The Age Of Arma Gedeon

Chapter 1, Erray

With the wick trimed tight, Erray lays his all metal ballpoint pen down on the heavy parchment in the dim light.
He turns in his chair at the table, to see his mother has dosed off in the plush chair. "Mother?"

Farsarah opens her green eyes, "Yes, Erray. I fell asleep again."

Erray gets up and collects his writing things, "You should go get on your bed pillow. It's late.
"Your back will be stiff from the chair."

She puts her sewing in its basket as she asked, "Did you finished your letters?"

"Yes, but I'm out of envelopes, I have to make some tomorrow.
"Do we have parchment still?"

She gets up dusting the lint from her shirt and pants, "It should be dry by morning. I have it hung out in the basement.
"We need to go to the village soon and get supplies. I can't make more until we do."

Erray organizes his basket as he puts his things in it, "Make a list. We'll go tomorrow if you want."

"I don't. It's been two days, Barade and Lauriah are likely to stop by as they head out."

Erray laughs as he takes up his basket, "You're sweet on them."

She shrugs her shoulders and gives a flat smile, "A girl can dream. Not like a pig raiser's mother gonna catch a knight, but I can dream.
"I want to make bread tomorrow, too.
"You could go without me and see a girl."

Erray frowns as he shakes his head, "Larmanda has gone with Fartony to the castle. No girl left of enough mindfulness to bother with."

Farsarah moves to fuss at her grown son's shoulder length messy dark hair, "Girls aren't just for conversations. Don't you like girls?"

"Sure, of course. Sex just doesn't get in my thoughts much. There's a whole realm of wonder out there.
"I figure another will come along that gets in my thoughts as much as Larmanda used to. Maybe she'll even like me back."

Farsarah fusses, "Oh, go to bed, you stuffy old monk."

They share a laugh and he kisses her cheek, "Goodnight, Mother."

They take their baskets to their sleeping rooms.
Both rooms are small and lined with wood shelves. Baskets fill the shelves to organize their things.

Erray puts his basket in its place and changes to his sleeping shorts.
He gets in the plush blankets of his sleeping pillow. He must fold his legs in or let them hang, but knees tucked on his side suits him well.

The rooster is his alarm to raise.
He dresses in fresh clothes, much like yesterday's. Dark pants, brown button up shirt, fine knit socks. With a soap pebble and pocket knife in his pockets.

He gets a bowl of stew to start his day.

When Farsarah comes out in her simular, but more filled clothes and her leather shoes on, she grinds coffee, brews and serves him a cup at the table.

He finishes up and takes his still steaming cup out to the porch.

He sits on the steps to put his work boots on, then sips his coffee as he watches the sky brighten up with the sun.

When the light is full, Erray takes his cup in to his mother.

His first chore of the day is to empty the pay drop box by the well.
The drop point is at his hip height, but the stone box is on the ground. He turns the four number wheels in the metal door to his combination to release the door.
The wood box has ten pieces of silver.
He puts the door back and spins the numbers to relock it.

He takes the pieces into the house and gives them to his mother.

She smiles, "Was a good night. No gold, so they didn't come through in the night."