Everdog: Tale of the First Female Knight

Chapter 33 - A Woman's Place

In the early spring, the serfs dedicatedly plowed and sowed the massive fields. Wheat and other grains were usually the first crops to be planted in the beginning of the year because they took about seven to eight months to grow. Vegetables took around one to three months to grow and were planted throughout the year; with exception of some vegetables that grew better in warmer weather such as tomatoes, squash, and beans.

Potatoes, tomatoes, and squash have early, mid, and late varieties which determined the time it takes to grow. Early varieties can take up to as little as 70 days to grow while mid and late varieties can take up 90 to 150 days to grow. Vegetables that took up to four to five months to grow such as cabbage, broccoli, peppers and eggplant were grown indoors first before being planted in the summer fields.

When the first of August came, the grains planted at the beginning of the year would be ready for harvest. This day was known as Lammas Day, or the day of the first harvest. According to traditions, the men of the family returned home to help with the harvest. For people of higher class who didn't work in the fields, the holiday became a reason for the family to a gather together.

Each year on August 1st, the townspeople held a three-day long festival to celebrate this year's harvest. They celebrated by playing games such as tug of war, cockfighting, and pig chasing. The squires at the residences were given a week-long holiday to go home to visit their families. The older squires or knights also went home to celebrate the holidays with with their wife and children. Those who didn't have a family or couldn't go home during the holidays embraced their festive spirit by gathering together to drink or to attend the Lammas festival.

Everin had already made plans to stay at the residence during the holidays. She told Mister Park and Kevin that she wanted to focus on her studies and that she wouldn't be returning to Walden during the holiday break. The two, father and son, were still traveling in the north eastern plains and Everin didn't want them to travel back and forth just to see her.

Lord Kevin, who foresaw this, was a step ahead of Everin. He had sent a letter along with several barrels of wine to the residence for Everin to celebrate Lammas Day with. Within the letter, he delicately wrapped a vile of wheat seeds harvested from the north eastern wheat plains. Everin might not be to travel with them, but it didn't mean that Lord Kevin couldn't give a keepsake to his brother.

"I heard from Miss Lucy that you gave away the wine that Lord Kevin sent to you to the knights and the servants who are staying at the residence for the holidays. That is very generous of you." Sir Lee thanked the lad.

The wine that the lad gave away wasn't inexpensive and was currently being sold at high prices in the market. Due to the new roads connecting to Walden, wine and beer were being imported from Walden to Smithtown which led to the flourish in the liquor trade.

"I don't drink. It is better to give it away to people who could admired it." The lad explained.

The baronet faintly smiled glad to see that the lad was doing better. The baronet and the lad were waiting with their horses in the courtyard for Sir Williams and Taylor before heading to town. Today the Lammas festival opened in town, but the knights and squires weren't going to the festival, they were going to attend some forgotten business.

Before the trial and the incident at the jailhouse, Taylor had previously caught a thief, who got injured. Everin stitched up the thief's wound and was supposed to remove those stitches after seven days. However, she got injured and had to stay at the residence to recover. It been three days since Everin was supposed to remove the stitches or the eleventh day since the thief received his stitches, and the stitches had to be removed to prevent any scarring.

While the baronet and the lad were waiting, Sloth, the lad's horse, saw the orange delicious carrots sticking out of the lad's waist satchel and enthusiastically lowered its mouth to get those yummy treats. Inadvertently, it pushed against the lad's sore lower back and the lad cringed in pain.