h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Day 20:


Pato wakes up and remembers it is now nine days since leaving the mountain in a very hasty manner and about three days past the day they would have normally returned home, so time is ticking. Placing a cold hand between Aryna’s bare shoulder blades proves to be a quick but slightly risky way to wake her. Just after the high-pitched scream, Pato has to duck to avoid a pillow aimed for his head. Seeing Pato’s greedy eyes, Aryna then decides to opt for decency and keep revenge for later. Knowing they need to leave early, she starts dressing instead.

In a haze of semi-consciousness, Joni wonders how a rock has been able to creep into his bed without his knowledge, before stroking Keela’s hair and turning over once more, unsnoringly

Yusna has slept at her parents’ house last night, now that Aggen is gone. It is much quieter than it used to, now that Keela moved in with Joni at his parents’ house.

The farewell party consists of Vinco and Bora, Keela and Joni, Yusna’s and Aryna’s parents and Avi and his wife. Hugs and tears are exchanged in major quantities.

Avi puts some extra things in Yusna’s saddlebags. “For later” he says in a hushed tone of voice. He would have liked her to stay as his daughter-in-lore (She always seemed to be the brightest of the two sisters) but knows that for her sake, it is better to move on. Maybe, if Pato’s promise proves to be truthful, this might not be the last time she is seen here anyway.

It is still quite early as the trio rides off under an orange sky, following the river. A mix of evergreens and birch hides the still craggy ridges from view most of the time. The horses appear to enjoy making a trip as well.

Pato, who rides in front, is happy to see that the trail they follow is much easier than the gorge he had to travel through with Bora. The thought of his sister makes him once again vow to himself to return quickly and regularly, if in any way possible. If this route proves to stay as easy as it is now, he wonders why nobody else has decided on taking this instead of the arduous trek over the mountain. Did nobody know or has it been kept secret on purpose? Pato intends to find that out.

Now that her brother and two of her sisters-in-lore have left, Bora finally gets to think about her future. The first step will be to convince Vinco that they need a place of their own, preferably a bit more in the style used by her old Clan, with more space and multiple rooms and out of hearing distance from Avi and his wife. That is another thing on her to do list, getting to know her mother-in-lore. So far she has been like a shadow in the background. Let’s see what she knows, being married to the current Chief.

Yusna enjoys being out in the open again, let the wind clear her head for her. Her horse seems quite docile to her, which is fine. That is why she picked this mare in the first place. So far the horse is carrying her and her significant luggage without complaint or apparent effort. She is glad that the mountain is now hidden from view. Only a plume of smoke and vapour reminding of the incidents of the past.

Aryna rides at the back, sad to leave her Clan behind, happy because of the unplanned company of Yusna when going to her new clan. With both Pato and Yusna apparently in deep thought, she starts planning her revenge on Pato, then wonders if the cold hand strategy could be considered an act of revenge in itself, after the braiding incident yesterday. No, this will not go unpunished. Maybe Yusna has some ideas.

Vinco oversees the finishing work on Aggen’s tomb, applying the layer of earth and stone on top of the wooden roof. As a finishing touch, he plants some of his late brother’s favourite heather on top of it. Next year it will bloom purple, so that he will not be forgotten. He realises that the time has come to arrange some offspring, to make sure his own legacy will not be forgotten as well. Time to go home and discuss this with Bora.

Good. We want to know what awaits them on the way back.

Will we find out what happened to Pato's horses?

You might find that out just yet.

(thanks for reminding me)

Good story! Lots of things to think about.

They had pillows back then?

Good point, which I have taken into consideration. They might have. Or something like it. For the sake of readability I didn't go for "rolled up sheep skin". Problem is that over that amount of time, fabrics are considered perishable goods, so any existing pillows would not have survived to the current date.

I'm sure there were pillows. They could have been made of anything.

Okay. I guess feathers in some sort of fabric sack....

If history were rewritten as farm lore, you could have had the sack of Romas.

Pillow, Alanic, 7th-9th Century CE:

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/327587?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=pillow&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=10

Egyptian pillow, 7th Century BCE:

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/243726?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=pillow&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=19

I think there were always pillows of some kind.