the liquor still in his veins, he trotted towards one more stop before he headed home. It was a large inn, the Sleepy Pup it was called. It was run by a family of four. The father and mother were very good people. The son was a stout lad who was known for being quiet, strong, and rather deliberate. Tam walked in and saw the three of them standing behind the counter. The old man smiled at him, "Tammello. How are you in these waining fall days?" Tam walked up to the bar and sat on a stool, "I am well, thank you Narrath. I just wished to offer my condolences and my apologies for the death of Turgon. It was my fault." The old man sighed and pulled out a bottle and four glasses. "I know. I appreciate the gesture, though. Come let the four of us drink to his good memory." Tam, Narrath, his wife Tarah, and there son, Boon drank of the good wine. Tam set his glass on the counter and said, "I think I need to get back to Thire's home." Narrath nodded and bid him good day. Tam turned towards the door and saw the fourth member of Narrath's family walk in. Narrath's oldest daughter Parrisha was eighteen years of age and was considered by all to be one of the most beautiful young women in the town, with large green eyes and long brownish red hair. She was betrothed to Turgon. Tam froze, and then lowered his head. Parrisha walked up to him and stood, looking at him. After several moments, Tam looked up into her eyes. They were sad and tears were about to spill out. Tam cleared his throat. He tried to speak, but no words came out. A few tears leaked down his own cheeks. All he could manage was, "I'm so sorry." Tears fell down Parrisha's face. Tam walked by her and was about to exit when she said, "I forgive you, Tam. Please forgive yourself." Tam froze for a moment, but then walked out and made his way back home, the words of the young lady who was to be married to his best friend, still ringing in his ears.
For several months, life went by without event. The scrolls and papers that Tam had recovered were sent to the royal court in the city of Carfan, the capital of Sapia. Tam and Thire's family grew closer. Only Liana stayed distant to him. As Autumn moved into Winter, Tam continued his work. After a few days, Thire began to teach him how to use the large sword that his father used to wield, as well as strategy, diplomacy, interagation, and negotiations, all of which were necessary for a minister of war. Tam visited the barracks regularly and trained in all forms of weaponry and combat under the watchful eyes of both Thire and Merrick. One day, Tam was sitting in the Sleepy Pup, playing a game of Pieces with Albor, Narrath's fourteen year old son. The game was made up of a large amount of metal, wood, and clay pieces, each one either white or black. Every piece had a specific purpose, and the mke and model ment something different whether it was for battle, siege, supply line, civilian or building. The game was created to help teach strategy and tactics. Albor was slow and deliberate as always, and his moves were very effective. Tam had already lost several games. Now it was Albor's move again. Rubbing his chin, the boy finally took a piece representing a sharp shooter with a crossbow, and moved it into range on the edge of a tower of Tam's general. Tam watched carefully. If his general was slain, he would loose. Albor rolled the dice to see if he would score a hit. With a satisfied smile from Albor, and a sigh of resignation from Tam, Albor tipped over Tam's general. Tam smiled, "No more. You have beaten me soundly, again." Albor nodded and shook Tam's hand. Parrisha came in and asked Tam, "Would you like to stay and eat with us tonight, Tam?" Tam smiled politely at her and said, "I would love to, but I need to ask Thire's permission." The man's deep voice startled him from behind, "No you do not. You are a man now, Tam. As long as you get your chores and your studies done, you can do as you will." Tam nodded, "Thank you, sir." The man smiled and walked out of the inn, whistling. Parrisha smiled, and Tam's heart skipped a beat.

To be continued...