Fotheringale

Fotheringale

By Kim Ravensmith

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Kim Ravensmith

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Chapter 1

The boy could hear them coming. The drunken clamor of Fraymon Kellis and his cronies climbing up the stairs filled him with dread, and the din increased as they neared the door. He was barely two years of age, sitting at the end of the room under the window, wearing the striped hat given to him by his mother. He jumped when they burst through the door, but he was too frightened to cry out.

There he is! Fraymon yelled. There’s my boy!

He stared at them wide-eyed as they came closer. The cronies were laughing and making rude comments as they approached, but Fraymon’s attention was entirely on the little boy sitting on the floor under the window.

What are you doing up here by yourself, boy? Fraymon said as he came closer. Have you no one to play with you?

The boy could smell him as he came nearer. His breath reeked of alcohol and a sour scent of booze and sweat oozed from his pores.

Well, we will have to play with you, won’t we? Fraymon said, and he reached down unsteadily and picked up a ball off the floor.

Let’s see if you can catch the ball. Fraymon said, and he rolled the ball towards the little boy.

The boy was staring at him in shock and did not notice the ball roll up to him and bounce off his leg. Fraymon was standing about ten feet in front of him, weaving back and forth, trying to keep his balance.

What? Fraymon said when the ball bounced off the boy’s legs and rolled to the side. You can’t even catch a ball? Are you a mother’s boy?

He’s a mother’s boy! Fraymon yelled to his fellows who were laughing and stumbling around the room.

Fraymon suddenly turned red with anger, as he tended to do when things didn’t go his way.

He’s a mother’s boy. he muttered, and then to his companions Well, that’s enough of that! He’s a mother’s boy!

Fraymon’s drunken companions laughed hysterically and patted him on the shoulders to console him. He turned and stumbled out the door followed closely by his retinue. The boy sat there under the window, still in shock, having no idea what had just transpired.

He could not know that the result of the odd event was that his birth father, Fraymon Kellis, decided to disown him and laid out plans in his mind to leave his considerable wealth to one of his deserving toadies. That was the way Fraymon’s mind worked. He viewed the incident as a personal repudiation and felt that his only son’s failure to intercept the ball that was rolled in his direction was an indication that he was not worthy to inherit the Kellis fortune.

The Kellis fortune was literally a fortune of war. The boy’s grandfather Falco, Fraymon’s father, had distinguished himself in the thirty year war against the Sians (pronounced ‘shawns’) and as a result had been granted vast swaths of arable land that he converted to the production of food crops. Ironically those crops were then sold to the reconstructed Sian nation, resulting in Falco amassing a considerable fortune. Fraymon, as the privileged son of a wealthy landowner, left the management of the properties to others while he spent his time gambling and drinking and involving himself in disputes that were resolved in the traditional Galeish way, by swordfight.

Fortunately for the boy, within six months of the incident in the playroom Fraymon Kellis was run through by an antagonist in one of those disputes, leaving the boy, Faren Kellis, as the one and only heir to the Kellis estate and in the care of his mother and her redoubtable business manager, Damon Ken. Damon would be largely responsible for building Faren into the man he would become.

As a child, Faren had no realization of the great wealth and power he had inherited. He also had no appreciation for the protection that a man like Damon Ken afforded him, though Damon’s appearance belied his power and ability. Damon was overweight and doughy and seemed to have suffered from dropsy at some point in his life, as his facial features were loose and sagging. His outside appearance was deceptive, however, because he had a sharp mind and had served in an elite unit in the Army of Fotheringale in the final years of the Sian war. In fact, he was a master swordsman and an unrepentant killer of his enemies, and any Galeish man who chose to dispute with him soon regretted it.

At the end of hostilities Damon had rejected the land grant that was offered to him, choosing instead to assume a position as manager of another man’s properties. This he did for his own protection, which he required because he had a particular affection for other men. A position as landowner would have required membership in one of the dominant men’s clubs and would have exposed him to too much scrutiny, and to the machinations of devious men seeking to relieve him of his holdings. Those men would have perceived him to be weak and assailable, and if they could not overcome him with the sword, they would attempt to hobble him using more subtle and underhanded means. As a business manager he was looked on as a mere employee and allowed to pursue his predilections in private.

Faren also required protection from devious men, for if he had not had a Damon Ken in his life his safety would have been left in the hands of his mother, and that would have been no protection at all. Women had no influence in Galeish society. They were expected to satisfy the sexual desires of Galeish men, bear and raise children and work in the households of the rich or on farms owned by the Ruling Council. Some were allowed to ‘marry’ a landowner, though a marriage could be dissolved at any time by the husband. Those who stayed to serve in the city were not allowed out on the streets, and never allowed to talk to a man unless spoken to, even to ask a question The slightest resistance would result in their being put on the trail; that is sent to work the fields on the vast farms in the north, where they would live a harsh and shortened life.

This arrangement came about as a result of the Sian war, which ended just before Faren was born. It was a construction of certain members of the Ruling Council of Fotheringale, and was meant to protect the culture of swordfighting that had blossomed toward the end of that war. Mothers and daughters of young men slain in the streets after the alehouses closed had come before the Council to complain, and several of the Councilmen (who had a vested interest in the continuation of the swordfighting) solved the problem by restricting the movement of women throughout the city. In addition, they decided to resolve the problem of a lack of young men to work the farms, another dilemma brought about by the war, by requiring all young women when they reached the age of 16 to ‘serve the Council’ by working on the farms or in the houses of the rich for five years. In this way they enriched themselves by providing workers for the farms they drew profits from, and created a system from which they could pluck females for their own amusement. The laws of oppression had only been in place for a few years and had already cast a pall over the society of the country and would eventually trigger a revolution of sorts that Faren would play a role in.

Besides decimating the male population and bringing about the laws restricting the female population, the long war brought sickness to the country as well. Several epidemics swept through Fotheringale in the five years immediately following the war and the population was even more severely reduced. The Ruling Council’s solution to the problem of a surfeit of parentless children as a result of the epidemics was to create ‘orphan’ farms, which were euphemistically referred to as ‘Places of Refuge", when in fact they were little more than warehouse communities designed to provide future workers for the council farms. The children sent to the farms were overwhelmingly female, because many of the orphaned male children were adopted by the prominent men’s clubs, and raised in exclusive compounds in the Center City.

Faren’s mother Lyla was aghast at what she saw happening, and having access to great wealth, she arranged to adopt many orphaned female children. Arrangements for the adoptions were made and accomplished with the connivance of Damon Ken, who had found common purpose with Lyla soon after he was hired on as administrator of the Kellis Conservancy. He had discovered in their first encounter that she was an intelligent and crafty woman, and she had detected that he was a skilled administrator, and they agreed to manage the vast Kellis enterprises together. They prospered in their endeavors despite the occasional interferences of the feckless Fraymon, and upon Fraymon’s passing, they both breathed a sigh of relief, and realized that their mutually beneficial partnership would continue as long as Faren was alive and until he reached the age when he would take over the holdings.

All of this was unknown to the young Faren, who stayed within the walls of the Kellis country house until he was seven years of age. He had only the young orphan maidens as his companions there, and he never saw another male child until he was taken to the city by Damon. None of this seemed odd to him as he gleefully ran and played with his ‘sisters’. Often as a child he would sleep with them in their quarters, where they did not have individual beds, but instead shared a long couch, with additional room available for new arrivals.

His two protectors realized early on the value of imbuing the young Faren with noble qualities and inclinations that his father had lacked, and leaving him with the maidens as his only companions served to provide him with an appreciation of females that was lacking in most males born into Galesish society. Many young men in Galeia, the capital city of Fotheringale, were not exposed to any females in their formative years, and were raised in an environment where male behavior was all they observed. Proof that the intended goal of Faren’s protector’s was achieved would be demonstrated by the magnanimous and tolerant man that Faren would become.

Faren’s best friend at the country house was a girl named Celia, who was the daughter of a rich landowner who had died during an epidemic of fever. They were bonded together by an incident that occurred when Faren was almost six years old. He was out in a meadow at the country house, picking wildflowers while some of the other children were playing a game nearby. He was singing to himself and picking flowers when suddenly he froze in his tracks. There in the grass was a serpent, slithering towards him. It was probably a harmless garter snake, but Faren had no idea what it was and he was frightened out of his wits. Celia noticed him standing quite still with a clump of flowers in his hand, staring at the ground with a look of terror on his face. She was a year older than Faren, and she feared nothing. She saw Faren and she saw the serpent wriggling towards him, and without hesitation she picked up a stick, rushed over to the snake and smashed it.

There now, Celia said. He won’t bother you any more.

Faren stared at her, amazed at her bravery and her quick action. She took his hand and led him over to the other children.

Come play with us now. she said. Faren looked up to her from that moment on, and the memory of her fearlessness would always be an inspiration to him.

When Faren reached seven years of age, Damon and Lyla decided that it was time to expose him to the world of Fotheringale. So it was that early in the morning, on a clear, sunny day, Damon and Faren set off in carriage, headed for the city of Galeia, where Damon’s office was located, and where Damon and Faren would now live together in the Kellis compound. The carriage bounced along the rough dirt road that ran through the high country above the city, where the mansions and compounds of rich and influential landowners were located. Faren leaned forward and gazed out the window at animals grazing in the fields as they passed by. He was a wan and skinny child, though he was well fed and cared for. He had inherited the metabolism of his mother, as well as her serene nature, but he was tall as his paternal grandfather had been.

As they rode into the city, there were many sights to see along the road. They came upon a group of overseers, riding along on their huge draft horses, with their large shade hats hiding their downcast faces. They passed a group of clerics from the Founders Church standing by the side of the road in black robes with hoods, praying in a circle while a wheel on their carriage was repaired. They passed large wagons, full to overflowing with produce that the driver was bringing to market, and they had to pull over to the side when a troop of soldiers in blue uniforms with gold buttons hurriedly rode past.

They also came across groups of women with their faces covered, trudging along the road carrying sacks containing what few belongings they had. These were women who had survived their term of employment on the farms and were returning to Galeia to try and find some sort of life for themselves. More often then not, they ended up at a state agency called the Reconcilation House where they would be parceled out to work in the houses of the rich for low wages, remaining victims of an unjust system for their entire lifetimes.

Faren was silent as they rode along. He was too busy taking in everything around him to engage in conversation. Doubtlessly he had many questions for Damon Ken, but he would have plenty of time to ask them, since he would be spending time with his manager every day. His days of playing with his female companions at the country house were at an end, and he would now begin his formal education, tutored by male instructors hired by Damon.

Around 10:00 AM, the carriage finally came to a halt at the front door of an imposing brick structure on Poplar Street, north of the Center City. The house was owned by the Kellis Conservancy, and was only part of the Kellis compound that covered an entire block. A groom opened the door of the carriage and bowed as the travelers climbed out. Another groom stood at the front door of the house, bowing as Damon and Faren entered. Once inside, Damon removed his gloves and cloak and handed them to still another groom, and Faren followed suit. Then he followed Damon up the stairs and into Damon’s spacious office, where all of the business of the Conservancy was conducted.

The Kellis holdings were called a Conservancy because the original land grant came with the stipulation that all lands had to be ‘conserved’ and properly utilized to benefit the citizens of Fotheringale. Failure to bring the lands to fruition would have resulted in the rescinding of the grant and the transfer of the lands to other parties. Under the able direction of Damon Ken this had not happened and the Conservancy had actually been granted additional lands taken from other less successful grantees. Faren was to learn that as the only heir to the Conservancy he was among the top ten landowners in the country, and as he grew older the deference paid to him in acknowledgement of his position would become more apparent.

Damon sighed as he walked around and sat behind his desk, which was piled with papers that were awaiting his perusal.

Well, my boy, he said as he sat down. Here is where all the important business is done. You shall be witness to it as time goes on and you shall become familiar with it, as it will be your future. I won’t be around forever.

Yes sir. Faren said, climbing onto the chair across from his manager.

It would probably be better if you did not call me sir. Damon said. You should refer to me as Mr. Damon, which is respectful, but not overly so. You, after all, are my superior.

Yes, Mr. Damon. Faren said, holding his hand across his mouth to stifle a laugh. Damon saw him do this and he too smiled and began to laugh.

Now stop that! Damon said, crumpling a piece of paper up and throwing it at Faren. Faren continued to giggle and threw the crumpled ball back at Damon, who ducked. The two of them were quite comfortable in their relationship and Damon was particularly affectionate with children and knew that he would never have his own. Faren looked upon Damon as part friend and part father, and it was a benefit to him that he had never really known his own father.

There is something more serious we need to discuss. Damon said, suddenly becoming more somber. You must not treat the women you encounter as you did your sisters back home. You must not converse with them, as they are not used to such treatment. You should only talk with them to instruct them on your needs. Do you understand?

Yes. Mr. Damon. Faren replied, this time not smiling.

This is very important. Damon continued. If you were to strike up a friendship or be too familiar with a female, the wrong person might find out and if an agent of the Ruling Council were to hear of such behavior it could result in harm coming to that female. I am sure you would not want that.

Yes sir-uh, yes, Mr. Damon. Faren said.

Good. Damon said, ignoring Faren’s mistake. Now let us look at these crop reports together. Come over here by me.

Faren hopped off his chair and went around the desk to stand next to Damon.

Look here. Damon said, pointing to the paper he held I his hand. These are the yield reports. You must check them carefully to make sure the Head Overseer is not exaggerating his results. I will show you how to detect that.

Faren stood and listened carefully as Damon explained the various reports and communications laid out before him on the desk. After a time he pulled a chair around so that he could sit next to Damon and the two of them spent the rest of the morning poring over the reports. When lunchtime was announced by one of the groomsmen, they left the office and went down the hall to a dining room where lunch was laid out for them as well as the grooms. Damon did not like to eat alone and he had instituted the practice of sharing lunch with his manservants, though it was a practice that would certainly have been frowned upon by Galeish society. Faren found it endlessly entertaining and looked forward to the mid-day meal every day.

When they were done eating, Damon called for a groomsman to show Faren to his quarters.

Hello, young sir. the groomsman said as he bowed to his new young master. Would you like to see your room?

I would like that. Faren replied, and the groomsman waved him on and led him up the stairs to the third floor and into a large room at the front of the house. Faren bounded over to the windows and gazed out at the sprawling city before him.

This is a good view! Faren exclaimed as he leaned over to watch the activity in the street below.

It certainly is. the groomsman said. Now, my young sir, come and look at your new clothing.

In preparation for the move into the city, Damon had taken Faren’s measurements and had ordered him new clothing in the latest styles, for a young man of means should wear appropriate clothing. Faren spent some time examining the clothing and questioning the groomsman about the city that lay below his window. When his groomsman departed, Faren lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling in the room where he would grow into manhood. He examined the ornate cornices on the walls and the intricate etchings on the ceiling until he fell asleep, finally waking at dinnertime.

***

In the country house, once Damon and Faren had departed, Lyla gathered the orphan girls together and addressed them. It was time to advise them of what they had to look forward to if they followed the path set for them by the laws of Fotheringale, and how she planned to intervene to divert them from that path.

You girls have been living here under my care here for some time, and some since you were mere infants, she began, and you have had a happy life, a life without bother so far. Now you must know how life really is in this land we live in and what may await you in the future. You have not seen many older girls in this house while you have lived here. That is because we live in the land of Fotheringale, and by law, all females who have reached the age of 16 must be sent to work on the Council farms in the north or to dormitories in the city where they are made available to be selected as ‘companions’ or as maids or housekeepers for the rich. I intend to save you from being parceled out in such a manner, and to do so I must have a promise from you, that you all will care for one another and protect one another for as long as you live.

We must bind ourselves together, she continued, to ensure that we do not suffer the cruel fate that many of our gender have suffered. We must pledge now to be one family, to be sisters arrayed together against those who would imprison us.

She made them raise their arms, with palms outstretched, and pledge that they would never allow themselves or their sisters to be imprisoned and to prepare themselves to do whatever was necessary to remain free. The girls did not have a full understanding of what they were pledging for, but they could see that Lyla was serious and they wanted nothing greater than to please this generous woman who had become their mother.

Lyla understood what was at stake. She was the child of a well-to-do family in Galeia, and had been well educated by tutors before she was married off to Fraymon. She had witnessed the implementation of the new laws, and had moved to the country house to avoid the restrictions of the city. Fortunately, Fraymon had not resisted her relocation, since it left him free to involve himself in any mischief he chose to pursue and she was even more fortunate that Fraymon was done in by a better swordsman two and half years into their marriage. When the epidemics struck, she and her infant son were isolated in the country house, and it was that isolation that protected them. Once the epidemics died down, she used her wealth to adopt as many girls as she could, and now she was in a position where she could save them from the cruel fate that awaited them in the land of their birth.

Chapter 2

For Faren, the coming days would not be as carefree as his first day in the house on Poplar Street.