Soon Petra was squinting through the lintel again. "Ah Pet, did yeh see meh sister ?" Cahlien continued "...and what token 'ave yeh brought yer Ma ? Ya know yer Da is off to the island don' cha ?". Petra nodded. "Aye, I saw him afore I kissed you Ma". Petra dismantled her burdens and her mother inspected each with a smile. The mushrooms, roots, and onions were put near the fire where a pot began to bubble. The wood Petra stacked against the wall on the far side, she knew her Ma preferred the beech-wood rather than the Ash that the men brought for heat. As the fruit basket was handed off, Petra asked: " Ma can I mash some of these to 'ave wit the cakes ? " Nodding Cahlien pointed off to the side, "ya know there's honey in the pot, but don' use too much, winter's almost here and .... Ah, ya know, don' ya Pet ?" " ...Ha, I can no' forget yer my lass, what would yer Ma do wit out her lass to help, like a worker woman ? ! " She chuckled a little, oh how Petra fit in with and above many of the women folk.
"Ma, I 'ave some more..." and she separated the bay leaves from the heather, Cahlien took the bay and Petra lifted a sprig of heather and tucked it behind her mothers ear "... and the wee lasses ? " She inquired. "Hoo, eh ? where my helpers? " The mother called corralling her little ones. "Yer sister wants ye". Cahlien return to the pot and began peeling the stems off the bay and then peeling her roots. " One for yeh Shanleigh, and Ishleen, and Lynette, and.....well where's meh Dalyce ?" (Petra looked about as if Dalyce were not hanging at her hip). "Sisa ! Sisa ! she's righ' 'ere !!!" Lynette piped and Dalyce echoed "Aye I 'ere". "Hooo, there yeh are !" Petra couln't help but laugh as she helped the youngest two tuck the heather behind their ears. Lynette had yet to out grow the lispy way lil' girls who have older chatty"Sisters" tend to speak and Dalyce wasn't much more than a mocking bird in size or affinity to Lynette. " Ma look 'ere yeh 'ave got a meadow of lasses , ah ha ha !". Spontaneously the sisters threw up there hands and began to sway like flowers in the breeze. Cahlein laughed a soft lilting laugh and again and again but as she went on the lilt grew courser and she began to snort in between laughs. Needless to say the women folk in this clan enjoyed a good craic with each other. " Sisa... where's yours...?" Lynette pointed to Petra's ear. "Ah I 'ave yeh for flowers, this one for Treva, ahhh... I forgot" and they all burst into laughter, the snorts, chuckles and chortles began again. Just then Cahliens youngest son stepped into the doorway. Petra seized upon Quillan (a hand taller than her, but six years her junior) and pushed the heather above and between his eyes, secure in his copper curls. Oh what raucous craik indeed ! At first Quillan seemed crotchety, but soon his hands were up and swaying in the imaginary breeze, not having seen the others in their flora poses, made his act all the more hysterical. " Ma! Ma ! I 'ave to..." ( Dalyce crossed her tiny legs and looked frantic ). Up Dalyce went, Cahlein had whisked her off her feet and under one arm, "Pet mind the fire", and out the two went to keep Dalyce from making water on her skirts.
By the time Cahlien and Dalyce return from the pond, ( they had failed to keep Dalyce dry and she needed a good swish) Petra had doled out instructions and the breakfast cakes and mashed fruit was ready and waiting with much of the dinner preparations simmering in the pot. Quillan followed through the doorway with a bucket of milk. "Ma we're ready..." Petra began but her mother had already dropped her head and was mumbling some blessing in the old tongue, then said: "So... let's eat" and they all gathered their bowls and waddled outside still bejeweled with their heather and sat under a tree to eat. They looked comical, like multi-colored ducklings following the mother duck.
Years ago Cahlien had learned that sticky meals were best eaten outdoors, when ever possible. In short order the cakes, mashed fruit and milk was devoured, the bowls and spoons collected, and off Petra went with Shanleigh to wash them. The others stretched out under the tree patting their tummies wishing there were no chores to be done. "Pet, ya ever think 'bout bein' grown and leavin' us ?", Shanleigh mused. "Aye, but who would 'ave a body like meh ? ! " They laughed as they finished the chore, then began walking hand in hand t'ward the outbuildings. Ishleen running up from behind broke though their hands laughing, then became the link in the middle. Soon the three were swinging their arms as they walked through the dust and past the chickens.
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