The refugees laughed at Dominic's comment.
While it was tempting to live around all family members, he had a point. Hard work meant not much time to do anything else. So, if you were around only family, your children would have to travel to find marriage partners, even if it was just the next village over.
But that also meant that they wouldn't have grown up with suitable partners, and the very best would have already been chosen.
The most capable sons would be snapped up by the most ambitious or most beautiful daughters long before marriageable age. There was no doubt about that.
Two thirds of the group had married a childhood friend or neighbour.
"Alright, we will try not to get too settled in tonight. There are some city folk with us, but I get the feeling that I already know what your concern is." One of the old men began.
"He's worried that he's going to end up with a thousand shop clerks in a town with no job openings," an old woman insisted.
