#udc: watmore family

[townsenddecades]

Recap 1310 – 1319

The second decade of the fourteenth century was one of hunger, uncertainty and death. This was true for all of England and beyond and hasn’t left the population of the town of Praaven and its surroundings untouched.

But, even through all the losses they suffered, the Townsends have persevered, and have grown their family through several marriages and children. The three oldest Townsend siblings have started their own families, and although Edith is gone, her two children live on.

Despite their station, fate hasn’t been kind to the two noble families of the area, the Dudleys and the Pelhams, either, with only Ralph Dudley’s young daughter Maud as heiress to the family line after the loss of her four older siblings, while the Pelham legacy lies on the shoulders of two small boys and one little girl. Not even the Watcher knows how that will end.

But on to the recap.

The Townsend Family

Current Members: 8

In 1310, the family consists of Benedict Townsend and his six children: twin girls Anna and Edith, and after them son Benjamin, Simon, Gregory and finally third daughter Helen. The family is still reeling from losing Anne, Benedict’s wife, shortly after baby Helen’s birth. In the same year, Simon ages up into a child, and Benjamin ages up into a teenager. After those two birthdays, Anna marries her betrothed, George Crawley, and leaves her childhood home to share his family’s house in Praaven. 

In 1311, Benjamin too finds romance with his childhood friend Malika, who tells him plainly that she wishes to escape serfdom. He gains her father’s blessing for their interest in each other on the day of his elder sister Edith’s wedding to William Watmore, also a serf. She, too, moves out to live with her husband; the two have acquired the Earl’s permission to farm a piece of land in the neighbouring village of Mahlsberg.

Birthdays of 1311: Helen ages up into a toddler, while Gregory ages up into a child.

In the beginning of 1312, Benjamin makes his intentions towards Malika official by asking for her hand in marriage. The couple celebrate their betrothal by having their wedding night early, which leads to a very rushed marriage when Malika falls pregnant by it. While she settles into her new home, Benjamin travels to Praaven to talk to the earl about buying the rights to an additional piece of land, which he is granted. The year ends with Malika giving birth to twins, a girl and a boy, whom they name Amye and Malcolm.

In 1313, Gregory and Simon visit Edith, who tells them about how Anna and her once tried to find the witch of Lüghaven, who may know more about Simon’s own gift of magic. While this is happening, Benjamin, who has big plans for his family, travels to the abbey of St. Wright, where his mother once lived, to learn how to read. He also teaches this skill to those in the rest of the family that are interested. Spurred on by their brother’s success, Simon and Gregory travel to the abbey to learn how to paint. Gregory does so, while Simon is held off by a mysterious woman named Elea who he feels inexplicably drawn to. She seems surprised by him but tells him they will meet again.

This season’s harvest also turns out to be meagre due to constant cold. As Benedict had spent some years making a living as a carpenter in addition to farming, this doesn’t affect the Townsends too badly. In fact, they have enough money left over to start building a cottage on their new piece of land.

The weather doesn’t improve in 1314, neither for the Townsends nor for anyone else, and people are already starting to fear food shortages. Despite this, the twins age up into toddlers, while Malika falls pregnant once more, and gives birth to a little boy named Duncan later in the year. After that, the Townsends bring in a small harvest, which they hope will tide them over the coming months.

By 1315, nothing at all is growing due to the bad weather, and while the Townsend have food put by, it won’t hold out if the famine that is now starting to develop lasts for a long time. They get a distraction in the form of a visit by the same woman that Simon had met at the abbey two years before, who reveals that she is a witch and wants to train him once his magic grows. At the end of the year, young Helen ages up into a child.

Sadly, baby Duncan doesn’t cope well with the malnourishment, and becomes the family’s first famine victim at barely a year old. This tempers Malika’s joy at finding herself with child again by the end of the year.

In 1316, Malika gives birth to a little girl named Joan. Sadly, the deprivations Malika suffered during her pregnancy cause the baby to be born very frail, so that she dies after only two months. At around the same time, Edith’s husband William dies, and the family takes her, pregnant with her second child, and her little daughter Elsie in. A few months later, her son, Wilfred, is born. The pregnancy leaves Edith very weak.

 The year 1317 begins with Edith’s death; sadly, she hasn’t been able to recuperate from Wilfred’s birth. The Townsends vow to raise Elsie and Wilfred, now orphaned, in their parents’ stead. A few months later, Simon turns 13, and moves out to begin his apprenticeship with Elea, which means living with her and her daughter Mariora. Later in the year, an epidemic sweeps the countryside and carries many off with it, among them Helen, Benedict’s youngest child. She is the final famine victim in the Townsend household.

In 1318, Gregory meets a girl named Agnes at the abbey, where she lives, when he goes there to paint. She’s the illegitimate daughter of a sister that had died during the epidemic of the previous year. A few months later, little Wilfred ages up into a toddler, and at the end of the year, Malcolm, Amye and Elsie all age up into children. Gregory, now a teenager, also makes the acquaintance of a merchant from Praaven who is impressed with his painting skills.

In 1319, Malika becomes pregnant once more. Winter finally ends, which means that not only can the Townsends start to farm again, but they also have to say goodbye to Elsie and Wilfred, who move back to the farm in Mahlsberg, which has been taken over by their father’s brothers, to help them work the land. At the end of the year, Malika gives birth to another set of twins, whom they name Frank and Adeline.

The Witches’ Coven

Current Members: 1

This household is established in 1317, when Simon Townsend moves into the Ellesmeres’ hidden dwelling to be apprenticed by Elea in matters of witchcraft. Elea is a mysterious woman, far too young-looking, and seems to pursue her own ends in taking in Benjamin.

They live with her daughter Mariora, who is only slightly older than Simon. She warns him that he better know what he is doing, throwing in his lot with witchcraft, when he arrives; she herself does not have the gift of magic.

Not much else of note happens in this household; the longer he lives with her, however, the more Simon feels drawn to Mariora. He even tells his father on a visit to the Townsend farm in 1319 that he has thoughts of courting her.

The Crawley Family

Current Members: 4

Established in 1310, the Crawley Household comes to be when Anna Townsend marries George Crawley and moves into his family home on Praaven’s Castle Hill District. This is quite a change in circumstances for a girl who has grown up on a farm, but she does her best to adjust.

She becomes pregnant quickly after the marriage and tells her family of her coming child on a visit in 1311. Sadly, her little girl is born prematurely, and dies only a day the birth.

A year later, in 1312, Anna finds herself with child again. Luckily, this time around, her daughter, who they name Annette, is born strong and healthy.

She is pregnant again in 1313, much to the amusement of George’s younger sister Caroline, whom Anna has become good friends with. Sadly, the family’s hopes that this child will be healthy like Annette are dashed, and her son is stillborn.

In 1314, the Crawleys celebrate Annette’s aging up into a toddler. A few months later, the Countess of Petersmarch brokers a marriage between her widowed brother and Caroline, much to the family’s joy. Only Caroline is heartbroken, because she had been considering marriage with a merchant’s son whom she truly cared for. Cared for so much, in fact, that she had shared his bed; she confesses this and the news that she is pregnant to Anna. To save her from dishonour, Anna proposes a scheme to go away for a while, so they’ll be able to claim Caroline’s child as Anna’s.

Their plan works, and they return to Praaven with Caroline’s little girl, Theodora, in 1315 with no one the wiser. It is hard on Caroline, of course, especially when she leaves Praaven a few months after their return to marry the baron’s son as arranged, but at least her honour is intact.

The Crawleys suffer under the famine like everyone else but there are no deaths in their family.

In 1316, little Theodora ages up into a toddler. Other than the brown hair she inherited from her mother, she takes after her father a lot, and Anna and George (whom she had taken into her confidence as a matter of conscience) hope fervently that no one will question this.

In 1318, Annette ages up into a child, closing out the decade’s events for the Crawleys.

The Watmore Family

Current Members: 2

This household was created in 1311, when Edith Townsend married William Watmore, and moved to Mahlsberg onto a piece of land granted to them by the Earl to make a new life there with him.

Pregnancy follows marriage swiftly, and in 1312, Edith gives birth to a little girl, whom they name Elsie, after William’s mother.

Baby Elsie ages up into a toddler in 1314. By this time, Edith and William, who are only poor serfs and don’t have any provisions stocked, are very worried about the food situation, but vow to themselves that they will make sure their daughter has enough to eat, even if they don’t.

They get a bit of support from Edith’s father as the famine lengthens, but with so many mouths to feed on the Townsend farm, he can’t spare much.

Despite her malnourishment, Edith becomes pregnant again in 1316, much to the worry of her family, who has noticed how thin she has become. The constant deprivation takes a toll on her husband, who falls ill and dies. After his burial, Edith seeks shelter on her father’s farm with her daughter, while her brothers-in-law take over the farm in Mahlsberg. At the end of the year, Edith gives birth to a little boy she names Wilfred in remembrance of his father.

Sadly, in the beginning of 1317, Edith passes away due to the strain of Wilfred’s birth. He and Elsie are raised by the Townsends after that, and age up into a toddler (Wilfred) and a child (Elsie) in 1318. Both of them, but especially Elsie, form close bonds with their aunt/uncles and cousins.

When spring arrives in 1319, the two Watmore children return to Mahlsberg to help their uncles farm the land that had been meant for Edith and William, in hopes of bringing in a proper harvest this time around.

Robert Townsend, the squire

Current Members: 1

As the decade begins, Robert, at age 9, has been serving as a page to Sir Silas Ellesmere, the captain of the Earl’s guard, for two years. In 1311, he attends the marriage of his elder half-brother the Earl in this function. He is noticed by the new Countess in the coming months; they both like art, so she decides to take him on as her own page for the company, somewhat to the dismay of her brother-in-law Clement.

In 1313, Robert turns thirteen years old, and moves on from page to squire, a position he will hold until he can be dubbed a knight at age 21.

In 1315, he meets Katheryn Deane while he practices his archery, whom he is instantly attracted to, especially when she starts flirting with him brazenly. It is only when the Countess arrives that he learns that she is actually Lady Katheryn Deane, a cousin of the Countess and herself daughter of an earl. Robert realizes immediately that their difference in station means that he would never be considered as a match for her.

Despite this, the two of them spend much time together and grow close, enough so that in 1316, they share their first kiss. Robert apologizes profusely, but Katheryn assures him that all she wants is a bit of fun, and that provided they are discreet, no one will be harmed by it.

Their hopes are dashed in 1317, when the Earl announces that he has arranged a betrothal between his younger brother Clement and Katheryn. Robert is heartbroken despite his assertions that he’d always known that their romance couldn’t last, and tries to break their relationship off, but it is the perspective of losing him that makes Katheryn realize that she has come to truly care for him, too. They kiss and don’t part ways, but deep down, they both know it can’t last.

After Clement and Katheryn’s marriage, the Earl sets his matchmaking sight on Robert in 1319. As a low-born bastard, they shouldn’t be good, but the prospect of the Earl’s favour and Robert’s knighthood makes the de Bellefaye family, of French noble stock and residents of the town, amenable to negotiations. Their daughter, Elisaria, is only 14, but Robert finds her very sweet-natured and lovely and decides to agree to the match. When he tells a heavily pregnant Katheryn of this and breaks off what is left of their relationship, she is enraged, but he doesn’t feel he has any other choice.

It is agreed between the Earl and the de Bellefayes that Robert and Elisaria will marry once he has been given his knighthood.

The Dudley Family

Current Members: 7

At the beginning of the decade, the noble house of Dudley consists of Ralph Dudley, the Earl of Petersmarch, his brother Clement, his sisters Lady Elizabeth and Lady Gwendolen and his mother, also Elizabeth, the former Countess. Ralph is also betrothed to Mary Pelham, the youngest child of Baron Elbenhawke.

At the beginning of 1310, Gwendolen ages up into a child, which is followed a few months later by Clement aging up into a teenager.

The Dudley-Pelham wedding takes place in 1311, after which Ralph’s mother departs from Praaven with her daughters, to take up residence in the Dudley’s country estate while the new Lady Petersmarch settles into her role. She soon becomes pregnant, and, because she feels lonely, takes her husband’s bastard half-brother on as her page, which he allows, much to Clement’s dissatisfaction.

In the following year, 1312, Lady Petersmarch gives birth to a healthy son and heir named Arthur, much to everyone’s joy.

A second son, named Nathaniel, follows in 1314. Sadly, when the Dowager Countess and her daughters come to town to visit this newest member of the family, they bring illness with them; little Nathaniel and Lady Elizabeth (his aunt) both succumb to it. In the aftermath of those tragic losses, Clement decides to accompany his mother and remaining sister back to their country seat to get some distance from the castle.

In 1315, Lady Petersmarch gains a companion in the form of a distant cousin, Lady Katheryn Deane.

In 1316, tragedy strikes again when Lady Petersmarch gives birth to a stillborn son.

In 1317, Lady Petermarch gives birth to another child, a daughter this time, whom they name Alicent. Unfortunately, the tragedies that have been hounding the Dudleys for years continue, and the epidemic that sweeps the countryside that year kills both Alicent and five-year old Arthur, which not only leaves the countess shattered, but also the earldom without an heir. To prevent this, Lord Petersmarch arranges a marriage between his brother Clement and his wife’s companion Katheryn, unaware about the romance between her and his bastard half-brother. Lady Gwendolen ages up into a teenager that year.

The marriage takes place in 1318, and Lady Katheryn becomes pregnant soon after. Sadly, her daughter is stillborn the following year. The Countess fares better, and gives birth to a healthy baby girl, Maud, at the end of 1318, leaving her the sole heiress of the earldom as the decade ends.

The Pelham Family

Current Members: 5

As the decade begins, the family consists of Peter Pelham, Baron Elbenhawke, his son and heir Richard, his daughter Mary, and Richard’s betrothed, Lady Elinor Mowbray.

In 1310, Richard and Lady Elinor are married, in hopes that their union will finally provide the heir the barony needs.

In 1311, Mary, too, weds, which makes her the Countess of Petersmarch. Accordingly, she moves out of her family home, Elbenhawke Hall, into the Dudley seat, Praaven Castle.

In 1313, Lady Elinor finally gives birth to her first child, the son and heir they had all been hoping for. They name the child Richard, after his father.

A second pregnancy follows quickly in 1314, with disastrous consequences: due to birth complications, both Lady Elinor and her little girl die, leaving Richard bereft and with only his small son as heir. Even while mourning, the Pelhams start looking for another bride, and (after some help from Mary) approach the prosperous Crawley family, which has an unwed daughter, Caroline. The betrothal is accepted. At the end of the year, Little Richard ages up into a toddler.

The Pelham-Crawley wedding takes place in 1315, after Caroline returns from a long trip she had taken with her brother’s wife, Anna. The new lady of the house bonds well with her stepson, although her marriage remains a bit distant. She and Richard the elder do their duty, however, and she becomes pregnant soon after the marriage.

In 1316, Caroline gives birth to a healthy son named David. A daughter, Josephine, follows in 1317.

Then, tragedy strikes once again. A few months after Josephine’s birth, Richard goes hunting, and is gravely wounded in an ill-fated encounter with a boar. He is rushed back to Elbenhawke Hall, but it is soon clear that there is nothing to be done for him. He dies that night. Afterwards, Lord Elbenhawke asks Caroline to remain the lady of the house, even if she will not be baroness.

In 1319, Josephine ages up into a toddler, and Richard Jr. ages up into a child, ending the decade on an at least somewhat hopeful mood for the Pelhams.

And that is the end of the recap.

The 1310s have certainly been eventful, and at times I felt a bit overwhelmed with the management of it all. I have played the challenge before, but back then I didn't switch households as much, and let the Story Progression Mod do much of the management for me. It’s been fun to be more involved, in a way, but also stressful. That wasn’t helped by the extra management of the famine years.

But the famine is in the past now (although in real history, its effects lasted into the 1320s), and at least as far as event rules are concerned, there won’t be anything happening in the following decade. Historically, there was much turmoil, of course, due to the strife between King Edward II, his lords and Queen Isabella, which eventually led to Edward being dethroned and his subsequent death. I may mention that in regard to the nobles, but don’t plan on inventing any new rules to see if they are affected by it.

Either way, the future will be interesting.

Prev: 1319, Day 4 | Recap 1300 - 1309 <--> Next: 1320, Day 1, Part 1/2 | Recap 1320 - 1329

[townsenddecades]

1325 – Day 2 – Townsend Farm 2

Malcolm is frozen to the bone by the time he makes it into Mahlsberg. Travelling in the depth of winter isn’t easy, but his grandfather has been commissioned by the abbey to do a carving, which is an opportunity they can’t pass up. So, Malcolm has been sent to deliver a message.

Elsie is surprised when she sees him, but quickly invites him in. “I’m sure my uncles won’t mind if you warm yourself up”, she says, after he has explained why he is there. Just like him, she is nearly thirteen and well on her way to adulthood.

His other cousin, Wilfred, is there as well and greets him with just as much surprise as his sister, but there is no sign of the adults. “Are you here alone?”

“Uncle Noah and Uncle Alaric are at the alehouse”, Wilfred says. “Not much here for them to do.”

Sitting by the fire in their cottage is a balm for his frigid body, and he gladly takes their invitation to stay the night and travel on to the abbey in the morning. His parents don’t expect him back before the next night at the earliest, and it is pleasant to exchange news with his cousins. He tells them all about the tensions between his parents, the relative tranquillity they have re-settled into a few weeks ago, and his new baby sister. Elsie and Wilfred, in turn, tell him news of their village and the abbey.

At some point, Elsie looks out of the window. “I hope Uncle Noah doesn’t get into another fight with Sibyl”, she says.

“He has been getting into fights?”, Malcolm asks. His cousin nods.

“A lot of them, for years now. They have a farm near ours, and he keeps saying that her family is planting on our fields. He always gets in a bad mood when he argues with her.”

“With her? Not with her husband?”

“He died in the famine”, Elsie says. “But she’s not one to duck her head and behave, that one. I just hope the earl won’t get involved.” She shudders and casts another anxious gaze towards the door.

It is strange for Malcolm to be gone, even if it is only for a little while. In all her life, Amye has never been separated from her twin brother for long. She can’t help fearing that something might happen to him on the icy roads. Her mother didn’t like sending him alone, but Grandfather needs to finish his current commission soon, Mother needs to care for Edwin and Cecily and she and her father need to be there to care for the farm. Initially, Father had wanted to go himself, but Malcolm had volunteered.

Regardless, Amye worries. Once her tasks are done, she retreats to the other cottage, to push pieces around the painted table. This is where her father finds her after darkness has already fallen.

“Ah, I finally see where you have been hiding all afternoon.”

“I haven’t been hiding”, she says mildly. “You just haven’t been looking for me very hard.”

“You’re starting to become impertinent, young woman”, he responds, but there is no real heat in it. He seems amused, more than anything else.

So, it is with little remorse and a small smile that she replies “Forgive me, Father” to that.

He sits down opposite her. “What is it that you have been thinking about so hard?”

“I was wondering where Malcolm is, now”, she says, truthfully. Then, she notices the snow covering her father’s shoulders and clinging to his deep-red hair. “Is it snowing again?”

He nods. “I can only hope that your brother has found shelter by now.”

Amye shudders and raises her shoulders but says nothing. She wonders what it will be like to live apart from her family – she knows it is the usual way of things, especially for daughters, but if she misses her brother so much merely because he spends the night away, how much worse will it be when it is her that is apart from everyone else?

Prev: 1325, Day 2, Part 1/3 <--> Next: 1325, Day 2, Part 3/3

[townsenddecades]

1322 - Statistic

Births:

Avice Crawley (Crawley Household)

Edwin Townsend (Main Household)

Lady Viviane Penrith (Earl’s Household)

Deaths:

Irving Townsend; 3 months old; Lung Defect (Lüghaven Household)

Avice Crawley; Stillborn (Crawley Household)

Marriages:

Sir Robert Chevalier & Elisaria de Bellefaye (Chevalier Household)

Birthdays:

David Pelham; Child; Survived (Baron’s Household)

Vincent Penrith; Toddler; Survived (Earl’s Household)

Wilfred Watmore; Child; Survived (Watmore Household)        

Prev: 1322, Day 4, Part 3/3 <--> Next: 1323, Day 1, Part 1/3

[townsenddecades]

1322 – Day 4 – Watmore Farm

Elsie and Wilfred Watmore have lived with their uncles on what had once been their parents’ farm for more than three years by the time Wilfred turns six years old. It is a happy day in the household; the harvest has been good enough that they are able to afford a cake, a rare treat for them.

Living with her uncles isn’t always easy, Elsie has found. Legally, the farm is now theirs – well, the lord’s, but they are the principal workers of the land –, and while Uncle Alaric is kind, Uncle Noah is very strict. Elsie secretly suspects that he doesn’t like that they will have to share the farm with Wilfred once he comes of age.

“Can I walk over to Grandfather’s farm later?”, she asks, as they cut the cake.

“I think not”, Uncle Noah replies brusquely. “There is work to be done here.”

“But Wilfred can help!”, she replies. “And I haven’t seen my grandfather in weeks!”

“Wilfred will help. But you are far older and thus, sadly, far more capable. And the fields don’t work themselves.”

“But-”

“Stop arguing with me, girl, my decision is final. Unless you want to skip the cake, so you realize what it will be like if we don’t get our work done.”

She shuts up after that and sits down to eat her cake. Her uncle is probably right. She remembers the famine. And she remembers that it cost her her parents because they couldn’t feed themselves. Still, she wonders if that will be her life forever – being ordered around by her uncles until she marries, only to be ordered around by her husband after that, if she is unlucky.

Prev: 1322, Day 4, Part 1/3 <--> Next: 1322, Day 4, Part 3/3

[townsenddecades]

1317– Day 2

The following quarter is marked by the same want in the Townsend household as the ones before. In the wake of Edith’s loss, Malika is left alone with caring for the children, which is a little daunting, especially when most of them are so young. She is glad of it, nonetheless. Having to take care of Elsie and Wilfred in addition to the twins means she doesn’t have much time to think about other worries. She is amazed enough that her infant nephew continues to grow, despite the loss of his mother.

Benedict and Benjamin do what they can to assist her, although Benjamin still spends much of his time on his carpentry, to try to keep his family provided for. There is little enough food to be bought, no matter how much money they may earn, especially with winter coming on, but he doesn’t know what else to do.

All they can do is hope that the Watcher won’t exact any other toll from their family for whatever sins they may have committed.

Prev: 1317, Day 1, Part 2/2 <--> Next: 1317, Day 3

[townsenddecades]

1316 – Day 3

Baby Joan only survives for a few weeks before a fever, certainly brought about by malnourishment, claims her.

Both parents are devasted, but Malika is downright inconsolable. She doesn’t say as much to Benjamin, knowing he would try to talk her out of it, but she blames herself. She must have done something wrong. Maybe she could have been more careful, more pious, more anything. Maybe she should have eaten more, for her baby. But how could she have justified that to herself, when she would have been taking food out of Amye and Malcolm’s mouths?

Sadly, the tragedies don’t stop there. People have been dying of sickness and mere hunger for months, so it is little surprise when over in Mahlsberg, William Watmore, Edith’s husband, falls gravely ill. She doesn’t feel too well herself, but she supposes that that is merely her pregnancy, the lack of food, the fear for her husband and the pressure of taking care of the house and their young daughter all on her own. There is little time to nurse her husband on top of it, but she does her best.

It is almost a relief when he dies, even though she hates herself for the thought.

The reality of her situation, that she is now a starving, heavily pregnant widow with a small daughter to care for and a sodden, unyielding piece of land, only crashes upon her later. She takes care of the necessary formalities to have William buried – and she grieves for him, truly she does, she just can’t think of that right now – and then reaches out to her family. Her father’s and siblings’ support are now the only thing she can hope for.

Her family doesn’t fail her. It is arranged that she will spend the months until her second child’s birth in the empty cottage on her father’s land, so that she isn’t alone, and Malika and Benjamin can help take care of her daughter Elsie. She feels a bit guilty that she and Elsie will strain the Townsends’ limited food stores even further, but she doesn’t see any other way for the two of them to survive.

While she is away, William’s brothers will take over tending to her plot, which the Earl has graciously agreed to. No doubt the fact that her sister is married to his legal advisor’s son has helped with that. She doesn’t intend to complain.

She almost cries when she arrives back at the farm she grew up on and is greeted warmly by her father and siblings. It is a relief to not be responsible for once, and she is only too glad to give Elsie into a delighted Malika’s care and rest.

After losing her own babies, Malika is glad to have another child in the house to take care of, and is soon completely besotted with little Elsie, who is a precious, friendly girl. And Benjamin, despite the circumstances, is glad to have his daughter in his home again and is looking forward to meeting his youngest grandchild. Losing Duncan and Joan has been hard on him, too.

Edith takes a few days to regain her strength, but once she feels a little better, she puts herself to work. She might not be able to help being dependant on her family’s kindness and what little food they have, but she can at least help Malika in caring for the house.

So, she puts herself to work tidying, helping with the three young children, tidying, scrubbing, and whatever else needs doing. The work helps her not to think about William or her future too much. It still hurts her deeply that he will never meet their longed-for second child, or that her baby will never get to know its father.

She is glad to at least have a cottage to herself and to Elsie – that way, no one notices when she gives into her grief at night. The last thing she wants is for her family to think her ungrateful, after all they have done for her.

Prev: 1316, Day 2 <--> Next: 1316, Day 4, Part 1/2

WATCHER��S COMMENT:

Killing sims and writing about the grief of those left behind still hurts, but that’s the challenge. We’re not done with the famine deaths yet, either.

Joan would have been such a pretty sim, too. I am very unhappy that I won’t see her pass on those genes.

[townsenddecades]

1315 – Day 2 – Townsend Farm

Hunger still besets the Townsends, as it does most families of their acquaintance. The older members of the family bear up as well as can be supposed – they are hungry because of the prudence they practise, but not starving – but Helen, the twins and especially Duncan look thinner every day. The boy is barely a year old yet, and they fear that he is not yet hardy enough to survive such deprivation.

They do what they can to make sure he eats enough, but Malika fears more for him with every day, especially because there is still nothing growing on their ruined fields.

Malika is not the only one to worry about her child. Anna seems reasonably well provisioned – the Crawley family is wealthy enough – but whenever Benedict goes to visit Edith, she looks more drawn by care. He gives her what food his own farm can spare, but he fears it isn’t enough.

She tells him not to worry, and he tries to find solace in playing with his little granddaughter Elsie, but he can’t shake off his dread.

Prev: 1315, Day 2, Part 1/3 <--> Next: 1315, Day 3, Part 3/3

[townsenddecades]

1314 – Day 2

TOWNSEND FARM

It is a relief to Benjamin and Malika that their twins are slowly getting old enough to not be screaming bloody murder night by night. There are even nights they get to sleep through now! Which is a very good thing, because they’ll need some respite before it starts over again with their new child in only a few months.

The downside to the children’s growth is that while they are less needy when asleep, they are far more active by day, and have started exploring the cottage and the farm while their parents tend to their chores. Malika likes having a noisy house, but her fear that the children may run into some dangerous mishap is ever-present, especially now that her growing girth means that she can’t move as quickly.

The twins are an interesting mixture of them, too. Malika can definitely spot some of her parents’ features in their bone structure, but just going by their skin tones, and especially by Malcolm’s bright red hair, one wouldn’t be able to tell that they’re her children at all. She wonders what their third child will look like.

The weather remains unpredictable and bad for the crops. Their plants are growing, but they fear they’ll have to take in their harvest very early if they want to have any chance at one at all, which means their yield probably won’t be good. At this point, they can only pray to The Watcher that She will guide them well through the trials ahead.

They don’t know, sadly, that The Watcher Herself can only do so much, and is subject to the whims of chance.

WATMORE FARM

A few hours’ march away, in Mahlsberg, Edith is happy to see her daughter thrive as well. There is no sign of another child yet, but she only takes this as an incentive to focus all her attention on Elsie. Hearing of her sisters’ losses only makes her gladder that Elsie survived the time after her birth when Edith feared she wouldn’t pull through her infant illnesses.

She is happy, too, that Elsie looks very much like William. It’s like having a tiny version of him with her while he is out working for the Earl.

She too is worried about the food situation – of course she is – but she’s hoping for the best. She’ll go hungry if she must, as long as her daughter is provided for.  

PRAAVEN CASTLE

Death has cast its shadow upon Praaven Castle once again. The family wishes its strong walls were enough to keep the Grim Reaper at bay, but alas, they are not.

All of it started with what was meant to be a simple visit by the Dowager Countess and her daughters to Praaven to see her youngest grandson. They still reside in Amrhein Hall – and to be frank, the Dowager enjoys the solitude – but keep in touch with the rest of the family, mostly by letters with visits. This one was supposed to be no different than others beforehand.

And then Elizabeth had fallen ill only a few days into their stay.

The illness had come on quickly, but she has been languishing for days. That alone would have been bad enough, but only a day or so after her, tiny, sweet-natured Nathaniel had started showing the same symptoms. And while his aunt is still stubbornly fighting the disease, he succumbed to it after less than a day.

Mary is inconsolable. So is Ralph, while the Dowager Countess and Clement are tending to Elizabeth and Robert, who is still alternating between serving his half-brother and the Countess and training with Sir Silas, does his best to keep out of everyone’s way. While he has been one of Mary’s favourites for years, he isn’t part of the family. Making his presence noticeable would be nothing short of an intrusion.

Arthur, at least, remains healthy, and Mary clings to him, while Ralph buries himself in work to not think about his lost son or his ailing sister. He hasn’t seen Elizabeth much since his marriage, but they’ve written, and they’ve always been close. The prospect of losing both his son and her at once, almost exactly ten years after the death of his father, is nothing but cruelty, to his mind.

For a while, it seems as if Elizabeth, at least, will recover. She’s been spending most of her time sleeping, when she isn’t in so much pain that she can’t. It proves to be a false hope. She just gets out of bed one evening, before anyone can react – and then she collapses. When her mother and Clement rush to her to help her back into bed, they find her unresponsive. She’s gone, just like that.

The Dowager Countess swears she can feel the presence of the Grim Reaper in the room, taking yet another innocent child away from her. Her daughter had been so young, so beautiful. They had been in negotiations for her marriage. She can’t just be gone. She refuses to believe it, sobbing, but sadly, Elizabeth remains lifeless.

If the Grim Reaper hears their despair, it leaves him cold.

They perform the necessary rites, make the necessary arrangements, lay both children to rest, mourn, and then try to pick up the pieces. The Dowager Countess and her remaining daughter stay in Praaven Castle for several weeks, secluded as a family in their grief, but eventually, she wants to leave this place of sorrow and retire to the country to be left in peace.

Before she does so, however, she approaches her younger son. Clement and her have always been close, closer than her and Ralph, who had been tutored to rule.

He embraces her. “Do you have everything you need, Mother? Are all arrangements settled for your journey?”

“I believe so, except for one thing. I’d like you to accompany your sister and me, and stay at Amrhein for a while, if your brother can spare you.”

“Yes.”

She is surprised at that. “I’d expected more resistance”, she admits.

“I believe it will be good for me to get out of the city for a while”, he responds, darkly. “Ralph is fine without me, and I’m sick of being the Earl’s useless younger brother.”

There is a bitterness in his voice Elizabeth doesn’t quite like, but she is too wrapped up in her own grief to want to address it now. She’s merely glad that she will have one more of her children around her, to remind her that not all is lost. There will be time later for any grievances Clement might harbour.

WATCHER’S NEWS:

Once again, it appears that there cannot be tragedy in one of the county’s noble families without the other being assailed by it as well. Even before the illness that claimed the Lady Elizabeth and her young nephew, the Baron’s household suffered the death of the Lady Elinor Pelham upon her childbed following a particularly long, arduous birth. Sadly, her little girl passed as well due to the complications. As Richard Pelham, heir to the Earl, only has one small son, circumstances will soon force him to cast his eye out for another wife, once an appropriate mourning period for Lady Elinor has been observed.

Prev: 1314, Day 1 <--> Next: 1314, Day 3

[townsenddecades]

1312 – Day 4

WATMORE HOUSEHOLD

At the beginning of the following quarter, Edith’s time has come as well. She is all alone with only William to support her – he wanted to run get the midwife, but she had been too scared to be left alone – but she manages to give birth to a dark-haired little girl, whom they name Elsie, after William’s mother.

Edith is utterly exhausted, but happy to hold her first baby in her arms, nonetheless. Although after suffering through childbirth, she is seriously reconsidering how big a family she wishes to have.

TOWNSEND FARM

By the time of little Elsie Watmore’s birth, Malika too is heavily pregnant, so much so that she feels she can hardly move. Her mother hadn’t been this big when she had been pregnant with her brother Abraham, but she takes her girth as a good sign. Hopefully, her baby will be big and strong. She just hopes that it won’t make the birth lethal to herself.

The air has gotten warm enough to rejuvenate the dormant plants, so that Benjamin and his brothers spend much time on the fields caring for them, while Benedict busies himself with beekeeping and his workshop and Malika keeps house. It’s good to have a woman in the house again, even if hearing Malika pottering about still makes them all expect to see Anne walking out. It’s not that they don’t appreciate her presence, or that Benjamin isn’t happy with his new marriage, but he misses his mother. And the gloomy weather sadly doesn’t help lighten their melancholy thoughts.

The pain announcing her labour rips through her while she is out in the yard with the chickens. She manages to call over to the field before making her way inside. Her husband had gone to the village earlier, but is gathered by Simon, who had run there to get the midwife, anyway. After that, there is a long birth and much pacing. Benjamin tries to keep busy working on the farm, but hearing his wife’s screams has him distracted for most of it.

Finally, after hours of agony, she gives birth to a small girl. But that isn’t the end of it. She has hardly managed to catch her breath when yet another wave of pain hits her, and when the midwife tells her that there is another baby coming, she is only praying to The Watcher for it to finally end.

Thankfully, birthing the little boy takes only a few more minutes. Both children and their mother are healthy, even if the twins are, naturally, rather small. The family is incredulous when told that Malika had twins, and Benedict almost starts to laugh when he realises that his son’s marriage has almost exactly repeated the circumstances of his own – from the accidental pregnancy at too young an age to the first children being twins. Stranger things have run through families, he supposes.

They name the girl Amye and the boy Malcolm, after Benedict’s father. While Malcolm’s fuzzy hair is red, Amye’s is dark, like her mother’s.

It is difficult for Benjamin to believe that he has a son and heir now, but he already adores his children, even if the thought of being a father still frightens him a little. But most of all, he can’t hide his relief at his wife’s good health or his awe at her strength. To suffer through birthing two children during her very first birth!

With their plans for expansion and the new additions to the family, things are well in the Townsend household as 1312 draws to a close.

END OF THE YEAR STATISTIC:

Births:

Arthur Dudley (Earl’s Household)

Annette Crawley (Crawley Household)

Elsie Watmore (Watmore Household)

Amye & Malcolm Townsend (Main Household)

Deaths:

None!

Marriages:

Benjamin Townsend & Malika Williams (Main Household)

Prev: 1312, Day 3 <--> Next: 1313, Day 1

[townsenddecades]

1312 – Day 1

TOWNSEND FARM

Despite his best efforts, as the year 1312 begins, Benjamin finds he is not a particularly good cook. He supposes he will get better at it with practice, but he misses his sisters and mother all the same. Now that their stores are running low – it is the end of winter, after all – they’ll have to contend with their burnt breakfast if they want to eat at all.

There is a ray of light in the form of Malika coming to visit. They have seen little of each other in the past few months – winter tends to make people seek their hearths, and the Townsends live too far outside the village for it to be an easy hike over the frozen roads – so he is overjoyed to get the opportunity to finally talk to her. Although talking is not what is on their mind in the first few moments of their reunion. He still doesn’t understand how the most beautiful girl in the village has come to be interested in him of all people, but he does not intend to complain.

In fact, asking her to make their ideas of marriage official is all that has been on his mind since he received her father’s blessing, so he officially asks her to be his betrothed. It is a mere formality at this point, but Malika enthusiastically assents.

They flee inside for warmth after that and find themselves alone in the cottage. Benedict and Benjamin’s younger siblings are all shut up in Benedict’s workshop. It’s possible they don’t even know Malika has come over to visit, unless one of them noticed her passing their window.

They use their privacy for some more of that delightful kissing, and as if to shut out the winter’s chill, things quickly heat up after that. They know it’s foolish, of course, but they are so happy about their future together and so driven by their hunger for each other that neither of them cares. Their feelings are far too new and exciting for that.

Other considerations are a problem for a later date.

CRAWLEY HOUSEHOLD

Despite the Townsends’ hesitance about travelling, the Crawley family journeys out of Praaven to attend a feast at the abbey, which Anna attends. Her husband has noticed that she has been unusually quiet of late, after she had just seemed to recover her spirits after the passing of their daughter. He worries, and those worries lead him to gently breach the topic while they are out on a walk over the snow-covered grounds.

Anna sighs. “I have been, haven’t I? I’m sorry. There’s something on my mind.”

“What is it, love? Is there something I can do to help?”

“I doubt that. But you should know, nevertheless. Because I…I’m with child again.”

That stops him dead in his tracks. It hasn’t even been half a year since their daughter’s death.  “Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be.”

He reads his own conflicted emotions on her face. He’s happy. Of course he is. But his joy isn’t as innocent as it had been when she told him about her first pregnancy. But his wife she doesn’t need his fears or doubts.

“Anna, that’s fantastic!”

“I just worry. What if it ends…like last time?”

“It won’t”, he says firmly. “I promise you, it won’t.”

WATMORE HOUSEHOLD

The Crawleys and the Dudleys aren’t the only ones receiving signs of a coming addition to the family. In fact, it seems like there is a veritable army of children to be born. Edith, too, has been feeling rather ill of late. Another wave of nausea hits her while she is preparing supper for herself and William, which does not make handling food any easier.

Other than her illness, marriage has been treating her well. Their life is quiet – especially now that they don’t have fields to tend to – but she enjoys having her own house and keeping it for her husband.

When returns home, she tells him of her suspicions over supper, and although he cautions him that they’ll need to widen their income to be able to feed and clothe a baby, he is looking forward to it just as much as she is.

WATCHER'S NEWS:

Nigel de Bellefaye has celebrated his sixth birthday this quarter.

Prev: 1311, Day 4 <--> Next: 1312, Day 2

[townsenddecades]

1311 – Day 3

TW: Death of a newborn

TOVAR CHAPEL

In August, the small Tovar chapel bears witness to yet another Townsend wedding. It has taken some more convincing from her family and groom-to-be, but eventually, Edith agrees that her family will be fine without her help, and that she should indeed marry.

Her wedding is smaller than her sister’s had been, owing mainly to the impassible roads and the less distinguished family she is marrying into. Nevertheless, Benedict uses what time they have left before the ceremony to impart some final fatherly wisdom on her and to make sure that she hasn’t felt too pressured.

Edith has assured him that she wants this marriage, and is only sad that her sister can’t attend, owing to her pregnancy. And anyway, Mahlsberg isn’t that far away. She’ll still be able to visit regularly.

The cermeony itself is just as lovely as Anna’s wedding in the previous year. Edith is equally excited to be starting a new life, and grips William’s hands tightly when their vows are finally said and they are declared man and wife.

The Townsends are both happy and sad yet again, as is William’s family.

Two of the guests are Malika’s parents, Marley and Aimee Williams. With everyone in a joyful and – hopefully – marital mood, Benjamin gathers up his courage and approaches Marley once the ceremony is over.

Marley is a bit amused at his fumbling, but Malika has already told him all about her and Benjamin’s plans. He likes the Townsends – open secret about Robert’s paternity notwithstanding – and wishes for a future out of serfdom for his daughter, so he doesn’t hesitate to give his assent to the young lovers’ plans. He does, however, caution Benjamin that Malika and he a still too young to marry, which Benjamin doesn’t disagree with. They’d have to sort out a sleeping situation beforehand, anyway, and the Williams family still has to save up the requisite money.

WATMORE FARM

Soon after the wedding, the young couple moves out onto their new land – the Earl’s land, of course, but still land they’ll get to farm – and settle into their hut. It is as small as those of their families, and the farmyard is even smaller, but there is a shed outside they’ll surely put to good use, and until they have children to fill their home, it will do nicely for the two of them.

They are glad to finally be alone, and certainly find enjoyable ways to fill the long cold nights.

CRAWLEY RESIDENCE

Anna knows that something is wrong when a dreadful, sharp pain rends through her stomach at around the time of her sisters wedding, followed by a gush of water down her legs. It’s too early. It’s far too early. She shouldn’t give birth for many weeks yet, everyone has told her so. George’s parents aren’t even home, as no one had expected her to start her labours.

Nevertheless, her baby is coming, and George runs to get the midwife, while Caroline, who has become a good friend to her, stays with her for support.

After hours of agony, she gives birth to a tiny little girl, far too small to survive yet. They name her Matilda, and Anna clings to her daughter until she dies in her arms a day later. She and George are both devastated, and the worst part is that they can’t even bury her tiny body until spring. All they can do is put up a marker in the garden.

In the following weeks, the house is quiet. Even Mary, who is a constant critic, treats her with compassion.

Even so, it will be a long time before she gets over the guilt and pain.

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