'Get yourself to some good use!'
The slam of an iron kettle pulled Ellinor out of her trance. It was almost like her mother had joined them this evening.

'May I help you?' she said, wiping the flour off on her apron as she turned around. She was met by the face of what appeared to be a bear dressing up as a human.

'You can get to the job! Soups!' he smacked his hands on the side of the kettle.

'Oh dear,' she said, running to pick up the kettle as if it were a newborn, 'You are quite right, although I can't make this soup without a special ingredient,' she looked down into it solemnly.

His drunken anger seemed to subside for a moment, 'I can go and the find it, Miss,' he stood up straight and fixed his jacket as if he were a proper man.

'Oh no-no-no, it's a complicated task. Even the plant itself is dangerous if not handled correctly...'

'None sense! I help maiden!' he turned at once and headed out the door. Well, to the wall and [i]then[/i] to the door.

Ellinor breathed a sigh of relief as she continued to work the dough. She liked baking, she could focus on the methods and wonder at the science behind it as she worked. How could a simple starter cause the rest of the four to swell and give off that starchy scent of fresh dough? She could only guess. Either way, there were a lot of warriors waiting on 'Soups' after their long day setting up camp. Although today it was less soup and more tunnbröd with whatever meat the others had put together. It seemed like an interesting mix between waterfowl and  a few mackerel.

[hr]

'Such a shame, about that girl. Never even got to have kids,'
'She's much too young to be a widow,'
'I wonder who ol' Igor got mad this time,'
'He was always such a nice boy,'
'May The Good God help her,'

Ellinor stood in silence with downcast eyes. She wasn't sure which perspective should make her angrier. She didn't dare let their words, their feelings, or their gazes touch her.

His mother lay with her eyes on her palms, looking out at him tearfully. The preacher finally closed the large, oaken box and he was soon lowered into a square in the ground. She felt something rub against her leg. 

[hr]

'Oh, hey there you,'

The silver eyes looked up at her in silence. She slipped a few pieces of fish to her and jostled around the bread. One more minute perhaps.

The drunken man returns with a fistful of rose thorns and tosses them into the pot. Ellinor is quite beside herself and just gives him a nod, 'Thank you,' she said flatly.

And it was quiet again.


[hr]


Although Ellinor could not read, one could learn anything they wished by listening to the whispers long enough. After the service she informed Igor's mother that she would return to her family. Although she offered her house, Ellinor said it was where she belonged and wished her well.

She never had an intent of returning home. She, instead, flowed into the step of those gathering for a sort of battle. Something for a very important rich man in a very distant place. She did not care. He was prepared to take her in and use her skills, which was all she ever really wanted. The man had fifty people to organize, the guy with the odd facial hair had fifty people to train, and she had fifty to feed. She looked to her side and ran her hand down the plush fur. Make that fifty-one.