A Cottage by the Sea

Deep in the heart of the crescent of the inlet where Ardencaple lays, sits a small weather worn cottage. It has seen better days. The holes in the thatch roof let in the sun on a good day and rain when the gods deemed to send it. There were cracks and loose mud on the exterior walls and it needed a new coat of whitewash. Loose and missing bricks from the chimney let smoke filter undirected. The stable doors would not hold in a frisky rooster let alone a stallion. As humble as it may seem it was Willow's home.



It was the dawn of a new day. The embers from last night's fire still glowed in the large hearth. They gave everything in the small crofter’s cottage a soft golden hue. The dawn peeked through an opening in one of the broken shutters. Wil’s eyes opened slowly to the new day. She stretched beneath the warmth of the furs she used as a bed by the fireplace. A big yawn gave forth plumes from her warm breath in the cold cottage. Wrapped in a large fur covering she rose and poked at the dying fire adding a bit of kindling from the bin next to the hearth. With a few logs the fire again leapt to life. It was not long until the blaze filled the one room with a welcome warm light. She opened the shutters and gazed out at the stables. There in that crumbling building slept a man she had come to know and love.

Herder awoke to the chill of the morn. It took him a bit to remember where he was... looking around he saw he was in a corner of a stable, well what used to be a stable. Now it was barely some wood posts and a few planks. The straw in the corner, had added just enough cushion, to make the chill of the air what drove him to rise this morn. He stretched his cold body and slowly hefted his large, six foot four frame aloft. He shook out his boots, stuffed his feet into them and headed to the far side of the stable.

Stable, Ha!

It looked more like he was standing inside a fence. HH lifted his kilt and began to relieve himself, his warmth causing steam to arise from the frost on the ground. He looked outward, through the missing boards, and sighed pleasantly... he chuckled to himself as he was not sure if it was the magnificent view of the inlet, or just the natural emptiness of his bladder. He stepped backed carefully, breathing in the chill air and headed to the "door" of the stable. HH pushed open the small amount wood, that was hanging loosely from the hinge. The creaking seemed to echo down the hillside and he wondered if Willow would hear it.

Willow. Jah, it was all still so new and amazing.

Herder mumbled a quick prayer to Jah, and headed towards the cottage. As he got closer he saw what he had missed the evening before. Willow was so happy with her new cottage and stable and land, but the reality was it had seen many years of wear, and many more of disuse. HH looked toward the dark form before and then past to the vista of the inlet with Arden beyond. Here, in the dawn, with frost covering everything, and a mist rising slowly, he saw it... Wil's vision, a perfect cottage, a good stables, a workshop and maybe a place for guests to stay.

Guest. He chuckled to himself.

There were always mumblings in town, assumptions made, but HH knew the truth. He would not sleep inside the cottage with Wil... well not for a while. They had been friends first, and were to be more, later. Thank Jah, Willow could ignore the talk around town. He could too, and while capable of taking on most any man, Herder was not one prone to violence. Often tasked as a protector or guardian, both of people and the laws, he took his duties seriously and had studied well. He had most recently been schooled, on how to fight defensively, and how to disable the opposition, while doing very little harm to them... all by his old friend in Munster, Jazzy.

Lady Jazmine Bloomfield, and her wife, Lady Crystal OBridget Bloomfield. Jazzy and OBie.

They were quite the pair of ladies. Herder sighed as a twinge of separation form such good friends tugged at his heart. He must get word to them, letting them know where he is, and that he is well. Jazzy has a few of his belongings, things he could use now that he will be settling down, in Arden. He turned slowly, again surveying the site, bringing a more critical eye now, and one of a trained carpenter, and more.

Bricks. The chimney top was in bad shape, downright dangerous for fires, so that would be priority one.

HH knew Wil could make the bricks, so he set about gathering some of the fallen wood from the stables. He used his small hand axe to chop slits in the boards half way through, and as wide as the thickness of the boards themselves. Within a hour, Herder stood and sighed in triumph. There, at his feet, were forms for the bricks. All Wil needed to do was fill them with clay, straw and a bit of mud. A good day or two in the sun, and they would be ready to place on the chimney top.

The chimney TOP... and getting up there, well that is the next challenge.

HH and Wil had been working at cleaning the churchyard for Mother Swampi, and then they had been mining to help the county. Neither of these paid well, and he was eating what little profits he had made, to recover from his wounds in Carlisle. So buying a ladder was out of the question. He walked around the stable looking for one, but he knew he would not find one. Herder realized there was so much work to do on the cottage, that the stables would have to wait for Spring. His bed was in the "best" corner, and there was a bit of roof covering that section, so he began to mentally rip apart the rest of the stable.

Herder made a second pass around, this time looking for some posts and rails, those that still had some strength left in them. He found a few, pried them loose, and began to layout a crude scaffold, and light ladder. HH realized a lightweight ladder that would "float" on the thatched roof would be the best use of the wood he had found. His scaffold would be more sturdy and get him to the height he needed to get onto the roof. By now the sun was up and the numerous holes in the roof were quite apparent. He planned on fishing today, and he had seen some good reeds to bring back to patch the roof.

HH heard a noise from inside the cottage, and smiled as his gaze turned toward the door.

She was about to turn away from the window when Herder appeared at the stable door. Willow took a step back from the window as he approached the cottage. She watched him move, his long gate and his muscular body. She felt a blush rise in her cheeks. The sight of HH could make her smile. "There is work to be done." she chided herself. But try as she might she couldn't pull her gaze away for the tall man as he worked.

It was a loud crack from the fire that brought her back. As Wil turned a large ember had been thrown all too near her bed and a log had slipped from the hearth. Grabbing the tongs she replaced it and banked the fire for heating water and cooking. A large barrel stood in the corner of the room filled with sweet spring water. There are a natural spring on her land from which she toted buckets of clear water to fill the barrel. Willow filled the kettle and hung it on the hook that would swing into the fireplace. While the water heated for washing and breakfast tea, she filled the basin and set it on the table by the window. The water in the barrel, like everything else in the cottage, was cold so she would add hot water to it before bathing. While she waited for the water to boil, she straighten her bedding.

The interior of the cottage was simple, one large room with thick rough beams that was heated by a large stone hearth. There was a long sturdy table. Above there was a loft. One day she hoped to use the area for her bed but the supports of the platform were a bit dodgy and there was no stairs or ladder to access it. There were no curtains on the windows, only worn wooden shutters that might keep out the rain if it was coming down in the right direction. The only other furnishing that graced the room was an old table big enough for her wash basin and a wooden frame for her bed. It was simple and for now enough.

Hissing from the fire alerted her that the kettle was boiling. With a pair of tongs Wil swung the large kettle out and she wrapped the handle with a thick wool cloth. She added the boiling water to the wash basin and tested it with her fingers until it was just right. She replaced the heavy iron kettle to the hook and left it close to the flames. Wil returned to the small table where she kept a cake of soap, a cloth and a towel. She slipped her chemise from her shoulders and let it drop to her ankles. A shiver went through her as the cool morning air caressed her skin. She tied her hair back with a ribbon and dipped cold hands into the warm water, splashing her face. She hummed a song she remembered her mother singing as she washed and dressed.

There was a rumbling from her belly, as she slipped on her boots. From a small alcove in the stone hearth Wil removed a loaf of bread wrapped in linen. It was warmed by the fire. She took a knife down from a hanging rack and tested its blade by running her thumb across it. Again for some reason she thought of her mother. She wondered if she had felt like this...maybe about her father or was their marriage arranged the way they tried to do to Willow. She shook her head and sliced the loaf into thick pieces. On a tray she placed a plate with the bread, a knife, two cups, sugar, honey and a large dollop of fresh butter. She filled the teapot with boiling water and a special blend of tea leaves. Everything was ready. Willow smoothed her hair and opened the door. She lifted the tray and went out to share a morning meal with HH.

Good morning love! I hope you slept well. She laughed to see what he had already accomplished. Are you hungry? She smiled brightly at him and her eyes sparkled.

Herder's face brightened as he saw Wil. Hungry? He had been hungry for months. Both his stomach and heart had been empty, but Wil seemed to be the answer to both.

I see you are all clean, but I need you to make bricks... Can you be a dirty girl? HH winked and chuckled with a low rumble that echoed throughout his large chest.

Willow set the tray down with a sweet smile on her face. Bricks?

Wil had seen only the best in her little cottage it was hers, her own home. She didn't see the flaws. She looked at the forms on the ground and then up at the chimney. The smoke from her fire inside was trailing from all sides. She turned to HH with a soft sigh.

You know me HH, I am willing to work hard at whatever needs done. She laughed. If I were afraid of hard work, we would never have met. Remember the churchyard and the mines in Glasgow? But before we get covered in mud we will have breakfast.

Wil picked up one of the cups and poured a steaming cup of tea and handed it to HH. Honey? she asked with a grin. She sat and poured another and buttered bread and also handed it to her love. Honey? she asked again, this time with a giggle in her voice.

Yes... Oh! HH nodded, taking the cup and food, smiling at her double-meaning, "Honey" comment.

He did his best to relax and enjoy the food. He mostly watched Wil. It seemed to be his new pastime. He had grown fond of her, of the way she spoke, and how she seemed to float about as she moved. Her wit and tongue could rival his own, and he liked that about her. She was petite, but very strong and agile, another thing HH admired about her. It kind of reminded him of a younger, smaller, blonde version of his good friend Jazzy.

Jazzy. HH had said it out loud, and he turned to Wil, wanting to share some new he had forgotten to share. I heard from my good friend LadyJazzy, back in Erie. I forgot to mention it, before I fell asleep in the stable. HH took a big drink of warm tea, and then dug out a letter from his pocket. There was a large wax seal with a decorative "B", that had originally sealed the letter closed. HH unfolded the high-quality parchment, and began to read silently, but his lips moved as his eyes scanned ahead to refresh his memory.

HH looked to Wil, I will skip the boring Irish news and such, but basically she is sending my tools, some supplies... and a bitch that is madly in love with me! HH watched Wil closely, her face froze and her breathing almost stopped. HH burst out laughing, and almost upset the tray of food. Do not worry, it is a dog, Queenie, an Irish Wolfhound. His eyes danced, as Wil took a deep breath and let it out. HH smiled more. You should have seen the look on your face. Anyway, it says here they will be arriving within a few days, and she sent along a surprise too. Knowing Jazzy and OBie, remember that is her wife, it really could be anything. I can hardly wait to get some of my tools and a few supplies. It will make things so much easier for us.

Well thank you for the for the food, Wil. I suppose I should get back to work. Will you be okay with filling the brick molds? HH hated to ask Wil to do more work, but they were beginning to fight the change in weather, and Fall would soon give way to Winter.

She Listened to HH recount the contents of the letter from his friend, Jazzy. Her heart dropped at the mention of, as he stated, "a bitch that is madly in love with me!" Willow had grown more than fond of Herder. He made her smile just being near. A blush rose in her cheeks when he laughed and explain it was a dog. Brushing back the golden curls that lay caressing her shoulder, Wil gave him an aloof tilt of her head. You are a very handsome man. You must have hundreds of beautiful women who are madly in love with you. And yes you should get back to work. She chuckled softly.

She rose and took the cup from his hand, their fingers touched as she did and she smiled. I'm glad you have such good friends, HH. Maybe one day I will get to meet them. She placed the cup on the tray carefully, even though they were odds and ends she had picked up from a traveling trader. Wil looked up at HH and gave him a wink. Of course I'll be alright, love. She finished her tea in one very unfeminine gulp and brushed the crumbs from her shirt. She lifted the tray and turned toward the cottage. I'll be right back to start work.

Inside, Wil used the last of the hot water to wash the few dishes and utensils she used and set them to dry. She change quickly into the one other skirt she had topped with a plain wool tunic and belted it, from the belt hung her dagger and a knife for cutting dried grasses to add to the mud and clay for the bricks. Wil picked up a bucket for mixing and strode back out. HH seemed to be checking for damages as she approached. Willow slipped her free arm around him and stretched up to kiss his cheek. Well, I'm off to make bricks. How many do you think we'll need? She shaded her eyes and stared up at what use to be a chimney and sighed.

Herder followed Wil's gaze to the hole in the thatch roof, where the chimney should protrude... Scores, Wil... at least three. We only have forms to make one, sorry. HH had not come to that number lightly, he was a true Renaissance Man, having been a carpenter, engineer, architect, tinker, tailor, and more. His eye was accurate and true, he had built the chimney in his mind's eye in a matter of 30 seconds or so. I will get started on the scaffolding. We will have to be creative for a while until we can afford some tools. The stable will have to serve as our lumber yard for now too.

Herder picked up the empty brick forms, and took them to the other side of the cottage, where there was a lot of sun all day and they were a bit closer to the stream. HH sighed quietly, thinking of the work Wil was going to have to do, but they must divide and conquer. The chimney meant a real fire, warmth and safety, so that was task one. HH had to build a better scaffold than just a ladder or two. HH found a small patch of bare earth and brushed aside the dust, and began to scratch a design. Two sets of poles leaned together in an A-frame, would give him the best height and weight support with the least amount of material. HH realized he had no tools to even create the design, so that was going to be his first challenge.

Herder mentally went into tinker mode, and began creating a compass from a flexible branch and some vines. Next was a contour scrawl from a small log with a branch that jutted out naturally, to that HH cut a slot for his knife to slide through. HH had some extra line he used when fishing and knotted that evenly creating a way to measure. The tools were crude but they would work for now. HH could not wait for items from Jazzy to arrive, though, as things would go much more smoothly and he could work more accurately. HH laid out the lumber for one A-frame, etched it and began to chip away. The work was exhausting using the small axe, which needed constant sharpening. Finally one leg was done and HH used the compass and measuring line to duplicate the other frame.

Daylight was fading as Herder finally looked around, his stomach grumbling, he had seen Wil coming and going filling the forms all day, but he did not see her now. HH began to walk around the cottage looking for Wil. Wil? Where are you?

Not far from the cottage ran a stream. Fresh water from the hills ran deep in the spring from the melting of the winter's snow. Just now it was low and it's banks where a mixture of clay and mud. High grass grew plentiful in the summer but with the change of season it was dry and was easy to cut for making bricks.

Wil set to work gathering the dried grasses and laid it to one side. She had no tools so it was with the tools Jah gave her, her hands, that she dug out heavy clay and deposited it on a large smooth rock that would be the mixing surface. With her dagger she chopped the grass into shorter pieces and added it to the clay then added water from the stream to make the mixture pliable and easy to knead. Willow then filled each of the brick forms that Herder had made. With a tree branch she leveled the top and patted the mud making sure there were no air pockets. Back and forth, to and from the stream she trudged with the heavy bucket, always to the same place. By midday she was all but covered in the mud and clay. There were streaks of clay on her face from using her hand absentmindedly to wipe the drops of sweat from her face. Finally as the shadows grew longer and the air took on a chill she finished.

Willow sat on the bank of the stream and cleaned out the bucket. Her back was stiff and there were hurts that she had never felt before. She turned as HH called out to her. The clay on the bank where she sat gave way when she started to rise....

I'm here...EEOOOWWWW! She screamed as she slipped into the icy waters bottom first.

i live in scotland....thanks for makin it look nice n warm.lol