The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter 14: Briggston

She was more beautiful than any girl Briggston had ever seen. Blonde hair, dark skin, lips as red as wine. She was the peasant daughter of a farmer, South of the Kingdom's walls. Briggs went South of the walls often as a young boy, where he'd play in a creek that ran through a small grove of trees. Neither his mother or father, nor the maidens ever knew of his ventures, but Briggs had a desire for exploration that even the stone walls of Kessex could not contain.

It was there, playing in the creek that he first lay eyes on her, years ago. And ever since that day, all Briggs ever wanted was to return to the creek, to see her yet again. It took quite some time for Briggs to muster the courage to come out of his hiding and speak to the girl. She worked alone, each day with the goats, far off from the rest of the farm.

She milked the goats each day and took the milk into town every other. The road passed right near the creek, and it was on that road that Briggs finally introduced himself. Not as a Lord, or a noble, just simply Briggston. Of course, not many in the Kingdom of Kessex were named Briggston, other than Briggston Reed. Her name was Ada, and it did not take her long to discover who Briggs truly was.

The two had returned to meet frequently in the creek, or to leave letters for one another when they couldn't. Briggs was only at his tenth name day when he met Ada. But even at that young age, he knew that he loved her, but he also knew that he couldn't. He never mentioned the peasant girl to his mother, Fey, or his father, Edward. They would never approve. To them, marriage was a way in which to better the family's legacy, not to stain it with the blood of peasant farmers.

Briggs was now well past his nineteenth name day, and even almost ten years later he still managed to continue sneaking out of his parent's sight and finding his way to Ada. They met at night most often and they'd run through the woods to the Southern shores of Tide Water. When they were alone, there were no walls to separate them, no crowns or goats to remind them of who they were. It was just the two of them and a love that could never exist.

The beach was where Briggs planned to visit tonight, as he hid in the brush of trees near the creek, crouched low and looking out towards the farm for Ada. It was beginning to get much later than they had agreed to meet, and Briggs couldn't help but to start to worry. He shifted his feet and stood slightly, looking on toward the farmhouse. The fields were silent and Ada was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, the crackling sound of sticks snapping underneath rushed footsteps caught Briggs' ear. Before he could turn to look, he was toppled over into a pile of rocks, as his legs landed in the shallow water of the creek.

Briggs lay confused and disoriented in the dirt and mud. He wiped the grit from his eyes and looked up as he lay on his back, to see the smiling face of Ada staring down upon him.

"You really are too easy to sneak up on, Briggs," Ada said, still laughing.

"Would you be quiet? You really are going to get us caught one of these days," Briggs responded. He stood up and brushed the dirt and mud from his trousers.

"Well, you're a fancy Lord of Kessex, Briggston Reed. If someone discovers us, you'll have them hung at the gallows!" Ada said sarcastically. She loved to patronize Briggs and mock his nobility. To Briggs and Ada, their classes were invisible, all together non-existent. Yet, the cold reality of a hierarchy which separated them was always looming.

"O shut up already, Ada. You're really not funny ya know. It's my father and mother that I worry about discovering us. What am I to do if they find out?" Briggs said.

"You love me Briggs, and I love you. Just tell your mother and father, they can't stop us from loving one another. And if they try, we'll run away," Ada said.