Jennifer entered her home carrying the large wicker basket of clothes. Her family's hut was an average size for Icebor: two bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. Nothing fancy. Just enough space for a family of three.
“Is the laundry all clean, Jennifer?” Eliden asked.
“Yes, Mother,” she replied, setting the basket down in the living room. Jennifer wiped the sweat from her brow and let out a sigh.
“The dishes need to be set out for dinner.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Jennifer went into the kitchen to retrieve the dishes. The smell of her mother's famous soup hit her nose. She was carried over to the cast-iron pot set above an open flame. She took a wooden spoon and dipped it into the boiling brown liquid.
“What are you doing, Jennifer?”
Jennifer jumped and accidentally dropped the spoon into the soup. Eliden rushed over and fished it out before it could sink to the bottom.
“Nothing, Mother. Just checking to make sure that the soup tasted good.”
Eliden smirked. “Go along and finish setting the table before your father gets home. We don't want to get him angry. He already has enough on his plate with some of sheep missing and all.”
Jennifer nodded. The last thing she wanted to do was stress her father any further.
Her family had a small flock of sheep that was her father's primary business. They were used for food and wool, selling primarily to his fellow villagers.
A couple weeks ago, a couple of sheep went missing. It was normal for sheep to escape their pen every once and awhile. But when a few more went missing a week later, they knew they were being stolen.
Jennifer's father had been standing guard over the flock every night since the thefts and had barely slept. He was in no way going to allow anymore to be taken.
Jennifer was finishing setting the table when Raldar walked in. “I'm home.”
Eliden kissed him on the cheek. “How was work today?”
Raldar took off his large coat and handed it to his wife. “It was fine,” he replied in a low voice.
Jennifer came over and kissed him on the cheek too. “Dinner is almost ready, Father. Why don't you sit at the table.”
“Fetch me some ale.”
They all sat down as a family at the dinner table. Raldar ate his food in silence and Eliden and Jennifer tried to find a subject that wouldn't anger him.
“Did the river quiet down?” Eliden asked.
Jennifer tasted the soup and savored the rich flavor of the beef. “Yes it's almost back to normal.”
“And did you see Hugo on your way there?” Eliden winked.
“Mother, please it's embarrassing.”
Eliden elbowed her. “Oh come on, your father and I both see how you look at him.” Eliden looked to Raldar for backup but all he could do was grunt while he ate.
“Well I did see him when he helped me out of the river.”
Raldar put his spoon down and looked up at Jennifer. “What were you doing in the river?”
Jennifer realized she said something she shouldn't have. “I didn't mean to...I just wanted to clean my feet.”
She remembered the blind curiosity that had taken her into the middle of the river before Hugo had called out to her. If he wasn't there to stop her, she would have gone to the other side.
“What's over those hills?” she asked. “On the other side of the river.” Jennifer couldn't help but asked.
Raldar inhaled deeply. “We've told you time and time again to stay away from there.”
Jennifer sucked down some more soup. “I know but you never tell me why.”
Eliden put her hand on Jennifer's. “Evil men live over the hills. There's no telling what they would do to you if they found you.”
“But we've never seen them before. How do we even know they exist?”
Raldar set down his spoon. “I've seen them before and that should be evidence enough. I will hear no more of this at the dinner table.”
Jennifer bit her lip. She didn't mean to get her father upset. “I'm sorry.”
Eliden tried to lighten the mood. “Anyone up for dessert? I've baked a chocolate cake.”
“I'm too full.” Raldar got up and left them alone.
“Don't worry about your father. Once this whole sheep business passes, he'll be back to normal.”
“I know. I know,” Jennifer replied.
Eliden brought over the two layer cake covered with chocolate frosting. “Try some. I got the recipe from Kyla.”
Jennifer took a fork and carved a bite out of the round cake. “It's very good.”
Eliden joined in. “Now are you going to tell me what you and Hugo talked about?”
Jennifer smiled and was about to dish out some gossip when a large commotion outside stopped her. “What is that?” she asked.
Eliden shook her head and stood up. “I don't know.”
An shout from outside echoed throughout the small home. “ENEMY RAID!”