I rise before the sun.
My work clothes and toiletries are already laid out by the bed. I peek out into the main room; if Adri is busy there, I wait until she's done, but she ain't usually. I go out and have a drink of water. In the kitchen, there's food I buy every week or so from the Turtle, things as will keep. I have some stale bread and a few pickled eggs. I ain't hungry, I never really get hungry, but I know I got to eat.
As I walk east towards the waterfall, the stars is still out but the sky is just starting to turn dark blue ahead of me. I climb down to the pool, being sure to avoid neighbors as I can. I leave my boots and work clothes on the bank, and wash myself and my night clothes. Trim my beard, but I don't know why, not no one's looking at it. I get out and shiver until I'm dry and pull my work clothes and boots on. Go back to the house and hang out my night clothes to dry and leave my toiletries in their spot by the bed. Get a few more pickled eggs in a bowl I carry with me.
I walk up the road to the barracks and the stables, and set to work. Most days I work about half the day on the regular things. Feed and exercise the horses, brush them down, curry them, check hooves, muck out their stalls. If any got something special, like a hurt that's mending, I check on it. Refill the water troughs. Put out fresh straw. About middle of the day I make myself eat the pickled eggs.
Some days I see Miss Brynleigh and we talk about the care the horses need. Things what got to be ordered to keep the stables supplied. Or about what I'm learning. We're starting to talk a bit about foaling. Hazel's going to drop a foal later this year and Miss Brynleigh's teaching me all what got to be done about that. Some days she tells me what work I got to do later that day. I try to make sure she don't got to do much of the work her own self. That's what I'm here for, and anyhow, she had to do more'n her share while I were traveling and I want to make that up. If I work hard and learn well, I'll be a journeyman one day, maybe this year.
Some days, I don't see her, or anyone. I just do the work I know is mine for to do.
Afore the sky starts getting dark I finish my work. Might got to stop at the Turtle for supplies so I try to go early afore other folks are there getting supper. Otherwise, I go to the house, check to see if Adri is there so I can wait until she's done, then go in and get my night clothes. I walk back to the waterfall, clean my work clothes and myself, shiver till I'm dry, get into the night clothes, and go back to the house. I get a fire going and hang my work clothes by it so they'll dry quick, and then cook up some sausages and make myself eat them. I wait until my work clothes is ready for another day, and set them out by the bed next to the toiletries.
Then I sit on the bed and wait until I'm tired enough to stop thinking about things that were to be, but won't be, and to sleep.
Tomorrow I will rise before the sun.
