Up until that point I had been mostly looking down, searching for things. But then I looked towards my house and my mailbox caught my eye. The mailbox was not burned. I don't know why I even looked at it. I had long stopped checking the mail. Yet, for some strange reason I got the desire to do what I had only done with my father, two years ago. It was a ridiculous impulse, I told myself. Yet, it was as if something was calling me to go and look inside of it.

The rusty little door barely lifted. There was a pile of dust covered papers inside. I got letters, I thought in surprise. But my attention was drawn to the one on top. It was not covered with dust. It was thick and white with a golden thread wound through it and colorful, large, cursive letters. From the King of Kaleo, it read. I drew my breath sharply. I had a letter from the king? The king himself? I read on, struggling over the hard words. I had only gone to village school until I was twelve years old and my reading wasn't the best but finally this is what I read: Hear ye, Valerie!

I, the King of Kaleo request your immediate presence at my castle of Kaleo. I desire to meet you and tell you of the plans that I have for you Follow the map and heed the advice of the one I have sent you.

I stared at the letter for quite some time. The king was inviting me to his castle? What could I possibly have that he might need or want? My only skills were my hunting and archery. But surely he couldn't want me for that! He wanted me to live at his castle? This was too much to take in at once. I slowly read the last sentence. Well, the map was right here, colorful and new. Let's see. Here was Soulous and right there was the king's castle. In between them was another town, a forest and a hill. It was quite a long journey. But, I couldn't stay here with no food and no means of getting food. Maybe this was the solution to my problem.

I looked at the last words of the letter wondering what they meant. Whom did the king send? At that moment a man stepped out of the trees. I did not know this man. He was not from my town. He was dressed in a simple dark green tunic and a blue cloak. He had brown hair and a brown beard. He held a staff and he had a sheep trotting by his side.

"Hello, Valerie," he said.

"Hello, sir," I whispered. All the questions built up in my brain suddenly were completely muddled.

"I am a shepherd," he said. "And this is one of my sheep, Eku. He has traveled to the king's castle many times and knows the way well. If you let him, he will guide you."

A sheep would guide me? Surely, I must have misunderstood.

"Are you the one the King promised to send me?" I asked.

The stranger smiled. "Yes."

"So I will not be traveling alone, then?" I asked. I found myself to be both relieved and slightly resentful. The way was dangerous. And yet, I hated to depend on someone else. And this man seemed to know too much and take too much for granted.

"You won't see me traveling with you on this journey," he said. "But you will not be alone."

"Oh, do you mean the sheep, sir?" I asked. "He's hardly what I would call company."

"He may be better company than what you have had for the past few years," the stranger remarked. I stopped and stared.

"Have you met another villager here that has told you of me?" I asked.

The shepherd's gaze traveled over the burnt houses and the ashy ground.

"Is there anyone else here?" he asked. It was a needless question. We could both plainly see that the town was deserted.

I shook my head, suddenly feeling the lump in my throat again.

He noticed.

"You will not be alone, you know," he repeated gently.

I nodded, though I didn't really know and I did not understand.

"I see you've equipped yourself for the journey," he said. "That is good. But do not rely on things too much. You may have to give them up."

Did he mean that I might be robbed along the way? Was he warning me of a band of thieves on the road? Well, I was not going to give up anything I owned without a fight.

"I can protect myself," I said.

The man did not answer but something flickered in his eyes. Was it laughter? I felt hot angry tears come to my eyes, took a step forward and looked up boldly, daring him to laugh. The sheep bleated in alarm. He noticed.

"Do not be afraid," he said soothingly, and I wasn't altogether sure he was speaking to the sheep.

His warm brown eyes looked into mine. I saw genuine concern and my anger melted away. I took a shuddery breath and felt something soft on my hand. I looked down and there was the sheep nuzzling me. I glanced up again. He was gone.

The shepherd had disappeared without a trace. And yet the sheep was right there in front of me, as proof that the shepherd had not been a dream. That and the sudden peace I felt. It hadn't been there before. I wanted to see the King. I would reach him.

I spent the night curled up on the floor of my old house. The sheep lay down next to me and warmed me through the night. In the morning, I got up early, covered in dust and soot. I went to the lake in the forest and bathed myself. Then, I picked some more berries. I was starving and likely to become ill if I ate another berry but there was nothing else. My fishing line had been burned. So were my cooking supplies, so I could not fry some mushrooms. The sheep had a much nicer breakfast of fresh grass. So after eating berries (again) and filling my pouch with them I picked up my silver shield and my map. My journey had begun.