Category: fiction

Thursday’s Travels…

Wiwohka2 Comments

You know, the thought occurred to me that some of you may not fully know of Squagon’s story. While there are many that have been with us since our beginnings, there are a number of you who’ve never heard of Acorn Valley, Pinion Valley, or the names and stories of Squagon’s family. He’s a prince, you know.

But, to tell you of his royal pedigree, one must first explain how Squagon came to be here with us, in the first place. To do that, I’ll have to give you a brief rundown of our cheeky squirrel’s nutty beginnings.

Squagon is the grandson of the Acorn King, whose son fell in love with the daughter of the Pinion King. The squirrels from Pinion Valley are classed as flying squirrels, while those from Acorn Valley are not, but the two were in love and both kingdoms were forced to accept the union, if only to keep the peace between the two squirrel nations.

As it happens, Squagon was born with wings like his mother, except that his were a bit misshapen.

The Acorn King took this as a bad sign for their kingdom, and he banished the baby from Acorn Valley. The Barnyard was known to the squirrels, and it was asked that Squagon be placed in our care. The king didn’t want to get rid of the baby, but he didn’t want his kingdom’s bloodlines weakened by a strange looking, sickly baby. It wouldn’t do!

Of course, we took the baby in and raised him there, within the Barnyard. Upon his first birthday, an armada of the royal house of Pinion arrived, only just made aware of the baby’s existence. They took the young squirrel prince, which was their right, and he was lost to us for a time.

Oh, we were allowed to visit him occasionally, but only that. It was expected that Squagon was to take up his place as the future heir to their kingdom, but until such time, he was to fulfill his princely duties within Pinion Valley.

Then, about a year ago something tragic happened. I awoke one morning to find the Barnyard gone, without a trace! In a panic, I searched everywhere, but to no avail. I was horrified to discover that not only was the Barnyard gone, but so were all the babes.

I searched the nearby forests, only to find that Acorn Valley had also gone missing. It was all gone! The valleys, the squirrel kingdoms, Brutus, the library, and everything else… simply vanished into nothing. It was heartbreaking!

While searching the woods for those missing, I happened to stumble upon Squagon, just sitting in a tree, all by himself. He was frightened, and very confused. All he could say was that he’d awakened alone, in the forest. There wasn’t a trace of his family in any of the nearby forests.

Long story short, I was able to recover all but a handful of the babes. I also relocated young Henry and his church mouse family, as well as, Brutus. However, I must admit that the dragon actually found us, first.

Anyway, its high time we set about finding the lost squirrel kingdoms. Squagon has been devastated over the loss of his kin, and I can no longer bear to watch him suffer. Could you just walk away? I can’t! Why, whose to say that they aren’t just misplaced, right?

So, now that you’re familiar with Squagon’s story, and can hopefully understand the importance of this journey, we can begin our search. First things first, we must follow the maps of our last journey inland, while searching out young Henry last summer.

Fortunately, Brutus has a love of maps and thought to draw one of our travels there, in the event that we ever sailed that way again. Now, as luck would have it, we are doing that very thing!

I’ve studied that map, thoroughly. Not far from where we traveled inland, there is a split in the river. You should be able to see it marked on the map with a purple arrow. I’ve an itch at the back of my neck that says we should travel up that fork in the river. We already know that Henry’s family are a ways up river in the other direction.

What if we sailed right past the route that could take us onward to one of the two missing valleys? I think it’s worth looking into, on the off chance that there are at least some clues to their whereabouts.

We’ve some days ahead of us before reaching that river inlet, so make yourselves at home, and enjoy the sunny weather. Life jackets, floaties, and snorkel gear are stowed below deck. Just ask Nugget. She can show you where everything is.

Oh, and Mini Wiwohka is making Beef Stroganoff, salad, and homemade bread for supper. She’s also made a blackberry cobbler, so you better work up a good appetite…

Table with plate of beef stroganoff and noodles, salad bowl, and baked dish inside wooden ship cabin

Live Novel Friday…

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The Wharf

Episode VIII

After Ollie’s abrupt departure, Maiyah found herself facing quite a different set of challenges than before. While she no longer had the need to hide Brugo, nor was she required to fulfill her normal list of chores, the poor barmaid was saddled with all the work Ollie normally did, which was far more than she’d ever realized.

There were the books to do each day, along with ordering fresh supplies, assigning duties, and paying wages to all those employed at the tavern.

The problem was… Brugo was in constant need of attention, often refusing to let Maiyah out of his sight. It was an unusual change in the little one’s behavior, since Ollie had gone. It was almost as if the baby were searching for him, from the moment she brought him down each morning, til they retired to her room for the evening. It seemed odd that the baby would notice Ollie’s absence, and Maiyah wasn’t entirely sure that it was all just her imagination.

What she did know with certainty, was the increase in Brugo’s crying sessions. He’d barely made a peep when she was hiding him in her bedroom, but now he seemed to cry all the time.

It made no difference whether she fed him, changed him, or even tried to play with him. No longer was it safe to leave the baby by himself, as he began to find mischief wherever he was, at the moment.

Somehow, he learned how to open doors, drawers, and any cupboard that wasn’t padlocked! Maiyah spent all her free time cleaning up his messes, which seemed to be everywhere.

Days turned into weeks, with Maiyah struggling to keep the tavern running, in Ollie’s absence. At times, she would feel so frustrated with her situation that it filled her with anger towards the aggravating ogre. She told herself that it wasn’t her problem, so this was the time to simply walk away. She could be well and clear of the place, before Ollie ever returned, and surely someone else could care for baby Brugo.

But then, at night, while she sat beside the sleeping babe, Maiyah knew that she could never abandon either the child, or Ollie. The orc was the only family she had now, just him and Brugo…

As time went on, Maiyah began to have troubling thoughts about Ollie’s version of things, as well as, how abruptly his behavior had changed when he read the letter she’d given him. How she now wished that she’d broken her own rules. She should have read the letter first, before giving it to the ogre.

Why would Ollie lie about the timing of when he bought her from off that ship, so long ago? There wasn’t any way that the sleeping baby was older than she was, as Brugo couldn’t be more than a year old, possibly two. Maiyah, herself, was nearly grown into a young woman, and she hadn’t been more than seven or eight when she first set eyes on Ollie.

And, why was he so quick to hand her the tavern key? The business of running the place had always been his passion. Something wasn’t right, and Maiyah knew it. But, as to what wasn’t right, the answer was yet to reveal itself.

A great distance from the old shanty town, Ollie found himself journeying along an old familiar trail, heading toward a distant seaport, rather than toward his clan. He’d already decided that he would not seek them out, as they had turned their backs on him after he abandoned Shelor, and his son. There would be no warm welcome from any of his clan. Some wounds run deep, and stretch beyond one’s lifetime, never to be mended.

Ollie felt a pang of guilt over leaving the way that he did, vowing never to return to that world, after the way things went with Shelor’s clan. The circumstances were partly his fault, but much of the blame truly lay with the leaders of both clans. They had ruined everything for the young couple, and when Ollie left, he felt certain that he would never look back.

It wasn’t Maiyah’s fault that she was neither ogre nor orc, by blood. How could he choose between the human child that he’d raised, and the woman he loved, not to mention his own son!

All that Ollie had ever wanted was a family; his own clan. Maiyah was just as much a part of that clan, as his wife and baby. For a time, he had actually believed that it might work out…

He split his time between the tavern, and life within his wife’s clan. But, for as much as he tried, Ollie wasn’t able to convince the clans to allow his human daughter to join them. Even Shelor had accused him of loving Maiyah over herself, and their son. Things quickly fell apart, after that. Both clans threatened to turn him away, unless he abandoned the tavern life, as well as, his human pet, as they called Maiyah.

Now, the ogre found himself separated from his clans, his wife and son, and his life upon the wharf. And, to make Ollie feel even worse, he bitterly regretted the lies he’d offered Maiyah, shortly before they parted. He was a coward! How could he tell her the reason why things had gone the way they had? She would be devastated at such an awful truth, just as he now felt.

In shame, the ogre made his way along the trail until it split, and then carried on down the path that led to the sea, instead of inland, toward his warring clans. There, he boarded the first vessel in need of an extra sailor, and sought to forget all that he was leaving behind…

Deep in the heart of orc territory, amidst a myriad of battle encampments, sat Brugo’s mother, Shelor. All orc were born to be warriors, whether male or female… it was the way of their people. Shelor had seen many battles before, though none since the birth of her son. It now felt different, somehow, though she found it difficult to understand the reason why. She should be proud to fight alongside her clan, and even more proud to die upon the battlefield. That was every orc’s pursuit, especially hers! At least it had been, at one time.

Sitting before the fire, listening to the men as they talked of the upcoming battles, all Shelor could do was think of Brugo. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing him again, never feeling the touch of his fingers tangled in her hair, nor holding him in her arms. What if she were to die in battle, without knowing what happened to the child? After the way she had crushed Ollie’s spirit over the human child he’d raised, Shelor understood why her husband would never come for her, now. The least she could hope for was that he would care for their son, in her absence. Surely, he would do that.

Shelor had watched from a distance, on the day she’d left Brugo behind the fish shed, just outside her husband’s tavern. The young barmaid that found the baby, fit the description Ollie had given of his human daughter, from what Shelor could remember. The girl looked kind, Shelor thought, and had felt sure that the baby would be kept safe. As she sat watching the flames flickering in the darkness, Brugo’s mother pray that she had made the right decision…

Back in the small shanty village, miles away from the orc battlefields, and oceans away from Ollie, Maiyah watched over the baby, as if he were her own. Night after night, she sat by his bedside as he lay sleeping, hoping with all her heart that Ollie would one day return. And, with the babe’s mother by his side!

Maiyah pray that perhaps one day, they could all become a family. The young barmaid hadn’t any memory of a mother, so the idea of a family began to wash over her like a comforting, warm blanket.

Many times, long after the streets lay empty and quiet, and when sleep refused to come, Maiyah walked along the dock, listening to the sound of the waters. Would Ollie ever return? A nagging doubt had begun to grow, as to whether the ogre had simply fled, abandoning both her and the baby.

In truth, Ollie didn’t owe Maiyah anything, nor was he obligated to her, in any way. She had been nothing more than a purchase, a worker for his tavern, so perhaps he hadn’t cared for her so much, after all…

Will Ollie return from the sea? Can Maiyah keep the tavern afloat, and still manage to care for Brugo? Will Shelor survive the impending battle?

Until next time…

Hugs

Thursday’s Travels…

Wiwohka2 Comments

Maps… check!

Snacks… check!

Books, clothes, games, tools, fishing stuff, diving stuff, and of course, exploration stuff… check, check, and triple check!!!

Oh well, we can always send Brutus to retrieve anything we’ve forgotten, right?!

Now, for everyone coming along on this venture, a tour of the ship, as well as your quarters, is in order. Otherwise, you’ll never find the bathroom, and the babe’s will take all the best bunks.

Come on, let’s get you settled…

First stop is the kitchen. This is one of the best places on the ship, and where we spend a good deal of time together. Mini Wiwohka will be our cook for this voyage, as Miss Tilly has her hands full with babies, and all.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you that Tilly had twins…

While mamma and babies are all doing well, Tilly won’t be able to accompany us this time. She is needed at home, which is totally understandable. With that being said, Mini Wiwohka has gained quite the skill in the kitchen, so we are all in for a real treat!

Moving on, let’s show you where everyone sleeps, as well as, the restrooms.

You’ll find that there’s a ladies room at the bow (that’s the front) of the ship,

And, yes, we do provide unlimited hot water. Why, we have a dragon to heat the hot water tank, of course! There’s water being piped to both bathrooms, the kitchen, and also a washroom for the cook.

Check out the boy’s bathroom at the stern (the back)…

Oh! I’m so sorry, Peanut! We didn’t know you were in here.

How embarrassing!

Anyway, you get the idea about where the bathrooms are, so let’s move on to the bunk area…

It looks as if Nugget has already claimed one of the bunks. You should probably make quick work of finding your bunks, before the rest of the babes get here. They should be arriving any moment.

Speaking of the babes arriving, I must leave you here to settle in, as I must finish my tasks before we depart. As soon as little feet start dropping on the deck, we’ll be shoving off. I want to get started as soon as possible. Hopefully, we’ll be weighing anchor shortly.

If you wish to say your goodbye’s, I suggest you stow your things and make your way above deck. I think I just heard Eustace moving about above our heads, so I better get up there. I made the mistake of telling him it was alright to bring extra things for the baby, if necessary. He’s gone a bit overboard (no pun intended, there)…

Oh, brother!

Well, at least the baby will have more than enough stuff to keep her happy. I can’t fault the camel for that. I know we’ll be thanking him later, and he knows it, too!

Luckily for you, she has her own designated bedroom, so Eustace can shove everything in her closet.

There should be more than enough room for us all, thanks to Creed’s handywork. It’s too bad that he couldn’t come, what with schoolwork, and all. We’ll have to make due without him. No worries, though. If anything needs repairing or replacing, Brutus can fetch him for us.

Ummm, I think that’s everything. If I’ve forgotten something, there will be plenty of time to figure it out, and fill you in. For now, let’s say our goodbye’s, or farewell’s, if that sounds more mysterious…

Awww, look how excited Squagon is to be leaving. It’s no wonder though, as this whole journey is to find those lost to him. And to think that you will be a part of this adventure, as well. I couldn’t be happier to have you all aboard.

Shall we depart, then?

Wednesday Words…

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As you may know, tomorrow is departure day for our Barnyard crew, so everyone is busily loading the ship in preparation for the adventures ahead.

Eustace is apparently all packed, and ready to head for open waters. If you ask me, the camel is taking the whole baby preparedness thing a bit further than anyone might have anticipated.

But, if you think I’m going to burst his happy bubble, you’re crazy!

What this ship needs is a happy camel, a confident camel, and a free babysitting camel, standing at the wheel. Traveling the high seas with a baby onboard will be quite the undertaking, and I’ll need all the help I can get!

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka6 Comments

With our departure this Thursday approaching rapidly, there’s a good many things still needing to be done aboard The Torrent. Along with the comfort level of all her guests, this ship needs to become more solid, as a whole.

I’ve made numerous Avatars of the differing personalities you see, moving about the ship, but no solid re-usable image for the ship, herself. Don’t ask me why I like to refer our ship as a her, but I thought to look it up, out of curiosity. Did you know that there’s an actual reason for calling a ship her? Well, there is…

Referring to ships and cars as “she” or “her” is a centuries-old tradition born from a mix of historical superstition, deep emotional bonds, and linguistic quirks. [1, 2]

The main reasons behind this practice include:

  • Maternal Protection: Historically, sailors spent months at sea and relied completely on their vessels for survival. Because a ship carried, nurtured, and protected the crew from the harsh elements, it was often viewed as a maternal or goddess figure.
  • Linguistic Roots: In ancient languages like Latin, objects (including ships) were assigned grammatical genders, and the Latin word for ship (navis) is feminine.
  • Honoring Loved Ones: Sailors famously named their ships after wives, mothers, or influential women as a mark of respect and to bring good luck on perilous voyages.
  • Appreciation for Elegance: Just as with ships, early cars were highly prized, expensive possessions. Early enthusiasts and drivers anthropomorphized them, assigning feminine pronouns to reflect beauty, sleek lines, and perceived grace. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Huh, go figure! Well, at least now we know why, right?!

Anyways, back to the work at hand. The Torrent needs to become a solid ship, before we can adventure anywhere, so let’s do this!

First, we need some images to begin the process:

As you can see, creating a visual that is authentic and yet appealing isn’t such an easy task. Just trying to be far away enough to capture all her sails and riggings, is a feat, in and of itself. I spent some time out on the internet, looking through differing styles of ships, masts, and sails. It’s quite extensive, actually.

Here is the image I worked with last year, from OpenArt:

Starting with a simple boat image, I worked with Norbert to enhance the colors, and transition into a more authentic design:

From those images, I finally struck gold, so to speak:

Now this is a good stock image, I think. It’s still rather simple, as those sails, ropes, and riggings need a lot of work, if we’re to seem legit!

How bout these?

All that’s left to do now, is to take the handful of images we’ve gathered, and hand them off to Norbert. Let’s hope the ai can create something beautiful…

I think she is coming along nicely, though we’ve still work to be done on that figurehead… what on earth is that supposed to be, anyway, a fishhook or something?

Overall, I feel rather confident that things will all be ready to go, come Thursday.

For those joining us, don’t forget to bring your Dramamine, if you get seasick. While the seas in this image seem calm, once we leave the safety of shore, all bets are off! It can get pretty choppy out there, and where we sail will be quite stormy, at times.

At least you’ll sleep good, knowing that the ship is sound, and the crew be loyal, to a fault.

See ya at the docks!

Live Novel Friday

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The Wharf

Episode VII

With the shocking reveal of baby Brugo, things took a sudden turn in the way Ollie saw Maiyah. The grumpy ogre now found himself at the mercy of his young bar maid, as he had no idea how to care for a baby. He felt awful for the way he’d treated her, always yelling at her, and making her work such long, hard hours in the tavern. He’d never shown her the love she deserved, and yet, Maiyah was as loyal as they came. For days, she’d been secretly caring for his own son, and under his very nose.

As the two stood watching the sleeping baby, Ollie worried that the child would be frightened of him, and wouldn’t recognize his father, as they hadn’t seen one another since the child’s birth. Ollie could see his wife’s features on the baby’s face, even though Brugo’s eyes were closed.

The infant looked just like his mother. Her face was etched upon the ogre’s heart! There hadn’t been a day that went by, in which Ollie hadn’t thought of her…

The ogre’s heart hurt, when he considered what could possibly possess the child’s mother to abandon her son.

He looked down at the letter in his hands, afraid of what might be written on the paper. Ollie knew that the answers he sought would be written there, but he was terrified of what it might reveal…

“You should read her letter, Ollie.” Maiyah encouraged the ogre. “At least we might have some answers.”

Ollie wept openly, as he read the words from his wife. Never before had Maiyah seen the ogre cry, nor show any emotion, aside from being grumpy all the time and yelling at everyone. Here he was, looking so hurt and confused.

Suddenly, in the middle of reading the letter, Ollie gave a shocked and startled grunt, causing Maiyah to jump, and disturbing the sleeping baby, momentarily.

“What is it, Ollie? What’s wrong?” Maiyah whispered gently, placing her hand on his arm in concern.

“War,” replied the ogre, in a subdued voice.

“War has been declared between our people. My wife, Shelor, has been called to battle with her clan, but my own clan has chosen to stand apart, due to my being rejected by her clan.”

“Oh, Maiyah, this is terrible! Their clan hasn’t the number needed for success, which was why we tried to join with them, in the first place. We were trying to help strengthen both our nations, but while the marriage was sound, the joining of clans failed, entirely!”

Ollie looked toward the sleeping baby, then to the letter, and back at the baby.

Then, after several long moments, he turned his attention to Maiyah. Ushering her out of the room quietly, they headed down the stairs to the kitchen.

“I know that I have no right to ask this of you, Maiyah, and it is certainly within your rights to deny me, but… I need your help! I am torn between caring for you and Brugo, and finding my wife. I know what I must do, but I need your help if I’m to do it.”

“What must I do?” Maiyah asked.

“I must return to my clan and convince them to assist Shelor and her people,” Ollie lamented. “Whether or not I am accepted, doesn’t have any bearing on whether we should protect my wife and son.”

“Then you should go to her, Ollie,” Maiyah asserted.

“But to go means that I must leave you, Brugo, and the tavern. It’s all we have for coin, food, and shelter. How can I choose?”

With a resolve born of love and commitment, Maiyah stepped directly before Ollie, placing both her hands on his arm. “There are enough workers for the choring, and the sailors all know of me, so why not let me run the inn, while your gone?”

“You would do this for me?”

Remembering back over the years they’d been together, Maiyah’s eyes misted over with tears, as she replied, “You are the only father I have ever known, and you’ve cared for me all these years. Of course I shall do this for you and Brugo, both. You are my only family.”

“I have treated you terribly, Maiyah,” replied the ogre, shamefully. “I should have given you my name long ago, and you don’t deserve to work like a hired worker. If you will do this for me, I give you my word that things will be different from now on.” Reaching out, he took the young bar maid in his arms, affectionately. Briefly giving her a fierce hug, the orc quickly gathered the remaining supplies needed, and stuffed them into an already full satchel.

Before leaving, he gathered all the workers together and gave strict instructions to obey Maiyah’s orders around the tavern, as she would be in charge, until his return.

Stepping out the back doorway of the kitchen, Ollie turned and handed Maiyah the keys to the tavern. “Now that you are running things, I don’t want you doing your normal chores,” he stated. “You’ve Brugo to look after, and coinage to be mindful of, instead. Leave the tavern work to the others, and just watch over the work. And, please don’t keep Brugo closed up in your room, any more. It’s not good for either of you.”

“You don’t want to see your son before you leave?” Maiyah questioned the ogre.

“He will know me, but not now. First, I wish to bring his mother home, if that makes any sense. I want our first meeting to be a happy one, and without his mother, it just feels wrong.” Somehow, that made sense to Maiyah. She nodded her head in agreement to his explanation. Quickly, she gave Ollie one last hug, and then reluctantly stepped back, and said her farewells.

Watching the ogre walk down the dock, and disappearing into the crowd, Maiyah wondered how on earth she was going to do any of the things she just promised Ollie. She’d never run the tavern without Ollie roaming about the building somewhere. Now it was up to her!

Will Ollie find Shelor and her clan, before it’s too late?

Why are the clans suddenly at war? What happened?

How will Maiyah manage to run the tavern, while caring for baby Brugo?

Thursday Thoughts…

Wiwohka1 Comment

With the warmer weather comes the freedom to make way the sails, as they say. Whether you desire to come along is entirely your choice, though, you’ll be missing out on some grand adventures if you don’t make it to the dock on time.

Since we’ve only one available day of the week for such tales, I opted to settle our nautical explorations and high seas adventures, on Thursdays, just for the summer months.

Living a homebound lifestyle requires that my brain be actively engaged in some form of challenging pursuit. To be honest, Thursdays were falling a bit flat, in regards to being very interesting, or even challenging, for that matter.

So, what is one to do when the brain calls for stimulation? We mix things up, seek out new paths of adventure, and dip into the the well of creativity. From there, all manner of new and exciting places begin to appear upon the surface of your computer screens.

So join me on Thursdays for some high seas sailing, as we set sail for distant waters. Some waters may be familiar, while other parts will be places you’ve never before imagined.

Our first voyage will be embarking on a search for Squagon’s lost kin. We search for Pinion Valley, which was lost to us some time ago. Our young squirrel prince misses his family desperately, so it’s imperative that we locate them. It’s unclear, as to the valley’s location, as none of the paths that once led to it remain.

As you remember, last year we had some form of strange storm that magically erased all of The Barnyard, Acorn Valley, the magical home of our dragon, Brutus, as well as all the rest of our forest homes. They simply vanished without a trace! Somehow we were able to seek out all of the missing babes, including Squagon, whom we found sitting alone in a tree.

Sadly though, we lost one of the puppies, and all the dreamers vanished, as well.

Since those dark days, we were able to locate Peanut and scoop him up from where my grandson had misplaced the little fellow. We also relocated the small church where young Henry’s family lived, for Miss Tilly.

If you recall, we had been set to search out the two missing squirrel valleys when we were not only caught up in a storm that took us way off course, but then we were set upon by several pirate ships, forcing Brutus to hold them at bay, while we fled into foreign seas. Though we escaped the pirate attack, we became hopelessly lost for a good portion of last fall. It was worth it though, as we discovered Osrig on one of the strange islands we encountered.

Unfortunately, by the time that we found our bearings and made it back to familiar waters, it was already far too late in the year for us to safely sail, out on the rough open waters.

Now that Maisie is settling into our routine around The Barnyard, it’s time to show her the sea that calls to us, and get her used to living aboard a ship. She doesn’t sail with us all the time, but on the days that she visits, Brutus flies back to the Barnyard and gets her for us. Brutus assures me that she loves flying, as the dragon can hear her squeals of delight, and happy baby babble all the way to the ship.

All the babes are safely tucked aboard, settling into their cabins. Creed and Eustace outdid themselves with all the accommodations, upgrades, and expansions aboard The Torrent, so there’s a place for everyone. Osrig still refuses to sleep anywhere other than the foot of my bed with Bailey, which suits me just fine. It can get chilly at night, out on the water, so it helps having furry heaters on the bed, while sleeping.

Everyone else seems to be settling into their rooms, and getting back into the swing of things around the ship. Each crewmate has their own duties, and we only have a week til we set sail.

Your bunks have already been prepared for when you board, so I would suggest you arrive early if you want first pick of which spot you want. They’re all comfortable, don’t get me wrong, but some folks are outside edge sleepers, while others might be middle, or inside edge sleepers. You know what I mean, don’t you?!

I look forward to seeing any and all who choose to join us.

Live Novel Friday…

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The Wharf

Episode VI

Days and nights all blended together for the young barmaid, as she sought to carry on with her regular duties, while simultaneously caring for a baby. It wasn’t that Brugo was any more difficult that most his age, but Maiyah had never been a mother, so it was all quite a new experience.

For the most part, Brugo chose to sleep the day away, while she tended to her duties. When Maiyah returned to her room at the end of her shift, he would wake for his dinner. From that point, the baby orc spent the entire night climbing about the room, sitting upon her chest, and babbling incessantly. She wasn’t sure how long she could continue with the way things were going.

Ollie had begun to notice the look of exhaustion on Maiyah’s face. Going about her chores, she made every effort to avoid the ogre, feeling his eyes on her back, as she went. It wouldn’t be long before he would demand to know why she was so tired, lately. In all the time she’d known Ollie, she’d never lied to the ogre… not once!

Maiyah was certain that even if she tried to lie, he would know, simply by looking into her eyes. Somehow, it seemed that Ollie had always been able to read her thoughts. She learned from early on that it was simply easier to just tell the truth, rather than seeking to hide what would eventually be found out by the nosy ogre.

As far as hiding a baby orc in her room, well, she was fairly certain that it wouldn’t be long before the truth would be discovered. She wanted to talk to Ollie, but he was always in such a foul mood. He was already being rather unkind toward her, because she was falling behind in her work. That actually made her angry, because if he knew why she was going to all the trouble of hiding things, he would be ashamed of himself.

Finally, after nearly two weeks of hiding, sneaking, and the constant nocturnal activities of Brugo, Maiyah broke under all the pressure, and lack of sleep. It happened just as she was washing the morning dishes, and Ollie stomped into the kitchen and threw a pile of dirty washrags at her back.

“You forgot the wash from behind the bar… again!”

Turning to face the angry ogre, Maiyah simply lost her temper, throwing an entire cup of sudsy water in Ollie’s face! The orc was so shocked at her outburst, and the look in her eyes, that he took several steps backward.

Pointing an accusatory finger in his direction, Maiyah shouted, “You know, for someone who is supposed to be so smart and observant about everyone around them, you are rather blind to the truth that lay before your very eyes!”

Feeling ashamed of himself, as well as being quite confused by Maiyah’s reaction, the ogre tried to apologize. It was too late, however, because all the lack of sleep had claimed what was left of her self-control.

“For the last two weeks,” she shouted, “I’ve been working myself sick with my normal duties, while at the same time, caring for a baby orc named Brugo, that is apparently your son!” In frustration and hurt, Maiyah reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out the letter that had been pinned to the baby’s shirt, when she’d first found him.

The look on Ollie’s face stole what was left of her anger, as Maiyah stood holding the letter between them. Confusion had turned to painful and shocking recognition, for the ogre. He knew who Brugo was before she’d ever revealed the letter. Tears began to fill his eyes, as he reached out and accepted the note. Ollie already knew who had written the words upon the parchment he now held in his hand.

Maiyah regretted her angry words, and stepped forward to place her hand on Ollie’s arm. The ogre suddenly reached out and embraced Maiyah in such an emotional outburst that at first, she was frightened. But then, she realized that he was in need of comfort, more than she’d ever seen before that day. For several moments, Ollie just held onto her, sobbing uncontrollably.

Trying to pull himself together, Ollie released his hold of Maiyah, and began asking questions about the baby. “Where is he now? Can we go to him? What if he doesn’t recognize me?”

Gently nudging Maiyah toward the stairs leading to their rooms, Ollie accompanied her to where Brugo lay sleeping, gently buried beneath a soft blanket. Standing over the bed where the baby slept, Brugo just stood in silence, tenderly observing his son.

“The last I saw of Brugo, was when he was born.” whispered Ollie. “His mother belonged to the orc nation. Our union was to bridge the gap between the two warring factions. The marriage had been arranged, and neither she nor I were given a choice in the matter. While I don’t know his of mothers motives, I married for love. She and I had been friends since childhood, only parting when war broke out between our people.”

“Why did you leave?”

“The pact failed! The warring worsened, and when Brugo was born, I was simply thrown out of the clan, and sent back to my own people.”

Maiyah could see the immense pain that the memories were causing him. “Was that why you took to the sea, for a time?”

“I wanted to leave it all behind me… the memories, the pain of loss, and the realization that I would never again see the woman I loved, nor the son she bore me. I suppose that’s the only reason I took you in, so long ago, Maiyah. I wasn’t able to escape the pain of my past, until you. You softened the edges of my hurt, and filled a place that was so very empty.”

Standing beside Ollie, as they watched the sleeping Brugo, the young barmaid chose to ask no more questions, for the time. She wanted to give the orc some time to adjust to the sudden reappearance of his son, and also read the letter from the baby’s mother.

The letter could wait a bit longer, as the ogre would need to put all his focus on the baby that was stirring beneath the blanket before them. Brugo was about to meet his father… once more.

Will the baby be frightened?

Will the letter explain where Brugo’s mother had gone?

Does she still love Ollie? Is that why she sent Brugo to him?

Til next time…