Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.
Summary: Always, always his eye was drawn to the North.
A/N: This oneshot is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe. Enjoy!
Looking North
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The hot sun beat down on him with its relentless rays, but it mattered not. His eyes were fixed on the horizon beyond the grassy slope to the north. His slim callused fingers nimbly mended the net while his thoughts raced with what sort of adventures might be found to the North. That was where all the adventures took place and he wanted to have one, to leave this little cottage. What grand adventures might a boy find there?
The miserable braying of the donkey cut through his daydreams. His father had returned. Foolishly, the boy did not wait to see what type of mood his father might be in before he asked, "O my Father, what is there beyond that hill?"
The boy cried out as his father boxed his ears. The trip to the market had not gone well. "Tend to your work, oh most worthless of curs!"
The boy bent his head and murmured the appropriate words. Pushing the mended nets aside, he hurried to unhitch the donkey from the cart and led the beast to the stable before unloading the cart as best he could without dropping anything. His father, the fisherman Arsheesh, was muttering and cursing Tash's refusal to bless his day at the market as he banged around inside the cottage.
The boy grabbed the bucket always smacked against his thin legs, leaving bruises, and hurried to fetch fresh water so he could prepare supper. Sweating as his scrawny arms strained to pull the now-full bucket up, the hint of green out of the corner of his eye beckoned his attention. Resting the heavy bucket on the edge of the well, he gazed once more to the North. There was something wonderful, something better and grand, a delightful secret that his father kept hidden from him whether by words or with his fists, in the North. He knew it. He felt it in his bones.
For a moment, the boy stared at his reflection in the bucket. A skinny boy with a fair complexion and blond hair that showed even under the dirt and other smudges. He did not look like his father, though Arsheesh never answered his questions as to why that was so ever since he was old enough to realize how different they looked (a scant four years ago). He looked once again to the North and promised himself that one day, one day he would go to the North, discover that delightful secret, and find an adventure.
"Shasta!" His father's angry screech filled the air, prompting the boy to hurry to the cottage as quick as his short legs could manage whilst carrying the bucket full of water. It was time to prepare supper. Maybe this time he wouldn't burn his arm again.
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A/N: Please Read and Review! For those who are curious, Shasta is about seven or eight here. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.