This is a re-up of a work I posted before. It has been edited and tweaked based on the comments of the YWS.
Chapter 1 – Bound for Melliark
Juliana brushed her long white hair behind her ear as she turned the page of the storybook. Her eyes quickly jumped to the first line as she continued without further delay. She made sure to speak clearly so her grandfather could hear her voice over the sound of the horse’s hooves.
“Another awkward pause was eventually broken by the dragon,” she read. “I have decided to give my life in ser--”.
“Enough of this!” Radi shouted. “Can we be done with this tale and move on?”
The boy’s grandfather quickly turned to the back of the wagon. “Hold your tongue Radi! Must you always interrupt your sister while she’s reading?”
“I’ve only so much patience for such ridiculous stories,” the young man said. “It was decent enough when they fought in the storm, but that was far too brief. And the man and beast speak to each other freely? Please, I’ve been containing my laughter for some time now.”
The grandfather’s focus returned to the road. “Cease your complaining child! Be silent and allow Juliana to finish the story.”
“I’m sorry, who is a child? Your age has impaired your memory old man. You should show a soldier more respect. Or was that not a common practice in your younger days?”
“Don’t push me Radi,” the old man said. “You’re not a soldier yet. And perhaps if you acted like one I would treat you as such.”
Juliana let out a deep sigh as her brother and grandfather traded verbal blows. Will there be a single day on this journey without their petty quarreling? she thought. The girl looked to her left at the fourth member of their group. He must assume our entire family acts like those two.
As far as Juliana could tell, the young man appeared to have no reaction to the abrupt interruption of the reading. He continued to sit still at the back of the cart and silently stare at the empty space in front of him; just as he had done since the day he joined them. The boy remained in the same position; sitting with his legs crossed and arms folded, moving only to occasionally stretch his legs or drink from a leather flask resting by his side.
He must be lonely, Juliana thought. What could he be thinking about? And why was he so sad?
Radi turned to her. “Listen to the old fool. It’s obvious why he doesn’t trust me to steer.”
Juliana shook her head and glared at him as she placed the book marker to save the page.
“Don’t stare at me like that,” he said. “You know he’s jealous of me.”
Ignoring her brother’s childish behavior, Juliana stood and cautiously moved to the empty seat at the front of the wagon. Her eyes adjusted to the light as she sat beside her grandfather.
It was a partly cloudy afternoon with no threat of rain. The small, two horse wagon advanced through a forest between two large hills; the wildlife chirping softly behind the trees as they passed. Patches of sunlight leaked through the woods’ natural canopy of oak trees to the ground below.
The man placed his right hand on his granddaughter’s knee. “Is something troubling you Julie?”
“No grandpa. Why do you assume so?”
“Julie, you haven’t forgotten already have you? I told you when we left that I would be up here for you.”
Juliana frowned as she recalled her embarrassing moment of weakness . . .
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Four days earlier, as the wagon departed from her home, Juliana said goodbye to her parents. She waved to them and tried to stay strong despite the feeling of sadness that overcame her. The young woman had never spent a single night away from home.
When the farm disappeared over the western horizon, Juliana lost control and began to cry. Her older brother tried to console her, but was clumsy in his attempts to do so. A few moments later, her grandfather brought the wagon to a halt and invited Juliana to join him in the front.
He embraced his weeping granddaughter and told her, “Juliana, please don’t cry. Today is the first day in the rest of your life. It is a good day.”
The tears flowed down Juliana’s face to the base of her chin. “But grandpa! I heard some of the villagers say that those who leave for the capital never return! I . . . I want to see mother and father again.”
“Julie, you know that’s not true. Did your father not return when you were younger? I lived in Melliark for many years before I met your grandmother. It’s not a scary place, it’s actually quite beautiful.”
“I-It is?”
“Of course! Haven’t you read all about it? The city is no different than Panelsca once you are settled. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Juliana glanced back in the direction they came. Her cloudy vision blurred the road as she thought of her parents.
“Julie, look at me,” her grandfather said.
Juliana wiped her tears and stared into the man’s dark brown eyes. The wrinkles on his face compressed together as he smiled at her.
“You will see them again, I promise.”
Juliana nodded and hugged her grandfather.
The man lightly whipped the horses with the black leather reins. He steered with one arm and held his granddaughter with the other. “If anything worries you, I’ll be here.”
Juliana was calmed by his comforting words. She rested her head on the old man’s shoulder and stayed with him a while longer before returning to the inside of the wagon. Juliana told herself to be stronger, and then vowed to never allow her emotions to be the cause of her family’s anxiety. She opened one of her study books and wiped away the last of her remaining tears.
Never again, she thought.
As she read to herself, Juliana noticed her brother was unusually quiet. She looked up at him and saw Radi staring at her from across the wagon. His concern was surprising to Juliana, who did not consider him to be the sensitive type. She smiled and laughed lightly to pacify his worry. Radi smiled back at her, and the siblings giggled together to erase the tension from a moment ago.
Later that day, the group stopped for their first meal on the road. The grandfather was occupied with the horses while Juliana retrieved water from a nearby stream. She filled the two small buckets as she heard Radi approaching her from behind.
“Um, Juliana?” he said.
“Yes Radi?” The girl stood and handed a pail to her brother. They began to trudge up the slippery embankment back towards the wagon.
“It’s not too late to turn back. If you’re not ready . . . then . . . the cleric school will be there next year as well.”
Juliana lifted her dress to her knees as her boots sank slightly into the mud. “I must go,” she said. “My healing magic will not grow stronger without their instruction.”
“Are you certain? There’s a difference between something you must do and something you want to do,” Radi said. “I must go, it’s the law. You could wait if you wished.”
“Very well then, I want to go,” she said. “I won’t lie to you brother. I was frightened, but I was not myself then. There’s no reason to wait any longer. I’ve nearly completed all of my preparation studies. And . . . I can’t let you go alone.”
The two cleaned their boots on the grass near the road.
“No one accompanied father to Melliark ,” Radi said.
“But you are not our father Radi.”
“You’re right Juliana, I’ve already surpassed him!”
“Hmm, we’ll have to wait and see about that!”
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The five day trip to Melliark was a physically unchallenging journey by wagon. The Panelsca region of Marceris was comprised mostly of plains, small woodlands, and a few lakes. There were no rivers to ford or mountains to cross. A single dirt road would lead the four of them across the open country until they reached the capital.
Juliana spent the majority of the first day listening to her grandfather as he reminisced about more difficult adventures he completed in the past. But she quickly became bored as he repeated the same stories again and again. Passing the time became her most difficult burden, and Radi grew tired of listening to the stories she read to him . . .
Juliana sighed. “I’ve been trying to forget about that day grandpa.”
“I’m sorry Julie,” the old man said. “I thought something must be troubling you when you came up here. You’ve been oddly quiet today.”
“Oh no, there’s nothing wrong,” she said. “I’m just tired. I did not sleep well last night.”
“I see.” The old man lifted his hand off of her knee.
“May we stop for brief rest? I’m sure Perron and Varrot are thirsty.”
“These horses are accustomed to long days Juliana. I would rather not stop until we make camp tonight. Help me find a suitable site in a few hours,” the old man answered.
Juliana gazed at the horizon and said nothing.
Her grandfather leaned in close and whispered into her ear, “Is he making you uncomfortable?”
“It’s nothing new,” she said quietly. “Radi has always been short tempered.”
“I didn’t mean him,” the grandfather replied.
Juliana realized that the only other person her grandfather could be referring to was the traveler who joined them two days earlier. She glanced over her shoulder at the young man who sat quietly at the back of their wagon. “I’m not bothered by him,” she whispered back.
“I’m glad,” said the old man. “He seems like a good boy to me.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Did you see how quickly he handed over his spear when I asked him to join us?” The old man pointed to the wooden weapon resting under his feet.
“Yes I remember,” Juliana said as she recalled the scene. “Why did he do that? You didn’t even ask him for it.”
The old man grinned and looked at her. “But he knew I would,” he said softly. “He knew I would feel uneasy letting him hold a weapon near my granddaughter.”
“Why did you invite him to come with us if you were so concerned?”
“He needed our help. Isn’t that reason enough? Do you know how long it would take him to reach Melliark on foot? We’re doing that boy a great favor.”
Juliana smiled back. “Well I’m not afraid of him grandpa. I’m actually worried about him.”
“Worried?” the grandfather asked quietly.
“He . . . he seems lonely. Each day he sits by himself and doesn’t say anything.”
“Why not go talk to him then?”
Juliana was surprised by her grandfather’s words. His suggestion seemed so simple, yet she was hesitant to act on it. She did not wish to reveal the true reason behind her concern for the young man, but she would not lie to her grandfather either.
“I . . . I can’t,” she said.
“Why?” whispered the old man.
“W-well, I uh . . .”
“Oh, I understand. Don’t worry Julie. You won’t be so nervous once you acquire some experience.”
“N-no. I . . . I’m not--”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of Juliana. I was your age once. Men feel the same way.” The old man suddenly burst into laughter, breaking the previous soft tone of the conversation.
Juliana could not help but laugh along with him at his misunderstanding.
“It’s discourteous to speak ill of someone behind their back!” Radi shouted. “Do you think my hearing is as poor yours old man?”
“When did you become the authority on courtesy?” the grandfather snapped back. “And our conversation does not involve you child!”
“I warned you about referring to me like that! Do not mock me old man!”
Juliana took advantage of the distraction and returned to the inside of the wagon. She sat down across from Radi and picked up her textbook while her brother and grandfather continued to yell at each other back and forth. Juliana did her best to ignore them as she quietly read to herself. Eventually, the two men ended their quarrel and the group became silent.
Juliana could not concentrate on her textbook for longer than a few minutes at a time. Her thoughts were fixated on the young man sitting to her left. Every so often she would glance over towards him.
How can he keep to himself for all these hours?
Each time Juliana turned his way she quickly focused her eyes back on her text, afraid that the boy might notice her looking at him. As the girl stared at her book, she could not stop thinking about the night before . . .
Though, I do have one nitpick that I’d like to start off with…
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