Enjoy.
Jedda
I liked horses well enough, sure, but I did not like their sludge one bit. 'Cause I was the youngest on stable duty seemed like all I was doing was cleaning up after their messes.
I heard quiet sniffling in a stall that was supposed to be empty. I set down my heavy pitchfork and went to investigate.
When I saw the crying child inside, my jaw dropped. "What's wrong with you?"
The girl frowned and covered her face with her hands. "It's horrible, ain't it?"
I wasn't about to disagree. "You been burned?"
The girl nodded. She was probably older than me, judging by her size. "They said the scars would go away."
"Oh." I guessed she meant the healers. "Well, they lie. All the time."
The girl's nose started to run again. "I wanted to go to school, but how can I go?"
"There's no use for school no how." I shrugged.
The girl caught sight of her reflection in a water trough. Though it was hard to make out anything in the trembling water, she could tell something wasn't right at all. "I'm a monster." She whispered.
Well, there was no need for that, even if she did look fearsome. I grabbed her wrist. The scarred skin felt strange under my fingers, but I tried not to let her see my repulsion. "You help me finish my chores, and I'll go to school with you. Wasn't going to go, but if I've my chores done sooner, I won't mind it. Deal?"
The girl thought about it, hesitated, then slowly nodded. "I'll help."
"The horses need more water." I handed her a bucket. "The pump's outside."
She took the bucket from me, holding it awkwardly in her stiff hands. "I'm Erlie."
"'M Jedda." I replied, giving her a nudge towards the door. "Hurry. Get'm chores done."
I shook my head as I picked up my pitchfork, already regretting agreeing to go to school.
Riley
"I'm cold, Mama." Tucker shivered and stuck his icy hands on my only slightly warmer cheeks.
"I know, baby." I held him closer. "How're you doing, Miriam?"
She only nodded. I could tell how tired she was by the way her feet sludged through the mud.
"I hear it's only a few more days until the next outpost. We can rest then." I reassured her.
Miriam's eyes had gone wide with fright. She hunched over. "It's him, it's Etan!"
I followed her gaze, sure that it couldn't be him, but I recognized his scrawny horse and raggedy cloak. He hadn't seen us yet.
"Run!" I shoved Miriam back the way we had come. We dodged wagons, animals, and other travelers, sliding in the wretched half-frozen mud.
"What are we going to do?" Miriam panted when we paused to rest behind a wagon.
I couldn't tell her that I was just as scared as she was. I knew what Etan and Hiram would do to us if they found us. Tuck would be the only one able to walk away.
"I'll think of something." I promised, giving her a tight smile.
I never would have thought of anything if it hadn't started to rain at the very moment we needed it most.
"Praise Mithros." I grabbed Miriam's shoulder. "We're going to run up into the forest. The rain will cover our tracks. It's our only chance."
Miriam hesitated. "We'll get lost."
"It's our only chance." I repeated. "Hold my hand and I'll keep you from slipping."
She slipped her chilled hand into mine.
I quickly checked around us. The rain had forced the travelers into a scurry. Wagonmasters shouted orders, merchants hurried to cover their goods, and animals shuffled uneasily. "Alright, let's go."
Slipping and sliding, we rushed up the hill towards the forest. I chanced a glance behind us as we reached the cover of the trees, and it seemed like we had gotten away without notice.
"Mama, I hate rain." Tucker stuffed his face as far into my shoulder as he could. "Can we please go home?"
"I'm sorry, Tuck." I set him down. I was too tired to carry him any further. "You've got to walk now. Be a big boy, alright?"
"Yes'm." He nodded tiredly.
Miriam caught my eyes as we trudged into the forest. "Riley, I owe you-"
"Hush now." I caught her off. "You owe me nothing. Keep walking."
Emma
"Don't kick like that, it's like this." I demonstrated to the page. "Kick stronger."
He nodded and tried to duplicate the kick. Instead, he lost his balance and almost fell on his rear. I caught his shoulder and pretended not to notice his embarrassment.
"It's in your feet, see? If you spread them wider, you won't lose your balance when your leg snaps forward. Keep trying."
I moved on to the next page, who was kicking to much to the side. I sighed, knowing the page to be a bit insufferable.
"I've got this one." The Shang Ox winked at me and moved in to help.
I nodded, a silent thank you, and went to help the more amicable boys. Only boys, no girls. I missed Maira.
I had left Maira and Darin behind at the temple when the Shang Ox had chosen me to help train the pages at the palace in Corus. I thought I'd been the lucky one, until Randall had let on that the other Shang my age were training in the high mountains and hunting bandits. I'd been rather disappointed, but my training master had tried to soften the blow. Randall was good like that, solid and dependable, which probably brought about his Shang name Ox.
I didn't know what name I would get. Probably something plain and ordinary, like Sheepdog. All it seemed I'd done in the past two years was herd pages. Of course, Darin and Maira would get the flashy names, like Eagle or Tiger.
I almost laughed out loud at my foolishness. It didn't matter what honor I received for my service, only that I worked hard and fought well.
"Am I doing it right?" One of the first years looked to me for confirmation. Approval, more like it.
"Do it again." I ordered.
He executed a round of beautiful, well-balanced snap kicks. I tried to keep from beaming. I had taught him and he had learned well.
I gave up and smiled at him. "Well done, Eulrich. Keep practicing."
He grinned back at me.
I liked the younger ones better than the older ones. The older ones sometimes got testy that a girl of their own age was teaching them. Worse even, they tried to flirt. After weeks of uncomfortable attempts at flirting, one of the forth years had kissed me one night after supper.
I hadn't quite known what to do. It was my first kiss, of course, and probably his as well. I don't think it was supposed to be as wet and squishy as it was. I'd heard from some of the older Shang girls that it was actually meant to feel nice. Either way, I hadn't put up with it and Page Thomus had ended up on the ground. Since then, I'd avoided him with a dedication worthy of the most pious priest.
The noon bell rang and the pages halted, looking towards Randall for further instruction.
"Practice those kicks and blocks!" The Shang Ox bellowed. "Go to lunch!"
The pages wearily ran up the hill towards the palace.
"You ready?" Randall leaned up against the fence. "Show me your kata."
I bowed obediently and began the pattern dance. This was one of the most complicated dances I'd been taught, one with flips and tumbles, high kicks, and rolling punches. I had to concentrate hard and I knew I made mistakes. I knew Randall winced every time I threw a weak punch or landed out of place, even when I couldn't see him.
When I finally landed the last flip, I held the position for a full fifteen seconds before relaxing and catching my breath. I looked to Randall for a reproach and realized he wasn't watching, but instead talking with one of the knights.
I shook my head and started the pattern dance over.
Remember how I said that time wasn't always going to move smoothly? It doesn't apply to most of them, but Emma's story is skipping time in leaps and bounds, as you've probably noticed. She's eleven years one chapter and fourteen the next. It's okay.
Feedback welcomed.
