Chapter 1: The Letter
I wiped my hands over my forehead. Another day stuck in the fields. I grabbed my basket and began to head for the cobblestone path leading to the market. Once on the path, an old man with a gap between his teeth came up to me, asking for spare food. I gave the man two pears and an apple willingly. He thanked me and walked away.
I reached the small market, which seemed unnaturally busy. My brother, Caleb greeted me with a worried face as I handed a clerk the fruit. "Beatrice! Have you heard? The king's son has run away. Rumor has it that he is going to the kingdom of Dauntless!"
"King Marcus' son, Tobias? Why would he want to leave?" I asked.
"I don't know. That might be something that will never be answered." Caleb replied.
Caleb and I headed home. My mother greeted us with a smile. Then she took a look at my stringy blond hair and decided it was time to cut it. She opened up a closet that had the only mirror in our home in it. Mother pulled a stool up and commanded me to sit on it as she snipped at my hair.
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"Beatrice, sweetie, are you awake my dear?" my mother asked me with a whisper, "I need you to do me a favor, will you help me with this?"
"Of course Mother what do you need me to do?" I spoke calmly and quietly.
"I need you and Caleb to take this letter to your Aunt Tori in Dauntless kingdom, it is of the utmost importance that she gets it safely." she said anxiously.
I looked at my mother and grabbed the letter. My mother held my hand and wished me good luck as Caleb came in with a large pouch. I glared at the pouch.
He is such a nerd! I thought.
"What? It is like a few day's journey to the kingdom of Dauntless and I want to be prepared." Caleb said. I nodded, and we were off.