Roxanna - Prolog Part I

From Black Country Role Playing Society

It had been a hot and sweltering kind of day; the sun had burnt down relentlessly upon the people toiling in the fields, but someway off to the north, Cumulonimbus clouds gathered, driven south by a cooling wind. Helena looked west towards the dipping sun, and sighed deeply; she left her field and walked over to the well, where she drew several buckets of icy cool water. She turned with a start when she heard a loud cough behind her. “Damn it, Wilbur, you scared me.”

A craggy faced, thick set, stooped man, grinned broadly “It’s been a good long while since I was able to creep up on anyone” he said pointing to his badly mauled leg and heavy stick “How has the work gone today?”

“Good” she replied “I think we’ll have the crops gathered by mid tenday.”

Wilbur frowned “There’s going to be a storm tonight”

Helena looked north, licked her finger and nodded “You’re probably right.”

“No probably about it, me legs been aching all day, and that daughter of yours has run me ragged”

“Roxy hasn’t given you too much trouble I hope?” she asked

Wilbur smiled broadly “She’s quite a little hellcat, but I’ll miss our time together when that no good husband of yours returns”

“Rupert’s a kind and generous man, but he’s not a farmer, and adventuring is no life for the children.”

“When are you expecting him back?”

“Soon, he’s escorting a caravan back, I was hoping it would be tonight, but it will probably be tomorrow now.”

Wilbur nodded, turned towards the fields and bellowed “Okay, you lazy scum, get your sorry carcasses back for evening meal.”

“You shouldn’t call them scum” Helena said with a disapproving frown.

“They know I don’t mean it.” He replied with a twinkle in his eye.

“What are we having tonight?”

“The usual.”

“Dear gods, Wilbur, why won’t you let me or one of the others cook?”

“Except for baby sitting, it’s the only useful thing I can do around here.”

“It’s your farm; you don’t have to do anything.”

“Nonsense, my father worked this land till he died of old age, I’m not some helpless cripple that doesn’t pull his weight.” He said with a bitter tinge to his voice.

Helena frowned and said “Nobody thinks of you like that.”

“And their not going to start neither, just because some wolf, damn near gnaws me leg off doesn’t mean I’m going to stop working.”

“You saved everyone here; no one will ever take you for granted.”

Wilbur Grunted unconvincingly “Is my cooking really that bad?”

“Not really, but it is rather bland.”

“I suppose it would be, to people who have lived the high life like you.”

“That was a very long time ago.”

“Some things don’t change.”

“I have, and I’m happy here. Here come the others now, shall we go?” She asked

“Aye.” He replied.

Helena offered Wilbur her arm and they joined the other workers, heading for the farm house for the evening meal.

(On to Roxanna - Prolog Part II)