Chapter 2: The Last Adventure
To her surprise, Anna's mother and grandmother, Sharn, had planned a full day of events for her birthday. All of her friends and family, including her grandfather, Doom, were there. Despite the fact that Anna looked like she was enjoying her party, she was really anxious. She kept glancing at her father, wondering if her mother had talked to him about the morning. Finally, the beautiful sun slowly slipped down beneath the distant Os-Mine Hills, and everyone gathered around a huge table outside for dinner.
"Here's to my wonderful daughter, Anna, and her 16th birthday!" Anna's father toasted before dinner.
"Here, here!" people chorused, which Anna felt herself go red at.
"After everyone leaves, your mother and I have something to discuss with you, Anna," her father said quietly while people were talking and laughing merrily as the feast began. Anna felt her stomach fill with butterflies. She suddenly wished that everyone was gone so she could get closer to hear what her parents had to say. About 2 hours later, people finally started clearing out, wishing Anna a good birthday again and thanking her father and mother. At around 8, the only people left were her mother, father, two brothers, Jarred and Endon, her grandfather, and Barda. Anna was confused about this. So her father was going to tell her of his last adventure in front of all these people. She thought that Jarred and Endon were too young to even hear about the Belt's story.
"As you know, Anna, 16 is a turning point in a young person's life," Anna's mother began, smiling warmly at her. Anna raised an eyebrow. Just this morning, her mother was grave when she even thought of the last adventure. "It is even more important when you are the heir to the throne of Deltora." Anna's confused looked must have humored everyone, because everyone was now trying not to beam.
"What do you mean?" she asked her mother.
"Pretty soon you're going to be an adult," her mother continued. "And one day you will be Queen, but in order to be Queen, you must have a King." Anna's jaw dropped. So this wasn't about the last adventure…this was about her courting a young man! She should have seen it coming! Ever since she was 14, her parents have been implying this. Didn't they know she wasn't interested in love but interested in adventure? She was still in disappointed shock when her father handed her a paper that had families of Deltora.
"We encourage you to marry for love, of course, but since you do not know many young men your age, we figured this would be helpful," her father pushed the paper towards her even more. Anna was suddenly fuming.
"I do not care about this right now!" she suddenly snapped. Normally she was in control of her temper, but she couldn't handle such disappointment so easily. "What I want to know is the last adventure you went on, like you promised me one year ago!" Her father's face turned grave. Everyone else at the table was in the same shock as her mother, except her bothers who were off playing tag and Doom who was laughing.
"So she takes after her grandfather it seems," he said. "She knows what's more important; she knows she needs to know the Enemy's former attacks, so she can protect Deltora when her time comes. She knows this is more important to know than who to marry. I told you it was too soon to be thinking of these things." Anna's mother glowered at Doom.
"Well I think it is too early to be talking of the Four Sisters!" her mother snapped at Doom. Anna's face lit up again.
"The Four Sisters?" she asked eagerly. "Isn't that the old Jails fable? What does that have to do with the adventure?" Her father slowly turned to face her, his face still grave.
"So you did not forget about my promise I made to you one year ago?" he asked her.
"Of course not!" Anna exclaimed, excited that this was finally going somewhere. "So, tell me, how did it begin?" Her father held up a hand to stop her.
"Doom, can you go help Sharn in the kitchen?" her father asked. "And, Barda, since you're staying at the forge tonight, do you think Lindall would mind if Jarred and Endon stayed over there just for the night?"
"Of course she wouldn't!" Barda exclaimed. "Lindall and my children love Jarred and Endon!" With that he walked away, carrying Jarred and Endon, each under one arm. Doom remained where he was.
"I know where you're going and I'm coming with you," he said. Surprisingly neither Lief nor Jasmine argued, and they led Anna up to the castle.
Instead of going to the family room where her father had told her the other two stories, Anna was led up to the library, where the librarian, Marilen and her husband, Ranesh, seemed to be waiting for them. Their son, Josef, who was a little older than Anna was sitting in the corner writing poetry as he was always doing.
"It is finally finished!" Marilen showed Lief a huge leather book that was obviously her own work. "Everything you have told me about you experience with the Four Sisters has been accounted for!" She saw Anna and suddenly wished that she didn't say that.
"It is okay, Marilen," Lief said gently. "In fact, I am very glad you are finished. This will make things so much easier for me." He took the book from Marilen and handed it to Anna. "Here," he said. "You can read this and find out for yourself about the Four Sisters." Anna took the book and looked at it. So this was what she was looking forward to for a whole year…a book. Well, she always loved reading, so it wasn't that bad.
"Thank you," she merely said, and without hesitating, tore up the stairs to her room.