~ Dec. 15, 2008
Chapter 3~The Start of a New Beginning
It took a week for the ship’s repair. But they were headed for
Adelina avoided her father as much as possible. And he rarely talked to her. If he ever looked at her it was with those cold eyes.
“LAND!!!!!!!!!” yelled a man who was at the front of the boat.
Everybody, including the captain who was usually not too excited about anything, rushed to the front to see the long awaited land.
They saw a thin strip on the horizon which they all knew was their new home. It was a grayish greenish color, but it was still very inviting after seeing so much of the sea.
The lady’s dresses were stiff, wrinkled, and worn from the voyage. Their hair was in disarray. They men weren’t much better with their torn clothing and uncut hair.
The food smelt horrible, crawling with worms and nobody had eaten much of it for the past week because of it.
It took them another week to reach land after weaving around reeves and then the wind stopped for a day.
That week was the longest many of them had ever felt, just to be barely moving was bad enough. But at least it wasn’t very hot or cold.
The ship hit land a day later.
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Adelina’s father lifted only two out of the four trunks they had originally brought with them.
“Come along,” he said roughly to Adelina, she quickly obeyed.
She, along with everybody else, kind of swayed back and forth as they walked on land, one of the sailors told them it was because they were all so use to being on the ship.
The landscape was beautiful, although almost dreary because of out wet it was from a spring shower it must have had just the day before. The land was a little muddy but if you looked far off you could see rolling hills with a grassy covering. Overall it was breath taking.
The ship had landed about fifteen miles away from Bamburgh, but there was a very small settlement close to shore.
It wasn’t much to look at.
“Where is everybody?” Adelina asked herself. In her mind she had pictured playing children and busy streets. But thee was only a church, less than a dozen houses, and a well sitting in the middle of it all.
Though the settlement was considered part of Bamburgh, Adelina called it “Schöner Hügel” meaning “Beautiful Hills.”
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Since all these people were from Germany and did not speak the same language as the people living there, they stuck together and settled on one end of the settlement.
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Since no one had offered to take Jordan into their home, like he had hoped, he had to find somebody to live with. “There aren’t many choices are there?” he said out loud.
A few seconds later he had the feeling somebody was watching him. He jumped around to see a monk.
He was dressed in a brown cloak and he had thin brown hair. He was pleasantly plump and had a twinkle in his eye.
“Oh, I’m sorry to scare you young man, but…” he was abruptly interrupted.
“Wait,” said Jordan. He had been trying to figure out why it seemed so strange to be talking to him.
“That’s it! How are you speaking German?” he asked relieved he had figured it out.
“Oh I’m very sorry young man. I should’ve introduced myself first,” he talked quick and almost nervously.
Jordan already liked him.
“My name is Baldric, I am a monk at that church right over there,” he pointed to the small church that could probably hold less than twenty-five people. But none the less, it was quite tidy by the looks of the garden.
“I couldn’t help myself but to ask you where your parents are young man.”
Jordan kind of liked being called a “young man” but after three times he got tired of it.
“My name is Jordan. My parents died right before my journey here,” he said. He was a little distracted with the landscape. It was very beautiful.
“So, Jordan, where are you going to live?”
Jordan started to open his mouth but then Baldric cut him off. “Oh never mind, no matter what you say I’m going to offer for you to stay and live in the church. Would you like to? He asked this in an odd way.
“Um,” Jordan stuttered, he was kind of taken a back with this whole encounter, “I guess I don’t have much of a choice. I thank you very kindly for your offer and will try to not be any bother at all.”
Jordan was amazed at how this friendly monk just told him he could live with him!
“Oh you won’t be a bother! You came just before spring. God made it so nice these days that I don’t think you’ll be inside much anyway. Come along!” he continued on and on about the weather, about the boat Jordan had come in and such, but Jordan wasn’t really paying attention, though he nodded his head in agreement with everything.
They walked slowly to the church. They made an odd pair.
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Adelina and her father bought a house that someone had built for new settlers.
Adelina was very tired, but the landscape and their small house was breath taking.
Their new house was set on the outskirts of the small settlement on the side of a hill. The house itself was plain, but the many hills behind it along with the beautiful sunset made the house look more extravagant. Plus the idea of an actual, cozy home and a bed made it inviting.
They stepped inside together and her father set the trunks down.
Surprisingly there was a table with four chairs, a bed with a bunk type bed that fit under it. There was also a fire place, other than that there was nothing, not even a window.
“Unpack and go to bed. I’m going to Bamburgh,” said her father.
“Are you going to get some more furniture or food?” Adelina asked innocently.
“NO!!!” he said with practically a shout.
Adelina suspected he was going to find someone to teach them both to speak English, but she dared not ask.
He stomped down the path towards Bamburgh.
It was still a little light but Adelina needed candles, she went to the two trunks.
When they had originally packed, they had packed four trunks; one with her mother’s clothes and kitchen supplies. Another with herself and her father’s clothing. The other two had had more supplies and memory things like her grandmother’s valuable plates, and the fine sewn quilt.
She opened both trunks and saw that he had brought the ones with their clothes and supplies.
Adelina teared up when she found the plates and quilt not among the things in the trunks.
The tears started to flow, she felt alone. She didn’t know what to do, her father, she felt, was not going to be easy on her because she was a girl or because of her age. Her mother was gone, along with everything she was familiar with.
Adelina slipped into her gown, she never found any candles, grabbed a blanket or two and pulled out the bed.
Amazingly she fell asleep quickly.
I hope you enjoyed!
~Lillian
Other's Opinions
• Jan. 7, 2009
Untitled Comment
Posted by Princessleia12
Cool story
Sorry I haven't been on your blog in a while.. im trying to catch up on all my blog friends because I just changed my HSB account ... here is the new link
www.homeschoolblogger.com/SamanthasPhotography
• Jan. 14, 2009
You are tagged!
Posted by oliviasc
1. If you could have any other name than you have now, what would it be?
2. If you could name a boy, what would his name be?
3. If you could name a girl, what would her name be?
4. What is your fav food?
5. What is your brother's fav food? (leave this blank if you don't have a brother. same for all the other brother and sister ones.)
6. What is your sister's fav food?
7. What's your fav sport?
8. What's your brother's fav sport?
9. What's your sister's fav sport?
10. How many people in your family? (Grandparents, Aunts, etc.)
• Jun. 7, 2009
Untitled Comment
Posted by luckyme
That is so good! love your stories!