A Tinn’s tale

idwinter came, and Quinten thought that an excellent opportunity to make some changes. Firstly, he adjusted the tax system, and secondly, he required the villagers to change their surnames into something decent, something that really showed who they were.

He had a little speech for the midwinter feast and convinced most people quickly. The greater part had his name inherited from ancestors and most names had no particular meaning anymore.

Thus changed Pervarus, who was a greengrocer, his name into Green and Wissi picked a nice flower name, as he had a flower shop, and became Meadowsweet. Only Quinten and his family stayed the same, because Optima still had a magnificent meaning- it meant ‘the best’ in Latin.

Jantine and the kids named themselves Chandler, in remembrance of Dorus. They still made candles in Dorus’ workshop.

Frederick, the little brother of Frank and heir to the family, decided on Appleseed. The many apples they grew were even beginning to compete with Anne’s(who was now Weaver, by the way, named after their tailoring).

The new renamed Chandler cottage struggled with the new taxes and the fact that Dorus was gone. They tried the best they could, but it was hard to make so many candles. Soon they would run out of beeswax and could not produce until it was spring again.

Robyn and Frank now spent little time with eachother, due to the fact that they both had to help their families to survive.

It was the compromise that the two of them would marry in a few years, when Frank had had time to save money for their house. However, this was an emergency. Frederick, as heir, could provide for his mother and sister. They could just work on the land and sell their harvest to the greengrocer. They could manage without him.

But Luc was way too young to be the man at home. The girls were able to help with the candle-making, but what they really needed was a man in the cottage.

Therefore, the decision was made thus. Frank would be of the age, next year’s spring, when it was legal to marry. Robyn and Frank would marry, and Jantine and Luc would live with them too. Merle would have to find a husband anyway, but now sooner rather than later.

Later, Frank and Robyn were fondling on the couch.

‘Where will we live?’ asked Robyn, ‘In this house?’

‘Possible,’ thought Frank, ‘but if you wish otherwise, I’ll build us a house.’

‘Cheesyhead,’ laughed Robyn, ‘Ofcourse not, this is a fine house! We’ll have to make space for our room though, but I bet we’ll fit in.’