Haste to the Wedding

© 2015 by Walter Reimer

This is a sequel to Blunt Objects, which is a sequel to
Mont Rose, which is itself a sequel to
Rajjan Tor.

The stories are set in  tegerio's Realm of Faerie universe, as shown in his Zandar's Saga here on FA, and The Ballad of Adler Young.

Art by  tegerio


Part 6.


Ayyub’s ears and tail dipped as the cart got close enough to see the occupants.

“Like I said, they friends of yours?”

The fennec shook his head. “My father and uncles.”

Claude nodded sagely. “Ah. Family.”

There were four elves in the cart. Farukh was driving, while his brothers Rafik and Mohan rode behind him. A feline Ayyub didn’t recognize was seated beside Farukh. As the cart drew closer, another cart was seen topping the crest of the hill.

Ayyub stepped out into the lane and waved as his father reined the ants to a halt. “Hello, Father.”

“Ayyub. You recall your Uncles Mohan and Rafik?”

“Yes, I do. Hello, sirs.” The two foxes, both slightly older than his father, dismounted from the cart. Ayyub shook paws with his Uncle Mohan, while Rafik swept him up into a tight hug.

“Wonderful to see you again, Nephew!” Rafik said happily, “and getting married, too! I remember when you barely came up to an ant’s foreknee, don’t you Mohan?”

Mohan, shorter than his brothers but with a muscular build that told of a lifetime of labor, laughed and patted his nephew on the back. “You’ve grown up to a fine young man, Ayyub. Which is sort of why we’re here.” He arched a brow at Farukh.

Ayyub’s father chuckled and waved the feline over. “This is my friend Aethelbert Tanner, Ayyub.” He smiled as his son and his friend shook paws before adding, “Like your Uncle Mohan, Aethelbert’s a builder, and I’ve asked them to take a look at the place before you start working on it.”

“I see . . . “ the fennec’s voice trailed off as the other cart drew up, bearing another four furs with a pair of ladders and some tools. He glanced at the four older men, ears dipping.

Rafik said, “Boy, your father asked us to come out here and help you. We – and Aethelbert – agreed because we like you; Mohan and I are along because you’re family.” He grinned toothily. “Besides, you’re getting married, and what better wedding gift than to have a house to bring the bride to, eh?’ He laughed and elbowed Ayyub in the ribs. “You need a bedroom for a bed, right?”

Ayyub chuckled. “You’re right, Uncle Rafik. I just didn’t want to be beholden – “

“None of that,” Mohan said. He had been giving two of the younger furs instructions, and they loped off to start inspecting the walls as he walked over to his nephew. “Rafik and I aren’t asking for money, Ayyub. This is a present, and by the Lady’s Jewel-like Nipples you’ll keep your muzzle shut and take it.”

His ears dipped again. “Yes, sir.”

“That’s settled then. Aethelbert, let’s you and I take a look at this place, shall we? Ayyub, come along.”

Farukh was getting a bucket from the cart. “Aren’t you coming along, Father?”

“Not yet. I’ll water the ants.” His father smiled. “Go see to your guests, son.”

Ayyub nodded and went off after the three older furs, who had stopped under one of the trees flanking the house. “What do you think, Rafik?” Mohan asked.

“Well first,” Rafik said. “Willum! Yacov! Check out the well and see if we can get the pump set up.”

“Right, Boss.” Two furs, a rat and a weasel, gathered up a ladder and a few tools and headed for the well.

Aethelbert was leaning against one of the trees, ears cocked in a listening posture. “Aethelbert?” Mohan asked.

The feline smiled broadly. “They’re happy to see us, and happy to see that there’s someone moving in.”

“Who is?”

“The trees, young fellow,” the builder said cheerfully. “Never heard the Voice of the Trees, have you?”

“No.”

Aethelbert shook his head sadly. “Sad. What they’re teaching the young these days, eh? Anyway, let’s have a look at these walls. The trees said that their roots are cramped – oh.” He pointed at part of the base of the wall.

“What?” Mohan crouched down and inspected where the feline was pointing. His paws dug out and tossed aside a few tufts of grass. He dug a bit further and stopped. “I see what you mean, Bert. This whole place will have to come down.”

Ayyub stared. “What? The walls look – “

“Yes, Nephew – up there, they look nice and straight,” his uncle said, pointing at one of the peaks to the roof. “That’s because you’re down here. I tell you, on Fuma’s Fuzzy Belly, that if you took a plumb line to the top of that wall it’d be – what do you reckon, Aethelbert? A foot?”

“Easily a foot or more out of true,” the feline said. “Look here, lad. Having three trees here looks really nice and scenic – you get shade in the summer, and the wind in the branches – but the roots have undermined the foundation. If you just build using these walls, one night you’ll be fast asleep and the whole place will come down around your ears. Imagine your wife in bed with you, and the house collapsing on her.”

Ayyub gulped and looked up at the wall again before his gaze wandered back to the feline and the fennec. “Is it that bad?” he asked.

“Bad enough,” Mohan said. “But,” and here he tapped the side of his nose, “Fuma knows there’s good brick and well-dressed stone in those walls. We can take ‘em down, neat as you please, and build the new place with them.”

“That’d save money, I suppose?”

Mohan laughed and slapped his nephew on the back. “Right you are, lad! And we could use an extra set of paws.”

“I’d love to help.”

“And you will. Rafik! Where are you, you ant-thief!” His other uncle’s two helpers, Yacov and Willum, were standing over the well with a stout rope in their paws. Mohan started toward the well, but stopped and laughed as a paw emerged from the ground and gave him an obscene gesture. “Gone to ground, eh? How’s the well looking?”

“Not too bad,” came the reply. “Yacov, you were right – the shaft needs a bit of relining, and there’s a lot of debris in here, but we can get it fixed up and covered with a proper pump. “ The tod slowly clambered out of the hole. “How’s the house, Mohan?”

“Bert and I agree. It’ll have to be taken down before it falls down. Sort of surprised it hasn’t yet, but that the Lady’s will.” Everyone present rubbed their skull with their knuckles.

After surveying the size of the tasks, it was decided that Ayyub’s original idea of clearing the high weeds and undergrowth was the best way to start. Scythes were doled out, and the tod joined the four younger furs in cutting down the plants. Their elders lent a paw with rakes and started gathering the cuttings together into a series of piles.

They managed to clear a good quarter of the property before stopping to eat. Lunch was cold sandwiches from chests in the carts, washed down with beer or cider. Work resumed after the meal, until a wide area surrounding the house and the well had been cleared.

Ayyub helped load the tools back onto the carts before picking up his saddle and whistling for Beauty. “Ayyub?” Farukh asked.

“Yes, Father?”

“Where do you think you’re going?” Behind him, Ayyub could see the others exchanging grins and winks.

“I thought I was going home – “

“You are home, Son. Remember what you told me? You have to stay – “

“I have to stay here a lunar month.”

“And the Moon was as thin as a sliver this morning,” Willum snickered.

Ayyub’s ears and tail sagged, and he caught the bedroll and a few saddlebags’ worth of kit that his uncles tossed at him. “I suppose I’ll see you all tomorrow, then.”

“Oh yes,” his father said. “Don’t look so gloomy, Ayyub. You’ve slept in the field with the Yeomanry, haven’t you?”

“You’re right, I have.”

“Granted, you usually had your troops with you,” and there more chuckles, “but you have Beauty.” Farukh swung himself up onto the cart-seat.

“Oh, one more thing, Ayyub,” Mohan said.

“Yes, Uncle?”

“Don’t sleep in the house. If the Lady wills it, it’ll fall. I’m surprised it’s stayed up as long as it has.” Aethelbert nodded in agreement, and Farukh goaded the dray-ants into motion. The matched pair gave deep gronks as the cart started to move. He waved as they drove away, then gathered up the supplies they’d left for him and headed up the lane to one of the trees.

The night was falling fast, so Ayyub busied himself with clearing a space for a fire, then started a campfire. After making sure it wouldn’t spread to burn the entire area, Ayyub set up a tent.

A soft gronk?, and Beauty poked her head into the circle of firelight. Ayyub laughed as he walked over to the ant, holding his paws out for her to tap. “Well, we’re sleeping rough for the next four weeks, Beauty.”

Gronk?

“Yes, that’s right,” and he carefully rigged a hobble to keep from straying too far. Fodder had been left for her, and he fed her before taking up a bucket and filling it from the well so she could drink. His own supplies included what was usually served to the Yeomanry – dried meat, twice-baked bread, dried fruit, and tea diluted with water.

After making sure that Beauty was fed and watered, Ayyub took off his boots and sat looking up at the night sky for a while before saying his prayers and turning in for the night.