Into the Wilds

Chapter One

        Wind whipped through Deja's dark, unruly hair as she gazed out towards the distant horizon. On clear summer days, like this one, Deja felt like she could see to the ends of the earth itself.

          In her heart, she knew better.

          She knew that the pale blue was not the result of the natural sky, but the magically generated barrier that separated the kingdom of Cerullis from the dangers beyond.

          Of course, that didn't stop her from dreaming of what it might be like beyond the walls, whatever it was had to be better than living in the Cogs, living off the crumbs swept from the tables of the Elite.

          "Deja Valeiros! Are you up on that roof again?"

          Deja hunkered down low against the tin siding which was already beginning to grow uncomfortably warm beneath her. She could hear the protesting creaking and groaning of the ladder as her mother climbed towards her hiding place. She held her breath as first a head emerged, the dark hair tightly braided and pinned so it wouldn't get in the way while the older woman worked. Next came a pair of shoulders, strong, square shoulders accustomed to long, hard hours of manual labor.

          "Deja," her mother said again, her voice tired. "What have I told you about coming up here?"

          The young woman said nothing, hoping her mother was only guessing at her presence there and might give up the hunt if she thought her daughter to be hiding elsewhere.

          "I can see your foot," her mother said.

          Deja jerked her bare sole towards her and cursed silently.

          "Enough child, I've told you time and again it's not safe to be up here," her mother said. "Besides, you're too old to be up here daydreaming the day away, I need your help in the cafe."

          "But mom," Deja protested with a loud groan.

          She hated working in the cafe.

          Mostly, she hated the way the eyes of the miners had started lingering just a little too long ever since she'd begun 'filling out', or so her mother had named it.

          "You can work in the back," her mother said, reaching out to slap her foot which had slipped forward again. "And make sure you put some shoes on before you come down. Did I raise a daughter or a monkey?"

          With that, the older woman disappeared from view, the ladder creaking and protesting in the wake of her retreat.

          Deja sighed inwardly and slumped back against the side of the house. She regretted it instantly, cursing as when the back of her arm came into contact with the now hot siding. Rubbing ruefully at her tender arm, she sighed and cast one final longing glance towards the horizon.

          Though she often dreamed of one day taking to the skies, she also couldn't help but wonder if this was all life had in store for her. Was she destined to spend day after day scrubbing dishes and serving beer?

          No, she thought as she scrambled noiselessly down the ladder, not if she had anything to say about it anyway.

          "It's about time," Josie exclaimed when Deja finally made her way into the cafe, wearing proper shoes just as her mother had instructed. Josie held a tray laden with mugs of beer and ale and motioned with a jerk of her head towards the kitchen. "Your mum says you don't want to work the tables. There's a tub full of dishes in the back with your name on it."