Chapter 157

Dolann had told him about his marriage plans with Yvingi, the daughter of their neighbors on Tyr. Yvingi was twenty-four, a year older than Dolann. Yvingi and Dolann had become a couple of friend after Dolann had met her during the building of their joined houses on Tyr. Yvingi's father had been the hairdresser in Ribana and as he had taken with him most of his equipment to Tyr he had continued his profession in Cantamaga.

"Hey, Cemall, why are you sitting there all by yourself. Join us!" A voice sounded.

Cemall looked up and saw that Dolann and Tribann, his younger brother in the company of two other boy and two young girls. Cemall took his drink and walked over. Dolann patted him jovially on his shoulder.

"You look gloomy, old man, what's the matter?" He asked.

"Nothing, Dolann. I was just thinking about the work that needed to be done to get your house rebuild again in Myr." Cemall said.

"With the help of my friend and my future wife's brother that will be fixed in no time, buddy." Dolann said good humored. "These two guys here will be my brothers-in-law after my marriage. This is Wikjon and the guy over there is Borall, and I want to introduce to you my future wife Yvingi and her sister Marani. Hey, guys, this is Cemall Radilan, the son of harvest leader Cornell. He keeps himself busy in my father's vineyard pruning the grapevines and he has developed a real talent to do the work."

Cemall looked bewildered at Wikjon and Borall who had a huge head of hair. Thoughtful he stroke his own almost bold skull. Wikjon grinned.

"I know what you're thinking, Cemall. This is our father's latest invention and we're sure that it will be a new trend among the young Quelan boys." He said and laughed when he and Borall lifted their huge head of hair, "It's wig, pal."

"A wig?" Cemall said confused.

"Yeah, here, have a look at it." Borall said and threw the wig in Cemall's direction. Cemall caught the wig and examined it.

"It's made of the ladies' hair, buddy. Our women keep their three pony tail their whole life. Our father is mainly their hair dresser, but when Yvingi, by accident, cut off one of her pony tails, our father thought it would be waste to throw it away, and he started to experiment with the hairs of her pony tail. His first experiments weren't what he had in mind, but over the time the result became much better and now he can make wigs for us boys which made us look more dignified. As the pony tails of women needs treatment often, our father doesn't have lack of material. You should order one for yourself, Cemall. It will make you more attractive with the young ladies."

Cemall handed the wig back to Borall and laughed.

"That's an excellent idea, Borall," Dolann lauged, "Cemall, here, is still trying to get over his break up with my cousin Chati, who is going to be trained as a Jedi Knight."

Cemall didn't know if he had to interrupt Dolann, for Yvingi frowned.

"Dolann, that's not something to discuss in public, that's a private matter for Cemall, we shouldn't use to talk about."

Cemall looked thankfully at her.

"Why are you ladies already here on Myr?" He asked to divert attention from his person,

"We're doing the cleaning of our father's former shop in Ribana. It's in the Main Street. We've had a look at it and the shop looks very messy and dirty. Happily all the cupboard in the shop are still there, but the mirrors, the wash basins and of course all his towels have gone, together with the two special chairs. Father has talk to the governors and they have promised him that they will see to it that those special chairs can be bought on Palomintar Six where our governors have lived in exile." Yvingi said. "At first there was a slight problem, for Dolann, his friends and our brothers decided to sleep in tents, while they are helping Dolann building our new house, but Dolann's mother and his aunt have offered Marani and me to stay in the vineyard building where they have prepared Dolann's old room for us to sleep. Are you still working in the vineyard, Cemall?"

"Yes, together with seven of my friends. We're all harvest boys, but we have never really harvest any nuts." Cemall said now also laughing. "So we have decided to spend our time to tend the grapevines."

"Are you staying in the vineyard at night?" Wikjon asked.

"Cemall shook his head.

"No, we always have a meal toghether with the governors' wives and then we go back to the harvesters' tent outside Ribana."

"Oh, but then my sister and I will meet you during those meals, for Dolann's mother has invited my sister and me too." Yvingi said cheerful "Marani, this will be a great opportunity to hear about the forbidden nut woods and those terrifying birds that live in there."

In the meantime Tribann had gone over to a corner to get drinks for the company. He came back with a tray of filled glasses and grinned.

"There are two droids pouring drinks for free, special order of the governor, my uncle." He said. "That little droid offered to bring the drinks to our group, but that gold colored cyborg said that they had to order to stay behind the bar."

"Those are Threepio and Artoo, Tribann," Cemall said. "They are the property of Luke Skywalker, and they have assisted my father and his men while we were working on our project on the mountain ridge."

"In Cantamaga there has been a lot of gossip around him and another Jedi Knight, a woman." Borall said, "Rumor goes that he had Skywalker an intimate relationship with that female Jedi Knight."

"Borall, we shouldn't be talking about those rumors. There has been announced a special announcement to stop any gossip about the Jedi Knights." Marani said, shaking her head.

Borall grinned.

"The details were very revealing I've heard. It was said that his relationship with the female Jedi Knight was forbiden, because she is born a princess and he is just a farmer."

Cemall got a fit of laughter, and Borall looked at him.

"It's absolutely not what you have heard, Borall. Luke Skywalker and Shaayla-Car Kenobi are both Jedi Knights. They are engaged, but they didn't want to make that public." He said. "Luke has grown up on a farm, that's right, but Shaayla-Car is the daughter of two Jedi Knights. Her mother was a Jedi healer and her father has been a general during a war. If I would tell you their story you've never heard something more astounding."

"Yeah," said Dolann, "they wanted to keep their engagement secret, because Luke had promised my father and my uncle that they would help our community to get beck to Ribana and restore all the damaged houses. That promise was more important for them than the announcement of their engagement, but, like Yvingi and I want to be alone together sometimes, they had invented a plan. Their plan ran out of hand, after my aunt Udine caught them, kissing each other in the vineyard where that female Jedi Knight was staying. After the second group had gone to Myr they have told my father and my uncle about about their wedding plan, and they took the blame for the spreading of those strange rumors. That was nice, for it showed that also those Jedi Knights aren't perfect people."

"Before those Jedi Knights came to Palomintar Four I have never heard of that special group of people. It's said that they have special powers." Wikjon remarked.

Cemall grinned again, but Yvingi saw that his grin marked a hidden jolt of anxious reminder.

"Are you afraid of the power they have, Cemall?" She asked. "Did they threaten you with it?"

"Absolutely not, Yvingi," Cemall said, now looking determinedly. "Without Luke Skywalker's use of the Force I wouldn't have been here."

"What do you mean by those words, buddy," Dolann asked.

Cemall took a deep breath.

"Luke has saved my life when I fell from a high wall, while I was working on the water project of my grandfather. I wanted to impress Chati Fonaldris, but I slipped and fell down. Luke saw what happened and used his Force power to stop my fall in midair, after which he lifted me back to the plateau were I had been working. I was shaking all over, for I was sure that I would die." Cemall said and shook his head to get the memory of the event away.

"You mentioned the Force. What is it?" Marani asked.

"I don't know," Cemall answered, "It is something unseen, but Luke and the other Jedi have learned to use it and they use it to bring justice and help people like us to get our old way of life back."

"They have fought the weird intruder who occupied our town, hasn't they?" Yvingi asked.

"I don't know exactly what they have done, but two Jedi and the governor's daughter have slipped into the cave system which originally was part of the old riverbed. There they met with some more Jedi Knight, under which Luke Skywalker, and all of them met the intruder who had very weird plans. He wanted to start a war again, I think." Cemall answered.

"And they killed him?" Borall said.

"No, they handed him to some high-ranking officials from another planet, for he was a former officer in their army. Guys, what I'm telling I only have from hearsay, but one thing is true; after that weirdo was arrested and gone, my father and the other harvest men have gone back to Tyr to tell the governors and the Council of the Elders that our town was free again."

"You just said that the governor's daughter slipped into the cave system with two of the Jedi Knights. You mean Mayan Fonaldris," Wikjon asked.

"You should call her Chati, Wikjon. She hates to be called Mayan," Cemall said.

"How did she know what to do in those cave?"

"My cousin and I we often played hide and seek in those caves before the intruder came to Ribana," Dolann said. "She knew very odd spots to hide, so Tribann and her brothers Talann and Renan couldn't find us. Man, that was always great fun when I was a kid. My cousin is a daredevil. I can imagine that those Jedi have recognize some special talent in her, for she has become a Jedi apprentice of one of the Jedi Knights, master Wedge Antilles. He's a good friend of Luke Skywalker and a very nice man. It’s just that he is always dressed as a Jedi Knight, but he never boasts about what he can do. I've met him several time and he is very courteous and ... just normal, just like us." Dolann said grinning, "I think that aunt Udine still hopes that he will become my cousin's husband, for she spoils him every time he is joining Chati's family for dinner."

At that moment Chati and Wedge Antilles entered the community building and Dolann and Tribann ran over over to them and pulled them to the group.

"We were just talking about you and master Antilles, Chati," Dolan said.

"We know," Wedge said, "So, I told my padawan that we should join you, just to avoid other rumors from spreading."

"You mean, master Antilles, what my aunt is still thinking about?" Tribann asked with a grin.

Chati frowned.

"Tribann, you know that my mother is always making things up. She always makes up stories that doesn't exist and will never become real. I have tried to convince her about the relationship between a padawan learner and his Jedi master, but she still insists that my master would make a perfect husband for me. It annoys me every time when she tells me so."

"You should be annoyed, Chati," Wedge said, "your mother is still worried about your future prospects. Among the Quelans it's habit that a Quelan woman will get married and have her own family. Look at your cousin he and his future wife have already made plans to get married. There's nothing wrong with a traditional way of living. Even Luke and Shaayla-Car follow that way."

"I hate being told, what I have to do?" Chati protested. "I have my own dreams I want to follow."

The whole group started to laugh.

"You're incredible, dear cousin," Dolan said with a broad smile, 'You never have been listened to what others told you. Isn't it difficult for you to be the apprentice of master Antilles, for I'm sure that he often needs to correct your behavior?"

Chati frowned, but then she started laughing too.

"Master Antilles often reproaches me, but I accept the way he is talking and explaining, why he doesn't agree with what I'm doing."

"So, there finally is someone who confronts you. Well, Chati, that will certainly please your parents." Tribann said, "Your family, and I like you, but I have often wondered why you always have been opposing anyone who wanted you to do something differently."

Cemall laughed.

"I know what you mean, Tribann. I once hoped to marry Chati, but I can't count the times she refused my proposal. Whatever I tried she didn't consider me to become her husband."

"You don't seem to have hard feeling against her," Wikjon remarked.

"I haven't. We're friends. Chati has convinced me that she would make me unhappy if we would marry, and she is right. She is too independent to be a house wife, running a house hold and raising kids." Cemall said and nodded friendly at Chati who had a reddish glow on her cheek. "In the future I can boast that I have a Jedi Knight as a female girlfriend and she will always be welcome in my house."

"I hope that your future wife, Cemall, won't be jealous about that friendship." Dolann said.

Yvingi and Marani rose.

"We have to leave. Dolann, you've promised to bring Marani and me to your mother." She said.

Dolann nodded and laughed.

"I'm not yet married, but I already have to do what my future wife wants. See you later, guys. Oh and, Cemall tomorrow I will show the plan of what I have in mind for my ... eh, sorry love, our new house."

"I'm coming with you, Dolann," Chati said and jumped to her feet. "I have promised my mother to help her with the last parts that need to be cleaned in the vineyard building. I also will sleep there tonight.

She turned to Wedge Antilles, who nodded.

"If needed, Chati, I will come to the vineyard tomorrow to pick you up, but you certainly spend some time with your family. May the Force be with you." Wedge said.

"May the Force be with you, master, and pleasant dreams," Chati said and left with her cousin and Yvingi and Marani.

The other boys greeted Cemall and Wedge Antilles and left. Wedge looked at Cemall.

"Shall I bring you to the harvester's tent, Cemall," Wedge asked. "I will join the crew on the Falcon."

"Yes, please, master Antilles, for it's still quite a walk to get there." Cemall said.

Wedge and he left the community building after having said goodbye to Threepio and Artoo.

Manall looked at his visitor and rose immediately.

"I understand your visit to me, master Usavon. Shall we go to see my grandson Filann?"

Theron Usavon looked a bit amazed, but he at once nodded in agreement.

"I was told that your grandson was staying here with you, master Manall," He said.

"Filann is helping to restore the large farm house of farmer Jecolin." Manall said.

"Farmer Jecolin, I thought ..."

"His daughter, master Usavon. She has set herself the duty to restore the family farm. My grandson is helping her with the more difficult restoration and necessary repairs."

"I have my speeder outside, master Manall. Shall we go now?"

"Yes, for I sense you want to speak with Filann about a serious issue, right?" Manall said as he donned his coat.

The speeder followed the street to the eastern outskirts of Ribana and took the path up the hills to the farm house. Master Usavon stopped and together with Manall he went up to the entrance which was wide open. They heard laughing and for a moment Manall smiled, before he entered.

"Filann, Anddra, it's me. I'll have a visitor with me who wants a word with you, Filann.

Anddra Jecolin came out of the kitchen, followed by Filann. They both were still laughing as they walked over to Manall and Theron Usavon.

"Welcome, master Master Manall," Anddra said with a smile. "I'm sorry that I'm still laughing. Filann has tried to explain how I should make the harvesters' broth, but I must have done something wrong, for he wasn't pleased with the result."

"It's not an easy recipe, Anddra, and you have to add the ingredients one by one, but I want to introduce master Theron Usavon to you and Filann. He wants to have a word with my grandson." Manall said.

"Don't stay in the hall," Anddra said and walked ahead to the living room. She opened the door and made an inviting gesture.

"This is the only room which has be restored so far. Originally this was the dining room, but for the time being I use it to relax after a day of cleaning and dusting. It's not really the way I like it, but changes have to wait until the rest of the farm has been restored."

"My dear girl, you have done a wonderful job. This room has the similar appearance as your living room on Tyr," Manall said and pressed Anddra's arm reassuringly.

Anddra smiled relieved at him and Theron Usavon.

"Filann, your grandfather and master Usavon have come for you. I don't want to take part in what they have to discuss with you, but before you start talking I will make you some drinks. I have cav, choc and herb tea." Anddra said.

"For me a cav, Anddra," Manall said.

"The same for me, ma'am," Theron Usavon said nodding

"Please, take a seat in those armchairs. Filann, you should use the chair from my sleeping room." Anddra said and pointed to the end of the corridor. She followed Filann as he went to her private room and saw how his hand trembled as he picked up the chair. She put her hand over his.

"What makes you so nervous, Filann?" She whispered. "Go and listen to what master Usavon has to say."

"His son is Sumall's lover, Anddra. Maybe he is going to tell me that he disagrees with their wedding pledge." He said looking unhappy.

"As always you're thinking the worst should happen, Filann. Sumall is living in Thero's family after her father didn't want her to take his daughter back in his house hold. Now go, don't let them wait for too long." She whispered and looked into his eyes.

With a sigh Filann took up the chair and walked back to the living room. Anddra disappeared to the kitchen to make the drinks. As she entered the room again she noticed that Manall was talking to his grandson in a reassuring way and Theron Usavon seemed interested in the work that needed to be done. She placed the drinks on the coffee table together with a plate with some cookies, after having greeted the visitors she left and closed the door behind her.

Theron Usavon looked at the young adult harvest man.

"Master Radilan, I have come to thank you for the way to brought the solution at the hearing of the Harvest Council. I appreciate how you asked my son to take care of Sumall Pohinn and added that he probably will be a better choice for her. I have had a talk with Sumall and she has told me how she felt after she had heard that you would become her husband. I have to admit that I wasn't aware of what my son and she had agreed upon after they had left their school education. Maybe I would have interpreted it as a not solid pledge of friendship, but while Thero grew up I noticed that he wasn't the happy boy he always had been. That especially was the case when your father and Sumall's father made a public announcement that you and Sumall had become husband and wife. You seemed to have accepted the announcement, for you have build a new house, made all the furniture and bought Sumall everything she needed to run her new house hold. That must have cost you a fortune, hasn't it?" Theron Usavon explained.

"I had saved all the credits I had earned while working in Cantamaga as a harvest man, master Usavon, but yes, building and furnishing a complete new house hold has taken up most of my savings."

"And your marriage hasn't been successful," Theron concluded.

"That's an understatement, master Usavon. My marriage with Sumall has never existed. I'm not her husband and she isn't my wife." Filann with more emphasis then he intended while Manall looked at him.

"I understand that what you have been through these years has brought dissatisfaction, disappointment and frustration, for you had done your best to please your wife, but she never has shown her appreciation for what you have done. I have told Sumall that the way she has treated you has my strictest disapproval, for I wanted to convince her that once she would be my son's wife I would accept the same kind of behavior as she has shown to you."

"She wasn't aware of her duties were as a wife, master Usavon. She's was, and still is, an under aged, immature young girl. After my grandfather has told me the truth about her and your son I can't blame her for what she did to me. What's more I feel respect for her that she has kept her promise to Thero during the time of our marriage. I'm glad that my marriage with her will be canceled, for our failed relationship has made both of us unhappy."

"You've a very forgiving character, master Radilan," Thero Usavon said showing his admiration about Filann's words. "I can tell you that Sumall Pohinn also has filed a request to have her marriage with Filann Radilan canceled. You have already done the same, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have personally brought my request to the Council of the Elders which will decide about my future and Sumall's." Filann said stiffly. "I hope that there will be a decision soon."

"I understand, master Radilan, and you should know that my whole family supports you. I must say, that I've never been aware of the habit of forced marriages among the harvest families. My business has always taken place in Ribana and although I have had customers in the harvest families, the habit of forces marriages hasn't have my attention.

Master Radilan, I will use all my influence on the Council of the Elders to decide as fast as possible about your failed marriage."

"Thank you, master Usavon. It will certainly be a relief to me when I know that I'm no longer tied up to Sumall Pohinn. I wish her and your son all the happiness in their future life together. I only want my freedom back."

"Of course, that's why I have come to talk to you, for you have lost a considerable amount of credits, building the house you thought would be your future home."

"I don't mind, master Usavon. Sumall may have it. It's hers, along with all that goes with it." Filann said.

Theron Usavon looked at his young adult Quelan fellow.

"Sumall had shown the house to my son and told him how much she would love it to take most of it with her once she would be married to Thero. Of course, my son wasn't pleased with her words, for he sought that she still was feeling affection for you, but after a thorough word between my son, Sumall and me, it has become clear that Sumall appreciates the way the house has been built. How you have assembled the furniture, taking into account her wishes. Finally my son became convinced that he should accept that Sumall wants to use parts of the house to build their future house here on Myr. That means the house you have build will be dismantled and parts which can be use in their future house will be transported to Ribana at some moment."

Filann wanted to shrug his shoulder, but he saw the warning look of his grandfather in time.

"That OK, with me, master Usavon. I've said earlier that I leave the house to Sumall."

"Master Radilan, I will buy the house and compensate you for all the costs you incurred to build it." Theron Usavon said. "I am willing to pay two hundred thousand credits to own it."

Filann looked at him and slowly he began to smile a bit.

"That's a very generous offer, master Usavon. We have a deal. I accept the amount you've just mentioned." He said.

Theron Usavon pick up the bag he had been carrying and took out a pouch. He opened it and counted the amount in coupons of a thousand credits on the coffee table in front of Filann.

Filann looked at the growing numbers of coupons and didn't know how to respond. When Theron Usavon had been finished he produced a sheet and held it out to Filann.

"This amount is yours, master Radilan, the moment you have signed this transfer letter. I hope you understand that as a business man I want to be covered in my transactions. You can sign both sheets underneath and I will also sign them. You will also get a signed copy and take the amount of credits that I counted out here."

Filann looked at Manall who handed him a stylus. He thanked his grandfather with a slight nod and signed both sheets. Thero Usavon did the same, after which put the amount of credits in the pouch and handed the pouch and one of the sheets to Filann. Filann suddenly noticed that Theron Usavon looked relieved.

"Master Usavon, I'm glad to have done business with you. The house is yours." He said.

Theron Usavon stood up and looked at Manall who rose too.

"I am glad that you understood the situation so well, Master Radilan. I wish you good luck for the future. As soon as I know what the Council has decided I will inform you."

"Thank you for your intervention, master Usavon, to give Sumall a more happier prospect for the future." Filann said and guided his visitor to the door.

Before he entered the farm house again he silently watch as the speeder disappeared along the path back to Ribana. When he closed the door of the farm Anddra walked over to him. He smiled and handed her the signed sheet. Astounded she read it, then she looked up at him.

"Now you're a rich man, Filann, now you can make plans for your future." She said and Filann heard the hesitant sound in her voice.

"Now we can restore this farm to it's former beauty, Anddra. Don't think I will leave you. I have promise you my help, and that promise I won't break. These credit will allow us to buy every thing we need to make this farm as cozy as your house on Tyr." Filann said and took her in his arms.

"You said I can make plans for my future, Anddra, well my future lies here." He said and pressed her head against his chest.

"It's your money, Filann, not mine. I don't posses anything." She mumbled against his tunic.

"But I want to share it with you and I want to see that you will become a happy laughing woman who has confidence in her own future again." He whispered

"Only if you will be part of that future, Filann." Anddra answered.

"That a deal, my lovely Anddra. Do I have to put that promise also on a signed sheet," He said grinning.

Anddra shook her head and looked up at him. She put her arms around his neck.

"You're a fool, Filann Radilan, and you know it, but there no lovelier fool for me." She said as she stroke his bolt head.

Tronama and her daughters had been brought to their future house. Cornell had given them as much as cleaning agents and cloths as had been made available per harvest family. The three girls looked at the garden and turned to their mother.

"Shall we try to get some weed from the garden, mother, and clear the path to the front door," Girinn asked. "Pelunn and I would love to be outside."

"That's a good plan, Girinn. Bolann can help me cleaning the first rooms at the ground floor and main hall. Bolann, you should help me at the entrance and the main hall, so your father will have a good view if any repairs will be needed there."

"I wanted to cleaning my room upstairs, mothers?" Bolann protested.

Tronama shook her head.

"We will discuss the rooms on the first floor after we have furnished the ground floor, Bolann. You have told your father and me which room you liked, but we will have looked at what you want later. There's a lot to do here. It's really annoying that the intruder has looted everything what he could take. Your father has told me that one of the Jedi Knights said that he has stored most of the furniture in those cave, but he wasn't make use of it."

"Mother, if we have done all the cleaning we can go back to Cantamaga and bring the furniture of our old house to that new one." Bolann said.

"Your father has already taken some of spare furniture to Ribana, Bolann. I have asked him to bring a table and chairs with him, and I already packed the curtains from our living room, but refurnishing this house needs good planning and I leave that to your father." Tronama said.

"Mother?" Girinn asked and Tronama turned to her daughter.

"Yes?" She asked and look at her second daughter.

"Will you and father quarrel as much as you two have done?" The girl asked.

Tronama was silent for some moments, then she shook her head.

"I can't tell you, Girinn, but your father and his men will be away again to harvest nuts again. In the past he was away for months, but that was before you and Pelunn were born. Your brothers, Bolann and me stayed on Myr while he was away. While we lived at Cantamaga your father was always at home."

"Father is always so curtly, mother," Pelunn complained, "He doesn't want Girinn and I laugh together if we're having fun."

"Your father will have his old tasks again, girls. As I said he will be away to Tyr to harvest nuts again."

"Then he has to enter the forbidden forest with the dangerous birds." Bolann said.

"It's no longer forbidden to take the fallen nuts. Your eldest brother has taken care that those birds would do anything harmful again when your father and the other are gathering fallen nuts." Tronama answered, and she realized that a part of her old way of living would return as soon as all the harvest families and the Quelans from Ribana would have returned to Ribana.

"Will Filann, Cemall and Lorann also live with us," Pelunn asked.

Tronama shook her head.

"Your two eldest brothers will live in Ribana, but not with us, and that also will be the case with Lorann. He will live again with your grandfather. So this house will be for the three of you and your father and me, but we've done enough talking, shall we start with the cleaning. Bolann, come with me. Your father has put everything we need in a crate and brought it already here. Girinn, Pelunn, we still lack good garden tools, but I have taken a rake and a hoe from the storage tent. See, what you can do, and if those tools are too big for you I will ask your father to get some other smaller tools, if they are available. We need to improvise, girls, but I really like this house. It's so much larger than the one we had in Cantamaga. The garden is also much larger and I'm thinking of using part of the backyard to have two are three nagawas and kochins, and maybe you also could have a favorite animal there."

"The garden is very large, mother. I would love to have animals around the house."

"Keeping animals will so bring a lot of work, girls, but it's rewarding. I remember that when I was a young girl that my parents had many kochins in the garden. Their green eggs are delicious and my mother sold them on the market in Ribana." Tronama said, as she was looking in the distance. "That seems all have happened a very long time ago, although we have been away only eight years."

She felt some sad emotional feeling, but got her composure and walked over to the entrance. Bolann followed her and Girinn and Pelunn took the rake and the hoe and began to scrap the weeds from the overgrown path. The two girls had difficulties to handle the tools which were much too large for them. Girinn looked around and pointed to some branches.

"If we use those branches we can scratch those weeds much easier." She said and handed her sister another branch. The two girls were sitting on their knees and paying fully attention on the weeds between the joints of the slaps that mark the path, that they weren't aware that someone had walked over and was watching.

"What are you doing, Girinn," A laughing voice said.

Girinn looked up and saw the joyful face of Wilton Allran. She rose and walked over to him, but she cast a quick glance at the house.

Pelunn and I are taking out the weeds of our garden. My mother gave us those tools, but they are too big for us." She said.

"Are you going to live in this house?" Wilton asked.

Girinn nodded. Pelunn had also stopped and now stood next to her sister.

"We want the path to be neat and proper, but it's difficult work." Girinn said.

"Wait, I'll ask my father," Wilton said and ran over to the slant opposite house. Girinn saw him run around the house and minutes later he reappeared with his father who he pulled to where Girinn stood waiting. Kuriann Allrann looked at the two small girls and smiled at them.

"You want to clean the path to your new house, won't you?" He said.

Girinn and Pelunn nodded.

"We used a branch, but that doesn't work, sir," Girinn said.

"I'll get you a brush, which will do the job much easier. I'll be right back, girls. You should keep my son company." Kuriann said and went back to his own house.

Girinn looked at Wilton.

"We may not talk to other boys. My mother doesn't want that, but it's nice of your father to help us." She said.

"Why aren't you allowed to talk to other boys?" Wilton asked inquisitively.

"Because we already have a boyfriend and if we talk to other boys then he will be jealous and then he doesn't want to marry us, when we are old enough. Don't you have a girlfriend. Wilton?"

"A girlfriend. Do you mean a girl I'm going to marry one day? No, I haven't." The boy said looking amazed.

At that moment Tromama came out of the house and saw Kuriann Allrann coming over to the garden fence, handing two special brushes to Girinn and Pelunn. Kuriann raised his hand in a friendly greeting. At first Tronama wanted to take her daughters inside the house, but then she reminded that the traditional habit she had always maintained had been discarded. Still she didn't know immediately how to cope with the new change in the lives of the harvest family. Reluctantly she joined her daughter and the young boy and his father. With a nod she greeted them. Girinn looked up to her mother.

"Mom, Wilton and his father wanted to help us to clean the path, for Pelunn and I can't handle the tools. Wilton's father gave us these brushes." Girinn said in a small voice.

"Hello master Allrann. It seems that we are neighbors now." Tronoma said.

"My wife already told me, ma'am. She is really glad to see a familiar face." Kuriann answered.

"I haven't spoken to Hajonn, after those hearings on Tyr. There have been a lot of changes among the harvest families,"

"Those changes will be for the best, ma'am. Master Manall is right. He must have seen what was wrong among the harvest families." Kuriann said. "What is your husband thinking of the changes, for he is one of the harvest leaders. When everyone will be living here in Ribana again, the harvest men will be the only one who will go to Tyr again. I'm told that not all of them will go together. There will be three groups under different leaders: I will work under master Roshann who has been my neighbor on Tyr. I'm very glad that I won't be away for many months to harvest the nuts."

"I haven't heard what has decided, master Allrann. Cornell and I haven't discussed it yet." Tronama said carefully.

"I also don't know the precise details, but the group which goes to Tyr will stay there only for a month and another group will be send to Tyr to carry on harvesting the nuts. There also has to be done maintenance work at the water flow project campsite. Every group seems to be going there for a standard two weeks, but master Manall has promised that he will explain everything in details to his co-leaders, and he also will join the groups himself."

"You're going to Tyr again, master Allrann?"

"Sure, ma'am, I'm a harvest man. I love the nut forest, and I'm glad that there has been an agreement between us and those birds. They will not attack us, as long as we only gather fallen nuts, as we did in the past under master Manall, but I'm also glad that I won't be away for three or more months for I want to spend much time with my boys and my wife." Kuriann answered.

Somewhat surprised Tronama looked at Kuriann Allrann who radiated a very content view on his new life in Ribana.

"Thank you, master Allrann, for your support. I'm sure that my girls can do their chores much better with those brushes."

"Kalonn and Wilton can also help them, if you want. The path to our house is already cleared of weeds. It's necessary to keep my boys and your girls busy with chores they can carry out easily, otherwise their stay here will be annoying for them."

"That's right. If your sons want to help Girinn and Pelunn I'm sure they will enjoy it. Won't you girls?" Tronama asked and looked at her youngest daughters. Girinn started smiling and nodded.

"That's settled then," Kuriann said. "I will tell my boys that your daughters need some help, and I'm sure they will do their best to please them."

"Father, can I already stay with Girinn, then I can show her how we cleared the weeds of our path," Wilton said why he pulled Kuriann's jacket.

"That's OK with me, boy. When your mother and I will leave to get back to the tents I'll pick you up here. Maybe Kalonn will also come over."

Wilton pushed the garden gate aside and entered the neighboring garden. He looked at Girinn

"Come on, Girinn. I'll show you. It's easy. Pelunn, you take the other brush. Dad, do we have more brushes." He asked as he looked up to this father.

"We will bring more brushes tomorrow, Wilton, so you and Kalonn can have a brush too." Kuriann said.

Wilton sat down on his knees and began to show Girinn how she should use the brush to clear the weeds between the joints. Tronama remained looking for a moment at the two young children. As she looked up at Kuriann Allrann she suddenly became fully aware what had been wrong among the harvest families. She recalled what she had said to her father-in-law about her regret to make an marriage agreement with Honyan Pohinn's daughter Sumall to become Filann's wife. That agreement had become a disaster. It probably was good that all the existing agreements had been discarded.

"Thank you, master Allrann. Give my greetings to Hajonn. I hope to meet her one of these days." Tronama said as she wanted to walk over to the door.

"Hajonn already knows we're neighbors. She loves it, ma'am. I'm sure that she will come over to you, while you're here." Kuriann said and walked back to his own house.