A Wind Called Fate
Part II: The Golden Chariot
A Mummies Alive! Fanfic
We built a new life in the new noble's lands. But it was a harder life than what we'd left behind. There would be no more chariots for me, I knew. And I mourned the loss of my favorite escape. We managed to find an empty farm, but it was run down and needed alot of work. So father began to run it as an inn as well.
And that was when I found a way to have my escape still. Many of the traveler's came by chariot. So, late in the night, while they slept in the upstairs rooms of the farm, I would borrow their chariots. I suppose I knew that in some ways it was stealing, but I didn't care. I could once again ride the wind...
Then one day a strange set of visitors came to stay in our inn. The lead chariot was golden, and incredibly beautiful. Ornately carved, and set with gems. I was mesmerized by it as I watched it approach, and I knew that I HAD to ride it. Just once. I couldn't read - I was only a country girl, after all. And I'd only moved so close to Memphis three years before. I had no idea who rode in the chariot - though I had no doubt he was of noble blood.
I managed to tear my eyes away from the chariot and return to my chores as they approached. And that was when I made my first mistake. Now, I know I kept my hair short, and that father had TOLD me he'd raised me more like a boy than a girl, and I was half-hidden in the crops I was harvesting, but I was still furious when he spoke his first words to me.
"Boy! Is this the farm the villagers said also ran an inn?"
"Boy!" I whirled to face him, eyes wide and insulted. "This is that place, sir, but I am NO boy!"
He looked at me, startled. And one of his guards stepped forward. "Watch your tongue, or lose it!"
To my surprise the man waved the guard back. "No need for threats." He stepped forward. "I apologize, woman. Are you the wife of the owner?"
"I am his daughter." I replied, only slightly mollified by his apology. "If you are seeking rooms - you'll find my father inside. We are without other guests at this time." I turned back to my chores. He headed toward the door with two of his guards, but I felt his eyes on me part of the way. I glanced over at him, and he smiled before entering. I turned quickly back to the crops, a blush spreading across my cheeks. Why had he smiled like that? Why had he been watching me?
"Who will see to our horses and chariots?" One of the guards asked.
I turned back. "If you are certain you will stay, then I will see to them." I layed aside my scythe and came forward to do the task.
"You? A woman?" Another guard scoffed.
"Are you suggesting I am not up to the task? I have done it with ease for nearly three years. There is no one else."
"Very well, take care of our lord's horses first." The guard nodded to the golden chariot. The other guards chuckled as if enjoying a good joke.
I ignored them, and started to the horses. The brayed angrily, bucking up. I ran forward to grab the reigns, and pull them back down. "No." I told them simply. The guards were no longer chuckling as I led the horses toward the barn. After I'd released the horses from the chariot, and opened the barn doors, I turned back and saw the nobleman was ordering the rest of his guards inside. Before he reentered himself, he turned to look at me again. The smile returned to his face, and I was glad we were too far away for him to see my face redden...
It took a long time to care for all the horses and move the chariots to the stable. By the time I was finished night had fallen. Before I went in, I couldn't resist going to look at the golden chariot one last time. It was so beautiful, I had to try it. Surely they would be none the wiser, as so many others had been.
I returned to the house in high spirits, and made supper us and our guests. When I served it, I felt the nobleman's eyes on me often. I'd never felt so self-conscious! Why did he keep staring? I refused to meet his gaze again, his smile had the strangest effects on me. After he and his guards had retired to their rooms, father helped me clean up.
"Our guest asked many questions about you." Father told me.
I paused, startled. "Questions about me? What did he want to know?"
"How old you were. Then he asked if you were a widow."
"A widow?" I asked, confused.
"He seemed to think that it was the only explanation for why you did not seem to have a husband." Father explained.
"He keeps staring at me." I frowned.
"I noticed...and I saw you refused to look at him."
There was a question in his voice. I wasn't ready to answer it. "It's rude to stare." I replied instead, as we finished cleaning and putting things away.
Father kissed me on the forehead. "Go to town for supplies early tomorrow morning." The statement was common enough, but something in his voice sounded concerned. Even..a little afraid? I looked up at him, questions in my eyes as well as my head. But Father gave me no answers. "Goodnigh, Yshta." He headed upstairs.
"I'm going to go look at the stars." I told him - it was a nightly ritual of mine. But my mind was filled with the memory of the golden chariot, and I knew I would not spend long looking at the stars that night.
Yshta
To Be Continued
Pretty cool so far, right? Any guesses to who the mysterious nobleman is? C'mon - it's easy! Anyone know what's coming up next? Of course you do! Because you've all read my other MA fanfic haven't you? ^0^
Salmon '03
Part II: The Golden Chariot
A Mummies Alive! Fanfic
We built a new life in the new noble's lands. But it was a harder life than what we'd left behind. There would be no more chariots for me, I knew. And I mourned the loss of my favorite escape. We managed to find an empty farm, but it was run down and needed alot of work. So father began to run it as an inn as well.
And that was when I found a way to have my escape still. Many of the traveler's came by chariot. So, late in the night, while they slept in the upstairs rooms of the farm, I would borrow their chariots. I suppose I knew that in some ways it was stealing, but I didn't care. I could once again ride the wind...
Then one day a strange set of visitors came to stay in our inn. The lead chariot was golden, and incredibly beautiful. Ornately carved, and set with gems. I was mesmerized by it as I watched it approach, and I knew that I HAD to ride it. Just once. I couldn't read - I was only a country girl, after all. And I'd only moved so close to Memphis three years before. I had no idea who rode in the chariot - though I had no doubt he was of noble blood.
I managed to tear my eyes away from the chariot and return to my chores as they approached. And that was when I made my first mistake. Now, I know I kept my hair short, and that father had TOLD me he'd raised me more like a boy than a girl, and I was half-hidden in the crops I was harvesting, but I was still furious when he spoke his first words to me.
"Boy! Is this the farm the villagers said also ran an inn?"
"Boy!" I whirled to face him, eyes wide and insulted. "This is that place, sir, but I am NO boy!"
He looked at me, startled. And one of his guards stepped forward. "Watch your tongue, or lose it!"
To my surprise the man waved the guard back. "No need for threats." He stepped forward. "I apologize, woman. Are you the wife of the owner?"
"I am his daughter." I replied, only slightly mollified by his apology. "If you are seeking rooms - you'll find my father inside. We are without other guests at this time." I turned back to my chores. He headed toward the door with two of his guards, but I felt his eyes on me part of the way. I glanced over at him, and he smiled before entering. I turned quickly back to the crops, a blush spreading across my cheeks. Why had he smiled like that? Why had he been watching me?
"Who will see to our horses and chariots?" One of the guards asked.
I turned back. "If you are certain you will stay, then I will see to them." I layed aside my scythe and came forward to do the task.
"You? A woman?" Another guard scoffed.
"Are you suggesting I am not up to the task? I have done it with ease for nearly three years. There is no one else."
"Very well, take care of our lord's horses first." The guard nodded to the golden chariot. The other guards chuckled as if enjoying a good joke.
I ignored them, and started to the horses. The brayed angrily, bucking up. I ran forward to grab the reigns, and pull them back down. "No." I told them simply. The guards were no longer chuckling as I led the horses toward the barn. After I'd released the horses from the chariot, and opened the barn doors, I turned back and saw the nobleman was ordering the rest of his guards inside. Before he reentered himself, he turned to look at me again. The smile returned to his face, and I was glad we were too far away for him to see my face redden...
It took a long time to care for all the horses and move the chariots to the stable. By the time I was finished night had fallen. Before I went in, I couldn't resist going to look at the golden chariot one last time. It was so beautiful, I had to try it. Surely they would be none the wiser, as so many others had been.
I returned to the house in high spirits, and made supper us and our guests. When I served it, I felt the nobleman's eyes on me often. I'd never felt so self-conscious! Why did he keep staring? I refused to meet his gaze again, his smile had the strangest effects on me. After he and his guards had retired to their rooms, father helped me clean up.
"Our guest asked many questions about you." Father told me.
I paused, startled. "Questions about me? What did he want to know?"
"How old you were. Then he asked if you were a widow."
"A widow?" I asked, confused.
"He seemed to think that it was the only explanation for why you did not seem to have a husband." Father explained.
"He keeps staring at me." I frowned.
"I noticed...and I saw you refused to look at him."
There was a question in his voice. I wasn't ready to answer it. "It's rude to stare." I replied instead, as we finished cleaning and putting things away.
Father kissed me on the forehead. "Go to town for supplies early tomorrow morning." The statement was common enough, but something in his voice sounded concerned. Even..a little afraid? I looked up at him, questions in my eyes as well as my head. But Father gave me no answers. "Goodnigh, Yshta." He headed upstairs.
"I'm going to go look at the stars." I told him - it was a nightly ritual of mine. But my mind was filled with the memory of the golden chariot, and I knew I would not spend long looking at the stars that night.
Yshta
To Be Continued
Pretty cool so far, right? Any guesses to who the mysterious nobleman is? C'mon - it's easy! Anyone know what's coming up next? Of course you do! Because you've all read my other MA fanfic haven't you? ^0^
Salmon '03