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“We’re going to go to the village today,” Huck explained. “After you’re dressed, I’ll brush your hair.”
Bo deposited me to my feet and tugged the blanket off my shoulders. “Arms up,” he demanded.
When he moved to place the dress over my head, I stepped back. “I need undergarments.”
“No, you don’t.” Bo stepped forward and tugged the garment down my body.
I sighed, realizing that there was no use in arguing with him. Last night had taught me that.
Garrett crouched in front of me and tapped the top of my foot. When I lifted it, he slipped my soft slipper on my foot. He repeated the motions with my bare foot. I wiggled my toes, enjoying the feel of familiarity wearing my own clothes gave me.
“Sit here please,” Huck directed, signaling to a wooden chair.
“We’ll go finish outside,” Garrett said. “Don’t take too long, Huck.”
I crossed the floor and tentatively sat down. I wasn’t sure this rough looking man would be able to brush through my locks without causing pain, but he surprised me with his gentle ministrations, carefully setting my hair to rights with a quick plait that he then tied with a strip to hold in place.
When completed, he helped me from the chair and took me outside. I stopped short, sure I was imagining the living history in from of me.
There was a horse-drawn wagon.
“This is Chester and Regina.” Huck gestured to the large horses. “Would you like to pet them?”
I nodded eagerly. I’d always loved exploring the digital photos of large animals, and honestly, horses were a favorite. We had the smaller animals in the city—cats and dogs and such, but I always wished I could see a horse in person.
“I didn’t know you had horses,” I whispered in awe as he led me over to the big beasts.
He guided my hand out, positioning it flat to caress Regina’s nose. Satisfied after a sniff, the horse moved to nuzzle my palm. Huck then placed my hand on her neck and stroked downward. “Just like that. She loves that.”
When the guys had mentioned the chores, I just assumed they had simple farming animals. Maybe some chickens and a goat. I had no idea they kept large animals.
“Do you have cows and bulls and elephants and giraffes too?”
Garrett chuckled. “That is quite the mix. No elephants or giraffes. Just horses and cows, goats and sheep, pigs and chickens and other fowl.”
While I petted the horse, the guys loaded the wagon with jarred goods, sacks of seed, and ammo. I looked forward to learning how to care for the gentle animals once I settled into living here. I felt soothed in their presence.
It was a nice trip to the village. I rode in the carriage with Huck, sitting on a soft cushion. The two other brothers were armed and rode their own horses.
It was this surreal world that reminded me of the historical photos I had seen. The path we followed, one the men must have used often, was rougher than anything I was used to back home. Our roads were paved.
“I really like traveling like this. But what if it rains?”
“Then we get wet,” Huck replied.
“Wow! Really?”
He looked bemused. “What do Sloths do when it rains.”
“We have cars with covers. Why don’t you have cars?”
“Too hard to keep up with in this terrain. And petrol is not easy to get.”
“Oh. Our cars are electric.”
“Well, we don’t have much of that.”
I shrugged. “Horses are better anyway.”
