Anna rose like the dawn. She made her bed, grabbed her acceptance letter and personal belongings, and headed out of her room.
When she arrived at the dining room table, Anna saw her mother fixing breakfast and her father was seated at the table carving a new arrow. The strawberry-blonde placed her bags next to her equipment and sat across from her father.
"Papa, what are you making?"
"A good luck arrow for you, Anna."
"Oh?"
"When I got accepted to the academy, my father made me a good luck arrow so that whenever I felt like my luck was running out I could pull my lucky arrow, look deep into the wood to feel my father's spirit in it, and practice with it until I felt confident about myself and my skills as an archer. I had gone through plenty of rough patches while at the academy, but my good luck arrow would help me power through those tough times. And I want you to have a good luck arrow as well to help you through your toughest of times at the academy."
"Wow…" Anna took a moment to really appreciate the moment that her father was giving her a good luck arrow just as his own father did for before going to the academy. "And now you're giving me my very own good luck arrow?"
"Yep. I know you'll do great, Anna, but just as a precaution I'd thought you'd like to have a good luck arrow around in case you run into a rut at times while you're at the academy. Plus, it'll serve as a reminder for you that your mother and I are always with you in spirit and that you can graduate from the academy and become a member of the Order of the Arrow."
"Thanks, Papa!"
Anna rushed over to her father and flung her arms around his strong neck. He put his things down and chuckled as he wrapped his arms his daughter's body.
"You're welcome, Anna."
Anna pulled away from the embrace and beamed at her father.
"So, is the arrow almost complete?"
"It will be." Mr. Andersen picked up his things again. "I just need to finish carving and then polish it. Then it'll be ready for you."
"Okay."
"Did you wash up for breakfast?"
"No."
"Do that. Mama will have breakfast ready soon enough."
"Yes, Papa."
Anna did what she was told and when she came back to her seat at the table, Mrs. Andersen was placing the food on the table. Once everything was set, she sat down and Mr. Andersen had just finished polishing Anna's good luck arrow before setting it to the side.
The three of them shared a prayer and well-wishes before they passed around the food. Anna had to force down the smile that threatened to spill from her calm features as she recognized that he mother made her favorite breakfast meal-poached eggs and salmon, and porridge with raisins and honey- as a farewell gift. But by the same token, Anna had to force herself from crying because, as she realized that she wouldn't see her parents for a while, she had to stay strong so she could attend the academy. She just had to stay calm. She just had to.
After breakfast, Anna helped with washing the dishes. Then, she headed for the door to get her things. Just as she had adjusted her quiver on her back, her parents had just stepped toward her. They had neutral smiles on their faces. Mr. Andersen handed Anna her good luck arrow and she had placed it in her quiver. Anna looked at her parents.
"So…I guess this is it."
"Yep."
Anna's father patted a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck, kiddo. We know you'll do great things at the academy. If you get Bulda as an instructor, tell her I said 'hi.'"
"I will, Papa."
"Okay." Mr. Andersen dropped his hand from his daughter's shoulder.
Anna turned to her mother. "Mama…"
"Be a good girl there you hear, Anna? Even if your classmates and peers are acting poorly doesn't mean you should too. You should be the bigger person and act accordingly."
"Yes, Mama."
"And take care of your equipment and follow the rules."
"Yes, Mama."
"Take care of yourself. Practice good hygiene, wear clean clothes, keep your room as you have here, relief stress when you can, and be careful."
"Yes, Mama."
"And try to write to us when you can."
"Yes, Mama."
"And Anna?"
"Yes, Mama?"
Anna stared at her mother waiting for another well-intended piece of advice. Mrs. Andersen tried to speak, but she couldn't, not with the way her daughter was looking at her. She started to get teary eyed and choked up.
"And know that your Papa and I love you very much."
Anna's heart had nearly broken in half at the sight of her mother almost crying. She quickly dropped her bags and swooped in to give her mother a comforting hug. Her mother instinctively wrapped her arms around Anna's and rested her chin on her daughter's shoulders, sobbing.
"My baby's all grown up and leaving the house!"
Anna could only rub soothing circles in her mother's back and hold back her own set of tears as the woman who raised her sobbed and sniffled. Anna's voice began to crack.
"Mama…"
Anna's father stepped in and encircled both of the women, holding them close to his heart. He rubbed his wife's back up and down her spine.
"There, there, dear. It'll be alright. It's not like Anna will never come back home to visit us."
At the mention of the words 'visit us,' Anna's mother began to cry harder. "Visit us?! She wouldn't have to 'visit us' if she just stayed! Oh, God….How I dislike departures like this one."
Mr. Andersen kissed his wife's temple. "You know she has to do this. We'll still be a family even if we're not all together at once. Now, will you let our daughter go so she can grow?"
Mrs. Andersen's crying subsided into soft, infrequent sniffles. She meekly withdrew from her daughter and husband's embrace. She swallowed a lump in her throat and bravely looked at Anna straight in the eye. Her daughter did the same with the same kind of courage.
"Right then. You best be off before you change your mind, Anna. The sooner you leave the better it will be. You're always welcome back home. You know that, right?"
"Yes, Mama."
"Good. Well, you should get going."
"Yes, Mama."
"Oh! I nearly forgot!"
Anna cocked her head to the side as she watched her mother race back to the kitchen and then scurrying up back to her again. She was holding something that seemed to be folded up in a towel. She gave her daughter a small smile as she handed the object to her.
"It's a little snack that I packed for you while you were talking to Papa before breakfast. This should help you make your journey from home to the academy a little easier."
Anna looked down at the packed snack and then back up at her mother, a watery smile broke out before she stepped forward to give her mother a partial hug. "Thank you, Mama!"
Mrs. Andersen softly patted Anna's back before gently pushing her away before she could bring on the water works again.
"You're welcome, Anna. Now, you best be off."
"Right!"
Anna turned to pick up her bags and found a way to balance her snack and bags in her hands. Then, she took a half-turn to look at her parents.
"Goodbye, Mama and Papa. I'll write to you two as soon as I can when I get to the academy."
Anna's parents joined together at the hip and waved goodbye to their daughter. "Goodbye Anna and good luck!"
Anna smiled at her parents. "Thank you! I'll be sure to make you two proud of me."
Her father said gently, "We already are, Anna."
Anna had to swallow down the lump that was forming in her throat before it could get to her. She gave her parents a brave smile and then swiftly turned away and headed out the door toward Elderwood Academy of Archery.
TBC…