“Hertha, can you help me? I need to make a gift for my mama?”
The smith looked round a touch sternly, as she was just about to discuss the main tasks of the day with her assistant, Heard.
“You are very early here today, Ethel. That is good, but give me a moment before you say more.”
The man smiled a ‘welcome’ over at the girl. She had found him to be a generally kind sort. There was no ill will nor looking down on her from his part. Not that he would have remained long in Heartha’s forge had he been of that ilk.
“So we have two sets of shoulder guards to repair first. One pair just needs the dents hammered out. The other may need some welding. Then there is a guest at the Dragon whose horse needs shoeing. You see to that, Heard, while I start on the order from the Captain for a dozen knives. That will take some time. Come back and help when you are free.”
Heard nodded, and tied back his hair into a ponytail. His bright eyes were keen and serious. He was a hard worker.
“What gift is this, young one,” he asked as he walked back past Ethel to start building the fire heat for the armour work. Is it a pan or cauldron or something? I will help at the end of the day if you like?”
Ethel shook her head. She moved to start twisting a strand of hair about a finger, but stopped herself. “No, Heard. It’s a weapon.”
Hertha raised a hand to demand attention. “Now what is this about, Ethel? Explain quickly, because we have lots to do.”
Casting a brief nod of ‘thanks’ to Heard, Ethel stood up straight and tall. This was something she wanted. She would make her case.
“Hertha, I need to make an iron capped oak staff as soon as possible. My mama and papa are riding out within days, as far as Forlaw, and Ymma is to stay with me. Mama is training to fight, mostly with a sword, but she is better with her staff.”
“Yllfa, you mean?”
“Aye” Ethel hesitated a moment before continuing. “She is not my birth mama. She died when I was young. But I am lucky, and now I have two mama’s. I don’t want my second one to die for lack of a good staff. Papa says she needs an oak one, and she should get me to stud it with nails or something similar.”
Heard looked to the floor a moment, pondering the matter.
Heartha’s mood relaxed a little, and she sighed. “A good staff in the hands of a well trained wielder can be deadly, that’s for certain.”
“Mama needs to train more. She is to fight with papa at need, if that...um..if there is any real trouble again. I don’t want to lose her. Papa always comes back, sometimes a bit worse for wear, but he always comes home. Mama hasn’t been away from me before for more than a few days. I want them both to come back.”
Hertha nodded thoughtfully. There was even a small smile on her lips. “We can help you there, but the wood and the metal will cost coin. We can’t just use the garrison’s resources for our own needs.”
“I know.” Withdrawing a hand from behind her back, Ethel reached into her pocket and drew out a number of silver coins. “I have forty-five silver from helping Ymma at the store, and from helping a little with the cooking at the Dragon. If it costs more, I will get that too.”
“Just how many jobs have you got?” Heard exclaimed. “I know you sometimes look after Gamferth’s animals.”
“That’s all, “ Ethel was relaxing into explaining why she was good for the payment. “I train here, I help a couple of hours in the shop, and I only help cook for the dragon if their cook is away. Don’t tell about that though. Papa may not like it.”
“Tell? Tell why the past weeks the food is sometimes as good as anything in Edoras? Let me know what night’s you are the cook! Heard chuckled. Then he caught Hertha’s critical eye.
“See if we have a suitable length of oak, Heard, and if not, a word in that carpenter’s ear perhaps.” She turned back to Ethel, who was still standing almost to attention. “If we have the wood, and if we get the armour and horse sorted, then both Heard and I will spend a little time with you and turn it into a more fearsome weapon, at no charge for our time. How tall is she?”
Ethel smiled. “Thank you,” she said. Then she thought for a moment, and raised a hand. “Just a little taller than me.”
“Very well. Now you get to work placing out the tools, and try to clean up just a bit of that never-ending pile of charcoal dust on the bench, and then you are working with me on the shoulder guards that just need a good hammering. No more talk about this now, but we will do our best to see she comes home to you in due course.”
Heard winked reassuringly. “You're a thoughtful girl. If ever I have a daughter I hope she’s a lot like you.”
Ethel rolled her eyes and chuckled. “You should see me on a bad day!”
