This morning was cold, even wrapped in the comfort and warmth of my blankets the cold still hits me hard. It was hard getting off my bed, as it is every morning. I force myself off, later to feel the cold slap me on my face. "Why is it so cold in here?" I mummer to myself rubbing my arms hoping friction would warm me up.
"Oh, that's because I opened the windows." I hear a firm but light voice coming from the other side of the room. My eyes widened by surprise but instead of shrieking like he hoped, I threw a pillow at his pale face. "Hey don't be aggressive. That hurts you know." I look at him with a grin. "Well it hurts in the heart." Roy frowns.
"What heart?" I retort. "Who freezes his best friend and still has a heart?" He laughs. I got up and walked up to him. "So what do you need?" I ask poking Roy in the forehead.
"Dad wants to ask you for a favor. And you might be gone for a while if you accept it, so I came to steal you away for a day of fun." I laugh. "What?" His confused expression makes me laugh harder.
"My hero. Let me change first, and please do me a favor and close all the windows." I grabbed my favorite white waist-lengthened tunic, my belt and my warmest pair of black pants. I walked to him, with his stunning blue eyes staring straight at me. "Do I have something on my face or what?" I ask him with a smile. He walks to me and grabs my arm.
"C'mon!" He rushes us down the stairs and comes to a brute stop on my door. "Your shoes..." I nod and run to my room and get my leather boots putting them on while walking -more like hopping- back. He grabs my arm again and pulls me with him.
After dragging me to our secret hideout tree-house in the forest he smile and let go of my now damaged arm. "Allison, I need to tell you something..." My heart skips a beat, was he about to do what I think he is? I've liked him for so long, that well built brunette was my best friend, but it always felt like more. "We've been best friends forever, and this is going to be a big change... and I'm scared it might affect our friendship..." I felt an embarrassed smile creep on my face. I look at the ground so that he won't see the flustered look on my face. "I'm going to the village neighboring ours, Greenfield." I look up in shock. "Exciting right?" I forced a smile. “That’s also why we might not see each other for a while, I’m leaving a week after you leave for the job... if you accept it that is...”
"Yeah... What are you going to do there?" I ask hoping my frustration didn't show.
"MANY THINGS!" He yells enthusiastically. "Maybe I can find someone, also a job, and a new home!" A new home? Did he really hate it here?
"That's sweet, but what will happen to your dad? Aren't you supposed to be the village's new chief?" I ask out of curiosity, and maybe a bit of hope... who am I kidding? All of my hope, all I had left after he friend-zoned me...
"Yes, but that'll only happen in the future! I still have a whole life ahead of me!" He smiles like it's nothing.
"Yeah, you're right... I hope you find the girl of your dreams!" I smile happy for him, but I was really just dying inside.
"Is something wrong? You seem down." I began to despair.
"Must be a cold... I can thank you for that." I try joking to shake off the awkwardness. "I'm going back to get some more sleep. I'll see you later."
"Sure... See you later..." He said strangely, like he knew something was up.
I climb down of the tree as fast as possible and call out for my Calla, my beautiful dark bay horse. I got on her and didn't even look back, feeling so much disappointment mostly in myself.
Instead of going to my own house, I decide to visit the kids in the village, since my house was the only one outside the village I don't see them everyday.
"Milo! Lira! Cipher!" I call out to them in the village, but no one replied. In fact the village was completely empty. Then I remembered today was trade day, and everyone would go to Lyre castle. Only few people remained on this day, but they usually would just relax at home.
"I see you stuck around... How about a few practice matches?" I hear a rough voice behind me. With a grin I turned around to face the tanned strong General.
"If you can keep up..." He smiles and the tall blond muscle man takes me into the militia headquarters in the center of our small village. After picking up a random sword, we both gear up and go to the training grounds.
We exchange a few swings and tricks, teaching each other what we know and learn. "General, how about you and I take a break?" I offer after three hours or practice seeing that we're both tired. Suddenly the sirens rang and both me and the General looked at each other suspiciously. I knew that was the false alarm siren, but who would ring it? I walk to the control room and find Roy.
"Bed eh?" Was he seriously going to do this? "Why'd you lie to me?" He asks, he was going to do this... I look into the training through the glass window that separates the room.
"I didn't lie, I was actually going back to bed, but then I thought it would be nice to see the kids so I came to the village, but they were gone, then the General offered a few rounds... and normally he's too busy to give me practice rounds. So I'm here." I sniffled my nose to give him the impression that I'm sick. I was always good at pretending...
"Well you stink, go take a bath and go home." Roy orders completely unaware of my amazing lie. I smile awkwardly. I always hated when he would act like an older brother... It always knocked me into reality, proving to me he had no feelings for me...
"Yes mother." I sarcastically say as I go back into the training room and inform the General of what happened and why it happened. "So goodbye, until next time General!"
Heading to the river near my house, I think of what my life will be like without Roy, he was always my backbone... My support in my decisions. When I see the river, I run and I jump in soaking my clothes and drenching my hair. I stayed in the icy water until I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore.
Walking home was lonely, one slow step after the other. I was feeling bad for myself, but I knew I had to move on... If he was going away, why couldn’t I do the same? Who was I to kid, my life is in this village... Not anywhere else...
I sigh and start thinking of the future, until I was attacked by a messenger bird who delivered a message after a minute of scratching my skin into smithereens.
The message read:
"Dear Allison,
I'm sorry if the messenger bird attacked you, he isn't very well trained... Well anyway, as soon as you get this message I'd like you to come to my home. I have something very important that I need to ask you.
Chief Lither."
So this was what Roy was talking about? I wondered what the job would be... I go to his house as he requested even in soaked clothes, I actually think it would be fun walking in with wet clothes, the chief's expressions were always really funny.
I nock at the door expecting someone to answer it, but instead a hand reached out to my shoulder sending me the chills. “I’ve been expecting you... But not in wet clothes... For heaven’s sakes my child, why are you dripping wet with water?” I grin imagining what look he would have on his face. When I turned around I saw his face stern with worry.... Nothing at all like I expected. His nearly bald head had few strands of grey left, his face was wrinkled from the years of experience, his eyes weren’t focused on me, it was like he was in a different dimension. “Anyway, I would like to talk to you about a favor I’d like to ask.” He motions for me to follow and walks to the direction of the stables.
“Sir, is something the matter?” I ask catching up to him. He looks at me momentarily and sighs.
“No, it’s just my son... He’s worrying me...” He mumbles. “But about the favor, I would like you to go to the castle Lyre tomorrow and deliver something to the prince himself.” He says a bit more relaxed.
“The prince? Prince Liam Clove?” I ask wondering, I was answered with a silent nod. “I thought he didn’t like having to meet people...” I comment.
“That was his father my dear... Prince Clove loves meeting his subjects, rich and poor.” I thought for a while.
“He doesn’t seem like such a bad guy... Is he scary?” I ask curiously.
“Quite the contrary, he’s kind and generous.” I press my lips against each other thinking.
“Is he strong?” I grin, I look at the chief expecting an answer.
“Yes...” I smile as his eyes grew bigger. “Young Allison! Don’t you dare challenge his highness into a dual!” I sigh. “Not only is it disrespectful, but you can not afford the loss.”
“Okay, I understand.” I respond smiling, but my heart felt angered from his lack of trust in my victory.
“Promise me you will not challenge the Prince.” He stared at me with serious eyes.
“I promise chief, in my honor even!” I murmur. “So what are you going to do about Roy?” I try changing the subject.
“What can a father do? He says he will come back in two years, but once they go, they are gone.” He sighs like the weight of the world is in his shoulders.
“He’ll come back, he always keeps his word.” I smile at him, knowing the feeling of being on the verge loosing one of your loved one, I was also going to loose Roy... It’s not like I ever had him though... How depressing can this get?
“I hope so... Here...” He takes a small box from his pouch on his belt and gives it to me. “The package for the prince, don’t open it... Only the prince is allowed to see what’s inside.” He warns. “For only his eyes won’t be affected.”
“I understand.” I take the box and stare at it’s beauty, it was carved with every detail it could possibly hold and still look beautiful... Thin curvy lines going from corner to corner, it’s beautiful details enchanting my eyes. “Thank you.” I store it in a pouch of my own.
“Rest up and leave as soon as possible.” He orders.
“Then I’ll leave now... Goodbye chief, I’ll see you when I come back!” I smile turning around and running to the militia’s headquarters to see if I can borrow a sword. Inside, I see the General polishing his favorite pair of daggers.
“And what can I do for you Allison? Want more practice rounds?” He smiles. I sigh and sit next to him.
“I was wondering if I could borrow one of your swords...” I start...
“Wow, so straight forward... Sure, but what for?” He stops what he’s doing.
“I know this is going to sound silly... But I have a feeling I’m going to need one on my trip to the castle...” I wait for him to laugh, but he doesn’t. Instead he gets up and looks around the armory.
“Always trust your gut instinct, it’s never wrong... Here, this one is one of our best... Her name is Marthida. She’s a strong one.” He hands me a simple sword with simple details that are quite lovely. The simplicity of the blade adds beauty, and also the structure in which it’s build gives the sword more strength.
“She’s beautiful.” I gaze at the sharpness of the blade, light but firm. “Who forged her?” I ask still mesmerized.
“I forged her myself... It was meant for your father...” A sharp pain stings my heart as the memory of my dad rushes into my head.
I start to remember eight years ago when my brown haired, blue eyed and muscular dad came home with an injured blue small bird. The bird’s wings seemed to be fractured and it couldn’t fly. Mom, with her stunning brown eyes and bright blond hair, was the village healer so she took care of it and wrapped it’s wings in a piece of light cloth, careful not to put too much force into the bandage in fear of breaking the little bird’s fragile wings. She also applied various amounts of ointments among other medicinal herbs and things.
When mom finished, dad had finished building the bird a small birdhouse. It wasn’t too well built, but at the same time very impressive for something built under two hours. We took care of it, feeding it when it was hungry, giving it water when it was thirsty, playing with it to keep it exercised, and we even gave it a name, Mitch...
“I miss him.” I say after a moment of silence. The general sat beside me and put his heavy arm around my slanted shoulders.
“We all do... But it’s only just that you miss him the most.” I smile at the caring man.
“Thank you... For taking care of me for so long.” I hug him, and then get up. “I should leave soon.” I sigh away the depressing atmosphere.
“May the gods watch, protect, and help you with your journey.” He gave me a warm smile and left me, walking away to the training room. I grab Marthida and walked out of the headquarters.
I walk out of the village and by my house, procrastinating my departure time. I’m thinking, more like hoping, that something would change my way of life, this trip to the castle will indeed be memorable, it isn’t everyday a normal villager gets to see a prince... Even though I don’t really like getting involved in politics, it was still exciting. Back to the point, I’m hoping to walk back into a village where Roy doesn’t friendzone me, where I didn’t live alone, where dad and mom weren’t...
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” I hear Nila, a young shy girl, say quietly. “Are you abandoning the village like Roy is? Are you Allison?” I turn around to face the blonde brown-eyed girl fiddling with the sleeves of her oversized white dress. I walk to the 6-year-old and bend to eye level.
“I’m not leaving, I’m simply taking a quick trip... And I’ll be back before you know it.” I smile and pat her head. She looks at me with a shy smile and then eyes my dad’s sword.
“That’s one of daddy’s swords.” She whispers. “Are you going to join the L.C.T.M.?” That stands for Lyre Castle Town Military.
“Of course not! I’m not much of a fighter.” I laugh. She looks at me uneasily.
“You’re better than daddy, he said so himself and he was part of the L.C.T.M. until he moved here.” She said.
“He taught me a lot, and I learned other tricks from my dad.” I tell her flattered by the compliment. “It’s not like I’m the best.” I said and got up. “I can’t be late, I’ll see you soon Nila. Please give everyone my regards.” I smile and start walking away. Soon I was in the open fields of the Lyre kingdom, I whistle for Calla, and soon I was on my way to the castle!