Chapter 11 - The new day and new life

When she woke up in the morning, Kendra looked around her with new eyes. It was now her world and her life. She will this time live comfortably and happily. She indeed needs money but this is for now good enough.Fishing.Gathering.Swimming in the stream. Walking in the woods. Even if it seems busy it's still quite more relaxing than past life.

When she finishes buying everything she needs now, she will go to market only once every six days.

The rest of the time she will just enjoy. Gather and cook and prepare for winter. Or go fishing. She plans to make her own salt as well.

They can go a bit further away and enjoy a few days on the sea. After all, they can take rabbits with them ..or sell them. As for the house they have nothing.No garden to take care of or the animals to feed. They can just play like that. Finally.

If she has enough money she could try traveling bit by bit. Who knows she might need help with these powers of hers. Isaa...She looked down on still sleeping, child. It seems it was fated that they met. Who knows what the future will bring.

She slowly stood up, not wanting to wake up the child that cuddled deeper into the blanket. She tucked her in a bit more and left to check fish traps. It was dawn and she was wide awake. She slowly went to the spot where she left the cages. She found out that this time she seems to got many fishes. She looked around and saw one deep hole near the stream. As it seems fishes won't be able to jump out of this.

She took about a dozen big fishes and throw them into that spot. Then she took 3 big fishes, cleaned them and took them home. She will make today fish soup and she needs to bake bread. They can eat bread with a jam.

She took flour and added some water and salt. She didn't have yeast and sugar so she hoped it stands for a long time it will grow a bit so she can make or flatbread or real bread. She tried with her small hands to turn and pound and it took her long time as the sun slowly rose and shined on her. She put it to rest on a sunny place covered with clean cloth and woke up Isaa.

''Isaa. If you want, you can stay at home. I am going to gather strawberries and check the animal traps. You can stay here and sleep. There is still pancake inside you can eat it with the strawberries from last night.''She said while looking at the sleepy face of her little sister. She finally has a family, so she will treat her good so she can grow up happily.

''Brother. I will come with you. We can share the pancake and we can eat fresh berries.''She said while shaking Kendra's hand.''I don't want to be alone again.''

Isaa hurriedly stood up washed her face from the pot and run to get their baskets.

''You don't have to run. We can comfortably go there gather as much we can till noon heat starts and come back home to cook some jam. And we can check the traps afternoon. What do you want to eat for lunch?''She said while walking slowly to enjoy the morning.

''Fish! I like fish that brother caught.And some greens. Ahhh I will just eat everything brother cooks. Even grandmother never fed me as you do. We didn't have much money so we ate some porridge for lunch and some porridge for dinner with vegetables.'' she said while hopping in front Kendra.

''Then we can cook some fish soup and put some vegetables we bought. I made bread and we will have a jam. Is that enough?'' she said while looking the child that dazed at her. She seems never eaten so much food before. Is the situation in the country that bad?

For now, she didn't see any beggars around so it seems to be somewhat stable. For now, this is good enough. They shall eat strawberries for breakfast.

So it was while gathering half of it went to their mouth. As they saw that sun shone quite brightly they choose to go back home.

''It's less than last night,'' Isaa said while looking at the meager amount in her basket.

''Well you ate more.''Kendra teased her. She is so funny when she crunches her face.''Don't worry, its enough for us to have some jam for a few days. Except that, tomorrow is a day as well. Don't you think? We can come back tomorrow.'' she said while patting Isaa's head.

They came back home quite fast. The fishes she baked a bit to give lighter taste to the soup and then she cleaned and cut the carrots, turnip, and seasonings. She put first the carrots and turnip with salt to cook as the fish is fast done. If she cooks it together she might just get fish soup but no fish meat. She added then seasonings and salt and put a lid on.

While this was cooking she used earthen pot squashed the strawberries with hands to make them watery and they will be done faster this way. She just needs to put it on and gather foam. When the foam is gone the jam is done. There is not much this time so this will be finished quite fast.

She looked at the dough and saw that indeed it has risen a bit. She kneaded one more time and made a round form. Then she put it on one of the flat broken plates. On floor, she took out some of the cinders and put a plate with dough on it than she took the big lid and cowered the plate with it and put a few cinders on the lid.

She is not sure will this workout but as long it's not totally burned it will be fine.

She had one table and she put it outside near a tree. There were few stones there and it was a perfect place to have lunch. The coolness from the water could be felt in this corner and the shade will give them additional protection.

The sunny days seemed to be longer.

''Isaa is this beginning of summer or mid of summer?''She asked while looking sun.

''It is beginning of the summer. Every year summer is hot and long. After a while, there won't be any water anywhere. How will we fish?''

''If there is no water how do people survive in villages?''

''Every village has its own well. We use it every summer.''

Kendra looked at the stream and knew that there is a possibility that it dries out in summer ...she must find a way. Maybe digging own well? She needs to find out how the people in the dwellings survive summer. They would need it more than others.

She took the plates from Isaa complaining that she needs the bowls for soup.

''Isaa how should we eat soup without bowls? Sigh we will use for now the lid and eat soup out of the lid and the vegetables and fish we can put on the plate what do you think,'' she said sighing.

''The bowls are here!'' said voice before even seeing him.''It is quite far from us. This place. But is nice and cool here.''He said while putting down a huge basket from his back.

''Goluk saw me and gave me these things to take with me.''He said while pulling out the tea set and the bowls.

''This is great. We can eat soup now,'' said Kendra and Isaa while happily looking at the young man that seemed to be soaked in sweat.

Kendra felt bad for him and sent him to the stream. Luckily she moved the traps last night.

For now, no one should know about it. Humans could get greedy and try to steal their traps or spot.

While he washed himself Kendra put fish into the almost done soup and let it simmer a bit. Then she looked cautiously at the bread. She slowly took off the lid of and opened it. It was well done. It was a bit overbaked, but that will be fine as well. They have a soup they can dunk it and mid of bread they will use for jam. She took the soup off the fire and put the pot with strawberries on.

The fire was already that big and strawberries started boiling quite soon. While she could hear man splashing in the water she looked at the foam. She slowly took it off. That man seems to take a bath.

''I guess you can't bath in that dirty river and if you wash in the sea for a long time the skin might feel itchy,'' she said while staring at the foam. She hoped it will be done soon.

As he was happily washing it took some time. He came back with wet clothes on. The shirt he put over the trousers to dry faster. Kendra looked at the jam that was almost done and took it off the fire. This time jam will stay in the pot for their use. It's anyway not much there.

''Go sit down at the table. We will eat now.''She said while washing bowls.''I made soup I hope you won't hate my cooking.''

''I will not be polite.''He taught they made this food as gratitude because he took all this stuff to them. And after all, he is hungry. He worked on the stuff she ordered the whole night. He didn't eat anything since they left. So he was quite famished.

''The pot is too heavy. Take your plate and scoop as much as u want. There is a lot here.''She said while looking at Isaa that was feeding rabbits.

''Isaa, wash your hands and come to eat. Food is done!'' she yelled. She hated people eating with dirty hands. Maybe she really has mysophobia. Isaa came, washed her hands and waited for soup holding her bowl in front of her. Kendra laughed as she took the bowl and carefully put the half bowl of the soup. The soup was still hot and it will be more convenient to hold it on edges.

''You are grown man you can put a lot. We put this much as we have no wish to burn fingers,'' she said while filling only half bowl as well. She gave him the ladle and walked slowly to the table.

There she cut bread into slices and they started eating. The bread was actually fine. The taste was not bad. And the soup ended up edible as well. Even tho these two prized the soup, she felt something is missing. Ahhh yes.Red pepper powder.....

It was good enough she taught while eating it. The other two ate it with relish. It seems not many people eat it this way. Wait .the fish is quite expensive. How can they eat it...Sigh.

''By the way, I made two more knives for you. Bigger and stronger. I had some leftover residue from other costumer and made it.'' he said while his mouth was filled with soup and bread.

''I guess he is really hungry. I will make him sandwich with jam to take with him.'' she taught as she stood up and cut two pieces of bread thickly. He is after all big man. Then she taught about it and cut four pieces and went to put warm jam on it.

In passing, she took one flat plate and made a sandwich and on the other two, each had jam on it. She brought it back and put in front of him as she saw that he was done. He looked at it and looked at her confused.

''What is this?'' he looked at red stuff on bread.

''Jam'' she said short.

''What is Jam?'' he looked at her astonished. At that moment she got surprised.

''Just try it, I am thinking to sell this on market. If it's good of course. We like it but we do not know what do grown-ups think about it.'' she said while faking ignorance.

Even in her old world, the pure jams were pricey. I do not think this will be cheap.

He looked at it and slowly put in his mouth. As the smell and taste of strawberries hit him his eyes almost didn't bulge out. He didn't want to finish it fast so he ate slower. As he came to the sandwich Kendra stopped him.

''This is for you to take home. Eat when you feel a bit hungry. So what you think about my jam?''

''Its is delicious. I ate before honey but this is different. It sweet and sour and taste like fruit.''

Kendra nodded her head as she knew this will be big. Maybe bigger than fishes. She needs to gather as many strawberries as possible before the season of it ends.

She gave him his money and packed one dry fish for him as an extra. After all the knives he brought were more important than everything else. The little one, she will give it to Isaa and teach her how to use it. It is better if she has such a thing with her. She will keep the bigger one and the biggest will be for home.

He left after taking the money and the two packages with fish and with the jam sandwich.

She turned around and realized that she wanted to rest but she guesses it will get busy for a a while...