Historical Setting: 610 C.E., Vosges Mountains
Now it’s been many months since the caravan of Christian charity crossed over the hills and out of sight. We’ve heard nothing from Greg and Gaillard, and Hannah as well — until yesterday. The bird Hannah had for messaging came ahead with the news to expect them home soon. So today we watch the hills to the east.
Hours pass, and now on the distant hillside, across the clearing – we catch a glimpse of the horses and the guardsmen – they’ve left the wagons and mules, the flocks and herds, and are all traveling on horseback with only one mule for their own packs. We’ve gathered to watch. It’s an easy cantor for them, briefly in view, down the slope then gone from sight again into the woods – we wait. We hear the hoof beats, and now the chatter of their voices. Now, here they are, Greg and Gaillard leading the guard. And here is our always serious Hannah, fully an adult woman, smiling now. I lift her from her horse, as though a woman’s tunic made her frail, she wraps into her waiting mother’s arms reaching for the first hug.
So here is our daughter, a beloved stranger, familiar, as we remembered, but now with us again as a wise and beautiful woman of the world, experienced in all the newness of adulthood. She stands calmly amid the teasing mayhem from her younger brothers and the bundle of hugs from Layla. They’ve been gone a good part of the year, and now as I see it from the perspective of these travelers, lots has changed here, though for us it seems the same as always. Now Brandell is going on twelve, and Haberd is the full stature of a man.
With seven horses and a mule just returned to the stable, I go with Gabe and Gaillard and the guardsmen to brush down the horses and put them out to pasture.
Ana has some honey cakes waiting on the hearth, and I bring the fresh water in for the pot for tea. And with soldiers here I should tap a keg of ale. The stores of grains and roots we sent away months ago, seeming sacrificial in our generosity, are now fully restored and our winter preparations are nearly completed.
Dear God, we have thanks giving in our hearts now, that will take us the whole of autumn and into the winter just to speak of it in so many prayers, Thank you.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 