happy new year

After school they got there as more baskets were of paper being delivered, Edith said. “Why you can’t just take them to the guest house is beyond me. Sara you had best spend your time before supper going though this or there won’t be room to move in there soon.”

“Now the houses won’t be assigned fro a week yet. I didn’t want her running out of things to do and finding trouble. We well be back to move all this and her other things next Wednesday. Don’t you worry none about that. So Sara do you have any for me to take back? Thos basket here is more blank books if one of you want to run them up to her room.”

Sara said. “You are not going to let me run low on copy books either. You are making them faster than I can use them. I think will have to send a few with Anna. Thank you Uncle. Yes the two baskets that were by the door are things to be recycled, and I have another half full.”

Her Uncle smiled. “You do that kid, you have a good eye to know what notebooks they will like. I will be sending a bunch with them for the school there, but let you give them some to use there selves. Boys leave the half full one, but get those other two. Finding anything good?”

Sara nodded. “A lot, and I am trying to just sort it, but there is some very useful pieces here, Some I have a hard time putting down. One journal I am making a copy of to send with Anna as it is very detailed about what one early town did, and the writer says strongly what he thinks caused others to fail. He is a bit vague about his own mistakes, but still it might be a help to them out west. The library here will be getting a copy latter, but I want to get Anna one first.”

He said. “Good, glad you are finding useful things in this. Seems to me to be better than just trashing it all, makes you wonder what is sitting in other plants, and in those abandoned towns”

One of the boys said. “Rexter said in his work that junkyards, trash heaps and recycling plants were the historians gold mines. Sadly though a society must reach a certain leave of stability before it can afford to look back, and in that time things of the society before it get lost. We have now reached the point where we can start looking back.”

Sara nodded. “There is a team now digging though the oldest capital buildings for missed items, and a few going though the remains of the pre-change towns. Some have found computers that are intact enough to get data off of and more readable books. But a lot of it is near gone.”

He nodded. “If other places did not come though as well lots of things about them will be gone. We are lucky here, the devastation after was not heavy, but other places might not have been able to recover. None of the teams pushing the borders out have found signs of organized towns, though there is a bit of a hint there might be people to our south.”

Sara said. “There is? What expedition? I had not heard of any but Bartlet’s hoax people.”

“A younger one named Rubed. It is mostly just old camp fire rings and a few odd foot prints. Nothing conclusive, but the most hopefully they have seen out there yet. There has to me others out there. But it is troubling that we have had no contact. But we were turned inward trying to get back on our feet. Likely they were no better off than we were. I will give the paper to Abiram at school tomorrow. It doesn’t help that the old maps are worthless do to all the changes.”

Sara nodded. “I bet. Have you ever looked at the old maps of this area? It is odd to see them and then see what is here. Mountains and deep rivers that never were, and valleys that were mountains. The war and magic really changed the world, and we still do not have a full understand of all the ways.”

Her Uncle said. “Looking at those maps and records lets you know how amazing it was that anyone lived though it at all. Well this is not getting the work done.” Sara blushed realizing just how inappropriate the conversation was. “Enjoy your books Sara and don’t look so, I was right here and there is nothing wrong in talking over a shared enjoyment on history.”

Sara said. “Thank you again for all of this. There is so much to be found in these papers. More answer than I had hoped to find.”

He said. “And I bet more questions as well. That is usually how it works, for every answer there are three more questions. I didn’t think we would get this much in answer to my request. I am glad though, for I would hate to think of the value here being let go to waste. You might have to have help with it.”

Sara nodded. “I just might. I hope my intended will not mind me having an office of my own. I don’t know that I can part with this task.”

He looked at his niece and heard the unasked question. He knew that she was being pulled by the magic, and could well see how his brother would react. But it was to strong in her for her to be able to ignore it, though she was trying hard. Try to fight it as she was, the pull had to win in the end with her. Not that he could tell her any of it. “Child I doubt the power would see you with one who would ask that of you. Your skill with these things is to important to have you set it aside. These books and any others that come go with you where ever your life leads. That was the deal and it will not be changed. Don’t you worry none about that. I will see the young man knows we need the words that can be found here.” He smiled at her. “See if I don’t. You will have a study, mark my words. Now you go get to those books you keep looking at. Come on boys we need to get out of the way and on to our tasks.”

Sara smiled and said. “Thank you Uncle. I know it is foolish to fear, but I bet every girl does a bit as the vows come closer.” With that she went on into the office and picked up where she had left off sorting yesterday, not seeing her mother behind her shaking her head.

Edith said. “You shouldn’t encourage her so. It will just make it harder for her to think any expect her to take the vows, better she knows the truth. She should admit it all ready. It is foolish for her to stay on so. She will not have a home here and you know it as well as I.”

Abe said. “She doesn’t though and I will not be shutting her out because life leads her another way. No matter what you and Isaac decide to do. You think she can’t see that you have written her off already? That is more pain than she needs. Lord knows she has enough as it is. She needs to find it for herself.”

Edith shook her head. “Should have know. Least you have a bit more since. Talk to your brother and see if you can get him to listen. He insists she will take the vows as any light blessed maid must. He refuses to notice the truth of her. Truth that should have been dealt wit, but that is on me I was to willing to let others see to her care those early years.”

Abe said. “You had your hand full getting the kids settled here. You couldn’t be in both places. You being there would have changed nothing. She was in good hands, the same as raised you. Some are just meant for different roads.”

Edith said. “If that was all it would be better and you know it. Well you have a good day. I need to go see what the girls are doing and get Anna out of the kitchen. Can’t have them relying on her any more than Sara, going to be hard not have those two around. I got used to having them there. I am shocked at much I forgot about mornings, and how little Hanna knows. I let Sara have too much power. To her credit she said the same thing, and has been good at stepping back. Not a bit of the fight I thought she would give me. She knows more than you think she does.” Edith left not giving him time to answer. Not that he had an answer. If any of the boys were close enough to hear they were gone when he got to the door and wisely said nothing.

In the office Sara took time to talk to Viv and express her frustration. Though the charms she learned Viv was having similar problems as she had been asked to not help with the ridding the family boat. Something she had done for years, but the other older kids had also be asked to step down and let the younger ones. Which should have helped but most of them had been given new jobs on the boat. Viv hadn’t as she would be going away to school.  It would be years tell she was back on a boat, and it wouldn’t be as crew. She knew this, but it still felt wrong. Somehow sharing the frustration made it was easier for both of them.

Sara but the charm away only to touch the other one, none of them had tried using them yet. But by now they should be working. Sara picked up a pen and took the charm out and wrote. ‘Test’ She closed her hand on the charm and waited tell it felt cool. The word was gone when she took her hand away It wasn’t long tell the stone moved a bit and warmed. Looking at it there were two lines of words on it. The top said. ‘test received’ the lower said. ‘that was odd’. Sara wrote. ‘2 messages back’ it was not long until Mrs. Iscon said. ‘Yes goodspell.’ ‘be handy’ Anna wrote back. ‘this help’ ‘good knowwork’ Sara let the charm go and turned back to her books. Wondering what else it was going to do. She had gotten a since of the other two when she was holding it and knew that Mrs. Iscon was fixing super and Anna was in the lining room, so Mother must have sent her out of the kitchen as well.. She wondered what they felt, but wasn’t sure could ask. Not yet. She was lost in her work until a tingle from the charm pulled you out of it.

She knew before she looked it was Anna, just by the feeling. ‘U focused’ ‘thought warn’ She heard footsteps and knew they were Anna’s. The door opened and Anna said. “I think these charms will come in handy. I just hope they don’t send to much information to each other. Mom just asked me to go find you and I knew just where you were and that you were so focused on the books you heard nothing around you. I wonder if distance will affect it?”

Sara said. “We will find out. It shouldn’t but not wearing it stops it sending or receiving. At least it dose with the other Violet’s any messages she sends me just wait until I am touching the charm. I take it supper is ready?”

Anna nodded. “Mom said to find you see you washed up and got to the table. I believe that means supper is ready. I wish I found sorting sheets half as interesting as you found those papers. But at least that way I can smuggle a few non-plan ones into my trunk.”

Sara said. “Just think where you will be this time next week.”

Anna said. “Married and hopefully half way to my house, we will leave out early Monday morning and should be there early Friday. We could be there Thursday night, but doesn’t want me to spend the first night among boxes in a house I haven’t seen. Said that would give me the wrong start. He is worried I won’t like it, keeps warning me how rough and unfinished everything is.”

Sara smiled. “You wouldn’t have been his indented if the rough edges will scare you away. You will do fine out there. He doesn’t know how often the generator here goes out. It will hardly be much different. Just a bit less paint and a tad more mud I am thinking. Just take him for a walk in the woods and show him the berry patch. After all, this close you are to spend time together out of the house.”

Anna said. “I had told him much the same, but didn’t think about the berry patch. Wonder if he will find your bear. At the very least it should help him to learn I do know a few things about wild plants. I think a picnic in the woods for lunch will be ideal. Mother had said I should fix him lunch, but he didn’t like the idea of taking over the house. Now we had best get to the table.”

After super Sara went and worked on the curtains until she could head up stairs. There she worked on the weather predictions. They did indeed show that it would be four years of strong storms, as she had thought it would. But there was still something missing. She rewrote out the predictions, explaining clearly what was taken from the records and the steps she had done to get the rest of dates. But stopped short of checking them against the paper her grandfather had handed her. She wanted to find what was bothering her before knowing if her predicts matched up. Finally she just set it all aside and went back to the copying until she could sleep.

She had no new insights when she woke up, showered and headed down stairs. The generator was dead and she was so tempted to start the stove, but had promised she wouldn’t light more than she need to. So just lit the small stove and set the tea kittle on it, then looked to see if they had left any dough for scones. There was none so she changed plans and mixed up some hot cake batter. It wouldn’t take much to make enough to feed them. As she was mixing one of the spice jars landed on the counter. It was one of the new ones she had bought to try, but hadn’t yet. “Is that a hint? Well why not. I’m the only one here to know if I goof. But if you don’t like them just remember you asked for it.” She heard a chuckle as she opened the jar and added a bit to the batter. She had to admit it smelled good. She would have to save back some batter and make some for herself. She was hungry this morning which was odd given all she had been eating lately. Either a side affect of the medicine or her body was getting used to having more food. Or could just be the intoxicating smell. The batter ready she put the griddle to heating and got out the plate to put them on. It was fun cooking small pancakes, and soon she had a plate full, and most of the batter was gone. She set the griddle of to the side so it wouldn’t scorch then took up the plate and a jug of water then went out to the table she set the jug down transferred the pancakes to the plate in the center, filled the butter dish and honey pot, then the tea kittle.

She laughed a bit. “You guys are getting a bit fancy out here. Now you know I am to go stay in a guest house next week. I am not sure that the others will bring you breakfast. I will still fix you something at the guest house, but we won’t have the table there.”

The gnome said. “Once we know which one we will work something out. There will be a place, and we just bring things from home is all. What can I say, we liked baked goods, but most of us are not good with fire. No go get your own. The best way to find an answer is to let it find you. Stop looking and it will come.”

She said. “I will try. If I just knew why I thought something was missing. I just feel it needs to get sent out. That holding it back would be a mistake but I can’t send it when I feel there is something missing. And can’t stop thinking about what it could be.”

The gnome nodded. “You will get there. Just keep going. Now that tea is whistling to you. Go and make yourself a pan cake to go with the cup of tea.” Sara shook her head and moved to the house, sure the gnome knew more but sure to it had reasons not to tell her. But she wished someone would, could, just give her the answer to one of the questions. Yet she knew that most of them were things she had to decide for herself.

Back in the house she fixed her cup of tea and fixed the last of the batter. The pancake tasted as good as it smelled. She hoped the lingering sent wouldn’t bother the others when they came to cook. She cleaned up the dishes she had used, put the rest of the water into one of the ceramic pots and then filled the kittle and set it to heat. She frowned there were no foot steps to be heard, and if the stove wasn’t lit soon the bread wouldn’t be done for breakfast. Taking her tea and mug she head back up the stairs. She couldn’t light the stove, but waking Hanna had not been forbidding.

Therefore she banged on her door as she went by it. There was a thump a muffled grunt and than. “What!”

Sara said. “If the stove is not lit soon the bread will be late.”

Hanna grumbled. “It’s not even light yet. Light the thing your self. It’s not morning. Honestly expect me to get up in the dark!”

Sara said. “I am not to light the stove for you. You had best do it, and remember the hens or you will be buying eggs. Good morning.” She went on to her room and worked on the books there until she thought breakfast should be about done.