Chapter One Hundred And Fifty Five - A Wife Or An Apprentice

Author's note; Thank you so much for your patience and for the wonderful comments I have received for this book (and others) recently.  I appreciate your time.

K'tai-tul was in the greenhouse when his mother called, tending to saplings infested by slugs that had managed to sneak into the protected nursery.  One by one, he picked the slimy critters from the tender leaves and dropped them into a bucket.  He had already removed nearly a whole bucket load and was not yet finished his gruesome task.  Hearing her call, he picked up the bucket and took it several metres away from the greenhouse to place it on the ground.  He would deal with it later.  He also needed to find out how and where the slugs had managed to get into the nursery or this whole task would prove pointless.

He stretched his back, sighing as his spine seemed to click in many places, before turning towards the house, where his uncle was exiting and moving towards him.  K'tai-tul rolled his eyes heavenward realising that his mother had sent his uncle to get him.  His uncle shrugged, sheepishly, but neither man dared get on L'tai-shu's bad side.

"There are slugs in the greenhouse," K'tai-tul informed his uncle.  The man had been hovering protectively over his wife, whose health and mood had improved over the past month.  Just yesterday, the woman had chased him out of the house having had enough of being smothered by him.

"Oh, I'll look into it," his uncle said.  A tree farmer spend years raising their crops, an outbreak of critters could set them back a long time if they did too much damage to the saplings that they had spent months growing.  As he did as he stated, K'tai-tul entered the back of the house, where he removed his boots so not to get mud on the floor.

"She's in the greeting room," his aunt informed him as she washed dishes in the warm kitchen.  K'tai-tul nodded in acknowledgement and moved towards the rarely used room.  A greeting room was a place to greet and entertain guests, but his family usually only entered it to remove dust and cobwebs.  In fact, it had not been in proper use since his aunt had married into the family.  The room contained a few wooden chairs, with plump cushions upon them to make the seating more comfortable.  At the centre of the room was a thick rug and on the rug was a small wooden table.  Upon the table, there currently was a tea set and two of the chairs were currently occupied.  In one sat his mother and in the other...

"Greetings, T'chu-gon," K'tai-tul said politely, while inwardly seething.  T'chu-gon was the son of the current head of the Gon family.  Like his own, the Gon were tree farmers, but their family was large and with many branches.  Although to outsiders T'chu-gon was just a son, he was actually the one in charge of the family.  The elder was old and his mind was becoming lost to time.  However, T'chu-gon had lazy brothers, who while were content to allow the man to make the decisions while their father was alive, were greedy enough to want his place when he was dead.  T'chu-gon had a plan to prevent his scheming brothers from taking his rightful place, unfortunately that plan involved K'tai-tul and his family.

"I was just thanking your mother for her warm hospitality," the man said in return.  L'tai-shu thanked him before rising from her seat.  Although, she was the matriarch of the family, her son was the official head in the eyes of the people.  Of course she expected a full report from her son once his business was concluded and she made sure he understood that.

He did not roll his eyes upward, just offered her a curt nod before she left the room.  K'tai-tul watched her go and inwardly sighed.  He did not want to talk to this man right now.  He sat in a spare chair, though he wished it wasn't required of him.  "To what do I owe this honour," K'tai-tul asked as T'chu-gon placed his tea cup onto the table.

"I was hoping that you had thought further on my proposal," the man replied.  "You know it would benefit you greatly."

"While there would be benefits," he said, tactfully, "you can't deny that this is a decision not to be taken lightly.  You are basically asking me to relinquish my family name."

"Come now," the man attempted to deny this was so.  "Nothing so harsh.  Your family would simply be underneath my main family's umbrella."

"And control of my land as well," K'tai-tul stated.

"Oh not really," he claimed.  "The daily decisions would still be yours."

"But what to plant and when to harvest, that would not," K'tai-tul said.

"Joining the farms would mean some change to both," T'chu-gon said as if that softened the statement.  "But your family would also have assistance on the land and therefore you could concentrate more on your family, growing it for example, with my daughter as your wife."

T'hen-gon was a pretty thing, but K'tai-tul couldn't imagine himself with her.  She was demur and sweet natured and submissive and for some reason, that annoyed him beyond belief.  Perhaps if she showed a little personality or feistiness?  No probably not even then.  He simply didn't like the girl that way.  But on the other hand, there were no other marriage prospects and his family was small and it was not easy farming the acres of land with so few.  And due to that, Ch'mai-tul had to suffer and stay, wasting her talents on the farm.

"I still need time to think on it further," K'tai-tul said with a sigh.  "But I swear I will have your answer soon."

T'chu-gon accepted this, but not without a verbal barb in parting.  "Your family cannot prosper this way," he said.  "I'm sure when we speak again, you will agree with me."

*****

"That offensive man!" His mother fumed as he imparted with her their conversation.  "He belittles us, he belittles you! How dare he seek to steal our lands by claiming to join our families in marriage!"

"But he speaks the truth," K'tai-tul replied, "no matter how I wish to deny it."

"We have managed so far," his uncle stated.  "But our fortunes have been favourable.  Just one bad harvest and all might fail."

"Still, I will not sell our family out that way," his mother said.  "As much as I wish you to be happy and wed, that girl is not the one for you.  She irritates me."

"T'hen-gon is a sweet girl," his uncle said, surprised by his sister-in-law's words.  "What is not to like?"

"Maybe if she had some personality..." K'tai-tul laughed as his mother echoed his earlier thoughts.

"L'tai-shu is right, my love," his aunt said as she joined them.  "T'hen-gon is sweet and innocent and that is because not a spark of thought goes through that empty mind of hers.  Honestly, K'tai-tul would be better marrying a tamed puppy."

"So we turn T'chu-gon down?" His uncle asked.

*****

No one truly had an answer for that.  As much as they wanted to turn down his proposal, they knew that one false move on their part would have fate turn against them.  And of course, if they turned him down, they might also find it more difficult to trade.  T'chu-gon was an influential man in their area.

K'tai-tul sighed as he struggled to find the answer as he waited upon the wagon for his sister to finish her schooling.  "Why such a glum face?" Came a voice that had become familiar to him of late.  He glanced down at the man, who was currently eating a sweet fruit stick, coated in honey.

"Is that good?" K'tai-tul found himself asking.

O'vel-win shrugged.  "I think the fruit used was not quite ripe, it lacks sweetness and the honey is a cheap fix."  K'tai-tul nodded with understanding.  "Is it your aunt-in-law? Is she still unwell?"

"No, she is fine," K'tai-tul replied.  "And thank you very much for your words of advice those few weeks past.  She was moved by the gesture and could finally weep for her loss.  It allowed her to forgive herself and move forward."

"I hope her next steps will be with favour," O'vel-win smiled brightly and K'tai-tul found his face become flushed in return.  He snapped his eyes away and tried to focus on something else.

"Are you here for your family's children?" K'tai-tul asked, redirecting the conversation.

"Not exactly," he sighed.  "One of the Teachers is my brother, he teaches an older class; the ones ready to seek apprenticeships.  For whatever reason, he thought that I should be included in discussing my job in front of the class."

"Your job?" K'tai-tul had no idea what O'vel-win did for a living.

"I'm a technician, working on a project to better things for people," he said, vaguely.  K'tai-tul recalled the people that came to his farm to talk about machinery that could quicken the harvest that one time.  Unfortunately, the machines that they offered were not only expensive, but he would need to make extra payments every year to hire their technicians ensure they kept working.  He had turned those men away.

"So, you will talk to the children to see if they want to be technicians too?" He asked.

"Something like that," O'vel-win replied.  "In truth, my job is very controversial and I doubt the children's families would let them take to my profession.  I think my speech is to be made to create some understanding rather than to gather apprentices.  To be honest, I only followed its path as I was unsuitable for everything else expected of me."

"What did your family want for you?" K'tai-tul asked curiously, feeling as if the answers were somehow important to him.

"To become a scholar, librarian or teacher," came the response.  "Something along those lines.  But not all are suitable for such tasks and there was little other options offered.  A physical type of job might have been better for me, but even paper making I was no good at.  The technical stuff I do, I at least seem to be somewhat useful, although I can't say I understand it completely.  I have some head for numbers and hands for fiddling with things, that seems to be enough for my masters."

"Physical work, like a tree farmer?" K'tai-tul wondered allowed, feeling as if an idea had unlocked within his mind.

"Hmm?  Well that option was not available," O'vel-win said, without thought.  He frowned as his mind went over the words.  "Actually, I have never heard of a tree farming apprentice."

"Such things are usually kept within family lines," K'tai-tul admitted, excitement building within him.  "But some farming families are not so large anymore that we can keep to ourselves."

This was also true, it was not just his family that were suffering a downturn in births and family numbers.  It was just his happened to be hardest hit and his neighbour happened to be ambitious.  He knew he should discuss his developing thoughts with his family, but he also knew he could not be so foolish into turning this opportunity down.  He glanced at O'vel-win with eyes shining with hope.  The earth-toned man felt his heart falter a pace and those flutters begin again in his stomach.

"Can I speak with your brother?" K'tai-tul asked, his voice echoing his need.

"Of course," O'vel-win replied without hesitation.  "I will introduce you."