Stepping through the doorway Orn found himself in a long room, with a large table running its length. As Aunty had said, there was a platter with food laid out in the middle of the table. With the sound of his father and Aunty excitedly talking in the doorway, Orn decided he might as well have a snack. He swung his legs over the long bench taking his seat in front of the food.

Grabbing a small piece of the cheese and a heel of bread he started looking around the room. Six, seven, eight. He absentmindedly counted the doors. Glancing behind him he found another four doors, and a staircase leading up. The open arch at the far end of the building Orn assumed led to the kitchen.

His eyes slowly roved over the plastered stone walls to the large beams running over his head. He stuffed the rest of the bread and cheese into his mouth and reach to grab more. Huh? It was, Orn turned to see the plate had been moved to the other side of the table where a couple boys around his age were sitting. When did they get here?

The boy on the right noticed Orn’s gaze and elbowed the boy next to him. The second boy stopped trying to stack as much cheese as he could onto a hunk of bread, to look at the one who elbowed him. With a nod from the first boy in Orn’s direction, the second finally seemed to realize Orn was there. Grabbing a bit more cheese the boy slid the plate across the table, before attempting to stuff the entire stack into his mouth.

“Try not to choke on that.” The other boy muttered, then addend condescendingly to the boy next to him. “Sorry about my idiot brother. He forgets to share.”

The slightly smaller boy glared up at his brother, unable to speak but chewing furiously.

Smirking at his temporarily mute brother, the older boy looked at Orn. “I have not seen you before. Who are you?”

“I am Orn V…” He did not even get the words out of his mouth before the other other boys were half sprawled across the table.

“You are cousin Orn?!” the first one said a giant smile on his face.

The other boy tried to speak too, but ended up coughing.

“Ha!” The first turned to gloat over his coughing brother, before turning back to Orn. “We heard you were coming, but we did not expect you for a couple more days. I am Gorud that,” he gestured to the other boy how had stopped coughing, “is Jomie.”

The younger boy pounded on his chest with a hand and nodded at Orn.

“So how long did it take you?” Gorud leaned forward his knees now on the table. “You getting here early and all.”

“How many times have I told you to keep off the table?” Aunty’s voice caused both boys to scramble backwards.

“Sorry mother.” Gorud said as he sat back on the bench.

Aunty shook her head and pointed at the door, “If you have that much time and energy, go check if the herbs are ready.”

Both boy’s shoulders slumped at the sudden chore.

“What if they showed Orn around instead?” Orn’s father suggested placing his pack on the bench next to Orn.

The boy’s looked hopefully at Orn’s father then their mother. “Fine, but you will have to check them tomorrow.”

“Hooray,” Jomie yelled and was about to scramble over the table to get to Orn, but a glare from his mother caused him to scrabble backwards and toward the other end of the room. Running around the table he grabbed Orn and started pulling him to the door.

“I expect you all back before dark.” Aunty called after them as the two boys half lead and half dragged Orn out of the door in their excitement.