The Walled Cities

Chapter 11

Morning found me cooking up a simple but filling meal while Kaelyn was still sleeping. Besides the fact that I knew she would enjoy a hot meal, we were nearly home. My sister in law would want to feed us, and when I emptied my pack she would undoubtedly scold me for eating so little. Cooking this meal was a roundabout way to avoid her scolding.

Having the camp to myself gave me some time to think about Shaw. Benji would have reached Notredram by now, and unless his health had become worse he would have told Shaw about Kaelyn. This spring or whenever I went to Notredram next, I would talk to Shaw personally and make sure he saw that Kaelyn was doing fine with me. My only problem was that Notredram would not be happy to see me after shooting at one of the inhabitants. I would deal with it when it came to that point, until then I returned my thoughts to Shaw.

Before I could think about what the merchant was doing, noise from inside the lean too alerted me to Kaelyn waking up. Knowing that she would be hungry I placed a fair helping on one of the rough bark plates I had made this morning. Keeping my concentration on holding the steaming pile of meat and tubers, along with some dried fruit, I avoided any looks with Kaelyn as she disappeared behind the lean too to empty her bladder.

Whistling a small tune to keep myself from hearing any noises I did not want to, I waited for Kaelyn to greet me. She did not disappoint me as she exclaimed in a shrill excited voice, "We have hot food this morning!"

I understood her reaction as I had been tough the last few days and made us eat cold dried food. Today's change was actually not that uncommon for me, as I enjoyed a warm meal. Besides, Kaelyn needed the meal and I wanted to show her that life really was not that bad as an Outlander trader.

Tubers and meat were nothing special but this morning the food tasted especially delicious. Softened tubers and chewy but cooked meat filled my mouth as I found myself thinking about Kaelyn. Her upbringing was the clearest it had been since I had met her, as she used the utensils I had provided to delicately eat her food. Somehow she managed to make it look so proper while rapidly consuming the pile of still steaming savory food. Personally I did not care how she chose to eat as long as it did not prevent me from eating my own food.

Breakfast was over shortly and after using some of our drinking water to clean the utensils I quickly packed up my blanket. Kaelyn followed in suit, and shortly we began to make our way through the forest. Surrounded by trees and plants that I knew, I felt a sense of inner peace. Not all of them were ones that I used or had used, but I knew them all. In time Kaelyn would learn them as I had, and one day she would be able to identify them on her own. Each tree and plant was unique and had certain qualities either medicinal or for various woodworking needs.

Thinking about woodworking and projects I wanted to work on this winter kept my mind occupied for some time. I was so concentrated and lost in thought that I barely noticed the change in scenery. My only indication was the faint but acrid smell of woodsmoke. Being that only people burned fires, I looked around in curiosity. First, if most important was that fact that Kaelyn and I were atop a small ridge looking down at a small house and some outbuildings. A lazy snaking column of smoke rose from the stone chimney.