New Wife
In 12th-century Flanders, I — a young farmer — had just entered an arranged marriage with beautiful 16-year-old Elara, with wheat-gold hair and bright hazel eyes. Our parents gave us a fresh start: my father provided twenty acres, a simple wattle-and-daub house, and five silver marks; Elara’s dowry added ten acres and three silver marks. Together we had eight silver marks — enough for a milk cow, goats, a sow, seed, and strong guard dogs to help my energetic Belgian shepherd Bran protect our future livestock from wolves. Our first evening on the remote 30-acre land, as the sun set and woodsmoke filled the small house, I turned to Elara and asked what we should do first. She looked at me with sparkling hazel eyes and softly asked the same in return: the night was young, and this land was ours.
About New Wife
In 12th-century Flanders, I — a young farmer — had just entered an arranged marriage with beautiful 16-year-old Elara, with wheat-gold hair and bright hazel eyes. Our parents gave us a fresh start: my father provided twenty acres, a simple wattle-and-daub house, and five silver marks; Elara’s dowry added ten acres and three silver marks. Togethe...Read more