Chapter Text
Grian was exhausted now. He had spent the evening getting their flock of chickens back to their coop, he swept the coop, and dumped it on the compost pile. He gave them some feed, making sure to carefully secure the shed so they didn’t get rats and that he added some crushed eggshells to their feed. He refilled the water troughs for them, taking care to put the well bucket back knowing that his mum wouldn’t be happy if the bucket was left out or worse in the well water. He gave the coop one last check and fished out some eggs one of the chickens had laid before going to bed. He added them to his pocket and locked the roosting boxes up as night fell.
Grian sighed and headed into the house, kicking his shoes off at the entrance and sighed in relief, wiggling his toes as they were freed from their awful prison. Maybe after picking season, he might be able to get some new shoes. He headed in to see his mum was baking something, whistling softly under her breath and he watched her, feeling a rush of love for her. They might not have a lot of stuff, but he always had her to come home to.
“Hi mum, chickens are away for the night.” Grian told her and headed to the pantry to put the eggs away ready for liming later. He perked up as he saw that his mum had made up a pot of tea and he poured himself a cup. He sat down with a groan. “I am tired.” He told her with a laugh, swinging his legs as he sat there, trying to guess what tea was tonight. It wasn’t left overs which was good. Leftovers got tiring after a while.
His mum turned around for a moment and paused as she looked at him. “You are a good kid Grian… Miss Melody said you did a good job today and she was very happy with her crops now.” She told him and gave him a weak smile. “I remember when you were just a little baby, curled up the nesting boxes and now look at you.”
Grian felt his cheeks go red… He always felt awkward when his mum got like this… He had no idea what she was seeing or feeling, but it was always… so emotional and Grian hated the big feelings in him. He just wanted tea and supper… not his mum being all emotional over him and how big he got and how much like his dad he was.
Grian loved and hated that in equal measure. He felt so proud and sad every time someone in the village compared him with his dad. His dad was tall and strong and was a hero… Grian was so happy to be his kid but he was already feeling the weight of living up to his dad was on his shoulders. His mum couldn’t help it though. She needed help so Grian took over the chickens, did his chores and stuff because it was just the right thing to do and she would look less tired and it made him happy to help even in a small way.
Grian gave her a small smile not sure what to say, and instead let her get emotional. It was better when his dad was here. He remembered how he would come home with flowers and gifts and they would feast and he would tell them stories about the places he been and his mum would be so happy and they would even dance and sing around the kitchen.
His mum dabbed her eyes using the corner of her apron. She tilted her head back, as if it would recant her tears. “That’s a good boy. Your dad would be proud.” She told him and turned to the clay oven, before grabbing the wooden paddle to fish out some hand pies. She set them to the side and quickly loaded the oven back up with bread and more whilst it was hot. No use in wasting a hot oven when it took so long to heat.
Grian poured his mum a mug of tea, being careful not to get the leaves in her cup. “Did Miss Melody give us some stuff?” He asked eyeing up the hand pies hungrily, imagining what they could be full of… Maybe even beef. He doubted it but maybe salted beef, with rich savoury gravy and roasted veg and maybe even with the last of the dried apples and hedge berries.
“Oh yes. She was very happy with your work so she did give me a side of salted beef, as long as you come back in a week to get anything that hatched.” His mum told him before bringing over two hand pies, all hot from the oven with steam still drifting from the coffin.
Grian broke into it, putting the pastry to one side of the chickens. “Thank you mum.” He told her before taking a bite only to find instead of beef, it was root veg, crab apple and egg. Grian was so hungry he didn’t care too much. With them both working so much, they mostly lived off bread and hand pies, taking food in twists of inedible pastry. His mum rarely had the energy to make proper stews and dinners and it was the two of them now so it wasn’t really worth it.
His mum finally sat down with her own pie and smiled happily as she tucked in, before turning to Grian. “Have you seen the fish oil?” She asked him unknowingly. “I couldn’t find it earlier when I was making dinner… I was gonna make us some with the beef but you know the gravy ain’t the same without it.”
Grian coughed into his pastry, regretting his prank before he quickly changed the subject. “I made a friend today!”