Agatha's House

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door opens onto the dusty shadows of a Wasteland mid-morning. "We're a good few hours north of Megaton," Ellen reports. "If you look up, we're directly under the remains of one of the old roads. Agatha lives up ahead- see that metal mast poking up out of those rocks? That's her broadcast antenna. Her house is on the other side of that gorge, hidden among the rocks."

Comments

[not_his_pa]

William looks around, it's a quiet place, "She's found a good spot."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"She's lived here a good while now," Ellen says. "Her husband built their house and put up the tower while he was alive. I think he dug their well, too. This is one of the safest houses in the Wasteland, since there's only one way in and out."

[not_his_pa]

"Looks to be,"

The safety makes it seem like it almost doesn't fit in this world which is an odd thought.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods. "Let's be careful," she advises. "The gorge is part of this place's defenses, and I don't know how much weight the bridge can necessarily take at one time beyond 'three humans and a pack Brahmin'."

She'll wait for William to go first. And she'll dismount her own cow and lead her across, when it's her turn.

[not_his_pa]

Carefully William rides across, he's had to ride some creaky bridges in his time and doesn't like them but many times they're all there is. Yet he makes it across and waits for Ellen in case he's needed.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Shiphrah and Puah doesn't seem to like the bridge much, but she expresses it by bawling rather than by digging in her heels, a fact which is a great relief to Ellen. Once they reach the other side Ellen moves forward to lead the way down the path through the rocks to the little tin shack and the tall radio mast beyond. "There's not really a hitching post," Ellen says, "so, um... tie up at the antenna, I guess, there should be an exposed spar we can use."

[not_his_pa]

William nods and dismounts,

"It'll do but I can always hobble Les if need be. You might need the post more."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"All right," says Ellen, and finds herself enough space to tie up the Brahmin. Both heads decide that this is a good point to start some serious quality cud work.

Which is probably just as well, because the door's open just a crack when she turns around and someone is peering at them from the darkness on the other side.

[not_his_pa]

This situation isn't too different from what William's used to so he keeps his hands above his waist and tips his hat,

"Ma'am, I'm William Evans and this is Ellen or Knight 101 comin' to help out Mister Paulson."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door cracks open a little further at that. "In that case," says the elderly woman, "why didn't you say so before? Hello there, dear. It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

Ellen smiles. "Hi, Agatha," she says. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit, but it's been busy."

"Oh, I know, dear, believe me. I listen to the radio plenty, and not just my own station, either." Agatha's face crinkles further as she smiles. "Come on in. I'm afraid Mr. Paulson's out at the moment, hunting, but he should be back quite soon."

[not_his_pa]

Her smile's rather welcoming and William smiles in return and goes to his saddlebags to pull out a bag of biscuits,

"My mother made these, ma'am and should be enough for all of us."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Oh! Why, that's just wonderful, dear," says Agatha, leading the way in. The shack's awfully small- a few chairs and a table here, a bed there, a small stove in the third corner and an impromptu cot in the fourth- but there are far worse places to be, especially when Agatha slides the metal shutters aside to let the sunlight in properly. "They do look lovely. Your mother seems to be a woman of real skill."

[not_his_pa]

"She is, ma'am. Been takin' care of my brother and me for close onto two years now since my father was killed. I don't know of any finer woman,"

She's made good use of the space and William's not used to a lot of space, he's never had his own bed.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"That's a fine thing to hear, although I'm very sorry about your loss," says Agatha. "Please, do sit down. I'll get the both of you some water while we wait."

"How's the violin holding up, Agatha?" Ellen says. "I've been hearing you play on the radio, but it's just not the same..."

"Now, how did I know you were going to mention that?" says Agatha with a chuckle. As she uncaps a bottle labeled with the Brotherhood emblem, she says, "It's everything I've always dreamed of in an instrument. If you'd like, I can play for you once we've had a few of these fine biscuits."

[not_his_pa]

"I try and do my best to take care of things but I ain't my Pa,"

As William sits down, he's quiet since he hadn't realized how that thought had changed. After Contention, he'd rather be like his father than not since his Pa was stronger than he ever knew.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We all do what we can in this world," says Agatha, sitting down herself. "I'm sure your father would be proud of your efforts anyway. Any man whose boy is responsible enough to look after the family and look out for strangers certainly ought to be."

She sets several of the biscuits aside, along with a glass of water. "You never know when Mr. Paulson's going to be back, after all," she says with a smile.

[not_his_pa]

"We've got the time to wait and I hope to help him find someplace that suits him better. Though I ain't doin' close to what Ellen's doin' with takin' care of folks. She's good at makin' sure things get done right,"

William's just glad to help.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"While I do admit I'll miss his company," says Agatha, "I really don't think he's happy here. He'll be much better off somewhere closer to his old home, even if he won't tell me much about it beyond it being out west somewhere. Really, you're doing him an enormous favor."

[not_his_pa]

"Things ain't that different where I'm from. Still on the edges of things but I don't know there's a bit more out there."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Agatha nods. "I know the Wasteland trails are dangerous, even for caravans," she says. "Will the three of you be all right out there?"

[not_his_pa]

"I think so. What do you think, Ellen?"

He doesn't know what to say that won't give things away.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"We should be all right, Agatha," Ellen says. "I know where we're going, and we'll be taking the safest way we can."

"Oh, good," says Agatha. "Because I expect you to visit me again sometime, you know."

"I'll do what I can, I promise."

[not_his_pa]

"Do you get many visitors out this way, ma'am? Since you've found a beautiful place,"

It's hidden but that privacy is of a lovely kind.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Just the caravans, really," says Agatha. "About once a week one of them stops by. They stop for the night and I pay them for whatever supplies or care I need in music."

[not_his_pa]

"That must be nice, always gettin' new folks to talk to. Folks pass through where I am too but we're not at a place where many of 'em talk to us."