The Ferryman - Book 1

Chapter 25:

Brassy and Lala

Moth mostly stayed at Priscilla’s home. She took care of Camb in return, but mainly her days were spent Mrs. Tunhofe, travelling from farm to farm at the southmost tip of Hiren to ask how the fog had affected them.

At the end of a month, Moth’s journal was full of information.

It was early on a Monday, and Moth walked with Ama to the main Hevwed home so she could give the journal to Clem.

It was the first week of summer, and as they cut across a field enormous grasshoppers leaped out and collided with them, then skittered away into the shade. Ama would catch them midair and fling them away, or slap it before they hit her, eyes narrowed in focus, but giving a nod every so often as Moth chatted about her visits with the remote farmers.

“I can’t believe how different all their experiences are,” said Moth, feeling the weight of her journal in her bag. “And yet no one is unaffected by the fog.”

“Well, it’s everywhere.” Ama slapped a grasshopped out of the air, rescuing Moth. “Right?”

“It comes and goes – but yes, it’s all over Hiren. There must only be a dozen of farmers in all of Hiren who’s land hasn’t been hurt.”

“But its in other regions too, right? Not just Hiren?”

“Almost every region that touched Hiren has fog, but Hiren is the cradle.”

Ama was smacked in the side of the head by a grasshopper and she cursed. “So it travels around?”

“It’s fog, it doesn’t travel.”

“But you said it comes and goes?”

“Well, yes, but we don’t know why.”

Ama squinted at her. “But is it gone all over, or just in different places?”

“What?”

Gesturing, Ama said, “If Hiren hasn’t been getting bothered by fog for a while, does that mean neither has Tanwuce?”

“I’m not sure.”

Ama’s hand shot out and she clutched onto Moth’s elbow. “Oh god it’s him.”

At the end of the grassy field, under a sprawling ash tree, was a young man. He wore a deep green uniform that had a capelet of crimson topped with brassy epaulets – the unform of a lieutenant in the Agricultural Sentries.

He was about Ama’s height – perhaps an inch taller – and his face was soft and delicately rose-tinted, with wide, narrow eyes framed in a mass of black ringlet hair, tied in a ponytail and draped over one shoulder.

Pacing under the tree, he flinched when he saw them. His eyes widened. “Ama, why are you here?”

Ama ran through the field at him. He tried to unsheathe his saber but she seized onto his capelet and shouted, “I’m going to rip this stupid cape off you if you don’t stay away, Ede!”

He raised his foot and kicked at her stomach, but she wouldn’t let go. Moth bolted up behind Ama and tugged on her. “Ama! Stop it!”

Ama finally released the young man, her eyes white all around. “Moth, this is Brohm Ede. He tried to steal Ursula.”

“I did not steal her!” he shouted, then paused and smirked. “Well, maybe her heart.”

Ama launched herself at him and they both began grappling for the saber he had strapped to his hip.

Moth shoved herself between them and forced Ama off Brohm, panting for breath. “Mr. Ede,” she said, pushing hair out of her face. “Hello. I’m Mere. Ursula’s other younger sister.”

“Another one?” Brohm groaned. “Why are country families so big. Are you against our love as well?”

“Yes, she is,” said Ama.

Moth shushed her, but said to Brohm, “I don’t know you at all, so I really can’t say.”

He eyed her. “I would have thought you’d hate me at once, for you must know I’m an Ede.”

“That’s not your fault,” said Moth, struggling to think of kind words to say.

He took her hand in his, looking at her with his enormous, night-black eyes. “You see, but that is exactly it. I felt intuitively you must be a good person, you would not blame me for my uncles actions.”

“You may not want to be blamed for Ede’s actions,” said Ama, huffily. “But you’ll certainly benefit from them – that’s why you even wear that stupid cape.”

“It is a capelet.” He flung it over his shoulder. “I take no pleasure in wearing it, it was forced upon me for my rank. It’s hot and bothersome, always getting snagged on doorknobs.”

“Ursula started dating him because of that cape,” whispered Ama loudly to Moth. “The only reason why.”

“We fell in love over this, it’s true,” said Brohm, smiling, then jutted a finger at Ama’s scowling face, “Not because of it, though, you annoying little child.”

Ama opened her mouth, but Moth hastily cut her off, saying weakly, “Oh? The capelet?”

“There I was,” began Brohm excitedly, “Fresh to my post, still missing the creature comforts of my mothercity, when I tore my uniform through the course of my day-to-day duties. Having no apt hand at mending work, I asked around for who

I could hire for fixing clothes, and found that many other soldiers sent it to a woman – a woman you know as Ursula Hevwed.”

“Ursie’s been taking in mending?” Moth asked Ama.

Ama nodded proudly. “She makes a lot of money off the dirt guard.”

“That’s not the point of my story,” grumbled Brohm. He cleared his throat and continued. “I brought my clothes to her to mend, as I wanted to tell her in detail the ways I wanted it fixed, and instantly I was struck by how smart and charming she was – nothing like the farmers I encountered daily. She was bold! The quips that rolled of her mouth, putting soldiers in their place, and me…on my knees.”

Ama covered her face. “Please stop.”

He looked on her in sympathy. “You are still young to the ways of love, but one day you’ll understand. It is love that made me try and run away with her, and sadly the unloving stopped us.”

“Oh!” Moth exclaimed. “That’s right, you fled Hiren.”

“I allowed Ursula’s brothers some time to consider their actions. I have not even been able to write to my love for fear the letter would be intercepted – but I have returned to talk to her, to reassure her of my intention to marry her, to ask her to throw off Hevwed and become Ede.”

Moth winced, and Ama had to walk away to calm herself.

“Well,” said Moth, taking Ama’s arm and beginning to walk away, “I hope you and Ursula…well I hope you both find someone to love. I’m going to tell my family that I saw you here, just so you know.”

Brohm didn’t respond, but stared past them towards a figure crossing the field, and he began sauntering out from the shade of the ash tree, hand outstretched. “Ursula! You came!”

Ursula hitched her skirt up and ran across the field, flinging herself into Brohm’s arms, nearly knocking him over. “Of course I came, Brassy!”

“Run away with me!” he said, clutching her tightly. “Words cannot express how I–”

Ursula grabbed his ponytail and tugged him forward into a kiss. She played with the curls in his hair and said, “Brassy, I have a different plan. I want my family to like you, and I want a wedding. Eloping doesn’t sound as fun, after all – I wouldn’t get to wear a dress like Priscilla did.”

Brohm was in a half-trance from her kiss, but he snapped out of it and demanded, “I’m sorry, Lala, what did you say?”

“Japh and Ira will warm up to you, don’t be afraid.”

Sweat prickled his forehead and he let go of Ursula, backing up a few steps.

“Ursula,” burst out Ama, gesturing to Brohm, “Why are you serious about this one? Of all the ones you could’ve picked, the five before him were better!”

“Not really,” said Ursula, thoughtfully. “This one is the prettiest and he is so stupid and in love.”

Moth crossed her arms, eyeing Brohm. “Ursula, think this through – even if he isn’t solely responsible for anything happening in Hiren, his last name is Ede - your last name will be Ede. It will not make you welcome on a lot of the farms here.”

Ursula looked serious. “I know. I have thought about this. We’re going to move to Fellered – he’ll get a job as a city guard, and I’ll finally be able to sell my dresses for what they’re worth. We’ll be close to his mother, she’s getting old and she’ll need someone to help her.”

“I don’t want to live near my mother,” said Brohm.

Ursula ignored him and took Moth’s hand. “I don’t think I want to live in Hiren. I don’t know if I’ll like Magden, but I want to try and see where I fit – I want to choose for myself, and being an Ede may not be a good thing here, but it is a name that opens doors in the city.”

Moth searched Ursula’s face, and squeezed her hand. “Alright. I’m glad you’re not going to elope, but please have a serious conversation with mom and dad about this, try not to be too dramatic.”

“I’ll be good. I’ll persuade them to let him come for dinner and have a proper sit down.” Ursula nodded to Brohm, who was supporting himself against the tree and scowling. “You can bring some sentry friends, so you won’t feel outnumbered.”

Rubbing his face, Brohm said, “Lala, my love, can we talk about this more? In private?”

Moth and Ama glanced at each other and hurried across the field with some forced smiles and nods, leaving Ursula with her hands on her hips, looking unwaveringly at Brohm, who’s capelet had gotten stuck on the bark of the tree.

Ama peered over her shoulder at them as they got further away, seeing just their shapes arguing and gesturing at each other. “I really don’t get it. I don’t see how this is supposed to work out.”

“I know…but, Grandpa and Grandma were terrible for each other, apparently, but I’m glad they were foolish enough to fall in love and have dad.” Moth hastened to add, as Ama wrinkled her nose, “I’m not saying it’s a good idea, I’m just saying I can’t say with certainty it’ll fail.”

“I can,” said Ama. “It’ll fail.”