Where
Prologue
Rated: T
Author: Corianne
I don't own anything at all!
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Crash!
Kaelin sighed and closed her eyes, hoping that wasn't a plate or one of Willem's creations.
"It's alright, we can fix it! I think…" Naithen called, and then ran off to find one of his brothers to help him do so.
As soon as she was sure that he was gone, Kaelin ran into the room to see the damage. It was a teacup, one of the five that Grandma had left them when she died. If the family ever lost the sheep, she had said to Arlen, Kaelin's father, they could sell these for money.
With each cup that her brother broke, she had visions of all those coins being dropped into the well, one by one.
Thankfully, there were no worries of the sheep being taken away yet. Her father and brothers did a fine job of collecting wool, slaughtering when necessary, and giving the useful parts to her to be made into candle wax, rugs, soap, clothing, and other things.
Still, as she picked up the shards of porcelain, she wondered what would happen if they were forced to leave. No harm in being prepared, as the saying went. (Or something along those lines; her family had a way of mixing up one phrase with another.) If the farm was taken away, there was always Mrs. Adair's home, but that was barely bigger than the one that her father owned now; eleven people would hardly be able to fit.
"You broke another one?!" Willem asked Naithen as he pushed the wooden door open.
"Yes, but it can be fixed!" he said quickly, "There were only-"
"It doesn't matter if it can be fixed," her older brother cut in, looking at the damage, "Even if it could be repaired, at least a quarter of its value is lost."
Seeing his little brother's look of remorse, he ruffled his hair and added, "But I'll see what I can do."
Naithen perked up a bit and went back to his room.
"He's a bit active for a feverish boy," Kaelin remarked to Willem as she watched him attempt to salvage the pieces.
"I know. I don't think he's really ill, but he worked hard yesterday and pulled muscles in his arms. He couldn't have done much today anyway," he said, fitting two pieces together, "Heat up the wax, please?"
She retrieved the small bottle from its place on the mantle and held it over the fire, "What was he doing that he pulled muscles?"
"He helped Biron cut down that oak in the middle of the field."
"Isn't that dangerous for a twelve year old?" she asked, bringing the melted wax to her brother.
"Yes, but it had to be done. Father needed the rest of us to help with the sheep," he explained, squinting at the piece in his hand and trying to run a straight line of wax along the edge.
"All of you?" she asked skeptically.
"Evrin wrote down their health and Calvert and I did the rest."
"What's the rest?"
He sighed and looked up at her, "Kaelin, do you really want me to put this back together?"
She nodded.
"Then please be quiet. I need my concentration."
She pulled out a wooden chair and sat, watching him work. Most people would find this sort of thing boring, but Kaelin enjoyed it. It gave her more things to think about. She liked comparing things and finding common traits between them.
The flower painted on the side looks just like the one I saw when I visited Fabia yesterday…the gold around the top looks like…like that portrait of Aslan in Sir Lander's mansion…
"What do you think? Does it look alright?" Willem asked, holding up the teacup.
"It's perfect! Will, how'd you do it?" she cried, examining it from all sides.
"Wax," he said, blushing, and not answering her question, a fact that went un-noticed.
"You fixed it?!" Naithen asked, poking his head around the corner.
"Yes; go back to sleep."
"But I feel better now!" he whined.
"I'll get Papa," Kaelin warned.
His feet pounded on the wood floor in an effort to get back to the room that he shared with Willem and Calvert. Once he was under the blanket, he called back, "That wasn't fair, Kaelie!"
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"We hope you've enjoyed staying here and are pleased with the Isles?" the governor, Jarrus, asked the two royals as they walked to their ship.
"Oh, yes!" Queen Lucy answered, "We've had a wonderful time!"
"Yes," the high king confirmed, "You can expect those repairs within the year."
"You are too kind, sir," Jarrus's wife said, curtseying.
"Well, we thank you for your hospitality, but we really must be going. The residents of Doorn will be waiting for us," he said apologetically.
"Are you positive that you can't stay for one more day?" Jarrod, Jarrus's nine year old son, asked sadly.
"Yes, I'm terribly sorry," Lucy said, giving him a quick hug, "But we'll return on our way back to Narnia!"
The boy brightened considerably and Peter and Lucy boarded their ship.
"Good bye!" Lucy called, waving, as the ship began to move out of the port of Brenn, "Write to me, Jarrod!"
"I will!" he called back, also waving, jumping up and down enthusiastically. A queen of Narnia wanted him to write to her! Many of her suitors probably didn't receive as warm a farewell as he had!
The crowds that had gathered to see them off slowly trickled away to go back to their business.
Lucy turned to Peter, "Do you think that the Lone Islands are still loyal to us? What if there's been an uprising? We haven't been there in ages!"
"I hope they are," he said, watching the sea ahead of them, "We'll just have to trust Aslan that it will all turn out well."
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What do you think?
This will not be a Mary Sue story, so please tell me if Kaelin starts to become one!
Reviews are appreciated!
-Corianne-