9th January 1103

The air inside the kitchen was close, heavy with the thick scent of meaty stew. Kelgar broke into a sweat the instant he walked through the door, his chill skin suddenly prickling and sticky.

Esther and Matilda were sitting on the packed dirt floor, their tiny heads bobbing this way and that as they watched the antics of Maire. She was performing some sort of a dance for them, her stick thin limbs swinging this way and that, her scrawny hips swaying from side to side, awkwardly angular.

Her lips were curved into a dreamy smile as she danced, perhaps imagining herself partnered with some handsome prince, her freckled cheeks glowing in the overheated room, strands of coppery red hair plastered to her grease stained face. She had not noticed him and he watched her for a long moment as her slender hands swept through the stuffy air.

Esther suddenly noticed him, her round face spreading into a dirt stained grin. Matilda followed her gaze, the smaller girl merely staring at him with her father’s sorrowful eyes.

“Kel-Kel,” Esther beamed at him, clapping her hands with excitement, her tiny feet stomping out a fanfare on the packed floor to celebrate his arrival.

“Ello Kelgar love,” Polina called over from the table were she was viciously slicing a particularly hard lump of cheese.

She glanced over at them and snarled, “Maire, what in the Good Lord’s name are yew doin’ yew silly bint. Get back to work on that bread, Christ knows it won’t be kneadin’ itself.”

“I was just entertainin’ these here babies is all,” Maire growled with an angry scowl, “Why did yew think they were keeping’ their whiney claptraps so quiet. Yew should be thankin’ me.”

“Whatever yew say love, now get back to that kneading. What can we do for yew today Kelgar? I ain’t got much time so make it snappy.”

Kelgar’s eyes fell on Illewen who, standing at the washbasin had not turned to greet him. His gaze was drawn to her slender neck and the few stray tendrils of hair that had crept their way loose from her bun. The tiny curls were sticking to the moist skin of her neck, a cloud of steam rising from the basin before her. He wondered what she would look like with her hair down. His eyes roved down the row of neat buttons that crept the length of her back to her full hips.

Polina coughed, glaring at him, “I said can we be doing something fer yew?”

Her eyes were brassy and bold, the colour of the copper moulds that hung on the wall behind her. They stared at him defiantly as though daring him to ask what he had come to.

“Well, er, actually I was hoping to talk with Illewen if yew can spare her an’ she wants to come.”

Suddenly Polina was smirking at him like a very pregnant cat who has stumbled upon an unattended pheasant pie. Her eyes were slitted, nostrils slightly flared as though taking in a whiff of the first delicious scent.

“Oh yew were, well that’s different. Of course I can spare her,” Polina purred.

“Would yew like to take a walk with me Wen?” Kelgar asked congenially, trying not to let his voice stutter with nerves.

He felt Maire’s gaze hot on the side of his face and he dared not look to the side. The last thing he needed now was the bother of the child’s awkward crush.

Illewen had not replied, and was staring at him with wide eyes, like a frightened rabbit. Polina spun around, advancing on her, her full girth swaying ominously.

“Of course yew want to go Wen. It’s being that warm in here and yew should really get some fresh air. Yer looking a little flushed. Why don’t yew get yer coat. Maire and I will finish up here.”

“I need some fresh air too,” Maire cried, “I’m looking flushed too. Can I come?”

“No Mairey, I need yew here with me, besides, don’t yew think Illewen’s looking a little pale, she’s needin’ some fresh air.”

“Yew just said she was lookin’ flushed,” Maire grumbled.

Illewen still silent, began to totter towards him.

“Yew two have a nice walk then,” Polina crooned, a gleam in her round eyes, a smile on her round face and her hands settling over her round belly.