Chapter 5 Miller

Rose crept stealthily out of the garden and out into the village. Stopping to admire some of the new structures her father had insisted on building. There were the bathing troths for the workers coming in from the fields and several more out houses. She used the great lodge as cover from the nursing mother’s still waddling around their hatas’ unable to aid in the field. Once it had only been a meeting house. Upon Ivan’s insisting a great kitchen and stove were aligned to it and the whole village feasted there every night.

Her mother was put in charge and made head cook. This delighted Elena to no end for it was her favorite thing to do. It was meant as a distraction from the misery of being barren. Yet sadly it only enhanced her exclusion from the fertile women of the town. They meant well to assist but as soon as their bellies were round they were given leave. That was why Sadko made the suggestion to have the older girls apprentice until they were to travel to Volpi and obtain their husbands.

Rose stuck her tongue out at the kitchen. She would rather be a hunter like her Father and bring in great game and tell stories of tracking. Not sweat and cater over great ugly clay stoves.

When she passed the fly swarmed butchers shack she plugged her nose. The Tanner next store heard the fluttering of fabric and looked up briefly. Rose already knew where to duck out of sight. The wind picked up and rustled some of his hanging bear hides. He grunted and went back to work.

In some tall grass Rose spotted an abandoned egg. Knowing the sun would soon hit it and probably make it bad she pulled out the grass around it and picked it up carrying it in a little nest made in her hands. It was a large egg, much bigger than that of a hen’s. She smiled knowing exactly where it belonged.

Sadko was saddling his family's old cart. It was already loaded down with much grain. He hummed a merry tune that was interrupted by much hissing and a little cry. He grabbed his staff and hurried to the back of his house. Rose was trying to climb up the rafters while kicking down the geese with her foot. Using his staff he frightened the geese away with much laughter.

“Do my eyes deceive me or is that my little Red hood, Without the hood I see.” He lightly stroked at a faded scar on his chin where a cat had got in a cheap swing.

Rose looked rather panicked once she managed to turn around and face him.

“Sadko do not step on my egg!”

“You cannot mean this monstrosity?” Sadko had already caught sight of the great object. He teased her while he deftly picked it up.

“Why I believe it to be in my pasture. That makes it my egg you little thief.” He tossed it up once making her nervous.

“I was trying to give it back to you but they wouldn’t let me! They are too stupid to know their own egg!” Once Sadko had set the egg safely in with some others he stretched out his arms and she jumped into them.

“That is because it isn’t their egg look.” Sadko pointed after setting her down. Indeed the egg did look different from the others next to it.

“Oh,” Rose blushed; she was still fascinated by it.

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“No matter, they will still treat it as their own once it is placed and soon we will see what creature lives inside. Poor thing will think it is a goose though and never mate. Makes sense you brought it to my farm.” Sadko teased for he had never married and never would.

“I was just about to go out to the mill. Would you like to join me? I could use another set of hands.” Any other child in the village would have stuck out their tongue, and ran away at the very mention of helping to unload a cart. Rose was honored by the request and was already on the back of one of his horses leaning out to open its gate. “Oh yes are we traveling the long way by the river?”

“Naturally, I would get lost going through any other part of the woods.”

“Can I jump the horses bareback a few times before you halter them?” She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“Look around good and thoroughly for your parents first; at least I die at a youthful age.”

The journey to the mill did not take long. Sadko was always a merry company. He told tales of his travels and made silly faces. “Sadko your adventures with your horses were so grand why ever did you return?” Rose twisted her hair.

“Well, I thought our people were still hungry and I could never truly leave my little river.”

“You were among huge ships and great traders!” Rose argued aghast.

“Still there is nothing like my little river.” Sadko smiled that deep sad smile he sometimes had. Rose still did not understand it.

“Here we are!” He announced as they pulled up to the lumpy looking building that was the mill. Out came a stout little man with a long beard followed by a cat.

“Catkin how is it you wandered out so far?!” Rose climbed down quickly to retrieve her Grandmother’s pet. The man across from her was a little shorter than she.

“Blasted thing, keeps getting under my feet! I think it’s trying to kill me! Your Grandmother loaned it to me to keep the mice away. Give her my thanks.”

“Little man I’ve guessed your name.” Rose smiled

“Oh have you?” The little dwarf smiled wickedly.

“I think it's Fennel.” Sadko teased while carrying the grain into the mill.

“You are wrong!” The little miller curled the tip of his beard with pleasure between his thumb and forefinger. Sadko tossed him a coin on his way out of the mill.

“Well you’re all wrinkly and rumpled so I think it’s...” Rose squinted at him to see his reaction.

For a moment the little man held his breath.

“Prunance you know, like a prune.” Rose mused.

At this both men burst out laughing. Sadko nearly dropped his grain.

“Rose the name is Prudence and that is a girl’s name!” Sadko began.

“It does not matter.” The dwarf held up his hand. “I did say she could guess any name.” He leaned in with a sparkling eye. “You got it wrong so pay up!”

Rose dug into her pocket with a sigh. “I found this today in Grandmother’s garden.” She dropped her little treasure into his hand ruefully. A deal was a deal.

“Not bad, I might have some use for a gold thimble.” The little dwarf even placed it in his mouth and bit on it a little. “Well this is excellent. I shall add it to my collection.” He pocketed it swiftly.

Sadko felt he was being unfair to include Rose in this little game he had going with the entire village. Sadko had been gone when the little man informed the valley that he would be delivering mead and taking over for the old man that died. There was much distrust. Being a stranger that would not give out his name would normally not go over well. Ivan seemed to know him from years past so the strange slight was overlooked.

Rose suddenly turned around and realized Sadko was unloading all the grain without her help. Sadko laughed to see the conflict in her eyes. “It is fine just you keep a hold of that cat. If I don’t get you both back by noon your Grandmother will throw a fit.”

“I’ll have more mead ready for you tomorrow.” The dwarf grunted and lit a pipe.

“More, surely we have enough. We already poured four barrels into the ground that went bad.” Sadko said bewildered.

“Exactly they went bad, so Ivan demanded I give him good stock.” The dwarf snorted.

“Well I guess it really doesn’t matter. I have nothing better to do.” Sadko shrugged, “I’ll be back tomorrow then. Come on Rose I’m finished.”

“Bye Prune!” Rose laughed as she climbed back in next to Sadko.

“That’s not my name pay up!” He shouted back. She threw a pebble at him and he quickly pocketed it.