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Semua Bab The choices we make: Bab 21 - Bab 30
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The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
Mary handed over the ladle to a kitchen maid, who had to keep stirring in the pot while Mary made her way towards the door.“Hello,” she said, a little surprised.“Hello,” Zerden said. “Mom is wondering if you can come and have dinner with us tonight.”“Wait a minute,” said Mary, walking over to Mrs. Karrots. Patiently, she waited for the big woman to finish reprimanding the farmer who had delivered vegetables that apparently did not meet Mrs. Karrots’ standards. When the cook was done, she turned to Mary.“Zerden’s mother wonders if I can have dinner with them tonight,” Mary said.“Of course you can, my friend. Now run and tell the boy, so you can continue with the porridge.” Mary did as she was told.“I’ll be there as soon as I finish for the day,” she said.“Okay, I’ll tell Mom.” They said goodbye and Mary returned to stirring the porridge. Mary was a little nervous about the dinner. It had gone well the last time she was there, but she was still a little afraid of the castellan. B
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1122
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
As the weeks passed by into months, Mary’s life followed a steady pattern. She worked in the kitchen, learning new things and impressing Mrs. Karrots with how fast she developed her skills. Her days off she mostly spent alone. As Zerden grew older and started to officially train to become a soldier, he didn’t have as much time for Mary. On days that he was free, there were other things that would take up his time, such as hanging out with the other trainees. But he still made sure to spend time with her once in a while. They would explore the castle together, and soon Mary knew her way around the impressive building almost as well as Zerden. On nice days they would walk in the gardens. Zerden’s parents regularly invited Mary to dinner, and Mary and Zerden’s mother grew close. Sometimes in her free time Mary would go and drink tea with Anna. The evenings with the castellan household were some of Mary’s favourite times. As Mary grew older her feelings for Zerden changed. The feeling of
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1223
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
The next day Mary’s face was still swollen but she couldn’t do anything about it, so she went off to the kitchen. She started with the porridge as she always did.“Mary, are you feeling okay?” Mrs. Karrots asked as she came up to her.“Yes ma’am,” Mary answered.“You don’t look good, my child.”“It’s just the aftermath of the headache, I think.” Mary felt terrible about lying but she didn’t want to admit she had spent hours crying.“Are you coming down with something?” Mrs. Carrots asked.“No, I don’t think so,” Marry said honestly. The sickness was not as common as it used to be. But people still shunned anyone that got ill. The fear was still real in most people.“Good, then continue with your work.” Mary did just that. She took all her emotions and shut them in a corner of her mind, and she poured all her energy and focus into her work. Mrs. Karrots noticed a difference in her but as she worked hard and seemed to feel better, she didn’t say anything about it. A couple more days pas
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1324
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
When Mary the next day was learning how to make a new sauce from one of the chefs, Jossi taped her on the shoulder.“The soldier is here to see you,” she said to Mary, and Mary knew she meant Zerden.“Thanks, can you ask him to wait? I can’t get away at the moment,” Mary said with a pang of bad conscience for keeping him waiting. As soon as she could get away, Mary headed for the door and to her relief Zerden was still waiting at the well.“Hi, sorry to keep you waiting,” she said.“No problem, it won’t take long,” he said. “How long do you usually spend in church on Sundays?” he asked.“Well, the service is about an hour and then time to get there and home, so if I go straight there and home, two hours.”“Can I ask Lady Sarah to meet us at the second guard change after lunch? You should be back from church then, right?” he asked Mary. Mary didn’t want to go with him to meet Lady Sarah, but she had promised, kind of.“Yeah, that should be fine,” she said with a small sigh Zerden didn’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1425
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
“Isn’t she wonderful?” Zerden said with a dreamy look in his eyes.“She is very beautiful, but isn’t she a bit condescending toward others?” Mary asked. Zerden gave her a hard look.“She is just trying to help others reach her level. Don’t be jealous of her just because she is above your status,” he said to her. Mary couldn’t answer so she started walking.“Where are you going?” he asked.“It’s been a long day and think I need to lie down for a bit,” she said.“But it won’t be dark for at least one hour.”“Sorry, but I’m really tired,” she insisted.“Okay, I will follow you. It’s a bit worrying if you are so tired. Lady Sarah wasn’t tired at all. Maybe I can ask her how she maintains such high energy. Then you can emulate that,” he said. Mary wanted to tell him Lady Sarah probably hadn’t spent the week working in the kitchen and the afternoon being dragged around and humiliated by her best friend. But instead, she just nodded and walked along. As they were walking Zerden seemed to be
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1526
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
“I know it must take time away from Zerden and you, and I know what good friends you are,” Anna therefore said. Mary shrugged.“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” she told Anna. Yes, Anna thought, but it was supposed to happen with you.“Is there something else on your mind?” she asked Mary, going back to her first instinct.“Yes, I think I need your advice on something,” Mary confessed.“I would be honoured to help you.”“For the last couple of weeks my friend Erik has been going to church with me. It has been really nice not being alone,” Mary started. “But the other day Zerden told me I shouldn’t do that anymore, it isn’t proper for me to spend time alone with a man. Now I don’t know what to do. I do want to keep seeing Erik; he’s my oldest friend. But I don’t think I want to marry him, and I definitely don’t want to get a bad reputation,” she continued, and Anna could see she was close to tears. Anna realised this was probably the angriest she had ever been with her son. Fir
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1627
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
Mary thought about what Anna had told her, and she wanted to keep seeing Erik. But there was still a part of her that wondered if it was worth the risk. But the walk to and from church with Erik was one of the rare occasions nowadays when she laughed. She wanted to laugh and be happy and feel carefree, just for one afternoon a week. Was that so bad? Did she really need to give that up? As Sunday came and she headed out of the gate, Erik stood waiting for her. She realised she had been worried he wouldn’t be there. But when she saw him, she smiled and waved happily at him.“Hi, ready for church and then dinner with my family?” he asked as she walked up to him. She nodded happily, as Zerden hadn’t said anything about needing her for a meeting with Lady Sarah. They walked as usual towards the church, greeting Father Link before entering. But Mary felt differently this time. She couldn’t relax but kept looking at the people around them to see if anyone was judging them. In the sermon for
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1728
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
It was Wednesday afternoon, Mary was hiding away in the church, appreciating the silence and that she didn’t have to worry about being recruited to another secret meeting. Mary saw Father Link come walking towards her. He sometimes stopped by where she sat when she was there, just to exchange a couple of words.“Good afternoon, Mary,” he said in a low voice. “May I join you?”“Good afternoon, Father. Please do.”“Here alone today?” he asked.“Yes, Erik and Ida can only come along on Sundays.”“I have enjoyed seeing you with your friends,” the priest said.“I’m lucky to have them.”“Has something happened since you are coming by more frequently of late? Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but I just want to make sure there isn’t something on your mind.”“Thank you, Father,” Mary said and wondered if she should tell him about Zerden. But that didn’t seem appropriate. She chose to go with a half-truth. “The sickness has been on my mind a lot lately.”“As it has for most of us, my child,”
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1829
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
“For those who live outside the castle, there are two options. One is for you to resign; the other is that you stay here. We have made room for anyone who needs a bed to sleep in,” Mrs Meata continued, and there were some murmurs among the staff. Mary paled at the implications for her. Her two last havens had just been taken away. No more church with Erik and Ida, and no more volunteering at the orphanage. But she knew better than to object. Instead, she hung her head, trying to steel herself. “Any questions?” Mrs. Meata asked. There were some from people living outside the castle, asking if they could go home to spend one last night with their families. They would be allowed to do that, and Mary was happy for them. She would have to make other arrangements, she thought, and despite her fear of the woman she raised her voice.“Eh, Mrs. Meata, ma’am…” Mary’s voice sounded frail.“Speak up, girl.”“If we are in the courtyard and someone is outside the castle grounds, on the street, woul
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-1930
The choices we make/Dripping Creativity
After lunch Mary headed up to visit Anna, as it was her free afternoon. Anna brewed the tea and then they sat down to enjoy it and talk.“Zerden finally told us about Lady Sarah,” Anna told Mary, both women knowing Anna had known about the lady for almost a year.“Yes, he told me you had her over for dinner the other night,” Mary said, trying not to let her jealousy show. Anna couldn’t hide the expression of dissatisfaction that showed on her face.“Yes, that was … interesting,” she said to Mary, who raised her eyebrow questioningly.“Lady Sarah didn’t seem to enjoy her surroundings while visiting, and I think she didn’t really understand Ken’s position or rank. She didn’t offer him any respect or indication of his rank. You know how cranky my Ken can become,” Anna said, frowning. Mary looked at her with horror. Not giving the castellan the respect he deserved was unheard of, and Mary didn’t want to think about being at the wrong end of him being cranky. On the other hand, she was sec
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2023-07-20
