Chapter Two
Mary was getting closer to the house, the sun closer to the horizon than it was before. It wasn't as hot as it was midday but there was still plenty of sun left in the day. She adjusted her hat accordingly while holding the envelope in her free hand. She examined it one more time, examining the small emblem that represented the Unified States Marine Corps. It was a small eagle with a globe and anchor on it, all in a gold color. She carefully pocketed the envelope in her dress pocket as she moved along towards the house. She wanted to keep the letter hidden from her mother until it was time to avoid her burning it right off the bat.
She approached the dirt road that led to her grandmother's home, a faded metal mailbox sitting on a post and a wooden gate in front of the fence. She opened the mailbox to see if there was any mail inside before closing it. There were no letters for them today unless her mother checked the mail already. She walked inside and closed the fence gate behind her, continuing her way towards home. In the distance, she could make out the two story home along with the barn nearby, the fields decent with healthy grain for the harvest. Mary noticed her grandmother sitting on her rocking chair underneath the porch, waiting for her or enjoying the cool breeze outside. Mary picked up the pace, holding her hat with one hand and waving in the air at her grandmother with the other. The elderly woman saw this and waved back as Mary approached her.
"There you are, sweetie. Your mother was worried about you, running off like that from the house." Her grandmother replied as she looked at her. Amelia Sioux was the matron of the Sioux's family farm, having been a farmer most of her life with her late husband, George Sioux. George passed away back in 1918 having lived about seventy-five years so Mary only got to meet him a few times. But from what she understood, he was a veteran of the civil war that was fought back in 1861 to 1865 when the war ended. He then started up this farm with his wife, Amelia and raised his daughter and Mary's mother, Marcia Sioux, here. "I heard from Swagger's boy, Earl, that he saw a ton of folks enlisting with the Army or that volunteer group to go overseas and fight the Imperials and apparently some White Knights were down there trying to harass some of the folks away. I hope you didn't encounter them."
"Nei, bestemor. I didn't see any of those bedsheet-wearing idioter." She replied, speaking in Legadonian for a few moments. While her grandmother was born and raised in Arkansas her entire life, her mother, father and herself taught her some of the language so she wouldn't be confused in case they slipped into it by accident. As a result, Mary often called her grandmother in Legadonian affectionately. "However, I didn't get to enlist with either group. I stopped to grab something to eat since I missed lunch and thus by the time I got there, everyone was gone. They were driven away on trucks to go overseas or to training. Missed my chance to go overseas."
"Perhaps it was best that you missed it. After all, your poor mother lost her husband. The last thing she wants is to lose you." She replied back calmly, rocking in her chair as she looked at Mary through her glasses. She had white hair and wrinkly skin but despite that there were hints she was still strong enough to do some work around the house even if Mary and her mom won't let her do any of the heavy lifting work.
"I know, bestemor. I just...I just feel like I need to do something with the conflict spreading across Europe." She confessed with a sigh, slowly moving over and sitting on the steps of the porch. "Ever since papa died, I've been like I should be doing something. Either to help free our homeland, prove myself to the Unified States...or just to figure out what happened to Papa. It might take a while now since the Army is done here and they took people already for the volunteer corps to be shipped overseas."
"Like I said, it's probably for the best." Granny Sioux replied as she sat on the porch. There was silence for a moment and Mary shifted for a bit on the steps, messing with the edge of her apron. Granny had a keen eye and noticed this as a clear sign she had something more to tell. "So what else happened in town if the Army and volunteers all left? I can tell you have more on your mind."
"Well...I thought my chances were over but apparently the Marines were looking for recruits and they allowed me to take a test to gauge my magical aptitude. I blew their expectations out of the water and now they want me to join up. However I need parent consent to do so and I know Mama would never allow it." She confessed to her grandmother as she looked at her. Mary knew she could never lie to her family or keep things a secret unless it was a good surprise and even then she somewhat sucked at it. At least she was talking to her grandmother and not her mother as she was worried another argument would break out. "I'm planning to talk with her about it tonight though. Maybe at dinner or sometime when things are calmer. Just to try at least."
"Well whatever happens I just hope you two don't split apart on this matter. I'd hate to see my daughter and granddaughter fallout over this matter." Granny commented in return, looking at her granddaughter in front of her. She glanced up for a moment to look at the horizon for a few moments. "Seems like we might get some rain tonight. Mind if you help some of the hired hands get the animals inside the barn?"
"Certainly, bestemor!" She replied as she leaped down from the porch and began to run over towards where some of the other hands were working. Granny watched her interact with the farmhands and smiled when she saw them working with them happily to get some of the animals inside. Mary might be young and stubborn at times but Granny could see she had a good heart in her. She only hoped that whatever happened, she will be alright in the future.
After a few hours of rounding up all the animals into the barn as well as putting away all the equipment back to its proper places to avoid rain damage, the hands headed back to their homes and wished the Sioux family a nice night. By the time Mary got inside, it was starting to rain down fat droplets of water slowly. Within moments, she could hear the sounds of rain outside and against the panes of glass of the windows. She began to take off her shoes to clean them off later when her mother peeked around the corner. "Dinner will take a while so you can go and wash up. Might need one from all the work outside."
"Yes, Mama." Mary replied, planning on showing her the envelope at dinner. She would move towards the area in which they had a tub for cleaning. She grabbed a towel and some soap before closing the door behind her. She would carefully place the letter on a shelf away from the tub and undressed before sitting down into the drawn bath. She sighed as the water felt great on her body. She would grab a bar of soap and would slowly clean her arms and legs with it, scrubbing them.
During her bath, she thought more about the upcoming talk with her mother and the envelope the recruiters gave to her. She really doubted her mother would agree at all. Mary knew she was right to deny her the chance to enlist at her current age given how her father was taken away by the war. She slowly held her legs close to her body and sank a bit into the bath to where the upper part of her head including the eyes and nose were above the water. She heard about his death at Osfjord, having been killed in an aerial battle against the Imperials trying to defend the homeland. She missed him terribly at times and wished there was something to recover for burial or at least his personal effects. Sadly no body was recovered from the battle which hurt Mary the most. Was the weapon she sent not enough to save him or did he even get a chance to fire it? That bothered Mary a lot and was another reason why she wanted to go over to Europe and fight. To find out what really happened to her wonderful father.
Moments later she finished with her bath and got out of the tub, drying off with her towel. She took some time and care to finish up and brush her hair before she started to get dressed in clean clothing. Once done, she grabbed the envelope and stored it into her apron pocket before leaving the bathroom to allow her mother and grandmother to use while they had hot water. She walked over to the kitchen where she could see her mother setting the table and Granny Sioux sitting at the table. "I'm done with my bath. You can use the water next if you need to."
"I'll keep it in mind." Her mother replied as she set the third plate down at the table. She would carefully remove her apron and carefully hang it up nearby. "Now come join us at the table and let's say grace."
Mary moved over to the table and sat down next to her mother and grandmother. The three ladies placed their hands together and closed their eyes to say a prayer. Marcia would lead the prayer with these words. ""Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest, and let Thy gifts to us be blessed. Amen."
Once the prayer was over, they lifted their heads and began to have dinner. The meal was modest, mainly a warm stew with a serving of bread. It wasn't anything fancy or special but it was filling for the family. The meal was mostly silent save for the clinking of silverware against the plates and the rain pelting the house outside. Mary ate her meal for a little bit, slowly gathering the courage to present the envelope. Once ready, she took a deep breath and began to speak while pulling the envelope out. "Mama. I went down to the recruiting station today this morning. I qualified for enlistment with the Marines but they want you to sign the paperwork here so I can have permission to join them. I will be placed in a mage unit but I'm not sure if I will be sent overseas."
Upon hearing her daughter say this, Marcia slowly set her silverware down and looked at the envelope in front of her. Feelings of sadness and mild anger were in her eyes as she eyed the white envelope bearing the golden stamp of the USMC on it. It almost taunted her about how her daughter wanted to run off and fight in some war that already claimed her father, Marcia's husband. She would take the envelope and with a low but strict and stern voice, spoke to her daughter. "Mary Annabell Sioux. I have lost your father, my husband to this war. I will not allow it to claim my daughter as well. Your father wanted you to stay as far away from the war as possible so you can grow up happy and start a family of your own. I will not let you throw away the sacrifice he made for us."
"Mamma. I'm not going to throw my life away. However I feel like I'm wasting away doing nothing to help the fight somehow." She replied back in return, thinking about Legadonia and other countries under Imperial occupation. "We lost our home and father to this war and I don't want more to happen to other people either. I feel like I have to do something."
Marcia shook her head at this, feeling frustrated and looking at her daughter. "No you do not. You are only fifteen years old and have your whole life ahead of you. Signing up for the military is a surefire way of getting killed or maimed. I don't want my daughter to be running around on a battlefield risking life and limb for whatever reason this war is being fought."
"I won't be running around though if I end up being sent overseas after enlisting. I will be flying in the skies with others. I am qualified to be in a mage unit like pappa." She explained as she looked at her mother. She noticed the shock on her face as she continued. "I took an aptitude test over at the recruiters office. They said it was the highest they'd ever seen and wanted me to enlist with your consent. I promise you I will be safe and stay safe."
"No...No. I won't let my daughter run or fly off to be taken away by war. My decision is final. No means no, Mary. You will not throw your life away after your father was taken away by this damnable conflict." With that final statement, she took the envelope and began to tear it up in front of Mary and Granny Sioux. Granny watched silently but felt saddened to see her daughter and granddaughter argue over this. However she did feel like Marcia had a strong point. Mary should remain home and live a normal life as a young girl. She doesn't deserve to be involved with the war. Marcia tore the last of it and tossed it into the fireplace nearby. Mary didn't like this and stood up from her chair to shout at her.
"But mamma!" Mary tried to speak up when there was a sudden pain and her head turned to the right. Feeling pain on her cheek and tears starting to well up, she looked to see her mother's hand extended from the slap she gave. Her mother glared at her with tears running down her own face as she spoke up. Granny looked shocked and a bit horrified by this reaction as she watched with her mouth open.
"I said...I said no more of this...Just go to your room." She could only say to her daughter, seeing the look of betrayal in her eyes. Mary felt herself already moving and trying to fight the flood of tears from both the pain of the slap and the fact it was her own mother who did this to her. She ran upstairs to her room and both Marcia and Granny could hear the door slam shut followed by the muffled cries of the young girl. Marcia felt regret and shame from what she did, slowly placing her hands on her face as she spoke to Granny. "å, herregud. What have I done? I harmed my own child..."
"I'm just shocked by what I witnessed tonight. I understand you don't want to lose her but lashing out like that was not the answer."Granny replied in a stern talking voice as she looked at her daughter in disappointment. She slowly sighed and spoke up once more. "You will have to apologize to her tomorrow. I think the best thing is to leave her be and calm down. Both of you need to."
Marcia slowly took a few shaky deep breaths before nodding her head. Granny was right. She needed to calm down and prepare to apologize to her daughter for hitting her. "You're right. You're right, Mamma. I just can't let my emotions ruin my relationship with my daughter. Tomorrow, I'm gonna apologize and try to sit down to talk with her when we're both calm. I'll try to mend this mess I worsened."
Granny nodded her head at this as she began to get up and help Marcia clean up the kitchen. A few hours later, the kitchen was cleaned along with the dining room and everyone was in their respective beds. While Granny had concerns about her remaining family in her sleep, Marcia and Mary's dreams were anything but peaceful. With Mary, she seemed to be in a debate with herself and someone else about enlistment and her mother. While the pull to enlist and go overseas was strong, the belief that she would only go if her mother approved of it as well as doing what was right and waiting for her time seemed to be dominant here. While the opponent did seem to tempt her to try and run away to enlist, she refused and told whoever it was that she wasn't gonna make her mother heartbroken even if they had a fight at dinner. With that, the voice left and allowed her to sleep with no more internal debates in her head.
However for Marcia, the dreams seemed vastly different. She found herself in a church where many people were praying in the pews to a statue at the head of the church. She began to walk around and examine, noticing they were a mix of Legadonians, Francois, Dracians, and other people the Empire had defeated in war. They all seemed to be in deep prayer and when she got to the front of the church, a bright light almost blinded her as an Angel seemed to appear before her.
"Do not be afraid, for the Lord is watching over all. He has deemed your family to be blessed to carry out His will and to bring Justice to the world. He has selected your daughter to be the blessed one and wishes for you to see that she can carry out His holy will." The Angel spoke before her as it moved aside to reveal the statue in front of the church. Her eyes widened when it was revealed that the statue was none other than a young adult version of Mary with a halo and wings on her like an Angel only with a military uniform on. Her arms were outstretched like an Angel and seemed to be guiding smaller statues of soldiers and people behind her. "The Lord gives you His promise and blessing that no harm shall fall on your daughter, Mary. For He has blessed her with three blessings and His will to guide her and keep her safe."
Marcia looked at everything in a mix of horror and confusion as she shook her head. This is not at all what she wanted for her daughter. She wanted her to be a normal girl and live a happy life, not fight in some war that robbed them of their husband and father. She fell to her knees and clasped her hands together in a begging motion as she pleaded. "No…No! Please! Don't take my daughter! She's all I have left!"
"Do not be afraid. She will be protected by our Lord and be safe while she is away. You have His word. Please just think this over." The Angel replied, the dream beginning to fade away as Marcia began to shake herself out of her sleep. She suddenly shot up and panted in her bed, glancing around the room. Granny was asleep nearby in her bed while Mary was silently asleep in her room. Marcia slowly looked down at herself, shaking from the dream. Was it real or just a crazy dream? She would have to ask the local pastor about it in private soon. For now, she slowly calmed herself down and went back to a hopefully dreamless sleep.
Translations
'Nei, bestemor' = No, Granny.
'Idioter' = idiots
'Pappa' = Papa
'Mamma' = Mama
'å, herregud' = Oh my god/goodness.